Ivy Tech launches new institute

Ivy Tech State College of Bloomington kicked off the launch of its O'Bannon Institute for Community Service Friday with a day-long conference dedicated to making people more involved with politics and local volunteer efforts. \nJudy O'Bannon, the former first lady of Indiana and this year's graduate speaker, was the keynote speaker at the event which also featured discussion panels with a variety of Indiana's political figures including Bloomington's Mayor Mark Kruzan and State Senators Robert Garton and Becky Skillman.\n"Political participation does not always mean running for office," Kruzan said in explaining the importance of Ivy Tech-Bloomington's new emphasis on community service through The O'Bannon Institute.\nThe O'Bannon Institute was designed to provide educational resources to the public about nonprofit management and political participation. It is part of a larger effort by Ivy Tech-Bloomington to create a "Center for Civic Engagement" and increase interest in public service. \nThe discussion panel talked about the importance of getting young people involved with public service and voting.\n"This will impact everything you do," said County Commissioner Joyce Poling. "If you care about what happens around you, you need to get out there and vote."\nThe center was named after late Gov. Frank O'Bannon to honor his life-long commitment to the community college system and civic engagement. Judy O'Bannon was interviewed in front of the audience at Ivy Tech-Bloomington by Emmy-nominated anchorwoman Debby Knox of WISH-TV. During the interview, she expressed her gratitude for Ivy Tech naming the center after her late husband. \n"He would have been so pleased about what you are doing here," Judy O'Bannon said. "He would be embarrassed that you called it the O'Bannon Institute, but he would be pleased. I think we've got a bright future here. Thanks for letting me come along."\nJudy O'Bannon spoke about how she had been involved in community service throughout her life. She said she originally got involved in civic service as a little girl when her mother used to take her to all of her volunteer meetings. She said she didn't want to go to kindergarten because it meant she couldn't go to meetings with her mother anymore. Her mother's commitment to service, as well as Judy O'Bannon's involvement with the church and marriage to a man so passionate about community service kept O'Bannon an active participant in civic life.\n"You need to feel like you are part of the world," Judy O'Bannon said. "You don't say 'they do it.' You say, 'we do it.'"\n-- Contact staff writer Jenica Schultz at jwschult@indiana.edu.