BLOOMINGTON – Ivy Tech Community College alumna Hannia Gaitan graduated with a liberal arts transfer degree in spring 2016 and is now one year into her bachelor’s degree in informatics at Indiana University Bloomington. Gaitan graduated with her associate degree in 11 months as part of Ivy Tech’s associate accelerated (ASAP) program.
Gaitan enrolled at Ivy Tech during her senior year of high school at Bloomington High School North, after not being accepted into the IU Jacobs School of Music.
“I chose Ivy Tech because it felt like a second chance at something,” said Gaitan. “It made me sad to quit music almost completely but I wanted to start out with a clean slate.”
Gaitan was accepted into Ivy Tech Bloomington’s first cohort of ASAP students.
“This gave me a head start in my future college life,” she said. “I made friends in the program. Since the setting and group was small, we were all able to discuss about the lecture comfortably with the professors during and after class.”
Jennifer Rusk, ASAP program director, said Gaitan was a good classmate to her peers.
“Hannia was one of the most involved and conscientious students we have had in our program,” said Rusk. “She was always quick to volunteer to assist those in need. The ASAP program is very challenging. She not only managed the stress of the program but was a cheerleader for others.”
Gaitan said she chose to study informatics because she is interested in the relationship between technology and society.
“Instead of computer science where we build technology, informatics is how we apply technology to different fields,” said Gaitan. “I really like encryption and security and decided to pursue a minor in that.”
After she earns her bachelor’s degree, Gaitan hopes to start her career, and is considering Ivy Tech for continuing education courses.
“I’ll always have the community college available if I ever want to take a class I’m interested in without having to spend big bucks, even after I graduate IU,” she 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.
