Ivy Tech President Tom Snyder addresses a large crowd at a dedication ceremony for Ivy Tech's new Rochester Instructional Site.
ROCHESTER, Ind. — Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Region’s Rochester Instructional Site celebrated its grand opening on Tuesday, Nov. 29. An open house was held from 4 to 6 p.m. with a building dedication ceremony beginning at 5 p.m. Ivy Tech President Tom Snyder, Kokomo Region Chancellor Steve Daily and several community leaders gave remarks at the ceremony.
“Ivy Tech is pleased to be a part of the Rochester Learning Center. This fall we started off with nine classes but we are jumping to 17 classes this spring. That is the most we have ever offered. Normally when we were using the high school in the evenings, we would have four classes each semester,” said Rochester Instructional Site Director Gloria Carvey.
Ivy Tech has been offering classes at Rochester High School in the evenings for nearly 20 years, but never had a visible, permanent facility. Ivy Tech occupies 7,000 square feet of the roughly 15,000 square feet inside the Rochester Learning Center, a newly-constructed building owned by Rochester School Corporation located at 1820 Park Road. Ivy Tech’s space features three general purpose classrooms, two science labs and one computer lab. Carvey says current enrollment is 125 students and that number is expected to grow. Ivy Tech’s Rochester Instructional Site provides Rochester High School students the chance to receive dual-credit while in high school. Students can graduate high school often with one to two semesters of transferable college credits already completed.
“Our students are close enough to walk to take college classes while they are in high school. That’s what we’re most excited about. If a community doesn’t have a place of learning, then it’s missing out on the opportunities available to people,” said Rochester Community Schools Superintendent Daniel Ronk.
Ivy Tech’s site offers credit and non-credit classes as well as certification training through a partnership with local companies to provide on-site corporate contract training. The general public is also able to take courses inside the new facility. People interested in enrolling for the spring semester or to learn more information about the site can call Beth Clair, Rochester site academic advisor, at 574-223-3228 or bclair@ivytech.edu.
On Oct. 6, Ivy Tech’s Rochester Instructional Site received two awards from the Rochester and Lake Manitou Chamber of Commerce. Officials from the Chamber presented Ivy Tech with the Shining Star award and the Double I award. The Shining Star award is given to businesses and individuals who demonstrate goodwill in the community. Two years ago, the Rochester and Lake Manitou Chamber of Commerce started the Double I award for investment and improvement in the community. This is the first time both awards have been given at the same time to an individual or organization.
IVY TECH KOKOMO SERVICE AREA NEWS 