Ivy Tech’s First Day Of Giving To Support Next Generation Of Hoosier Leaders

Nation’s largest singly accredited community college holding statewide Ivy Tech Day on April 11.

For students carving out a career, a day can mean everything. On April 11, Ivy Tech alumni, friends, and people across Indiana can help the College develop the next generation of Hoosier healthcare professionals, manufacturing specialists, entrepreneurs, and others by participating in Ivy Tech Day, the College’s first-ever Day of Giving.

Starting at midnight – for 24 hours – alumni and friends everywhere can support the College’s 19 campuses and 173,000 students who are building brighter futures for themselves and for those around them. The Ivy Tech Foundation, which is organizing the statewide day, wants to reach 600 gifts in recognition of the College’s 60th anniversary.

“Ivy Tech Day is a big moment for our entire College family,” said Sue Ellspermann, president, Ivy Tech Community College. “As Indiana’s community college, we want to create a fun, memorable way to come together and demonstrate our collective passion for our students, the college, and our communities. I believe our donors, alumni, students, employer partners, faculty and staff, and friends in the community will rally in celebration of Ivy Tech’s impact and 60th anniversary.” One leader who blossomed from her Ivy Tech experience is Tricia Buchholz, who today is director of the Office of Title IX Staff at Florida State University. She earned a degree in criminal justice from Ivy Tech and transferred to Indiana State University where she graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in criminology and criminal justice. Buchholz credits an Ivy Tech professor with providing the encouragement she needed to continue on her educational journey. After graduating from Indiana State University, she worked in Tippecanoe County in programs aimed at keeping youths out of the criminal justice system, everything from truancy mediation to home detention. She then went on to earn her juris doctor with an advocacy skills graduate certificate from the McKinney School of Law at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. She received the Ivy Tech Distinguished Alumni Award in 2019.

“I stepped on the Lafayette campus completely unaware of my abilities and potential,” Buchholz said. “I left with the foundation, inspiration, and support to complete my education all the way through law school, to pursue two successful careers, and to accomplish far more than I have ever imagined possible prior to my time at Ivy Tech. The recognition of my talent and potential by some very special instructors at the Lafayette campus and their subsequent support, along with a truly unique internship opportunity, were the catalysts for the academic and professional success I have experienced since.”

Supporters will be able to contribute toward the future of Ivy Tech by visiting ivytech.edu/giveday. Participants can contribute through the Ivy Tech Foundation – whether it’s $6 or $6,000 or more – starting at midnight. The Foundation encourages everyone associated with Ivy Tech to wear green and share videos and photos on social media showing their passion for the College and expressing why they are participating in Ivy Tech Day. Alumni and friends can use the hashtags #give2ivy and #growivygrow to show their support. Supporters will be able to follow the Foundation all day long on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. At the Ivy Tech campus in Lafayette, there will be activities for people of all ages throughout the day.

• Donuts from 9 – 11 a.m. in Gipe Hall on the Lafayette campus and at the Crawfordsville and Frankfort sites
• Giant Jenga and Skee-ball Activities from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Grand Hall of Ivy Hall on the Lafayette campus
• Mario Kart Competition from 12 – 4:30 p.m. in the Grand Hall of Ivy Hall on the Lafayette Campus
• Dunk the Chancellor from 1 – 3 p.m. on the Lafayette campus quad between Ivy Hall and Griffin Hall

Ivy Tech was founded 60 years ago on March 15, 1963. Today, Ivy Tech contributes $3.9 billion annually to Indiana’s economy, including a net impact of $3.6 billion from alumni working in the state. Eight of ten students who graduate from Ivy Tech do so without student debt. Additionally, Ivy Tech:

• graduates more nurses with 2-year degrees than any college in the nation, and most stay in Indiana to pursue their careers.
• contributes to 1 of every 70 jobs across Indiana.
• awards more than 40,000 credentials and certifications each year, and nearly all who graduate – 93 percent – stay in the Hoosier State.

Ivy Tech Day is part of the Foundation’s 5-year, $285 million campaign.

“Our graduates are making a real impact in communities we serve, and the possibilities ahead are exciting,” said Aaron Baute, Ivy Tech Lafayette chancellor. “From nurses to manufacturers, Ivy Tech graduates are making a real difference in the lives of people across the region and the state of Indiana. “Our environment requires solutions to problems faced by industries everywhere,” Baute said. “Our community of students, alumni, faculty, and partners are making it happen.”