News
New Acquisition
1922 Studebaker Big Six- Gift of Hershel, Scott, and Timothy J. Murphy of Indianapolis, Indiana. With infant mortality being significantly higher in earlier times, some funeral homes used special hearses for children’s services. Child’s hearses were white to represent a child’s innocence. This hearse features coachwork by the Knightstown Body Company of Knightstown, Indiana. It was owned by the Miller Funeral Home of Brazil, Indiana. It is the only Studebaker child’s hearse known to exist and was only used for one funeral. It later served as a flower delivery vehicle.
2011 Design a New Studebaker Design Contest Winners
17 and under division- Jacob Lovins
18-20 division- Alisa Rantanen
21 and over division- Thomas Wilson
Driving Business to St. Joseph County
The Studebaker National Museum recently unveiled an outdoor advertising campaign titled Driving Business to St. Joseph County that will bring visitors to St. Joseph County from more than 50 miles away to increase multi-day and day-trip tourism and its resultant economic benefit to the County.
The campaign includes five different messages on attractive boards designed to drive viewers to the South Bend-Mishawaka Convention & Visitors Bureau website to find out more about the Studebaker National Museum as well as other area attractions, restaurants, retail, entertainment, and lodging venues.
The Driving Business to St. Joseph County outdoor advertising campaign is funded in part by the South Bend/Mishawaka Hotel-Motel Tax Grant and is in cooperation with the South Bend/Mishawaka Convention & Visitors Bureau and runs through the end of the year. Boards are located in Fulton, Marshall, Allen, and St. Joseph Counties.
Museum executive director, Rebecca Bonham said , “the stunning design and color of the billboards are specifically designed to catch one’s attention, and the clever message relating to automobile culture will hopefully get the viewers intrigued to visit and museum and lead them to the CVB website for more information.”
Name the Studebaker National Museum Mascot Contest Winners
Introducing the Studebaker National Museum’s Mascot, Champ! Nicholas Weaver of Granger won first place in the Museum’s Mascot Naming Contest with the name “Champ”. In second place, Anna Jurgonski from South Bend, came up with the name “Stewart the Stude”. Kendra Laidig from Mishawaka suggested the name “Bumper” to take third place. Nick, Anna, and Kendra received a gift certificate from the Museum Store. A big thank you to all who participated! Look for more contests like this in future!
2011 Summer Interns
Brice Carlson (pictured at left)
Brice is performing his internship with Archivist Andy Beckman, assisting with research and production of monographs. Brice received a scholarship from the Collector’s Foundation for his internship with the Museum.
Brice would like to open his own restoration shop after graduating from McPherson College’s Auto Restoration Program with the intent to develop an after school program for teens to learn specific restoration skills.
Brice likes the variety of responsibilities he gets to undertake during his time at the Museum from moving cars to doing research and working on cars and assisting the Education Department!
Matt Mackowiak (pictured at right)
Matt is performing his internship with Assistant Director Peggy Soderberg, assisting with marketing, public relations, and summer events, including the golf outing and the First Fridays Car Show. Matt is a senior from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana majoring in Public Relations. Matt is originally from North Liberty, IN.
Matt would like to work with the music and the arts, either promoting music to urban youth or working for a large symphony orchestra. Another area of interest is to work at a college or university doing internal communications, working with the athletic department, or the school itself to help with campaigns.
This is Matt’s first summer back in the South Bend area in three years as he has been a part of the drum and bugle corps. He has traveled, rehearsed and performed all over the U.S. with the drum and bugle corps, which will always be a big part of his life.
Matt’s favorite thing about the Museum is the small staff, which allows him to get to know everyone a little bit better than if he were at a large firm.
Michiana 55 Plus Volunteer Award
Monte Gillespie, a Studebaker National Museum volunteer, has been awarded The Michiana 55 Plus Cultural Arts Volunteer Award. Monte has been a Museum volunteer since September of 2009 and has devoted much of his time to the Archives Center.
The Museum would like to thank all of its volunteers who give their time to help the Museum in preserving and exhibiting the Studebaker legacy.
Faces of Tourism (Hospitality Award)
Aaron Jones, known to many as Rev, was presented with the “Faces of Tourism” Award by the South Bend/Mishawaka Convention and Visitors Bureau on May 10th during the 2011 National Tourism Week Luncheon at Palais Royale.
Rev is in maintenance at the Studebaker National Museum and also serves as on-site Facility Manager for events and facility rentals at the Museum. Another fine example of “give more than you promise”!
10th Annual Hall of Champions Dinner
The Studebaker National Museum’s 10th Annual Hall of Champions Dinner was held on May 12, 2011. A record 410 attendees were present for the event.
The Museum honored Teachers Credit Union and its President, Mr. Richard J. Rice. Mr. Rice chaired the Studebaker National Museum’s successful History in the Making Capital Campaign, served on the Board of Trustees, and currently is a member of the Museum’s Foundation Board of Directors. For twenty-four years Mr.Rice has led Teachers Credit Union which is the largest credit union in Indiana, with over $2 billion in assets and 44 branches.
Virgil Exner, Jr. received The “Spirit of Studebaker” Award, which recognizes individuals who have given “more than they promised” in time, talent, or resources to the Studebaker National Museum and furthered the Studebaker Legacy. Mr. Exner currently serves as guest curator for the special exhibit “Designing the New Studebaker: A Project by the League of Retired Automotive Designers” and is involved with the Museum’s annual design contest.
47th Studebaker Drivers Club International Meet
The 47th Studebaker Drivers Club International Meet takes place during the week of June 19th, 2011 in Springfield, Missouri. Three staff members from the Studebaker National Museum will be present at the Meet. These staff members will give presentations about The Studebaker National Museum Endowment Campaign: Coming Full Circle. For more information about this campaign, click here.
Educational Programs
The Studebaker National Museum offers educational PowerPoint presentations to local schools either in-class or as part of a Museum field trip. The Studebaker National Museum received numerous requests for the 2010-2011 school year. If you or someone you know is an educator and would like to receive more information about these presentations for the 2011-2012 school year, please contact Courtney at 1-888-391-5600, by email cbogunia@studebakermuseum.org, or click here.
New Special Exhibit: Viva Italia! The Italian Sports Car
The Studebaker National Museum is proud to present a new special exhibit titled Viva Italia! The Italian Sports Car, which opened May 6, 2011. This exhibit features Italy’s finest automobiles from the 1950s and 1960s from legendary manufacturers Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati, and more! Click here for more information. An opening reception was held on June 2.
Studebaker National Museum Wins Three First Place NAAMY Awards
The Studebaker National Museum is the proud recipient of three first-place NAAMY awards by the National Association of Automobile Museums. The NAAMY awards are an annual, national competition that honors and recognizes excellence, professionalism and creativity within the nonprofit automotive museum field.
The NAAMY Awards of Excellence were presented for 2010, at the 2011 National Association of Automobile Museums Conference, held in Bowling Green Kentucky at the National Corvette Museum April 6 - 9, 2011.
NAAMY Awards are presented in seven categories in two divisions for 2010. Division I is for museums with an annual budget less than $300,000 per year and Division II for over $300,000. The categories are: Collateral Materials, Newsletters and Magazines, Web Design, Film and Video, Interpretive Exhibits, Educational Programs, Event and Public Promotions, and Books and Exhibit Catalogs.
The Studebaker Museum’s 1st Place awards were for Web Design, Interpretive Exhibits, and Collateral Materials. The Museum also received a second place finish for Events and Public Promotions.
Be a Studebaker Scholar!!
We want to see children succeed and do well in school. Students in grades K-6 who earned all A or A-minus grades on their most recent report card will be rewarded with free admission to the Museum one time during regular business hours. Students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (regular admission fees apply) and the student’s report card must be presented at time of admission.
Don’t miss this opportunity to visit the Studebaker National Museum FREE for earning all A or A- grades on your report card!