Heating and cooling furnaces and AC units didn’t ignite Gabe Ashbach’s passions. He eventually found the answer was academic.
Ashbach, the student government president at Indiana University Northwest, co-hosted last week’s scholarship fund-raising gala and shared how he arrived at the Gary-based university and how a scholarship helped overcome financial challenges.
The April 22 event, at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary, drew about 120 students, IU-Northwest staffers and supporters, according to a release. It coincided with IU Day, an IU Foundation global fundraising effort.
Ashbach, a junior and 2023 Crown Point High grad, told the audience that he developed a love for storytelling, but was told to be “realistic” in high school when he envisioned it as a future job.
“Every year in elementary school, I would publish a little book in the school library. I kept writing through middle school and high school, and I also fell in love with theatre. I wanted to tell stories not just on paper, but on stage, bringing characters to life in front of an audience,” he said.
Friends and some teachers liked his dream but told him he needed to make money, too.
“And slowly, I let those voices get into my head. I stopped writing. I stopped auditioning. Instead, I took a job working HVAC, cleaning and fixing ventilation systems,” he told the audience.
He avoided college because he thought it would be a high school repeat of people telling him his dreams wouldn’t come true.
He began working in the HVAC business but knew himself well enough to change gears.
“So I made a last-minute decision to come to college. The only university that would still accept me that late was Indiana University Northwest. When I applied, I told them I wanted to be an author and an actor — the same dream that so many people had told me was unrealistic.
“But IUN didn’t react that way. Instead, they said yes. They said they could help me learn how to accomplish anything I could dream of.”
He’s now a college student on a path toward a bachelor’s degree in digital media and storytelling with a minor in theater. Ashbach enjoyed his college courses but worried when he saw the tuition bill.
A performing arts scholarship awarded by donor Helen Danko eased his struggle.
Ashbach and other students shared the impact of scholarship money on their academic careers.
“Tonight is about all students,” Ashbach said. “While our majors, ages, backgrounds, and future aspirations may differ, the one thing I am certain that we’d all agree on is that IU Northwest is the place where we are encouraged to discover, create, collaborate, think strategically and, above all else, become the best version of ourselves.”
Guests also viewed student artwork and research projects, including some whose work has been featured globally.
“Our supporters’ generosity creates conditions that allow our students not just to persist but to thrive,” IU Northwest Chancellor Arrick Jackson said. “With you, our students no longer have to choose between paying for tuition or covering a medical expense; between buying textbooks or buying groceries; or between working another shift or pursuing an internship that could shape their future.”
A 2023 survey of IU Northwest students showed 44% had food insecurity; 36% reported housing insecurity; and 75% received some sort of financial aid, including scholarships.
Still, about 74% agreed that college is a good investment for their financial future.
More Top Picks Best Photophobia Glasses For Indoor Use
Dorothy Frink, interim vice chancellor for enrollment management and Student Affairs, outlined initiatives for students such as RedHawk Refuel, a food pantry, and the Crimson Corner Game Room, a place where students can build meaningful connections with their peers.
“When students feel connected to a place and to the people within it, they are more likely to stay, persist and succeed,” Frink said. “The RedHawk Refuel ensures students can show up. The Crimson Corner gives them the space to feel they belong.
“One meets a basic need. The other builds a community. Together, they create the conditions where students can truly thrive,” she said.
Urban League of Northwest Indiana President Vanessa Allen-McCloud and Matt Schuffert, president of Hard Rock Northern Indiana, explained their partnership with IU Northwest that provides up to four years of free tuition to Gary students.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.