Indiana University Northwest will celebrate student scholarships with its loyal supporters at the upcoming Chancellor’s Medallion and Bicentennial Launch Celebration on November 12.

Calvin “Cal” and Cathy Bellamy, a couple who has remained a champion of the University and supported its programs and its students for decades, will be awarded with the Chancellor’s Medallion, the University’s highest honor, at the upcoming event.

Cal, a Hammond native and IU alumnus of the Class of 1964, is well-known in the community for his commitment to improving the quality of life in Northwest Indiana.

Cal joined Bank Calumet in 1975, where he served as the institution’s President and CEO for 24 years until the bank was sold in 2006. He is currently a Partner with Krieg DeVault LLP, where he focuses on estate and business succession planning.

Cal has helped establish some of the region’s most highly influential groups, including, the Hammond Education Foundation, the Legacy Foundation of Lake County and the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Gary. He is president of the Shared Ethics Advisory Commission, an all-volunteer organization providing training on ethical decision-making for employees of the 20 Northwest Indiana communities who are members. 

Cathy Bellamy, Cal’s wife of 42 years, shares her husband’s vision for a better community, and is equally passionate about getting involved in the causes that she feels will make deep impact in her local community for generations.

A native of Florida, Cathy grew up in Michigan and earned her B.A. from Albion College. A Spanish major, Cathy spent her junior year in Bogota, Colombia. Shortly after marrying Cal in 1973, she began a career at Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) where she worked until 1991.

Over the years, she has served as a member and former president of Friends of the Hospice of the Calumet Area, and board member and clinic volunteer of Catherine McAuley Clinic of Franciscan St. Margaret Health in Hammond. She also mentors children in reading at Wallace Elementary School in Hammond.

The Bellamys are well-known in the community as “servant leaders,” those who answer the call and do what needs to get done by rolling up their sleeves and joining the effort. Those who know them say they would never ask someone to do something that they themselves would not do.

For many years, Cal and Cathy Bellamy have been active community volunteers for charitable causes throughout Northwest Indiana and within their own community of Munster. Both Cal and Cathy have committed their leadership and dedication to worthwhile causes ranging from improving schools and mentoring young children, to serving as board members for local charities and developing affordable housing.

Cal earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School with honors. The scholarships he received for law school helped offset the cost of his out-of-state education, so he understands the impact that gifts can have. The Bellamys have contributed to the scholarship funds at his alma mater, as well as IU Northwest, ever since.

The Bellamys believe that giving regularly to higher education is the best way to ensure a thriving society for future generations. And because they are personally focused on impacting Northwest Indiana, they see even greater value in supporting the area’s regional university.

“The importance of a regional campus is accessibility and affordability,” Cal said. “When you combine those two things with a desire to learn and improve your career, that is a pretty potent formula. In addition, the skill sets of the faculty and their willingness to be involved in community issues enrich the quality of life here.”

Both Cal and Cathy have been involved with IU Northwest in a variety of capacities over the years. Cal currently serves as a member of the Chancellor’s Board of Advisors, Chancellor’s Commission on Community Engagement, and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) Advisory Board. Cathy has been involved with IU Foundation’s Women’s Philanthropy. Both are members of the IU Alumni Association and the 1820 Society.

“It is such an honor to be recognized by IU Northwest,” Cathy said. “We are so lucky to have IU Northwest as our region’s university. It has helped educate such a large number of students and enabled them to lead productive lives and contribute to their own community right here in Northwest Indiana. This is why we have been supporting IU Northwest for many years.”