"The trustees of the Indiana Vocational Technnical College (hereinafter called the 'State Board'), acting under the power and authority granted by 'An Act (1963) to create and establish the Indiana Vocational Technical College,' (1C-20-12-61 as amended (1965 and 1971), hereinafter referred to as the 'Act'), does hereby establish and issue this charter for the Regional Institute named below."
The Practical Nursing program began back in 1960 as part of the Fort Wayne Community Schools. The college, under the name of Indiana Vocational Technical College, began admitting Practical Nursing Students in 1983. The Practical Nursing program was first accredited by the NLN AC in 2010 as the Ivy Tech Community College PN and ASN programs were accredited statewide as one school of nursing. From that time, the Wabash Practical Nursing students were included with the Fort Wayne Practical Nursing students using the same program code for NCLEX examinations. One Practical Nursing Chair and nursing faculty have been shared between the Fort Wayne campus and the Wabash instructional site. The nursing dean for the Fort Wayne Service Area supervises the nursing chairs and faculty at both Wabash and Fort Wayne.
The library’s coming-of-age story is rather dramatic based on its humble beginnings. “In its first iteration [1973] it was the size of a classroom and a half, and had two computers, which required a visitor to have a staff member to do a book search, and it wasn’t even the Dark Ages,” said retired library director of 22 years, Sharon Hultquist (Inside Ivy Tech Magazine, Winter 2013).
Indeed, in the June 18, 1970 meeting notes from the advisory board one can find: “A room has been set aside for the library purposes. It has shelving and several tables and chairs. Presently it is supervised by a clerical person. Only a few books are currently on hand. The 1970-71 budget shows $10,000 designated for library development.” The college’s 1971 report to the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools noted 850 books and 28 periodicals were purchased.
