By: Jennifer S. Gasiorek—
Muncie, IN—The Ivy Tech Community College campus in Muncie revealed their building plans at a special unveiling this week. The event was held at the Patterson building. Construction plans include renovating the Fisher building’s basement, first and fourth floor, renovating the Cowan Road campus, and building a new building at the Old Star Press Locations.
A dynamic renewal of the Muncie campus downtown and at Ivy Tech’s Cowan Road location is aligned with the needs of the community and is an investment in the future of Muncie and Delaware County. Ivy Tech Muncie’s plans to re-envision its downtown campus directly aligns with Muncie’s focus on downtown revitalization and will serve as a magnet to draw nearly 2,500 students and community members to the heart of the city.
Downtown North Building
The former Star Press building site will house the Culinary School, Chesterfields Café, administration, testing and assessment, advising and enrollment services. The Culinary Arts program will also feature a Chocolates lab. Having these services in one location will make it easier for students to find and access important services.
Artist rendering—Interior Downtown North Building. Photo provided.
Fisher Building
The Schools of Nursing, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business, and Education along with academic support and library services will be housed in the Fisher Building, providing innovative learning spaces, including improvements to science and health labs to meet current instructional needs.
“This move will allow Ivy Tech to increase the enrollment capacity of our nursing program by 15%. This increase will help meet local demands for nurses.” said Dr. Sharon Adams Willey, Dean of Nursing.
Cowan Road Campus
By renovating the North Instructional Center Ivy Tech can increase the capacity for the School of Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Engineering and bring together all technology-related majors. This expansion will prepare students for careers in manufacturing, welding, HVAC, robotics, automotive and construction industries—all of which have a high-demand for workers, putting our students to work quickly.
Concentrating most of its programs in a central hub downtown will create synergies with the community, including partnerships with downtown businesses and organizations.
“The downtown campus will create natural collaborative opportunities for faculty and staff and new opportunities for internships and jobs for students within the business community,” said Jeff Scott, Chancellor, Ivy Tech Muncie.
George and Frances Ball Foundation Gift
During the same event, an announcement was made that the Ivy Tech Campus in Muncie has received a $2 million lead gift commitment from the George and Frances Ball Foundation. This gift is one of the largest gifts in Ivy Tech Community College history.
Stefan Anderson, Foundation Chair, said,” The George and Frances Ball Foundation is pleased to play a significant part in helping to attract a new $38 million investment by the State of Indiana for a project that will include significant improvements to downtown Muncie and our community as a whole. Ivy Tech’s role in the success of this community is large and growing, and the Foundation is pleased to help advance that role.”
“I cannot adequately express our gratitude to the George and Francis Ball Foundation for their most generous gift which will fund a truly world-class Ivy Tech campus in Muncie. While the gift will transform the campus, our shared goal is that of transforming thousands of lives in Muncie and Delaware County with skills and credentials which will increase prosperity and strengthen the Muncie community.” —Dr. Sue Ellspermann, President of Ivy Tech.
“Thank you doesn’t appropriately describe my gratitude for the $2 million gift from the George and Frances Ball Foundation has given to the Muncie campus,” said Chancellor Scott. This gift will impact our community for decades, and my hope is that this will be catalyst to encourage others to follow suit and have their own impact. Our Muncie/Delaware County community is coming together to create pathways for student success and create a stronger Indiana.”
The George and Frances Ball Foundation was founded in 1937 and in the last decade has provided grants totaling $44 million dollars to organizations in the fields of education, arts, and community improvement. Looking to the next decade, the Foundation has recently been engaged in a strategic reorganization under which Tom Bracken has assumed the position of Vice Chairman of the Board and Tom Kinghorn has become the President. The Foundation also plans to hire its first program officer. According to Anderson, this reorganization will enhance the Foundation’s ability to make grants that have a significant impact, leverage other resources, and promote community collaboration, while at the same time honoring the traditions of the Foundation and the legacy of George and Frances Ball.
Click image for fact sheet
About Ivy Tech
Ivy Tech Community College serves communities across Indiana, providing world-class education and driving economic transformation. It is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering high-value degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its communities, along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.
