Carl G. and Mazelle Van Buskirk Memorial Scholarship Fund
In 1993, Mazelle Van Buskirk established this fund to honor the memory of her late husband, Professor Emeritus Carl Van Buskirk. Professor Van Buskirk studied piano with Rudolph Ganz at the Chicago Musical College and earned a master's degree in music composition and performance from the Eastman School of Music. Professor Van Buskirk joined the voice faculty of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 1946, where he was chairman of the voice department from 1961 until his retirement in 1971. During his 26 years at Indiana University, he was a dedicated teacher whose many students benefited from his talents as a vocalist, pianist, composer, and poet. To honor him on his 85th birthday, his wife prepared a volume of his poems, Personal Music, for publication. It has been written that his poetry evokes "an April world filled with laughter, promise, nourishment, and a dynamic joy in the beauty of creation, and the creation of beauty."
Mazelle Van Buskirk earned a bachelor's degree and a Master's in Fine Arts from Indiana University. In 1964 she was appointed to teach art appreciation in the Fine Arts Department. She became an assistant professor and was eventually given the title of Distinguished Lecturer in Art Appreciation. In 1984, she received the Distinguished Teaching Award from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Student Alumni Council. She taught in the Indiana University Mini-University from 1975-1989 and in 1998 received the Award for Teaching Excellence given by the School of Continuing Studies. She retired from the university in 1989 but continued to give lectures for organizations such as Honeywell House, Hadassah, and Meadowood. She was a beloved teacher who profoundly affected the lives of many students and alumni. Mazelle's love for music equaled her enthusiasm for fine art and many of her most valued friends were from the Jacobs School of Music.
The Carl G. and Mazelle Van Buskirk Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to a junior or senior pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at the IU Jacobs School of Music.