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Local colleges helping displaced ITT Tech students get back in school

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — ITT Tech’s closure left many students and employees in limbo. The move has left 1,000 students without a school, and 660 employees without a job.

On Tuesday, Ivy Tech Community College, WGU Indiana, Indiana Wesleyan University, Harrison College, and Oakland City University shared a plan to get the students back in the classroom with a series of open houses.

The first of these events will be held 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday, September 28 at the Ivy Tech Community College Fall Creek campus which will include all five colleges.

The colleges are offering assistance in enrollment, possible waivers for application fees, and some students maybe eligible for loan forgiveness.

“After the abrupt closure of ITT Technical Institute, I directed the Commission for Higher Education and the Department of Workforce Development to work together to help the students now displaced from their education programs,” said Governor Mike Pence. “I’m proud to say that our agencies took swift action and have partnered with five Indiana colleges to help ensure these students have opportunities to continue their studies. It is my hope that affected students will find that our state agencies and many Indiana colleges around the state are ready and willing to help each student find the solution that’s right for them.”

The colleges received feedback from other college students on the plan. In addition to the five colleges in attendance, 24-Hour News 8 has learned more colleges want to help.

“I want to make sure that you know there are other colleges that will be responsive as well, this happens to be the ones that came forward to make a special offering,” said Higher Education Commissioner Teresa Lubbers,