‘We fundamentally oversee a city composed of students’
Luke Leftwich
ASSISTANT VICE PROVOST, CAMPUS AUXILIARIES
Luke Leftwich came to Bloomington in 2006, when his wife, Anne, was hired to the faculty of the School of Education. Anne is now the associate vice president for learning technologies in the Office of the Vice President for Information Technologies and Luke is assistant vice provost for Campus Auxiliaries. Luke spends his days chasing down information and seeking solutions issues that pop up in the sweeping areas he oversees, from dining and hospitality to transportation to maintenance, custodial services, and interior design in the residence and dining halls.
"In essence, if you engage with the Bloomington campus, you engage with the Campus Auxiliaries!"
Luke and his family on a Disney Cruise.
Q: What initially led you to Indiana University and what has inspired you to stay?
A: I am proud to say that I am a trailing spouse. My wife Anne is a superstar faculty member and administrator and forged our path to Bloomington with her talent and tenacity. I just did my best to keep up. Over the last 20 or years or so, I have discovered an amazing community of leaders and friends as I journeyed through the academic side of the university to where I currently reside in the Campus Auxiliaries. The community here is second to none and provides the energy needed to solve complex issues and take fulfillment from my work.
Q: What do you want people to know about your work that they may not know?
A: Most people in the campus community don't know what the Campus Auxiliaries are and what we do. However, our students, faculty and staff engage with our various offices every day as we offer an eclectic mix of integral services to the campus community. We are Campus Bus, Parking, Fleet, Transportation Demand Management. We are Document Services, the Warehouse, and IU Surplus. We are Maintenance, Custodial Operations and Interior Designs for the Residence Halls and Dining Courts. We are IU Dining, the IU Hotel, the Vault Pub. Beyond that, we are even the Early Learning (child care) operations for the Bloomington campus. In essence, if you engage with the Bloomington campus, you engage with the Campus Auxiliaries!
Q: What's the best part of your job and why?
A: There is NEVER a routine day in the Campus Auxiliaries. We fundamentally oversee a city composed of students. Anything and everything can happen when you serve students. There is an opportunity to solve unique challenges every day and every night within the work we do.
Q: Any current plans or projects to share? How does this work intersect with other parts of campus?
A: We are currently trading various offices and work with the newly created Office of Student Life to create more synergies and better serve students. The process is yielding the necessary organizational foundation to allow us to best serve our students, the faculty research mission, as well as the state of Indiana and beyond.
The Leftwich family taking a tour of NYC.
Q: What is your favorite dish or place to eat on campus?
A: I am clearly biased, but I love taking my lunch with our students and colleagues in the Wright food court. The dining staff is friendly and always smiling, the space is historic, and the cuisine is eclectic. There are so many nooks and crannies and beautiful spaces on campus, but I can’t think of a better place to take in the vibe of campus life like one of the residential dining courts. Super excited for the space to open back up after renovation in the Fall of 2025. Slice at Forest has awesome pizza and Spice Road has rotating international menus that are always hot, fresh and exciting!
Q: Favorite IU event(s)?
A: Walking campus in the fall (well anytime really) remains my favorite way to absorb the campus culture and recharge my energy levels.
Taking our dog, Curry, on a walk in the snow.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
A: I love spending time with my family and our dog, being outdoors, the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan, hunting, Kentucky bourbon, and playing golf and soccer. My wife and I also love Disney Cruises with our family and traveling. We look forward to sailing to new destinations as our kids get older so we can experience more unique places throughout the world.
Q: What advice do you give people who want to do what you do professionally?
A: There are so many paths to finding the right fit within higher education. Seek out mentorship and build your community but be ready to forge a path that makes the most sense for you.
Q: Who should we profile next—and why?
A: Tim Stockton … Because he is the glue that binds our various offices together.