Iowa Valley faculty, staff receive statewide awards
Pictured from left to right: Matt Schmit, MCC Provost; Barb Klein, ECC Provost; Ed Geitz, Education Faculty; MaryAnne Nickle, Dean of Academic Affairs; and Dr. Anne Howsare Boyens, IVCCD President.
DES MOINES – Two Iowa Valley Community College District employees were honored with statewide awards for excellence during the Community Colleges for Iowa Awards Ceremony held in Des Moines. MaryAnne Nickle, Dean of Academic Affairs, received the Outstanding Staff Award, and Ed Geitz, and education professor, received the Outstanding Faculty Award.
The awards celebrate community college leaders who demonstrate exceptional excellence, service, and innovation across the state’s community college system. The core of the program involves each of the 15 Iowa colleges nominating one staff member and one faculty member to be honored for their dedication and impact on students and their communities.
Nickle has dedicated her career to advancing student success, strengthening community partnerships, and ensuring a supportive environment for all. She consistently goes above and beyond, bringing professionalism, creativity, and compassion to every initiative.
As Dean of Academic Affairs, she has provided outstanding leadership in program development, faculty support, and student services, helping to expand opportunities for learners of all ages.
She is known for her ability to listen, collaborate, and build consensus, resulting in strong connections with local school districts and the wider community. Her unwavering commitment to students exemplifies the very best of community college service and excellence.
Geitz has dedicated the past 26 years to teaching and mentoring students at ECC. While primarily teaching education, he also instructs classes in health and physical sciences. He is a relationship-builder who serves as a bridge between the faculty and administration through his willingness to step into difficult leadership roles as a division liaison and faculty association officer.
In the classroom, he is a true mentor, supporting education students on their journey to become confident professional educators and working to create impactful, practical teaching experiences through collaborations with local K-12 schools.
A passionate coach for many years, Geitz brings the same energy and mentorship to young athletes on the basketball court as he does to his college students in the classroom.