Chef Stacy Strand wins Ivy Tech Community College’s top teaching award

​The Founder’s Award for Excellence in Instruction is the college’s highest honor, presented annually to one faculty member across the state

​Ivy Tech Community College named Stacy Strand, department chair of the School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management at Ivy Tech Bloomington, the winner of the 2025 Glenn W. Sample Founder’s Award for Excellence in Instruction. The award is the highest honor the college can bestow upon a faculty member. She was selected among faculty nominees from 19 Ivy Tech campuses across the state.

“I feel deeply grateful every day to work with such a diverse and curious group of students and to have the privilege of helping them discover and realize their potential," Strand said. “To be recognized with the Glenn W. Sample Founder’s Award for Excellence in Instruction is truly innervating and profoundly special. I’m so thankful to my colleagues on the Bloomington campus for their unyielding support, encouragement, and inspiration—they make this community an extraordinary place to be. Truly, thank you.”

Strand’s teaching philosophy is rooted in preparing students for real-world success in the food and hospitality industry. Students leave the program prepared for their careers, with 96% of graduates securing jobs in the field.

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She goes above and beyond the basics to teach her students and provides experiential learning and growth opportunities. Strand spearheaded the campus student-run coffee shop and restaurant the Honeycomb, secured externship opportunities at French Lick Resort and One World Enterprises, and has established numerous other community partnerships.

“Chef Stacy is renowned for her approachable, respectful, and thoughtful personality and fosters a positive environment that enhances the student experience and program outcomes,” said Martin Wolfger, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Ivy Tech Bloomington. “Stacy’s not merely an exceptional instructor—she is a transformational leader and a compassionate mentor who elevates those around her.”

Under her leadership, the culinary program won the 2025 Outstanding CTE Program Award from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and was ranked 17th in the nation by Best Choice Schools. The program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) with exemplary status, meeting the highest educational standards.

Strand began teaching at Ivy Tech Bloomington as an adjunct instructor of culinary arts in 2010 and as a full-time instructor in 2014. She has decades of industry experience and professional development that includes ACF continuing education units, Rouxbe coursework, and numerous industry certifications, including a nutrition certificate from Cornell. She holds a bachelor’s degree in general studies from Indiana University.

The winner of the Founder’s Award is selected among the college’s 19 President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction winners at campuses across the state. Strand was selected for the Bloomington campus President’s award by students and her faculty peers. The Founder’s award is presented annually to just one full-time faculty member who best typifies the teaching and learning mission of the college.

Ivy Tech Bloomington offers more than 40 career and four-year transfer programs, with courses that start multiple times per year for quick entry and graduation. To get started, apply for free online at ivytech.edu/bloomington or email [email protected]. For information on free, short-term training programs, visit ivytech.edu/bloomington/NLJ.