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The City of Kokomo and Howard County governments will be among the honorees Nov. 10 when the ������Ƶ Foundation presents the 2023 Benefactor of the Year Awards at a gala event celebrating the 60^th anniversary of ������Ƶ. The celebration will be held at the J.W. Marriott in Indianapolis

The Benefactor of the Year Awards are presented annually to individuals, organizations, businesses and governmental units to recognize their financial contributions in support of ������Ƶ and its students. Awards are presented by each of ������Ƶ’s 19 service areas.

“The leadership of both Howard County and the City of Kokomo have been working hand-in-hand to advance three factors for the betterment of our community: quality of place, economic development, and educational attainment,” said Dr. Ethan Heicher, chancellor of ������Ƶ’s Kokomo Service Area. “And, with their generous support, both have recognized the important contributions ������Ƶ Kokomo makes to our community’s success.”

Kelly Karickhoff, executive director of Resource Development for the ������Ƶ Kokomo Service area, noted that both governments have long supported ������Ƶ Kokomo’s scholarship fundraising efforts. They also have been partners in the College’s efforts to expand community participation through the annual Doing the Dream Diversity event, job fairs, and leadership programs. In the last few years, both have stepped up as leaders in two important initiatives – the $43 million Kokomo Campus Transformation and the development of ������Ƶ Kokomo’s Industry 4.0 Lab to support training in the Smart Manufacturing and Digital Integration skills so vital to the area’s industrial sector.

First, Heicher said, consider “quality of place” as exemplified by ������Ƶ’s transformed Kokomo Campus.

When the Indiana General Assembly appropriated $40 million for a “new” ������Ƶ Kokomo Campus in 2017, both Kokomo and Howard County leadership were soon on board as donors to the campaign to raise $3 million in community support to finish the project. Much of that additional funding was targeted for “quality of place” projects not covered by the state appropriation. The City of Kokomo provided $250,000 that made possible substantial upgrades to the new campus quad, adding additional landscaping, lighting, welcoming seating areas, and an expanded trolley stop. Howard County’s $100,000 contribution supported the development of the new Community Garden on the campus’s southside, with a new outdoor walking trail for students, faculty, staff and the community.

Then, in 2021, when ������Ƶ Kokomo kicked off the “Invest IN ������Ƶ” campaign, both governments stepped up again in support of the new Industry 4.0 lab. Together, these governmental leaders pledged a total of $1.2 million in funds to be used to purchase the equipment that will prepare students with the interdisciplinary skills required in advanced manufacturing.

And, as Heicher noted, all of this supports the educational attainment that makes economic development possible.

“As ������Ƶ Kokomo gets ready to welcome potentially hundreds of students associated with the $2.5 billion EV battery plant under construction just north of the campus, we are incredibly grateful to the City of Kokomo and Howard County for their support in preparing us for this challenge,” Heicher said. The 3.3-million-square-foot StarPlus Energy plant, a joint venture of Stellantis and Samsung SDI, is expected to employ 1,400 when it is completed in 2025 and plans have been announced for a second gigafactory of similar size and scope set to open in 2027.

“Company representatives have said their decision to locate the plant here was influenced by ‘quality of place’ improvements, economic development incentives, and the educational opportunities provided by ������Ƶ,” the chancellor added. “������Ƶ is proud to be part of this move into the future and proud to recognize the contributions of our city and county partners in advancing this goal.”