The Nutcracker - Indiana University

�e Importance of Friends
Indiana University and the city of Bloomington have always
held a special place in the hearts of the Creek family. “We
are blessed to live in a community that offers so much and
is so supportive of the arts,” says Dr. Jean Creek, Professor
of Clinical Medicine at Indiana University.
After completing his army service in 1955, Jean and his wife
Donna came to Bloomington, where he established a very
successful family medical practice. During his 14 years in the
private sector, he also served as a student health service and
athletic physician for Indiana University. Jean co-founded
Bloomington’s Internal Medicine Associates, Inc. (IMA) in
1970. He was appointed as Professor of Medicine at Indiana University in 1980.
Donna, who passed away in May this year, worked for many years as a registered nurse
and volunteered for several organizations in the community, including the Bloomington
Chapter of the Red Cross and Wonderlab. She was also an active board member of the
Jacobs School’s Society of the Friends of Music.
“Donna and I loved music,” recalls Jean, “We would be at the Jacobs School for a
performance at least once a week. In fact, before Donna and I were married, I remember
buying her a ‘45’ record player just so she could listen to music at home!”
Jean and Donna’s daughter, Teresa, recalls that music was always central to their family
life. “To my parents, learning to play an instrument is just as important as reading and
writing,” she said. Like many families, Jean will attend IU Ballet �eater’s new production
of �e Nutcracker with his children and grandchildren. “It is part of our family tradition,”
says Teresa, “music brings everyone together and we look forward to the performance
each year.”
Donna and Jean recognize the university’s increasing reliance on financial support from
private donors and had discussed their desire to establish a scholarship that would benefit
Jacobs School of Music students. “In our day as students, fees were as little as $44 each
semester,” he said. While they have enjoyed supporting the Jacobs School through the
Friends of Music Guarantor Program, they felt that they now wanted to do more. “Our
lives have been fortunate and we are pleased to support those who study at the school.”
To make this possible, Jean recently established the Donna and Jean Creek Scholarship in
Voice and the Donna and Jean Creek Scholarship. �ese new endowments qualify for Indiana
University’s Matching the Promise campaign and will receive a one-to-one match on the
income they derive in perpetuity. As a result, the Jacobs School is able to reach further
in its efforts to provide the best possible education to the most deserving and talented
students world-wide.
“If I were to sum up my parents’ philosophy,” says Teresa, “it would be that they wish to
provide others with an opportunity to realize their own individual gifts and potential–
whatever they may be.”
We are sincerely grateful to the Creek family for their friendship and ongoing support of
the Jacobs School, Indiana University, and the Bloomington community.