Dr. Jack Kelley has been involved with Ivy Tech Community College since the Lafayette campus was established in 1968. He began by giving lectures to surgical technology students and eventually became a member of the College's Advisory Board for Surgical Technology. From the start, he realized Ivy Tech was providing students with career opportunities they might not otherwise have.

Dr. Kelley and his wife Leta also know, however, that a good education is about more than just learning a trade. It involves experiencing the arts and discovering our shared cultural history as well. This conviction led them to create the Arts and Education Opportunity Fund, which provides Ivy Tech professors and their students with free tickets to

In establishing the Arts and Education Opportunity Fund, Dr. Jack Kelley and his wife Leta are giving Ivy Tech students an appreciation for the arts.

theatrical productions and other events at Purdue University. The goal is to encourage professors and students to use critical thinking skills to connect them with the topics they discuss in class.

The Arts and Education Opportunity Fund is a unique partnership between Ivy Tech Community College and Purdue University. Rather than both organizations creating separate programs, Ivy Tech students can take advantage of performances and exhibitions on the Purdue campus, thereby saving resources and providing a shared experience among the two College communities.

Ivy Tech Lafayette students like Joy Douglas and Jareth Love have access to on-campus events at Purdue University.

Not only is the arrangement efficient, but it has proven effective in giving students a relevant connection to what they learn in the classroom. In his comments about a performance by the world-renowned Spanish dance ensemble Noche Flamenca, for example, one student noted how meaningful it was to have the chance to experience the arts firsthand after discussing them with his peers.

"Having the discussion and workshop the night before enhanced the performance," he said. "I learned so much that I wouldn't have known if I had only seen the show." Experiences like this wouldn't be possible without the Arts and Education Opportunity Fund - and according to Ivy Tech Lafayette Chancellor David Bathe, Ph.D., that's consistent with the Kelley's legacy.

"The Kelleys have enlarged opportunities for our students for decades," says Chancellor Bathe. "We deeply appreciate their enthusiasm for the mission of a community College and their vision in supporting innovative programs. The Arts in Education initiative gives our students and faculty a tremendous new resource, and we know it is making a difference in many classrooms."

If you ask Dr. Kelley, it's not a matter of leaving as much as just living the most fulfilling life possible.

"The more you give, the better it gets," he explains. "I think it's wonderful to be able to help people."