Ivy Tech Terre Haute Celebrates Completion of Invest IN Ivy Tech Campaign

TERRE HAUTE, IN – On Tuesday, October 24, Ivy Tech Community College in Terre Haute celebrated the successful completion of its multi-million-dollar comprehensive campaign, Invest IN Ivy Tech. The five-year campaign focused on seven key priority areas aimed at student success, program expansion, and campus sustainability. Through the generosity of 1,357 unique donors, Ivy Tech Terre Haute announced they closed the campaign at $12.2 million in support for West Central Indiana students, exceeding the $12 million goal.

“When all 19 campuses set out to embark on a statewide comprehensive campaign, we met with our industry and community partners, faculty, staff, students, donors, and alumni to identify growth opportunities here at our local campus,” said Chancellor Lea Anne Crooks, Ph.D. “After careful evaluation, we surmised we needed to raise $12 million to meet our campus needs.”

“Truthfully, it was an ambitious goal,” commented Rachel Mullinnix, executive director of development and strategic initiatives. “But we’d done the planning and knew it was a challenge we needed to take on. We were confident our community partners would come alongside us to give our students the opportunities they deserve.”

The $12 million campaign goal for Ivy Tech Terre Haute was part of the statewide efforts to raise $285 million across all 19 Ivy Tech campuses. Each campus identified its goal based on its unique campus priorities. Statewide, donors committed $340 million in support for Indiana’s largest post-secondary institution, exceeding the goal by 19%.

Lori and her husband, Steve Danielson, co-chaired the local campaign committee, bringing their passion for Ivy Tech's impact on the local economy to every interaction on campus and with others in the community. They forged invaluable partnerships for the campus, and their commitment established the Thrive On! Scholarship. The cohort-based Thrive On! Scholarship allows students to grow their leadership skills as they prepare for their careers following their education while finding connections as part of a close-knit student group.

“It was rewarding to be part of such a holistic campaign,” added Steve Danielson. “From expanding enrollment capacity in programs critical to the workforce needs in West Central Indiana to ensuring the campus has sustainable support for the future, the effects of this campaign will be making a difference for years to come.”

Funds from the Invest IN Ivy Tech campaign are already being used to enhance opportunities for students and build stronger communities in West Central Indiana.

Results | 5 Years | $12.2 million | Countless Lives Impacted

Post-Secondary Pathway Support

Ivy Tech prioritizes creating seamless pathways for high school students to earn free college credits while in high school through dual credit and dual enrollment opportunities. Through these opportunities, high school students and their families saved nearly $12 million in tuition costs during the five-year Invest IN Ivy Tech campaign.

Mental Health Services

Thanks to a partnership with Valley Professionals Community Health Center, Ivy Tech has a full-time behavioral health counselor on campus to support students with free mental health services. The partnership has provided 1,135 students with free mental health support thanks to the Invest IN Ivy Tech campaign.

Digital Equity

Focused on student populations with challenging life situations, laptop scholarships awarded students brand new laptops, alleviating a barrier to completing their degree or credential. Nearly 1,000 laptop scholarships were awarded to students throughout the campaign, resulting in those student groups having a 7-9% higher retention rate.

Sustainable Support

The generosity and foresight of donors resulted in a nearly 36% growth in the campus’ endowment, solidifying Ivy Tech’s sustainability and impactful future.

Student Success

Through enrollment expansion and retention support, the School of Nursing has an annual capacity of 20 additional nursing students. In addition, nursing students have expanded tutoring programs and financial aid options to participate in credentialing test preparation courses.

Campus Enhancements

Industry partners like Trans-Care Ambulance supported renovating classroom and lab spaces in high-demand health sciences programs. The new areas allow students to seamlessly transition from classroom instruction to hands-on lab activities.

Scholarship Program

The Invest IN Ivy Tech campaign brought a $1.3 million increase in student scholarship opportunities and supported more than 1,600 students during the last five years. In addition, several new cohort-based scholarships were launched, including Bowen Scholars, Thrive On!, and Recovery Scholars.

The Invest IN Ivy Tech campaign close coincided with the college’s 60^th anniversary. Since its inception, Ivy Tech has contributed to the lives of students and communities in numerous ways, including the most recent pride points:

• Four out of five students who graduate from Ivy Tech do so without student debt.
• Ivy Tech graduates more nurses with associate degrees than any college nationwide, and most stay in Indiana to pursue their careers.
• The College contributes to 1 of every 70 jobs across Indiana.
• Ivy Tech awards more than 40,000 credentials and certifications each year, and nearly all who graduate – 93 percent – stay in the Hoosier State.

 About the Ivy Tech Foundation

The Foundation supports Ivy Tech Community College beyond state appropriations and student tuition. Its overall program of work focuses on meeting student needs. The recently completed Invest IN Ivy Tech statewide fundraising campaign provides greater opportunity for each of the College’s 19 campuses to educate, train, and support all 92 of Indiana’s counties. Learn more at www.ivytech.edu/InvestINIvyTech.