Connie Ferguson to be awarded honorary degree at Ivy Tech Commencement

BLOOMINGTON – Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington will host the 2023 Commencement Ceremony Friday, May 12 at 6 p.m. at Indiana University Auditorium.

Connie Ferguson and her husband Steve

An Honorary Associate of College and Community Service will be awarded to Connie Ferguson, Chairwoman of the Ivy Tech Bloomington Campus Board of Trustees and Owner of CS Property Management.

Jennie Vaughan

“Connie has made countless contributions to the community, both as an ambassador for Ivy Tech and her critical role as liaison between local employers and the College,” Ivy Tech Bloomington Chancellor Jennie Vaughan said. “For decades, Connie has supported equitable access to higher education and removed barriers for Ivy Tech students. We are appreciative of her steady leadership and service.”

Ferguson has been a trustee since 1998 and was elected chairwoman in 2001 when Ivy Tech Bloomington became a stand-alone region. With the unwavering support of Ferguson and her husband, Ivy Tech Bloomington built its own main campus, the Connie and Steve Ferguson Academic Building, in 2002 and added an expansion, the Cook Pavilion, in 2015.

She has served on the Ivy Tech Foundation board for 10 years and established endowed scholarships for Ivy Tech Bloomington students pursuing associate degrees in biotechnology, nursing, and radiation therapy. Ferguson is a founding and lifetime member of Ivy Tech’s women in philanthropy group, Circle of Ivy.

“Connie is generous with her time and committed to every role she accepts at the College,” Chancellor Vaughan said. “Her tireless contributions will help others for generations to come.”

Ferguson earned her bachelor’s degree from the Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences in 1986. She has served on numerous boards and committees, including president of the Convention and Visitor’s Commission of Monroe County, member of the board of directors for the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, and chairwoman of the Monroe County History Center’s Build History Fund, among others.

Ivy Tech Bloomington offers more than 40 career and four-year transfer programs, with courses that start multiple times per year for quick entry and graduation. To get started, apply for free online at ivytech.edu, call 812-330-6013, or email askBloomington@ivytech.edu. For information on tuition-free training programs at Ivy Tech Bloomington, visit ivytech.edu/bloomington/NLJ.