Tuesday@TheTech event teaches more than logic

Jan. 21—Students who attended Ivy Tech's Tuesday@TheTech event in Logansport on Jan. 18 received a free lesson about logic.

Julie Byrd, a professor in the School of Information Technology at Ivy Tech Community College's Logansport Campus, asked the group how to cut a cake into eight slices with only three cuts.

She seemed pleasantly surprised when one young man quickly determined that he would make one vertical cut, one horizontal cut, and one last cut right through the side of the cake to separate the top and bottom.

Byrd said that type of thinking demonstrates the reasoning involved with computer informatics. She then outlined the process to create a simple computer program that calculates a baseball player's batting average by determining the amount of hits per number of at-bats.

Byrd's presentation familiarized her audience with Ivy Tech's information technology program. Derry Elbert, vice chancellor for enrollment services at Ivy Tech, said that was exactly the point.

"Our whole goal is to get students in here to see what we have to offer," Elbert said. "There is still a miscommunication about what we offer. We can help get you through this and make it affordable."

Tuesday's event was the fourth Tuesday@TheTech hosted at Ivy Tech's Logansport campus. The events take place once a month and gives high school students and community members interested in classes the opportunity to learn more about Ivy Tech's programs.

Each event begins with a check-in where potential Ivy Tech students receive an information packet. They are then told about pricing, programs and the benefits of studying at Ivy Tech. One of the school's professors gives a presentation about their subject, and the potential students take a tour of campus.

Elbert said Ivy Tech is a great place for students to begin their college career. He said that on average, about 165,000 students go through Ivy Tech programs each year.

Within Cass County alone, Elbert said 953 high school and career center students are currently taking Ivy Tech dual credit classes for both high school and college credit.

"Since we're a statewide local college, it's really easy to use Ivy Tech to transfer anywhere you want to go in the state," Elbert said. "You have your general education requirements taken care of so you can focus on your major. We have those agreements in place already."

Ivy Tech offers courses in areas like nursing, education, business, information technology and technical training. Elbert said he would like to see more local nursing students enroll at Ivy Tech, especially because the Logansport campus has a wonderful nursing facility. He said one of the upcoming Tuesday@TheTech events will likely highlight the school's nursing program.

There are also welding and building rooms on campus. Elbert said construction students get the experience of building an entire room and tearing it down again to test the skills they learned in class.

In addition to a wide variety of programs, Ivy Tech's Logansport campus provides students with academic advisors and representatives from student affairs to answer questions. The building, which was opened in 2010, has multiple computer labs and internet in the parking lot.

"Our goal is to help you through the process, not weed you out," Elbert said.

The college's biggest challenge, however, is appealing to high school students who are uninterested in college. Elbert said some young adults think they can make money more quickly by getting a full-time job directly after high school without going to college, but they do not realize how valuable a degree can be when it comes to their future earning potential.

"One of our biggest competitors isn't other colleges," Elbert said. "It's people not going to college at all."

Elbert said he is hopeful the Tuesday@TheTech events will show high school students that they have options. He said it is best when students start learning about Ivy Tech before they graduate so they have time to ask questions and determine if Ivy Tech is a good fit for them.

"We're getting a good reaction," Elbert said. "Everything's been really positive so far."