From left are Dr. Jerrilee Mosier, chancellor for the Ivy Tech Northeast region, Peggy and Bill Salin and Tom Snyder, president of Ivy Tech. The Salins were presented a crystal bowl by Snyder as a gift in appreciation for their hosting an event for Ivy Tech at their Lake Wawasee home.

Termed a “friend raising” event, Bill and Peggy Salin hosted several visitors on behalf of Ivy Tech Foundation and Ivy Tech Community College Northeast Friday evening at their home on the east side of Lake Wawasee. The event was a way for those attending to learn a little bit more about Ivy Tech and see the skills of students with a particular focus on the culinary arts program.

After a time of socializing, hors d’oeuvres, appetizers and cocktails prepared by Ivy Tech students, Dr. Jerrilee Mosier, chancellor for the Ivy Tech Northeast region, gave opening remarks before introducing Jeff Bunting, program chair for the hospitality administration program at Ivy Tech Northeast and who is also a professional chef. Bunting allowed three culinary arts students to speak including DeEdra Robinson, Julie Lowry and Brian Mongiello.

Robinson said she enjoys seeing the smiles on the faces of people who are tasting a well cooked meal. Lowry said the program has allowed her to fine tune her food preparation skills and Mongiello said as the father of three children Ivy Tech’s program is the most ideal for him.

Ivy Tech President Tom Snyder also briefly spoke and said the northeastern part of Indiana has lost several jobs that are being replaced by jobs needing post secondary education skills. Indiana is lagging behind many other states in providing those skills, he added, but the college is working hard to try to change that.

Considerably more funding will be sought this year from the Indiana General Assembly, Snyder said. “We need to create a strong, robust middle class,” he noted.

Snyder presented a Tiffany crystal bowl as a gift to the Salins in appreciation of their hospitality. Peggy Salin was once a teacher at Ivy Tech in Fort Wayne. Bill Salin is the president of Salin Bank based in Indianapolis.