Indiana University Bloomington is recognizing two faculty members with Distinguished Service Awards in honor of their sustained service and leadership to the university, their disciplines and the broader public.

Brad Wheeler, the Sungkyunkwan Professor of Information Systems and James H. Rudy Professor in the Kelley School of Business, and Bernice Pescosolido, a Distinguished Professor of Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences, are the 2025-26 recipients of IU Bloomington’s Distinguished Service Awards.

Brad Wheeler and Bernice Pescosolido. “What makes IU Bloomington excellent and a leader in higher education starts with our faculty,” said David Reingold, IU Bloomington chancellor. “Their research, teaching and service, and their broader impact on campus and well beyond, are noteworthy.

“Brad and Bernice are shining lights who have spent their careers building a base of research and a culture of collaboration and mentorship that will resonate for years to come. We are grateful for their service and deeply appreciate its significant and lasting contribution to the university, the state and the world.”

Wheeler will receive the M.A. “Venkat” Venkataramanan Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes faculty or librarians whose service has made a lasting impact on the Bloomington campus. Over nearly three decades at IU Bloomington, he has provided senior leadership across academic and administrative roles, advancing institutional technology, student affordability and university operations.

His contributions include co-founding major enterprise learning platforms, launching digital course material initiatives that reduce student costs, and strengthening IU’s technology infrastructure, alongside key leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and other institutional challenges.

Pescosolido will receive the Mary Burgan Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes sustained service to the university, a discipline or the public. A four-decade faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences, she is a leading sociologist whose work has advanced mental health research and interdisciplinary collaboration.

At IU, she has founded major research centers, most recently the Irsay Institute, and has contributed extensive service through faculty development programs, university governance and scholarly organizations. Nationally, her leadership and advisory roles span organizations including the National Academy of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

“What Brad and Bernice have accomplished is remarkable,” said John Ciorciari, IU Bloomington interim provost and executive vice chancellor. “From transforming our technology to founding new institutes for research, their leadership has ensured IU Bloomington has what it needs to succeed. Our faculty and students will continue to benefit from the foundations they have built. We thank them both for their extraordinary service.”

Recipients were selected by the provost following recommendation by a faculty committee sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs. Honorees will be celebrated at a fall 2026 reception.