Patsy (Cowan) Skelton '92 is 77th President of Children's Museum Guild

September 13, 2006

September 13, 2006, Greencastle, Ind. - Patricia “Patsy” (Cowan) Skelton, a 1992 graduate of DePauw University, is serving as the 77th president of the Children's Museum Guild in Indianapolis, which was established in 1933. She leads the 100 active members and 500 associate members of the not-for-profit organization, who assist in the growth and development of one of the world’s top-rated children’s museums.

“Patsy Skelton is an outstanding leader who follows a long list of distinguished women leading one of Indiana's foremost volunteer organizations, the Children's Museum Guild,” says Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. “Long recognized as one of the most successful philanthropic organizations in the state, the Guild not only provides financial support for the world's largest children's museum, but also provides gallery volunteers for the museum's CSI (Curious Scientific Investigators) program, a hospital outreach program and volunteer support for the museum's Prelude Awards honoring Marion County high school students in the visual, performing and literary arts. It is a pleasure to work with Patsy, who has incredible energy, organization and dedication to the museum.”

The Guild -- which includes other DePauw alumnae as members -- continues to be involved in Exhibit Assistance, Hospital Outreach, the Prelude Awards, the Reach for the Stars Scholarship program and Children's Literacy Outreach, as well as many other worthwhile programs and projects designed to support and promote the Children's Museum. Guild members have managed every detail of operating the longest-running, most popular Haunted House designed especially for children for more than 42 years. The 2005 Haunted House raised more than $417,000 for the museum and entertained more than 55,000 visitors.

“The Children's Museum Guild is an extraordinary group of women with a longstanding tradition,” states Skelton. “It is truly amazing what this committed group of women is able to accomplish. Last year alone, Guild members donated more than 33,000 hours of volunteer assistance to the museum.

Prior to assuming her current position, Skelton served the Guild as Children’s Literacy Outreach chair, sponsorship chair and publicity chair.

“I fell in love with The Children's Museum of Indianapolis as a child and reaffirmed those feelings when my husband and I had our two boys and frequently visited the museum,” the new president adds. “When presented with the opportunity to be a member of the Children's Museum Guild, I was thrilled. What a unique opportunity to help promote and support one of the world's greatest children's museums,” she added.

After receiving a B.A. in economics at DePauw, she earned a law degree from the Indiana University School of Law. In 1996 Skelton joined Baker & Daniels as an associate, and she continued with the law firm on a part-time basis after her two sons, Grant and Mark, were born. She is married to Timothy J. Skelton ’89.

Learn more about the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis by clicking here.

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