MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — The Iowa Valley Community College District (IVCCD) Board of Directors covered a full slate of district news at its Aug. 12, 2026, meeting, including a $1 million state workforce grant, the introduction of two new employees, an update on the district's strategic plan, and continued progress toward next month's groundbreaking on Marshalltown Community College's (MCC) new student housing.

$1 Million Grant to Expand Career Academies at Ellsworth Community College

IVCCD has been awarded a $1 million Career Academy Incentive Fund (CAIF) Grant from the state of Iowa. The funding will allow Ellsworth Community College (ECC) to launch a new Construction Technology career academy while expanding existing academies in Agricultural Science, Welding, and Business/Entrepreneurship — giving area high school students a head start on college credit and hands-on training tied to regional workforce needs.

"This funding will allow Ellsworth Community College to introduce a new Construction Technology career academy while also expanding career academy opportunities in Agricultural Science, Welding, and Business/Entrepreneurship," said Dr. Barb Klein, Provost, ECC. "This achievement would not have been possible without the efforts of Ashtyn Beek and Honoria Balogh, who dedicated countless hours to developing and submitting the grant application. We're grateful for their hard work and commitment to the lasting impact this grant will have on the ECC campus and the students we serve."

New Employees Join MCC

The Board welcomed two new employees to Marshalltown Community College:
• Nathan Clark, MCC Men's and Women's Bowling Head Coach
• Whitney Spies, Financial Aid Office Associate

Abigail Casey, Senior Director of Strategic Planning & Marketing, along with members of the District's four strategic planning teams, presented the Board with a year-one progress report on the 2025-2030 IVCCD Strategic Plan.

Student Housing Groundbreaking Set for September

The Board's upcoming events calendar confirmed a groundbreaking ceremony for MCC's new student housing development, scheduled for 11 a.m. Sept. 10, 2026 on the MCC campus.