Professor Kathryn Waltz-Freel
Academic Skills Advancement Department Chair
General Education DivisionBiographical Information: I was a first generation college student like many of the students I see in my Ivy Tech classes. Throughout high school I had mixed feelings in regards to the advantages and perceived disadvantages of attending college, and it wasn’t until I graduated from high school that I decided firmly that I was going to college. The deciding factor ended up being a horrible summer job. The summer after high school graduation, I obtained a job in a factory. That job was extremely monotonous and took place in a poorly lit building. When my shift ended each afternoon, I squinted my way to the car and resolved that this job would be temporary. I determined relatively quickly that this was not how I wanted to spend the rest of my life and that the best chance I had of supporting myself someday with meaningful work was to get a college education. (Memories of that job also gave me the motivation to NOT QUIT at those times I thought the college workload was too difficult or too demanding.) I graduated from Montana State University with a Bachelor’s of Arts in English. Six years later I returned to college as a part-time student and spent the next six years working toward a Master’s of Liberal Studies degree. Twelve years after obtaining my Bachelor’s degree, I graduated from Indiana University with a Master’s of Liberal Studies. I have since gone back and taken additional graduate level education and English classes.

My first year out of college I was a “permanent substitute teacher” and I followed that by teaching in a public high school for two years. I started my career at Ivy Tech Community College as an adjunct instructor teaching written and oral communication classes. When the opportunity was presented to develop the Academic Skills writing curriculum, I began my work in the Academic Skills department. I have held my current position as the Academic Skills department chair since 1992. I find the students that I meet at Ivy Tech to be highly motivated to improve their lives and the lives of their families, and I have enjoyed the many opportunities I have had to help them improve their skills and reach their goals.

Courses:IVY 070 College and Life Success
ENG 024 Introduction to College Writing I

updated 10/11/06