BLOOMINGTON – Cara Reader, Ph.D., assistant director of student support services at Ivy Tech Community College’s Bloomington campus, earned the statewide Friend of Advising Award at Ivy Tech’s Student Success Summit held March 28-29 at the French Lick Resort in French Lick, Ind. Adjunct instructor of mathematics, Ryan Pennell, was also recognized for winning the Gerald I. Lamkin Award, which is the campus adjunct faculty award for excellence in instruction.
Dr. Reader earned Ivy Tech’s Friend of Advising Award for her willingness to provide assistance to advisors and students, and for her invaluable support of advising work.
“Cara has been such a valuable asset to our advising team since she joined the college last year,” said Candace Dean, director of academic advising at Ivy Tech Bloomington. “She has delivered education and training to the advising team on how best to assist students with differing needs, as well as stepped up to assist during heavy traffic days.”
Ivy Tech Bloomington has won awards in at least one of four advising award categories every year since the college began recognizing advisors in 2015.
“Cara’s a natural at advising students,” said Dean. “She displays an unwavering drive to help Ivy Tech students and her colleagues.”
Adjunct instructor award recipient, Pennell, was also celebrated at the summit. His student nominations highlighted his unique and effective teaching strategies and professionalism.
“Everything that was written about Ryan had the same message, that he is an excellent teacher,” said Stacy Strand, assistant professor of baking and pastry and chairwoman of the teaching awards nomination committee. “His nominations were impressive.”
In one submission, a student said, “Ryan was the first teacher that made math finally click, and he has a way of making math ‘not scary.’”
Ivy Tech is currently enrolling students in summer and fall classes that can lead to workplace certification and associate degrees that transfer to Indiana four-year colleges. For more information, call 812-330-6013 or for after hours, call 1-888-Ivy-Line (1-888-489-5463).
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.
