2009 Honorary Degree
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Retired Indiana State Sen. Robert L. Meeks has served the citizens of northeast Indiana and the United States his entire adult life. After serving in the U.S. Army, he came back home to Indiana and joined the Allen County Sheriff's Department. He followed that with 21 years in the Indiana State Police, retiring in 1981 as the Ligonier District Commander. After a three-year break, Meeks was back serving the public as a member of the Lakeland Board of School Trustees. In 1988 he began his 20-year tenure as a member of the Indiana State Legislature, specifically, as a state senator, until his retirement last year.
While in the state senate, Meeks became chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. As such he had the task of crafting the state spending plan for each biennium. Even in the lean years, Meeks was always cognizant of the need for funding for higher education. Without his input, IPFW would not have both the Medical Education Building and the John and Ruth Rhinehart Music Center. His foresight is allowing IPFW to proceed with the construction of the Student Services Complex that will connect the Gates Athletic Center, Walb Student Union and Helmke Library together.
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