Pat Wilson was honored for a lifetime of “service above self” at the Bloomington Rotary Toast Friday, November 7th, 2025 at Ivy Tech’s Shreve Hall, 200 N. Daniels Way, Bloomington.

Pat has selected Bloomington North Habitat for Humanity Chapter as her charity for this fundraiser, hosted by the three local Rotary clubs.

About Pat

A native of Chicago, Pat holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the IU School of Education. Pat began her career as a teacher at Binford Middle School in 1973. She later worked at Bloomington High School North where she served as the Social Studies Department Chair.

Pat began teaching in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at IU Bloomington in 1989 and served as an adjunct instructor.

Additionally, she has served as a consultant to the Center on Congress (2005-2010), the Teacher as Decision Makers Program (1989-1995), and the IU Religious Studies Summer Institutes (1978-1982).

Pat’s contributions to the Bloomington community, the MCCSC and IU have been widely recognized at the national, state, and local levels.

Her many national awards include: the Claes Nobel National Educator of the Year Award (2012), National Outstanding Secondary Social Studies Teacher of the Year (2007), the Center on Congress – Outstanding Teacher of the Year (2002), and the Joseph B. Whitehead Award (2000).

At the state level, she received the IU School of Education Distinguished Alumni Award (2015), Outstanding Teacher in Bloomington, Indiana (2013), Toastmasters International Communication of Leadership Award (2008), The Indiana Bell Ringer Award (2006), and the Distinguished Hoosier awarded by Governor Evan Bayh (1992).

At the local level she has received the Lifetime Achievement Teaching Award (2015), Outstanding Educator of the Year (2011), Excellence in Volunteerism (2009), the Lloyd Olcott Community Service Award (2006), the Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award (2005), and the Student Choice Award for Excellence in teaching at the IU School of Education (2006).

Pat has been married to Gary Wilson since 1971. They have a daughter, Kelli Wallace, married to John Wallace, and a niece, Sarah (Smith) Weeks, married to Chris Weeks. Pat and Gary are also proud grandparents to Caden and Olivia Wallace.

About Bloomington North Habitat for Humanity Chapter