Scientech Public Solicitation Letter

The Scientech Foundation of Indiana’s seminal missions is to encourage and foster interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. As the charitable arm of the Scientech Club, the Foundation has been doing this since the 1960s, first as the D. J. Angus-Scientech Educational Foundation and as of 2023 The Scientech Foundation of Indiana. Over the years, thanks to the generosity of Scientech Club members and supporters who share this vision, our funding has grown substantially, and correspondingly, it has allowed us to expand our outreach. Today, we are well-recognized in Indiana as a unique philanthropic foundation dedicated to nurturing future generations of STEM professionals. 

In 2023, the IRS agreed to terminate the Foundation's private foundation status, so the Foundation can now be treated as a public charity. The new status confers some expanded tax benefits to our donors. If you would like to find out more about these benefits, please contact the Foundation's corporate treasurer Doug Gettelfinger.  

As a nation and a people, why should we care about STEM education? Those who lived through WW2 (and there are still a few among us) know that Nazi Germany developed the V-1 and V-2 rockets as well as the first jet fighter. If they had the manufacturing capacity to produce these high-tech weapons in quantity, the war might have turned out quite differently. The baby boom generation well remembers the panic that gripped our nation when the USSR sent a tiny chunk of metal into space called Sputnik. What would have happened if the Russians weaponized their rockets? And remember how Japanese manufacturers developed superior cars at lower prices than Detroit’s. The economic consequences were devastating to the US auto and steel industries. Today, China, the world's second-largest economy, is quickly catching up to our science and technology. As a potential adversary, this could have profound implications for our national security and prosperity.  

So, as Satchel Paige put it, "Don't look back, someone might be gaining on you." US science and technology needs to stay ahead of the pack. You can help the country do that by donating to the Scientech Foundation. 

Please send your donation check to Doug Gettelfinger addressed:

The Scientech Foundation of Indiana

C/O Doug Gettelfinger

505 Lexington Blvd.

Carmel IN 46032

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jeff Rasley, President 

and members of the Board of 

The Scientech Foundation of Indiana.