Overview

The AirPark Columbus College Campus, home to three public post-secondary institutions: Ivy Tech Community College, Purdue Polytechnic Columbus, and Indiana University Purdue University Columbus, seeks to implement a program designed to address the education and workforce impacts of the pandemic experienced by low-income students. The AirPark Campus Student Success and Employment Program will focus on providing support to increase enrollment and completion rates for low-income students and prospective students. Program includes development and construction of the Bridge Student Success and Employment Center, which will serve as a “connection” hub that will provide low-income populations with access to financial and academic resources. Additionally, service access roads will be constructed to provide better campus accessibility. The Community Education Coalition (CEC), the non-profit responsible for management of the Columbus Learning Center, will provide funding for the construction, equipment, and technology of The Bridge. Ivy Tech, IUPUC, Purdue Polytechnic and CEC will provide funding for personnel. READI funding will be used towards construction of service access roads, as well as supplement start-up of The Bridge program. The access roads are anticipated to begin the final design process beginning in July 2022, with the completion of construction in November 2023. The Program is geared to launch in July 2022. The Program will help low-income populations to stay and complete school successfully by providing access to financial and academic resources. Additionally, the Program will provide access for students to well-paying internship and job opportunities through employer networking events, workshops, and on-campus interviews.