Ivy Tech off and running with new ASAP program

In short, you might say ASAP is happening PDQ.

In this case, ASAP is the Associate Accelerated Program at the Ivy Tech Greencastle campus, offering an affordable associate's degree achieved debt-free in 11 months for less than $10,000. Any way you look at it, that's pretty darn quick.

And in less time than even that, the program has gone from idea to implementation.

Ivy Tech Greencastle ASAP coordinator Amanda Ostoich (center) chats with Karen Heavin of the National Center for College Costs Friday during the Fall Reception and Kickoff for the program. Heavin, who previously did college and career work for Area 30 Career Center, has worked with eight of the nine Putnam County students in the new Ivy Tech program, including (clockwise from her right) Greencastle High School graduates Bryan Pham and Noah Barger and Daniel Grundlock and Taylor VanSickle, who both graduated from South Putnam.

A noon luncheon Friday at Ivy Tech served as the Fall Reception and Kickoff for the ASAP program on the local campus.

The "first wave" of ASAP students -- including nine from Putnam County schools (Greencastle, South Putnam and Cloverdale) and one from Eminence -- represent "the fruit of our labors at those initial meetings," Greencastle Ivy Tech Campus President Greg Cook told the Banner Graphic.

"The local schools are very positive and excited about the program," he added.

The target audience for ASAP is the local schools, while Ivy Tech is also working closely with Cascade, Eminence and Danville, Cook said.

While Cook noted that two degree programs (liberal arts and business with more to come later) are under way on the Greencastle campus, the inaugural ASAP class mingled with supporters like Dave Murray of the National Center for College Costs, former Mayor Mike Harmless, a member of the Ivy Tech Foundation Board, current Mayor Bill Dory, faculty members and others.

While the degree effort is an accelerated approach, the program development has also been fast-tracked.

The local ASAP coordinator, the ever-animated Amanda Ostoich, didn't even come on board until March.

During the Fall Reception and Kickoff Friday afternoon for the ASAP effort at Ivy Tech in Greencastle, Campus President Greg Cook converses with students about the innovative new program that puts participants on track to earn an associate's degree in 11 months.

Yet by the summer session of classes, eight ASAP students were enrolled locally, earning their first 12 summer credits en route to a crash courseload of 60 in 11 months (June to May). That means back-to-back semesters of 25 credits both fall and spring.

"We haven't really decided on a target number of students (for the program)," Ostoich told the Banner Graphic. "We could do 30 to 40 without needing more (faculty) help. We have to be able to handle that many and still give proper individual attention."

After completion of the program, students can transfer their credits to a four-year school, where they can finish a bachelor's degree in just two more years.

The bottom line remains this: ASAP can help students earn their degree and transition into a bachelor's degree with less debt and more support, Ivy Tech officials stress.

And those four-year colleges have their eyes on ASAP students, many of whom might previously have been at risk for ever attending college. With the Greencastle campus becoming the 15th Ivy Tech facility to join the effort, there is already history with the four-year Indiana schools.

In fact, Ivy Tech ASAP Director Jeffrey Jourdan said Indiana State University is on board with an ASAP student-specific scholarship, the University of Indianapolis has a full-tuition scholarship available and Marian University is offering a $14,000 scholarship for qualified ASAP grads.

"Those four-year schools know what kind of students they're getting out of this program," supporter Dave Murray said, indicating that the schools are aware of the commitment and effort ASAP students are making to attend classes five days a week for 11 straight months.

Murray and wife Sue, the former two-term Greencastle mayor, have made a three-year personal commitment to assist the ASAP effort. Friday afternoon that paid off for four students who were named winners of the initial Murray Scholarships -- Logan Butler and Noah Barger of Greencastle High School, and Daniel Grundlock and Taylor VanSickle of South Putnam.

The program is currently for students age 18-21 who must have family support in the form of a place to live rent-free and worry-free about their meals. That wy they can concentate on their concentrated dose of classes.

ASAP is seen as an affordable option -- saving students both time and money -- with Ivy Tech tuition just shy of $8,000 ($7,987) for 60 credit hours and a total cost of about $10,000 once books and fees are included.

By contrast, 60 credit hours would cost $49,076 at IU Bloomington, $46,064 at Purdue, $38,022 at IUPUI or $37,416 at Indiana State, Ivy Tech officials said.

Named winners Friday of the initial Murray Scholarships were Ivy Tech Greencastle ASAP students (from left) Logan Butler and Noah Barger, graduates of Greencastle High School, and Daniel Grundlock of South Putnam, supporter Dave Murray of the National Center for College Costs in Greencastle, Taylor VanSickle of South Putnam and ASAP Coordinator Amanda Ostoich.

"When I first took this job," Campus President Cook said, "I couldn't think of a program that was a better fit for this community. I couldn't be any happier about the program and ASAP in Greencastle."

And so far," everyone is doing well and on track" toward finishing their accelerated degree on time, Cook said.

"Amanda is doing a bang-up job," he said of the ASAP coordinator.

Meanwhile, she praised the students in her charge.

"The students who joined us this summer are already one-fifth of their way to their degree," Ostoich said to applause.

In other words, ASAP is happening PDQ.