The Hoosier Link program and the partnership between the institutions began in 2006. The schools have signed a new memorandum of understanding to significantly expand the program.
Indiana University Bloomington and Ivy Tech Community College have come together via a Memorandum of Understanding that will significantly expand the Hoosier Link program, which seeks to increase access to an Indiana University degree by having students live on campus at Indiana University while they begin their education at Ivy Tech Community College. The planned expansion will see the program increase its student reach from 73 annually to 200 annually by the year 2027.
According to an article on Indiana University Bloomington’s website, IU Bloomington Provost Rahul Shrivastav was quoted as saying of the program expansion, “This expansion reflects our shared commitment to opening more doors for Indiana students to achieve a four-year degree. Hoosier Link offers a strong start for students who are determined to become part of the IU community. We’re proud to build on this important partnership with Ivy Tech.”
The Hoosier Link program was first launched in 2006. The program gives select high school graduates the opportunity to take classes at Ivy Tech Community College while living on Indiana University Bloomington’s campus. Students within the program all take a course together, called Hoosier Link, and are all given the opportunity to take advantage of both Ivy Tech and Indiana University Bloomington resources, like mentoring and other support services. If the student maintains the academic standards of the program, they can fully transfer to Indiana University Bloomington, often as soon as the second semester of their first year in the program.
According to the Hoosier Link website, the program is for students who first applied for admission to Indiana University and were not accepted. The program serves as a chance for students to transfer into Indiana University Bloomington after successfully completing 15 credits with Ivy Tech Community College. The chance to experience both campuses with other Hoosier Link students, via learning at Ivy Tech and living at Indiana University Bloomington, will help students foster a sense of community from the beginning.
Indiana University Bloomington Chancellor David Reingold said, “This expansion underscores how public institutions can work together to meet the evolving needs of Indiana’s students and communities. This partnership offers a good example of how higher education can offer a benefit to students and contribute to advancing opportunity and economic impact for our state.”
Both schools have seen the program as successful, with 82% of the total 1,397 students who have participated in Hoosier Link going on to enroll at Indiana University. The upcoming Fall 2025 cohort of Hoosier Link students has 82 students so far.
Erik Coyne, who serves as the chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College, said, “Education transforms lives, and partnerships like Hoosier Link make that transformation possible for more Hoosiers. We’re honored to work hand in hand with IU to help students launch their college journeys with a clear, supported pathway to success.”
For more information about Indiana University Bloomington, visit the school’s website.