Source: IU School of Public Health-Bloomington
The Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention (RCAP) at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington is thrilled to announce the unveiling of the Ryan White memorial sculpture “Keep Going” by Melanie Cooper Pennington, sculpture area head and senior lecturer at the Indiana University Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. The bronze waist-length sculpture was proposed by Provost Professor and RCAP Senior Director William L. Yarber.
The free event will take place in the South Lounge of the Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) from 2:45 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, and is open to all.
Ryan was a Hoosier teenager renowned for his heroic fight against the stigma of AIDS. He challenged misconceptions, confronted discrimination head-on, and inspired people all over the world. Ryan’s close friend, Grammy-winning artist Elton John, said that Ryan was a miracle of humanity that saved his life. He passed away from AIDS-related complications in 1990—before he had the chance to fulfill his dream of attending Indiana University. The bronze cast statue of Ryan will have a permanent home at the IMU, where he will stand among students, backpack and all.
Attendees of the Ryan White Distinguished Leadership Award ceremony in December 2025 were treated to an inside look at how the sculpture came together, including insights into Cooper Pennington’s creative process and the care she took in capturing Ryan’s likeness and spirit.
“The day has finally come. After 36 years, Ryan’s courage, determination, and positive attitude will continue his legacy at Indiana University. This would not have happened if it were not for Melanie’s commitment and excellence and those who supported the project,” said Yarber.
The sculpture project is sponsored in part thanks to a generous donation from the Indiana University Dance Marathon. Ryan’s mother, Jeanne White Ginder, and sister, Andrea White, are scheduled to attend the ceremony. Ginder offered valuable input to Cooper Pennington as she was creating the sculpture, whose title was drawn from the phrase Ginder used to encourage Ryan: “Keep Going.”
“It has been a profound honor to represent Ryan,” said Cooper Pennington. “His courageous spirit filled my studio for months, his kind eyes looking back at me from a hundred photographs on the wall. Sharing the finished sculpture with his mother, Jeanne, and witnessing her joy in seeing his likeness was one of the most meaningful moments of my artistic career. I am deeply grateful that Ryan will finally be at IU, and that his message of courage, kindness, and perseverance will live on in the students he continues to inspire.”
Sure to be moving and unforgettable, the event will honor Ryan’s legacy with a permanent tribute on the IU campus. For more School of Public Health-Bloomington events, please visit go.iu.edu/PFM11x.
