MARSHALLTOWN The Iowa Valley Community College District nursing programs continued to impress this month when Ellsworth Community College nursing faculty and five students told the IVCCD Board of Directors about their new Nursing Club.

Last month the District’s nursing instructors were recognized by the Board for having recently been named the #1 Practical Nursing program in Iowa by PracticalNursing.org. This month instructors Monica Warburton and Ann Ersland introduced ECC nursing students Tia Metz, Brooke Mensing, Aubri Rochlitzer, Madison VanHeiden and Jena Loyd. The Practical Nursing and Associate Degree Nursing students have formed a Nursing Club to promote mentorship, mutual support and self-care, community involvement, and recruitment into the ECC nursing programs.

The nursing students told Board members that during the past few months they’ve adopted a needy family for Christmas, provided cookies/treats for the nursing clinical sites at which they get work experience, handed out Halloween candy in downtown Iowa Falls, collected winter coats and boots for children, rang bells for the Salvation Army, conducted blood pressure clinics at the four Hampton schools, and provided a meal and food pantry donations for a homeless shelter in Ames. They’ve also visited many schools to tell students about careers in nursing and healthcare.

“We’re so glad we decided to form this Nursing Club,” Metz told the Board. “It has taught me to be a leader, and reminded me that even as a very busy nursing student there’s always time to give back to others.” The other four added that the club has expanded bonds and friendships among the group, as well as providing an outlet for “having a little fun together.” On April 13 the Nursing Club members will travel with ECC’s Social & Behavioral Sciences Club to visit the Mental Health Institute in Independence, Iowa.

Board President Larry Johnson of Iowa Falls thanked the students for their presentation, their enthusiasm for the Nursing Club, and their outreach to K-12 students in the area. “You have a great message, you’re doing great things, and we’ve very proud of all of you,” Johnson said.

In other matters, the Board approved receipt of an additional $30,000 from the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act for use in the Region 6 Dislocated Worker Fund, which assists qualified area workers who’ve lost jobs due to plant closures, company downsizing, or some other significant change in market conditions. The Board also approved an agreement for ECC to participate in the Iowa Academic Library Alliance, and renewed IVCCD’s membership with the Association of Community College Trustees.

Board members recognized the ECC Equine and Agriculture program faculty and students for hosting a “Getting to Know the District” event prior to the Board meeting. They also welcomed new ECC employee Cindy Uhlenberg, Bookstore Coordinator & Financial Aid Specialist, who was introduced.

Two donations were accepted by the Board: 1) training provided by Alliant Energy/Iowa Power & Light for MCC sophomore Utility Technician/Powerline Technician students, and 2) a $300 gift from the Iowa Falls Kiwanis Club for children’s books handed out at the Read Across America event hosted by the ECC Osgood Library.

The Board went into closed session to discuss collective bargaining strategy but took no action upon returning to open session.

The next meeting of the IVCCD Board will be a closed session meeting on Wednesday, April 18, at 3 pm in the District Administration Building in Marshalltown to conduct an annual evaluation for IVCCD Chancellor Dr. Chris Duree. The Board will then conduct an open session retreat at 4 pm in that same location.