Curtis Blakely’s Planned Gift Will Support the Richmond Ivy CARES Program

Shortly after Curtis Blakely’s parents divorced in 1980, his mother enrolled at Ivy Tech Richmond. “She did not have any job skills and needed to support the two of us with a better paying job,” Curtis says. “She was working three jobs at the time and taking classes.” She went on to earn her associate degree in accounting.

“When she attended, she had no direction, no skills, and no self-confidence,” Curtis says. “Her experiences at the college changed her life for the better. My life also became easier.” In gratitude for all Ivy Tech has meant to him over the years, both personally and professionally, Curtis has named the Ivy Tech Richmond Foundation a beneficiary of a life insurance policy.

Curtis currently serves as the dean of three schools at the Richmond campus: Business, Information Technology, and Public Affairs and Social Services. Before the dean position he was the Business Administration department chair for two years, prior to which he spent 19 years as a department chair for the School of Information Technology. In 2004 he received the President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction.

Curtis has requested that his gift be used by the Richmond campus for the Ivy CARES program, which helps students who are in some form of crisis. “My mother is often in my thoughts when I am in the process of charitable events,” Curtis says. “She wanted to make a difference in people’s lives and make things easier for them. I want to help people too.”