WEBVTT NOTE Created by CaptionSync from Automatic Sync Technologies www.automaticsync.com 00:00:00.506 --> 00:00:07.546 align:middle [ Music ] 00:00:08.046 --> 00:00:12.826 align:middle [A-Lan Reynolds:] The light from the stars takes an almost inconceivable amount of time 00:00:12.826 --> 00:00:19.976 align:middle to reach your eye, traveling at the speed of light, which is almost inconceivably fast. 00:00:20.566 --> 00:00:26.986 align:middle Those two things together construct an image of your mind of this enormity 00:00:26.986 --> 00:00:32.126 align:middle in which photons are traveling through the universe, and they're going to end 00:00:32.186 --> 00:00:34.506 align:middle on your eyeball and go in your brain. 00:00:34.506 --> 00:00:35.856 align:middle And they're not going to go any further. 00:00:35.856 --> 00:00:43.476 align:middle They were meant just for your eyes after uncountable millions of years of travel. 00:00:43.816 --> 00:00:47.356 align:middle It's mind-boggling. 00:00:49.506 --> 00:00:54.986 align:middle A lot of people think it makes you feel small, but I don't feel that way. 00:00:55.166 --> 00:01:04.866 align:middle I think it makes you feel special, that you yourself could be the receiver of those photons. 00:01:05.116 --> 00:01:12.616 align:middle That's not being small at all; that's being unique and meaningful. 00:01:15.576 --> 00:01:16.256 align:middle >> John. 00:01:16.256 --> 00:01:16.746 align:middle >> John. 00:01:16.746 --> 00:01:17.196 align:middle >> John. 00:01:17.196 --> 00:01:17.566 align:middle >> John. 00:01:17.756 --> 00:01:20.546 align:middle >> Reynolds, in particular, grew up with that. 00:01:20.546 --> 00:01:21.796 align:middle That was his first love. 00:01:21.796 --> 00:01:22.726 align:middle It was astronomy. 00:01:22.826 --> 00:01:23.966 align:middle He was learning the night sky. 00:01:24.126 --> 00:01:27.446 align:middle [Jeff Stuckey:] John told the story to me once that it was his grandfather that kind 00:01:27.446 --> 00:01:30.556 align:middle of opened his eyes to the stars many, many, many years ago. 00:01:30.556 --> 00:01:37.046 align:middle [A-Lan Reynolds:] Although I never met Grandpa McCreery, he was essentially the only male 00:01:37.226 --> 00:01:40.976 align:middle in John's life he could count on. 00:01:41.256 --> 00:01:47.086 align:middle With only an eighth-grade education, he taught himself the constellations and the star names. 00:01:47.086 --> 00:01:53.706 align:middle He was really anxious to teach it to John, and so when John was four and five years old, 00:01:53.706 --> 00:01:57.706 align:middle he was teaching him the stars, and yet he himself had never had 00:01:57.706 --> 00:02:00.966 align:middle that benefit of anybody sharing that wonder. 00:02:05.056 --> 00:02:09.886 align:middle So that very first scholarship that we put together was epitomized 00:02:09.886 --> 00:02:12.736 align:middle by Grandpa McCreery himself. 00:02:13.046 --> 00:02:17.826 align:middle We felt so driven to make a difference in introducing people 00:02:17.966 --> 00:02:20.976 align:middle to the science behind the wonder. 00:02:23.046 --> 00:02:31.226 align:middle I think we always, both of us, believed we had to make as much of an impact as we could 00:02:31.226 --> 00:02:33.246 align:middle because our time would be very short. 00:02:33.246 --> 00:02:36.536 align:middle In astronomical and geological terms, it's a blink. 00:02:40.946 --> 00:02:50.876 align:middle We were newly married, and my recollection of that time is that we were bulldozing on life 00:02:50.876 --> 00:02:53.966 align:middle and letting it show us where we were going. 00:02:57.226 --> 00:03:02.976 align:middle I was kind of this hippie chick, and John was this wild guy. 00:03:03.046 --> 00:03:05.976 align:middle I think we were living in the moment. 00:03:09.046 --> 00:03:12.976 align:middle Just enjoying life every day. 00:03:13.046 --> 00:03:14.976 align:middle It seems so obvious. 00:03:17.046 --> 00:03:18.966 align:middle It's a natural. 00:03:22.786 --> 00:03:24.856 align:middle This is the grand adventure. 00:03:29.046 --> 00:03:32.976 align:middle And now John has passed away, unfortunately. 00:03:33.046 --> 00:03:39.266 align:middle But I'm more committed than ever to IU Astronomy because I know that kind of dedication 00:03:39.266 --> 00:03:49.126 align:middle to the students is not something you find everywhere at all. 00:03:49.126 --> 00:03:56.236 align:middle But the reason I am so passionate about philanthropy at IU, 00:03:56.646 --> 00:04:03.366 align:middle it is really an extraordinary developer of great human beings. 00:04:06.176 --> 00:04:09.246 align:middle [Rick Van Kooten:] John and A-Lan's giving impacts every facet 00:04:09.576 --> 00:04:11.836 align:middle of the astronomy department, which is rare. 00:04:12.536 --> 00:04:15.946 align:middle [John Salzer:] Between John and A-Lan, they have both really made a commitment 00:04:16.416 --> 00:04:22.246 align:middle to making the department better for IU, making opportunities available 00:04:23.476 --> 00:04:25.396 align:middle for the undergraduates in particular. 00:04:26.156 --> 00:04:29.256 align:middle >> Providing research support for faculty, providing an opportunity 00:04:29.256 --> 00:04:31.746 align:middle for a post-baccalaureate position for an undergraduate. 00:04:33.156 --> 00:04:34.076 align:middle [John Salzer:] Another example 00:04:34.076 --> 00:04:38.276 align:middle of their philanthropy is they've endowed a chair in the astronomy department. 00:04:39.026 --> 00:04:41.606 align:middle It'll create a faculty line, create a faculty position. 00:04:43.656 --> 00:04:47.426 align:middle And then provide research support for that faculty member 00:04:47.766 --> 00:04:50.326 align:middle and their students throughout the entire time of their career. 00:04:52.506 --> 00:04:54.906 align:middle It'll be the John and A-Lan Reynolds Chair of Astronomy. 00:04:58.446 --> 00:05:01.716 align:middle To both John and A-Lan, I'd just like to say thank you. 00:05:01.716 --> 00:05:03.076 align:middle [Jace Rusznak:] My sincerest thanks. 00:05:03.076 --> 00:05:05.966 align:middle [Rick Van Kooten:] I just want to thank both John and A-Lan. 00:05:06.046 --> 00:05:06.776 align:middle [Jeff Stuckey:] We're so grateful -- 00:05:06.936 --> 00:05:08.106 align:middle [John Salzer:] For everything you've done -- 00:05:08.106 --> 00:05:13.276 align:middle [Rick Van Kooten:] To essentially launch the astronomy department into a different echelon. 00:05:13.356 --> 00:05:15.426 align:middle [Jace Rusznak:] My career in astronomy would not have been possible 00:05:15.496 --> 00:05:18.616 align:middle without the support provided by the Reynolds family. 00:05:18.766 --> 00:05:22.926 align:middle [John Salzer:] Your love for IU astronomy comes through in everything you do. 00:05:22.926 --> 00:05:27.546 align:middle Thank you so much for what you've done for astronomy and for Indiana University. 00:05:27.796 --> 00:05:29.186 align:middle >> John, I miss you, pal. 00:05:29.336 --> 00:05:30.486 align:middle I know A-Lan misses you. 00:05:30.716 --> 00:05:34.846 align:middle Oftentimes, I wonder if one of those sparkles in the sky might just be you. 00:05:37.046 --> 00:05:39.576 align:middle [A-Lan Reynolds:] John Reynolds, he was my partner in life. 00:05:40.556 --> 00:05:45.246 align:middle We embarked on a life together to make an impact. 00:05:46.216 --> 00:05:47.746 align:middle That's who we are. 00:05:47.746 --> 00:05:48.416 align:middle So, thank you. 00:05:49.516 --> 00:05:56.500 align:middle [ Music ]