Saydie Monahan is a 2026 DMACC graduate who transferred to the University of Iowa. In this Q&A, Monahan shares how advising, flexible course options, and the affordability of DMACC helped her discover her path, prepare for internships, and confidently transition to a four-year university. Her story of turning support into success offers a firsthand look at the impact of the transfer experience and why she believes the 2+2 pathway is "absolutely worth it."
Looking back, what is one experience, person, or opportunity at DMACC that made a lasting impact on your academic or personal journey?
My academic advisor, Kent Spillers, made the biggest impact on my journey at DMACC. When I started, I did not know what I wanted to study or how to get where I needed to go, and I did not have a lot of guidance in my life at that point. Kent helped me find the right program fit and then mapped out a plan to make it happen, which meant completing 18 credit hours every semester, including summers, so I could transfer on time. He built my entire schedule with me, made sure I could transfer to the University of Iowa on schedule, and helped me stay on track to enter my junior year and graduate on time. Even now that I am at Iowa, he is still helping me reverse transfer my credits. He was a helping hand in a major time of need, and he helped me figure out both what I wanted and how to achieve it.
What originally led you to choose DMACC, and how did your experience at the college influence your decision to continue your education?
I chose DMACC first for financial reasons. I knew that doing two years at DMACC and two years at a university would be significantly cheaper, and I do not regret that choice one bit. I also was not sure yet what I wanted to study, so DMACC was the perfect place to figure that out. The combination of the financial support I received and the motivation my advisor gave me is what pushed me to build the funds and the work ethic to transfer to a four-year university.
How did DMACC help prepare you for success at your transfer institution?
Having the right advisor and feeling comfortable asking questions meant a lot to me, and it is a big part of why I was able to make the jump to the University of Iowa. And because I already had my foundational business classes down, I did not go into my first marketing internship blind. I could actually see my classwork pay off in real work. DMACC's online course options were also a huge help. They let me complete an internship during my spring semester and hold a part-time job at the same time, so I could work through coursework on my own schedule while saving money and learning real world business concepts. DMACC also gave me the motivation to reach out to peers, classmates, professors, advisors, and coworkers, which has been the key to meeting new people, joining clubs, finding jobs on campus, and discovering events that interest me. I carried that habit right into Iowa, where I also have an amazing advisor who keeps me on track.
If you were talking to a student who is considering enrolling at DMACC with the goal to eventually transfer, what would you tell them?
Choose DMACC for your two-year path if you plan on transferring. I honestly did not know that the 2+2 option even existed. Everyone in my family and all my peers went straight into a four-year university, so when I chose DMACC I kept second-guessing whether I had made the wrong call. I had not, and I would not trade the education, the experience, or all the opportunities I have gotten. It is absolutely worth it.
“Because of my experience at DMACC, I..."
had the confidence, foundation, and financial freedom to transfer to a four-year university, land my first internship, and pursue the career I actually wanted.