IVCCD History

Iowa Valley Community College District (IVCCD) was organized in 1966 as one of 15 community college districts in Iowa. The District operates Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls (founded in 1890), Marshalltown Community College (founded in 1927), and Iowa Valley Continuing Education, as well as a satellite center (Iowa Valley Grinnell, established in 1993).

ECC and MCC offer one-year and two-year career-technical programs as well as Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Science (AS) transfer degrees. Iowa Valley Continuing Education offers training for business and industry as well as thousands of adult education programs and services throughout the Central Iowa service area. Iowa Valley Grinnell offers both college credit and adult education programs and services in Poweshiek County.

1890 Ellsworth Community College was established as the private Ellsworth Academy by Professor John Tobin. The institution was named after Eugene Ellsworth, a benefactor.

1927 Marshalltown Community College was established as Marshalltown Junior College under the auspices of the Marshalltown School District.

1965 Iowa’s 61st General Assembly passed legislation providing the impetus for establishment of the community college system.

1966 IVCCD (then called Merged Area VI) was organized July 9 following elections in which seven new board members were named. Four months later the first IVCCD superintendent, Robert Horsfall, was hired.

1967 IVCCD administrative offices opened at 19 S. Center St. in Marshalltown in January. In July MCC became part of the District, followed in August by IVCE.

1968 ECC became part of the District. Superintendent Horsfall resigned and Donald Skinner was named IVCCD superintendent.

1971 Phase One construction was completed on what is now the Marshalltown Community College/Iowa Valley campus in Marshalltown; the campus was built in four phases, which opened in 1971, 1975, 1978 and 1983.

1972 What had been known as Merged Area VI became “Iowa Valley Community College District” through an official name change.

1973 Superintendent Skinner resigned and John Prihoda was named IVCCD superintendent.

1978 Iowa Valley established its Career Development Programs to serve adults with developmental disabilities through community-based pre-vocational training.

1989 Voters approved a $7.5 million bond issue for construction of ECC’s Gentle Student Center and classroom expansions; construction of MCC’s B.J. Harrison Library and book store, as well as renovation of the student union and Student Success Center; construction of the IVCE Conference Center; and installation of the statewide Iowa Communications Network fiber optic telecommunications system.

1991 Superintendent Prihoda retired and Paul Tambrino was named IVCCD president.

1993 Iowa Valley opened a satellite campus in Grinnell at 929 Broad Street, offering credit and adult education programming.

1999 MCC’s first on-campus student housing, with apartment-style units, was opened for occupancy. A second apartment-style unit was opened in 2002.

2002 In January the Iowa Valley Grinnell center relocated to its new location at 123 6th Ave. W. President Tambrino retired and Tim Wynes was named IVCCD president.

2003 The ECC College Apartments were opened for student occupancy.

2006 Voters approved a $35 million bond issue for construction of an Agriculture & Renewable Energy Center and Wellness Center addition at ECC; construction of a Student Activity Center and Orpheum Theater renovation at MCC; construction of a welding and technology lab onto the Construction Technology building in Marshalltown for IVCE; expansion of the Iowa Valley Grinnell campus; and technological upgrades and improvements.

2007 IVCCD's online Associate in Arts degree is approved by the Higher Learning Commission.  

2008 In March the IVCE Business & Technology Center was completed on the Marshalltown campus. Added on to the MCC Construction Technology building, the Center includes a state-of-the-art welding lab with 36 stations and several classrooms.