Awards

President's Medal for Excellence - 2020

IU Cinema Showing at Memorial Stadium

Bloomington, Indiana

About Jon Vickers

Jon Vickers served as the founding director of the Indiana University Cinema from 2010 to 2020. He attended Michigan State University where he pursued a bachelor’s in civil engineering. Prior to joining IU, he served as the managing director of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at the University of Notre Dame. He possesses a strong knowledge of film history and an eagerness to work with all campus units that are interested in engaging with film.

As the founding director of IU Cinema, Vickers was responsible for setting the vision and path for IU Cinema’s growing national reputation as a leading film program. During his tenure, IU Cinema issued over 290,000 tickets – nearly 140,000 of which were free – presented 2,253 unique programs and hosted 210 filmmakers and 18 world premieres.

During his more than 25-year career, Vickers has overseen the final construction and launch of three film venues and programs in the Midwest, all of which have gained some level of national reputation. In the early 1990s, he also opened the Vickers Theatre with his wife, Jennifer; the venue is an independent, single-screen arthouse in Three Oaks, Michigan, that still thrives today. In 2020, Indiana University awarded Vickers with the President's Medal for Excellence in honor of his outstanding artistic, professional accomplishments and service to the university.