Ivy Tech Community College has named Dr. Stacy Atkinson as chancellor for the new Hamilton County campus, effective March 1.
The College recently announced its Hamilton County location in Noblesville would become its 19th full-service campus with expanded programming to meet the needs of Hamilton County students, employers, and the community. Hamilton County is the state’s fourth-largest and fastest-growing county, with Ivy Tech enrollment at the location already exceeding that of several full-service campuses.
Atkinson
“Hamilton County has a tremendous amount of opportunity for partnerships in the name of the current and future workforce,” Atkinson said. “Starting up a new campus speaks to my skills and tremendous passion for the organization and its mission. I am truly humbled to be leading the efforts and am enthusiastic for the success of Hamilton County.”
Atkinson currently serves as chancellor of the Richmond campus and Connersville site. In 2017, she moved from the executive director of Strategic Initiatives role with Systems Office to serve as vice chancellor of Academic Affairs at the Richmond campus. In 2019, she served as interim chancellor and was later named as chancellor after a national search.
At the beginning of Atkinson’s time at the Richmond campus, an opportunity to serve the cadets at the Hoosier Youth Challenge Academy (HYCA) was presented. She was key in forming the partnership that allowed for an Ivy Tech instructor to teach courses at the HYCA site to the cadets so they could earn college credit for their future.
During her time as Chancellor, Atkinson understood the needs of the local community and worked to develop strong relationships with four-year partners. Most notably, she was instrumental in developing an articulation agreement with Earlham College, which allows Ivy Tech students who have earned an associate degree in biology, chemistry, computer science, business administration, psychology, or human services to transfer to Earlham as juniors knowing every credit they have taken will count toward their degree requirements.
Additionally, most recently, Atkinson along with the help of the Ivy Tech Richmond Foundation launched a fully-equipped wellness center on the campus for faculty and staff usage and hopefully later, the students.
Atkinson started her time at Ivy Tech in January 2015. She has served in various roles at the College including early childhood adjunct instructor for the Muncie campus (prior to joining Ivy Tech full-time) and senior instructional designer with the Center for Instructional Technology. She is a certified SIMPLEX Creative Problem Solving trainer, facilitator, and coach. As part of her work when serving as the executive director of Strategic Initiatives, Atkinson was heavily involved in the development of Ivy Tech’s strategic plan in 2017.
“Dr. Atkinson brings the skill of an experienced chancellor, as well as an energy, innovative spirit, and leadership to establish the academic and workforce programs which will meet the needs of Hamilton County students, employers, and communities,” said Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann. “Further, Dr. Atkinson will engage as a CEO and academic leader to ensure speed and agility in all of our partnerships and endeavors.”
Prior to relocating to Hamilton County where she and her family reside, Atkinson served as program chair for the Early Care and Education program at the Technical College of the Lowcountry in South Carolina, after being honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps. During her time in the Marine Corps, she served as an Avionics Technician and worked on the F/A 18A fighter jet during both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Between the Marine Corps and moving to higher education, she spent time in an elementary school classroom where she was a second-grade teacher at Shell Point Elementary in Beaufort, S.C.
As a service to the profession of Early Childhood, Atkinson serves on the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Commission on Accreditation of Higher Education programs. As a native Spanish speaker and English language learner, her passion for children and their literacy is an important component of her work with AMIGOS Latino Centers, PHASE Foundation and Girls, Inc. Additional boards she currently serves on include the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and the Reid Health Community Benefit Council. In 2020, she was named one of the Indiana Business Journal’s Forty Under 40, which recognizes leadership talent in Indiana.
Atkinson earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2008, a Master of Arts degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina in 2010, and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University in 2012. She earned her PhD in Adult Learning and Development from Lesley University in 2016. She is the proud wife to Keith, whom she met in the Marine Corps, and mom to Kelsey, 11, and Jordan, 7.