Indiana Tech Magazine – Spring 2023 by Indiana Tech: Marketing

MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS | FALL 2023

CONTENTS 02 By the Numbers 04 University News 06 A Few Words with…

Meet Ryan Ozbun, associate vice president of Indiana Tech Military and Veteran Services, who leads a passionate team of recruiters that helps a specialized population of students achieve its educational goals. 08 2023 Homecoming:

The Bonds that Unite Us

Indiana Tech graduates and contemporaries come together to celebrate the deep connection of being a Warrior. 14 Reaching Out to Bright

Young Minds

Bolstered youth programming gets prospective students excited about the possibilities that await them at Indiana Tech. 16 Planning the Future

The next stage of Indiana Tech’s strategic planning will lead the university to its 2030 centennial.

22 Inside Athletics

Indiana Tech is presented with the Learfield Cup as the best NAIA athletic program in the nation for 2022-23. 24 Warrior Connections

Kristi Jarmus, Indiana Tech’s director of alumni relations, explains how you can positively impact our students by volunteering your time.

26 Alumni Spotlight: Brandon Alger

This 2018 graduate is using his biomedical engineering degree to improve quality of life for children with orthopedic issues. 28 Giving Back: Dr. Jeff Witte

Seeing firsthand the value of experiencing other cultures, this 2023 doctoral graduate is providing funding that will help current Ph.D. students and faculty participate in global practicums.

30 You Can Still Help

As Indiana Tech’s Building a Century of Excellence campaign nears its end, please consider donating as our great university prepares for its next 100 years. 32 In Memoriam

18 Inside Our Colleges

Here is where you learn about the great things being achieved within our academic programs.

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 1

Please send comments, news and feature story ideas to:

Karl W. Einolf, Ph.D. President

Indiana Tech attn: Marketing 1600 E. Washington Blvd. Fort Wayne, IN 46803

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT: Dan Grigg Vice President for Institutional

Advancement, Matt Rowan Senior Director of Institutional Advancement, Dave Stevens Senior Director of Institutional Advancement, Kristi Jarmus Director of Alumni Relations, Kayla Paz Director of Advancement Services, Erin Johnson Assistant Director of Institutional Advancement and Grants Administration, Linda Newton Administrative Assistant MARKETING: Brian Engelhart Vice President for Marketing and Communication,

Matt Bair Director of Marketing and Communication, Jennifer Murphy, MBA ’22 Director of Marketing, Adult and Online Programs, Julie Farison Creative Director, Elle Helm Graphic Designer, Sarah Suraci Graphic Designer, Joel Kuhn, B.S. ’12 Web Developer, Randy Smith Director of Photo and Video, Amber Owens, MBA ’21 Social Media Manager

phone: 260.422.5561 or 800.937.2448, ext. 2250 email: marketing@IndianaTech.edu The editors reserve the right to edit articles for length and clarity. Articles may be reproduced with permission and proper attribution. Our Mission: Indiana Tech provides learners a professional education; prepares them for active participation, career advancement and leadership in the global 21st century society; and motivates them toward a life of significance and worth. Indiana Tech online: IndianaTech.edu

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT It’s been wonderful to have so many alumni, students, family members, faculty, staff and friends join us here at Indiana Tech this fall for a wide range of events. Longstanding traditions like Homecoming and Family Weekend and our annual TWIST golf outing bring together Warriors young and old, while newer events like the Speaker Series presented by our College of Business connect us with community members throughout our region. In early October, our Homecoming and Family weekend welcomed Warriors from across the decades to events like the President’s Dinner, our annual Athletics Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremony and a wide range of social events for students, families and alumni alike. Read all about this year’s celebration on page 8. Looking ahead to future generations of Indiana Tech students, the university has expanded its work with younger members of our community. Our Early Start programs, allowing high school students to take Indiana Tech courses for college credit, are enrolling record numbers of students around the region. Meanwhile, our new summer camps and after school programs—many focused on STEM topics—got off to a strong start this summer and fall. Learn more about these initiatives on page 14. Serving learners from all walks of life and preparing them for all kinds of meaningful work has been a core part of Indiana Tech’s mission since our founding in 1930. As we draw closer to our centennial celebration in 2030, our university is hard at work on the next phase of our strategic plan, which will cover the years 2024-2030. Jumping off from our current plan, a dedicated, cross-functional team of faculty, staff and alums are working with university leadership and our board of trustees to create the next stage of the strategic plan. Be sure to learn more about their efforts and how you can contribute your ideas on page 16. Also a must-read in every Indiana Tech magazine is our Inside Our Colleges feature, found on page 18. In this issue, you’ll find an update on our project to expand and renovate the Zollner Engineering

Center, news on student projects, internships and experiences inside and outside the classroom, the new College of Business speaker series, significant recognition for Indiana Tech’s human resources program from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and much more. This academic year also marks the 25th anniversary of Indiana Tech’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our College of Business faculty and staff, and the commitment of students to furthering their education, this outstanding program has graduated hundreds of business leaders and entrepreneurs over the years. Take a look inside the program in our By the Numbers feature on page 2. Finally, it was terrific to have the opportunity to celebrate all of our student-athletes, coaches and athletics department leadership for the major accomplishment of winning the Learfield Directors’ Cup for the first time in 2022-23. The Directors’ Cup recognizes Indiana Tech athletics as the top program in the entire NAIA and is awarded by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and USA Today. The Learfield Cup, along with the WHAC Commissioner’s Cup for being the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference top program of 2022-23, were presented to the Indiana Tech athletics team during a special ceremony prior to the first home women’s volleyball game in late September. Read more about these well-deserved honors and more athletic happenings on page 22. I hope all of you enjoy the holiday season and that we will see you on campus soon. Thank you for everything you do for Indiana Tech! Warm regards,

Karl W. Einolf, Ph.D. President

AUTUMN 2023

BY THE NUMBERS

GRADUAT DEGREE PROGRAMS A BRIEF HISTORY during his February 1998 State of the College It was address that then-Indiana Tech President Don Andorfer shared—with great optimism—news about the development of Tech’s first Master of Business Administration degree program. Mr. Andorfer’s optimism was spot-on. Twenty-five years later, Indiana Tech’s MBA has paved the way for the addition of several more graduate degree options, which have provided life-changing education for nearly 4,100 graduates. “Indiana Tech has a long history of working with industry leaders to create distinctive programs that will help students advance professionally and pursue lives of significance and worth,” said Dr. Angie Fincannon, dean of the university’s College of Business. “Continuing to identify new and distinctive programs can be a challenge, but one we eagerly embrace to help our students achieve.” So, as we look forward to another fruitful 25 years of graduate-level education at Indiana Tech, let’s reflect on the past 25 in this issue’s By the Numbers feature.

DON ANDORFER INDIANA TECH PRESIDENT 1985–2003

1998

THE YEAR INDIANA TECH BEGAN ITS FIRST GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAM

4,086

COMPRISED OUR FIRST CLASS OF GRADUATE STUDENTS

HAVE ACHIEVED A GRADUATE DEGREE FROM INDIANA TECH

495

3.67

HAVE COMPLETED THEIR GRADUATE DEGREES WITH A 4.0 GPA

ACCUMULATIVE GPA OF GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED OUR PROGRAMS

52 48

1,216

STUDENTS FROM 52 COUNTRIES AND 48 STATES HAVE EARNED A GRADUATE DEGREE FROM INDIANA TECH

ARE CURRENTLY PURSUING GRADUATE DEGREES WITH US

STUDENTS

GRADUATE DEGREES AVAILABLE AT OUR UNIVERSITY

ACCOUNTING, MBA BUSINESS ANALYTICS, MBA BUSINESS ANALYTICS, STEM MBA CYBERSECURITY, M.S. ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT, M.S. GLOBAL HEALTH LEADERSHIP, MBA GLOBAL HEALTH LEADERSHIP, M.S.

COUNTRIES

GPA

STATES

HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT, MBA HUMAN RESOURCES, MBA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, M.S. MANAGEMENT, MBA MANAGEMENT, M.S. MARKETING, MBA ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP, M.S.

STUDENTS

PROFESSIONAL STUDIES, MBA PROJECT MANAGEMENT, MBA PSYCHOLOGY, M.S. SPORT ADMINISTRATION, MBA SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, MBA

AUTUMN 2023

UNIVERSIT Y NEWS

Dr. Alicia Wireman Earns 2023 Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation Dr. Alicia Wireman, associate professor of communication, was named the winner of the 2023 Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation. Dr. Wireman received her award during Indiana Tech’s convocation ceremony at the start of the fall semester. During the presentation, she was recognized for: ↘ Expanding the communication degree so that students can major in journalism and broadcasting, sports media or graphic design. ↘ Developing new certificate programs in sports media and graphic design. ↘ Providing outstanding internships and capstone projects for students each semester. ↘ Organizing the university’s annual student speech competition. ↘ Leading a project that tasked students with designing car wraps for the Indiana State Police. The Leepoxy Award for Teaching Innovation was established in 2008 by Indiana Tech supporter and owner of Leepoxy Plastics, Mr. Larry Lee. It is awarded annually to a full-time faculty member who:

New TimelyCare Service Supports Student Mental Health Indiana Tech has partnered with TimelyCare to provide every student at the university with access to free, on-demand, 24/7 mental, well-being and emotional support services. TimelyCare serves traditional undergraduate and graduate students learning in person on the main campus, and online students in all undergraduate and graduate programs. Students access TimelyCare through a mobile app or a desktop computer to talk to a provider about concerns like anxiety, depression, substance use, stress, life transitions, academic challenges, relationship issues and more. TimelyCare also features a collaborative component that helps faculty and staff members identify ways they can best look out for the interests of students. To learn more, visit indianatech. edu/wellness-clinic/timelycare.

↘ 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.

Psychology Programs Approved for Statewide STEM Teach Initiative Indiana Tech’s Master of Science in Psychology and Graduate Certificate in Counseling Psychology were recently approved as offerings for the state of Indiana’s STEM Teach initiative. Through the program, K-12 teachers in Indiana may take classes for continuing education credit in STEM fields as well as pursue a graduate degree in STEM programs, at no cost to them. Now in its sixth round of funding, the STEM Teach initiative has been approved for an investment of $2.7 million for the 4

2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE). The initiative seeks to boost the availability of educators statewide in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, bringing together both Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) schools such as Indiana Tech and the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) to increase the number and quality of teachers in these key subject areas. STEM Teach was created in 2013 by the Indiana General Assembly. Learn more at stemteachindiana.org.

Nursing Partnership with Huntington University Off to a Strong Start Fall semester brought a new group of students to the Indiana Tech campus: aspiring nurses. The university’s partnership with Huntington University to offer an accelerated bachelor’s degree in nursing is off to a strong start, with 21 students in the first cohort that began in late August. The program is approved by the Indiana State Board of Nursing to enroll up to 50 students across two cohorts in its first year. The second cohort will begin classes in January 2024, with nearly all remaining spots for the year already filled. The nursing program partnership was first announced in January 2023. Students learn from Huntington nursing program

faculty and earn a Huntington degree at the conclusion of their 13-month program. Clinical work takes place at Parkview Health locations throughout Northeast Indiana. Parkview is also providing career placement opportunities and substantial tuition assistance through a program administered by the Questa Education Foundation. Indiana Tech provides facilities including classrooms and lab space and is responsible for marketing and admissions efforts for the program.

LEARN MORE

indianatech.edu/nursing

For all the details about this unique partnership, scan the QR code to the right or visit indianatech.edu/nursing.

AUTUMN 2023

A FEW WORDS WITH...

RYAN OZBUN Q What is your role as associate vice president for Military and Veteran Services?

Indiana Tech is known as one of the most military- and veteran-friendly institutions of higher education in the country. In fact, Indiana Tech has been designated a Military Friendly School for 12 straight years by Viqtory, a servicedisabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. The university’s commitment to military students is what attracted Ryan Ozbun to Indiana Tech as a military and veteran recruiting specialist in 2015. Now, nearly nine years later, Ryan is associate vice president of Indiana Tech Military and Veteran Services, leading a passionate team of knowledgeable recruiters that supports this population of students throughout their educational journey. In addition to his important role with military recruiting, Ryan has been selected as a co-chair —along with marketing professor, Dr. Staci Lugar Brettin—for Indiana Tech’s Strategic Goals Task Force as preparation for the university’s next strategic plan. (Learn more about this task force on page 16.) Even though his work with this initiative is ramping up, Ryan took time to share some insight about his roles and his life.

A I lead the Military and Veteran Services team at Indiana Tech. Our goal is to work with those currently in the military and veterans—and their dependents—to assist them with educational benefits provided by the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs and ensure they have a positive and successful experience, from application to graduation.

Q You have been involved with Indiana Tech’s Military and Veteran Services for nine years. Why is this work important to you? A My role and work at Indiana Tech allow me to work with an outstanding population of students and people to ensure they have the best experience possible in their pursuit of education. Having served in the military and pursued a college education, I understand the frustration of trying to navigate the education benefits that we earn from having served. If I can ease that burden on anyone else who is pursuing the same goals, then hopefully their path will be rewarding and fulfilling.

Q Your military career lasted a little over 22 years. What led you to a career in the military? What did you do? A Funny enough, I actually joined the Army for the college benefits and had no intentions of making a career of it. I started my college pursuit back in late 2000 and it was short-lived due to 9/11. After 9/11 and my first enlistment was coming to an end, I felt a personal obligation and sense of duty to stay in and do what I could for our country. Like many people who enlist at a young age, I picked something that looked cool for my MOS (military job) and spent 11 years as a combat engineer. Somewhere during that 11th year, I was asked to change jobs to military intelligence, and it was probably the best decision I made.

Q Share some highlights about why active and formerly active members of the military and their spouses should seek out Indiana Tech for their education. A Two words: Personal service. There are a lot of great options in the higher ed realm for military and veterans, but not one of them offers the kind of service and personal connection that we do. Our Military and Veterans Services team members help students with everything they need. The first people they meet when applying will be the same people shaking their hand at graduation and assisting them at every point in between. 6

“IF I COULD PUT ONE MESSAGE OUT TO THE WORLD, IT WOULD BE TO PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE AND COMPUTER, AND GO ENJOY THE WORLD...” Ryan Ozbun

Q You, along with Dr. Staci Lugar Brettin, have been selected to co-chair the Strategic Goals Task Force in preparation for the university’s next strategic plan. How important is it for you to be involved in this initiative? What do you hope to gain from the experience?

veteran students. I think in the future, with a better financial market, we could move into being a nationally recognized university with a large diverse student population from all over the country and globe.

A I am honored that I was asked to co-chair this with Staci, and being part of what is going to guide Indiana Tech into our centennial year is amazing. Given all the ways I have been part of Indiana Tech as student, staff and, most recently, adjunct faculty, I am hoping my diverse experience will help lead the team and the university to a bright and opportune future. I really look forward to gaining the knowledge and experience that others on the task force have from their areas. I think it is an absolute need to understand how the direction of the university impacts everyone. I also hope to gain a lot of knowledge of how things work with the board, cabinet and task force. This will provide me with better insight for any future positions in my career.

A If I am not working, you will find me outside doing just about anything. My wife, Jessica, and I have about 11 acres in the middle of nowhere, and we spend our free time working outside, enjoying the outdoors and hanging out with our kids. You will also find us hiking or hanging out on a beach. If I could put one message out to the world, it would be to put down your phone and computer, and go enjoy the world. Pictures will never replace an actual experience.

Q What kind of future do you see for this university? A I see the future of Indiana Tech as a positive one with room for growth now and in the future. The leadership at Tech has done a great job positioning the university to withstand obstacles such as COVID and the decrease in desire by the population to pursue higher education. In many ways, we are working in the right direction by creating relevant degree programs that lead to employment, developing corporate partnerships and creating opportunities for international students and military and

Q What do you like to do in your free time?

Q We heard you recently acquired another way to enjoy the great outdoors. Can you tell us about it? A In October 2022, Jessica and I purchased a Sprinter van that we have been slowly converting into an RV. We have about 75 percent of the inside of the van complete, so we decided to try it out in March. Not wanting to get too far from civilization, we decided to drive the Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444-mile-long national park that starts just south of Nashville and ends at Natchez, Mississippi, on the river. If you like hiking and road trips, I recommend this one. We had a great time, and the van did not have any major issues. We plan to have a lot of great adventures in the future when it is fully functional. AUTUMN 2023

THE BONDS THAT UNITE US HOMECOMING 2023 BRINGS TOGETHER GENERATIONS OF TECH ALUMNI

Whether you graduated just recently or decades ago, you’ll always be an Indiana Tech Warrior. You belong to a community with a proud history of accomplishment and a commitment to supporting one another. Homecoming 2023 provided an opportunity for Indiana Tech alumni, students, families, faculty and staff of all ages to come together and celebrate this deep connection.

Longtime university supporter Larry Lee, left, speaks after receiving the Indiana Tech President’s Medal from President Einolf.

The weekend’s activities kicked off Friday, Oct. 6, with a welcome reception in the Zollner Engineering Center. Alumni enjoyed socializing with each other and the opportunity for tours of the Zollner renovation project and campus provided by faculty, staff and students. Later that evening, alums and students gathered for the homecoming hockey game tailgate and Orange Out game, cheering on the men’s hockey squad during their resounding 8-0 victory over Kent State. Also Friday evening, the President’s Dinner welcomed leadership level supporters and special reunion class members to celebrate the ongoing success of the Building a Century of Excellence Campaign. President Karl Einolf expressed his appreciation for Indiana Tech supporters and shared that the campaign has now exceeded $27 million in

contributions, surpassing its goal of $26,235,000 with nearly a year still remaining in the campaign. Dr. Einolf also awarded the Indiana Tech President’s Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the university, to longtime Indiana Tech friend Larry Lee. In presenting the award, Dr. Einolf noted the many ways Mr. Lee has supported the university and its students, from the establishment of scholarships and faculty recognition programs to his service on the board of trustees and more. “There are so many ways Larry has impacted our community, behind the scenes and without the desire for fanfare or credit,” Dr. Einolf remarked. “He has given extensively of his time, talent and treasure to support our students over the years, and he’s been a friend, advocate and ally to all who work and learn here.” AUTUMN 2023

Saturday, Oct. 7, was filled with activity

morning, noon and night for alumni, students, parents and Tech team members alike. The day kicked off with a softball team breakfast reception and alumni game at Warrior Park, with alumni receptions and games continuing throughout the day for baseball and women’s and men’s lacrosse. Saturday afternoon, the women’s ice hockey team took on Davenport University, coming away with a dominant 13-1 victory in front of alumni, students, family and friends. Saturday morning also featured the annual non-denominational prayer service led by alum Heinz Wegener in the namesake Heinz and Nanalee Wegener Worship Center. Student achievement also took center stage Saturday morning, as Indiana Tech’s top 10 percent of juniors and seniors were honored with induction into Indiana Tech’s chapter of the Alpha Chi honor society, with a reception for parents, faculty, staff and alums following.

RIGHT: Alumni Volunteer of the Year, Clifford Clarke, receives his award from Kristi Jarmus, director of alumni relations.

Alumni celebrating their 25-, 50- and 60-year reunions

gathered Saturday for the Alumni Reunion and Awards Luncheon. Dozens of alums from these featured classes were recognized for their time at Tech, their careers and their contributions to the community in the years since graduating. Also honored were three impactful members of the Indiana Tech alumni community. Holly Holod, BSBA 2013, who was a member of the 2011 women’s lacrosse team (the first team to ever win a national championship in the history of Indiana Tech) earned the Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) Award. Clifford Clarke was honored as the Alumni Volunteer of the Year. Mr. Clarke serves on the Indiana Tech board of trustees and is a twotime grad of the university, having earned his bachelor’s in data processing in 1989 and his MBA with concentrations in human resource management and entrepreneurship in 2005. He is also currently working on his doctorate in Indiana Tech’s Ph.D. in Global Leadership program. Finally, Dr. Jeff Witte, a 2023 graduate of the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program, received the CPS Alumnus of the Year LEF T: Holly Holod, BSBA 2013, was named Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) for 2023. BELOW: Members of Indiana Tech’s 50- and 60-year reunion classes.

AUTUMN 2023

NSBE Trivia night

Casino Night

Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Award. Learn more about Dr. Witte in this issue’s Giving Back feature on page 28.

Around campus Saturday afternoon, students, alumni and

their family members enjoyed Party on the Square, featuring music, food trucks, games and a scavenger hunt for all ages. The Tech chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) hosted a team trivia event between students and alums, complete with snacks, beverages and spirited competition. Saturday night saw alumni, family, friends and students gather for Casino Night and the Kick-Back Club Dance, hitting the dance floor and playing for raffle tickets to win great prizes at the casino gaming tables. As an appropriate finale to a festive weekend, Saturday night also saw over 200 alumni and friends gather in the Schaefer Center for the 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Banquet. Joining the illustrious ranks of Indiana Tech Athletic Hall of Famers this year were baseball standout Brandon Alger, women’s basketball star DeNisha Gray, and the 2013 Men’s and Women’s Track teams, winners of Indiana Tech’s first-ever national track and field championships.

2013 Track & Field Team Honorees

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK PART IN HOMECOMING 2023 AND MADE IT A JOYOUS WEEKEND FOR ALL INVOLVED!

TWIST XXXIV

STILL GOING STRONG

On Sept. 17, Indiana Tech held the 34th edition of the annual TWIST golf outing at Chestnut Hills Golf Course in Fort Wayne. Started by former professor Walter Trask and current professor Dr. Jeffrey Walls, the Trask/Walls Invitational Student Tournament (TWIST) began as a networking event to teach students about the game of golf as well as the business networking that often happens on the golf course. In the years since, it has grown into a fundraiser for student scholarships, welcoming students as well as alumni, corporate partners and community leaders in support of a good cause.

This year’s winners included: 1ST PLACE: Nick Quick, Megan Quick, Dr. Walls, Tom Kocks (pictured left to right in the team photo) 2ND PLACE: Indiana Tech hockey team members Colton Nikiforuk, TJ Dougan, Avery Smith, Aidan Dufort (pictured left to right in the 2nd place photo) CLOSEST TO THE HOLE: Colton Nikiforuk (student) LONG DRIVE LADIES: Megan Quick (alumna) LONG DRIVE MEN: Aidan Dufort (student) LONGEST PUTT: Mark Hunsberger (staff member)

1 S T P L AC E T E A M

Thank you to all of the golfers who joined the TWIST outing, and special thanks to our event sponsors: ASHER AGENCY ELEVATUS ARCHITECTURE HARMONY MARKETING GROUP

INNOVATIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS PARKHURST DINING VOTAW ELECTRIC, INC.

MID-AMERICAN CLEANERS

DR. JEFFREY WALLS

MKS – MICHAEL KINDER AND SONS, INC.

RAVI TALWAR

CUSTER

2 N D P L AC E T E A M

AUTUMN 2023

Reaching Out to Bright Young Minds Since 2010, universities across the nation have been dealing with a stark truth: College enrollment is declining. to National Center for Education Statistics A ccording (NCES) statistics, total college enrollment has dropped

by about 1.95 million students (nearly 10 percent) over the past decade. Additionally, the decline in undergraduate college enrollment accelerated after the pandemic began, resulting in a loss of nearly 1.4 million students (nearly 9% of total enrollment), between spring 2019 and spring 2023. These downward enrollment trends have impacted Indiana Tech, but this university has been able to innovate in areas such as student support and new program development, positioning the school for growth into the future. One way is to create outstanding experiences for prospective students that build positive relationships with them before they are ready to make a college commitment. “By bolstering our youth programming initiatives and creating more academic pathways for students to interact with our faculty and staff, we get prospective students from all walks of life excited about learning, and they see what possibilities await them at Indiana Tech,” said Caleb Hunter, the university’s academic camp director.

STEAM ACADEMY Hunter was hired in 2021 to oversee Indiana Tech’s new STEAM Academy, which is home to the university’s expanded offering of academic youth programs. Over the summer, the STEAM Academy hosted three new summer camps, in addition to two traditionally popular STEM camps, for high school and middle school students. This fall, the STEAM Academy launched three after-school programs, one of which is a preexisting robotics program that has been rebranded as the Robotic Warriors Club. Indiana Tech’s fortified approach to youth programming was made possible by a grant from the Lilly Endowment Indiana Youth Programs on Campus (IYPC) Initiative, which has been the catalyst for universities across Indiana to develop more learning opportunities for youth in their communities. “The work our STEAM Academy is doing is important because it allows us to stay in contact with students and families throughout the year and strengthen our relationships with local schools and community partners,” Hunter said. “On a grander scale, youth of all ages need quality opportunities to explore and learn from high-character, knowledgeable adults in safe spaces where they can be themselves. I’m proud to work for an organization that makes this kind of outreach a priority.” Learn more at indianatech.edu/steam.

“BY BOLSTERING OUR YOUTH PROGRAMMING INITIATIVES... WE GET PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING, AND THEY SEE WHAT POSSIBILITIES AWAIT THEM AT INDIANA TECH” Caleb Hunter ACADEMIC CAMP DIRECTOR

FWCS AMP LAB

EARLY START PROGRAM

Indiana Tech is also connecting with a younger demographic through an exclusive partnership with Fort Wayne Community Schools’ Amp Lab. Opened in August 2022, the Amp Lab gives high school juniors and seniors a chance to put their in-class learning to practical use in a new innovative learning environment constructed to inspire creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.

Another way Indiana Tech connects with high school students is through its dual-credit/dual-enrollment program, Early Start. Nearly 300 students from a variety of regional high schools are taking advantage of the benefits of Early Start.

Through the partnership, students are able to earn college credit from Indiana Tech by taking selected business courses provided by the university and taught at the Amp Lab. Also, Tech faculty and staff contribute their expertise for special programming and requests to speak in class. During the Amp Lab’s first year, 44 students participated. This year, approximately 150 students are enrolled—70 percent of whom are disadvantaged and/or firstgeneration college students. “We are very excited to work with Fort Wayne Community Schools’ Amp Lab to provide pathways for high school students to transition seamlessly to college,” said Dr. Angie Fincannon, dean of Indiana Tech’s College of Business. “These opportunities are important because they eliminate many of the complexities and fears related to the high school-to-college transition, especially for disadvantaged students who didn’t think college was a possibility.” “Amp Lab’s partnership with Indiana Tech has been transformational for our students and their families,” said Riley Johnson, director of FWCS’s Amp Lab. “Our students are engaged in rigorous and authentic learning experiences on a daily basis that are building a solid foundation for their future.”

“Dual-credit/dual-enrollment programs have gained momentum over the last decade because taking college courses in high school saves students time and money over the length of their degree program,” said Bob Confer, Indiana Tech director of admissions. “Today, it isn’t uncommon for students to earn 12 or more hours of college credit through a dual-credit/ dual-enrollment program. Doing so opens up more options for students, whether it be reducing the amount of time they spend pursuing their degree or affording them the option to double-major.” Although the ultimate goal of these initiatives is to positively impact Indiana Tech’s recruitment effort, it remains important to the university, regardless of how many students are converted to Warriors. “Indiana Tech is invested in the youth of our community. We want to see them thrive, and education is a key to thriving,” Confer said. “We are always looking for ways to expand upon this concept, to support students’ needs, build pathways for them and show them what is possible.”

AUTUMN 2023

Planning the Future Next stage of Indiana Tech’s strategic plan leads into 2030 centennial.

the 2017-18 academic year, a crossD uring functional group of faculty, staff, alumni,

students and the Indiana Tech board of trustees worked together to craft a new strategic plan for the university. The resulting plan, entitled Building a Century of Excellence was divided into two six-year phases, with the first covering the years 2018-2024 and the second intended to guide the university’s work from 2024 through its 100th anniversary in 2030. The Building a Century of Excellence strategic plan also inspired a comprehensive fundraising campaign by the same name, which has already exceeded its goal of $26,235,000 by raising over $27,000,000 with nearly a year remaining in the campaign. Phase one of the plan has centered on six major goal areas, focusing the work of the university on: 1. Enhancing Indiana Tech’s academic quality and reputation 2. Delivering a world-class student experience 3. Creating a clear, consistent and recognizable brand 4. Growing Indiana Tech’s human resources, facilities and technological infrastructure 5. Growing friend and fundraising competency into an institutional strength 6. Developing a vibrant, inclusive and diverse culture connecting all campuses and locations The 2018-2024 strategic plan is posted on the Indiana Tech website, at indianatech.edu/ strategicplan, allowing alumni, community members, prospective students and others the ability to review all the details of the plan.

At the start of each year, the university develops an action plan for each of the six goal areas. The annual action plan lays out new initiatives to be undertaken to help ensure progress continues to achieve each strategic goal. It also offers the chance to adjust course within the plan on a regular basis, taking advantage of new opportunities and providing the ability to adjust to changes in student needs, interests and the overall higher education marketplace. Development of phase two of the strategic plan, for the years 2024-2030, has now begun. As before, the creation of this stage of the plan is bringing together key stakeholders from across the Indiana Tech community to chart a course for the university’s next six years. “Indiana Tech’s strategic plan is intentionally ambitious,” says Indiana Tech president Dr. Karl Einolf. “It’s reflective of the high standards we all hold for our university, the value we place on serving students at every stage of their education and our shared commitment to teamwork and collaboration. We’ve made significant progress in each of our goal areas, but abundant opportunities remain in the years ahead. Developing phase two of the strategic plan will help us continue building a century of excellence as we head toward 2030.” The university began the strategic planning process in earnest during a daylong faculty and staff retreat this past August, called Develop IT Day. During Develop IT, participants broke into small working groups to discuss Indiana Tech’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Each group then shared their discussion points with the entire team, and details were captured for more in-depth review and analysis during the development of the strategic plan. Dr. Einolf also shared details on the formation of a new strategic plan task force that will draft phase two of the plan, and a link for the entire Tech community to use in nominating task force members. In September, the university announced the co-chairs and members of the task force. Chairing the effort are Dr. Staci Lugar Brettin, Professor of Marketing and Management, and Ryan Ozbun, Associate Vice President for Military and Veteran Services (learn more about Ryan in this issue’s “A Few Words with…” feature on page 6). Based on the SWOT discussion during Develop IT Day and additional feedback from faculty, staff and the board of trustees, the task force will focus its efforts on four main areas (see box).

TASK FORCE MEMBERS AND FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE: ACADEMIC QUALITY, REPUTATION AND ALIGNMENT WITH WORKFORCE NEEDS ↘ Dr. Staci Lugar Brettin LEAD ↘ Dr. Said Abushamleh, Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering ↘ David Phan, Associate Registrar & Data Analyst ↘ Dr. Alicia Wireman, Associate Professor, Communication ↘ Tammy Barker, Professor of Practice, Engineering and Computer Sciences

STUDENT EXPERIENCE AND SUPPORT ↘ Ryan Ozbun LEAD ↘ Jordyn Hartfield, 2023 alumna ↘ Caleb Resinger, Director, Warrior Information Network (WIN) ↘ Cory Tubbs, Admissions Representative ↘ Angela Williams, Disability Services Coordinator ↘ David Bokhart, Associate Director of Athletics

EXTERNAL REACH AND IMPACT ↘ Ryan Ozbun LEAD ↘ Kristin Conley, Director of Ph.D. Admissions ↘ Matt Bair, Director of Marketing and Communication ↘ Katie Parrish, Director of Educational Partnerships ↘ Erica Lay, Assistant Director of Admissions ↘ Kristi Jarmus, Director of Alumni Relations

SUPPORTING, DEVELOPING AND RETAINING INDIANA TECH’S HUMAN RESOURCES ↘ Dr. Staci Lugar Brettin LEAD ↘ Jennifer Chipchosky, Human Resource Specialist ↘ Stephanie Smith, ETL Data Integration Analyst and Developer ↘ Ryan Seiler, Assistant Director for Career Development

Over the remainder of 2023, each group and the task force at large will be meeting, collecting and analyzing data, and developing a draft of phase two of the university strategic plan. Working with the leadership cabinet, the task force will then provide the draft plan for the Indiana Tech board of trustees to discuss and evaluate at the board’s annual retreat in late February 2024. Ultimately, the objective is to have the plan fully developed for board approval at their May 2024 meeting. “Indiana Tech is well positioned to serve students, partners and our community at large now and into the future,” notes President Einolf. “The efforts of the strategic plan task force will help guide our work leading into our 100th anniversary, and ensure we continue providing an outstanding education to all of our students. I am tremendously grateful for their work and look forward to implementing the next stage of our plan in the years ahead!” Do you have an idea you would like to share with Indiana Tech’s strategic plan task force? Email it to strategicplan@indianatech.edu today.

↘ Lisa Green, Assistant Director, Student Financial Services

AUTUMN 2023

INSIDE OUR COLLEGES

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

HIGH-FLYING HAWK Warner is the latest sport management grad to reach the bigs. Indiana Tech’s sport management degree program is becoming a pipeline to top-level sports teams in all leagues. In recent years, sport management graduates have ascended to positions with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, MLS’ FC Cincinnati, MLB’s Baltimore Orioles and the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. Michael Warner is the latest Warrior graduate to get the call to the big leagues. The 2023 graduate and Louisville, Kentucky, native was hired by the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks in June as a membership associate. “I work in the Hawks’ inside sales ticket department to make sure season ticket holders and businesses in the Atlanta area receive the best game-day experiences possible. Things are going great—I am learning and growing as a business professional at the highest level with the best reps in the NBA,” Warner said. While at Indiana Tech, Warner said he learned how to maximize his time and gained a good understanding of the different jobs available to him in the sports industry. Interning with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the city’s former G-League basketball team, helped immensely. In addition, he received plenty of guidance from connections he made with alumni and current professionals affiliated with Tech. “I’m very excited and proud of Michael for getting this chance to prove himself with the Atlanta Hawks. He has worked very hard to get this opportunity and I know he will make the most of it,” said Professor Craig Dyer, chair of Indiana Tech’s sport management program. “His college career is a perfect example for how one should approach their college career. He always asked really good questions and he was dedicated to gaining valuable work experience. If you want to be successful in the sport industry, you need work experience along with the degree. Michael not only realized this, but he took advantage of all the opportunities that were available to him.”

of their respect for Indiana Tech and the excellent reputation this program has earned,” said Dr. Angie Fincannon, dean of Indiana Tech’s College of Business. “Given SHRM’s national stature, we could not be more proud to be recognized in this way, and we are deeply appreciative.” 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 award 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 COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

SHRM STUDENT CHAPTER EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION In August, Indiana Tech’s human resources program received two impressive recognitions from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world’s largest HR professional society. The university’s SHRM Student Chapter received the Superior Merit Award from SHRM for the 2022-23 academic year. In addition, Indiana Tech’s HR program was selected by SHRM as one of four universities to launch its new HR Talent Accelerator program, a four-week virtual experience that helps students, emerging professionals and mentors learn, grow and develop new relationships. “Our business administration HR program, led by Dr. Jeff Walls, is outstanding. Because of Dr. Walls’ ongoing leadership and the strength of the students in this program, this SHRM recognition is reflective

Within SHRM’s HR Talent Accelerator program, which will be launched at Tech in February 2024, participants will explore trending HR career pathways and develop high-demand skills in a small group setting. During each weekly 90-minute session, students will: ↘ Participate in a panel discussion with HR leaders who specialize in the theme of that week ↘ Engage in a project-based, mentor-led learning challenge within a small group ↘ Participate in small group presentations ↘ Deliver feedback and reflections from their experiences “When it comes to human resources education at Indiana Tech, our program has achieved a soaring, true Warrior level of excellence by transforming students into exceptional HR professionals. As a result, there is an extensive network of Tech alumni out in the world who provide internships and hire the current graduates from our program,” said Indiana Tech professor of business Dr. Jeff Walls, SHRMSCP. “It is truly an honor for Tech to be recognized by SHRM, and being a pilot site for its HR Talent Accelerator program will continue to elevate and enhance the opportunities for our students!” Learn more at academics.indianatech.edu/programs/ ba-human-resources. AUTUMN 2023

INSIDE OUR COLLEGES

TA LWA R CO L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G & CO M P U T E R S C I E N C E S

SERVANT LEADER Syas has a passion for helping people. Indiana Tech student Brennan Syas has a love for technology that is his motivation toward a life of significance and worth. And when he graduates in May 2025, his information systems degree will undoubtedly help him on his way toward an outstanding career. It is a deeper calling, however, that motivates him to help others achieve significance and worth—a calling that took hold of him, in earnest, last summer. “The past year has been huge for me regarding stepping into my purpose. I feel as though my motivation in this world is to impact people’s lives positively through the use of technology,” the Richton Park, Illinois, native said. Over the summer, Syas interned with the Gary Alumni Pathway to Students (GAPS), a not-for-profit organization that tasks volunteers to share their knowledge, skills and interests to help Northwest Indiana students learn what career possibilities are available to them and what it takes to be successful. His role was to teach 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-grade students about STEM concepts and related careers. “It was an experience I will never forget because it taught me how to make a difference for those who will come after me in the STEM field,” Syas said. “Mr. Syas exhibited dedication and perseverance as he planned each lesson with careful consideration and immense compassion to ensure student success. His commitment and nurturing rapport with his students led to improved student scores,” said Dr. Coni Taslim, executive director of GAPS. “Brennan was an absolute asset to the GAPS STEM Academy and will be such to any organization that has the honor to have him. His future is bright, and I wish him all the best!” Syas’ experience with GAPS also helped him keep his eye on his ultimate goal of making an impact in the community he grew up in. “One of these days, I want to build my own recreational center right over the outdated basketball courts that I used to play on when I was a kid,” Syas said. “Until I can do that, I want to enhance those courts so they can be used now.”

Syas put together a wish list: new pavement to fill the holes, new fencing, new nets, regular maintenance and a painted mural that would bring the community together. However, he had no experience with what to do next. Fortunately, he was able to connect with Indiana Tech Academic Camp Director, Caleb Hunter, for support in moving forward. “Caleb worked with me and gave me his advice on how to pitch my idea to the Richton Park Community Recreational Board, how to get the conversations started and how to handle things the right way when it comes to asking for funding,” Syas said. Just before returning to Tech for the 2023-24 school year, Syas made a successful presentation to the recreation board. In December, he will learn if his project will earn funding. If so, work will begin on the courts in summer 2024. “Working with Brennan on his proposal was a privilege—he made use of the encouragement and feedback and delivered a great pitch to his community leaders,” Hunter said. “He doesn’t just have the potential to lead the next generation, he already is putting his leadership into action. It’s a blessing to see his strengths and talents in action.” Brennan says that his desire to give back to his community is a testament to how he was raised. He said that even though he is about to turn 21, his grandmother still asks him, “Are you your brother’s keeper?” “She says this to remind me to help those who need it and not do it halfway, but do it all the way. In this case, I have seen people in my community talk about its problems but not come up with solutions. Even though I am away at school, I am taking the initiative to speak up for those who can’t see this change becoming reality. I know that it will impact the lives of those in the next generation in a positive way.”

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

MOTTA EXPANDS HIS BROADCASTING REACH In its summer online issue, Indiana Tech Magazine introduced you to MBA student and 2023 graduate, Lucca Motta, and told you about his broadcast media internship with Fort Wayne Football Club (FWFC) of USL League Two, a semiprofessional developmental soccer league that fields teams across the United States and Canada. Motta’s broadcasting stint as a color commentator with FWFC was so successful, he was able to earn a news internship with WPTA 21 Alive, Fort Wayne’s ABC television affiliate. In this role, Motta still gets to cover sports, but he is working more as a multimedia journalist. He says he’s “doing a little bit of everything,” including pitching story ideas, shooting videos, editing and writing scripts. “It has been amazing! I really like the team, and they made me feel comfortable since day one,” Motta said. “Of course, sports is a passion, but I also love to learn new things and explore new areas. This opportunity has provided me with the perfect match between the two.”

TA LWA R CO L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G & CO M P U T E R S C I E N C E S

CYBER WARRIORS WIN FIRST-EVER COLLEGIATE PENETRATION TESTING COMPETITION On Saturday, Oct. 15, Indiana Tech’s collegiate cyber competition team, the Cyber Warriors, won its first-ever Great Lakes Regional of the Collegiate Penetration Testing Competition (CPTC) by outperforming secondplace Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and third-place DePaul University. The win gives the Cyber Warriors—, who finished as a top 20 team globally for offensive cyber security, and the nation’s 12th-best defensive cyber security team last year— a second straight berth in the CPTC Global Finals, which will be held at RIT in January 2024. “This year I am incredibly proud of our team’s finish in just its third appearance in an offensive security event,” said coach Matt Hansen, an Indiana Tech alum who was a championship-winning Cyber Warrior himself during his time as a Tech student. “This is a major upset in the competition, as RIT is traditionally a top-three powerhouse team. We made a statement about Indiana Tech yesterday by knocking them down to second on the podium.” Over the years, the Cyber Warriors developed into a national

powerhouse by performing well in competitions where defending a computer network from outside attacks is the objective. In penetration testing competitions, participating teams go on the offensive. They conduct real-world penetration testing engagements to find, exploit and suggest remediations for security vulnerabilities. These tests are similar to those performed by companies, professional services firms and internal security departments around the world—preemptively hiring these professionals to break into their systems to know what vulnerabilities a real attacker might attempt to exploit. Members of the Cyber Warriors’ offensive security team are John Allen Rudolph, Garrett Bates, Myles Nieman, Bryce Murphy, Zak King, Nia Iott, Samuel Regelbrugge and Jeremy MacRoberts. With January’s CPTC Global Finals, the cyber competition season kicks off in earnest. The team will try to win its 10th straight and 17th overall Indiana Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition in January, with hopes of earning regional and national berths after that.

AUTUMN 2023

INDIANATECHWARRIORS.COM

INSIDE ATHLETICS BEST IN THE NATION Indiana Tech’s athletic program was the best in the nation among NAIA schools during the 202223 academic year. On Friday, Sept. 29, in front of a boisterous orange-clad crowd, the program earned its reward. Indiana Tech was presented the Learfield Directors’ Cup from Julie Work, executive vice president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), inside a packed Schaefer Center, just before the women’s volleyball team’s match against Lawrence Tech. Developed through a joint effort between Learfield—a media, data and technology services leader in intercollegiate athletics—NACDA and USA Today, the Learfield Directors’ Cup program recognizes each year’s most successful athletic programs in the nation. Programs earn points based on how well they finish championship events within their respective collegiate divisions. Indiana Tech topped all NAIA schools with 867.59 overall points to win its first-ever Learfield Directors’ Cup, beating out second-place Marian University (853.50). Leading up to this win, Tech had six straight top-10 finishes in the Learfield standings. “Indiana Tech has a track record of attracting outstanding student-athletes who achieve not only on their field of play, but in the classroom, as well,” said Indiana Tech President Dr. Karl. W. Einolf. 22

“Earning the Learfield Cup is a proud accomplishment for our university, and it’s a testament to how hard everyone within our athletic department works each year to create a winning environment for our student-athletes. Indiana Tech thanks you.” The recognition puts Indiana Tech in elite company as it joins fellow 2022-23 Learfield Cup winners Stanford (NCAA Division I), Grand Valley State (NCAA Division II) and Johns Hopkins (NCAA Division III) as the best athletic programs in the country. In addition, Eric Ward, commissioner of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, was on hand to present the athletic program with the Fred Smith Commissioner’s Cup, which is presented to the top-performing athletic department in the conference. Indiana Tech has won every Commissioner’s Cup since the 2016-17 academic year.

WARRIORS TEAM UP FOR DSANI BUDDY WALK Indiana Tech’s athletic program showed up in droves on Saturday, Sept. 9, to support the 25th annual Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana (DSANI) Buddy Walk in downtown Fort Wayne. The DSANI Buddy Walk is an acceptance walk and celebration that honors the accomplishments and abilities of those with Down syndrome. It is also the biggest fundraiser of the year for DSANI, an organization that enhances the lives of those living with Down syndrome in Northeast Indiana, advocates on their behalf, provides information and support to families and professionals, and promotes acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. Thirteen teams participated, represented by over 350 student-athletes from men’s and women’s cross-country, men’s and women’s hockey, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s wrestling, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, women’s lacrosse and the spirit teams. Tech’s student-athletes showed their support by cheering on and supporting the walkers while trying to help widen the scope of awareness of the event through their participation. “Our student-athletes look forward to participating in this event, and I am proud of how they represent Indiana Tech for this event and others like it,” said Director of Athletics Jessie Biggs.

FOLLOW INDIANA TECH’S ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT INDIANATECHWARRIORS.COM.

AUTUMN 2023

WARRIOR CONNECTIONS FROM THE DESK OF KRISTI JARMUS

Dear Warrior Alumni, Did you know that when you volunteer to share your work and life experiences with current students, those connections can play a huge role in helping them map their own career and life pathways? We’ve seen it happen already in this young academic year. ↘ Three recent alums shared advice and tips for navigating college with a group of first-year students. ↘ Many alumni participated in two career exploration workshops, which were hosted by Indiana Tech’s Career Center for more than 300 students. ↘ Alumni have spoken to or participated in on-campus and online classes. Those interactions may not seem that impactful but, believe me, they are. Any time you can share real-world experience with our students, it will be transformative. More often than not, first-hand knowledge is more relatable and inspiring to our students because it reinforces what they are learning in classrooms and labs. Secondly, you provide organic networking opportunities when you interact with students. In many cases, those interactions

will be beneficial to both the student and the corporation you represent. On several occasions, I have witnessed the start of an internship or employment conversation spark during events. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, our students look to alumni for mentorship and guidance. For many students, they may know where they want to go, but they have questions about how to get there. For others, maybe they need help identifying what they want to do, careerwise. You have been there and done that, and that’s why your insight is so valuable—whether it comes during a short interaction or several conversations.

Chris Beach, B.S. Criminal Justice, 2022, became Lawrenceburg, Kentucky’s chief of police in October.

Being an alumni volunteer can be a very gratifying experience; there is no shortage of ways one can contribute and your involvement can be academically focused or socially focused. If you think volunteering is a good fit for you, send an email to alumni@indianatech.edu and we will find a time to explore opportunities. I hope to hear from you soon.

Greg Trim,

Best to you this holiday season,

MBA-Management, 2006, was promoted to chief executive officer of Louisville, Kentucky-based ThermexThermatron Systems in June.

Kristi Jarmus Director of Alumni Relations

KEEP US CONNECTED! Your stories are what make Indiana Tech proud —and we want to hear from you! Share your successes, update your information, learn about the Alumni Association and find ways to connect with your peers, friends and faculty members on our website at Alumni.IndianaTech.edu, or scan the code to the right. You can also email your updates to alumni@IndianaTech.edu.

INDIANA TECH ALUMNI GROUP

@INDIANATECHALUM

INDIANA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

THANKS TO YOU

COMING SOON: TRODER HALL Because of generous support from our friends and donors, Indiana Tech continues to be a life-changing learning environment that motivates students toward lives of significance and worth, every day. Indiana Tech thanks longtime supporter W. Paul Troder, for whom the university’s newest residence hall on campus will be named. Mr. Troder earned a degree in civil engineering from Tech in 1951. Following his service in the U.S. military during the Korean War, he began a long and distinguished career as an engineer and entrepreneur. He founded Allied Moulded Products in Bryan, Ohio, growing the company to become the leading manufacturer of non-metallic electrical boxes and enclosures in the world today. Mr. Troder has also been a steadfast friend to Indiana Tech students throughout his life, from establishing the W. Paul Troder Scholarship to supporting the new residence hall project. Ground was broken on the

new residence hall in May 2023, with completion scheduled for summer 2024. Once complete, the new facility will include 124 rooms spread across four floors, featuring both private rooms with baths along with single bedrooms with shared bath facilities between each pair of rooms. There will also be common areas on each floor, including kitchen space, and outdoor gathering spaces around the building. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to honor Mr. Troder and the opening of the new residence hall will be held in the summer of 2024, with time and date still to be determined. To learn more about the project, scan the QR code or visit magazine. indianatech.edu/summer-2023/ rooms-to-grow.

AUTUMN 2023

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT BRANDON ALGER '18 BME

LIFE WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS When Brandon Alger was a high schooler in Leo, Indiana, associate professor of biomedical engineering Jack Phlipot came to speak in his class. “He brought sawbones and did demonstrations on a total joint procedure,” Alger recalls. “I was incredibly intrigued.” father was a structural engineer, so Brandon was A lger’s familiar with engineering, but he didn’t realize it might intersect with his interest in biology. “It was a foreign idea to me that there was engineering designed around orthopedic and medical devices,” Alger says. Since graduating from Indiana Tech’s biomedical engineering program in 2018, he has become a product manager and senior product development engineer for WishBone Medical, a globally focused pediatric orthopedic company based in Warsaw, Indiana.

as the regular-season title in 2012 and NAIA opening-round appearances both seasons. He was inducted into Tech’s Athletic Hall of Fame for these accomplishments this fall. Following sophomore year, he was drafted by the San Diego Padres to play professionally, leading him from Fort Wayne to Eugene, Oregon; Lake Elsinore, California; and San Antonio, Texas, where he ended his career with the Missions in Double-A. That’s when Alger returned to Tech to finish his degree. “I kept in touch with Professor Phlipot and professor Amy Shank while I was away,” Alger says. “Coming back, I asked them: What do I have to do to get re-enrolled? And they said, ‘We’ll work with you and do what we can to help.’” Back on campus, Alger landed a part-time job in Parkview Hospital’s operating room as a perioperative resource assistant, spending nights and weekends prepping patients for surgery and watching surgeons use orthopedic devices firsthand. His coursework built upon this knowledge, tapping into the industry insights of faculty, like Phlipot, who were veterans of what is known as the Orthopedic Capital of the World—Warsaw.

Alger is part of a team that designs and improves implants to meet the needs of children suffering from orthopedic issues, like Blount’s disease (knock-knee).

“The faculty at Indiana Tech understand the design controls and the FDA pathways to get orthopedic devices cleared, so the program really brings that into focus your junior and senior years,” Alger says.

“One patient who came to us at WishBone was a kid who had trouble walking due to Blount’s disease, and after his surgery, he was able to stand up straight and partake in some level of activity and sports,” Alger says.

Junior year, his courses focused on a total joint project, where he and other students designed and produced implants for total knee replacements, using 3D printers, and then implanted their devices in cadavers at the lab.

Ironically, the desire to play sports himself led Alger to delay his career ambitions for about four years. While he loved his early biomedical engineering courses at Tech, working on cadavers in the lab, he also played baseball and became a pillar of Tech’s pitching rotation from 2010 to 2012.

“There are so many things you don’t think about until you get into surgery with a cadaver,” Alger says. “Being able to iterate in the lab and test concepts allows you to get the perfect product down the line.”

During this time, Alger helped the team achieve a record of 77-44 and win the WHAC tournament title in 2011, as well

To this day, Alger credits Tech with helping him and other students enter the workforce career-ready by having exposure to cadavers and devices as early as freshman year.

LOWER LEF T: Alger, who pitched for Indiana Tech from 2010 to 2012, poses with Warriors baseball coach Kip McWilliams during the 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

“Our interns from Indiana Tech at WishBone have a better understanding of what the job and career entails—even compared to interns from larger schools or programs held in higher esteem—who haven’t had that same exposure,” Alger says. As a result, he continues to give back to Tech by coordinating labs and encouraging students to partake and ask questions about the iterative process that is development engineering in orthopedics. “This fall, we’re doing our fourth lab with WishBone at Indiana Tech, where we’ll interact with students, so they can see firsthand the development process that takes place in the industry, just as I did,” Alger says. Ultimately, it’s all about helping people live more fulfilling lives. “That’s the drive behind working for an orthopedic company,” Alger says. “You know you’re doing something in people’s lives that allows them to live without restrictions.”

AUTUMN 2023

GIVING BACK JEFF WITTE '23 PHD GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

A LEGACY OF LEARNING When Jeff Witte enrolled in Indiana Tech’s Ph.D. in Global Leadership program, he was nearing retirement as a police chief in suburban Cincinnati.

35 years in policing, and along the way, I accumulated “I spent master’s degrees in criminal justice and educational leadership,” Witte says. “I decided if I have two master’s degrees, I should look for a terminal degree.” Little did he know at the time that his passion for learning would lead him to a life-changing opportunity soon after earning his Ph.D. from Indiana Tech in 2023. “One of my former faculty put me in touch with a professor at Trent University in Canada who was working on a book called Effective Police Leadership in the 21st Century,” Witte says. “He put out a call for chapters, and I was accepted as a chapter author in his book, currently in press with McGraw-Hill.” This chapter has snowballed into a full-fledged retirement project for Witte, combining his police experience with

“IT’S COMMON TO GET 12 TO 18 STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PRACTICUMS, BUT ONLY SIX TO 10 CAN PARTICIPATE BECAUSE OF THE COST. DEFRAYING THESE COSTS IS THE FOCUS OF MY GIVING TO THE UNIVERSITY RIGHT NOW...” Jeff Witte PH.D. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

knowledge gained from his doctoral dissertation, which evaluated policing tactics and leadership across diverse cultures—from Yonkers, New York, to Kigali, Rwanda. “For my dissertation, I analyzed police leadership through a model called distributed leadership, which is used extensively in education, but not often applied to policing,” Witte says. “It doesn’t look at individual heroic leadership, where a single leader comes in and solves all the problems. Instead, it looks at leadership as something that creates practices through the interaction of leaders, followers and the situation combined.” By modifying this model to reflect police organizations, Witte has identified key practices that can help public safety officers in various cultures deliver customer satisfaction with their services. “As our societies become increasingly multicultural and diverse, delivering police services to various populations and satisfying them becomes more difficult,” Witte says. “There is not a one-sizefits-all approach, but the closest research has come to that so far is the idea of procedural justice or treating people in a just way.”

A crucial element to informing this conclusion was Witte’s visit to Kigali as part of his global practicum, which the doctoral degree program offers students as a three-credit-hour course. Witte opted for an independent practicum to attend an International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Kigali, where he met Rwanda’s president and attended a private tour of the Kigali Genocide Memorial, along with other events and experiences, like a gorilla trek. “On our trek, we were joined by two gentlemen with machine guns because there’s still unrest in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Witte says. “We talk about crime and violence in the U.S., but visiting Rwanda helped me understand how crime is experienced differently in other cultures.” Upon returning to the U.S. and graduating, Witte felt inspired to create the Jeffrey H. Witte Ph.D. Global Practicum Endowment at Indiana Tech. Beginning this fall, it will provide Tech’s global leadership program with funding to assist students and faculty with the costs associated with global practicum participation and administration. “I’ve heard from faculty it’s common to get 12 to 18 students interested in practicums, but only six to 10 can participate because of the cost,” Witte says. “Defraying these costs is what my giving to the university is focused on right now because cross-cultural experience is so important. It’s hard to put it into words.” While he still resides near Cincinnati, Witte hopes to lend his experience and education to Tech’s criminal justice program through online teaching, too. Ultimately, he sees giving back to his alma mater as a way of paying homage to his father, who gave generously to his own schools and instilled in Witte a legacy of lifelong learning.

Jeff Witte, right, shakes hands with Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, during his global practicum visit to Kigali, Rwanda.

“To the best of our ability, it’s important to share what we can with the institutions that have served us, so they can continue to provide quality experiences to others—especially when you’re a doctoral alum,” Witte says. “You have reached the highest academic level the university can provide you, and at this level, I believe there’s an inherent responsibility to share with students following in your footsteps.”

AUTUMN 2023

BUILDING A CENTURY OF EXCELLENCE A Comprehensive Campaign for Indiana Tech Indiana Tech offers the best of both worlds—the extensive academic and cultural opportunities of a major university and the small classes and close personal attention of a smaller institution. Students are not a number on a class roster; they are people with unique interests, skills, challenges and goals. To continue to best serve these amazing students, Indiana Tech must collaborate with alumni, friends, corporate partners and foundations to ensure the resources are in place to continue the university’s upward trajectory of student success. In 2018, the Building a Century of Excellence: A Comprehensive Campaign for Indiana Tech was launched, seeking to raise $19,785,000, and focuses on four project areas, including: The Zollner Engineering Center Expansion and Renovation — $10,000,000; Student Scholarships — $5,000,000; Enhancing Student Success — $3,785,000; and Excellence in Athletics — $1,000,000.

$10,000,000 Zollner Engineering Center Expansion and Renovation This much-needed expansion and renovation project will enable Indiana Tech to renovate the current engineering center and build an addition that will nearly double the center’s size. The new and updated space will include new labs and classrooms, updated equipment and modernized student engagement spaces to facilitate collaborative learning. This new space will assist in producing new engineers with excellent problem-solving skills and position them for leadership in a global 21st century society.

$5,000,000

Student Scholarships Scholarships provide college access and a pathway to graduation success. The scholarship areas include endowed scholarships, spendable scholarships, Last-Mile Scholarship and the Emergency Fund. These scholarships will generate financial assistance for all students for generations to come.

Thanks to the support of the Tech community, we have been able to increase the goal to $26,235,000 and have raised $27,000,000 to date.

$3,785,000

We are not finished yet. There is still a need for more resources to enhance student success, supporting students academically outside of the classroom, supporting the final stretch of the Zollner expansion and renovation, and scholarships for students.

The nature of today’s college experience requires a broader and deeper approach to student advising and support. This is true for students who learn on our main campus, and those who learn online around the country. These dollars support the McMillen Library, Office of Student Success and a wide range of resources for helping students reach graduation.

Please consider helping Indiana Tech prepare for its next 100 years with a gift to the Building a Century of Excellence campaign.

Enhancing Student Success

$1,000,000

Excellence in Athletics As a student-athlete, choosing the right university is an important decision. Along with the potential to play on a nationally recognized team, student-athletes seek an institution that will help them become successful students. In order to recruit and retain the best student-athletes, we must provide athletic facilities to stand out and stay competitive.

The Zollner Engineering Center expansion and renovation (pictured lower left) is nearly complete! Already, it is proving to be an innovative and inspiring new learning environment for our students.

YES! I want to support the Building a Century of Excellence Campaign.

IF PAYING BY CHECK, SEND TO: Indiana Tech Institutional Advancement 1600 E. Washington Blvd. Fort Wayne, IN 46803

Donate by using the form below, or safely online by scanning the code or visit giving.indianatech.edu.

Indiana Tech does not sell or share donor information with other organizations. Your gift is tax deductible as provided by law.

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Zollner Engineering Center Expansion and Renovation

Last-Mile Scholarship

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Enhancing Student Success

Excellence in Athletics

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Excellence in Athletics, specific sport:

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IN MEMORIAM

Indiana Tech commemorates the following alumni and friends of the university who have recently passed on. If you would like to send a memorial gift to honor someone, please contact Dan Grigg at 800.937.2448, ext. 2440. 1940s

Howard W. McKee Macomb, Michigan Mechanical Drafting, 1950

James H. Hipple Lancaster, Ohio Mechanical Engineering, 1967

1950s

Gordon L. Rehmeyer Baltimore, Maryland Electrical Engineering, 1958

Gene A. Hironimus Elk Grove, California Aeronautical Engineering, 1961

Robert O. Aspy Zionsville, Indiana Mechanical Engineering, 1951

Walter M. Roberts Tucson, Arizona Civil Engineering, 1955

Manuel Medina Guayaquil, Ecuador Electrical Engineering, 1964

William W. Close Poughkeepsie, New York Mechanical Engineering, 1950

Thomas A. Tomaine Dunmore, Pennsylvania Aeronautical Engineering, 1957

Stanley J. Prozny Buffalo, New York Aerospace Engineering, 1967

John R. Duff Whitehouse, Ohio Mechanical Engineering, 1959

Eugene R. Van Kley Lebanon, Indiana Electronic Engineering, 1959

James T. Scroggin Carlisle, Pennsylvania Mechanical Engineering, 1960

Samuel L. Folley Williamsport, Maryland Electrical Engineering, 1957

John R. Wencil Columbia, Tennessee Aeronautical Engineering, 1958

1970s

Clark K. Fong Los Angeles, California Civil Engineering, 1953

Donald E. Williams La Canada, California Electrical Engineering, 1957

Joseph F. Foy Fort Wayne, Indiana Electronic Engineering, 1955

Kenneth A. Young Altoona, Pennsylvania Civil Engineering, 1956

Bohdan W. Kulchyckyj Arnold, Maryland Civil Engineering, 1957

1960s

Stanley Witkowski Northfield, Ohio Aeronautical Engineering, 1949

August E. Maier Venice, Florida Mechanical Engineering, 1950

Frank Ello Vernon, Connecticut Aerospace Engineering, 1965

Robert F. Finley Rockville Centre, New York Aerospace Engineering, 1974 Donald R. Vaughan Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts Mechanical Engineering, 1973 1990s Douglas McLean Noblesville, Indiana Business Administration, 1990

Remembering Mary Wisley DEC. 29, 1931 – JULY 23, 2023 The Indiana Tech community was saddened to learn of the passing of Mary Wisley this past July. Mary served as executive assistant to Don Andorfer, who was Indiana Tech’s president from 1985 to 2003. She was well known for her loving, kind and friendly nature towards all, and was highly regarded by generations of Indiana Tech students, faculty, staff and alumni. “Mary was truly special,” said President Andorfer. “She really knew how to run an executive office, and everyone knew her as the one who was in charge when I was away from the university. Mary believed in Indiana Tech with a passion demonstrated by her commitment to students, loyal attendance at sporting events, participation in fundraising campaigns and involvement in campus social events. She will be missed.” Mary was preceded in death by her husband, John Wisley, and children Cheryl Robbins, Debra Brooks and Michael Hickey. She is survived by six grandchildren— Janet, Nick, Aaron, Jeannette, Justin and Steven — along with numerous greatgrandchildren. Her wisdom and kindness will be remembered by all who knew her.

“MARY BELIEVED IN INDIANA TECH WITH A PASSION...” Don Andorfer INDIANA TECH PRESIDENT, 1985–2003

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

1600 EAST WASHINGTON BLVD FORT WAYNE, INDIANA 46803

PAID

FORT WAYNE, IN PERMIT NO. 159

REMEMBER THIS? How many people remember shopping at Kroger and SupeRX?

That’s right—if you were a student at Indiana Tech during much of the ‘60s and ‘70s, getting groceries or picking up some cold medicine was as easy as walking to the east end of campus. This photo was taken in January 1964 from what is now right field of the Warriors’ baseball field. The former shopping center is now the Warrior Fieldhouse—the longtime home of Indiana Tech’s buildings and grounds department, the book room and athletic facilities and offices.

Do you have memories of shopping here? Do you remember the smell of beer brewing down at the Falstaff brewery? Did you ever picnic at Memorial Park? Did you ever get ice cream from the stand across Maumee Avenue from campus? Email your memories of what Indiana Tech’s neighborhood was like when you attended to alumni@indianatech.edu. You might see your recollections in the next issue of Indiana Tech Magazine.