“I remember a teacher told me that you'll find that in high school, you'll have support from people who want to help you even though you don't want to help yourself. But when you're in college, you have to be able to help yourself in order for people to want to jump in and help you. I think that was so true of what happened at Ivy Tech,” Kaur explained. Kaur says the faculty at Ivy Tech Indianapolis was always ready to help, and they never made her feel rushed to understand something. Instead, they granted her grace and shared different ways of completing assignments and understanding lessons. And when she was doing exceptionally well in a class, they encouraged her behavior and made her feel seen. “I think Ivy Tech professors and adjuncts do a great job of keeping an eye on those students that are actually trying and making an effort and then telling them, 'we see you, and we're here for you, and know that we have all the resources, tools, and all the time in the world to help you succeed.' And they did just that,” Kaur said. Kaur went on to be part of several clubs and organizations at Ivy Tech with the encouragement of peers and faculty. Kaur became the president of Phi Theta Kappa. She was a Phi Beta Kappa Society member and a Business Honor Society member. She served as a student advisor for Dr. Cynthia Porter Rickert, a psychology professor on the Indianapolis campus, who became a close mentor to Kaur. “I got lucky with the fact that I had many female mentors while I was at Ivy Tech,” Kaur said. After graduating from Ivy Tech in 2013, Kaur earned her Bachelor of Science from the
Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and later her Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution from Columbia University. Kaur interned for the City of Indianapolis and worked as an Honors Program Coordinator at Ivy Tech Indianapolis. Kaur went on to work for the United Nations as an apprentice and most recently landed at Fourwinds Tours & Travel as the Director of Operations and Development. “Ivy Tech is a firm step on a shaky ladder,” Kaur began. “I was allowed a second chance, and I was allowed a fresh start to build my own foundation with professors and advisors who actually cared. They understand that people come from all walks of life and that it's okay to use an alternative educational method to apply and bring yourself up to speed with the rest of the world,” Kaur said. “Ivy Tech does a great job of actually understanding that not everyone gets to start the race at the same time. There are underlying privileges and advantages for some students that aren't always allotted to others.”
I vy T ech pr ofe ss o rs and adj u nc ts do a g r ea t job of kee p ing an e y e on t ho s e stu den ts w ho a r e ac tu all y tr y ing and making an effo rt and t hen t elling t hem , ' w e s ee y o u and w e ' r e he r e fo r y o u .'
10 | Ivy Indy
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