>newground
Rendering of the future Elkhart Center
How do you know what a community values? One answer can be found in the institutions that community members bring close to home.
Consider the city of Elkhart, where outreach programs of Indiana University South Bend are located. Community leaders Art Decio and Bob Deputy, along with others, raised funds from area businesses to build a new Elkhart Center, where IU South Bend courses could be offered in the heart of the city. And through an inventive pledge program, they expedited construction, so the Center can be ready for fall semester classes.
“Indiana University has been committed to Elkhart for over 40 years,” Deputy says. “I remember classes being taught downtown at Elkhart Central High School when it was the location for IUSB. Finally, IU will have a permanent home in downtown Elkhart.”
The Center will be an addition to the Riverfront Project, Elkhart’s ongoing revitalization program. IU South Bend serves 1,000 Elkhart County students, and when they graduate, approximately 70 percent of them choose to remain in the area. That contributes to the strength and skill of the local workforce. “We need a university presence in Elkhart to help educate and train residents now and for generations to come,” adds Decio.
Currently located south of town, the Center offers an array of courses, including associate degrees in liberal arts, general studies, and business. Students can also receive a bachelor’s degree in general studies, even master’s degrees in business and education.
Bringing such opportunities to downtown Elkhart will make a higher education more convenient for local students. Moreover, courses are offered at flexible hours, allowing residents to fit classes into their existing work and lifestyles.
But convenience alone isn’t the only reason Elkhart residents worked to bring IU South Bend downtown. Supporters also recognize the quality of an IU education. According to Ilene Sheffer, vice chancellor for public affairs at IU South Bend, “Over and over again, the support for higher education classes in Elkhart was emphasized in our meetings with members of the community. So as the need grows for credit and noncredit classes, we know that a new downtown presence will attract more students who desire a college degree and extended learning options.”
More residents with IU degrees: that’s a true community value.