Purdue Polytechnic Anderson and Purdue Polytechnic Richmond are collaborating to deliver courses in Muncie, Indiana, through a grant from the Ball Brothers Foundation.
The foundation’s board and staff approved a $160,000 grant to help with student advancement and enhanced workforce development in east central Indiana. Courses will be offered at MadJax Muncie, the city’s center for innovation and design at 514 E. Jackson Street. Courses will be applicable toward certificate programs, associate’s degree programs, or bachelor’s degree programs offered at Purdue Polytechnic’s Anderson and Richmond locations.
The Purdue Polytechnic Institute offers select degree programs in communities throughout Indiana in addition to the Purdue University main campus in West Lafayette. The certificates, associate’s degree, and bachelor’s degree programs at the Anderson and Richmond locations focus on engineering technology, computing and information technology, computer graphics technology, supply chain management technology, and organizational leadership.
“Purdue Polytechnic Anderson and Richmond are excited about partnering with the Ball Brothers Foundation, Muncie Manufacturing Alliance, and others to offer certificates and classes that lead toward a Purdue degree,” said Corey Sharp, director of Purdue Polytechnic’s Anderson location.
The Ball Brothers Foundation grant supports the creation of a 5,000-square-foot robotics academy and workforce development center at MadJax that will include a classroom, a community lobby, and office space. The space will support Muncie Community Schools’ CTE (Career & Tech Ed) Robotics program, Project Lead The Way, and PhyXTGears, Muncie’s FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics team.
“This adds depth to our industrial heritage while adjusting for a future of constant innovation in manufacturing,” said Jud Fisher, president and COO of Ball Brothers Foundation. “Purdue will bring its expertise to the table in the technology and engineering programming that will be available.”
Purdue Polytechnic’s Anderson and Richmond locations already collaborate to deliver a selection of courses in Elwood and Portland.
“Adding Muncie course offerings in 2018 reinforces our mission to extend Purdue Polytechnic’s existing technology programs across the state and to help drive east central Indiana’s economic engine,” said Sharp.
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