A Shared Vision for Education: Inside the NICC Manchester Center Partnership

What happens when a community college and a local school district combine forces? In this episode of The Catalyst, we explore the exciting relocation of NICC's Manchester Center right next door to West Delaware High School. Join Center Director Ed Vance and Superintendent Jen Vance as they discuss expanding high school programming, solving local healthcare workforce shortages and maximizing community resources.

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Creators and Guests

Host

Amy Lasack

NICC Vice President of Business and Community Solutions

Designer

Ashley Konzen

NICC Design Coordinator

Guest

Ed Vance

NICC Manchester Center Director

Guest

Jen Vance

Superintendent, West Delaware Community School District

Producer

Tessa Hill

NICC Marketing and Communications Specialist

Producer

Travis Hunt

NICC Learning Management System Administrator

What is The Catalyst?

Explore the people, programs and partnerships that make Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) more than a campus. From student success stories to behind-the-scenes of athletics, innovation and industry collaboration, each episode answers the question: What’s happening at NICC? Energetic, informative and always evolving, this is your inside look at the impact of community-driven education.

Amy Lasack: 00:00

Welcome to The Catalyst, an exciting and insightful podcast produced by Northeast Iowa Community College. I'm your host, Lasack. Together, we'll explore the people, programs, and partnerships that make Northeast Iowa Community College unique. From student success stories to behind the scenes info about athletics, innovation and industry collaboration, each episode dives deeper into your community's college. Get ready for an inside look at the impact of community driven education at NICC.

Amy Lasack: 00:35

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of The Catalyst. Today's episode's all about what can happen when two organizations come together with a shared vision. Northeast Iowa Community College and the West Delaware Community School District are embarking on an exciting partnership that will bring NICC's Manchester Center into a school district owned building adjacent to the high school. And while this is a new location for us, it's much more than just a building. It's about creating new opportunities for students, expanding access to education and workforce training, and strengthening connections between the college, the school district, local employers, and the entire Manchester community.

Amy Lasack: 01:12

Joining me today are the two people who have been instrumental in bringing this vision to life, Ed Vance, who's our director of the NICC Manchester Center, and Jen Vance, who's the superintendent of the West Delaware Community School District. Ed and Jen, welcome to The Catalyst.

Jen Vance: 01:27

Thanks for having us.

Ed Vance: 01:28

Yeah, glad to be here.

Amy Lasack: 01:30

Great. Well, Ed, I think we'll start with you. Can you start by giving our listeners a picture of what's happening in Manchester and why this move is such an exciting opportunity for NICC?

Ed Vance: 01:39

Yeah, I mean, Manchester is just kind of, it's a great hub right at the intersection of 13 And 20, really for Delaware County and the surrounding counties. It seems to be the place that is kind of that centralized hub where we get a lot of, obviously Delaware County, but a little bit of Buchanan County, Clayton County, Lynn County, people that are, this is their closest educational center. So we do get people into Manchester quite a bit.

Amy Lasack: 02:12

Yeah, and I know NICC has been located in Manchester for a long time, but the space we are in, we've kind of outgrown that, but thank you to Dupaco for many years hosted us there, right Ed?

Ed Vance: 02:25

Absolutely, fifteen years is what I've gathered. I've only been here a couple of years, but for the fifteen years we've been at the DePaco Center and certainly very grateful to them for letting us get a foothold in the community and get established. But you're right, it was time. It was time to move on and get a little bit better space that fit us both our needs a little bit better.

Amy Lasack: 02:56

Yeah, and Jen, what a great opportunity to have a space in collaboration with the school district right next to the high school. From your perspective, how did this idea come about and what made you think, oh, I think this is a great idea. This can work.

Jen Vance: 03:10

Yeah, you know, long before me, someone had the foresight to think that that was a great purchase to the, you know, purchase that building that is in such good proximity. And it's a building that's really set up. It's it was a former Catholic school from what I understand years ago, and it's set up to be used as a learning space and, you know, it's, it was housing headstart. So they were making good use of a small portion of the building. But it really was not being maximized to its potential.

Jen Vance: 03:36

And so really just looking at that as a district, we talked with our school board and our admin team and, then the NICC and the people there. And it's a perfect use for that building. And I think it's great when that can happen that we're very lucky that it was sitting there and ready to be used for something great. The timing was good and everything just seemed like it fell into place.

Amy Lasack: 03:55

Absolutely. And how do you feel like this collaboration is going to impact your students and give them opportunities that weren't there before?

Jen Vance: 04:04

Yeah, I mean, it's just, it's going to open doors for them. It's new things that they haven't had the opportunity to do, or maybe some things that they've had the opportunity to do, but not in the way that they can, they're going to be able to do that now, you know, to have the CNA lab right there, that's a block away from us that they can walk to and know that there's other spaces that we're gonna be able to grow into and they can have those in person opportunities. I think that's awesome for our kids, you know, through this too, it just, it opens another network for them that they don't necessarily have, you know, when they about think the instructors that they might run into through these classes or Ed or anyone else in an ICC, that's there to support them. That's another network that they have now besides their west Delaware network. And so I think that's just an awesome opportunity for our kids.

Amy Lasack: 04:47

Oh, very true. And Ed, Jen mentioned the CNA labs, but can you talk a little bit more about what else will be available in the new center and how does that change how NICC works with students in the future that are looking to get dual enrolled classes done?

Ed Vance: 05:03

Yeah, our CNA lab is gonna be twice as big. We're still gonna keep the student number class count at the same, just because we wanna be able to offer the best instruction possible, but now they're gonna be have more beds, they're gonna have more opportunities for the hands on learning. We're also expanding, going from one classroom to four classrooms. And one of those classrooms, or I should say two of those classrooms is a double classroom that also can act as a, we're kind of calling it a conference room, if we have any larger events or if community members want to use or rent that space from us, that's gonna be something that the community can benefit from. It's gonna be about, I would say about 40 people to fit in that space.

Amy Lasack: 06:02

That's great. Yeah, that's a great space. And I know I just had a meeting, I don't know, a couple of weeks ago with the head of a healthcare hospital. And that was one of the things that they brought up is how do kids get to know all the different jobs we have? And you have a class coming up this first semester that addresses just that, correct?

Ed Vance: 06:22

Yeah, so first semester we're running a class called Intro to Healthcare Occupations, and that absolutely is what that does. It's just a broad overview of all of the different opportunities in the healthcare industry. So many kids just think healthcare is just doctors and nurses and maybe a couple other things, but they really, with our healthcare day

Jen Vance: 06:49

that

Ed Vance: 06:49

we have here in Delaware County as our school to work committee event. Kids kind of get that a little bit opportunity to explore, but this class is just gonna completely open their minds to all that's available in the healthcare industry.

Amy Lasack: 07:08

That's fantastic. So it really, the center not only assists our students, but it's really going to make an impact on the community as well. How do employers get involved, Ed?

Ed Vance: 07:19

Well, we've already have great relationships with Regional Medical Center, Good Neighbor Society, and they're gonna benefit greatly from the kids that are getting those prerequisite classes right in high school, getting right into the Either getting right into a job or having some of those classes that are prerequisite that oftentimes can act as a little bit of a barrier to getting into a nursing program or getting into a rad tech program or whatever. If they have those classes done, they're ready to go and get right into those programs and then right into the workforce.

Amy Lasack: 08:04

Yeah, jump right in. So Jen, I assume you've worked in the education industry for more than a couple years and things have changed over the years. What sort of shifts have you seen maybe in the last ten years or so that make it so important for school districts and community colleges to collaborate and partner on something like this?

Jen Vance: 08:26

Well, I just think overall that the timeline of when things happen has become earlier. You know, I think about our preschoolers are doing what we maybe would have done in kindergarten. You know, everything has just shifted to a little bit sooner, those timelines and milestones in kids' lives. And this is an excellent opportunity for us to work together to introduce them to things early. And I think about some of these opportunities and, you know, like Ed mentioned, it gets them ready for the pipeline to go into a career, but some of it might be about discovering what they don't necessarily, you know, it might help them rule some things out because they do have so many choices.

Jen Vance: 09:00

And I think that's to the world is so big now. And there's so many different things that you don't know what's out there or you don't, you know, you might have something that you think, and then the more experiences you have that molds that. And so I think that as far as things changing for kids' world, it's just things are moving faster. There's more of it and all of those things. Together there's not, it's hard for us as a school district in isolation to meet the needs of every student, as far as introducing them to all those things.

Jen Vance: 09:28

And when we have partners like you guys that are right in town with us and we would, I think it'd be negligent to not enter into partnerships like that, where we can help support the kids. And I think from a school district standpoint too, we have to be looking at ways we can make our district stand out and, you know, what opportunities do we offer that really give kids the best shot at being successful, whatever path they choose. And like I said, you can't do those things in isolation. You have to have good partners.

Amy Lasack: 09:55

Yeah, and you just, you're right. How many kids know what a lab tech does or a CNA until you really get in there and you explore it and decide, you know, this isn't for me, but then you got other students that go in there, yeah, I'm on the right path. This is exactly what I want to do. So we're glad to be able to partner with the school district to do that. And we mentioned it earlier, but the physical proximity to the high school really makes a big impact.

Amy Lasack: 10:22

Can you talk about that from that perspective, from a school district perspective?

Jen Vance: 10:26

Yeah, just being able, you know, sometimes when you get into situations, you can find things for kids or find opportunities, but they might have to drive a half hour, you know, and then that cuts into what else they can do with their school day. You still only have, you know, that eight to three timeframe with them for the most part. And so for them to be able to get this opportunity in a two minute walk or whatever it is, then that means that they still have the other opportunities that they want throughout the day. They're not having to make those choices of giving something to get something that hopefully they'll be able to get the best of both worlds and that proximity will allow that to happen.

Amy Lasack: 10:59

Absolutely. And so Ed, what excites excites you the most about this big move?

Ed Vance: 11:05

Well, prior to coming to NICC, I was a high school social studies teacher, and just used to that buzz, that energy, that high school kids and just that whole high school atmosphere bring. So that is gonna be probably the biggest thing that I look forward to is having those high school kids over and adult learners too. I'd say the second thing would be not having to put in a bank disarm code every day.

Amy Lasack: 11:46

That make your anxiety go up when you had to do that, Ed?

Ed Vance: 11:50

For the first few weeks, it was up on the list. Yeah.

Amy Lasack: 11:56

Oh, so Jen, from a superintendent perspective, what makes you most proud about this and what are you hoping people maybe five years down the road will look back and say about this project?

Jen Vance: 12:07

Yeah, I hope that someday they look back and think, you know, the people that we've laid the framework and the groundwork for greater things to happen. I'm always looking to the, okay, now, you know, that's not very often that you sit around a table with an idea and then a year, hasn't, I mean, year, roughly a year, you know, you get to, it came to action. A lot of times we have meetings about meetings and really don't get anywhere. So in education, sometimes that does happen. And so to get to see something, this is gonna benefit kids.

Jen Vance: 12:32

We started talking about it. We went through the steps and now here it is. And I think that's exciting because sometimes you don't get that. You don't get to follow the timeline like that. So that's a very exciting thing.

Jen Vance: 12:42

And then just for me, I think this just opens the door to, you know, what's, what are the, some of the other offerings we can put in that space and listening to feedback from our community, our employers, our kids, and things like that. What's that next thing? I'm excited to see what that might be.

Amy Lasack: 12:55

Yeah, absolutely. So we've got a full healthcare pathway that's going to be starting, but what are some things that we can put in there in the future is definitely on the radar for us to explore, isn't it? So Ed, we've got something big happening this week. Do you want to talk about the upcoming open house?

Ed Vance: 13:14

Yeah, so on Wednesday we're going to be doing a ribbon cutting and open house at 03:45. President Dave Doms will be down to say a few words and I think Jen maybe Jen too.

Jen Vance: 13:27

I think I was responsible for that. Yes.

Ed Vance: 13:31

We'll say a few words and then we'll have a ribbon cutting and then it's gonna be self guided tours. People from the community, we would love to have them come and tour the center and just see what sort of things that, and maybe even gather some ideas from community members that might have some ideas of what we could use the space for. But we welcome everybody to come in and check it out and just take a look at what we got going on here in Manchester.

Jen Vance: 13:59

I think Ed's eating snacks, right? It's snacks.

Amy Lasack: 14:02

So if nothing else, come down for the snacks. Ed, you're absolutely right. On August 19, this Wednesday, you said 03:45, anybody, businesses, students, parents, we welcome anybody just to come through and do a walk through. The space really is a remarkable space, the location and the work, Jen, that your team had done over the summer was it's it looks incredible.

Jen Vance: 14:29

Yes, huge shout out to our, buildings and maintenance crew that it was a tight timeline a little bit, you know, get all the moving parts and lined up and yeah, they were they deserve a lot of credit for that. They did a great job.

Amy Lasack: 14:43

Super exciting. Well, as part of our podcast, we do normally have a section that we call fact or fiction where I will read off a statement and throw it to one of your way, and you just let us know if it's fact or fiction and add on any, commentary you want to. Are you game?

Jen Vance: 14:59

Sure. I'm in.

Amy Lasack: 15:01

All right. Jen, we'll start with you. So career and technical education, or as sometimes we say in the education area, CTE, is an important part of K-twelve programming. Is that fact or fiction?

Jen Vance: 15:12

That's a fact. Yes, that's a fact. That's a critical part of our programming.

Amy Lasack: 15:17

And can you explain for those outside of the industry when we say CTE, what sort of areas are encompassed in that?

Jen Vance: 15:24

So when you talk about at West Delaware, I think about our autos program, our welding program, what Mr. Carper does with his family consumer science coursework, some of our ag classes. Those are the things I think about in CTE, just thinking about those skills that directly correlate to something that a student might encounter in a career.

Amy Lasack: 15:43

Great. And Ed, how about this next one? The new facility will allow NICC to offer programming in the Manchester area.

Ed Vance: 15:52

Fact.

Amy Lasack: 15:53

Absolutely. Yeah. So excited about that opportunity. How about Jen? High school students can now walk to the new Manchester Center from their main building.

Jen Vance: 16:04

Fact, they can walk. They might drive still, but they could walk.

Amy Lasack: 16:08

There is a parking lot next

Jen Vance: 16:10

to the building. Depends if they're going to scooters on their way.

Amy Lasack: 16:17

No, you're probably right. Ed, how about local regional businesses are not a part of the work that NICC does and will need to be doing in the Manchester Center?

Ed Vance: 16:28

That is definitely fiction.

Amy Lasack: 16:32

Yeah, we definitely need them, right?

Ed Vance: 16:34

Absolutely, absolutely. They let us know exactly what they need and we try to do the best job that we can to get them the people and the skill sets that they need.

Amy Lasack: 16:46

Great. Jen, how about sharing educational facilities between school districts and community colleges is becoming more common across the country? Fact. Yeah, just in Iowa, in fact, there's quite a few collaborations happening across the state.

Jen Vance: 17:02

Yes, Yep. I'm excited to join that list.

Amy Lasack: 17:05

Yes. How about Ed? Partnerships between schools and colleges can also benefit local employers.

Ed Vance: 17:12

Fact.

Amy Lasack: 17:13

Great. All Alright. And this last one, I don't I'm not sure how you're gonna answer this one, but both of you, you must have the last name of Vance to work on this project. Fact or fiction?

Ed Vance: 17:29

Well, the fact that, you know, her name is still Vance after this project.

Jen Vance: 17:34

I get to keep it.

Amy Lasack: 17:37

So those that are listening that don't understand the inside joke, Ed and Jen are married, and have done a fantastic job working together on this project. So, but you have had others involved.

Jen Vance: 17:51

Yeah. They have kept the peace and yeah, keep us moving forward. Know I sometimes it's like, are you talking to your wife or are you talking to the superintendent? What conversation are we having today?

Amy Lasack: 18:01

Yeah. And you know, Ed's done a marvelous job of maneuvering saying, you know, that might come better from you To the superintendent.

Jen Vance: 18:10

He's had some practice on that. He knows. Yeah, that's good.

Amy Lasack: 18:14

Great. Well, I want to thank both of you for joining us. We are super excited. And Ed, do you want to put a plug in again for the open house this Wednesday, August 19?

Ed Vance: 18:24

Yeah. Open house Wednesday, nineteenth at 03:45. All community members, businesses, parents, students welcome to potential instructors, welcome to come and check out the space and meet us and see what sort of opportunities await.

Amy Lasack: 18:48

Great. So 03:45 and it goes till seven?

Ed Vance: 18:51

Till 07:00. Yep. Yep.

Amy Lasack: 18:53

Yeah. So if you don't get off work till six and you want to just pop by, free. We would love to see you. And we've got cookies, Ed, is that right?

Ed Vance: 19:01

Yeah, we got some cookies, some bars, a mixture of things.

Jen Vance: 19:04

All

Amy Lasack: 19:04

right. Fantastic. Well, thank you both for joining. We're super excited. We hope to see so many of you at the open house on Wednesday.

Amy Lasack: 19:13

And Ed, one more time, the address.

Ed Vance: 19:16

408 East Clara Avenue in Manchester.

Amy Lasack: 19:19

Great. We will see you all on Wednesday. Thanks so much to Ed and Jen for joining us today, and thank all of you for listening to another episode of The Catalyst. Thanks for joining us on this episode of The Catalyst. If you enjoyed the conversation, make sure to follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

Amy Lasack: 19:39

Want to learn more about NICC and the many ways we support our students, partners, and community? Visit nicc.edu for more resources and upcoming opportunities. This podcast is produced by Northeast Iowa Community College and hosted by me, Lasack, with executive producer Tessa Hill, producer Travis Hunt, and graphic designer Ashley Konzen.