Alumni Awards and Honors

IUSSW 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award

The IUSSW 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Inna Pecar. She has a Masters in Education form the University of Foreign Langauage in Kiev, USSR and received a Masters in Social Work from Indiana University in 1997. She is the Executive Director at KidsFirst Adoption Services LLC.

The following is the nomination sent in by Linda Olvey, ACSW, LCSW:

It is my pleasure and privilege to nominate Inna Pecar as our 2005 Distinguished Social Work Alumni.This incredible individual has demonstrated what true fortitude andcourage are as she followed her dreams for a better life for both her family and for thousands of orphans left to survive in the direst conditions of the countries of the former Soviet Union.

As a young English translator in the USSR, Inna became a refugee in 1991, leaving her homeland Ukraine with only two suitcases and $200. Not knowing where her young son and she would eventually live, she stayed in Austria and Italy, before finally immigrating to Indianapolis in 1991.Inna’s personal story holds one in extreme awe and admiration for all this social worker has done to overcome adversity and realize her dream.

After arriving in Indianapolis, Inna worked for several years on the Resettlement Staff of Jewish and Family and Children’s Services.She provided assistance to Russian immigrants in acclimating to life in the US, handling stressful situations such as cultural differences, language barriers, adjustment issues, etc. She assisted with job interviews, medical situations and often advocated for immigrant rights in government offices.She also worked with the elderly in housing and social service needs.

In 1995, Inna was finally able to pursue her graduate degree in Social Work at IU, thus beginning her journey of realizing the creation of an international adoption agency. Inna never forgot the children she knew were living in desolate orphanages in the countries of Russia and Kazakhstan.

KidsFirst Adoption Services opened its doors in 1998, completing its first adoption in Dec of 1999.Through Inna’sperseverance and compassion, she has been able to bring over 370 children out of institutional care and into loving adoptive homes in this country.

Inna embodies the spirit and compassion of a true social worker, dedicated to the need for social change and enhancement of international relationships to improve the welfare of all. She works tirelessly and without complaint in facing the bureaucratic challenges of international adoption.Her values and ethics are exemplary, as she values every aspect of the sacredness of changing human lives.

Community Contributions:

In addition to her outstanding work in international adoptions, locally Inna continues to assist immigrants in the many aspects of resettlement and adjustment to a new country and way of life.

Inna received the 2003 Families Count Award from the United Way for her exemplary work in family strengthening.

I am proud to nominate Inna Pecar for the 2005 IUSSW Distinguished Alumni Award.

The School of Social Work recognized two of its distinguished alumnae, Rosemary Dorsa and Clara Anderson, at the 17th Annual Spirit of Philanthropy Awards Luncheon in May.

Rosemary is Executive Vice President of the Central Indiana Community Foundation and brings her understanding of the broader philanthropic community to her advisory, communication, and fundraising efforts on behalf of the school.A tireless volunteer and generous donor to the school and the community, Rosemary’s wise counsel has been sought many times. She understands the important role the School of Social Work plays in  the state and the impact social workers have within their communities.We were pleased to honor her as an advocate of the school and champion of the social work profession,

Clara Anderson has been a defining voice for families and children at risk for over 35 years the past 15 of which have been with the Indianapolis Children’s Bureau where she currently holds the position of Executive Vice President of Advocacy and Planning.In 2003-2004 Clara advocated for legislation to create the Commission for Abused and Neglected Children and worked to assist in the development of recommendations to the Governor’s office. Clara credits her mentor, Dr. Will Scott, for her many professional achievements. To honor him, she established an endowed scholarship in his name to increase the number of appropriately trained professionals to work with the overrepresented number of African American children in the child welfare system. Sadly, Dr. Scott died on November 28, 2004. However he was both humbled and excited about the scholarship and very proud of his student, Clara Anderson.

Congratulations to both of this year’s honorees!

Have you recently received an honor or award?Let us know!!Please contact Ms. Karen Deery MSW, IUPUI Alumni Relations at 317-274-8828 or kdeery@iupui.edu.