September 9, 2009

Bloomington, Ind. -- Justin and Katharine Greis graduated from Indiana University in 2004, but their ties remain strong to the Bloomington campus. Last year, they helped establish a memorial fellowship to honor the special life of Katharine Greis's father and to provide financial assistance to students in the Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) program at Kelley.

From left to right: Justin Greis, Erika Barrios and Jarrett Crusor.

MSIS students Jarrett Crusor and Erika Barrios received the fellowship this year. Crusor is a graduate of Purdue University ('05) where he earned a BS in Electrical and Computer Technology. Prior to starting the MSIS program Crusor worked for Hewlett Packard as an information management consultant.

Barrios is a recent graduate of the IU Kelley School of Business ('09), where she majored in finance and international business. At IU she was a Hudson and Holland Scholar and interned at Oblong Industries in Barcelona, Spain.

Both students expressed their appreciation for being chosen for such a prestigious award. Crusor noted, "I am truly thankful to receive an award honoring the kindness and caring of Mr. Buckman. He was a model citizen who understood his purpose in life. Receiving this award reaffirms my feeling that there is a strong network within Kelley that wants you to succeed, which is extremely encouraging." Barrios concurred: "Mr. Buckman placed a huge value on education and philanthropy. I admire what his family has done to give back to the MSIS program and Indiana University. I am not only grateful, but honored to receive this award."

The family is delighted by the selection of the two candidates. "We are thrilled to have such outstanding students receive the award. There is no more fitting way to honor the memory of James Buckman than to better the lives of others through advanced education and continued learning. We are proud to have Erika Barrios and Jarrett Crusor as the first recipients of this fellowship. We are confident they will do great things in the MSIS program and beyond. We look forward to seeing them give back for years to come," Justin Greis commented.

The Ernst & Young, James E. Buckman Memorial Scholarship/Fellowship was established to pay tribute to James Buckman, who was killed in a tragic car accident in September 2007. Buckman's daughter Katharine Greis, and her husband, Justin Greis (MBA '04), wanted to honor her father's life. As Kelley alums they knew one of the greatest and most enduring gifts is that of an education.

Buckman was a strong believer in the value of education. As co-owner of BBJ Linen, in Chicago, Illinois, he was dedicated to helping his employees better themselves by supporting their efforts to attain a college degree. This memorial fellowship pays homage to this tradition.

Katharine Greis, who earned her bachelor's degree from Kelley in marketing and international studies, observes, "This scholarship seemed like the perfect way to honor his memory. Our whole family is just so happy the Buckman name will live on to help people for years to come."

Ernst & Young has generously matched the Greis' contributions to the Fellowship fund. As Justin Greis notes, "The mission and goal of the award is a perfect complement to E&Y's values and focus on higher education."

Justin Greis completed his MBA with a focus in information systems in 2004 immediately following his bachelor's degree from Kelley with a major in accounting. He is currently a manager within Ernst & Young's Information Technology (IT) Advisory Services and serves as adjunct faculty in Kelley's MSIS program, teaching IT Governance, Risk and Controls. While at E&Y, Justin Greis has increased the firm's recruiting presence at Kelley, particularly within Information Systems Graduate Programs, which includes the MSIS degree.