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>> Welcome to Aspiration, a podcast series from the Indiana University Foundation. Aspiration highlights just a few Indiana University students from both undergraduate and graduate programs across the state. Each featured student benefits from the generosity of donors, IU's loyal alumni and friends, whose support makes today's dreams and aspirations become reality in tomorrow's world. Larry Glaubinger made history with his gift to IU. He established a $10 million dollar scholarship endowment in athletics, but it wasn't for football or basketball. It was for students in the Olympic sports. Larry saw a need to support these students, who not only aspired to victory, but to an education that will empower their dreams. One of those students is junior Michael McCarthy. 

>> Michael McCarthy has never dreamt small. 

>> Ever since I was a child, I've wanted to start something and just make it big. That's why I enrolled in the Kelly School of Business. That's why I convinced my parents to buy me the Gamma Progression ES. 

>> For those not familiar with tennis racket restraining, the Gamma is one of the most accurate machines on the market. For Michael, that was important. 

>> It was my first business. I was twelve and an avid tennis player. My older brother, who also plays tennis, inspired me. My father learned everything it could about the game so he could encourage us. He used to take me down to these old courts at Hopewell Park in Cincinnati. The clay was cracked, and the net sagged a bit, but that's where I began to learn about the game. That's probably where I started to think about competition. I convinced my parents to buy me a restringing machine because the shops were doing a good job with my racket. If your strings are one or two pounds off in tension, your game is off. You don't want to worry about that when you're playing. And I knew a lot of tennis players who'd probably like their rackets strung right. I did pretty well with that machine. 

>> But beyond the extra cash, Michael accomplished something he had envisioned on his own. And that taste of success stayed with the now 21 year old. Today this IU men's tennis team player is applying his competitive spirit to real estate. 

>> I started in finance. I heard a lot of professors and students talking about what a challenge it was. I thought, "That's for me." And Kelly offers a great finance and real estate program. I'd like to have my own business one day, and I'd like to build something from scratch on my own where success is up to me. Mr. Glaubinger has given me that kind of chance. I was able to choose the school I wanted because of his help. Even through I was from out of state, I was able to attend IU. As a tennis player, you are a member of the team. But when you play, you're by yourself. You stand on the line, bounce the ball, and try to forget the previous point, whether you won it or not. You concentrate, and if you need to, think about a relaxing scene. Before you even throw the ball up in the air, you decide how you're gonna win the next point. And then you serve, and you do your best. I can do that on the court, and I can do that in my life. 

>> Thanks for listening to this Indiana University Foundation podcast. Next month, we'll introduce you to another student who exemplifies the rich diversity and great aspirations that exist across all IU campuses. If you'd like to learn more about how private support helps Indiana University every day, please visit us at iufoundation.iu.edu. 

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==== Transcribed by Automatic Sync Technologies ====