by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

(NOTE: This is a commentary written by Fred Swift of the Hamilton County Reporter. The views expressed are those of Fred Swift and do not necessarily reflect the views of LarryInFishers.com.  This opinion piece is posted here as part of a partnership between the Reporter and LarryInFishers.com)

It hardly seems possible that Noblesville’s Ivy Tech is in its sixth year of operation. The vocational college opened in August of 2014 in facilities at 300 N. 17th St., which originally housed Noblesville High School.

Officially known as Ivy Tech College – Hamilton County, it is one of 30 Ivy Tech campuses in Indiana, and it’s here because of the foresight of Noblesville and Hamilton County leaders and no doubt some help from local state legislators.

City and county government invested about $18 million to buy and re-fit the building for its current use as an institution of higher learning. Daniel Lee Clark, vice chancellor in the state Ivy Tech system, heads operations locally.

The college’s two-year program offers associate degrees in courses designed to prepare students for entry into the county’s economic and growth sectors. That includes such subjects as building construction and automotive technology as well as general studies. Credits can be transferred to state universities.

A big advantage is the substantially lower cost of tuition than found at a major university campus.

Enrollment at Ivy Tech in Noblesville reached 2,722 by the end of 2018. Most students are from Hamilton County, but nearby residents are accepted. Clark says that figure is not capacity, and larger numbers can be accommodated. Registration for the spring semester is now open. Classes begin Jan. 14.

Ivy Tech facilities are not limited to the college. The Parks Department makes use of space there, along with food bank distribution, even some high school classes.

All in all, securing Ivy Tech in Noblesville has to be considered one of the major community accomplishments of the decade.