Ivy Tech, Indiana State appoint director of Pathway to Blue program

Ivy Tech, Indiana State appoint director of Pathway to Blue program

TERRE HAUTE – Ivy Tech Community College and Indiana State University have appointed Sadé (Walker) Heaton as the director of the Pathway to Blue program, which offers students a bridge from high school to Indiana State through Ivy Tech.

As Pathway to Blue director, Heaton guides students to complete one-year of coursework through Ivy Tech on Indiana State’s campus, to complete the Indiana College Core certificate before transferring to Indiana State. Heaton coordinates all aspects of the program, bringing together faculty and staff from Indiana State and Ivy Tech to provide continuous improvement for recruitment and retention of students.

“Since becoming director of the program, I have been taking the time to get to know each student, their educational and career goals, and what motivates them,” said Heaton. “Every time I meet with them, I am inspired to work even harder to ensure their success. In addition, I have been focusing on the academic side of the program, building in additional structured study hours for the students to get more one-on-one attention. Finally, we are working on developing more programming that focuses on the transition from high school to college, metacognition in the classroom, and how to get involved with the college community.”

Heaton has served in the higher education field for 11 years. Previously, Heaton served as director of institutional assessment at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) in Maryland. In this role, she evaluated the effectiveness of college-wide processes and student success initiatives, and also co-developed continuous improvement strategies. Also at PGCC, Heaton served as an adjunct professor and employee mentor to students. Prior to PGCC, Heaton taught political science at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

The Pathway to Blue program is invite-only. Students gain admission to Indiana State after successfully completing the Indiana College Core to earn 30 transferable credit hours. All Pathway to Blue students can choose to live on Indiana State’s campus while completing the program. Students who have applied to Indiana State and have an official transcript on file are notified of their eligibility.

About Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech Community College serves communities across Indiana, providing world-class education and driving economic transformation. It is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering high-value degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its communities, along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.