Ivy Tech scholarships in search of good students

Biotech scholarships just waiting for applicants - but deadline is Tuesday

by Steve Hinnefeld
331-4374 | shinnefeld@heraldt.com
August 12, 2006

Ivy Tech-Bloomington has an unusual problem: more scholarship money than it can give away.

Jim Smith, dean of academic affairs for the community college, said it has about $80,000 for federally funded biotechnology scholarships. The deadline for applying is Tuesday.

"We would like to have it awarded by this fall in order not to have to return these dollars," he said.

The money is from a budget earmark to help Ivy Tech establish a two-year degree program in biotechnology. Then-U.S. Rep. Baron Hill secured the funding two years ago, providing $542,000 for Ivy Tech and $400,000 for Indiana University life-science programs.

Smith said the Ivy Tech funding included $100,000 for biotechnology scholarships, and so far, only a small part of that has been awarded. To qualify, students must be admitted to Ivy Tech for the fall. They are asked to submit a 150- to 200-word essay on why they are interested in a career in biotechnology.

For information, call 812-330-6350, e-mail elyon1@ivytech.edu or go to the college's Web site, www.ivytech.edu/blooming ton, and select the "2006 Scholarships" link.

Smith said the scholarships must be awarded in the next 60 days or so, but the funding can be spread over the 2006-07 academic year. It can pay for tuition, fees and books.

Ivy Tech began developing an associate-degree program in biotechnology in 2003. The following year, it reached an agreement with Indiana University that lets students move directly from Ivy Tech to a four-year biotechnology program at IU. Area businesses, such as Cook Pharmica, Baxter Pharmaceuticals and BioConvergence, worked with Ivy Tech to develop the program.

Smith said about 65 students have enrolled at Ivy Tech in biotechnology, but others have been deterred by math and science course requirements.

"What we need to do is bump that number up," Smith said. "We have many more jobs than we are currently fulfilling in graduates."

Biotech training institute advances

The Ivy Tech Community College State Board of Trustees has approved a lease for a biotechnology training institute at Ivy Tech-Bloomington.

Plans call for building a $5 million facility to meet training needs of area businesses, including Cook Inc., Cook Pharmica, BioConvergence, Baxter Pharmaceuticals and Boston Scientific.

The Monroe County Redevelopment Commission will build the center, using bonds that will be repaid with property-tax revenue from the westside tax increment finance district. The Ivy Tech board on Thursday approved leasing the land to the commission for $1 a year.

Details of how the center will be financed and operated are still being worked out, said Steve Bryant, director of the Bloomington Life Sciences Partnership. Officials hope it opens in mid- to late 2007.