Awards

IU Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Award - 2011

About Kate Duffy Sim

Kate Duffy Sim graduated with a B.A. in Journalism from Ball State University in 1978, before completing a M.A. in English at Butler University in 1987. Sim served as the Publications Advisor at North Central High School for three years and was an Adjunct Faculty member at Marian University in Indianapolis.

Following those positions, Sim became a senior lecturer in the IUPUI Department of English. In her time at IUPUI, she consistently demonstrated innovative, effective teaching; took leadership roles in her service to department, school, and campus, especially in diversity initiatives and interdisciplinary connections; and furthered the IUPUI mission of supporting K-12 education. As a co-coordinator of introductory undergraduate literature offerings she brought coherence to the multi-section literature offerings and helped to create a supportive teaching community. She was named Outstanding Distinguished Lecturer in 2009.

Sim retired from IUPUI in 2010. In her retirement, she started her own business, My Mother's Grace, LLC, which sells Sim's personal Catholic-inspired artwork. She has also remained connected to IU, serving as a fellow on the School of Liberal Arts' Dean's Council.

In 2010, Sim used an estate gift from her family members to found the Alice Chandler Gockley and Gordon E. Gockley Memorial Scholarship for Liberal Arts. The scholarship supports students seeking financial assistance to study abroad. The scholarship is named for Sim’s cousins, Gordon Gockley, a German professor, and his wife, Alice Chandler Gockley.