[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6218]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    INDIANA UNIVERSITY-PURDUE UNIVERSITY FORT WAYNE 50TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Indiana 
University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, IPFW, on its 50th anniversary. 
I also want to recognize the outstanding faculty and staff for the 
extraordinary impact they have had on the education and lives of 
countless students.
  IPFW now is the largest university in northeast Indiana, providing a 
critical foundation for thousands of Hoosiers who then use their skills 
and education to contribute to the surrounding community. In fact, 75 
percent of IPFW alumni live and work in northeast Indiana.
  In 1964, Indiana University and Purdue University merged their Fort 
Wayne campuses to form IPFW, and the campus administration formally 
combined in 1975. In the 1990s, IPFW opened the doors of some of its 
major, state-of-the-art facilities, which paved the way for larger 
student enrollment. By 2000, more than 10,500 students were enrolled, 
and in 2004, campus housing opened, allowing students to live and learn 
at IPFW for the first time. The campus went on to set a new enrollment 
record in the 2010-2011 school year with 14,192 students.
  IPFW prides itself on keeping class sizes small in order to maintain 
high-quality, individualized instruction. This gives IPFW students the 
chance to be on a first-name basis with experts in their field of study 
and affords them the opportunity to develop a network of professional 
contacts. The IPFW curriculum offers a wide variety of classes with 
more than 200 academic programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and 
online; more than 230 partnerships with businesses and educational 
organizations; and a growing number of scholarships that afford 
Hoosiers from all backgrounds the opportunity to learn and thrive in an 
academic setting. For the past 50 years, IPFW has worked to fulfill its 
mission to be an exceptional environment for teaching, learning, and 
student achievement.
  Outside of the classroom, IPFW excels, too. The Mastodons now compete 
as a member of the NCAA Division I Athletics and fields 14 varsity 
teams. IPFW previously competed in Division II of the NCAA, where in 
1993, the men's basketball team won a school-record 23 games and 
achieved the No. 4 ranking among Division II teams. IPFW's men's 
volleyball team, commonly known on campus as the Volleydons, has gained 
national recognition with strong postseason showings, making six NCAA 
Tournament Final Four appearances and reaching the 2007 NCAA National 
Tournament Final. Former Mastodon setter Lloy Ball won an Olympic Gold 
Medal in the 2008 Beijing Games. IPFW athletics has many achievements 
to recognize, all the while meeting high academic standards in the 
classroom.
  For five decades, IPFW has provided northeastern Indiana and students 
across the State and country with the opportunity to achieve their 
dreams through higher education. IPFW remains representative of the 
hard work, dedication, and innovation that are fundamental parts of the 
Hoosier spirit. I want to congratulate Chancellor Vicky L. Carwein, the 
entire faculty and staff, and students both past and present, on this 
important anniversary. I am confident IPFW will continue to be a 
fixture in northeast Indiana and know the faculty and staff will 
continue to provide an outstanding education to our students in the 
years to come. On behalf of the citizens of Indiana, I congratulate 
each and every member of the IPFW community on this 50th anniversary. I 
wish IPFW continued success and growth for many more years to come.

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