Awards

IU Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Award - 1999

About Edward Manetta

Edward "Ed" Manetta was born in Export, Pennsylvania. After serving in the Navy during WWII, he attended Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh before entering Herron School of Art in 1950. He graduated from Herron in 1953 with a B.A. in painting, then again in 1954 with a M.A. in Education. Following his education, he studied and traveled to Italy on a Milliken scholarship and to Birmingham, England and a Fulbright Teaching Fellowship.

Throughout his professional life, Manetta enjoyed success as an artist and teacher. His career took him around the world, from serving as acting dean at St. John's University in Budapest to starting an exchange program in Taiwan for art students, Manetta always supported the educational mission of aspiring artists. Upon retirement in 1989 from St. John’s, he was invited to be visiting professor at Hunan Normal University in Changsha, China. For his cultural contributions, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of fine arts degree from Hunan Normal University. Manetta finished his career as an associate professor of fine art at Herron School of Art and Design.