IHCC students named to All-Iowa Academic Team
Four Indian Hills Community College students were named to the All-Iowa Academic Team this spring. Honored for their exceptional scholarship were Anthony Furlin and Skyler Lawson from the Centerville Campus and Michaela Lunsford and Justin Birkner from the Ottumwa Campus.
The four IHCC students joined top community college students from across the state at a ceremony in Des Moines. They were honored by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, which recognizes outstanding academic achievement. The event’s keynote speaker was Lynn Tincher-Ladner, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Phi Theta Kappa.
Photo cutline—Shown in this photo are Indian Hills’ All-Iowa Academic Team members (front row l-r): Michaela Lunsford, Justin Birkner and Skyler Lawson. In the back row are Matt Thompson, IHCC Vice-President of Academic Affairs, and Marlene Sprouse, IHCC President. Anthony Furlin, the fourth IHCC recipient was unable to attend.
WE STEM at IHCC
Fifteen area high school girls visited Indian Hills Community College to attend the recent Third Annual “WE STEM” Day (Women Exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Day). Students had the opportunity to complete hands-on activities in multiple Advanced Technology Center laboratories.
The highlight of the day was a keynote presentation from IHCC’s Kim Dreaden. She shared her educational pathway in science including a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree from the University of Florida. Kim talked about work experiences and her career path from Wildlife Ecologist Technician at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to Research Specialist at Ajinomoto to becoming the Bioprocessing Program Director at Indian Hills.
Dreaden then worked with the girls in the laboratory on DNA extraction from Kiwi. This hands-on activity included multiple scientific learning opportunities about biomolecule manipulation, filtration, chemical reactions and the observation of temperature impacts.
In the laser lab, the girls performed some laser engraving, aligned lasers & optics, popped balloons with a laser, viewed a laser light show and tested a laser security system.
Indian Hills laser students Katelyn Myers and Monica Greenlief talked about their educational journey and beginning their new STEM careers at laser companies.
Participants also performed hands-on activities with robotic “Rule Your Room Kits” and learned about servo motors, LEDs and sound sensors in the Robotics lab.
In the Auto lab, the girls built some automotive electrical circuits and learned about switches, current flow and series/parallel circuits.
The WE STEM Day was sponsored by Indian Hills and the Midwest Photonics Education Center (a National Science Foundation Regional Center).
Photo cutline—Pictured are Indian Hills Laser students Monica Greenlief (standing left), Katelyn Myers (kneeling left), WE STEM attendees, and IHCC Bioprocessing Program Director Kim Dreaden (right).
Indian Hills permanent art collection of display
The new exhibit in the Indian Hills Community College Art Gallery features works from the college’s permanent collection. Art works of all mediums, including recent acquisitions, are being showcased in this exhibit. The show will run through Thursday, July 27.
New employees at Indian Hills
Three people have been recently hired to work at Indian Hills.
- Kyla Hunt is working as a custodian. She previously was employed at Nancy’s Pawn Shop.
- Jenilee McCarty will begin her duties as Technical Support Technician on June 19.
She earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Networks and Security
from Indian Hills and previously worked at HyVee Drug Store.
- Seth Richmond will begin working as an Electronics Engineering Technician Instructor
on July 10. He received his Associate of Applied Science degree in Electronics Engineering
Technology from Indian Hills. He previously worked for Morrissey Management and Construction.
- In a change of assignment, Cammie Richards has been named the Director of High School Programs. She has been working as an Academic Advisor.
Rob Murray named national golf coach of the year
Indian Hills head men's golf coach Rob Murray is a winner of the Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips. He topped all other NJCAA Division I golf coaches for the honor.
Murray just completed his second season as Indian Hills’ head coach. The Warriors were ranked first or shared the top spot in the final seven regular season rankings of the Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll.
Indian Hills won six tournaments this season, the Mount Mercy Fall Classic, Dodge City Community College Shootout, TaylorMade Adidas Intercollegiate, Eagle Spring Classic, Southwest Kansas Shootout and the NJCAA District III Championship. The Warriors placed second in the NJCAA Division I national tournament.
IHCC’s Jackson Bugdalski and Ricky Sanders were PING First-Team All-America selections while Jakub Bares was an honorable mention choice. Sanders was also named recipient of the Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award.