DMACC Daily

Be sure to check out these recent stories that feature DMACC and members of our College community:

Southeast Iowa Union (4/24/24), "Some scientists write" — Mt. Pleasant Community High School graduate Tuesday Davis encourages others to step outside their comfort zones and discover after his time spent at Des Moines Area Community College following high school.​​ While Davis will graduate from DMACC next month with his eyes set on continuing his studies in Biology and hopefully Sociology next year at the University of Iowa, he spent a considerable amount of time in the DMACC Honors Program focusing on developing writing and public speaking skills. “When joining a community college and when joining the honors program, I set out three rules for myself,” Davis shared. “I wanted to take classes outside of my major, I wanted to put myself out there and get out of my comfort zone. And I wanted to connect with people." ... read more​.​

dsm Magazine (4/24/24), "New chef blazes a trail at Trailsi​de Tap" — In March, chef Mike Holman forged a new path, shifting from uptown Ankeny’s Trailside Tap to downtown Des Moines’ Mulberry Street Tavern. In the process, he left some big shoes to fill. (See our write-up from 2021. Warning: It’ll make you hungry.) Fortunately, during a recent visit to the Trailside Tap, at 710 S.W. Third St., right next to the High Trestle Trail, I was thrilled to learn the bistro is still in very capable hands. As soon as I asked the bartender who the new executive chef was, a familiar face strolled out from the kitchen: Sydney Henricks, whom I’d met during her time as student at the Iowa Culinary Institute. (She graduated in May 2022.)​ ... read more here​.

Carroll Times Herald (4/22/24), "Curriculum evolves for nursing program" — The nursing program at DMACC is continuing to evolve, whether it’s the curriculum or new equipment for students. Collette Krutsch, the nursing chair for the DMACC Carroll Campus, said the nursing program will become a “ladder program” as of this upcoming fall semester. With this change, after a nursing student’s first year in the program, Krutsch said they will already have met the requirements for the NCLEX-PN, the exam for aspiring LPNs (licensed nurse practitioners). Afterwards, the students will have an option to complete their second year, which will give them an opportunity to sit for their NCLEX-RN, the exam for aspiring RNs (registered nurses) ... read​ more.​

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China Daily (4/22/24), "US youths' visit refreshes ties of several decades" — ​At many tourist attractions in China, red ribbons that bear visitors' signatures and auspicious phrases, such as wishes for career success or a healthy family, are tied to trees, handrails and other objects for good luck. The red ribbons proved popular on Saturday among a United States delegation of students from Muscatine High School in the US state of Iowa and their Chinese peers from Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School in Hebei province. The US student delegation is the second one sent by Muscatine High School this year. The first delegation visited in January. The visits are part of a program announced by President Xi in November in San Francisco to invite 50,000 young people from the US to China over the following five years for exchange and study. Students from both nations witnessed the inauguration of the China-US Friendship Youth Woods on Saturday at a park in Zhengding and planted trees, including American red maples. "I was greatly amazed by the creative idea of planting the woods. The trees will grow, and so will the kids," said William Zhang, a professor of English language studies at Des Moines Area Community College in Iowa and chair of the Iowa Sister States Hebei Committee. "I told the American students,'Don't forget to travel back here after you grow up and have another look at the trees you planted,'" he added ... read more​.

The Daily Iowan (4/21/24), "Nontraditional UI student awarded $30,000 Truman Scholarship" — One University of Iowa scholarship recipient wants others to know that there is a path for everyone to higher education opportunities through personal growth. C.J. Petersen, 33, is a nontraditional third-year transfer student who was awarded the nationally recognized $30,000 Truman Scholarship. Fifteen UI students have received the Truman Scholarship since the program started in 1977. Petersen's path to secondary education was a unique one, he shared. At 27 years old, Petersen said he went to a rehab center for alcoholism and substance use. In 2021, he decided to go back to school. He graduated from Des Moines Community College in 2023 and then transferred to the UI in 2023 ... read more.​

Virginia Tech Collegiate Times (4/21/24), "A deep dive into the Virginia Tec​h program for Afghan refugees that helps teach English" —​ The Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies is working with refugees from Afghanistan on a conversation project to help them learn English. The Female Tactical Platoon (FTP) was an all-female military group consisting of Afghani women who trained and went on missions with the United States Army. The responsibilities of these women, also called FTPs, were to translate for military personnel and work alongside them on the frontlines. When the Taliban captured the city of Kabul in Afghanistan, many FTPs left their homes in Afghanistan for the United States in fear for their lives. The original Female Tactical Platoon consisted of approximately 60 FTPs. Currently, there are 42 FTPs residing in the United States. Madina Nazari, a former FTP living in Des Moines, Iowa, has begun working toward a career in the medical field. Currently, she is applying for advanced classes to become a certified nursing assistant while living with her sister and nephew. Along with the conversation project, Nazari is also taking English classes at her local college, Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). She finds the conversation project to be helpful to her struggle in speaking the language, especially due to the varying accents across North America ... read more here​.

Raccoon Valley Radio (4/18/24), "DMACC Debuts Student Collage at Perry's Campus​" — A new student collage is on display at the Des Moines Area Community College VanKirk Center in Perry. DMACC recently announced that the VanKirk Center collage is located at the front entrance, featuring pictures of students, and inspiring quotes from community heroes throughout history ... read more​.

Carroll Times Herald (4/17/24), "DMACC Carroll Campus undergoes new, but familiar change in leadership" — The torch in community college leadership has officially passed down. Earlier this month, Jen Wollesen became the executive campus dean for Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) Carroll Campus, taking the role after former Provost Joel Lundstrom. Lundstrom has stepped away from the position to become the new DMACC executive dean of distance learning. Both of their positions became effective on Monday, April 1 ... read more​.​

Greater Des Moines Partnership (4/17/24), "The Latest on Newto​n's Legacy Plaza Project" — In 2016, Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) received the gift of the eight buildings remaining of the former Maytag headquarters, totaling over a half million square feet. The campus is now named Legacy Plaza. DMACC accepted the gift as one of the community partners, along with the City of Newton, Newton Development Corporation, Jasper County and Jasper Economic Development Corporation to position the buildings for new use, adaptive reuse and bring them back to full value for the community. The Iowa Reinvestmen​t District program has also provided funding for the project so that Legacy Plaza can continue to be developed and updated ... read more​.​​​

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Agriculture Future of America (4/15/24), "​Agriculture Future of America Welcomes New Team of Student Ambassadors​" — When you experience something life-changing, you can’t help talking about it. For 40 new Agriculture Future of America Ambassadors, the excitement is familiar. AFA provides professional development and career exploration opportunities to collegiate students throughout the United States through AFA Leaders Conference and a series of AFA Leader Institutes. Trey Voeller of DMACC is one of the new AFA Ambassadors for 2024-25 ... read more.​

WHO-TV NBC 13 (4/13/24), "DMACC Fashion Students Getting the Runway Ready for 10th Annual Fashion Show​" — Des Moines Area Community College Fashion Institute students are getting the runway ready for the upcoming fashion show. To mark the milestone this year, the theme is Midnight Metro. It is based on students experience and visit to the Big Apple. Their fashion designs and creativity will be showcased on Thursday, April 18, and Friday, April 19 ... watch the segment​.

Iowa Capital Dispatch (4/11/24), "DMACC offers resources and support to Perry Tyson pork plant workers" — Des Moines Area Community College is working to connect workers from the soon-to-close Perry Tyson Foods plant with education and employment resources as the college prepares for the possibility of impacts to its own programming. In the wake of Tyson announci​ng the closure of its Perry pork processing facility in mid-March, DMACC and other local and state agencies have coordinated with the city to set up resource fairs and partnerships with the goal of giving those impacted by the closure a way forward, hopefully without going too far away, college officials said ... read more.

Indianola Independent Advocate (4/10/24), "Indianola Fire Department Visits DMACC" — Indianola Fire Department (IFD) firefighter/paramedics Tracy Van Zante and Joe Colby recently met with students, alumni and members during the Third Annual DMACC Fire & EMS Career Fair at the DMACC Ankeny Campus. Representatives from more than 40 fire departments, ambulance services and health care providers were on hand at the event in March ... more here.​

​CITYVIEW/Winterset Living Magazine (4/9/24), "Meet Josh Jeffs: Career change provides way to give back to his hometown." — Josh Jeffs has lived in the Winterset community for the majority of his life. After graduating from Winterset High School in 1992, he attended Iowa State University but eventually left school to work full time for a local civil engineering company. Then, in 2019, Jeffs decided to return to college because it was important to him to finish what he had started years ago. He enrolled at DMACC, where he earned an associates degree, and then made the big decision to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education at Simpson College, where he graduated in 2022. Now, Jeffs has returned to his alma mater where he teaches sixth grade for the Winterset Middle School ... read more​.​

Carroll Times Herald (4/5/24), "Jennifer Wollesen Named New Executive Campus Dean" — Jennifer Wollesen has been named the Executive Campus Dean for the DMACC Carroll Campus and Templeton Regional Center. Wollesen, of rural Lake View, started at the DMACC Carroll Campus in 2011 serving in many leadership roles, including as a Counselor, Advisor, Housing Director, Career Advantage Coordinator and Instructor. She started her new responsibilities on April 1 ... read more.