Sue Ellspermann to face competition from 30 or more applicants for Ivy Tech's top job

Ivy Tech Community College has no shortage of candidates vying to become its next president.

The college received more than 30 applications for the position, a number that Ivy Tech officials described as a “robust pool” in an update on the search process released this week.

Ivy Tech has declined to publicly disclose the names of the candidates. But it’s clear Sue Ellspermann, who stepped down as lieutenant governor to pursue the Ivy Tech job, will face competition.

"This position is important to the future of our state, and we believe the quality of the applicants we have received confirms just how critical Ivy Tech is to Indiana. We have a diverse mix of candidates from both inside Indiana and outside the state. They have a wide variation of backgrounds with extensive leadership experience in a number of different areas," said Michael Dora, an Ivy Tech trustee who is heading up the search committee, in a statement.

The search committee now plans to select some of those candidates for in-person interviews. The goal is to name the college’s next president in April, with an anticipated summer start date.

Gov. Mike Pence’s administration announced in December that Ellspermann planned to seek the job. She resigned as lieutenant governor in March and was replaced by Eric Holcomb, a former Republican Party chairman and U.S. Senate candidate.

Pence has reiterated his support of Ellspermann for the Ivy Tech job amid growing interest in the position, including from former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. Dora told IndyStar in February that Ballard was considering applying, though whether he actually did hasn't been confirmed.

Ivy Tech is searching for a new president after Tom Snyder announced plans to retire this year. Snyder has been president of the statewide community college system since 2007. He commanded a $357,500 annual salary in the role, though a portion is deferred compensation.

The search for Snyder’s successor began in October. The deadline to apply for the president’s job was March 15.

Star reporter Tony Cook contributed to this article.

Call IndyStar reporter Chelsea Schneider at (317) 444-6077. Follow her on Twitter: @indystarchelsea.