Ivy Tech campus overflowing

Student ambassadors handed out free bottles of water and schedules of welcome-week activities Monday as students arrived at Ivy Tech-Bloomington for the first day of classes.

They also directed newcomers to classrooms and gave out maps to the college’s satellite location at 1907 Liberty Drive, which opened this week.

“They printed these off this morning, because nobody knew how to get there,” said Kirah Bowden of Martinsville, who was distributing maps with fellow freshman Thayer Hood of Columbus.

Enrollment at the Bloomington campus of Ivy Tech Community College was pushing 5,000 on Monday and is likely to break the barrier by the end of the week, officials said.

In an opening-day tradition, Chancellor John Whikehart greeted students for two hours Monday morning, while bagpiper Ian Arthur provided musical inspiration.

Student ambassadors, recruited from returning students and participants in the Ivy Tech-Indiana University HoosierLink program, were stationed inside the front door.

College officials said the first-day greeting — along with plans for more student clubs and recreational sports this year — is an effort to provide a college experience for the students, an increasing number of whom come straight from high school.

A few years ago, more Ivy Tech students were older and had returned to school to gain workplace skills and credentials. Now, many start at the community college intending to transfer to IU or another four-year institution.

And there’s evidence Ivy Tech-Bloomington has become a destination for students from around the state. A scan of the parking lot Monday showed license plates from more than two dozen Indiana counties.

“It’s sure different from what it was five years ago,” said Bryan Newton, dean of enrollment services and student development, watching students arrive.

Several students arrived Monday at the main campus on Daniels Way, just off West Ind. 48, only to learn their class was at the Liberty Drive location, three miles away. Having run out of room at the campus, Ivy Tech is leasing 8,500 square feet for classrooms and offices adjacent to the Bloom Marketing Group facility on Liberty Drive. More than 90 class sections are meeting there, officials said.

John Stephens, Ivy Tech’s executive director of life science initiatives, was at the site Monday giving students maps showing where they can and can’t park, and encouraging them to make use of a Rural Transit shuttle bus to get to Liberty Drive.

At the main campus, the addition this summer of a 150-space parking lot seemed to have provided enough parking for the traditional first-day crunch.