Published: October 23, 2009 09:56 pm         

Tassels turn at Harrison College

TERRE HAUTE — More than two dozen Wabash Valley residents are looking forward to brighter futures today after graduating from Harrison College.

Harrison College, formerly Indiana Business College, graduated 32 students in an hour-long ceremony at Terre Haute North Vigo High School on Friday evening. Most students earned associate’s degrees. However, two earned bachelor’s degrees — something relatively new for Harrison College.

“It helps to know that my kids are going to have a better life,” said Billie Padgett, who earned a certificate as a medical office assistant Friday and is the mother of two young children. Padgett, who is now working toward a degree as a medical assistant, said graduating helped take her mind off a loss in her family this week. “It actually felt pretty good,” she said of moving the tassel on her graduation cap at the end of the ceremony.

Four students who graduated at the top of their classes gave short speeches during the commencement. All thanked their families for supporting them and all thanked the staff and faculty of Harrison College.

In addition to earning a degree, “I gained a class full of friends … and a family [at Harrison] to fall back on,” said Christina Smith, who graduated second in the class that completed its studies this summer. Smith, who earned an associate’s degree in business administration, said she plans to continue working toward a bachelor’s degree at Harrison. “I couldn’t see myself at any other college.”

The former Indiana Business College, which started operations in 1902, changed its name to Harrison College in April. The time was right for a new name as the school found more and more students studying in fields outside of business, said Pat Mozley, executive director of Harrison College’s Terre Haute campus. Additionally, Harrison now operates a campus in Columbus, Ohio, which also made the time right for a change, she noted.

Several students earned degrees as medical assistants. Degrees were also awarded in fields such as accounting, business management, criminal justice and human resources.

There are currently 322 students enrolled at Harrison College’s local campus, which is on Indiana 46 on the city’s east side. That’s the largest enrollment in the history of the Terre Haute campus, Mozley said.

Friday night’s graduates, all of whom started their studies at “Indiana Business College,” were given the choice of a diploma reading “Harrison College” or “Indiana Business College.” All but five chose “Harrison,” said John Mace, director of career services.

Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett, guest speaker at the commencement, congratulated the students for their hard work and perseverance. Earning a college degree is a “major milestone,” he told the graduates. “You’ve got something now that nobody can ever take away from you.”

School officials also awarded three students perfect attendance honors Friday night.

“I am so glad” to have graduated, said Brandi Miller, who earned her associates degree in Medical Reimbursement Technology. Miller, a 1997 graduate of Cloverdale High School, said she decided to return to school once her children were in school. She commuted from Danville, where she works as a medical coder, during the past year to complete her degree, she said.

“I loved it,” Miller said of her experience at Harrison College, adding that she plans to eventually work toward a bachelor’s degree. For someone with two young children and a job, “It worked great.”

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.