In Porter County, Ivy Tech Community College will honor over 1,400 graduates at the annual commencement ceremony on Thursday May 11, 2023 at 6pm CT. The ceremony will take place at the Valparaiso University Athletics Recreation Center.
Students earned more than 1,900 degrees and certificates during the 2022-2023 academic year at Ivy Tech Valparaiso/Michigan City/LaPorte. Commencement ceremony will highlight distinct honors and awards to Distinguished Graduates and Alumnus of Ivy Tech. Ceremony will also feature keynote speaker, Mayor Tom Dermody of LaPorte, IN.
“We are incredibly excited and proud of all of our students and their many accomplishments. Our students have worked tirelessly to accomplish their degrees. We are greatly looking forward to seeing all our students gathered alongside their families and special guests of honor to share in this special day,” said Campus Chancellor, Aco Sikoski.
Ivy Tech will present the 2023 Honorary Degree to Kavin James. Kavin oversees operations of KLLM Transport Services. Ivy Tech says James has been instrumental in forging the partnership between Ivy Tech and KLLM, even seeking out a partnership with the college to bring the higher education option and certifications to students and workforce in real time.
Stephanie Ray Mattson will be honored as the 2023 Distinguished Graduate. Stephanie is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. Mattson will graduate with Associate of Applied Science Degree in Information Technology Support. She is a current member of the Ivy Works Indy Women in Tech (IWIT) program for Spring 2023 semester. Ivy Works/IWIT is annual program dedicated to helping a selected group of women succeed in pursuing careers in the computing, informatics, and IT industries.
Sandra Strilich Daly will be honored as Distinguished Alumna. Daly was the first female to graduate from Ivy Tech’s Electric Line Construction class in 2011. Sandy recently showcased program overview and real time impact from coursework completed at Ivy Tech for Dr. Jill Biden’s March 2023 visit to campus.
For those interested in learning more about the event, please contact the Ivy Tech Valparaiso campus main telephone line at 219-464- 8514. Commencement ceremony will be livestreamed on the Ivy Tech Valparaiso Facebook page via the following link www.facebook.com/ivytechvalpo .