The Herald-Times
Posted: Thursday, October 9, 2014
By MJ Slaby 812-331-4371 | mslaby@heraldt.com
Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington is expanding its reach. For the first time, the campus is recruiting out-of-state students.
“We know that these students are already coming here,” said Ivy Tech Bloomington Chancellor Jennie Vaughan.
She said students from Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky are already at Ivy Tech Bloomington because they have interest in Indiana University and want to be in Bloomington. Recruiting is a way to give information directly to those students, rather than a way to boost numbers.
“We’re not concerned about our enrollment,” Vaughan said.
Ivy Tech Bloomington attended the Chicago National College Fair at the end of September, and representatives from the campus will likely go to more college fairs, said Sam DeWeese, vice chancellor of student affairs on the Bloomington campus. He said the campus also plans to work with out-of-state high school counselors as well.
Both DeWeese and Vaughan said they were pleased with students’ interest at the college fair.
The goal at the fair was to promote Ivy Tech programs and Ivy Tech’s strong partnership with IU that makes transferring easy, said DeWeese.
He said many students from the Chicago area attend IU, so being at the college fair lets students know they can come to Ivy Tech first and then transfer. Plus, he said it promotes Ivy Tech as a whole and tells students about the unique degrees the community college offers such as radiation therapy and biotechnology.
Vaughan said Ivy Tech central administration is also interested in hearing about Bloomington’s efforts.
“I think this could work for all the Ivy Tech campuses, especially the ones near a state line,” she said.
But both DeWeese and Vaughan stressed out-of-state recruiting won’t shift the focus from in-state students. Ivy Tech still has a majority of in-state students and the college is there for the people of Indiana, Vaughan said. And she said adding students from other places is a positive.
“Anything we can do to make our student body more diverse and international is a good thing,” Vaughan said.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
