Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
FORT WAYNE – Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne & Kosciusko County celebrated its 56th annual commencement ceremony on Friday, May 8 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
The college saw more than 2,000 students graduate in Fort Wayne & Kosciusko County and conferred more than 3,100 degrees, certificates and technical certificates.
The class of 2026’s student speaker was Dalen Banks, who graduated with a transfer degree in psychology from the School of Arts, Sciences & Education.
“Behind the scenes is always ugly,” Banks said in his address. “It is preparation for something that looks beautiful. Everybody here right now with a cap and gown on is the finished product.”
The college gives two Curtis Awards each year: one recognizing an outstanding graduate from the College’s career and technical schools, and the other, the university/transfer schools. This year’s career and technical schools award winner was Nahla Namasté from the School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering & Applied Science, and the college’s university/transfer schools award recipient was Anna Johnston from the School of Nursing.
The Curtis Award winners are chosen from among the Ivy Tech Fort Wayne & Kosciusko County Outstanding Student Awards, which are awarded to one student per academic school. This year’s Outstanding Student Awards went to the following students:
Aritzel Bahena – School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management
Madison Hauptmann – School of Information Technology
Jadon Heckaman – School of Business, Logistics & Supply Chain
Anna Johnston – School of Nursing
Jennifer Kaufeld – Garatoni School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Amy Minard – School of Health Sciences
Gracie Marzion – School of Public Affairs & Social Services
Nahla Namasté – School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering & Applied Science
Levi Stendahl – School of Arts, Sciences & Education
“To our graduates: You are an inspiration,” Chancellor Dr. Kim Barnett-Johnson said during the ceremony. “You are the reason we do what we do.”
Each Ivy Tech across the state nominates the winner of its President’s Award, which goes to a full-time faculty member, for the Glenn W. Sample Founder’s Award for Excellence in Instruction. The Ivy Tech Fort Wayne & Kosciusko County nominee is Associate Professor & Department Chair for Life Sciences, Diane Lewis.
Each Ivy Tech across the state nominates the winner of its Adjunct Faculty Award, which goes to a part-time faculty member. These nominees are then eligible for the Gerald I. Lamkin Award for adjunct faculty members. The Ivy Tech Fort Wayne & Kosciusko County nominee for the statewide Lamkin Award is Human Services Adjunct Dr. Rebecca Coleman.
