Bloomington— Ivy Tech Community College’s Bloomington campus will hold its annual commencement ceremony on Friday, May 11 at 6 p.m. in the Indiana University Auditorium, where it will confer approximately 1,103 associate degrees and certifications to graduates in front of a crowd of 1,900 friends and family.
Victor Creed (previously named Joshua Johnson), software development graduate and SGA president, will give the commencement address.
Two honorary degree recipients and recent retirees, Dr. James O. Smith, Ph.D., Ivy Tech faculty member and dean of the Schools of Business, Logistics & Supply Chain and Public & Social Services, and Douglas E. Mattick, director of facilities, will be recognized on Friday.
“I want to congratulate and thank Dr. Smith and Doug for making significant contributions over their 18 years of service to the college, for the benefit of students and families across Indiana,” said Chancellor Jennie Vaughan. “Between paving the way for statewide articulation agreements and saving the college more than $1.5 million in operating and building costs, their honorary degrees are well-deserved and I’m happy to recognize the accomplishments of both Dr. Smith and Doug.”
Dr. Smith was instrumental in forming course transfer articulation agreements with Indiana University that lead to statewide Ivy Tech course transfers to all Indiana colleges and universities. He also initiated one of Ivy Tech Bloomington’s first service-learning projects in the accounting program, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which continues today.
Mattick reduced the budget needed to operate and expand the Bloomington facility by more than $1.5 million over his 18 years of service. Notably, Mattick managed electrical usage and technology updates at Ivy Tech’s main facility, and as a result, is pulling the same energy today—even after the 90,000 sq. ft. expansion—as it was when the building was established in 2002.
Ivy Tech Bloomington is conferring 50 Achieve Your Degree™ (AYD) associate degrees and certifications to 42 graduates. Ivy Tech’s AYD program is a collaboration between Ivy Tech and employers to offer working adults the opportunity to earn associate degrees or certifications with no upfront cost to students. Statewide, Ivy Tech has collaborated with more than 140 companies to offer the program to their employees. Collaborations include smaller to larger employers from a variety of industries, including hospitals, banks, and manufacturing companies.
Associate Accelerated Program (ASAP) graduates have earned 22 associate degrees and certifications. ASAP was designed to provide students, ages 21 and under, with the opportunity to earn an associate degree in as little as 11 months. Ivy Tech Bloomington offers ASAP degrees in Liberal Arts, Education, Business Administration, Informatics, and will begin offering Psychology this summer.
The number of students graduating with honors is 174, with 32 graduating Summa Cum Laude for maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
Ivy Tech Bloomington will confer credentials to 22 military veterans, and is graduating 6 international students representing the countries of Saudi Arabia, China, Brazil, and Indonesia.
Approximately 67 Associate of Science in Nursing and 42 Practical Nursing degrees will be awarded.
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.
