Awards

President's Medal for Excellence - 1988

Friends of Music Dinner

Bloomington, Indiana

Presenter: Thomas Ehrlich

About Betty Blumberg Polley

Elizabeth Foster Blumberg Polley received all three of her degrees from IU: a bachelor’s in 1931, a master’s in 1938, and a doctorate of education in 1952. She was a professor of art at Indiana State University from 1950 to 1965.

As an artist, Polley was featured in three art shows and was a representative of the United States in a calligraphy exhibition held at Buckingham Palace in London.

Along with careers in higher education and art, Polley was also a manager of Blumberg Farms, president of Blumberg-Newlin Realty, and vice president and director of Progress Building Corp. and the 624 Corp. She was president of the Terre Haute Regional Hospital and the Indiana Women’s Political Caucus, and a member of the board of directors of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Indiana and the board of trustees of IU (1980-1986). She was involved at IU as a life member of Friends of Music (also served as president), Friends of Art, Theatre Circle, and Woodburn Guild. She received the President’s Medal of Excellence from IU President Thomas Ehrlich during a Friends of Music dinner in 1988.

Polley passed away on January 17, 1994, in Terre Haute, Indiana, at the age of 83.