BLOOMINGTON — Ivy Tech Community College’s Bloomington campus will host its annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 13 at 6 p.m. at the Indiana University Auditorium, where it will confer approximately 1,500 associate degrees and certifications to graduates. The number of credentials awarded is expected to increase as graduation applications continue to be submitted through the end of the academic year.
Carrie Biddle, Associate of Science in Nursing/RN, graduate and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society president will give the Commencement address.
“I chose Ivy Tech because it is both well-respected for nursing and costs less than other programs,” she said. “I will now have the ability to gain valuable experience and an income while returning to get my BSN.”
Biddle has accepted a full-time nursing position at IU Health Bloomington Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit, upon graduation and licensure. She plans to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at IU in the fall.
An Honorary Associate degree in College and Community Service will be awarded to Tina Peterson, President, and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington & Monroe County and Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI), for her work in advancing education and economic prosperity in the region.
The 2022 Distinguished Alumni recipient, Steve Headdy, RN, will also be recognized. Headdy is a 2010 Associate of Science in Nursing graduate. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Business Administration degrees. Headdy currently serves as Clinical Operations Manager at IU Health Bloomington Hospital and works collaboratively with the Ivy Tech Bloomington School of Nursing. He was awarded the IU Health Foundation Award for nursing excellence in 2014 and the DAISY Nurse Leader Award in 2019.
Ivy Tech Bloomington is graduating 144 Early College graduates that have earned credentials through dual college credit opportunities at their high schools. Early College graduates earn a certificate, Associate of General Studies, or an Indiana College Core technical certificate before high school graduation, which enables them to begin college with the entire core of 30 credit hours completed. Early College high school graduates are from Bloomfield, Bloomington North, Eastern Greene, Edgewood, Hoosier Hills Career Center, Loogootee, Lost River Career Center, North Lawrence Career Center, Paoli, Springs Valley, Martinsville, Owen Valley, and West Washington.
The campus is conferring 162, zero-cost credentials to graduates, paid for by the state’s Next Level Jobs Workforce Ready Grant. Tuition-free programs at Ivy Tech Bloomington prepare residents for in-demand jobs in Indiana.
Ivy Tech Bloomington is also conferring 68 associate degrees and certificates to 32 Achieve Your Degree™ (AYD) graduates. AYD is an employer-paid tuition assistance program that offers the opportunity to earn college credentials with no upfront cost to students. New this year, an agreement with Monroe County Community School Corporation for the Pathway to Licensure Program. Locally, Ivy Tech has agreements with 17 employers, and the college works with more than 200 companies statewide.
The total number of college transfer credentials awarded is 402, or 27% of all credentials earned. Ivy Tech offers more than 100 transfer programs that transfer to in- and out-of-state schools, including guaranteed admissions programs.
Associate Accelerated Program (ASAP) students will earn 39 associate degrees and certificates among 19 graduates. ASAP enables students ages 21 and under to earn an associate degree in as little as 11 months.
In 2020, Ivy Tech Bloomington launched IvyAccelerate, an accelerated associate degree track, and will award 4 credentials to 3 graduates. IvyAccelerate was launched to help busy adults graduate on time. Classes are held two nights per week with the flexibility to attend in-person or virtually.
The number of students graduating with honors is 369 — up 43 graduates over last year—with 99 graduating summa cum laude for maintaining a 4.0-grade point average.
Ivy Tech Bloomington will confer credentials to 15 military veterans and is graduating 15 international students representing the countries of China, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
Approximately 72 Associate of Science in Nursing degrees and 42 Practical Nursing certificates will be awarded.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College (www.ivytech.edu) 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 degree and short-term certificate programs, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College also offers courses and associate degree programs that seamlessly transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a Bachelor’s degree.
