Back to School Kurt Vonnegut and Education

100 17%

Goal: $20,000.00

***Membership card must be present to redeem free tours and in-store purchases.

People reading a sign on a wall

Friend of the museum - $60


Includes unlimited free admission year-round, special membership pricing for events, ability to check out books from Kurt’s study, and museum store.


Ideal for museum attendees who enjoy the KVML experience.

*Students, active-duty military/veterans, and senior (65+) get discounted rate of $30

People looking in a glass exhibit case

Kurt’s Karass
(Best Value) - $100

Includes two individuals and 18 and under youth of the household, plus access to the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM) and all Friend of the Museum level benefits.

Ideal for families and those with an enthusiasm for museums.

Instruction session

Kilgore Trout Fan Club - $250

Includes all Kurt’s Karass membership benefits and a complimentary private curator-led tour for two people.

Ideal for members who want to support the museum at a higher level.

A person taking a photo of a framed image

Tralfamadorians - $500

Includes all Kurt’s Karass membership benefits, a complimentary private curator-led tour for four people, and exclusive previews of new exhibits.

Ideal for members who are passionate about the expansion and creation of our exhibits.

Three people talking together at a gathering of many people

Billy Pilgrim’s Platoon - $1,000

Includes all Kurt’s Karass level benefits, plus advance tickets to events, discounted facility rental rate (15% off & 2 hour minimum) with presentation by KVML CEO, opportunity for donor spotlight in newsletter, special recognition at events, and 15% off all museum store purchases.

Ideal for members who want to connect with others who are committed to preserving Vonnegut’s work.

Gathering of people talking with one another

Rosewater Circle - $5,000

Includes all Billy Pilgrim’s Platoon level benefits, plus opportunity to speak at a special event, name recognition at KVML events, facility rental discount (20% off & 2 hour minimum) with presentation by KVML CEO, and 20% discount on museum store purchases.

Ideal for members who want to share their passion for KVML’s mission.

*If purchased as a corporate sponsorship, 20% for all employees on their first year of a Kurt's Karass or higher membership

Outside of museum

Uncle Alex’s Crew - $10,000

Includes all Rosewater Circle level benefits, plus invitations to KVML VIP events, facility rental discount (25% off & 2 hour minimum) with presentation by KVML CEO, and 25% discount on online and in-library gift shop purchases.


Ideal for members who want to leave a longstanding legacy.

*If purchased as a corporate sponsorship, 25% for all employees on their first year of a Kurt's Karass or higher membership

Membership Registration

To become a member today, fill out the form below and click donate to place your payment information. Please Note: If you are joining the Duprass Karass or Kurt’s Karass, please list the name of the other adult in your household in the comment section below.

Kathi Badertscher, PhD

Director of Graduate Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Kathi Badertscher, PhD, is Director of Graduate Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Dr. Badertscher teaches a variety of BA, MA, and doctoral courses, including Applying Ethics in Philanthropy and History of Philanthropy. She has participated in several Teaching Vonnegut workshops and is a member of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. Dr. Badertscher has been a guest speaker on ethics in philanthropy, including at the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners – Indianapolis Council; Association of Fundraising Professionals – Indiana Chapter; and Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Tianjin, China. In 2019 she received IUPUI Office for Women, Women’s Leadership Award for Newcomer Faculty. In 2019 and 2020 she received the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Graduate Teaching Award.
Dr. Badertscher’s publications include “Fundraising for Advocacy and Social Change,” co-authored with Shariq Siddiqui in Achieving Excellence in Fundraising, 5th ed., 2022; “Insulin at 100: Indianapolis, Toronto, Woods Hole, and the ‘Insulin Road,’ co-authored with Christopher Rutty, Pharmacy in History (2020); and three articles in the Indiana Magazine of History: “A New Wishard Is on the Way,” “Evaline Holliday and the Work of Community Service,” and “Social Networks in Indianapolis during the Progressive Era.” Her chapters on social welfare history will appear in three upcoming edited volumes on the history of philanthropy, including “The Legacy of Edna Henry and Her Contributions to the IU School of Social Work,” Women at Indiana University: Views of the Past and the Future, edited by Andrea Walton, Indiana University Press, 2022 (forthcoming). Dr. Badertscher is also the Philanthropy and Nonprofits Consulting Editor for the forthcoming Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, edited by David J. Bodenhamer and Elizabeth Van Allen, Indiana University Press, 2021. Dr. Badertscher is an active volunteer in the Indianapolis community. At present, she is a Coburn Place Safe Haven Board Member and a Children’s Bureau/Families First Brand and Marketing Advisor. Dr. Badertscher holds the MA in History from Indiana University and the MA and PhD in philanthropic studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Volunteer With KVML

Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library Volunteer Application

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions about this application’s content.