Stepping Stone to Success for Reinig, ’11 Iowa Western Aviation Program Reiver Athletics

IOWA WESTERNA Magazine for Alumni & Friends

in this issue

Outstanding Alum

Tammi Kroll, ’96

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Greetings!

As president of the Iowa Western Alumni Association, it is my great pleasure to lead the organization and the board in their efforts to strength-en alumni relations. This is no small task. Would it surprise you to know that there are more than 21,000 Iowa Western alumni? These proud Reivers can be found in all 50 states – from Maine to Oregon and from Hawaii to Florida. Worldwide, Reivers call numerous countries home, including Canada, Vietnam, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Ethio-pia, Italy and many more. I am lucky to work with such talented and passionate volunteers and employees as we strive to engage such a large and diverse group of alumni.

Your Alumni Association has a proud and rich history of uniting long-lost friends, classmates and faculty. Whether or not you have the chance to visit campus or attend one of the ongoing Reiver activities, keep in touch with your alumni office. We love to hear from you and your help connecting with other alumni is always welcome. LinkedIn and Facebook are two simple suggestions to stay in touch. Posting personal updates allows you to connect with Iowa Western and former classmates throughout the country and around the world. Please contact me or the alumni office if you would like to join our team of volunteers and strengthen our alumni network.

Each year, the alumni office and association create events with you in mind! Soon we will host numerous events to commemo-rate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Iowa’s Com-munity College System, including Iowa Western. I challenge all alumni to see what events are scheduled during the next year and bring a friend to attend the festivities.

Go Reivers!

John Cool, ’81Alumni Board President

Alumni Board

John Cool (President), ’81Iowa School for the Deaf

Pam Beall-Hill (Vice President), ’88Community Volunteer

Joyce Bartels (Secretary/Treasurer), ’86First National Bank of Omaha

Stacy Shockey (Alumni Director), ’98Iowa Western Community College

Scott Belt, ’77 & ’82Heartland Properties

Mark Brandenburg, ’86Iowa State Legislator

Dan Feller, ’84Owner, Varsity Freight

Brandon Green, ’07Iowa Western Community College

Brandon Juon, ’00Owner, Glory Days

Shawna Klindt, ’01Butterbaugh Insurance

Diane Osbahr, ’90Iowa Western Community College

Jill Schurman, ’03Community Volunteer

From top: the IWCC Marching Band takes the field;and the Google Anti-Gravity Games launch at Iowa Western.

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Contents

Letter from Iowa Western President Dr. Dan Kinney

A Stepping Stone to Success for Valyn Reinig, ’11

Dean Prather with Iowa Western from the Beginning

Iowa Western’s Aviation Program Soars to New Heights

Peggy (’87) and Randy Larsen (’78) share love for Iowa Western

2014 Outstanding Alum Tammi Kroll, ’96

2014 Black Tie Harvest for Scholarships

Fall Review: Reiver Athletics

Class Notes

Alumni Director Stacy Shockey, ’98

Alumni Events

Letter from the Institutional Advancement office

Iowa Western Alumni MagazineEditor:Rachel Morehead

Contributors:Ed Carlson, Anthony Flott, Terry Knipp, Don Kohler, Molly Noon, Lori Rice, Kara Schweiss, Stacy Shockey, and Mike Watkins

Iowa Western Alumni Magazine is a publication of the Iowa Western Community College Alumni Association.

Winter 2014

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Dear alumni and friends,

A special “thank you” is in order to all of our alumni members reading this publication, and to others located throughout South-west Iowa. Your alma mater will soon celebrate its 50th anniver-sary, and we could not have done it without you.

When Iowa lawmakers enacted legislation decades ago forming the new community college system across the state, Iowa Western and its leadership reacted swiftly to begin building a main campus and centers to meet the needs of its citizens in Southwest Iowa.

The college has enjoyed much success over the years and we pride ourselves on being the premier community college in this area. Our foundation staff and alumni board are busy making plans for celebrations, and we would encourage you to come home and check out your vibrant and growing college.

One event you will not want to miss is the grand opening of our new Engineering Technology Center located on the campus in Council Bluffs. Iowa Western Community College responded to a critical need in the local business community with the formation of a new Robotics/Automated Systems Technology Program. In partnership with Acieta, LLC, of Council Bluffs, Iowa Western students obtain hands-on experience in this rapidly expanding field. Voters in Southwest Iowa overwhelmingly approved a bond referendum to allow Iowa Western to construct its new Engineer-ing Technology Center, a $15 million state-of-the-art facility.

Look for more details about our anniversary events, and please join us as we celebrate 50 years of excellence.

Dr. Dan Kinney President

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Board of Trustees

Foundation Board

Fred LisleDistrict I

Larry WinumDistrict II

Doug GoodmanDistrict III

Scott RobinsonDistrict IV

Brent SiegristDistrict V

Robert RossDistrict VI

Kirk MadsenDistrict VII

Connie HornbeckVice President

IACCT RepresentativeACCT Board Member

District VIII

Randy PashPresident

District IX

Tom WhitsonPresident

Randy PashVice President

Tom JohnsonTreasurer

Tina MacklandSecretary

Dr. Dan KinneyIowa Western President

Molly NoonVice President ofInstitutional Advancement

John Allen

Donna Barry

Dr. Ward Chambers

John Cool

Liz Doll

Dr. Don Fenster

Kurt Henstorf

Bob Laubenthal

Ron Mahoney

John Nelson

Evelyn Rank

Larry Winum

At-Large Members

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Less than a year out of college and four months into her first real job, Valyn Reinig can hardly believe her good fortune.

“I really, really love my job. I don’t really know how I got so lucky to get out of college and get my dream job right away, but I did it,” says Reinig, who graduated with her bachelor of arts in electronic media studies from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in May 2014.

Reinig, who earned her associate of arts degree from IWCC in 2011, currently works at the UNI Regional Business Center (located on UNI’s campus) as web content manager for IASourceLink, a website connecting entrepre-neurs and small business owners across Iowa to valuable resources they need to grow in Iowa. Her varied tasks include writing technol-ogy related blog posts, scheduling and promot-ing business webinars, editing and designing webpages and putting together a monthly newsletter sent to 10,000 subscribers. It’s all in a day’s work for this former Iowa Western stu-dent who doesn’t blink an eye at the daunting task of managing the eight separate Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts that support the many programs offered at the regional business center.

While getting her start at Iowa Western was a logical choice for Reinig – both her dad (Mark Reinig, ’82) and brother (Logan Reinig, ’14, Cass County Center) earned associate degrees from the college – going into the communication field wasn’t always as clear-cut. Reinig was interested in music in high school, but on a whim during a career day she visited with Iowa Western’s communications depart-ment. Impressed with the professors and the possibilities, Reinig was hooked and went on to complete her entire first year of classes at Iowa Western while still a senior at Missouri Valley High School.

“I am kind of a unique person … a mix of analytical and creative,” Reinig says. “I think what I’m doing now allows me to use both sides of my brain and hits all of the things that are important to me and all the skill sets I have.”

At IWCC, she was elected by her peers as

Continued Page 15

Stepping Stoneto Success by Lori Rice

future was unsettled. Still, everyone involved was optimistic that Southwest Iowa’s first junior college was on its way to a bright future.

“When I started in 1968, we only had a few programs, but they were solid programs like welding, electric, aviation mechanics, tool and die, graphic arts and health,” says Prather, who retired from IWCC in 1992 as the athletic director after holding numerous positions during his 24 years.

“At Old Mercy Hospital, we had all we needed at the time – a dorm, cafeteria and even a little gymnasium. We used the Iowa School for the Deaf ’s practice field for intramurals and St. Albert’s field for baseball practice but played our games at Lewis Central. It wasn’t always easy, but we made it work.”

A native of Thurman, Iowa, Prather’s journey to help make Iowa Western one of the strongest academic and athletic community colleges in the country took numerous twists and turns.

After enrolling at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a student-athlete with a football scholarship, his college educa-tion was interrupted by a two-year stint serving in the Korean War.

He returned to UNL after his service and earned his degree,

With

from the BeginningIowa Western

by Mike Watkins

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Dean Prather has been with Iowa Western from the beginning. Well, almost the beginning.

These days, despite being 84 years old and 22 years removed from his last day as an IWCC em-

ployee, he’s still a walking, talking Iowa Western encyclopedia, particularly when it comes to the early years of the college.

He weaves stories ranging from the school’s early days as a makeshift junior college offering a few programs to the thriving community college it is today offering 84 different vocational/technical programs and Arts and Sciences/Transfer majors and nationally competitive sports programs.

“I’ve been a part of and seen a lot of what’s happened at Iowa Western,” Prather says. “I’ve probably forgotten more than other people remember.”

Just more than a year after its founding, Prather joined a very small but motivated staff, led by founding President Robert Looft, teaching from rented offices in the old Mercy Hospital and working in offices at the site of today’s Sherbondy’s Green-house on 16th Avenue.

A permanent location was secured on the hilltop just north of Interstate 80 and overlooking the east end of Council Bluffs. But with just a few fledgling programs in the early days, the

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At Old Mercy Hospital, we had all we needed at the time – a dorm, cafeteria and even a little gymnasium. We used the Iowa School for the Deaf’s practice field for intramurals

and St. Albert’s field for baseball practice but played our games at Lewis Central. It wasn’t

always easy, but we made it work.

Previous page: A photograph of Prather with Iowa Western students, circa 1968; Prather was inducted into the Iowa Western Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988. This page: Prather at Pinto Lake Park in California; Prather participates in the Iowa Western Mills County and Glenwood Dollars for Scholars golf scramble in September. He has been participating in the fundraiser for more than 10 years.

and for the next five years coached baseball and basketball at Tabor High School. He simultaneously worked toward earning his master’s degree in student personnel from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

An opportunity to teach and coach led him to California. There he ob-served a growing change in the post-secondary educational system happen-ing around him.

The junior college movement was taking shape in California, and Prather said he paid attention to the growth and additional opportunities for educa-tion they provided to students of all ages – not just those fresh out of high school.

After seven years there, Prather and his family returned to Iowa in 1967. When he learned of the fledgling plans for Iowa Western, he was interested in the opportunity.

“I told my wife I was going to apply, and I interviewed shortly after we re-turned from California,” says Prather. “I met with Dr. Looft in an old hotel in downtown Council Bluffs, and I pretty much had a job when I left.”

Fewer than three years later, Prather and the rest of the staff moved to the current campus. Overseeing student activities in addition to his academic program responsibilities, Prather oversaw discussion and voting among the student government and staff to choose a school mascot.

He said everyone was in agreement about the colors – ice blue and silver – but the pirate mascot was another story.

Ultimately, rather than being called the Pirates, one of the school counsel-ors, Jerry Stommes, suggested the Reivers. It stuck.

“A lot of people don’t know what a Reiver is until they see Iowa Western’s actual mascot, and then they understand,” says Prather.

Over the years, as the college grew, so did Prather’s engagement and in-vestment in Iowa Western.

In addition to overseeing student activities and intramurals for years on the new campus, he also served as the director of Cooperative Education, golf coach and eventually assumed the role as athletic director – the last position he held before retiring in 1992.

In 1988 he was inducted into the Reiver Athletic Hall of Fame. He re-mains involved and engaged today. He lives in Glenwood, Iowa, but spends the winter months in California near his son, Todd, who was a member of the 1977-78 Reiver baseball team (also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012). He also visits his brother who lives in Phoenix.

“I still keep up with Iowa Western’s athletic programs, and the current athletic director (Brenda Hampton) is doing a very good job,” says Prather. “I am so happy to see the athletic programs having so much success, and I’m very happy to still be a part of the Iowa Western family.”

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Naturally, many people who work in the aviation industry grow up fantasizing about the day they get to fly their first airplane.

They envision the grand feelings of freedom and power traveling through air – feeling almost God-like as they traverse the globe.

But that wasn’t the case for Eugene Jedlicka, chair of Iowa Western’s Aviation program, which includes everything from maintenance to learning to become a pilot. The Avia-tion program is the second-longest tenured program at the school behind health sciences.

Jedlicka was never interested in piloting an aircraft – he just always liked working with things, taking them apart and learning as much as he could about what makes them “tick.”

“Airplane engines were cleaner than other engines,” says Jedlicka, who graduated from Iowa Western’s Aviation Management program in 1992 with an associate of science degree and he has been chair of IWCC’s program for the past three years. “After graduating, I worked in the field for many years before returning to Iowa Western, and I love working with students in this program now.”

“It’s a growing industry, and our program is one of the few in the area that offers as many different types of programs, from certificates to degrees, as we do. There is pretty much something for everyone interested in a career in the aviation industry.” According to Jedlicka, pay for program graduates ranges between $34,000 on the low end

to $125,000 on the very high (and rare) end. Jedlicka manages the day-to-day program operations

and steps into the classroom – a 13,000-square-foot han-gar at the Council Bluffs airport where the students get hands-on experience.

When students are enrolled in an aviation degree pro-gram, they also spend time in the classroom at the main campus for English composition or humanities classes. Otherwise, they learn in the airport classroom.

Program educational tracks include Aviation Mainte-nance Tech: Airframe Certificate; Aviation Maintenance Tech: Powerplant Certificate; Aviation Maintenance Tech-nology; Aviation Management; and Aviation Professional Pilot. The latter three are associate of science degree programs with the option to transfer to earn a bachelor’s degree, particularly the Aviation Professional, which trains students to become professional pilots.

At the hangar, Jedlicka says students work with two instructors on a variety of types and sizes of airplanes – from tip to tail – and no matter how large or small, simple or complex, students leave with a basic knowledge of many types of planes. Once they graduate, he says, the industry will dictate which planes they specialize in through more hands-on training and experience.

Jedlicka says he believes what sets the Iowa Western aviation program – which is generally at capacity (30 students first semester, 25 after that) – apart from others

Classrooms in the Skyby Mike Watkins

Iowa Western’s Aviation Program is Reaching New Heights

Top: Eugene Jedlicka aviation program chair; Roger Phillips, alum of the first graduating aviation class of 1969; Roger’s wife, Kathleen (Iowa Western nursing alum); and Eldon Young, aviation instructor, at the aviation alumni event in July. Bottom: a class photo of the first-ever aviation program at Iowa Western - graduating class of 1969.

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is the quality of instructors and hands-on learning oppor-tunities students receive.

“The closest maintenance program is in Ottumwa, Iowa, and our classes are very condensed for optimum learning,” says Jedlicka. “Our instructors are always there, and we have a very close-knit classroom. We’re really an extended family.”

Another unique quality of the IWCC Aviation program is that, most times, very few if any of the students taking classes are local.

Jedlicka says the current group includes international students from around the world – along with a student who commutes daily from Carroll, Iowa.

He says one of the things he enjoys most about leading this program is watching students’ minds open, especially when they “get it” and the light goes on.

“We don’t get many students who have much of a me-chanical background, so it’s very rewarding to watch them grow as maintenance professionals,” says Jedlicka. “As for the program itself, I see a lot of opportunity for growth.”

“If we are running into any problems, it’s finding people who can work with their hands, something that is vital in this industry. And this is an industry that’s always going to need people here in the United States. This work won’t be farmed out to another country. There is always going to be need and opportunity for this expertise here.”

IWCC Aviation ProgramCertificates and DegreesAviation Maintenance Tech: Airframe Certificate

This unique program – rarely offered at other community col-leges – allows students the option to focus solely on Airframe Maintenance Technology. About 50 percent of the student’s time is spent practicing on an actual aircraft in Iowa Western’s state-of-the-art Aviation building located at the Council Bluffs airport.

This program is intended to place students into the work force upon completion of the one-year certificate. This program will pre-pare students to service and repair the fuselage, nacelles, cowlings, fairings, airfoil surfaces and landing gear.

Aviation Maintenance Tech: Powerplant Certificate

This program is Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified and unique to the region, focusing solely on the powerplant aspect of aviation. Students learn how to inspect, service and repair air-craft reciprocating and turbine engines. Half of class time is spent in the state-of-the-art lab at the Council Bluffs airport.

After accumulating 30.5 credit hours, students are eligible to qualify for a certificate in one year. Students also can apply credits toward Iowa Western’s two-year program to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology.

Aviation Maintenance TechnologyFew community colleges offer this unique program. The quality

of instruction is second-to-none with an abundance of information given to each student. Students spend 50 percent of their time in the classroom and the other 50 percent in the airport “lab” getting hands-on experience.

This two-year degreed program is intended to place students into the work force upon completion. Aviation mechanics inspect the engines, landing gear, instruments, pressurized sections, acces-sories and other parts of the aircraft and do the necessary mainte-nance and replacement of parts. Upon passing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification exam, students are able to seek employment with major and minor airline carriers, government institutions, private corporations and individuals.

Aviation ManagementUsing top-notch facilities, Iowa Western instructors provide more

one-on-one time with students compared to most community col-leges. While most study time is spent on campus, there are some online learning opportunities.

All courses meet FAA regulation standards, and students gain real experience in a cockpit, not simulators as at many other schools. This program is intended for students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution upon completion of this two-year degree and students can transfer directly to the Aviation Institute of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). Graduates who have continued to a bachelor’s degree find jobs as flight dispatchers, airport managers, station managers, government administrators and airline managers, to name a few.

Aviation Professional Pilot Program This program takes students from solo flights to private pilot cer-

tification to an instrument-rated pilot status. Many students then transfer to UNO’s Aviation Institute to work toward a bachelor’s degree, starting as a junior. From there, many land jobs as airline pilots, corporate pilots, flight instructors, flight engineers, air taxi pilots and agricultural pilots.

This program teaches students about aviation history, aviation safety and aviation meteorology.

This program is designed for students intending to transfer to a four-year institution upon completion of this two-year degree and takes students from solo flight through the private pilot certificate and to an instrument-rated pilot.

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By Kara Schweiss

Couple Share Love for TheirAlma Mater - Iowa Western

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Anita, Iowa, native Randy Larsen finished his first class at Iowa Western in the fall of 1969 when the main campus was in Clarinda, and his latest class – a continuing education course in real estate – just

this fall, carrying forward a nearly continuous, decades-long association with the institution. Larsen’s second year at Iowa Western was the beginning of another great decades-long association: he met his now-wife and business partner, Peggy, (a native of Stanton, Iowa) on campus soon after starting classes. Today, the couple owns Century 21 Dement Realty in Atlantic and their busy office handles residential, commercial, land and farm business in Cass County and beyond.

“We’re associated with all the smaller surrounding communities,” Peggy says. “In our office we have agents in Massena, Walnut and Griswold. We cover quite a radius.” Adds Randy: “We’ve had opportunities to expand our business to other communities but have chosen to remain in this area as we really know this market.”

Both Larsens have earned the GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute) designation through the National Association of Realtors, a status held by less than one in five Realtors. But they both learned the basics of real estate and of business ownership through courses at Iowa Western.

“You get the basics,” Peggy says. “I started with a real estate course and took a lot of business courses and accounting classes that were directed toward business.”

She started studying elementary education (and still jokes that learning about child psychology can be useful in the business world) but eventually found business classes to be a better fit. She explains that she was enrolled part time and intermittently while she and Randy raised sons Jeremy and Justin.

“I attended the one year in 1970-71 and then did a little break,” she explains. “A couple of kids later I started back, and I think the first class I took was in ’77, in real estate education, to get my real estate license.”

She was determined to finish her program, no matter how long it took. Or as she explains it, “I finished my second year over the next 10 years. I graduated with an associate’s degree in 1987.”

Peggy actually began her real estate career while pursuing her education, earning her license to become a real estate agent in 1978 and her broker’s license a year later. She acquired her first office in Anita, where the family lived, in 1982. Randy had already earned his associate’s degree by this time (“It gave me the fundamentals to operate a business, the building blocks,”

he says) and was running his family’s masonry contractor business, but the couple was already always working together in some capacity.

“Peg did the books at that time and that’s part of why I got her into the real estate business, too. She followed into building houses and that kind of thing,” Randy says. “I got into real estate somewhere around 1980 and got a broker’s license a year later. It wasn’t until 1994 that I went into it full time.”

In 1985, the Larsens acquired another real estate office from a retiring broker. Although they operated out of both Anita and Atlantic for a few years, they eventually consolidated to Atlantic. In 1987 they purchased the Century 21 franchise. The couple finally moved themselves the 20 minutes west to make their home in Atlantic in 1999. They acquired another local real estate office seven years ago.

“Atlantic is a great community,” Peggy says. “I’ve been in small towns in southwest Iowa all my life. You know everybody, you have long-term relationships and we have repeat clients. I’m just a smaller-town person.”

She adds that she enjoys meeting other Iowa Western alumni in the community and through their work.

“If you’re coming to Atlantic, look us up.” she says. Her husband adds: “Come by and buy a house!”

Both Larsens say they may be in a

different career field from what they imagined during their first days at Iowa Western, but they’re happily settled in the world of real estate.

“I enjoy helping people meet their dreams, finding their house,” Randy says. “It’s rewarding to see.”

“It’s always changing and we’re always learning,” Peggy says. “What I like best is meeting the people and the long-term relationships. We’ve worked with generations now.”

Their own family now has a third generation, and as the couple instilled in their sons the importance of higher education, they hope it extends down the family tree (the oldest grandchild isn’t college-age yet). The Larsens continue to support Iowa Western as scholars, having taken continuing education classes in Harlan, Atlantic and Council Bluffs, and both have served on a scholarship foundation committee to benefit Cass County students. They’ve watched Iowa Western expand and technology change the face of education, but their advice for today’s students remains basic.

“I think the Iowa Western opportunity is affordable for students and is a good way for them to discover the avenue they want to take,” Peggy says.

“Get the fundamentals and put them to work,” Randy says.

I think the Iowa Western opportunity is affordable for students and is a good way for them to discover the avenue they want to take.

Peggy Larsen

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It’s a long way from the packinghouse to Sunnyvale, Calif. From the late night shift at the truck stop to Bangalore, India. From daycare owner to Fortune 500 vice president.

Tammi Kroll has made the journey look easy.Today, she’s vice president of production operations for

Yahoo. She’s responsible for its Operations Centers, Service Reliability Engineering, Business Continuity, and Incident, Problem and Change Management. Yeah, it’s a mouthful.

Essentially, she ensures Yahoo is always up and running.“I make sure Yahoo services are up and running,” Kroll

says. “My group is the first point of contact if anything breaks. My job is very reactive. If it’s bad enough, I typi-cally get engaged. It might be in the middle of the night … or it could be early morning.”

To paraphrase “Anchorman’s” Ron Burgundy, she’s kind of a big deal — one reason why this fall she was called back to the Iowa Western Community College campus to be named her alma mater’s 2014 Outstand-ing Alum.

Kroll earned two degrees at IWCC, the second in computer programming. That was the launching pad to a 15-year run at First Data Corporation and then to her current post at Yahoo. Her IT career now spans two decades and time with the world’s largest third-party credit/debit processor and the world’s larg-est startup.

Her path, though, was far from usual.“I just wasn’t your typical IT person,” she says.Indeed not.

Iowa Roots, Branching OutKroll was born in Council Bluffs but raised in Han-

cock and Avoca, Iowa, after her parents, Darwin and Viola Brockman, moved east when she was 1. She graduated from Avoca High in 1982 but was already hard at work before that. As a senior she started working at the local packing-house getting shrink-wrapped pieces of meat boxed and out the door. She also spent some nights working behind the

A Long WayFrom Home

By Anthony Flott

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Kroll is a shining example of success.

“People shouldn’t assume they wouldn’t be good in IT or computer science just because they’re not great in math or science,” Kroll says. “Because we just don’t have enough kids going into IT these days, whether it be girls or boys. I’m a prime example you don’t have to know what it’s all about to try it. I wasn’t great in math and science.”

Tammi Kroll

register at Taylor’s Quick Pic truck stop. Her career goals after graduating from high school? She

just laughs when asked.“Back then, it was just to make money and live,” she says.

“I didn’t really have any career aspirations. I didn’t really know college was an option.”

But she had ambition. And certainly was a self-starter. After three years at the packinghouse Kroll started her own business. Soon, though, college did become an option. Around 1990 she enrolled at Iowa Western and worked slowly — sometimes one class at a time, at night — toward an associate’s degree in general studies.

Her initial goal was just to find a job that paid more than minimum wage. Frustrated at not getting that, she “picked up the paper to see what paid the most at the time” while also looking at what degree programs she could complete most quickly. Her choices came down to nursing or com-puter programming. She chose the latter, switching her major in 1994.

The choice didn’t have much to do with her skill-set: “I had never been on a computer before,” Kroll says.

Rather, she was sold on the strength of IWCC’s academics.“They had the best computer programming program

around,” she says. “A lot of the companies in Omaha gave people tests in order to hire them. Iowa Western students typically scored higher than others, which told me it was a good program.”

Two years later, in 1996, she received two degrees: an as-sociate’s of applied science in computer programming, and an associate’s of science in general studies. She also had a job — even before getting her diploma.

First to First DataThough she had no relevant work experience, Kroll

showed enough during her time at Iowa Western that she landed an internship at First Data in January 1996.

“From gas station and packinghouse to daycare, it was just a big move to get the internship,” she says. “I really didn’t have any idea what was going to come next. I was hoping it would turn into a full-time position.”

She started in the conversions department changing the files of new customers into First Data format. Her first nine years were a slow and steady rise, from intern to programmer

to analyst to manager. She was hand-picked to lead the effort to implement and support the assimilation

of a software system following the acquisition of Home Depot.

Her rise at First Data over the next six years was much more rapid, taking her to near the top. She became a manager in 2005, a director in 2006 and then vice president of production operations in 2008. Her last role had her responsible for Command Center Operations, Incident Management, Crisis Manage-

From Home

Above: Kroll celebrates her distinguished award at theSept. 20 Outstanding Alum reception on Iowa Western’s campus.

of Yahoo’s philanthropic efforts in Bangalore, where she travels to every quarter (among numerous other points). While there she visits Parikrma, a school funded wholly by Yahoo for underprivileged chil-dren. She also has been working with a nonprofit to move children from an orphanage in the slums to a better one one outside the city.

Kroll’s own family now includes a grandson. She and Tom visit family when they can — since the initial move to Dallas they have

relocated to Yahoo head-quarters in Sunnyvale. Tom, once owner of a construction company in Iowa, now does maintenance and

facility work at a domestic abuse shelter. The couple spend what free time Tammi can get exploring California. Favorite haunts include Carmel River State Beach and Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.

Yes, she’s come a long way from Avoca. Iowa Western, she stresses, helped make it possible.

“The instructors for the computer programming program at IWCC were top notch,” says Kroll, who in 2014 earned a degree in leadership from Bellevue University. “They pushed you really, really hard. A lot of times, when you thought you couldn’t do any better, they knew you could and they didn’t let up on you. They were pretty relentless, which was good. They gave you a lot of hands-on experi-ence. It wasn’t just theoretical. It wasn’t just books. We spent a lot of time in the lab. The program was really hard. More than 50 percent of the students never made it to graduation.”

Kroll did. And to plenty of other places ever since.

ment, Return to Service, Operational Liaison and Ser-vice Desk. Clients included biggies like GE, Wal-mart, Exxon and Wells Fargo.

“First Data was really good about giving you differ-ent opportunities and constantly moving around within the company so I was able to learn about the compa-ny,” she says. “When you work for one of the world’s largest, you get a lot of opportunities to learn.”

And lots of opportunity to impress.

Yahoo for … YahooKroll’s accomplishments with First Data caught the

attention of Yahoo, where in 2011 she was offered a job. It wasn’t her only decision to make. At the time, Kroll was working temporarily in Australia. But First Data was asking her to take on a new position for a couple of years working in Europe. The job with Ya-hoo meant a move to Dallas.

Either way, it was clear that Tammi and her husband, Tom, would be leaving the Southwest Iowa area where both had spent all their lives. So had the couple’s three children (Dean, now 37; Dusty, 28; Tausha, 26). By then, though, they were grown and on their own.

Yahoo was the choice.“We felt it was the right time to try something differ-

ent,” she says. “They have strong leader-ship and Yahoo is a strong brand worldwide.”

It was a differ-ent industry, but that didn’t dissuade Kroll.

“I think I just had to prove it to myself I could work at another company and be successful.”

The biggest challenge at Yahoo, she says, is change.“Constant change because we create beautiful prod-

ucts so quickly,” she says. “There’s just always a lot of change going on.”

Kroll reports directly to the CIO and has a global staff with direct reports in Bangalore, California, New York, Texas and Nebraska. In her time at Yahoo she has led an effort to reduce impact minutes, developed an organization to reduce oncall costs, implemented a cutting-edge monitoring system and served as a mem-ber of the Crisis Management team.

She also is the executive advisor for the Women In Tech program at Yahoo and actively participates in one

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A Long Way From HomeContinued From Page 13

Kroll was honored at halftime of the Homecoming football game on September 20.From left: Pam Beall-Hill, Alumni Board Vice President, Kroll, and Dr. Dan Kinney, Iowa Western President.

Kroll continues to give back to Iowa Western. She is a member of the Computer InformationTechnology Advisory Committee and when in the area, often visits campus and speaks to students.

A lot of times, when you thought you couldn’t do any better, they (instructors) knew you could and they didn’t let up on you. They were pretty relentless, which was good.

Tammi Kroll

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president of the communication club, participated in (and won) campus-wide speech contests, and was awarded the Iowa Commu-nication Association Award in 2011.

Since graduating from IWCC, Reinig’s career has been on a fast-track to success. After transferring to UNI with multiple scholar-ships, Reinig served two years as president of Digital Collective, a student organization that helps teach digital skills to others and prepares students for future digital careers. Reinig also earned a student Silver ADDY Award for her work in the production of a commercial promoting Boys Scouts while interning at On Media in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

“I think [Iowa Western] was the absolute perfect stepping stone to get me to the next step, which was the four-year college,” says Reinig. “One of the best things about Iowa Western was the pro-fessors. I still talk to them today.”

Reinig was a phenomenal student, says Nicole Juranek, professor of communications at IWCC, and her accomplishments come as no surprise to those who worked with her at the college.

“I would have said I could have told you [she would be success-ful] on the first day I met her,” says Juranek. “She’s just a really rare student. She’s really well-spoken, but she is also up-to-date in technology. She knows how to present herself online as well as in person. She is probably one of the most memorable students I’ve ever had.”

For Jamie Stech, associate professor of communication arts at IWCC, it was not only Reinig’s leadership that stood out, but also the way she helped others along the way.

“Not only is she a hard worker, but she’s also very personable,” says Stech. “Whatever it is she wants to do with her career, I know she will be successful. I can see her making a big impact with the people she works with.”

Reinig’s impact continues well past her normal work day. She is an assistant organizer for One Million Cups (1MC), a new program in the Cedar Valley area that Reinig likens to ABC’s business-themed reality TV show, “Shark Tank.” Each week, budding entre-preneurs get the chance to bring their business dreams to fruition by presenting their start-up ideas to a diverse panel of judges who then give feedback and insight on ways they can advance their busi-ness.

“It’s a good feeling when you watch your neighbor succeed at one of their life goals of having their own business and doing what they love,” says Reinig. “I’m really happy with where I am at right now and I definitely have Iowa Western and UNI to thank for that.”

Stepping StoneContinued From Page 5

Reinig was president of the communication club at Iowa Western.She participated in numerous events including the fall and spring speech contests

and making fleece blankets for homeless shelters.

She’s just a really rare student...she is probably one of the

most memorable studentsI’ve ever had.Nicole Juranek

Professor of Communications,Iowa Western

Donna Barry has enjoyed a birds-eye view of the remarkable growth of Iowa Western Community College, first as a member of the board of trustees and later as a founda-

tion board member. It was that visionary leadership that led the Iowa Western Community College Foun-dation to present its 2014 Investment in Excellence Award to Barry at the annual Black Tie Harvest Scholarship Event in September.

With more than 15,000 alumni living and working in the college’s seven-county service area, Iowa West-ern has contributed to the economic, cultural and social vitality of the local communities in Southwest Iowa. Helping the college achieve such remarkable success has been the many volunteers and boosters that put forth their time and resources in support of the college’s mission. In 1999, the Iowa Western Foundation began honoring individuals for their personal, professional and community efforts in sup-porting the college with its Investment in Excellence Award.

Barry, a longtime civic leader whose service to the college and Southwest Iowa spans more than 25 years, remains active in community organizations. Barry has been a dedicated member of the Iowa Western Foun-dation Board since 1996, helping the college focus on the future by managing assets and scholarship dollars that directly impact students across the region.

“Donna Barry has quietly made her mark in helping Iowa Western become the quality institution that it is today,” says Iowa Western President Dr. Dan Kinney. “From her work as a board member in the ’90s to her efforts in bringing attention to our fundraising efforts on the foundation, Donna has always been a cham-pion for Iowa Western.”

Barry grew up in Woodbine, Iowa, graduating from

Black Tie Harvest for Scholarships2014 events raise $165,000 for student scholarships

Donna Barry ReceivesInvestment in Excellence Award

Golf Tournament

Patio Party

Dinner and Auction

Iowa Western held its annual Patio Party on Aug. 23 to recognize the preparations for the Black Tie Harvest for Scholarships dinner and auction on Sept. 27. Left: Black Tie chairs John and Tra-cy Jerkovich present the Chairmen’s Volunteer Award to Ward Bean (center). Right: John and Tracy Jerkovich present the Chairmen’s Donor Award to Dave and Shana Craven (right) who accepted the award on behalf of Keith and Linda Skinner / KINSETH Hospitality Companies.

More than 475 supporters attended the Sept. 27 Black Tie event held in Kanesville Arena on Iowa Western’s campus. The event consisted of a fabulous meal, silent and oral auction items, and presentation of the Investment in Excellence award to Donna Barry. At left, chairs John and Tracy Jerkovich, pose at the 1920’s-inspired photo booth with four Presidential Scholarship recipients. Right, a photograph taken during the event.

The Black Tie Harvest for Scholarships golf fundraiser on June 27 raised over $16,000 for the scholarship fund. On the left, event chairs John and Tracy Jerkovich and co-chairs Jay and Kathy Schuster dress in 1920’s attire; and golf committee members Dr. Jim Whalen (left) and Bill Letuli (far right) present the first-ever traveling Black Tie trophy to the winning foursome - Dan Sidzyk, Trent Cozad, Tim Flanagan, and Russ Henderson.

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Woodbine High in 1965. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1970 and soon after became active with the family farm and with substitute teaching at Woodbine and Logan Magnolia Schools.

Barry began what would become a lengthy career in politics after working on the campaign field staff in Western Iowa for then-Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and for the campaigns of U.S. Senator Roger Jepsen and Congressman Jim Lightfoot. Gov. Branstad ap-pointed her to the Water, Air and Waste Management Commission from 1984-88. Ironically, Barry’s first elected position was her successful bid to become a member of the Iowa Western Board of Trustees, a post she held from 1989-1995.

Barry moved on to higher office in 1995 when she began serving the citizens of Southwest Iowa in the Iowa House of Representatives. She served until 2001, including five years as assistant majority leader in the House. In 2001, she moved on to become regional director for U.S. Senator Charles Grassley, working in the Council Bluffs Office covering 14 counties in Southwest Iowa. She still holds that posi-tion today.

Barry has two daughters and four grandchildren and has been active in many civic organizations, in-cluding: Missouri Valley Community Memorial Hos-pital Board and Foundation Board; Woodbine United Methodist Church and Women’s Society; Harrison County Republicans and Republican Women; Pot-tawattamie County Republicans; Council Bluffs Noon Rotary; Logan Kiwanis; Legion Auxiliary; PEO; Corn Growers – Farm Bureau.

She has been a longtime supporter of Iowa Western Community College, Children’s Square, Gabriel’s Corner Crisis Pregnancy Center, Historic General Dodge House; Good News Jail Ministry; and MOHM’s Place.

Iowa Western AnnouncesHall of Fame Class

Donna Barry, friend, Herb Lavigne, and granddaughter, Rio, anxiously await the presentation of the 2014 Investment in Excellence award.

Left: Mike Dennis and Iowa Western athletic director, Brenda Hampton;right: Kip Peterson and Iowa Western men’s head basketball coach, Jim Morris.

Two longtime volunteers, a standout athlete and two storied basketball teams were inducted into the Iowa Western Commu-nity College Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony Saturday, September 20.

Mike DennisDennis was honored in recognition of his countless years of ser-vice and support to Iowa Western Community College and Reiver Athletics. He has served as official scorekeeper for volleyball, foot-ball, men’s basketball and women’s basketball. He was the NJCAA official scorekeeper for the National Volleyball Championships in 2007, 2008, 2009, and the official scorekeeper for the Graphic Edge Bowl and 2012 National Football Championship.

Kip PetersonPeterson has been a fixture at Iowa Western athletic events for decades, and was recognized for his years of service and support to Iowa Western Community College and Reiver Athletics. With his highly recognizable voice, Peterson has served as public address announcer for football and men’s Basketball, along with offering his talents as announcer for National Volleyball Championships in 2007, 2008, 2009 and for the Graphic Edge Bowl and 2012 National Football Championship.

Katie (Gompert) FreelandGompert was one of the most decorated and talented Reivers of the past, leading the way during a successful reign in Iowa West-ern volleyball. She led the 1999-2000 team to conference, region and district championships as the team finished No. 13 in the nation with a 33-14 record. She also was an Academic All-Region XI selection. During her sophomore season, Gompert led the Reivers to three championships again, along with a 41-7 record and a No. 10 national ranking at season’s end. She earned NJCAA Academic All-American honors and All-American honors on the court. She also earned AVCA All-American honors. 2004-2005 MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAMConference Champions; Region Champions; District Champions; NJCAA National Championship 5th Place; Overall Record 33-7

2005-2006 MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAMConference Champions; Region Champions; District Champions; NJCAA National Championship 4th Place; Overall Record 30-8

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Baseball TeamBrings Home Another Title

Grand Junction, Colo., host of the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series, has become a second home for Iowa Western’s baseball program. The bleachers at Sam Suplezio Field are routinely filled with Reiver baseball faithful, local baseball

fanatics who have become accustomed to cheering on the visitors from Iowa.“It is truly an amazing scene to see the amount of support we get out

there,” said Jake Ryan, radio voice of the Reiver Sports Network. “There are plenty of pirate hats and shirts mixed throughout the stadium. Coach (Marc) Rardin has built quite a relationship with that town.”

Marc Rardin has built quite a dynasty as well, bringing home the college’s third World Series title in 2014 with a dominating performance in the Rock-ies. The Reivers, who finished 56-11, defeated Columbia State (Tenn.) 6-5 in its opener before rolling to impressive wins over Midland Texas (9-0), Miami Dade (10-0), Midland in the semifinals (11-1) and 17-5 over Miami Dade in the championship.

Rardin has an impressive 559-168 (.833 winning percentage) coaching re-cord, leading the Reivers to eight World Series berths, and championships in 2010, 2012 and 2014, 10 regional championships and eight district titles.

“I have tried to build a culture of winning and winning the right way,” Rardin said. “I want our kids to have a complete college experience and to prepare for that next step in their lives.”

The Reivers succeeded on and off the field in 2014, compiling a 3.39 team grade-point average. Named to the World Series All-Tournament Team were Jacob Sheldon-Collins (Australia), Jake Scudder (Rock Island, Ill.), Alex Krupa (Greenwood, Ind.), Kevin Elder (Burlington, Ill.), and Erik Swanson (Terrace Park, Ohio). Krupa, a speedy left fielder, was named the tournament

MVP in Grand Junction.At season’s end, more than a dozen

Reivers signed NCAA Division I letters of intent. Those moving on were: Thomas Busbice, Old Dominion University; Quinn Carpenter, Texas Tech University; Kevin Elder, Western Kentucky University; Derek Francis, Old Dominion University; Craig Larkin, Illinois State University; Ja-son McMurray, Old Dominion University; Kaden Moore, Indiana State University; David Parrett, Coastal Carolina University; Drake Robison, University of Missis-sippi; Jordan Schlehuber, Utah Valley State University; Jacob Sheldon-Collins, Univer-sity of Hawaii; Erik Swanson; University of Pittsburgh; Nick Thayer, Campbell University; and, Sean Johnson, University of Mississippi.

The baseball team creates a dog pile on the mound after defeating Miami Dade in the JUCO World Series championship game; the team poses for a photograph; and Ron and Suzanne Mahoney, Iowa Western supporters, along with Dr. Dan Kinney, Iowa Western president, hand out championship rings to the baseball team during halftime of a Reiver football game. The Mahoney’s generously donated funds to purchase rings for the entire baseball team.

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Fall ReviewREIVER ATHLETICS

The National Junior College Athletic Assocation website is full of information about talented athletes and programs from around the country, and the fall sports season was a headline grabber for Iowa Western. During the week

of Nov. 4, four Reiver sports teams were ranked No. 1 (football, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball) at the same time, dem-onstrating the commitment and drive of Iowa Western student athletes.

“It was an amazing season indeed for our sports programs,” said Iowa Western Athletic Director Brenda Hampton. “While the season may not have ended how our coaches wanted, we are proud of the way our athletes competed and with the recognition they brought our institution.”

All four ranked teams made it to national championship games, garnering an array of individual honors along the way. Heading into the Mississippi Bowl on Dec. 7, where Iowa Western took part in the national championship football game against East Mississippi, Reiver sports programs were a combined 100-3-3.

FOOTBALLThe Iowa Western football team has been on a championship

course ever since its inception six years ago, and the Reivers were right back in the title hunt in 2014. Behind Head Coach Scott Strohmeier, Iowa Western rolled to an 11-0 regular-season record and racked up Conference and Region XI Championships en route to a spot in the NJCAA title game vs. perennial power East Missis-sippi. The No. 1-ranked Lions jumped to a 21-7 halftime lead after five costly Reiver turnovers and held on for a 34-17 victory over No. 2 Iowa Western in the Mississippi Bowl. The two powerhouses have accounted for four out of the last five NJCAA football titles. “We proved that we can compete with one of the top football pro-grams in the country,” Coach Strohmeier said. “I am proud of the way our kids handled everything associated with this big game. We want to be in the chase for a title every year.”

MEN’S SOCCER Iowa Western’s run to a second-straight NJCAA title ended on

a penalty-kick thriller at the championship site in Prescott Valley, Ariz. The men swept through pool play to open the tournament, taking out Coffeyville (Kan.) and Schoolcraft (Mich.). The Reivers and Monroe (N.Y.) College battled 110 minutes of scoreless soccer before the Mustangs won on penalty kicks. Nick Melville and Ed-gardo Reyes were named to the all-tournament team.

WOMEN'S SOCCERThe Iowa Western women's soccer team earned a spot in the

NJCAA National Championship game for the second straight sea-son and rolled to wins over Waubonsee and Butler (Kan.) to move out of pool play into the semifinals. The Reivers defeated No. 5 Navarro, setting up another rematch with Monroe. The Reivers had beaten the Mustangs 1-0 in Rochester, New York earlier in the year.

Monroe avenged its loss with a double overtime victory over the defending national champs.

Nicole Gowans, Celia Jimenez and Maria Martinez were named to the all-tournament team.

REIVER VOLLEYBALL After a three-game sweep over Wallace State to start the

NJCAA National Tournament in Casper, Wyo., the Reivers suffered just their second loss of the season to local favor-ites Northwest College of Powell, Wyo.. The Reivers rallied with victories over No. 3 Tyler, Texas, and No. 11 Arizona Western to finish fifth. This 2014 Iowa Western squad set a school record for fewest losses in a season with two and finished 45-2 overall, their 10th straight season with 40 wins or more!

REIVER LONG DISTANCE RUNNERSThe Reiver Cross Country Team finished the 2014 fall

season, at the NJCAA National Half Marathon in Topeka, Kan. In the men's race, Sylvester Barus finished second with a time of 1:09:03. The Reivers finished fourth, the best fin-ish in school history for the program.

On the women's side, Sherene Whyte (1:34:45) and Sierra Hughes (1:35:02) finished 18th and 19th, respectively, as the team finished with a program-best fifth-place trophy.

Top: Iowa Western head football coach Scott Strohmeier and East Mississippi head football coach Buddy Stephens talk after the Dec. 7 championship game. Bottom: Iowa Western was awarded the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup, capturing the title with 178.5 total points.

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1970Carrol (Gene) Johnson is enjoying retirement in Shenandoah, Iowa.

1971Jim Bartholomew is the president of Bart’s Flying Service in Storm Lake, Iowa.

1972Ronald T. Wolf is the president of T & M Aviation in Abbeville, La.

1975Arnold Kesselring is the owner of Certified Repair Station Operation in Bayard, Iowa.

1977Chris Cernik is employed with OPPD as a steam fitter.

1978Kevin Ricke is self-employed in Westside, Iowa.

1979David Slaughter is the director of technical services with Henningsen Foods in Kearney, Neb. David enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and traveling.

Dan Byker is self-employed in Hewarden, Iowa.

Rick Stephens is enjoying retirement in Malcolm, Neb.

1980Eugene Mohr is self-employed in Vail, Iowa.

1982Tom Heinrichs is employed with Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha.

1983Mike Scott is employed with FedEx as an aircraft mechanic.

1985Wes Buller is a superintendent with Lueder Construction in Omaha.

1986P. Mike Chick is the president of Chick Aviation in Gretna, Neb.

1987Brian Heistand is an A&P Mechanic for FedEx in Omaha.

1990Mike Bernholtz is employed with Duncan Aviation in Lincoln in engine service sales.

1991Greg Heine is employed with the Iowa Department of Transportation.

1992Andrew Regier is an A&P for Swieter Aircraft Services in Waterloo, Iowa.

1993Brent Blume is a supported community living specialist with Nishna Productions.

1995Vanessa Schott graduated in May 2014. She received the Charlotte Burgess Award for a Masters in Nursing Administration and Leadership from UNMC in Lincoln. Vanessa will attend the University of Kansas to pursue her Ph.D. in the educational technology program.

1999Tina Fincher is an engineer lead technician for Duncan Aviation in Lincoln.

2003Tama Trewet is a dental hygienist for UNMC College of Dentistry. Tama recently joined Building Healthy Futures as an oral health services co-coordinator. Building Healthy Futures is in partnership with community healthcare providers and is focused on improving access to health care for children in poverty.

2005Tim Milan is a technical support specialist II at Leo A Daly in Omaha.

2007Brian Ogle successfully defended his thesis project focusing on zoo management topics. He will be graduating with his Masters of Science degree in Anthrozoology. Brian will be attending the University of Central Florida this fall to obtain his doctorate in conservation biology.

2009Barak Davis is a builder at Certified Transmission.

Cameron Chilewski is employed with Duncan Aviation in Lincoln as an airframe mechanic – Falcon Aircraft.

Jillian Flores is a graduate assistant women’s basketball coach at Peru State College in Peru, Neb. She also is pursuing her degree in organizational management with an emphasis in human services through Chadron State College.

2011David Thomazin is an airframe mechanic at Duncan Aviation in Lincoln.

Matt Brault is employed as an airframe mechanic at Duncan Aviation in Lincoln.

Chuck Birsall is self-employed as an aircraft mechanic in Bellevue, Neb.

Class Notes

Andy Corum graduated from the University of Iowa last fall. Andy moved to Phoenix to pursue his MA at the ASU New College in the field of Interdisciplinary Studies.

2012Dave Silchman is self-employed in Fort Calhoun, Neb.

Nancy-Joy Wilson is working at Salem Lutheran Homes in Elk Horn, Iowa.

2013Dana Heidt is the sous chef at Village Square Buffet at the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs. Heidt also is in charge of the food in the VIP Lounges.

Jerod Francis is a manager for Aircraft Specialties in Omaha.

2014Alex Vary is a farmer in Dow City, Iowa.

Bradley Schwenke is attending Bellevue University in Bellevue, Neb., and majoring in market management.

Quinton Swanberg attends Midland University in Fremont, Neb., on a wrestling scholarship.

Dakota Church is an operations engineer with Google in Council Bluffs.

Nelson Ploen attends Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Mo.

Debra Peterson attends Buena Vista University in Council Bluffs.

Matthew Brown is the detail drafter for Winnebago Industries.

Bryce Ufken attends Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Mo.

Cindy Dunn is a medical assistant at the Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha.

Construction ensues on the new Engineering Technology Center that will open Fall 2015.

21From left: the cheer team marches in the inaugural homecoming parade on the 100 Block of West Broadway in Council Bluffs; children pose with a cheerleader at a Reiver football game; and Dr. Gina Schochenmaier, dean of Communication and Fine Arts, poses with Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa Governor Terry Branstad.

Stacy ShockeyScholarship and

Alumni Coordinator

There are few people on the Iowa Western campus that boast of their alma mater more than Stacy (Kirchert) Shockey, who as a student and employee has witnessed first-hand the success of this thriving institution.

Shockey began her collegiate career on the campus in Council Bluffs, living in the Iowa Western dorms during the 1995-96 academic year. The Shenandoah native returned closer to home to complete her asso-ciate of science degree at the Clarinda satellite center. With her degree in hand, Shockey took her first job as an administrative assistant for Iowa Western’s Foundation Department. Encouraged by mentor Bon-nie Gioiello, former director of institutional advancement and alumni coordinator, Shockey continued her education at Buena Vista Univer-sity as a distance learning student on the Iowa Western campus and earned a bachelor’s degree in human resources in 2003.

Following graduation, Shockey immersed herself in an internship with the National Foundation for Women Legislators in Washington D.C., but the urge to help students drove her back to her alma mater where she served in many roles, including: community involvement coordinator; student activities coordinator; and her current position as the scholarship and alumni coordinator in the Institutional Advance-ment department.

Shockey enjoys creating avenues for past students to keep in contact with fellow students, faculty and staff. She relishes working with the Alumni Committee and community partners to organize campus and community-based alumni events that sustain life-long relationships with past students of Iowa Western Community College. Throughout her tenure at Iowa Western, she has continued to find new ways to support and engage with current and past alum. Shockey was a driving force behind the first-ever Homecoming Parade held in 2014, an event that attracted hundreds of people to downtown Council Bluffs for a cel-ebration of Reiver Pride. Shockey has dedicated herself to identifying and planning local and national events and activities that enable alumni to make connections with other Reiver boosters, bringing an element of pride to a growing educational institution.

There are countless opportunities for alumni to become involved at Iowa Western. Please contact Stacy Shockey if you have suggestions

for alumni activities, or if you would like to participate on the Alumni Committee.

When she is not busy promoting her alma mater, Shockey stays busy with her husband, Jason, who is the Coaching Coordinator for the Omaha Tigers and Head Baseball Coach for Bellevue West High School, and her two active sons, six-year old CJ, and three-year old Paxton.

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The Iowa Western alumni office enjoys welcoming alumni back to campus. Wonderful opportunities to reconnect occur during Iowa Western’s memorable alumni events.

A couple of our most successful alumni events occurred this year. More than 150 alumni and friends gathered in Utah for a soccer event in June. In July, almost 100 program graduates were in attendance at an aviation open house that showcased the aviation building. Alum came from as far as Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana.

The alumni office hosted a homecoming tailgate at Lewis Central High School prior to the Reiver football game, followed by an evening re-ception for the 2014 Outstanding Alumnus, Tammi Kroll. An agricul-ture alumni event is being planned for Feb. 27, 2015. Stay tuned for more information.

We look forward to connecting with more alumni in the coming months and welcome everyone to stop by. If you are interested in planning an alumni event, the alumni office would be happy to help. Please don’t hesitate to send us an email at alum@iwcc.edu or call 712.325.3269. We would love to have you back on campus!

Scheduled EventsAgriculture Alumni Event Feb. 27Engineering Building Grand Opening SpringHomecoming Parade, Council Bluffs Oct. 8 Homecoming Oct. 10

Clockwise from top left: Iowa Western cheerleaders walk in the first-ever homecoming parade on Sept. 18; the 2004-05 men’s basketball team and men’s head basketball coach Jim Morris at the Reiver Hall of Fame breakfast; Katie (Gompert) Freeland and

Brenda Hampton, Athletic Director, at the Reiver Hall of Fame breakfast; alumni and friends gather to cheer on the Reivers in the championship football game at Barley’s on Dec. 7; and photographs from the aviation alumni open house on July 19.

Alumni Events

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2014 SpotlightOffice of Recruitment

The Iowa Western Office of Recruitment consists of six passionate professionals who work together to recruit new students. They bring prospective students and their families to campus and allow them to experience life as a Reiver through recruiting events. Recruiters provide outreach and recruitment at high schools, college fairs, college planning and application drives, and FAFSA completion events. They also help new students, parents, and international students navigate the college admissions process from application to enrollment and everything in between. A look at their efforts by numbers:

31,000 – miles traveled by recruiters,

More than 150 – off-campus events to present information that demonstrates the value of an Iowa Western education and illustrates the vibrancy of campus life,

300 – recruiting events hosted on campus,

250 – New Student Registration and Orientation (NSRO) events,

1,500 – new students who attended NSRO and signed the Commitment to Graduate banner,

3,000 – number of prospective and new students who received an Iowa Western t-shirt at NSRO.

Hello alumni and friends,

Tis the season.

As the holiday season ends and a new year begins, Iowa Western has much to celebrate. Simply flip through the pages of this magazine and you will find success stories featuring alumni, academic programs and student-athletes. The Foundation is proud to support the many achievements of the college and its alumni and enjoys sharing these wonderful stories with all of you.

The revelry continues at Iowa Western as the college celebrates its 50th anniversary. A variety of events will mark this special milestone, including a special kickoff event and grand opening of the Engineering Technology Center this spring. Look for more details in the next edition of the Alumni Magazine.

As the college celebrates current and past successes, I am thrilled to have the op-portunity to lead the foundation into the future. After more than seven years as the Iowa Western Arts Center Director, I look forward to serving as the vice president of Institutional Advancement and working with alumni, employees, students and community partners to support Southwest Iowa’s premier educational institution.

With so much cause to celebrate, it’s a good time to be a Reiver!

Molly Noon

Molly NoonVP of Institutional Advancement712.325.3241mnoon@iwcc.edu

From top: CBTV17 prepares to go live at Iowa Western’s graduation;and the student production of Little Shop of Horrors was a big hit at the Arts Center.

Iowa Western CELEBRATES 50 years of excellence

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