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The Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law Board of Visitors and Alumni Association Board presented awards to two alumni at its joint board meeting on Friday, October 25.  

Monica Foster, ’83, is the 2019 recipient of the IU McKinney School of Law Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award.

The award is given to those IU McKinney Law alumni who have demonstrated outstanding service to their alma mater, the legal profession and the community.

Foster is the Chief Federal Defender at Indiana Federal Community Defenders. She has an extensive and distinguished background in private practice, providing representation to indigent persons charged with the death penalty, both at trial and on appeal. She has argued in state and federal courts throughout the country, including the United States Supreme Court. In private practice, Foster represented the government of Mexico when their nationals were charged with capital or potentially capital crimes in the United States. Foster’s commitment to public service spans to her work during law school with the Indiana Public Defender’s Council. Foster was honored by the law school in 2014 at the Public Interest Recognition Dinner. She also was recognized by the Indianapolis Bar Association’s Women in Law Division with the Antoinette Dakin Leach Award.

Foster is also engaged in many civic activities, including a character and fitness interviewer for the State Board of Law Examiners, and hosting foreign exchange students from the Middle East. Prior to earning a J.D. from IU McKinney Law, she earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice and Economics from the State University of New York College at Buffalo.

Philip J. Miller, ’10, is recipient of the IU McKinney School of Law Alumni Association Early Career Achievement Award.

This award is given to those IU McKinney Law alumni who are in their early to mid-career, have graduated from the law school within the last ten years and have a record of service and outstanding contribution to the legal profession, their community or their alma mater.

Miller is the Chief Learning and Innovation Officer with Blackboard. He has over 14 years of experience with education technology. Miller leads new growth opportunities in the areas of teaching and learning and explores ways to re-envision this market. He has been instrumental in creating cutting edge global cross-platform content sharing programs that are used on an international level. Prior to joining Blackboard, he worked at Moodlerooms, ANGEL Learning, and Oxygen Education. Miller has served his community in many different ventures. He volunteered with Global Partners and was in Latin America for a year. Miller has also taken on volunteer opportunities with the Indiana Sports Corporation, the Big Ten basketball tournament, Community Hospital Hospice Service, and his local church. Miller also earned a B.S. in Computer Science and Information Systems from Ball State University, and a M.B.A. from the IU Kelley School of Business.

Foster and Miller are pictured above with IU McKinney Alumni Association President Paul Kruse (left) and IU McKinney Dean Andrew R. Klein.