NATIONALLY RANKED, POWERSPORTS & POWER EQUIPMENT PROGRAM FEATURED AT IOWA LAKES BOARD MEETING

(Estherville, Iowa) The Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees met Tuesday afternoon for their regularly scheduled board meeting.

Kyle Norris, Executive Dean of the Emmetsburg Campus, began Tuesday’s meeting by introducing new Iowa Lakes faculty members to the Board. New faculty members included Dr. Thomas Beall, Veterinary Technician Program Coordinator & Instructor, Ashleigh Hanson, Nursing Instructor, Dr. William Heidorn, Physics Instructor, Tanya Killian, Nursing Instructor, and Christopher Mundie, Speech Instructor.

Norris introduced the Powersports and Power Equipment Technology faculty Matt Bohl and Dustin Ross, both Assistant Professors. Bohl has been with Iowa Lakes for 22 years, earned his Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree from Iowa Lakes Community College and serves as the Program Coordinator. Ross has been with Iowa Lakes since 2010 and earned his A.A.S. degree from Iowa Lakes Community College.

The Powersports and Power Equipment Technology program at Iowa Lakes is the best running program offered in Iowa, receiving national rankings by multiple sources as a top 5 motorcycle mechanic program in the United States, with Motorcycle Industry Jobs ranking Iowa Lakes as 2nd in the nation. The Powersports and Power Equipment Technology program has earned high rankings due to its intuitive two-year degree, high student success rates, the program’s student-centric, hands-on learning environment, and the vast number of industry certifications earned.

“We have seen a significant increase in student interest in our program, drawing students from our local area and throughout the country. We currently have students enrolled in our program from Illinois, Nebraska, and even Colorado,” said Bohl.

The Powersports and Power Equipment Technology program at Iowa Lakes provides diverse training that prepares students to repair a variety of two and four-cycle engines, powertrains, and chassis. Additionally, students learn how to maintain and repair power sports vehicles such as motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, and even small engine equipment such as generators, chainsaws, lawn mowers, and more.

“We continue to advance and develop our program by staying ahead of industry trends and innovating the curriculum offered to provide an extended focus on electrical equipment. The industry is changing, and we are staying ahead of the curve to offer our students the knowledge and skills needed to enter the workforce positioned ahead of the competition,” said Ross.

Students enrolled in the Powersports and Power Equipment Technology program earn a two-year A.A.S. degree and a vast number of specialized certifications.

“Our students work on all leading brands such as Polaris, Victory, Honda, Yamaha, Harley Davidson, Suzuki, Kawasaki, John Deere, Toro, Stihl, Echo, and more,” added Ross.

“Students have the opportunity to leave with a degree and the industry certifications needed to be competitive within the job market by completing more than 12 certifications while enrolled, putting our students in high demand upon graduation,” said Bohl.

Iowa Lakes Powersports and Power Equipment Technology students Dylan Short, Cherokee, Iowa, and Jagger Horken, South Sioux City, Nebraska, attended Tuesday’s meeting to share why they chose to attend Iowa Lakes.

Short shared, “I chose Iowa Lakes because the Powersports and Power Equipment Technology program is recognized as a national leader for motorcycle programs and the program was close to home. I received immediate interaction from the program faculty upon my inquiry into the program and was on campus that week to visit. I have also had the opportunity to serve in a leadership role while attending Iowa Lakes as a Resident Assistant on the Emmetsburg Campus. I am excited for the opportunities ahead of me.”

Horken added, “When I was searching online for motorcycle programs, I found that the Powersports and Power Equipment Technology program at Iowa Lakes was nationally ranked, and I also received a referral from Western Iowa Tech to check out the program at Iowa Lakes. Once I arrived on campus, I knew I had to attend after seeing the facilities and the available technology and meeting and learning more from the program faculty.”

Short and Horken are both second-year students in the program.

Additionally, the Powersports and Power Equipment Technology program has participated in the state and national SkillsUSA competition for more than 20 years, bringing home several first-place team and individual awards.

This past April, Short earned a 2nd place finish in the power equipment category, and Horken brought home a 3rd place finish in the motorcycle category at the state SkillsUSA Competition.

To learn more about the nationally ranked Powersports and Power Equipment Technology program offered at Iowa Lakes, visit iowalakes.edu.

Dr. Dan Lutat, Executive Director of Foundations & Governmental Affairs, then shared the current happenings with Iowa Lakes Community College Foundation and received approval to accept a generous donation for the Smith Wellness Center.

The next meeting of the Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at the Administration Building, 19 South 7th Street, Estherville, Iowa, at 4:30 pm.

 

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