Media Information
Ivy Tech Community College
Contact: Amanda J. Billings

Phone: (812) 330-6222

E-mail: abillings7@ivytech.edu

May 12, 2004
 

Bloomington, IN.- Ivy Tech State College Bloomington’s annual commencement ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 14 at the Indiana University Auditorium. The commencement speaker is Congressman Baron Hill, U.S. Representative for the 9^th district in Indiana.

Amid much pomp and circumstance, 290 students will be graduating this year with Associate of Science degrees, Associate of Applied Science degrees and Technical certificates.  Twenty-nine percent of the total students graduating are graduating with honors, with nine students earning summa cum laude honors for attaining a 4.0 GPA. A total of thirty-six Associate of Science in Nursing degrees are to be conferred and these students will also be pinned during the ceremony.

 Amongst those walking across the stage on Friday night are the 85 students who received honors for their studies.  These students were recently recognized for their outstanding performance at a banquet held at Ivy Tech’s award winning campus.  Those receiving special acknowledgement were: Shawn Woo (Accounting), Laurie Lee (Associate of Science in Nursing), Heather Pawluck and John Fansler (Business Administration), Helen Polk and Brad Harrison  (Computer Information Systems), Elizabeth Schulte (Criminal Justice), Nick Ely (Design Technology), Lori Williams (Early Childhood Education), Patrick Kitchens and Aaron Eaker (Electronics Technology), Morris D. Hillenburg and Leo McNeely II, (Manufacturing & Industrial Technology), Jennifer Bosaw an d Charlene Stacy (Office Administration), and Roxie Barnes (Practical Nursing).

Ivy Tech-Bloomington’s 2004 distinguished alumnus of the year will also be recognized at the commencement ceremony.  The College has named Michael Hahn as this year’s recipient of this honor award.  Hahn is a 1998 graduate of Ivy Tech’s Manufacturing & Industrial Technology Program where he graduated magna cum laude.  After leaving Ivy Tech, Hahn transferred to Ferris State University in Michigan and graduated at the top of his class. His student design team won ASHRAE Student Design Competition for successfully designing the most innovative heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems for the Calgary Animal Clinic in Alberta, Canada.  Hahn is currently the Project Manager for the Wisconsin Area Office of Johnson Controls, Inc., a major corporation in this industry.

Many Ivy Tech students have secured jobs prior to graduating.   Diana Jacobs, dean of student affairs at Ivy Tech reports that several candidates for the associate degree have already been spoken for: “It is nice to know that some of our soon to be graduates have already received competitive offers and are finding the career opportunities they have been wanting to secure.”  Nicholas Ely, a candidate for the associate degree in Design Technology, who will walk the stage this Friday, is one such student.  Following an internship with Cook, Inc. last summer, he recently accepted an offer with Sabin Corp as a design technician.  The internship with Cook, Inc was developed through Ivy Tech’s office of career services.  Comments Ely: “I graduated from high school in 1999 but didn’t want to go directly to college.  After working some time, I enrolled at Ivy Tech and have been studying mechanical design, a field I have always want to be in.”

Mother and daughter, Rosalee and Devonne Burchfield, are another success story. Rosalee was released from her job after suffering a serious physical injury.  Not able to find work, she took advantage of vocational rehabilitation benefits that were available to her and enrolled in the Electronics program at Ivy Tech in the fall of 2000.  She will graduate this Friday with an associate’s degree.  Her youngest daughter, Devonne, will walk the stage with her.  Devonne graduated from Bloomington High School North in 2001 and enrolled in the Accounting program the following year.  Says Devonne: “I was accepted into Indiana University but couldn’t afford the tuition.  I completed my two-year degree in accounting in December and stayed on to get a certificate in managerial skills.  I was employed by Tree of Life in April as an accounts payable clerk and secured this position by attending Career Expo, Ivy Tech’s job fair for its students and graduates.”  Both mother and daughter are graduating with honors and were recognized recently for their academic achievements.  Says Devonne:  “If I can dispense any advise to anyone, it would be to stay positive, and that you’re never to old to get an education. I use every opportunity I can to convince my friends to go to school!”

The 2004 Commencement Ceremony is a significant event, not only for the students involved, but also for all the members of the faculty, staff and administration at the Bloomington campus who look forward to recognizing their students’ achievements time and time again in the years to come.  Members of the pubic are welcome to attend the Commencement ceremony.

Outstanding Student Recipients

Summa Cum Laude*

 Nicholas J. Ely

John W. Fansler III

Tamara J. Geabes

Mona L. Gould

M. Brad Harrison

Susan N. Johnson-Roehr

Christian E. Moore
Chris E. Pheifer
Jeffrey D. Powell

*Graduates who will have completed graduation requirements between Fall  Semester 2003 and Summer Term 2004.  Grade Point Average of 4.0 is as of Fall Semester 2003.

Magna Cum Laude**

Sherry L. Barnett

Wendy G. Barton-Sare

Jill Diane Bird

Jennifer J. Bosaw

Devonne M. Burchfield

Pamela J. Campbell

Girvous R. Cross III

Mark D. Crum

Aaron L. Eakers

Jonathan J. Forrester

JoAnne L. Hawkins

Sherry S. Hayes

Patrick A. Kitchen

Damian A. Kondas

Laurie J. Lee

Seth D. Marks

Lori Martinez

Leo McNeely II

Jennifer K. Moody

Nichole M. Myers

Danielle Marie Neese

Julie B. Overman

Heather B. Pawluk

Samuel D. Pemberton

Jeremiah L. Plummer

Helen E. Polk

Allison R. Rainey

John J. Shuck

Rachel Skeens

James S. Sokol

David L. Spurgeon

Anita K. Thompson

Mandy J. Van Leenwen

Andrea R. Williams

Karen S. Wisley

Shawn M. Woo

**        Graduates who will have completed graduation requirements between Fall Semester 2003         and Summer Term 2004. Grade Point Average of 3.75 to 3.99 is as of Fall Semester 2003.

Cum Laude ***

Brian D. Allman

Kimberly L. Anthony

Kimberlie P. Bailey

Mary B. Balle

Heather L. Brooking

Rosalee L. Burchfield

Melissa A. Campbell

Guy B. Crichfield

Julie A. Dillman

John W. Figg II

Jeremy F. Foreman

James A. Frye

Melissa G. Gillis

Tabitha N. Gipson

Dane Henderson

Morris D. Hillenburg

David N. Hunt

Kelly L. Jewett

Venita A. Melton
Harmony J. Nelson

Edward J. Orman

Sung-Jong Park

Marcy L. Pedersen

Stacy D. Pendley

Kathy M. Pottorff

Larry W. Reagan

Lora M. Ruddick

Elizabeth M. Schulte

Meisha J. Smith
Charlene M. Stacy

Logan G. Staley

Christine J. Stout

Avery Thatcher III

Carrie A. Tolliver

Jennifer L. Waters

Daniel N. Williams

Lori A. Williams

Sheryl K. Yake

Brooke A. Yost

***      Graduates who will have completed graduation requirements between Fall Semester 2003 and Summer Term 2004. Grade Point Average of 3.50 to 3.74 is as of Fall Semester 2003.