Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Ivy Tech State College officials presented several pieces of good news this morning during a community meeting at the Kosciusko County Foundation building.
Not only will the local campus move from Lakeview Middle School to the United Office Complex - showing its commitment to the Warsaw community - the board of trustees has allocated funds to lease and renovate the building.
Richard Tully, executive director of facilities and institutional planning, said the state-funded college will lease 20,000 square feet of the Sprint building for $180,000 and provide $200,000 for renovations.
The administration also plans to request another $2.9 million in a 2003 legislative funding request for additional learning labs and expansion.
Ivy Tech President Gerald Lamkin noted the college is the fastest growing and second largest of the state's colleges and universities, with enrollment of more than 80,000.
Lamkin has been president for three decades. He began his association with the college 35 years ago as a part-time instructor.
The president told the 30 community members gathered to expect great things for the growing Warsaw campus with "deep programming, the result of long-term planning."
Former Warsaw Mayor Dale Tucker was introduced, calling the announcements a great day for Warsaw.
Tucker tirelessly campaigned for a local Ivy Tech campus, succeeding in his mission in 1978.
In 1991 the organization moved to a portion of Lakeview Middle School from scattered meeting rooms throughout the city.
The move to north of U.S. 30 also is considered a temporary camping spot, according to Region 2 Chancellor Virginia Calvin. Calvin outlined several phases planned for the school, with phase one being the actual move to its new quarters.
The offices will begin to move the last week of July and should be finished by Aug. 9. Tours of the building are planned Aug. 12 through 16.
On Aug. 17 the fall semester will begin at the new location.
During phase two, 2003 to 2005, the administration plans to add a science lab so students won't have to travel to use the Grace College facility.
In phase three, the space will be increased by 10,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet, adding medical assisting, CNA and computer labs as well as several more classrooms.
By 2012, phase four, the college wants to build a stand-alone facility.
Calvin said Ivy Tech is successful if the community makes it successful.
