It's impossible to count the number of Ivy Tech students who have benefitted from the Pitt family's support of Ivy Tech. One thing, however, is certain: if there's a need in their community, the Pitts are there to help.

Carolyn N. Pitt, now retired, began giving to Ivy Tech not long after she took a position with the College in 1989. From the start, her fellow staff members and faculty rallied together to help students with expenses not always covered by financial aid or scholarships. One young woman, for example, had decided to skip the graduation ceremony because she could not afford a cap and gown. After the staff took up a collection and made an anonymous donation to the student, however, she was able to participate. "It was only about $20," Pitt remembers, "but that's how the office was. That's how much the staff cares about the students."

Pitt felt compelled to help other students in need. One of her work-study assistants, for example, already had a bachelor's degree but had decided to pursue a degree that would allow her to change careers. Because she already had one degree, however, she was ineligible for the same amount of aid available to first-time students. This motivated Pitt to start an endowed scholarship in memory of her parents, Frank R. and W. Gladys Pitt, to serve the needs of students traditionally overlooked for federal funding. She chose to set up an endowment, she says, in order to ensure that future students would have access to funds. "It's important to have endowments. It helps secure sustainability and I feel it's a good way to set the example yourself," explains Pitt.

An endowed scholarship is one that invests the original monetary gift and uses the income to fund scholarships. This allows the giving to go on for much longer than a one-time gift.

Even after making this considerable commitment, Pitt continued to help others. As chair of the Ivy Tech Columbus scholarship committee, she noticed a trend in students taking classes at the Brown County Career Resource Center. Once they had success with one College course, she noted, it motivated them to continue on and finish a degree.

Pitt decided to encourage these students by creating the Carolyn N. Pitt Brown County Designated Scholarship Endowment Fund, which is awarded to students who reside in, and take classes in, Brown County. This allows more students to stay close to home while also encouraging them to further their education.

Pitt isn't the only member of her family who wants to help others attend College. While a resident at the Four Seasons retirement community in Columbus, her mother Gladys was so impressed by her nurses that she decided to honor them with a charitable remainder trust. She designated the funds for Ivy Tech Community College, where many of them had gone to school.

The family's deep commitment stems from their belief in the College's mission. Carolyn has seen the College's work firsthand through her nearly 20 years of employment with Ivy Tech, and as the parent of an honors nursing graduate. This experience has convinced Pitt that the institution is unique in its dedication to students.

"If you removed Ivy Tech from Indiana, there would be a huge hole. It would be incredibly difficult to fill," Pitt states. "The staff and faculty of Ivy Tech are concerned with seeing students succeed."