How Good Is Higher Education in Southern Indiana? Ask These 3 Grads

Chris Dowell

A handful of higher education institutions call Southern Indiana home, providing the region with a skilled workforce, supporting local economies and enhancing quality of life through cultural and recreational opportunities. Ahead, learn about three college grads who say they’re building satisfying careers, thanks to their great experiences with higher education in Southern Indiana. 

Kylie Deckard 

Ivy Tech Community College Sellersburg 

Kylie Deckard’s higher education path is common among community college students. After high school, she worked until she was 25, then started her degree. 

“I enrolled at Ivy Tech in Sellersburg because of the sense of community and because I would save money on my associate degree,” she says. 

As Deckard explored various interests, she changed her academic path a few times. After finding her niche with the help of Ivy Tech’s Career Link, Deckard now has an associate degree in human services with a concentration in social work. She also earned certificates in addiction studies and mental health direct support, which helped build her knowledge for her current job, where she works with adolescents with intellectual disabilities and behavioral issues. Deckard says she is grateful for Ivy Tech’s welcoming, nurturing environment. 

“In my internship with the Career Link department especially, I’ve had a lot of guidance but also a lot of creative freedom,” Deckard says. 

She continues to work at the residential facility while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work or human services later in 2025. 

“Either way I go, I’m grateful to everyone, especially human services program chair professor Robin Harrington, who is amazing and has set us up for life outside Ivy Tech, whether that’s working in the field or going on for a bachelor’s degree,” Deckard says. 

Kyle Henson 

Purdue Polytechnic New Albany 

As a young boy, Kyle Henson built forts out of Legos and Lincoln Logs. These days, he’s still building things by supporting his employer, Roller Die + Forming, in producing metal parts. As an engineering sales manager, Henson wins new customers by assessing their material design needs to more smoothly manufacture a part. Roller Die + Forming is based in Louisville and produces formed metal parts for a variety of industries. 

Henson says part of his success stems from his mechanical engineering technology major at Purdue Polytechnic New Albany. 

“My engineering background has helped me grow at a fast pace at this job because I understand the process itself,” Henson says. “Having an engineering background in a sales position allows me to utilize my knowledge of metals, how things are formed and how they behave, the limits of what can be done with the machinery, and how we can make a product more cost effective.” 

He says choosing Purdue Polytechnic New Albany was easy because of the high regard for the school’s engineering programs. 

“I chose the polytechnic campus in New Albany versus the main campus in West Lafayette mainly because of the cost savings,” Henson says. “And the professors – after four years there, you’re on a first-name basis with the professors. Purdue Polytechnic is a very hands-on program, so as you’re learning the material, you do different labs and projects that back up the things you’ve learned in lectures.” 

Eamer Wilhite 

Indiana University Southeast 

Louisville resident Eamer Wilhite transferred to Indiana University (IU) Southeast because of the school’s smaller class sizes, lower costs and faculty accessibility. 

“Because it’s a smaller school, the teachers can focus on each student more, and they’re very personable and understanding,” says Wilhite, who earned a degree in finance. “IU Southeast also has a really good business program.” 

Born and raised in China, Wilhite arrived in Louisville as a 15-year-old exchange student. “When I came here, I noticed there were no boba shops,” Wilhite says of the tea-based drink. “It was always my dream to own one.” 

A few years ago, Wilhite’s husband, Destin, encouraged her dream. Now, they own Milo’s Boba & Bakery in downtown New Albany. She says her IU Southeast connections have helped in unexpected ways. 

“Soon after we opened, one of my professors came to the shop just to see us,” Wilhite says. “I get letters and emails from IU Southeast notifying me of business opportunities. Once you are an IU Southeast alumni, the connection lasts forever.”