The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of trustees held its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 5:30 p.m. in the board room of the Administration Center.

Jo Skarda, board secretary, noted that board of trustees member Jane Ernst, of Greenfield, completed her oath of office affidavit as prescribed by law. Ernst replaces Dennis Davis, of Greenfield, on the SWCC board of trustees.

In Photo (L to R) Steve Warnstadt, WIRRC coordinator; Dr. Barb Crittenden, SWCC president; Deb Pantini, SWCC director of student development and WIRRC transfer specialist; Dr. Rachel Boon, chief academic officer, Board of Regents; and Bill Taylor, SWCC vice president of instruction

March 8, 2019, CRESTON, Iowa—Today in Creston, officials from the Iowa Board of Regents, the Western Iowa Regents Resource Center (WIRRC) and Southwestern Community College (SWCC) announced an expanded partnership to help students in southwestern Iowa pursue a degree at one of Iowa’s public universities.

Feb. 13, 2019, CRESTON, IOWA—The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of directors met electronically on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, at 5:30 p.m. in the Administration Center on the Creston campus. The meeting was held electronically due to adverse weather conditions.

Feb. 7, 2019, ANKENY, IOWA-–Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), along with Iowa’s 14 other community colleges, today announced the scholars selected for the inaugural Iowa class of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. Creston's Precast Concrete and Bedford's Zeb's Smokehouse were among the selections. The 37 scholars hail from 20 Iowa counties, ranging from Iowa’s largest city to towns with a population of less than 1,000. They represent a diverse range of business and industry including restaurants, architecture, professional services, and healthcare.

 UPDATE: Because of the dangerously cold temperatures Wednesday and Thursday, the day of the Outside In presentation has been changed to Friday, Feb. 1. The presentation will be held 11:45 a.m. Friday, Feb. 1.

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Southwestern Community College (SWCC) will be hosting Outside In: African-American History in Iowa, 1838-2019, on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, at 11:45 a.m., in the Instructional Center, room 220.

This presentation is being co-sponsored by the Humanities Iowa Speakers Bureau and the SWCC student activities department. The public is invited to attend.

Creston, IA—Dale Barnett, electrician at Southwestern Community College (SWCC), was honored on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, at the college’s all-staff in-service, for 40 years of service to the institution.

CRESTON — The TRIO Educational Talent Search (ETS) program at Southwestern Community College is hosting an ACT Boot Camp on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in the college’s Instructional Center, room 180, to assist high school students in preparation for the ACT Test.

Creston— The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of trustees met on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, at 5:30 p.m., for their regular monthly board meeting. 

Dr. Tony Cass, board president, informed the board Dennis Davis, board member from Greenfield, submitted his resignation from the board effective Jan. 31, 2019. Davis has served on the SWCC board since 2001. Cass thanked Davis for his years of dedication and service to the college. The board accepted Davis’ resignation with regret.

CRESTON, Iowa--The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of trustees met on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. in the Administration Center board room.

Iowa community college legislative liaisons Dave Palmer, Jerry Fitzgerald, and Matt Fitzgerald briefed the board regarding the past and upcoming legislative sessions.

Tom Lesan, SWCC vice president of economic development, spoke to the board about a proposal related to replacement of the bleachers in the Student Center gymnasium. Lesan said the bleachers currently in the gym are original, making them 44 years old, and have been updated to keep them up to current standards so many times that further repair is becoming difficult. Lesan showed the board plans for new bleachers through Iowa Direct Equipment at an estimated cost of $173,253.11. These new bleachers will seat 1,189 individuals, which is less capacity than the current bleachers, but the new design will allow for additional space behind the team benches on the north side of the facility during athletic events. Lesan said because the bid falls under the state bid, the project would not have to go out for bids. Following Lesan’s report, the board passed the proposal and authorized purchase of the new bleachers. Lesan said the plan is to install the bleachers in mid- to late-March in between athletic seasons and prior to May graduation.

CRESTON, Iowa—Creston native Dr. Katie Davidson has been named the dean of student services at Southwestern Community College (SWCC).

Davidson, a 2001 graduate of Creston High School, will be coming to SWCC from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND, where she has served as the director of The International Center since July 2016. The International Center provides support to the University of North Dakota’s international student population, facilitates study abroad opportunities for students, and promotes cultural awareness throughout the university. Davidson oversees a staff of 14 full- and part-time individuals who welcome more than 750 international students from approximately 88 nations to campus each year.

The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) Chamber Singers will be touring in the Des Moines area the week of November 26-30, 2018, presenting “Holiday Carols in Concert” with carols and masterworks by Bach, Rachmaninoff, and Mattson; as well as pieces written by director Ryan Howe. The public is invited to attend.

Creston— The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of directors met Tues., October 9, 2018, at 5:30 p.m., in the Administration Center on the Creston campus.

During the meeting, Dr. Tony Cass, of Creston, was re-elected as president of the college’s board. Cass, who has served on the SWCC board since February 2009, was the board’s vice president from 2015-17, and was elected as president for the first time in October 2017. Fred Shearer, of Corning, was re-elected as vice president of the college’s board of trustees. Shearer joined the SWCC board in 2002 and became vice president in 2017. SWCC Assistant to the President Mary Jo Skarda was appointed as board secretary and SWCC Chief Financial Officer Tia Samo was appointed as board treasurer.
The board re-appointed the following members to the Education Foundation board for the 2018-19 year: Amy Hook of Creston, Randy Huewe of Creston, Rick Oshel of Osceola, Allen Pohren of Red Oak, Jerry Smith of Osceola, Alec Turner of Corning, and Dr. Barb Crittenden, SWCC representative.

Applications are due Oct. 15; Prestigious program begins in Iowa in Jan. 2019

Creston, IOWA--Iowa’s community colleges, including Southwestern Community College, are calling on Iowa small business owners to apply for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, which will come to Iowa for the first time beginning in January 2019. The program, which is provided at no cost, and is offered in partnership with Iowa’s community colleges, includes curriculum developed by Babson College – recently named No. 1 for Entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report for the 22nd year in a row.

High school students are invited to attend the Creston College Fair on Wed., October 10, 2018, from 9:30–11 a.m., at the Creston High School Gymnasium, 601 West Townline Street, in Creston.

Creston— The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of trustees met Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. in the Administration Center on the Creston campus.

Following approval of the minutes, Bill Taylor, SWCC vice president of instruction, spoke about a proposed project between the college’s carpentry and building trades program and Sonntag Development, LLC to construct a townhome in the Cottonwood Estates subdivision in Creston. This would be the third year for a joint project between the college and Sonntag Development. Taylor said the project would allow the college to provide required lab experience for students without incurring the expense and risk associated with building a spec home. Through the agreement, Sonntag Development, LLC will pay for all permits and materials necessary for the construction project. Following Taylor’s report, the SWCC board approved the project as presented.

CRESTON, IOWA – (September 6, 2018) – Southwestern Community College’s Educational Talent Search (ETS) program invites high school seniors and their parents to attend Creston’s FAFSA Ready Iowa to complete college financial aid paperwork on Wed., October 3, 2018, from 3-7 p.m., in the college’s Instructional Center, rooms 208 and 210.

The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of trustees met electronically on Tues., August 14, 2018, at 7:30 a.m. in the president’s office in the college’s Administration Center.

Cassidy Becker of Diagonal, a student at Southwestern Community College in Creston, is one of 207 Phi Theta Kappa members named a 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar and receiving a $1,000 scholarship.

Creston— The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of directors met on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. in the college’s Administration Center for their regular board meeting.

The board approved the hiring of Marilyn Kinsella, of Creston, as a nursing instructor for the 2018-19 academic year. Kinsella comes to SWCC from Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston where she has been a nurse on the medical/surgical floor since 1998. In addition, Kinsella was a clinical instructor for the college from 2000-2007, providing guidance and monitoring for SWCC nursing students as they completed training in the hospital setting. Kinsella will begin her duties at the college in August.

CRESTON, Iowa—Southwestern Community College (SWCC) electrical technology student Cory Marquardt, of Creston, came home from the 2018 SkillsUSA Championship, held June 25-29, 2018, in Louisville, KY, with some new hardware, a gold medallion indicating a first place national finish.