South Bend Regional Chamber Of Commerce: Garatonis Invest $2.5M In Ivy Tech

Press release from the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce:

March 18, 2021

The Ivy Tech Community College South Bend-Elkhart Campus has received a $2.5 million donation from Larry and Judy Garatoni to enable facility renovations, training equipment purchases and student scholarships.

Larry Garatoni shared, “It is important to recognize and support the great work that Ivy Tech is doing now to prepare our region for the future. We are very fortunate to have great leadership and an excellent and dedicated staff at our South Bend and Elkhart campus locations.  I strongly encourage others to engage with and contribute to Ivy Tech and invest in the future of our great region.”

The gift will enhance the facilities that support student services at the College’s South Bend location.  It will also support state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing and information technology training at the campus’ “Center for Advanced manufacturing and Automation” which is scheduled to open this fall at the College’s Elkhart location. The new 10,400 square foot, stand-alone structure, will allow Ivy Tech to support the needs of regional manufacturers in the fields of Automation/Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

“Larry and Judy’s gift will help transform both locations of our South Bend-Elkhart campus” said Ivy Tech’s South Bend Elkhart Chancellor David Balkin. “The Garatoni family understands that a career-focused education is the best pathway that many students have for a successful life.”

“We are grateful to Larry and Judy for this generous gift that will continue to help us fulfill our mission to the State of Indiana.  It will ensure the South Bend-Elkhart facilities are ‘student ready’ and that our graduates are ‘workforce ready’,” shared Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann.

This press release was produced by the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.