Ivy Tech Community College Names Dr. Stacy Atkinson Interim Provost

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Ivy Tech Community College has selected Dr. Stacy Atkinson as its interim provost. She will start her new role with the College on March 9, 2026. She replaces interim provost Dr. Steven Combs, who will be returning to his role as the chancellor of the Columbus campus.  

As interim provost, Atkinson, who currently serves as the chancellor of the Indianapolis campus, will direct the overall academic mission, including curriculum development and maintaining educational programs, ensuring Ivy Tech provides relevant, high-quality education. 

Atkinson joined the College in 2015 and previously served as vice chancellor for academic affairs at the Richmond campus before becoming Richmond chancellor, as the inaugural chancellor of the Hamilton County campus, and as statewide co-lead to support campuses moving to the format of primarily eight-week courses.  

In addition to the above leadership roles, Atkinson has served in various roles at the College including an early childhood adjunct instructor for the Muncie Campus, senior instructional designer, and the executive director of strategic initiatives, in which she was heavily involved in the development of Ivy Tech’s current strategic plan and the organizational restructure in 2017. 

Atkinson served in the U.S. Marine Corps, earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a Master of Arts in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina, a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University, and her PhD in Adult Learning and Development from Lesley University. She is currently in law school at the IU McKinney School of Law with an expected graduation of May 2026.  

“I am honored to further support Ivy Tech in our critical mission to advance the education and training of students across the state, with both academic quality and student support,” Atkinson said.  

In November, the College conducted a thorough and thoughtful search for the next provost, engaging a strong pool of candidates. After careful consideration, however, the College concluded that the search did not yield a finalist who is the right long-term fit for Ivy Tech at this time. Additionally, the search team and feedback from the College community concluded that to better support both academic excellence and the student experience, the current provost role should be split. As such, Ivy Tech is creating a new Senior Vice President of Student Affairs position. This role rebalances the provost’s portfolio to focus exclusively on academic quality and workforce-aligned pathways, while dedicating senior leadership capacity to student-facing functions.  

The SVP of Student Affairs will oversee enrollment, recruitment, advising, student organizations, student support, and student success.   

The College will be posting for both roles in the coming week.  

“Now is an exciting time for Ivy Tech as we work to finalize our next strategic plan to focus on critical areas of our mission, including enhancing our support for students and prioritizing academic quality,” Pollio said.  

Dr. Chad Bolser, chancellor of the Richmond campus, will serve as interim chancellor of the Indianapolis campus. Stephanie Amos will serve as interim chancellor of the Richmond campus. Both will begin their roles on March 9.