Ivy Tech Community College will celebrate a major milestone this month as the college celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The college was established on March 15, 1963, as Indiana Vocational Technical College and offered one academic program and had an enrollment of just over 3,000 students. Today, the college offers more than 125 areas of study and enrolls nearly 200,000 students annually.
Once a small vocational and technical school, Ivy Tech is now the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system with 14 administrative regions, 31 degree-granting campuses and classes in nearly 100 locations throughout the state.
Over its 50 year history, the college has served over one million Hoosiers. Nearly 97 percent of all Ivy Tech graduates stay in Indiana after graduation and directly and positively impact the state’s economy.
“No other college in the nation has made such a significant impact on its students and state in such a short period of time as Ivy Tech,” said Thomas J. Snyder, Ivy Tech President. “What an exciting opportunity for the staff, faculty, students and citizens of Indiana to be part of such a historic moment, allowing all of us within the Ivy Tech family the chance to reflect on our past and celebrate our present while aggressively pursuing a bright future.”
On Tuesday, in celebration of Ivy Tech’s 50th year, the Indiana General Assembly passed a resolution honoring Ivy Tech’s 50 year anniversary. In honor of Ivy Tech’s 50th year, the college will award 50 honorary degrees at its 2013 commencement ceremonies this May. In addition, the college has set a bold goal of increasing the number of graduates to 50,000 annually by 2025.
The goal of 50,000 graduates by 2025 ties to the college’s new Accelerating Greatness 2025 strategic plan, which is also being rolled out in the college’s 50th year. The plan was recently approved by the State Board of Trustees and will help the United States grow from 40 percent of working adults holding an associate degree or higher to 60 percent by the year 2025 in order to meet a higher education goal of returning the USA to No. 1 in the world of postsecondary attainment. Ivy Tech is the first school in Indiana to align its completion goals with the state of Indiana completion agenda in such a systemic way.
Since 50th anniversary celebrations only come along once, Ivy Tech will make the most of this opportunity by celebrating 50 Years of Changing Lives at each of its locations statewide and throughout the entire year of 2013. The celebration will culminate with a 50th Anniversary Celebration Gala on Sept. 6 at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis. For more information about the gala, please visit www.ivytech.edu/50th.
The college is encouraging everyone in Indiana to wear the color green March 15 – the day that officially marks the college’s 50th anniversary – and throughout that weekend.
In addition, the college is encouraging any students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the college to share their memories or historical photos of Ivy Tech at www.ivytech.edu/50th. Submissions will be shared online as they are collected.
A listing of other Ivy Tech celebratory events can also be found at www.ivytech.edu/50th.
Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system serving nearly 200,000 students annually. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.
Schools
Ivy Tech Community College celebrates 50 years
- Schools
-
-
BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: Montgomery Meigs establishes Arlington National Cemetery
This week (June 15) in 1864, Brig. Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs, who had been appointed Quartermaster General of the Union Army in 1861, established Arlington House, the former home of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, as a cemetery for the Union’s soldiers. Today Arlington National Cemetery is America’s national military burial ground.
- Vigo County School Corp. High School Honor Roll
- Goals, Pride & Achievements: June 13, 2013
-
BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: This week in 1944: D-Day and the Airborne assault on Normandy
This week (June 5) in 1944, with the D-Day invasion of the Nazi-occupied Normandy coast set to begin, the man in charge of that invasion, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, paid a special visit to members of the U.S. 82nd and the 101st Airborne.
-
Terre Haute North, South African-American clubs taking educational journey to Washington, D.C.
Students and teachers from Terre Haute North and South Vigo high schools saw three years of hard work pay off Monday afternoon as they lined up eagerly at the doors of a school bus to start a long ride to Washington, D.C.
-
BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: A woman’s voice of moral clarity
This week (June 1) in 1950, Margaret Chase Smith, the Republican senator from Maine and the first woman ever to serve as both a U.S. senator and member of the House of Representatives, gave a speech that, looking back, was a voice of moral clarity amidst a cacophony of madness and vilification.
-
Education-technology grants given to Valley
Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz has announced the 2013 Technology Resource Grants, awarded to help organizations purchase technology resources for student instruction in career and technical educations classrooms.
-
Turkey Run presents academic awards
Turkey Run High School freshmen, sophomores and juniors were honored at an awards program on May 16.
-
Goals, Pride & Achievements
Laci Pethtel of Oblong is the 2013 recipient of the Lincoln Trail College Professional Assistants Group scholarship.
-
VCSC to offer summer meals
Sarah Scott Middle School will offer free breakfast and lunch for people 18 years old and younger Monday through June 20.
-
Road Runners name scholarship winners
The Wabash Valley Road Runners have named Anne Mullican and Justin Clapp as the recipients of the 2013 WVRR scholarships.
-
South student blazes competition with research
Ryan Chung, a junior at Terre Haute South Vigo High School, placed first at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in the computer science category.
-
Indiana State University Dean’s List
Indiana State University has announced its dean’s list for the spring 2013 semester. Area students recognized for their academic achievement include:
-
RP recognizes outstanding students
Riverton Parke High School’s class of 2013 was honored on May 15 at the annual senior awards night in the school’s cafetorium.
-
Student blood donors receive scholarships
Roche Diagnostics and Indiana Blood Center are recognizing 81 high school seniors in Indiana who participate in community service.
-
Bruce’s History Lessons: Morse’s telegraph and its impact as a ‘game changer’
This week (May 24) in 1844, Professor Samuel F.B. Morse sat in the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., surrounded by members of Congress, who had come to witness history.
-
High schoolers attend automotive, welding skills competitions
Area high school students put their skills to the test at the annual Automotive Skills and Welding Skills competitions on April 18 at Ivy Tech Community College—Wabash Valley.
-
Riverton Parke presents concert, music awards
The Riverton Parke Jr.-Sr. High School Music Department presented its annual Spring Concert on May 13 in the school gymnasium.
-
Turkey Run senior awards and honors
Turkey Run High School seniors were honored at an awards program May 13. Scholarships and departmental and activity awards were presented.
-
South earns national yearbook design honor
The Terre Haute South yearbook, Uaxactun, has been recognized for excellence and featured in the 2013 Gotcha Covered Look Book, Volume 11 celebrating the best-of-the-best in yearbook design and coverage.
-
Vincennes University Dean’s List
The Vincennes University Dean’s List for Spring 2013 includes students from the Vincennes campus, Jasper campus, Aviation Technology Center in Indianapolis, military bases, and other extended sites.
-
4 more honored as Four Star Schools
In addition to the three Vigo County schools (Terre Haute South Vigo High School, Dixie Bee Elementary and Fayette Elementary schools) that were announced earlier, four more Wabash Valley schools were recognized as Indiana Four Star Schools.
-
Bruce’s history lessons: Truman’s decision to recognize Israel
This week (May 14) in 1948, at the direction of President Harry Truman, the United States recognized the existence of the newly formed state of Israel, which had declared independence earlier that day. It was, Truman later stated, among the most important decisions of his presidency.
- Reunion listings: May 16, 2013
-
Chances and Services for Youth to participate in food program
The Chances and Services for Youth recently announced plans to participate in the Summer Food Service Program.
-
South Latin students compete at convention
Terre Haute South Vigo High School Latin students competed with other Indiana schools at the recent state convention at ISU.
-
Southwest Parke School Corp. receives eLearning grant
Southwest Parke Community School Corp. has received an Imagining and Creating eLearning grant for the 2013-2014 school year through the Indiana Department of Education.
- Newsmakers: May 16, 2013
-
Otter Creek competes in regional Academic Super Bowl
The Otter Creek Academic Super Bowl teams competed in the regional Academic Super Bowl competition on April 27 at Sarah Scott Middle School.
-
Riverton Parke FFA teams compete at April 16 contest
Two Riverton Parke FFA Parliamentary Procedure Teams competed at the section competition for the Parliamentary Procedure Demonstration Contest on April 16 at the Indiana FFA Center in Trafalgar.
- More Schools Headlines
-
BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: Montgomery Meigs establishes Arlington National Cemetery




