Overseeing seven chapters at the IU Alumni Association, Amy Osborne serves as the Associate Director of Volunteer Engagement with a scope that is truly coast to coast. Her role revolves around increasing volunteer engagement and fostering a sense of belonging among alumni in her communities, as she encourages her chapters to plan events and do alumni outreach. When she started at IUAA, she worked with the international team, which pushes to see global alumni represented. Amy was able to put her passion for inclusion to work. Years later, and now with the Market Engagement team, she has seen IUAA continually embrace this value more than ever. She is leading the creation of an individual volunteer program to promote interaction with those who are based geographically farther from the closest chapter, gearing towards a solution to including more alumni across the globe, and expanding opportunities within her chapters. Amy’s dedication to engaging alumni and advocating for inclusion ensures everyone’s voice is heard in the IUAA community.
After growing up in Bloomington, Amy took her cooking skills to Toronto for two years of culinary training. She navigated the huge city, immersing herself in the culture of food, developing new skills and finding her place in kitchens across various restaurants. She valued her time in Canada and felt extremely welcomed by the people. “It was just the right blending of all the different cultures,” Amy said. “There was a polish bakery behind our apartment building, a great Filipino restaurant on the corner, and down the street from that there were these two Jamaican men who made and sold food off their front porch–it was the best Jamaican jerk chicken you’re ever going to get. It is interesting how we are such close neighbors, but our cultures are so vastly different from one another.”
Her return to Bloomington after culinary school resulted in the founding of Sweet Grass with her fellow graduate students, a beloved restaurant now known as Southern Stone. They were fresh out of school and wanted to put their talent to work. To their surprise, the restaurant was widely successful and stayed in business. “The first graduation weekend we were open we actually slept in the booths in the restaurant because we didn’t get to close until 4 AM,” Amy said. “It’s something you’re definitely not doing past 24 years old.” From there, Amy expanded her culinary experience through different hospitality groups for many years until pivoting to an office job setting. She now prefers to cook for friends and family rather than the public.
As the pandemic took over in 2020, Amy found a hobby in gardening and taking care of plants during her time spent in quarantine. She has shifted to hydroponic gardening, where she can grow plants and herbs inside her home from a water solution rather than soil. She loves grabbing fresh herbs from the room rather than taking a trip to the grocery store. Amy’s love for plants blossomed into something deeper than just a pastime. “It starts off small, and then the next thing you know you’re dragging your significant other to the greenhouse at 9 AM on a Sunday because they have 40-percent-off plants,” Amy said. She now has about 25 to 30 plants and counting in her home in Indianapolis.
Through her culinary expertise, cross-cultural encounters, and green-thumb interests, Amy’s experiences have shaped her into who she is today. Her dedication to encouraging inclusion spreads through her work in the IUAA community, celebrating representation across the globe, and ensuring every voice is heard. She is a highly valued and appreciated liaison who embodies what it means to represent IUAA.