New program helps hopefuls transition

When freshman Spencer Herms received a thin envelope instead of a thick red-and-white packet from IU last winter, he did not even think he needed to open it. Herms already knew that a thin envelope meant he would not be attending IU the following fall. \n"I know some people who didn't even bother to open their letters," Herms said. \nFortunately for Herms, however, he was not one of them. When he opened his letter, instead of a flat-out rejection, he found an opportunity. Though IU had declined to immediately accept him as a freshman, the University offered him the chance to participate in a ground-breaking program that is expected to ultimately allow him entrance into his first-choice school. \nFor the first time ever, IU has partnered with Bloomington's Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana to give students who were not admitted to IU as freshmen the opportunity to earn an IU bachelor's degree, said Joe Kapsa, director of Student Support and Development at Ivy Tech. Participating students will take classes at both Ivy Tech and IU during their freshman year and be guaranteed acceptance as full-time, degree-seeking students at IU once they have completed 26 credit hours with a grade point average of at least 2.5. \nIvy Tech and IU have been working on developing the program since 2003, said Jack Rhodes, associate vice chancellor for enrollment services at IU. It's only open to Indiana residents, but it has garnered interest from students throughout the state. \nThough IU has accepted Ivy Tech transfer students for the last several years, this is the only program that allows them to take classes at both colleges simultaneously, Kapsa said. It is also the only program to guarantee admission upon completion of its prerequisites.\n"We have a new community college system evolving in Indiana," Rhodes said. "We wanted go help students gain greater access to two- and four-year degrees." \nHoosier Link students take three classes at Ivy Tech and one at IU in the fall semester of their freshman year, Kapsa said. In the spring, they up that number to four classes at Ivy Tech, with one at IU. If all goes well, students will have completed their 26 hours by the end of their freshman year and will become full-time IU students as sophomores. \n"(Hoosier Link) gives me the chance to go to a small campus while also going to a large one," Herms said. "I get to experience both." \nStudents pick from a list of more than 100 Ivy Tech classes that will transfer credit to IU, mainly general education requirements, Kapsa said. The program has a number of built-in support mechanisms, which distinguishes it from any other transfer program, Kapsa said. Students have a close connection with academic advisers at both campuses, who work closely with them throughout the program. These advisers also help Hoosier Link participants choose a major. \n"We know how important it is to have a goal," Kapsa said. "It helps build motivation." \nStudents who enter the program must sign a contract with the University, Rhodes said. Terms include the number of hours a student must take, the GPA they must maintain and how much they are allowed to work. Hoosier Link participants must also go through all phases of orientation and attend workshops, and if their adviser decides they need a tutor or a lighter course load, they must defer to the adviser's judgment. \nHoosier Link students, like any other freshmen, are required to live in residence halls during their first year on campus, Rhodes said. \n"We want them to be engaged and involved in the culture of the campus, just like any other freshman," Rhodes said. \nUnlike other freshmen, however, Hoosier Link students have a longer commute. Rather than just stumbling out of bed and walking to class, most students in the program have cars, Rhodes said. It takes about 20 minutes to drive to Ivy Tech, which is located on the far west side of town. However, for those without a vehicle, IU has facilitated public transportation along different bus routes.\nThough Hoosier Link is unique, it wasn't the only option for many of its applicants.\nHerms would have gone to Holy Cross, a private college near his home, he said. But the Hoosier Link program has allowed him the chance to attend a four-year university while saving money by also attending Ivy Tech, he said. \n"If it weren't for (Hoosier Link), I wouldn't even be here," Herms said.