EVANSVILLE – Ivy Tech will give free laptop computers to new students enrolling in the community college’s fall 2022 semester.
The Evansville campus has received $250,000 in federal assistance to be used for the laptops, said Marsha Jackson, Ivy Tech spokeswoman. It will also provide scholarships for students who do not qualify for other financial aid but still have a financial need.
Jackson said the laptops will be Dell computers and will be available as long as supplies last. Enrollment is happening now for classes beginning Aug. 22.
Details about additional requirements for receiving the laptops, such as course completion, are still being determined, she said.
While the laptops are only for new students, Ivy Tech offers a laptop loaner program for students who have already enrolled.
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“Our student base often needs additional assistance. We have a wide variety of funding to help students with their needs. We want to make sure students have what they need to complete their work,” Jackson said. “We learned a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
When Ivy Tech’s campus was closed during the pandemic, school officials discovered some students did not have Wi-Fi internet or computers, with some students even driving to the school’s parking lot to get Wi-Fi access.
“We had students using their phones to attend (online) classes. They were writing papers on their phones,” Jackson said.
Ivy Tech responded by creating outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots in areas around its campus for students to use. Funding was found to repurpose laptops and buy new ones for loaning students.
Ivy Tech enrollment opportunities:
July 26 and August 2: Tuesdays@theTech, 9 am-6 pm, students and families can tour campus, meet with an admissions representative, talk with financial aid, meet with career coaches and more.
July 26: Ivy Tech School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation Information Session, noon-1 pm, on 2n.d floor Commons. Meet with Dean Chris Kiefer and Department Chair Chase Coslett to learn more about the program.
July 26: School Spotlight – Human Services Program, 2 pm, VIRTUAL event on Facebook (@IvyTechEvansville).
To RSVP for Tuesdays@theTech sessions go to https://link.ivytech.edu/TTT.