(NEW ALBANY, Ind.) – At the start of her education, Cicely Caliling, an IU Southeast senior from New Albany, wasn’t sure that she would be good at accounting or that it was the right field for her. Once she received the Monroe Shine Scholarship at IU Southeast, she was motivated to pursue accounting as a career path.
“The scholarship made me feel confident in my ability to be an accountant,” said Caliling. “The Monroe Shine Scholarship made me feel like I could do it and someone supported me. I felt motivated to try as hard as I could.”
J. Robert Shine, an IU Southeast Chancellor’s Medallion recipient and CPA, and his company, Monroe Shine & Co., Inc., established the Monroe Shine Scholarship. The scholarship supports undergraduate students majoring in accounting at IU Southeast with plans to work with local and regional public accounting firms.
“In southern Indiana, it’s important that young people go study and come back to the community,” said Roger Harbeson, CPA at Monroe Shine & Co., Inc. “We’ve got bright young people in our community who maybe wouldn’t consider accounting, but here is an opportunity that is close to home.”
J. Robert Shine was born and raised in New Albany and graduated from New Albany High School. He received a Bachelor of Science with distinction from Indiana University and was later awarded an Honorary Doctor of Law degree by IU. Shine served on the IU Southeast Board of Advisors from 1979 to 1984. He also received the Distinguished Entrepreneur Award from the Indiana University School of Business and was a huge fan of IU basketball.
Shine’s giving to IU and IU Southeast spanned more than three decades. He was passionate about supporting his local community.
“Bob Shine was a steward in the community with both his time and talent as well as his treasure,” said Harbeson. “I think throughout his whole life he was always about giving back to the community.”
Shine passed away in October of 2018 and committed a gift to IU Southeast that will help fund the Monroe Shine Scholarship for over twenty years.
“Through Mr. Shine’s generous legacy, our institution is even stronger for our community,” said Chancellor Ray Wallace. “Supporting great students now develops an even better society in the future.”
