Ivy Tech grows by leaps and bounds

Ivy Tech Community College-South Bend, one of three campuses in Ivy Tech’s North Central Region, is bursting at the seams.

“Yes indeed,” says Chancellor Virginia Calvin. “We are growing fast.”

So fast, in fact, that enrollment has doubled since it opened in 2000. Currently, about 6,000 students attend Ivy Tech-South Bend, taking advantage of a wide range of programs in applied science and engineering technology, business, health sciences and more.

To meet its state-mandated role as an “engine for workforce development,” as much space as possible on the campus has been converted into dual-purpose labs and classrooms, and courses have been added on Friday nights and Saturdays.

To handle further growth, Ivy Tech plans to expand along Sample Street. Working closely with City officials, Calvin says Ivy Tech developed a 25-year master plan that would add nine buildings and spend $270 million on the new structures by 2035.

City of South Bend collaboration

Photo courtesy of Ivy Tech Community College

“City officials, especially David Relos [a Department of Economic Development specialist], have worked with us every step of the way,” she says. “They have done everything they possibly could. I can’t say enough good things about them.”

Relos, for his part, says the City is collaborating with Ivy Tech to purchase buildings along East Sample Street. The South Bend Redevelopment Commission reviewed the college’s master plan last year.

“They approached us to buy four properties along the street,” Relos says. “They will then do any renovations or build out to turn the buildings into classroom space.”

He says City help with the expansion may influence funding decisions by state education officials for Ivy Tech growth.

“People downstate look at community support and if it’s strong, that can make a big difference,” he says. “It could help bring those four new buildings to fruition by 2020 and others beyond that date.”

Sample Street forms part of the main route connecting Innovation Park at Notre Dame and Ignition Park – separated by about three miles – that make up Indiana’s first two-site State-Certified Technology Park in South Bend.

“This is an important corridor because of that, so we see this as a way to help Ivy Tech and to also help spruce up that corridor,” he says. “This should give an economic boost to the downtown by cleaning up Sample Street and improving the marketability of Ignition Park by having a nice travel corridor between the two locales.”

How to grow?

Photo courtesy of Ivy Tech Community College

Calvin says the first decision that had to be made was how and where the college would grow.
Though it might have been easier to locate the current campus on undeveloped land outside the city, she says it was “absolutely” the right decision to build in downtown South Bend to serve the college’s mainly urban population.

Because of the downturn in the economy, Calvin says students have been streaming into Ivy Tech for training and retraining.

She says the Ivy Tech system is growing because it is now the official community college program for the state. In addition, the easy transferability of credits means students whose goal is a bachelor’s degree can get an affordable start at Ivy Tech.

“We are serving a real need,” she says, noting that the administration moved to smaller offices last year to open up space for classes. Recently, she says, an administration conference room was converted to classes.

Comprehensive community college vision

Calvin says Ivy Tech is a comprehensive community college in every sense and will accommodate future education and training needs in a fast-moving global economy.

She says the expanded campus will help future small business owners with plans that will enhance the local economy, and prepare healthcare professionals and emergency responders to make the South Bend region healthier and safer.

If all goes as planned, the campus will have by 2020:

• A new multipurpose building with a flexible-use auditorium with seating for 1,000, 20 classrooms, a wellness center, spaces for student activities and intramural activities, plus administration offices.
• A workforce and economic development building with a 50-person training center, classrooms, testing center and offices.
• A health sciences building that co-locates all health sciences programs. It will also have a wing dedicated to nanotechnology and biotechnology programs.

By 2035, Ivy Tech also hopes to add a liberal arts and sciences building, another classroom structure, a business entrepreneurship building, student housing and a fine and performing arts building.

“It’s an awful lot to attack and capture,” acknowledges Calvin. “But it’s our mission to meet the needs of our community. And the good news is that we are doing everything we can to provide our citizens with the skills to lead our state.”

And in the process, make South Bend a better place to live and work, she adds.