Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
"We'll be a lot more visible now," said IPFW Site Coordinator Shelly Gilliland of the Warsaw Center's move to Marketplace of Warsaw.
She and about 350 students are leaving behind the three-flight climb to the top of the 106 N. Buffalo St. building for a ground floor campus between Dunham's Sports and Sears Roebuck and Co.
"We were a too-well-kept secret," Gilliland said during Monday's open house. "I think a lot of people are going to say, 'Oh my gosh, they're here.'"
The Marketplace space offers 62,70 square feet compared to the 4,000 square feet available downtown.
There are four classrooms known as the "art" room, the computer lab, the distance learning room and a regular classroom. Laptops from the computer room can be used anywhere because of wireless connections.
Current students will finish out the semester downtown, with spring classes beginning in the shopping center.
IPFW has offered general education classes in Warsaw since 1985. Three classes a semester were offered 23 years ago. The current curriculum lists 26 classes for general education studies available in the morning and evening.
Gilliland hopes to expand class offerings further to include afternoons and weekends.
The new site will be open for spring registration and to visitors from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays through Dec. 19 and on Saturdays, the 13th and 20th of December, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The spring semester begins Jan. 12.
