Political, business and community leaders gathered Friday afternoon for the official groundbreaking of the new Ivy Tech Community College-Warsaw campus.
The new campus is at the intersection of US 30W and Silveus Crossing, across from Medtronic.
Virginia B. Calvin, Ivy Tech-North Central chancellor, gave the welcoming and closing remarks.
"I'm so excited to welcome you to today's event. This is a historical event," she said.
The groundbreaking took place on land already owned by Ivy Tech, she said, thanks to generous donors.
"Today is a high point for Ivy Tech in Warsaw," she said.
Ivy Tech President Tom Snyder introduced the members of the Indiana General Assembly who were present, including Sen. Ryan Mishler, Sen. Marlin Stutzman, State Rep. Bill Friend, State Rep. Bill Ruppel and State Rep. Dave Wolkins.
Student tuition pays for half of Ivy Tech's funding, Snyder said. However, the other half comes from taxpayer funding as determined by the General Assembly. He thanked them for their work.
Indiana House of Representatives Speaker B. Patrick Bauer also was on hand. He said the whole project began eight years ago when he had the pleasure to meet Jean Northenor. Northenor was instrumental in seeing the project through, and is an honorary chair on the capital campaign cabinet for Ivy Tech-Warsaw.
"This is a tremendous day for Warsaw, this is a tremendous day for Indiana, and I'm just glad the Indiana General Assembly was able to be a part of it," Bauer said.
Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins said, "The city of Warsaw is honored to be a part of this project." He said it speaks well for the community, and he thanked Bauer and the state legislature for their efforts.
Northenor introduced the capital campaign cabinet, including operational chairs Brad Bishop, Jo Lemon and David Findlay.
She also thanked all the members of the Indiana General Assembly for their work. "I dogged these guys. I really did. Phone calls. When I was in Indianapolis, I stopped in there to make sure they didn't forget us," she said.
The new campus is a big project with a lot of zeros behind it. In this economic climate, that scared her. However, she said they've had great people, organizations and companies supporting it.
For their support, Northenor thanked Dane Miller, the K21 Foundation, the Miller Family, Miller's Merry Manor, Paragon Medical, the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, DePuy, Biomet, Zimmer, Toby Buck, Medtronic, Lake City Bank, Symmetry, NIPSCO, Dan Robinson and Cary Groninger and Teachers Credit Union.
"Thank you all. We raised nearly $3 million at a time when it wasn't easy to raise money," Northenor said. She thanked the General Assembly, who appropriated $10.1 million that will make the project come to fruition.
Third District US Congressman Mark Souder said, "Higher education is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity."
He said the challenge is to keep manufacturing here. Through people going on to school, becoming skilled and more efficient, the workforce can become better and the area can compete globally. Ivy Tech plays an important role in that.
"Warsaw has needed this for some time," Souder said.Warsaw is the orthopedic capital of the world. The area is No. 1 in manufacturing in Indiana, the Midwest and US. Souder said the education system needs to provide the workforce who can meet the challenges.
Findlay said the groundbreaking was a tremendous occasion
"There is only one reason this is in existence - to serve the students. We all need to consistently remind ourselves of that. I'm just thrilled we could bring this campus to Warsaw and expand Ivy Tech," said Findlay.
Ivy Tech-Warsaw Vice Chancellor/Dean Randy Maxson expressed how proud he was to be a part of the project. It will help empower students and provide pathways to their futures. The campus will be "another tool in our tool box," he said. The campus will provide students with skills and change lives.
Student Stephanie Ducheteau then spoke about how Ivy Tech changed her life.
"This is a very exciting time for Warsaw and Ivy Tech, and I can not tell you how excited I am to be here," she said.
Three years ago she was injured while working at an RV factory. She found another job at an orthopedic company, but found herself eventually divorced, laid off and filing for bankruptcy. She then decided to try college again, with a daughter to support.
Now, by the end of next fall's semester, she will have enough credits to graduate.
"Today, I am a happy, healthy, single mother with a positive future ahead," she said.
