Federal grants to NICC allow investment in instructional equipment for students, communities

At the November 21 Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Board of Trustees meeting, members approved a series of equipment purchases funded by federal grant programs that allow the College to expand its investment in K-12 student learning and business and industry regional training.

A four-year Youth CareerConnect grant from the U.S. Department of Labor is providing the College with the resources needed to purchase a range of new technology and equipment to meet the training needs of students and northeast Iowa’s future workforce.

The Youth CareerConnect grant supports the Northeast Iowa Career Learning Link, a partnership between East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA), Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) and NICC. Northeast Iowa Career Learning Link employs a success model to work closely with high schools in the College’s district to help students identify career pathways and achieve their educational and employment goals.

Youth CareerConnect grant purchases in total sum of $199,193 that were approved by the trustees include: a 3-D printer and a computer numerical control (CNC) mill to provide hands-on experience in advanced manufacturing environments, with the bids awarded to Midwest 3-D Solutions of Boone; a CNC turning center and a CNC vertical machining center, with the bids awarded to Productivity Inc. of Cedar Rapids; a plasma cutting table used to cut steel in welding projects, with the bid awarded to Mississippi Welders Supply of Decorah; and six multi-process welding machines, with the bid awarded to Superior Welding Supply of Dubuque.

The equipment will be installed and accessible to allow students regional access as part of their Project Lead the Way, computer integrated manufacturing and advanced manufacturing course requirements. Moreover, current and new employees at local businesses in the region will be able to develop and upgrade their workforce skills with the technology.

“These equipment purchases are driven by increasing demand in the advanced manufacturing, CNC, industrial maintenance and welding sectors of northeast Iowa’s economy,” said Wendy Mihm-Herold, Ph.D., Vice President of Business and Community Solutions. “The College will be working with educators and students and looking to the future to expand outreach in northeast Iowa. We were the only community college in Iowa to be awarded the Youth CareerConnect grant in the partnership, primarily because we were already positioned and working closely with students in the high schools.”

The trustees approved additional equipment purchases, with funding provided by a federal Perkins Grant, for students in career and technical programs at the College’s Calmar and Peosta campuses. These purchases included: four multi-process welding machines for students enrolled in the Welding program at the Peosta campus, with the bid awarded to Superior Welding Supply in the amount of $28,133; and one flat panel detector for students in the Radiologic Technology program at the Peosta campus, with the bid awarded to Central Illinois X-Ray Inc. of Bloomington, IL in the amount of $30,670. Calmar campus instructional equipment investments included: a road force wheel balancer, with the bid of $12,994 awarded to Haan Enterprises of Cedar Rapids; and a camera wheel alignment system, also awarded to Haan Enterprises for $26,607. The equipment will expand the technical skills and employability of students enrolled in the Automotive Technology program.

At the meeting, the trustees learned of two honors awarded to NICC President Wee and the College this month. The Dubuque Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) honored the College November 12 with the 2nd Annual Thomas Determan Standout Community Organization Pursuing Equity (SCOPE) Award for its successful effort to increase enrollment of underrepresented citizens in the Emergency Medical Technician program in Dubuque.

At the 9th Annual Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit in Des Moines November 19, Dr. Wee received The Immigrant Entrepreneur Leadership Award, which honors a first generation immigrant who has demonstrated leadership and an entrepreneurial spirit in his/her professional and family life and on behalf of the immigrant and larger community.
After a brief presentation by Kathleen Nacos-Burds, Ph.D., NICC Vice President of Academic Affairs, the trustees approved the 2018 - 2019 academic calendar.

In Board action, the trustees approved the appointment of a new trustee, Sue Runyon, to represent District 1, which includes the school districts of Riceville, New Hampton, North Fayette Valley, West Central and the area within the former Fredericksburg school district boundaries. Runyon, of Fayette, replaces Trustee John Rothlisberger, of Fredericksburg, who in October announced that he will be resigning from the Board due to his moving out of the NICC district. The new trustee is a retired mathematics teacher and consultant for Keystone AEA. Runyon will be administered the oath of office Monday, November 28 and will tour the Calmar campus.

In personnel news, the Trustees approved the appointments of: Tara Foster, payroll coordinator; Dawn Jurgensen, accounts payable bookkeeper; and Lynette Lyons, finance manager, all at the Calmar campus. Peosta campus appointments approved by the Board included: Kelly Bockenstedt, student development administrative assistant; Lee Weimer, dean of liberal arts, science and business; and Danielle White, compliance specialist.

After its regular meeting adjourned, the Trustees gathered with the NICC Foundation Board of Directors, staff and faculty members, and guests to celebrate this year’s Peosta campus Hall of Fame alumni and retiree inductees.

The Peosta campus Hall of Fame alumni honored this year were Jane Bechen and Ken Erickson, and the Outstanding Retiree Award inductee was Mary Strom, all of Dubuque. Receiving the Outstanding Retiree Service Award for the district was Ken Vande Berg of Decorah.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the NICC Board of Trustees is scheduled for 3 p.m. December 19 at the Keystone Area Education Agency in Elkader.