An Open House is planned for October 11, at 11:30 a.m. to allow interested individuals an opportunity to see the new Community Action Program of Evansville (CAPE) Head Start and Early Head Start Early Childhood Learning Center on the Ivy Tech Community College Evansville Campus, at 651 Fairway Drive, Evansville.

“We are pleased to renovate a stand-alone building on the Ivy Tech campus to create a center for our students’ children,” said Ivy Tech Chancellor Jonathan Weinzapfel. This project is being made possible without any state funding, through a partnership with CAPE, grants and private and corporate contributions to the Ivy Tech Foundation. “The Learning Center will allow Ivy Tech students to have their children well cared for and in a learning environment, as they pursue their college degree,” Weinzapfel added.

CAPE CEO Alice Weathers, said, “Collaborating with Ivy Tech, the Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development and Early Learning Indiana on this project will allow Ivy Tech students to pursue their education goals while providing quality Early Childhood education opportunities for their children.”

Opportunities to help fund this project are ongoing, said Ivy Tech Executive Director of Resource Development Erica Schmidt. “We are grateful for the gifts we have received by private donors and community and corporate donors such as Mead Johnson Nutrition, One Main Financial and Early Learning Indiana. This project would not be made possible without the support of the community since it is a donor and grant funded initiative.

“We are continuing our outreach for additional support and are excited to be developing a donor recognition space, designed by Ivy Tech Visual Communications student, Rachel Fitzwater, which will be featured in the foyer of the center,” Schmidt added. To be a part of this initiative, call 812-429-1409.

The Center has the capacity for 50 children, with first priority being given to children of Ivy Tech students. This location is expected to open in November. It will have two Head Start classrooms for children 3-5 years old and two Early Head Start classrooms for children 6 weeks to 3 years old. Full day, year-round enrollment is offered with hours of operation Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

CAPE is currently hiring qualified teachers for the center.

The Center will offer a comprehensive school readiness program, individualized early childhood education, development and health screenings, and meals and snacks.

Cost of the program and other offerings will be a sliding scale, based on the individual’s ability to pay. It will accept Child Care Development Fund vouchers, as well as On My Way Pre-K vouchers, for those who qualify.

Enrollment for open spots is ongoing. To check availability of openings, call CAPE Head Start at 812-425-4241.

The University of Southern Indiana was commended for its successful relationship with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) at a briefing hosted by the Office of Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday, September 27 in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C.

The purpose of the briefing – which included NSWC Crane Technical Director, Dr. Brett Seidle, Indiana Chief Innovation Officer, Dave Roberts, and other key partners – was to highlight the regional innovation model that has emerged in the Midwest.

NSWC Crane presented an update to the Office of the Vice President and the Office of Science and Technology Policy on the innovation ecosystem developed in southern Indiana. USI’s role in developing the Innovation Discovery process and the Technology Commercialization Academy were highlighted as key reasons behind NSWC Crane’s success story.

“USI has been and simply continues to be a valued partner as we work collectively to advance our region,” said Kyle Werner, director of engagement at NSWC Crane.

Additionally, USI was commissioned by the Indiana Office of Defense Development to conduct a study and present an implementation plan for an Innovation Practice within and around NSWC Crane. The IODD, which focuses on growing Indiana’s defense sector by promoting the defense assets located within the state, supports the innovation ecosystem by assisting in the commercialization of DoD intellectual property (IP) and assets, creating additional high quality jobs for Indiana.

Daniela Videl, director of Opportunity Development within USI Outreach and Engagement, served as USI’s representative at the briefing. Other key presenters included Indiana University, the Purdue Research Foundation, Cook Medical, Radius Indiana, and Regional Opportunity Initiatives.

Led by the Indiana Governor’s Office, a culture of innovation has been formed with NSWC Crane as a key technology driver in partnership with major regional universities and industry. During Vice President Mike Pence’s tenure as the Governor of Indiana, the state committed investments of $1 billion over the next decade toward innovation and entrepreneurship.

The goal of Wednesday’s briefing was to examine success factors and communicate lessons learned from the public-private effort to stimulate regional economic growth, and to explore whether the southwestern Indiana regional innovation effort could be a model for other federal laboratories to follow.

NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). NSWC Crane is responsible for multi-domain, multi-spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability of today’s warfighter.