FORT WAYNE – Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne and Kosciusko County announced the decision to name Dr. JoAnne Alvarez the vice chancellor of the Kosciusko County site.
In her role, Alvarez will lead the Kosciusko County site’s programs and services, working closely with campus leadership and community partners to align education with local workforce needs and support student success.
“We want Kosciusko County to continue being a great place to work, live and play, and accessible education plays a role in that,” said Alvarez. “I’m excited to work with students who want to further their education and the opportunity to connect with local organizations who are looking for ways to provide more services to their employees.”
Since 2014, Alvarez has held many positions within Ivy Tech at both the Fort Wayne campus and Systems Office, according to a news release from Ivy Tech. She’s held positions within the Enrollment Center, Student Success Office and the former Diversity, Equity and Belonging Office. In her time with the college, she has spearheaded statewide efforts to make more connections with local businesses, created Ivy League Coaching to assist students on academic probation, and founded several student organizations to promote student success.
Her work at the college and within the community has given her lots of recognition, the release states. In March 2025, she was awarded with the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) Woman of the Year Award and previously received the AAUW Emerging Leaders Award in 2023. She currently sits on several boards including the Hispanic Leadership Coalition of Northeast Indiana (HLCNI), Questa Education Foundation, Girl Coalition of Indiana, the Coalition for Advancing Postsecondary Education and Training (CAPET) Resource Network and more.
“Dr. Alvarez has a commitment and dedication for students that I have witnessed firsthand, and which has been celebrated on campus and across the state,” said Dr. Kim Barnett-Johnson, chancellor of Ivy Tech Fort Wayne and Kosciusko County. “I know that her experience and enthusiasm will be perfect for our Kosciusko County site, and I’m so excited to see what she brings with this new role.”
Alvarez holds degrees from Olivet Nazarene University and Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. Before working at the college, she has held positions with Twenty-First Century Scholars and Home Med Resources Inc.