Indiana University Kokomo (IU Kokomo or IUK) is a public university in Kokomo, Indiana. It is a regional campus of Indiana University serving north central Indiana.
History
In 1932, John and George Beauchamp opened the Kokomo Junior College in the downtown YMCA. The Junior College offered a basic two-year collegiate program. It maintained an average enrollment of approximately 75 students. In 1945, it moved to 508 West Taylor Street, which was Indiana University's first building in the city of Kokomo. Indiana University Kokomo was officially established in 1945 as one of several extension centers of Indiana University.(2012)
In 1947, students moved to a new location West Sycamore Street, known as the Seiberling Mansion. The mansion, an adjacent home, the Elliot House, and its two carriage buildings served as the IU Kokomo campus for nearly twenty years. In 1965, IUK moved to its current location, south of historic downtown Kokomo, on Washington Street. The Main Building, the first building on campus, opened with classrooms, a library, administrative offices, and a 908-seat auditorium. In 1980, the East Building - now known for its state-of-the-art Nursing Simulation Lab - was constructed.
In 1989, the Kelley Student Center was completed. Six years later, the modern library was opened. Purdue advisement offices and campus offices are housed in the west wing of the building, where PU:Technology-accredited courses are held. In 2001, Hunt Hall opened, a modern building used for science and mathematics and named after the school's first director Virgil Hunt and his wife Elizabeth. In 2010, IU Kokomo acquired an off-campus building which was once the Kokomo Post Office, and it has since been renamed the Fine Arts Building.
In August 2013, the Milt and Jean Cole Family Wellness and Fitness Center opened. The 21,000 square-foot facility includes a jogging and walking track, a cardio and strength training area, two multi-purpose rooms, as well as a health studies room and lockers. The center provides the opportunity for expanding Allied Health Programs such as sports medicine and athletic training. The wellness and fitness center was officially named after the Milt and Jean Cole family in September 2013 to honor them for their generous donation of $1.25 million to the campus and to show appreciation for the dedication the Cole family has made in enhancing the quality of life in north central Indiana. With their donation, the Cole Fitness Center will be a place that IU Kokomo students, faculty, and staff will be able to improve their overall physical and mental health for years to come. (2011)
In August 2020, the Student Activities and Events Center opened. The 24,000 square-foot facility serves as the home of the Cougars athletic department. The facility was built to energize the on campus experience and cut down the burden on the historic Memorial Gymnasium in which the Cougar Gym resides in. It was the first structure to be built on the campus since Hunt Hall in 2002. The facility will host concerts, conferences, speakers, and athletic events. The cost to build the facility was $8.4 million in which $250,000 was donated by the City of Kokomo. During the fall 2020 semester the facility was used for a 96-seat social distanced classroom due to the COVID-19 pandemic.