Dr. Andy Bowne
Dr. Andy Bowne earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Western Michigan University after transferring from another university and a freshman year of academic and life lessons. As a full Pell-eligible student he struggled financially, and at one point it took two friends to convince him to stay in college. While he didn’t graduate with anything close to honors, he graduated. Two years later he entered graduate school and later earned both a Master’s degree and a doctorate in Educational Leadership. About mid-career, Andy found his calling at Grand Rapids Community College, leading the workforce teams and eventually the GRCC Foundation. In both roles he focused on building programmatic excellence and student success. Today he serves as Ivy Tech Community College’s Senior VP and Chief Operating Officer. His vision is that every student who walks through the college’s front door has an equal chance of walking across the stage at graduation and flipping his or her tassel.
