Mastodon bones discovered on a farm south of Angola almost 60 years ago now have a permanent home at Purdue University Fort Wayne.
Work on the glass case where the skeleton is displayed finished mid-August before the start of fall semester, the campus said in a news release. It is in Walb Student Union in the hallway leading to the International Ballroom and near the student union’s new Herd Hideout.
The project required expertise and guidance from faculty and enthusiasm from students along with patience and creativity, the release said.
“Ultimately, it was a $200,000 allocation of funds from PFW’s Student Government Association during the 2022-23 academic year that helped set the stage for a final sprint that was 56 years in the making,” the university said.
The Purdue Fort Wayne Foundation also donated $20,000 toward the cause, university spokesman Geoff Thomas said by email.
The bones were discovered in 1968, the release said, adding it has been eight years since they were last displayed in the open at Kettler Hall. The student body adopted the mastodon as the university’s mascot 55 years ago.
The university released materials, including a video and image gallery, at www.pfw.edu/news-center that explain the project’s history in greater detail to celebrate its completion.
Civics resources
Boston public media producer GBH and PBS LearningMedia have launched a set of educational resources designed to encourage civic understanding and engagement among middle and high school students. Created by veteran educators and educational media producers with input from an Educator Advisory Group, a Youth Advisory Group, and a multidisciplinary Civics Leadership Council, these free resources are designed to help educators engage students in a more dynamic way. Visit https://indiana.pbslearningmedia.org to access the Civics Collection.
College Core
The Indiana College Core is offered at 270 high schools statewide as of this academic year, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education announced last month. This equates to a 20% increase in participating high schools from last year. Implemented in 2012, the Indiana College Core is a block of 30 credit hours of college-level general education coursework that applies seamlessly to all Indiana public institutions and some private institutions and is made up of six competency areas. The certificate allows high school students to earn a full year of general education credits for little to no cost.
Concordia
Concordia Lutheran High School has completed the schematic design phase for a comprehensive renovation of its campus and advancing with the design of a fully renovated academic wing and auditorium. Alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students, grandparents, donors and community members may participate in one of three town hall meetings where school leaders will share updates about the progress of the campus development plan. Participants may also provide feedback and ask questions, which will help to inform the school’s future. Meetings will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 10 in the auditorium; at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 via Zoom; and at 4 p.m. Sept. 15 in the auditorium. Visit www.clhscadets.com/apps/form/september-town-hall-registration to register.
Contests
Storyshares, a literacy organization, will accept entries from Sept. 18 to Jan. 13 for its seventh annual Story of the Year Contest. Categories are Immersive Decodables, Captivating Characters, Global Change-Maker and For Teens By Teens. A fifth category, added this year through a partnership with ReadWorks, invites young authors to write a new, alternate ending for its eighth grade cliffhanger series, “Hacked!” The competition is free to enter and features more than $15,000 in cash prizes. All entries that meet the guidelines have the chance to be published in both digital and print form. Winners will be announced April 7. Visit https://app.storyshares.org/contest/ for information.
The U.S. National Science Foundation will accept entries through 5 p.m. Jan. 31 for the NSF Game Maker Awards “Life in 2100” competition for K-12 students. To commemorate the agency’s milestone 75th anniversary, this contest invites students to create video games that imagine life 75 years from now, in the year 2100. Visit https://new.nsf.gov/75years/game-maker-awards for information.
Enrollments
Trine University expects nearly 15,000 students across its campuses, education centers and online programs this fall. That’s about an 18% increase over the 12,711 students in last fall’s headcount, and it is almost triple the total enrollment from fall 2021. Trine will soon break ground on a 200-bed student housing facility, expected to begin serving its Angola campus next fall.
Manchester University’s incoming enrollment for this academic year is up 17% from last year, making this its largest incoming class since 2020.
The University of Saint Francis welcomed 661 new students and nearly 1,800 overall students this fall. Students will pursue degrees in more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs.
FWCS
The Fort Wayne Community Schools board on Aug. 26 accepted a $228,867 high ability grant from the Indiana Department of Education for this academic year. The agency distributes these non-competitive funds so districts can address the learning needs of high-ability students.
ISTA
The Indiana State Teachers Association announced Nate Williams will join the union as its next executive director beginning Sept. 9. He most recently served as deputy director of the Community Schools and Extended Learning Bureau at the New Mexico Public Education Department.
Ivy Tech
Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne will host a community open house for the School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Applied Sciences from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 14. Attendees may explore classrooms and labs, meet with faculty and schedule appointments with enrollment specialists and advisers. These programs will be represented: agriculture; automotive technology; aviation maintenance; building construction; design technology; engineering; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; industrial technology; advanced automation and robotics; machine tool technology; and welding. Registration is not required. Contact Abigail Larrison at alarrison@ivytech.edu with questions.
Forbes named Ivy Tech Community College as one of the best employers in Indiana for the third consecutive year. The college was included in the 2024 America’s Best In-State Employers list for its commitment to fostering an inclusive, collaborative and rewarding workplace for its 6,500 faculty and staff across Indiana.
