The Times , Northwest, Indiana

New Ivy Tech chief tours NWI campuses
Official said goals include increasing awareness of college's offerings

BY CARMEN McCOLLUM
cmccollum@nwitimes.com
219.662.5337

There is no typical Ivy Tech Community College student, but new President Thomas Snyder said he intends to attract people from all walks of life to make it the premier junior college in the Midwest.

Snyder takes over the helm of Ivy Tech on July 1, replacing Gerald Lamkin, who steps down June 30.

Snyder stopped in Northwest Indiana on Tuesday to visit campuses and talk to local residents about the college and its future. More than 6,000 students attend one of four Ivy Tech campuses in Northwest Indiana.
Snyder said he has three goals he intends to address as president: making people aware of the campus, reaching out to potential students and increasing the number of full-time faculty.

"One of the issues we face is how to make people more aware of the college and its offerings," he said.

Snyder called Ivy Tech the "gateway for minority students" in the state of Indiana.

"It's affordable," he said. "It's $3,000 a year to get an associate degree, and we are competitive with other community colleges."

Snyder said Ivy Tech awards the most nursing associate degrees in Indiana.

"The laboratory setting in Valparaiso is incredible," Snyder said. "It's very high tech and state of the art, and it has to be to compete."