Ivy Tech Community College’s School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management has officially added a new crosswalk certification in collaboration with The Patachou Foundation’s Food Fellowship program, recognizing high school students who complete the program with college credit. 

Patachou’s Food Fellowship is a paid summer workforce development program that provides hands-on training for Marion County high schoolers in farming, culinary arts, hospitality, and food systems, while also teaching career readiness, financial literacy, and communication skills.


This partnership marks a significant milestone in Ivy Tech’s commitment to expanding workforce development and postsecondary access for high school students. Through this collaboration, Food Fellowship participants who successfully complete the culinary curriculum will now be eligible for credit in HOSP 102: Basic Food Theory and Skills, streamlining their transition into the College’s hospitality administration program.

Led by licensed secondary education teacher Demi Abbett and culinary director Chef Shannon Mitchell, the Food Fellowship curriculum mirrors the competencies of Ivy Tech’s HOSP 102 course, aligned with the State of Indiana’s Next Level Programs of Study (NLPS) standards of dual credit. Students participate in daily formative and practical assessments, summative evaluations through team-based meal execution, and labs on food safety, knife skills, baking, brunch service, global cuisine, and more.

As part of this partnership, this summer’s Food Fellowship cohort toured Ivy Tech Indianapolis’ Conference Center and Culinary Institute in late June, meeting and hearing from faculty while seeing firsthand the state-of-the-art facilities where they could one day study. The visit served as both inspiration and affirmation that higher education is within reach.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in the future, but touring the Ivy Tech culinary program opened my eyes to just how many opportunities are out there,” said Charlie Edwards-Ballou, a Patachou Food Fellow.

Students who complete the Food Fellowship graduate with a ServSafe certification, references, a resume, and now, the opportunity to enter college with credits already earned.

For more information about the Food Fellowship program, visit https://thepatachoufoundation.org. To learn more about Ivy Tech’s culinary arts and hospitality administration programs, visit ivytech.edu. Similar to this pathway, graduates of Second Helpings’ Culinary Job Training program are also eligible for five credit hours at Ivy Tech. You can learn more about this free opportunity here. 

About Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.