Ivy Tech President and former Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann cheered on high school seniors who have participated in the iGrad program.

High school seniors from as far away as Brownstown, attended the banquet Friday afternoon at The Commons in Columbus.

Ellspermann stressed that even for those graduates going directly to the workforce, to get a good job they will likely need some post-secondary schooling to gain certifications or to learn technology.

The iGrad program identifies students at risk of dropping out of school and pairs them up with a mentor to keep them on track. This year’s seniors from Columbus were some of the first students in the program — identified when they were in middle school as potential participants.