valparaiso campus visit

Valparaiso University

Want to see more like this?

Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox.

• Copy article link

Ivy Tech Valparaiso unveils new mobile learning unit

Adrian martinez-de la cruz.

• Apr 18, 2024

Ivy Tech Valparaiso Chancellor Aco Sikoski cutting the ribbon for the community college's new Learning Lab+ mobile unit.

VALPARAISO — Ivy Tech Community College on Wednesday unveiled its new mobile learning unit meant to bring educational and technical training opportunities directly to students and the workforce.

The Learning Lab+ is a mobile classroom designed to deliver remote instruction for students and trade workers.

The mobile unit, which can occupy as many as 15 students, is meant to simulate an actual lab space found on campus. 

The space is outfitted with virtual reality capabilities and interchangeable equipment for hands-on training in several industries, including automotive, manufacturing, construction and health care. 

Patti Shields, the executive director of Ivy+ Career Link, said the mobile unit is meant to meet the needs of all potential students, whether it's career exploration at K-12 schools or incumbent worker training for nearby employers.

People are also reading…

• Hy-Vee to buy Strack & Van Til
• $50,000 at risk if winning Powerball ticket sold in Northwest Indiana expires
• Fire tears through Porter County home Monday night
• NWI Business Ins and Outs: Veleros Mexican Restaurant, Moon Mug, Chipotle, Lucy's BBQ, Drift on Pine, Drybar, Underground Case Breaks and Alsallam Market Middle Eastern Market and Grill opening
• County officer dies after coming across power lines downed in crash, department says
• Prison guard locked up after falsely claiming threat with own gun, police say
• Porter County judge rejects plea in fatal domestic violence death case as 'too lenient'
• Woman nabbed at jail with drugs hidden inside her body, police say
• St. John man threatens other driver with gun, hits vehicle in road rage incident after getting flipped off
• Porter County man watches 25K, woman disappear in online dating scam, police say
• U.S. 41 lane closures scheduled for S'ville
• BMV not required to issue 'X' gender driver's licenses, Indiana appeals court rules
• Cops: Menards thief steals over $4,000 worth of merchandise
• Porter County family escapes injury, but loses all in Monday night house fire
• Quick change scam pulled at Porter County store, cops say

Inside Ivy Tech Valparaiso's new Learning Lab+ mobile unit.

"We made it as versatile as possible to be able to meet all the different needs and connect people to Ivy Tech," said Patti Shields, the executive director of Ivy+ Career Link — the community college's career development department.

Prior to the unit's ribbon cutting ceremony, Ivy Tech Valparaiso Chancellor Aco Sikoski touted the mobile classroom as a new venture for the college campus.

"Our new Learning Lab+ will help us meet the needs of our future workforce anywhere," Sikoski said.

Sue Ellspermann, the president of Ivy Tech, said the mobile classroom was a way to expose K-12 students to in-demand career opportunities.

Ivy Tech staff demonstrating the virtual reality software that can simulate hands-on training for several different industries.

"By bringing education and training directly to students, we're breaking down yet more barriers," Ellspermann said. 

Funding for the Learning Lab+ came from the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, or READI, state grant program. Ivy Tech's application for READI grant funding was approved by The Northwest Indiana Forum, which oversees the READI program in seven counties — including Lake, Porter and LaPorte.

Heather Ennis, president and CEO of the Northwest Indiana Forum, said they were fortunate to be a partner in the project and believed the learning lab would help enrich residents' lives.

"This mobile unit truly helps us meet people where they are and get to that next level of opportunity," Ennis said.

PHOTOS: First lady Jill Biden visits Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso

First lady Jill Biden, left, looks on as Ivy Tech Community College President Sue Ellspermann talks Monday about the virtues of an education at Ivy Tech and other community colleges.

First lady Jill Biden, left, listens as Ivy Tech student Berdey Ahmat explains the alternate energy learning system Monday at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso.

First lady Jill Biden, left, looks on as she is introduced by student Lane Seibet Monday at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso. The first lady was at the campus to highlight the Biden administration's commitment to career-connected learning.

First lady Jill Biden, left, listens as Ivy Tech adjunct professor Mike Jones and student Lane Seibert talk Monday about the education students can receive at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso. \

U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, looks on as first lady Jill Biden, left, chats with Ivy Tech student Oliver Wood on Monday as she takes a tour of a facility at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso. 

First lady Jill Biden speaks Monday at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso.

First lady Jill Biden speaks Monday at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso. The first lady was at the campus to highlight the Biden administration's commitment to career-connected learning.

U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, looks on as first lady Jill Biden, left, chats with Ivy Tech student Oliver Wood on Monday as she takes a tour of a facility at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso.

First lady Jill Biden, left, looks on as U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, thanks her and the Biden administration for help in the education realm Monday at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso. 

Education Reporter

• Author email

Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Followed notifications

Please log in to use this feature, related to this story, 219 news now 4/18/2024.

Video provided in partnership with The Times, JEDtv and WJOB. Sponsored by Strack & Van Til.

Watch Now: Related Video

219 news now 4/19/24, trauma shadows columbine survivors after 25 years, caitlin clark had a 'pete maravich effect' on women's basketball: uconn coach geno auriemma.

• Adrian Martinez-De La Cruz, The Times

• Notifications

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

News Alerts

Breaking news, entertainment & dining, latest news, local sports, nwi prep sport news, weather alerts.

Advertisement

Wisconsin locks in official visit with 2025 tight end nizyi davis, share this article.

Wisconsin football locked in an official visit with class of 2025 tight end Nizyi Davis on Wednesday.

Davis will be on campus May 31-June 2 during a busy official visit weekend.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 spring transfer portal window tracker

The three-star tight end is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 776 player in the class of 2025, No. 39 tight end and No. 10 recruit from his home state of Indiana.

Wisconsin and in-state Purdue are the two schools to have scheduled visits with the Indianapolis, Indiana native. Other notable schools on his offer sheet include Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State and West Virginia.

Edge prospect locks in an official visit with the #Badgers https://t.co/HKIS46MMUu https://t.co/UuTJ8KSXEr — Jon McNamara (@McNamaraRivals) April 18, 2024

Luke Fickell’s class of 2025 currently has eight players committed — two of which cross the blue-chip threshold. The group currently ranks No. 19 in the nation at this early stage in the cycle.

Contact/Follow  @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on  Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.  Follow Ben Kenney on X .

Every Big Ten football team's most important game in 2024

Wisconsin football spring transfer portal window wish list, ranking the top 25 big ten football games of the 2024 season, where wisconsin basketball lands in every way-too-early 2024-25 preseason poll, an early look at the wisconsin basketball roster entering 2024-25, most popular, wisconsin social media reacts to chucky hepburn's surprising departure, new 'super league' college football realignment proposal would create...regional conferences, an updated list of wisconsin basketball's offseason departures after chucky hepburn's transfer, wisconsin badgers rise in national class of 2025 recruiting rankings after latest commitment, wisconsin basketball's potential replacements for transfer guard chucky hepburn, tracking wisconsin basketball's reported transfer portal visits and targets, ranking all 18 big ten men's basketball coaches by win total.

Please enter an email address.

Thanks for signing up.

Please check your email for a confirmation.

Something went wrong.

The Best Underground Spots on Campus

At a whopping 1,232 acres, UC Berkeley’s campus is quite vast. While there are plenty of iconic landmarks and popularly frequented spots, like Sproul Plaza, the Campanile, and Memorial Glade, there are also less trafficked areas that offer a respite from the hustle-bustle of campus. Here are a few of my favorite that I’ve discovered so far:

1. Ishi Court

Hidden in the bowels of Dwinelle Hall, Ishi Court is a beautiful courtyard surrounded by orangey-pink walls and plenty of trees. It’s the perfect location to take a break in between classes and enjoy the fresh air on one of the benches! However, it can be quite confusing to find. I’d recommend entering Dwinelle through the North entrance and going straight into Ishi Court. If you go through the main Dwinelle entrance, you might find yourself circling the hallways and traveling up and down staircases to find the entrance! Fun fact about Dwinelle Hall: The building is so huge that a student built a Dwinelle Navigator website that will give you step-by-step directions to each classroom based on which entrance you enter! It even has an estimated walking time.

2. Women’s Faculty Club Garden

I often hear about the main Faculty Club, but the Women’s Faculty Club is a lesser known gem on campus. Located behind the Haas School of Business, the Women's Faculty Club garden offers a serene atmosphere amidst the surrounding buildings (and construction sometimes). Abounding with flowers, buzzing bees, and lush greenery, the garden is the ideal place to sit and read. Though the Women’s Faculty Club is only open to faculty and PhD students on campus, anyone can enjoy the garden!

3. Social Research Library

UC Berkeley’s 27 on-campus libraries offer a variety of vibes, but the Social Research Library might just be my favorite. It’s located in Haviland Hall next to the East Asian Library. The pastel blue-green walls and engraved ceilings add to a cozy atmosphere for catching up on lectures or finishing assignments. And while finding a place to study can be challenging in some of the more popular libraries like Moffitt and Doe, the Social Research Library always has some open seats waiting for you!

4. Eshleman Hall Roof

If you take the elevator up to the top floor of Eshleman Hall, turn left, and walk out the door, you’ll find a somewhat hidden rooftop deck. With views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge as well as a few tables, I love bringing my lunch up there and sitting under the sun. It’s a peaceful escape from the bustle of Sproul Plaza and Telegraph Avenue below.

5. Grass behind Clark Kerr Building 8

The green space of my freshman year dorm, Clark Kerr Campus, was one of my favorite aspects of living there (besides accumulating many steps while walking to and from campus). I think a common misconception about UC Berkeley is that it is very urban, but some parts are actually very park-like. One of my heavily frequented places was the grassy area behind Building 8, where there are palm trees, picnic tables, and more. It’s often used by students for playing frisbee and volleyball, tanning, and my favorite activity of all, hammocking!

Advertisement

Four-star ot broderick shull locks in auburn official visit, share this article.

Hugh Freeze and the Auburn football coaching staff have found success this recruiting cycle by landing four offensive linemen to its 2025 haul. They are in a great position to land its fifth and could close the deal next month.

Broderick Shull , a four-star offensive tackle from Bixby, Oklahoma, has locked in three official visits this Summer, with Auburn getting the first one during the weekend of May 31. Texas Tech and Texas A&M are next in line, with Kansas State, Nebraska , and Illinois in the mix to grab his fourth visit.

Auburn getting Shull’s first official visit is important, as the Tigers are considered the front-runner. Earlier this month, Steve Wiltfong of On3 logged a prediction in favor of Auburn with 60% confidence. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Auburn an 89.6% chance to land Shull, with Kansas State currently in second place with a 2.7% chance. Shull has zero Crystal Ball predictions from 247Sports currently.

Shull paid a visit to the Plains in March and tells On3 that several aspects of the trip to Auburn stood out to him.

“It blew me away. The facilities are one of the top in the country, and the coaches are really good. Other than that, I just got a really good feeling there. They have that southern vibe like in Georgia and Alabama, with the trees and it’s near water. It’s just beautiful down there. The towns around that give that hometown, small town kind of vibe, too. I got a really good feeling from the fans and the campus.”

Shull stands 6-5, 275, and is a four-star rated OT by On3, ESPN, and Rivals.

Contact/Follow us @ TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Most Popular

Ranking sec football coaches by win total, sec baseball: conference standings through first half of schedule, where every former auburn tiger lands in the latest nfl mock draft from the athletic, auburn in the hunt for running back transfer dallan hayden, how many of cbs sports' top 100 players will auburn face this season, ranking sec men's basketball coaches by win total, former penn state wr keandre lambert-smith schedules official visit to auburn.

Please enter an email address.

Thanks for signing up.

Please check your email for a confirmation.

Something went wrong.

• A Commitment to Ethical Behavior
• Leadership & Governance
• Maps & Directions
• Initiatives & Affiliations
• Valparaiso & the Region

Our spacious campus of more than 350 acres contains more than 60 academics and residential buildings, including:

• 202,000-square-foot Harre Student Union  is the hub of student life and offers space for recreation and meetings as well as a computer lab, bookstore, career center, and two dining options at Founders Table and the Campus Cafe.
• Located on the highest point on campus, the Chapel of the Resurrection has been a Northwest Indiana landmark for more than 50 years.
• The  Center for the Arts includes 275-seat theatre, 170-seat recital hall, and the Brauer Museum of Art .
• The  Christopher Center for Library and Information Resources stores 600,000 volumes and offers 180 public computers.
• The James S. Markiewicz Solar Energy Research Facility contains the only solar furnace at an undergraduate institution.
• Campus living arrangements include nine residence halls and apartment buildings, and seven fraternity houses.

Valpo students have access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including:

• Campuswide Internet access
• Media-equipped classrooms and laboratories
• Advanced research light microscopes and an electron microscope
• Digital video and audio labs, teleproduction studios, and a weather forecasting studio

Our athletic facilities include four gyms, an indoor track and pool, racquetball courts, and a  fitness center offering cardio machines and weights.

• Events, Camps & Conferences
• Student Employment
• Student Mail Services
• be_ixf; php_sdk; php_sdk_1.4.26
• https://www.valpo.edu/about/campus/

BREAKING: Israel carries out operation in Iran, source says

Columbia University president grilled about campus antisemitism at congressional hearing

Columbia University’s president strongly denounced antisemitism during a congressional hearing Wednesday, saying that after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, “the world changed, and so did my focus.”

“Antisemitism has no place on our campus, and I am personally committed to doing everything I can to confront it directly,” President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik told the Republican-led House Committee on Education and the Workforce. “Israel was brutally attacked by Hamas terrorists and very soon it became clear that these horrific events would ignite fear and anguish across our campus.”

Shafik faced questions about her handling of antisemitism on campus after the Oct. 7 attack alongside two members of Columbia's Board of Trustees and the head of the university's antisemitism task force. She faced particular scrutiny for how the university handled faculty members who made comments about Hamas that were perceived as antisemitic.

Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., grilled Shafik about Joseph Massad, a tenured professor in Columbia’s Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies department who published comments in October calling Hamas' attack a “ stunning victory .”

“I do condemn his statement. I am appalled by what he said,” Shafik responded. “He has been spoken to.”

The hearing became particularly heated when Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., pressed Shafik about why Massad is still listed on Columbia’s website as the chair of the academic review committee.

Stefanik asked Shafik for her commitment that Massad would be removed as chair, and Shafik said she would get back to her.

Stefanik also questioned Shafik about Mohamed Abdou, a visiting professor at the Middle East Institute at Columbia. She referred to an Oct. 11 post on Facebook in which Abdou wrote, “Yes, I’m with the muqawamah (the resistance) be it Hamas and Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad but up to a point.”

When asked about consequences, Shafik said Abdou “will never work at Columbia again.”

Her appearance in Congress came after she declined to testify at a hearing in December, citing scheduling conflicts.

That hearing included testimonies from the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who all drew intense scrutiny for their responses to questions regarding antisemitism and hate speech on campus. Penn and Harvard 's presidents have since resigned.

When Shafik and her colleagues were asked by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., whether calling for the genocide of Jewish people violates Columbia’s rules — the same question posed to Harvard, MIT and Penn’s presidents — all answered “yes.” Bonamici also asked Shafik about the chants “by any means necessary” and “intifada,” which Shafik said were distressing.

Noa Fay, a Jewish student at Columbia who attended the hearing, told NBC News that she was "underwhelmed" by Shafik's testimony. Fay added that last semester it was “nearly impossible for me to get through academically and mentally” because of antisemitism she said she experienced on campus.

“I’m an RA, and last semester, all my bulletin boards that I post up in our halls were vandalized, written with ‘stop supporting genocide, cease-fire, free Palestine, from the river to the sea,’ all of these things,” Fay said. “It has consumed every aspect of our student life.”

Ahead of her hearing, Shafik published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal about what she planned to say in her testimony to Congress.

"Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, I have spent the most of my time addressing its aftershocks," Shafik wrote. "It is hard to describe how difficult this has been, especially on a large, diverse urban campus with students from all over the world and a long tradition of political activism."

Columbia is being sued by five Jewish students and two student organizations after it suspended the student groups Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace in November. In March, Shafik confirmed that a "number" of Columbia students were suspended after allegedly participating in an unauthorized panel called "Resistance 101" that featured speakers who supported Hamas.

Emi Tuyetnhi Tran is an intern for NBC News Digital.

Intro to Valpo Day

We’re looking forward to hosting you at Valparaiso University!

High School Seniors & Transfer Students, our general introduction provides:

• Check-in at the Harre Union (enjoy sweet treats from our award-winning dining staff);
• An overview of the University, including insight into our academics, g eneral information about study abroad, faith life, admission, financial aid, scholarships, student activities, finding your career or vocation, and more. ;
• A student-guided campus walking tour (wear comfy walking shoes!);
• A voucher to use at one of a select group of Downtown Valpo Restaurants so you can explore our students’ options off campus!

COVID Safety Protocols Valpo is implementing safety protocols for our visitors and campus community that align with the Indiana Department of Health and Governor’s directives. These include the following:

•  All employees and guests must wear a cloth face covering over their nose & mouth when on campus. Those unable to wear a mask will not be allowed to participate in the visit per campus policy. 
• Limit the number in your group to no more than 3 (yourself plus two guests). 
• If you or anyone in your household has traveled abroad, you must wait 14 days and must not show any COVID symptoms before scheduling a visit to Valpo. 
• If you or any family member has had any of the following symptoms related to the COVID-19 virus in the last 14 days, and have not had the COVID-19 nasal test or the results came back positive, we cannot accommodate your visit; please visit us virtually .
• If you had a COVID-19 nasal test within the past 14 days, and the results were negative, please bring a copy of the results with you to your visit.​​​​ 
• Take your temperature before leaving home, and reschedule your visit if anyone has a fever or symptoms as indicated above.
• Check-in at the Harre Union will limit contact with other families and includes us asking COVID-related questions when you arrive.
• Seating for the presentation will keep families socially distanced, so you must adhere to the number and names of persons you are bringing with you to the visit day.
• We offer hand sanitizer throughout campus.
• Life at Valpo
• be_ixf; php_sdk; php_sdk_1.4.26
• https://www.valpo.edu/

• Request Free Info
• Register for Classes

Back to News

Apr 18, 2024

Ivy Tech Math Instructor, Ryan Pennell, Wins Adjunct Teaching Award

Ivy Tech’s Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Instruction is presented annually to one part-time faculty member from each campus

Bloomington — Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington has selected Ryan Pennell, adjunct faculty in mathematics, as the recipient of the 2024 Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Instruction. He was named the winner among 11 adjunct faculty nominees on campus. Students submitted a total of 46 nominations.

This is the second time Pennell has won the campus Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Instruction, the first in 2019.

“Receiving the Ivy Tech Bloomington Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Instruction reaffirms the effectiveness of my teaching methods,” Pennell said. “This recognition fuels my dedication to guiding students on their academic journeys.”

Pennell’s student nominations showed that he goes above and beyond expectations and displays a passion for teaching and learning, while ensuring his students grasp math concepts. In one nomination a student wrote that “he was the only math teacher who has helped me understand math, especially in an online course.”

Another nomination said that Pennell was good at adjusting his plan to meet student needs. “He was very good at giving us multiple ways to do a certain problem,” the student wrote. “I have always struggled with math and this class made so much sense to me.”

“Witnessing students’ newfound appreciation for mathematics is incredibly gratifying,” Pennell said.

Pennell began teaching at Ivy Tech as a math tutor in 2013 and became an adjunct instructor in 2017. He holds a bachelor's degree in physics and a master’s degree in mathematics.

The Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Instruction is presented annually to one adjunct faculty member from each Ivy Tech campus statewide. As a recipient of this award, Pennell, becomes the nominee for Ivy Tech’s statewide Gerald. I. Lamkin Award for Excellence in Instruction. The Award is named for a former Ivy Tech president and recognizes an adjunct faculty member who exhibits excellence in instruction and represents the mission of the college.

Ivy Tech Bloomington offers more than  40 career and four-year transfer programs , with courses that start multiple times per year for quick entry and graduation. To get started, apply for free online at ivytech.edu/bloomington , call 812-330-6013, or email  [email protected] . For information on free, short-term training programs at Ivy Tech Bloomington, visit ivytech.edu/bloomington/NLJ .

About Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.

Follow Us on Social            

See All Stories

Apr 16, 2024 | Bloomington

Earth Day event Saturday at Ivy Tech Biology Outdoor Learning Lab

Biology Outdoor Learning Lab (OLL) is celebrating Earth Day in the Garden on Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to Noon

Apr 17, 2024 | Indianapolis

Meet Karina, Ivy Tech Indy graduate and Eli Lilly Scientist

“[Ivy Tech] helped me understand that I was capable of excelling in chemistry, biology, and being in STEM; that somebody like me could be in that field.”

Apr 17, 2024 | Bloomington

Patrick O’Neill wins Ivy Tech Bloomington President’s Award

The President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction is the most prestigious teaching award, presented annually to one faculty member from each campus

Back to Top

Get live help with:

• Costs & aid
• Registering for classes