Ivy Tech Community College’s multi-campus partnership with Eli Lilly and Company and Purdue University to expand Indiana’s tech talent pipeline received the Ascend Indiana Talent Innovation Award, one of 17 Mira Awards. The Mira Awards by TechPoint honor Indiana’s top technology innovators, disruptors, business leaders, and game-changers. TechPoint recognized the partnership between Ivy Tech, Eli Lilly and Purdue for “its thoughtful, employer-driven approach to expanding Indiana’s tech talent pipeline at scale.”
The partnership is focused on strengthening Indiana as a leader in biotechnology, including a $15 million investment in the Lilly Scholars program that covers tuition, fees and wrap around services for students pursuing an education in a number of fields related to pharmaceutical manufacturing; the development and execution of a new K12 biotech pathway, “Lilly Pathfinder,” and state of the art biotech and industry 4.0 labs at 16 Tech and on the Indianapolis campus.
We are honored to be recognized alongside our partners at Eli Lilly and Purdue. Together, we’re not only preparing students for high-demand careers, we are strengthening Indiana’s position as a national leader in biotechnology.
– Molly Dodge, Senior Vice President for Workforce and Careers at Ivy Tech
Judges noted the program’s “seamless coordination across major institutions, its ability to extend existing models into new regions and disciplines, and its clear alignment with real workforce needs.”
“With strong funding, strategic design, and a direct pathway from training to employment, the initiative demonstrates a powerful, statewide blueprint for talent innovation,” the judges said.
Ivy Tech previously received the 2024 Community Impact Award for the Ivy+ IT Academy, a program that fills a crucial gap in Indiana's rapidly expanding tech sector by providing accelerated IT training to Indiana residents.
The Mira Awards, first given in 1999, showcase the state's most advanced achievements across multiple industries and highlight the spirit of innovation that defines Indiana’s digital economy. A total of 386 Mira Awards have been presented, selected from thousands of nominations by a team of independent judges that evaluate each finalist following live presentations. In total, TechPoint received 231 submissions for this year’s awards.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
