The 2017 Schools of Business and Computing and Informatics Speaker Series at Ivy Tech Community College will kick off on Wednesday, February 15, at 6 p.m.  This annual series is sponsored by Banterra Bank.

On Feb. 15, a panel discussion is planned to help students and others in the public prepare for interviews and job searches. “Assembling Your Personal Brand” will take place in Room 344 at Ivy Tech, at 6 p.m., and is free and open to the public. Banterra Bank officials Kyle Dodd, assistant senior community banker, and commercial loan officers Chad Wingert, Brian Woods, Geoff Gentil, and Kevin Canterbury will discuss resumes, cover letters, references, interviewing, career research, and social networking.

The sixth annual Schools of Business, Computing and Informatics Speaker Series will be April 19 with Bo Drake, executive director of Workforce Alignment at Ivy Tech Southwest presenting the keynote address, “Leading by Example.” It is free and open to the public and will take place in Room 344 at Ivy Tech at 6 p.m.

Drake came to Southwest Indiana in 2013 to serve as executive director of Corporate College for Ivy Tech. Charged with serving employers throughout the region, he and his team have experienced significant growth. He has helped the college secure more than $2 million in grants and donations and has begun several programs to serve the workforce development needs in the community.

Previously, Drake was employed by Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio, where he served as a consultant in Mergers and Acquisitions. At Nationwide, he was responsible for training, coaching, and consulting with agency owners and sales managers in multiple states. He consulted on projects totaling more than $50 million and performed extensive financial analysis and forecasting.  Drake also worked with the Ohio State Bar Association Insurance Agency in Columbus, Ohio, as the director of Insurance, serving the insurance needs of lawyers throughout the state.

He is a board member for the Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and serves as chair of the Education Committee. He has served as a volunteer for Junior Achievement and as a committee member for cMOE’s fundraiser, Ignite It!

Drake is an Ivy Tech alumnus with an Associate of Arts degree in business administration. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communication from Northern Kentucky University and a Master’s in human services from Liberty University.

A public reception is planned prior to this presentation at 5 p.m. in the foyer of the auditorium.

Eighteen individuals have been selected to participate in the University of Southern Indiana’s 2017 Connect with Southern Indiana program. Now in its 11th year, Connect with Southern Indiana is focused on promoting active citizenship for individuals across a nine-county region in southwest Indiana.

The program is in its fifth year of using the Romain College of Business Entrepreneurship Initiative model for course content. Participants will attend 10 full-day sessions focusing on divergent and analytical thinking, idea generation, communication and strategic entrepreneurship from a community development perspective. The program will culminate with a class collaborative project in May 2017.

The class will meet on-site in a new historic southern Indiana county for each session:

January 13 – Warrick County

January 27 – Spencer County

February 10 – Gibson County

February 23 – 24 – Posey County (New Harmony overnight stay)

March 3 – Knox County

March 17 – Perry County

April 7 – Dubois County

April 21 – Pike County

May 5 – Vanderburgh County

The Connect with Southern Indiana program is open to current USI students, faculty and staff, and Indiana residents living in Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh or Warrick counties who would like to improve the quality of life in their communities.

The 2017 class includes:

Dubois County:                                                    

Jenell Schue, supervisor of central scheduling, Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center

Gibson County:

Kelly Kelley, administrator, Gibson County Health Department

Melissa Walden, director of marketing and development, The Arc of Gibson County

Knox County:

Martha Vance, business and industry coordinator, Vincennes University

Pike County:

Sarah Hopkins, 4-H youth development educator, Purdue Extension Pike County

Posey County:

Allison Brown, senior gallery associate, USI New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art

Casey Trela, director of financial aid, Ivy Tech Community College

Spencer County:

Sara Dzimianski, extension educator, Purdue Extension Perry County

Nicole Osborne, human resources and development coordinator, Lincoln Hills Development Corp

Vanderburgh County:

Caylin Blockley, assistant director, USI Alumni and Volunteer Services

Loc Duong, admission assistant, USI Center of International Programs

Echo Ira, market research analyst, Vectren Corporation

Rasheedah Jackson, childcare and development director, Memorial Community Development Corporation

Erin Merris, community engagement manager, USI Historic New Harmony

Tammy Oliver, recruiting supervisor, USI Career Services and Internships

Chaze Patrick, marketing intern, USI Outreach and Engagement

Tonya Rine, senior electric financial analyst, Vectren Corporation

Martha Seal, development director, Holly’s House

For additional information on the Connect with Southern Indiana program visit USI.edu/connect or contact Leslie Townsend, director of Community Engagement, at ltownsen@usi.edu.