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On Valentine’s Day, Friday, Feb. 14, ������Ƶ Indianapolis showed its love and gratitude to its dedicated faculty and staff during the 2025 Employee Appreciation Celebration. The event, hosted by the Human Resources (HR) team with support from the Events team, was a heartfelt tribute to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of the College’s employees, who are the backbone of the campus community.

The celebration, held at the Conference Center and Culinary Institute, featured a delicious meal catered by Sahm’s Catering, raffle prizes, cake pops made by Ivy Indy culinary students, and a special recognition of employees who have reached significant milestones in their service to the College—ranging from five to 35 years. Additionally, the event honored all staff and faculty who will be retiring from the College in 2024, celebrating their years of service and contributions to ������Ƶ.

Fred Parker, vice chancellor of HR and administration, introduced the event with a warm welcome, setting the tone for an afternoon of appreciation and reflection.

Dr. Stacy Atkinson, chancellor of ������Ƶ Indianapolis, took the stage to highlight the progress made on the top 28 ideas that emerged from last fall’s Chancellor’s Focus Groups. These groups were designed to enhance the campus environment, support student success, and strengthen community ties. She expressed her gratitude to the faculty and staff who participated in the focus groups and noted their invaluable contributions.

“Your Cabinet and I worked really hard navigating through all of those notes and were able to narrow down to 28 ideas,” Dr. Atkinson shared. “Today, I will share the ideas that emerged from the Chancellor’s Focus Groups, with a special spotlight on five initiatives that are already making significant strides.”

Among the 28 ideas, Dr. Atkinson highlighted several initiatives already underway, including expanding mental health training to satellite locations, increasing collaboration between Career Link and Academic Affairs, replacing a weathered flag on campus, and a plan for our presence in Plainfield

“We held training at our Lawrence site on Friday, Jan. 31, and were pleased to host 50 participants at this first training session,” Dr. Atkinson said, referring to the mental health training expansion. 

Another standout initiative is the increased collaboration between Career Link and Academic Affairs, which Dr. Atkinson described as a “shining example” of how the College is working together to serve students better.

“The collaboration between Career Link and Academic Affairs is creating a more cohesive relationship, ensuring that we are fully aligned to support student success in their academic and professional journeys,” she said.

Dr. Atkinson also shared a lighthearted moment when discussing the replacement of the weathered flag on campus. 

“Well, this one kind of speaks for itself,” she joked. “But, it’s a wonderful example of the observant feedback we received, and it was an idea that we could act on right away.”

In addition to celebrating current and retiring employees, the HR team announced four upcoming events for 2025, designed to further engage and support the College’s workforce. These events include new employee reunions, a health and wellness fair, and other initiatives aimed at fostering a strong sense of community and well-being among faculty and staff.

The event concluded with a reminder of the importance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving the College’s goals. 

“Thank you for your unwavering commitment and hard work,” Dr. Atkinson said. “Let’s continue to build on these successes and make ������Ƶ Indianapolis a source of inspiration, opportunity, and excellence.”