Julie Bilz, Ivy Tech Community College, Columbus, IN
The education department at Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech) began in November of 2000 with the creation and implementation of the Child Development Program. Later, in 2002, the name of the program was changed to the Early Childhood Program, and Brenda Ragle, Ed.D., was hired to serve as the program chair. In 2006, Ivy Tech received approval to offer an Associate of Science in Elementary Education degree. This degree was a statewide agreement with Indiana State University, and subsequently, several additional universities in Indiana began accepting credits. As the education program continued to grow, the first full time education faculty, Julie Bilz, Ph.D., was hired in the fall of 2009. In 2010, the Associate of Science in Secondary Education degree was approved, and plans are in progress to establish concentrations and articulation agreements.
Students in the education program are expected to complete observation hours in addition to community service hours during their academic career at Ivy Tech. Education students must complete 50 hours of field experience to graduate with an Associate of Science degree in education. Additionally, students must complete 24 hours of community service before graduation.
Students have the opportunity to participate in clubs at Ivy Tech, including the newly formed Future Teachers’ Club. In the spring of 2010, the Future Teachers’ Club held its first event. Area high school students who desire to go into the teaching profession were invited to participate in a Scavenger Hunt. The hunt took them to various departments in Ivy Tech, and participants received prizes.
In May 2009, the first five students to graduate with an Associate of Science in education from the Columbus Campus received their diploma in Franklin during commencement. In May 2010, two students graduated with an Associate of Science in Education with several others graduating with an Associate of Science in the Early Childhood Program.
The Columbus/Franklin campus of Ivy Tech is one of 23 campuses of Indiana’s largest post-secondary institution and the nation’s largest singly-accredited statewide community college system. The statewide system enrolls more than 150,000 students annually and offers academic degree programs, training, and personal enrichment programs.
Ivy Tech-Columbus/Franklin enrolls over 5,000 students in its academic programs. Its schools of applied science & engineering, business, education, fine arts & design, health sciences, liberal arts & sciences, nursing, public & social services, and technology offer over 60 programs of study. Ivy Tech’s Workforce & Economic Development department serves over 3,000 students annually in its personal enrichment programs and its corporate training, provided through five institutes: Advanced Manufacturing, Corporate Training, Design & Engineering, Global Languages, Lean Six Sigma, and the Management & Supervisory Institute. |
