WTIU Shop - Your favorite WTIU programs on DVD and Blu-Ray

In addition to concert footage from the Singing Hoosiers 2011 Spring Concert, directed by Dr. Michael Schwartzkopf, the program goes behind the scenes to rehearsals, auditions, road-trips, and even college classrooms and apartments featuring interviews with student performers and the director.

Inspiring, entertaining and informative, Make Your Own Kind of Music proves that the magic of the live performance is only possible through the commitment, hard work, talent and training of scores of the most dedicated college students on campus.

In addition to concert footage from the Singing Hoosiers 2011 Spring Concert, directed by Dr. Michael Schwartzkopf, the program goes behind the scenes to rehearsals, auditions, road-trips, and even college classrooms and apartments featuring interviews with student performers and the director.

Inspiring, entertaining and informative, Make Your Own Kind of Music proves that the magic of the live performance is only possible through the commitment, hard work, talent and training of scores of the most dedicated college students on campus.

For many Hoosiers, the name Herman B Wells (June 7, 1902 - March 18, 2000) and Indiana University are synonymous.

In THE VISION OF HERMAN B WELLS, colleagues, University alumni, faculty, and friends define the ideals that directed Herman Wells as IU President (1938–1962) and as University Chancellor (1962 - 2000). Archival photographs and films, home movies, as well as contemporary video, capture Wells’ academic and public service activities.

The documentary explores Wells’ philosophy as he pursued racial integration and intellectual freedom, while creating a center for beauty and culture on the Bloomington campus of Indiana University. Wells was committed to the cultural and intellectual development of each student. In order to acquaint himself with individual students, President Wells strolled across the campus at times that would enable him to meet and chat with them. And no matter how large the graduating class grew, Wells signed each diploma personally.

The program also reveals Wells’ commitment to internationalism, as demonstrated by his wartime service with the State Department, his postwar diplomatic assignments to Greece and Germany, and his 1957 appointment as a delegate to the United Nations. These experiences led directly to Wells’ expansion of international programs at the University.

University Chancellor Herman B Wells continued important work for Indiana University up until his death, raising funds from private donors and promoting academic excellence. The documentary ends with a discussion of the Wells Scholars Program, a living legacy to this influential educator.

James ‘Doc’ Counsilman is known as the greatest swimming coach of all time, but he is much more than that. It’s that story—of Doc the husband, father, friend and coach—that is the subject of WTIU’s documentary, Doc Counsilman: Making Waves.

Though sports plays an important part in Making Waves, as it did in Doc’s life, this program tells the life story of Doc the man as well as the coach. It’s about his 60-year marriage and partnership to his wife, Marge. It’s about his heroic military career and how he survived being shot down over Yugoslavia in World War II. It’s about his joy and pain as a father. Finally, it’s a story about dreams and how Doc Counsilman made them come true.

In 1959 Counsilman, the Indiana University men’s swimming coach, and Hobie Billingsley, the IU diving coach, stood in front of the site that was to become Royer Pool. Although IU had never had more than a mediocre swimming program, Counsilman looked at his friend and declared that they would build a dynasty in that hole. As unlikely as it sounded, those who knew Counsilman believed if it could be done, Doc would do it.

In the years that followed, Counsilman's teams won 20 consecutive Big Ten Championships, 6 consecutive NCAA Championships, 72 individual NCAA Titles, 272 Big Ten Individual Titles, and 47 Olympic Medals.

Later, at age 58, when Counsilman began experiencing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, he again set out on what most outsiders considered an impossible task—he decided to swim the English Channel, becoming the oldest person to do so at the time.

It was that can-do attitude that Doc carried to every part of his life and is captured in Making Waves.

“He gave me a vision,” said Mark Spitz, an IU swimmer and Olympian. "He made me realize destiny isn’t a matter of chance, it’s a matter of the choices you make. It was something he didn’t allow me to sit around and wait for. He actively participated with me to create that challenge and create those dreams.”

Production support was provided by the Indiana University Varsity Club, Joe Hunsaker, Chairman of Counsilman/Hunsaker and Associates, and the Indiana University School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.

Companion Website:
The COMPANION WEB SITE contains a detailed description of the program, online video clips, a bio and timeline, photo gallery, and more.

On September 14, 1979, James “Doc” Counsilman (1920-2004) stepped into the waters of the English Channel, attempting to become the oldest man at that time to successfully complete the challenging swim. What made the swim even more difficult for Counsilman was that four years earlier, he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

In addition to coaching Indiana University to 20 consecutive Big Ten titles, six consecutive NCAA wins, and 12 national AAU wins, Counsilman’s success extended to the international arena. Doc was head swimming coach of the two most successful USA Olympic men’s swimming teams in 1964 (Tokyo) and 1976 (Montreal). In 1976, the U.S.A. men’s swimming team won 12 of possible 13 gold medals and brought home over two-thirds of all possible medals.

This 30-minute documentary follows Counsilman through his preparations and for the successful completion of his 13-hour swim.