ROCHESTER, Ind. – Representatives of the Rochester Instructional Site of Ivy Tech Community College and Rochester Community Schools gathered recently to accept the Shining Star Award from the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce.
The award honored the educational institutions for their dual enrollment agreement that has resulted in an $86,660 savings in tuition for the parents of Rochester High School students over the last two years.
Ivy Tech’s Rochester site, under director Gloria Carvey, provided 326 classes taught by Ivy Tech instructors for Rochester High School students during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years, allowing each student to earn six free college credits while in high school.
“Ivy Tech has been a leader promoting higher education in the Rochester community,” said Amy Roe, executive director of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce. “With its physical presence at the Rochester Learning Center, Ivy Tech offers daytime and evening classes for both high school students and those seeking a new career – a great benefit to residents in the Fulton County area.”
Carvey noted that Ivy Tech at Rochester specializes in general education classes that transfer to many four-year colleges and universities in Indiana along with pre-nursing classes that will prepare students for careers in healthcare.
She offered an example of Ivy Tech’s contributions to preparing people to fill needed jobs in the community. “Recently, eight students at the Rochester site passed a certified nursing class and examination qualifying them as CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants),” Carvey said. “Two of them were high school students who earned their credential with the help of the dual-credit program.”
Jana Vance, superintendent of Rochester Community Schools, echoed Carvey in describing the importance of continuing to build on the school’s relationship with Ivy Tech to support the economic growth and stability of Fulton County.
“Next year we are offering a class where students can earn a nationally recognized Certified Production Technician credential,” Vance said. “Passing the CPT exam certifies to employers that the holder has the core competencies needed to succeed in modern advanced manufacturing production jobs. Adding this through Ivy Tech’s Integrated Technology Education Program is a conscientious effort to support not only our students but also our local businesses by providing graduates who are prepared with the skills employers need.”
For information on Ivy Tech’s Rochester Instructional Site at 1820 Park Road in Rochester, contact Carvey at gcarvey@ivytech.edu or (574) 223-3228, ext. 5031. Registration is going on now for the fall semester, which begins Aug. 21.
SOURCE: News release from Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Region