Open Doors released its data today, the first day of International Education Week, which is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. 

The Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange is the only long-standing, comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars in the United States and American students studying abroad for academic credit. It is an essential resource for those concerned with U.S. international educational exchange. 

“Since our founding in 1930, Indiana Tech continues to be a place of opportunity for anyone who is seeking high-quality, life-changing education,” said Sharmila Chowdhury, executive director of Indiana Tech International Admissions and Services. “We are proud to be recognized as a university where all are welcome to aspire and achieve.”

Currently, 22 percent of Indiana Tech’s student population is comprised of international students, representing 52 countries. 

The IIE has conducted an annual statistical survey of international educational exchange activity into and out of the United States since 1948. It began publishing the results of the survey annually as the Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange in 1955. The Open Doors project is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by IIE.

Established in 1919, IIE is a global not-for-profit that creates and implements international education programs, conducts research and provides life-changing opportunities for students and scholars worldwide. Its vision is a peaceful, equitable world enriched by the international exchange of ideas and greater understanding between people and cultures.

The following agencies will be available at this event:

• Federal, state and local law enforcement
• Correctional agencies
• Department of Natural Resources
• Regional law schools
• United States Armed Forces

The annual Superior Merit Award program recognizes chapters for providing superior growth and development opportunities to its student chapter members. It began in 1972 to encourage student chapters to require ongoing excellence in the following areas:

• Student chapter requirements
• Chapter operations
• Chapter programming and professional development of members
• Support of the human resource profession
• SHRM engagement

“This award is a tremendous accomplishment for Indiana Tech, the College of Business and our human resource program,” said Dr. Angie Fincannon, dean of the university’s College of Business. “The ongoing hard work of integrating SHRM principles in our HR programming is a point of distinction and it reinforces our College of Business’ vision of preparing and producing the top business graduates in northeast Indiana and beyond.”

Indiana Tech’s student SHRM chapter, which is the largest student organization on campus, has earned a Superior Merit Award every year since 1998. The university’s HR degree program has an outstanding reputation for cultivating exceptional human resource professionals and launching successful careers. It has helped more than 500 Indiana Tech students pass the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) exam—a competency-based certification exam that measures one’s ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations.

Construction began in May 2021, and unfolded in three phases prior to completion during the summer of 2024. The first phase of the project included the construction of a 30,000 square foot addition to the east side of the existing facility. The addition was completed in August 2022. The next phases of the project began in May 2022 and included a complete renovation of the existing Zollner Center space, resulting in an all-new, 70,000 square foot, three-floor facility that is now a centerpiece of Indiana Tech’s main campus.

The new Zollner Engineering Center provides a home for Indiana Tech’s Talwar College of Engineering and Computer Sciences and its current, growing programs in engineering, computer sciences and life sciences. It also provides new space for the introduction and growth of new programs that are part of the university’s strategic plan, including an array of engineering technology programs, and those in areas such as computer science, robotics, and life science.

“Indiana Tech has a long and proud history of providing excellent education in science, technology, engineering and math-related fields,” commented Indiana Tech President Karl Einolf. “We continue to see growth in these areas, and an ever-increasing demand for our talented and capable graduates among regional and national employers. The $21.5 million investment our university has made in the new Zollner Center is just a portion of the more than $50 million we are spending to expand access to STEM education, training, research and development services throughout our region. Combined with our work to establish Junction 36, the new hardtech and advanced manufacturing center we’ll be creating at Electric Works, it will enable us to expand our collaborations with corporate partners, attract new businesses to our area, and help grow our regional economy.”

Key elements of the new facility include:

• 28 specialized laboratory and collaboration spaces across three levels, including:
  • Ground level:
    • Manufacturing/Automation Lab
    • Materials/Solid Mechanics Lab
    • Biomedical Engineering Lab
    • Exercise Science Lab
    • Thermal Sciences Lab
    • Robotics Design Lab
    • Engineering Innovation Design Center
    • Engineering Design Workshop
  • First floor:
    • Digital Forensics Lab
    • Computer Science Lab
    • Computer Science Projects Lab
    • Software Engineering Lab
    • Power Controls Lab
    • Life Sciences Lab
    • Network Operations Center
    • Cybersecurity Operations Center
    • Data Center supporting computer science programs
    • 3-D Design Lab
    • Physics Lab
  • Second Floor
    • Projects Lab
    • Circuits Lab – Electrical and Computer Engineering
    • Analytical/Organic Chemistry Lab
    • PLC Lab – Electrical Engineering
    • Chemistry Lab
    • CAD and Engineering Lab
    • Information Systems Lab
    • Cell and Molecular Biology Lab
    • Forensics and Microbiology Lab
• Central computer lab with 24/7/365 access for students and faculty
• 37 faculty offices
• Project learning and collaborative study spaces
• Future growth space for new programs in health science fields, computer sciences, information technology

As part of the project, Indiana Tech also renovated and expanded the central quad area on its campus,  adding an extensive amount of green space to central campus. Walkways on the existing quad were reconfigured, and seating areas were incorporated throughout. The quad renovation further enhances the beauty of campus and encourages wider use of the green space there.

The Zollner Engineering Center was first built in 1958, with the current facility’s west wing opening as the Charles A. Dana Science Building in June of that year. The building was renovated and expanded to a total of 40,000 square feet in 2002 and was re-christened as the Zollner Engineering Center at that time.

Key project planning and construction partners included CMA Plus Construction Management, Elevatus Architecture, Michael Kinder and Sons, Engineering Resources, Inc., Primary Engineering, Perkins + Will, Almet Inc., O’Neal Excavating, Innovative Control Systems, Votaw Electric, Shambaugh, A. Hattersley & Sons, and C.L. Schust.

For local high school students, especially those in Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS), Indiana Tech has a program in place to make higher education more attainable than ever.

Through a partnership formed earlier in 2024, Indiana Tech and Fort Wayne Community Schools launched Promise IT, a program that gives FWCS students guaranteed admission to Indiana Tech and full coverage of tuition and fees at the university for those who meet financial need qualifications. The program began with the 2024-25 academic year.

Promise IT grants all FWCS students who graduate high school with a 2.0 GPA or above guaranteed admission to Indiana Tech. To take part in the program, FWCS students simply apply to Indiana Tech, provide their high school transcript and fill out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

Just as significant, FWCS students who are eligible for full federal Pell Grant and Indiana state college aid are guaranteed to have their full tuition and college fees covered under the Promise IT program. For these students, their tuition costs and fees are covered in full through a combination of federal aid, state aid and scholarship funds provided by Indiana Tech. Students who are not Pell eligible will still be guaranteed admission to Indiana Tech and will have access to other scholarship opportunities at the university to help make their college costs highly affordable.

“All of us at Indiana Tech are extremely proud to partner with Fort Wayne Community Schools on the Promise IT program,” Indiana Tech President Dr. Karl Einolf said back in February when the program was announced. “Making education more affordable, accessible, relevant and impactful is central to the mission of each of our organizations. By working together, we will help more students obtain college degrees that will position them, and our region, for greater success in the years ahead. This program is a significant win for students and families, and for our city’s employers and economy.”

To learn more about Indiana Tech and the Promise IT program and to apply today, please contact Indiana Tech Assistant Director of Admissions Erica Lay at 260.422.5561, ext. 2380, or eclay@indianatech.edu.

The Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation was established in 2008 by community supporter and owner of Leepoxy Plastics, Larry Lee. It is given annually to a full-time faculty member who:

• Challenges students to continuously progress to higher levels of thinking
• Engages students in active learning activities
• Connects to students in innovative ways to positively impact their experiences at Indiana Tech

“Indiana Tech is grateful to Crysta for her innovative, student-first teaching practices, and we are honored to present her with this year’s Leepoxy Award,” said Dr. Kathleen Hanold Watland, Indiana Tech vice president for academic affairs. “Students appreciate her enthusiasm, passion, engagement and willingness to adjust her teaching approach to the individual learning needs of her students.”

In photo: Leepoxy Award winner Crysta Burke, center, is flanked by Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Kathleen Hanold Watland, left, and President Dr. Karl W. Einolf.

The announcement came in June after the NSF approved Indiana Tech proposal entitled Developing Industry and Innovation Scholars in the Midwest. The proposal was written by a team of five Indiana Tech educators to address the needs of full-time, domestic, low-income students who demonstrate academic ability or potential and have interest in computing-related fields.

The grant will provide qualified students with scholarships, a free laptop, experiential learning opportunities, career preparation and additional multi-tier support. To be considered, students must pursue a bachelor’s degree at Indiana Tech in cybersecurity, information systems, computer science, software engineering or computer engineering.

‘Indiana Tech is extremely grateful to have received this grant from the National Science Foundation,” said Dr. Stephanos Mavromoustakos, Indiana Tech professor and Chair of Cybersecurity and Computer Science, and leader of the grant proposal team. “Far too often, financial circumstances prevent people from pursuing education that will open doors for them. With this grant, Indiana Tech will be able to provide some students with academic opportunities that will be life changing.”    

Students interested in learning more about this opportunity should visit academics.indianatech.edu/nsf-scholarship or contact Dr. Mavromoustakos at 260.422.5561, ext. 3474, or smavromoustakos@indianatech.edu.

The NSF is an independent agency of the United States federal government that supports fundamental research and education in non-medical fields of science and engineering.

Monday, Sept. 16 | 2:30-4 p.m.
In McMillen Library, Snyder Academic Center
Topic: Forensic Firearm Identification

Stacey Hartman, the forensic firearm identification supervisor from the Indiana State Police Regional Laboratory in Fort Wayne, gives a brief overview of the Indiana State Police Laboratory and the responsibilities of the forensic firearm identification unit. Included will be basic terminology and foundational concepts related to forensic analysis.

Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 3-4:30 p.m.
In McMillen Library, Snyder Academic Center
Topic: Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

Ashley Luther, forensic biology supervisor at the Indiana State Police Laboratory in Indianapolis, discusses what patterns in bloodstaining tell us about a crime scene and how math, biology and physics are used to interpret blood evidence.

Wednesday, Sept. 18 | 3-4:30 p.m.
In McMillen Library, Snyder Academic Center
Topic: Controlled Substances

Brittany Borzych, forensic scientist from the Indiana State Police Regional Laboratory in Fort Wayne, discusses the analysis of controlled substances at the Indiana State Police Laboratory.

Thursday, Sept. 19 | 5-6:30 p.m.
In McMillen Library, Snyder Academic Center
Topic: DNA Analysis

Melanie Wendhausen and Adam Moore, forensic scientists from the Indiana State Police Regional Laboratory in Fort Wayne, discuss how the Indiana State Police Laboratory conducts forensic DNA analysis, from examination to interpretation.

Friday, Sept. 20 | 2:30-4 p.m.
In McMillen Library, Snyder Academic Center
Topic: Fingerprint Analysis

Michele Stoffel, Forensic Scientist in the Latent Print Unit from the Indiana State Police Laboratory in Fort Wayne, discusses forensic comparative science with a focus on latent prints that includes the fundamentals of friction ridge skin, processing items of evidence, and a look at the day in the life of a latent print analyst.

Additional Speaker Series at Tech

The College of Arts and Sciences is launching its Science Seminar this academic year to provide students with professional development opportunities. Science Seminar events are held once a month on Wednesdays, from 12-1 p.m. They are free and open to the public. A light lunch will be served at each event.

The College of Business will launch its seminar series later this fall.

“All of us at Indiana Tech are grateful for the support of Lilly Endowment for this innovative initiative,” said Indiana Tech President Karl Einolf. “Our goals when developing our project proposal were to help our city and the entire region thrive by developing and retaining talent, supporting innovation at area companies, and advancing the work of area entrepreneurs. By doing so, we’ll grow the economy from within, and improve our community’s quality of life and place by connecting student energy, talent, and skills to economic and civic projects. We believe this project will be transformational for our region.”

Indiana Tech’s initiative is comprised of three main components:

• Transformation of Building 36 on the Electric Works campus into a center for HardTech and advanced manufacturing innovation that helps grow local companies by connecting them to university-led research, development, and training. It will provide training related to Industry 4.0, business assistance for small-to-large organizations, spaces for business innovation teams and startups, and a variety of event spaces to host community and innovation gatherings as part of the curation of the innovation ecosystem at Electric Works and throughout Northeast Indiana. Under the leadership of Indiana Tech and its Northeast Indiana Center for Engineering (NICE), Building 36 will facilitate and include:
  • Research and development
  • Testing and prototyping
  • Small batch production
  • Workforce training
  • Creator space/maker space
  • Automation innovation and development
  • Enterprise support services

• Next/Gen, a program that will provide unique learning experiences that connect talent to the community in ways that create strong bonds and lead to enhanced talent attraction and retention. The program includes significantly expanded student service learning for Indiana Tech and other regional students, a new Fellows program focused on keeping top talent in the region, and assigning Indiana Tech students as project partners and mentors for Amp Lab high school students.
  
  The Next/Gen Fellowship will recruit outstanding student leaders from the region and across the country to address larger problem-solving around the region’s most complex issues. Challenges will be submitted to the Next/Gen Fellows by area companies, nonprofits, civic organizations and communities for the development of solutions over a 1-2 year time period of collaborative work by the Fellows team.
  
• Public Workshop, a program to help diverse learners and entrepreneurs access support and overcome systemic barriers to advancing their education. Public Workshop will work to bring the benefits of the Indiana Tech initiative to wider regional audiences, helping more area residents and entrepreneurs reach their full potential by connecting them to a diverse set of resources. Working with partners around the region, Public Workshop will connect learners and entrepreneurs with wrap-around services such as early childhood education, affordable housing, training pathway guidance, and resources for personal health.

In developing its grant proposal, Indiana Tech worked with a range of community and organizational partners, including the City of Fort Wayne, Ancora, Inc., the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center, NEI, Fort Wayne Community Schools and the Amp Lab at Electric Works, Greater Fort Wayne, Inc., neighborhood leaders from the neighborhoods around Electric Works and the Indiana Tech main campus, area foundations and corporate partners from around the region.

Indiana Tech is one of 13 Indiana higher education institutions receiving grants through the latest round of implementation grants through CCC, a competitive Lilly Endowment initiative.

“While varied in scope and reach, the proposed initiatives and projects reflect a commitment by all stakeholders, inclusive of faculty, staff and students from these institutions, business leaders, government officials, and community leaders, to creating vibrant communities for all residents to enjoy and in which to thrive,” said Jennett M. Hill, president of Lilly Endowment. “The Endowment looks forward to seeing all the projects in the CCC initiative evolve. We are enthusiastic about the prospects for both the institutions and communities and are eager to see these institutions and their community stakeholders collaborate to breathe life into their promising projects.”

Lilly Endowment launched the CCC initiative in early 2023. The initiative is designed to encourage Indiana’s colleges and universities to work closely with community stakeholders to envision and jointly undertake significant community development efforts to create more vibrant places in which to live, learn, work and play.

About Lilly Endowment Inc. Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

Effective Aug. 5, 2024, City Colleges students who have successfully completed an associate degree can seamlessly transfer into a bachelor’s program at Indiana Tech as a junior, saving them valuable time and money. They can stay close to home by transferring into one of Indiana Tech’s online bachelor’s degree programs, or students can enjoy the traditional college experience by taking in-person classes on Indiana Tech’s beautiful 50-acre campus in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana.

“City Colleges of Chicago does a tremendous job of making education accessible and affordable for the people of Chicago. We are pleased to partner with them to offer their students an opportunity to continue learning and developing professionally,” said Dr. Steve Herendeen, Indiana Tech vice president for enrollment management.  

“Indiana Tech faculty and staff put student needs first, and with this transfer agreement, together, we are ensuring pathways to student success,” said Dr. Mark Potter, provost and chief academic officer, City Colleges of Chicago.

To qualify for guaranteed admission, City Colleges of Chicago students must complete the *GECC, and  transfer with an Associate in Arts or an Associate in Applied Science. When meeting the criteria, students will be guaranteed admission to Indiana Tech and receive a junior standing. More information, including benefits for City Colleges employees is as follows:

• Sixty (60) credits hours go towards Junior standing, up to 90 credit hours are accepted
• Waived application fee
• Students with a 2.5 GPA will receive a 20 percent tuition reduction
• City Colleges employees, their spouses, and their dependent children will receive a 20 percent tuition reduction for undergraduate and graduate programs
• City Colleges employees will receive a 20 percent tuition reduction in tuition for the Ph.D. program

To learn more about this partnership, including scholarship opportunities available for students connect with the following contacts:

• Amanda Williams, District Director of Student Transfer Success, City Colleges of Chicago 

312.553.2743 | awilliams720@ccc.edu.

• Lisa Lindeman, Admissions Representative, Indiana Tech

219.836.1910, ext. 4815 | email: lhlindeman@indianatech.edu.

City Colleges of Chicago’s vision is to be recognized as the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity—empowering all Chicagoans to take part in building a stronger and more just city. Learn more about City Colleges of Chicago at www.ccc.edu or call 773-COLLEGE.

* The General Education Core Curriculum (IAI-GECC) credential may be awarded to a student upon completion of a minimum 37 credit hours of IAI approved courses across five academic disciplines which satisfy the General Education Core Curriculum of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI).