Impact

Impact driven by you

For more than 50 years, the O’Neill community has been making a difference through service, leadership, and action. We take pride in our rankings and achievements, but our greatest strength is our people. The students, faculty, alumni, donors, and friends working together to lead positive change. Fueled by philanthropy and strengthened by engagement, the stories and impact you’ll find here reflect the power of a community investing in its future.

Explore the milestones, achievements, and collective impact that connect us all, and see how every contribution helps advance O’Neill’s mission.

Leading for the greater good. Making a difference.

Your support in action

Franco named Fischer Faculty Fellow

André Franco, an assistant professor at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, has been selected as the latest recipient of the prestigious Fischer Faculty Fellowship.

Read about Franco's award

First student completes O’Neill’s new Community and Organizational Leadership Studies degree

The newly launched Community and Organizational Leadership Studies program offers a bachelor’s degree, minor, and certificate option. This program provides students with training that transcends job titles. Being able to lead effectively is a critical skill that is applicable in every sector of our society.

Meet our first graduate Natalie Teliz

Protecting Women’s Health

A new study led by Associate Professor Marta Venier from IU’s O’Neill School reveals that nearly 30% of reusable feminine hygiene products tested contain PFAS—harmful “forever chemicals” linked to serious health risks. The findings raise urgent questions about product safety, transparency, and the need for cleaner alternatives.

Read more about Venier's study

Exploring Rural Climate Tech Impact

Assistant Professor Nathan Cook is part of a team of researchers working to understand the impact that shifting toward climate-smart agricultural technology and practices has on rural farmers in India. Using survey data to examine social inequities in adopting groundwater irrigation technology. They are now exploring the impact of other tools and practices.

Read more about Cook's research

Prosecutor Data Gets Public Spotlight

Professor Eric Grommon is advancing his long-term research project and partnership to examine the impact of decisions made by prosecutors. In partnership with the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office, his team is developing Indiana’s first public-facing data dashboard that will provide insight into how prosecutors’ decisions can contribute to longer-lasting impacts within the criminal justice system.

Read more about Grommon's report

Flood Insurance Breakthrough Starts in the Classroom

Three O’Neill MPA students turned a class research paper into real-world impact by helping a California town secure parametric flood insurance. Their research, shared with consulting firm ENGEO, led to a $200K grant and a pilot program that’s now a model for other high-risk communities.

Read more about the grant

Future leaders in action

From planning security for the presidential inauguration to translating Medicaid research into policy recommendations, students get first-hand leadership training in the nation’s capital.

Read more about the work being done in Washington, D.C.

Indy’s Resilience, Framed in Focus

The Portraits of Resilience project led by Dr. Courtney Page-Tan at IU Indianapolis, is a powerful initiative that combines academic research with photography to highlight resilience and risk in historically underrepresented Indy neighborhoods. By working with local artists, the project brings community voices to the forefront, offering an intimate and visually compelling look at the challenges and strengths that shape these communities.

Read more about Page-Tan's project