Career Pathways
IU South Bend is also undertaking several initiatives to help students connect their coursework to career paths and to enhance their career readiness.
Through a $350,000 grant from the Labs for Industry Futures and Transformation (LIFT) Network, IU South Bend is enhancing and developing degree pathways in computer science, health sciences, and data analytics for K-12 students, adult learners, and degree seekers in Elkhart and St. Joseph County. Programs as part of this project include a K-12 Summer Academy, Continuing Education Units in health sciences (sonography) for current and future workers, workplace-based learning, and a new data analytics certificate. To reach under-represented populations and enhance opportunities in the region, the campus will partner with the South Bend Community School Corporation, La Casa de Amistad, and regional workplaces.
The Titan Cadet Program, funded through a grant from the Indiana Department of Education, was launched in summer 2023. The program has two primary goals: 1) to increase opportunities for high school students to enter educator preparation programs with transferable postsecondary credits and 2) to increase underrepresented populations among candidates enrolling in educator preparation programs. The program combines existing dual-credit coursework offered through Indiana University with additional coursework in Education previously unavailable to area high school students, provided as part of two separate, two-week IU South Bend campus residential experiences following their junior & senior years. The program also includes non-academic programming to help the Titan Cadets prepare for their college search, understand and access financial aid, and to build a general sense of belongingness and camaraderie amongst participants. In addition, faculty liaisons from both the K-12 partner schools and IU South Bend will collaborate during the academic year to provide programming and track data on participants’ progress and involvement.