By 
By: KENDALL ASBELL
Staff Writer
asbellkendall@gmail.com
Philip J. Iapalucci may have a difficult name to read, but he is not a difficult man to talk to. His name is pronounced App-a-lou-chee, and his friendly smile, approachability, and knowledge of academics and business makes him a valuable resource for any student looking for advice about their academic or future employment.
Iapalucci made his debut in July at IU South Bend, replacing William O’Donnell, who left to work at Texas Tech-Tyler last year.
The job title Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance might not be a familiar one to students, but it is extremely important.
“Any new academic incentive or programs, we would financial model those, cost those out,” Iapalucci said.
To put it simply, he crunches the numbers to figure out how to achieve IUSB’s goals and stay within the yearly budget. Iapalucci is committed to not only working, but also learning how he can best be of service to IUSB. One of the achievements that he has already accomplished is allotting more money to pay for student jobs each semester.
“The chancellor and the executive vice chancellor have stated one of their goals is to expand opportunities for the students here, especially in terms of work study and working on campus,” Iapalucci says, adding that they look forward to building a stronger community among students on campus.
Iapalucci received his undergraduate degree at West Virginia University (WVU). Iapalucci feels that his time spent at WVU connects him with the IUSB vibe because WVU is also a public university.
“Philosophically, one of the reasons I’m in higher education is because it serves the common good,” Iapalucci said.
In the past few years, Iapalucci has noticed the city’s and the university’s growth. His voice has an air of excitement and anticipation for South Bend’s near future. Granger has been the home for Iapalucci and his wife Carol since the fall of 1998. After graduating Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business in 1991, he worked for Kodak, but after seven years, he was drawn back to Indiana to work at Notre Dame.
At Notre Dame, he took on the job of chief audit executive, which he held for ten years while raising his three children and enjoying the hometown charm South Bend has to offer.
“What I’ve seen from South Bend and St. Joe County is a lot more opportunities, particularly for young people,” Iapalucci said.
Iapalucci’s previous job was at Mar Vista Entertainment in Los Angeles, located in Century City, famous for being the location of the fictional Nakatomi Towers from Die Hard and home to the Creative Artist Agency.
“I’ve gone back and forth between financial management and auditing and back and forth between industry and higher education,” Iapalucci said. “There’s something very professionally rewarding working in higher education and supporting the next generation.”
He would commute to Los Angeles from Chicago on Mondays and come back to South Bend on Thursdays, a rough but not so uncommon commute in the business world. But although life in Southern California was fast paced and full of interesting people, Iapalucci couldn’t resist the unique job opportunity at IUSB.
“This was an excellent opportunity and I think that, academically, it is a very, very strong university,” Iapalucci said. “It has a great reputation. Going through the interview process I met many thoughtful, bright, capable not just faculty, but also students. And honestly, I think IUSB is a hidden gem.”
