06/16/22: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

Receive degrees, diplomas at NCC

One hundred and ninety-nine students graduated from Northwest Iowa Community College. Commencement ceremonies were held Friday, May 13, in the Northwest Iowa Lifelong Learning and Recreation Center on NCC’s campus in Sheldon.

Local students who received diplomas and degrees are listed below.

Everly: Alyssa R. Zylstra, Practical Nursing Diploma.

Hartley: Obaga Juma James, Associate Degree Nursing; Jordan L. Jensen, Industrial Instrumentation & Control Degree; Jennifer Monyenye Nyansongo, Practical Nursing Diploma; Darin L. Patton, Business Diploma; Kassandra J. Thompson, Health Information Technology Degree.

Primghar: Alexander J. Chicoine, Industrial & Commercial Wiring Degree; Trinity J. Lux, Accounting Degree; Nicholas A. Smythe, Industrial & Commercial Wiring Degree.

Sanborn: Elizabeth M. Carney, Practical Nursing Diploma; Todd A. Klein, Heavy Equipment Operation & Maintenance Degree; Jason J. Kruger, Automotive Service Diploma; Ashlyn A. Manwarren, Associate Degree Nursing, Associate of Arts Degree; Ryan W. Sterler, Heavy Equipment Operation & Maintenance Degree.

Graduates at BVU

More than 200 students graduated from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake in the spring of 2022.

The following local students were among the graduates.

Greenville: Teresa Ball, Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership.

Hartley: Erin Streit, Bachelor of Arts in Agricultural Business and Business (financial decision making track).

Sanborn: Megan Babb, Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Business.

Morningside spring Dean’s List

Morningside University recently announced the 454 students named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester of the 2021-22 academic year.

The Dean’s List recognizes Morningside students who achieve a 3.67-grade point average or better and complete at least 12 credits of coursework with no grade below a C-.

Thomas Heetland, of Hartley, was included on the list.

ISU announces spring 2022 Dean’s List

Approximately 9,500 Iowa State University students were recently recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the spring semester 2022 Dean’s List. Students named to the Dean’s List must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work.

Students from the area are listed below.

Hartley: Joseph Ahlers, 3, Civil Engineering; Bryce Batien, 4, Animal Ecology; Seth David Morphew, 4, History; Marty Schmidt, 4, Human Development and Family Studies; and Jennifer Vander Lee, 3, Veterinary Medicine.

Royal: Kally Fahnlander, 3, Graphic Design.

NCC is finalist for 2023 Aspen Prize

Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon is one of 10 finalists for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The $1 million Aspen Prize is the nation’s signature recognition of community colleges that are achieving high, improving and equitable outcomes for students.

“The Aspen competition process has inspired NCC to serve its students better, and for this we are grateful. Being named a Top 10 finalist for the Aspen Prize is an affirming and encouraging honor,” said NCC President Dr. John Hartog in a news release.

Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize honors colleges that show outstanding performance in five critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

NCC is the only Iowa institution to be included in the Top 10.

The Aspen Prize selection process began in October 2021, when the Aspen Institute worked with an expert data panel to craft a formula to assess student outcomes at nearly 1,000 community colleges. Based on those data points, the institute invited 150 top community colleges to apply. A selection committee of 16 higher education experts reviewed the applications, including extensive data and narratives on student success strategies.

NCC was invited to participate in a two-day virtual visit with Aspen researchers April 13-14. The 25 highest-ranking colleges were announced as semifinalists in late April. The award committee met in May to choose the Top 10 Aspen Prize finalists.

Additional data will be gathered in the fall on student outcomes, including employment after college, and multi-day site visits at each of the 10 finalists’ campuses to collect more data and learn effective practices. A decision by a distinguished jury will be made during the winter of 2023, based on quantitative data and qualitative information collected from each of the 10 finalists. Announcement of the Aspen Prize winner will be made in late spring of 2023.

Locals run in VNU fundraiser

Village Northwest Unlimited hosted the annual Run, Walk and Roll event on its campus in Sheldon on June 4. The event had 483 participants this year, including 318 in the one-mile walk or roll and 165 people in the 5K and 10K runs.

The Run, Walk and Roll is one of the VNU’s major fundraising events. Several area residents participated in the 5K and 10K runs.

In the women’s 5K, Jill Bavier, of Sanborn, finished first in the 30-39 division (24:36). Heather Crouch, of Everly, was first in the 40-49 division (21:07) and was the women’s overall 5K winner. Catherine Schreur, of Sanborn, was second in the 40-49 division (25:12).

Among men’s 5K participants, Mark Hutchinson, of Hartley, finished first in the 30-39 division (21:35). Tom Snyder, of Sanborn, finished third in the 60-69 division (28:38).