Ivy Tech Community College Northeast in Fort Wayne has announced the promotion of Barry Schrock to executive director of K−12 Engagement. He assumed his new role at the College on Monday, Nov. 16. This position is a newly funded initiative to further develop and expand relationships with public and private schools throughout northeast Indiana to further the mission of Ivy Tech and the community. These relationships will support current partnerships Ivy Tech Northeast has with school corporations through dual credit agreements, Early College programs, Ivy Career Advancement Programs (ICAP), high school admissions activities, and the support services the College provides to schools, clubs, agencies, and associations through financial aid workshops and other College awareness activities.

Schrock reports directly to Chancellor Jerrilee K. Mosier, Ed.D., for these efforts and will work with other College leadership to further these initiatives. He will identify, develop, and strategically build K–12 partnerships to support the “Big Goal” postsecondary attainment goal and enrollment growth for Ivy Tech Northeast.

“Barry’s new role with Ivy Tech Northeast is a critical one,” says Mosier. “With our regional restructure, Ivy Tech Northeast is emphasizing the importance of career pathways for high school students and providing a focus on our relationship and partnership with our K–12 partners in meeting the goal of 60 percent of our population having a post-secondary degree or certificate by the year 2020.”

Schrock will develop high and mid-level executive links between the College’s executive leadership with school superintendents, high school principals, and high school counselors. This division of administration seeks to be a catalyst for all high school and middle school outreach efforts and will be the central point for the further engagement and development of specific programs which will encourage more high school students to continue to advance their education and training after high school. He will work with other areas across the college to help in responding to area high schools requests and developing partnerships.

“I am very excited about this opportunity, as we have a dedicated team of professionals that will focus on collaborating with area schools to provide personalized, high-quality educational programming to meet the school and community needs,” says Schrock. “I look forward to the challenges and opportunities as we strive to make Ivy Tech Northeast the college of choice for northeast Indiana residents.”

A 23-year veteran of education, Schrock has been working in northeast Indiana since 1999. He spent seven years teaching at New Haven High School before transitioning to secondary administration, where he worked for eight years as an assistant principal with Fort Wayne Community Schools and DeKalb County Central United Schools. Schrock was hired in February 2015 by Ivy Tech Community College Northeast as the director of Ivy Career Advancement Programs (ICAP), a high school recovery and completion program. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and teacher certification from Ohio Northern University and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from IPFW.

Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system serving nearly 200,000 students annually. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its communities. In addition, its courses and programs transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.