Shreve Atrium honors longtime south side supporters Jefferson and Mary Shreve

INDIANAPOLIS — The hub of the University of Indianapolis campus now has a new name: the Shreve Atrium in the Schwitzer Student Center.

The naming of the atrium recognizes Jefferson and Mary Shreve for their generous gift to the University of Indianapolis. The Shreve Atrium provides space for students, as well as community members and community partners, to engage, interact and gather. Thousands of people pass through the gathering space daily.

University President Robert Manuel called the new name a fitting tribute to a south side family that has made a commitment to giving back.

“(The naming) is a wonderful opportunity to be able to connect to the Shreves as they think about their philanthropy, engaging the community and facilitating the conversation as the University Heights neighborhood develops,” Manuel said.

Jefferson and Mary Shreve are residents of the south side of Indianapolis, where Jefferson was born. He’s the founder of Storage Express, which has grown to include 93 self-storage facilities in five states, with dozens of locations in Indiana. Jefferson Shreve formerly represented the district that encompasses the University of Indianapolis on the Indianapolis City-County Council.  

Remarking on his family’s deep ties with the south side, Jefferson Shreve explained that he lives in the family home first purchased by his grandparents in 1960. He called the University of Indianapolis the anchor of the University Heights neighborhood.

“I’ve been so proud to be associated with UIndy and through the time of Rob’s leadership and focusing on making this the anchor and not the island on the south side. It makes such a difference,” Shreve said.

“I am so thankful and grateful to have our name associated with this campus and with this space, which is particularly meaningful to us, because this space is that connecting point not just for the student and faculty life but also for the community that reaches its fingers through the south side,” Shreve added.

Former Indianapolis Mayor and Visiting Fellow Greg Ballard thanked Jefferson Shreve for his continued service to the city  and to the University and dubbed him one of the city’s unsung heroes.

“Now we’re able to celebrate what he’s been doing. That doesn’t mean his compassion, generosity and his charitable nature has not been going on for decades already,” said Ballard, visiting fellow with the University’s Institute for Civic Leadership and Mayoral Archives.