Skip to main content
ccforiowa.org
Main Content

Community College News

Federal Updates

Even with Republican majorities in both the House and Senate, the recently sworn in 119th Congress is facing disagreement in how to best fund their and President-elect Trump's priorities. On December 30, 2025, the Department of Education unveiled finalized rules impacting the higher education space. On January 6, 2025, Vice President and former presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, oversaw the proceedings to certify President-elect Trump's victory and her loss in the 2024 elections. On December 24, 2025, President Biden signed HR 5646, Stop Campus Hazing Act in law. Click here for current grant opportunities. The Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2024 report by College Board shows that for 2024-2025 the estimated average full-time cost of attendance for a commuting undergraduate attending a public two-year institution is $20,570, a 3.6% increase from 2023-2024

Agribusiness Career Day

Grant Hilbert and Spencer Hilbert started their real-life farming careers after reaching virtual farming fame on their YouTube Channels, The Squad and Spencer TV. Gain additional insight from agribusinesses on skills needed in a real-world job and the future of jobs in the agriculture sector. The Agribusiness Career Day includes lunch provided by The Rib Shack; Career Fair with companies eager to talk about real opportunities in the industry; and all students are eligible to win one of 16 $1000 scholarships just for attending. The 2025 Agribusiness Career Day is an opportunity for first-year students from ag programs at Iowa community colleges and senior FFA students to gain insight on future employment skills and opportunities from industry professionals, government officials, and ag experts. This event is FREE for students. Questions? Call 515-262-8323 or email sally@agribiz.org. The Agribusiness Career Day is an event of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa and the Iowa Agribusiness Foundation. 

Celebrating Dr. Liang Chee Wee - Honorary Lifetime Leadership Alumni Society Member

Dr. Wee, Interim Chancellor for Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, has been a steadfast supporter of Leadership Iowa, serving as a speaker, volunteer, and heart-led leader to many participants. He will be honored tonight at the Leadership Iowa Annual Dinner in Des Moines. 

New MHEC Report Examines Service-Contingent Financial Aid Programs

Over the past two decades, student loans have grown to play a significant role in how students pay for college. A new January 2025 report from the Midwestern Higher Education Compact examines state-funded loan forgiveness and conditional grant programs, designed to alleviate student loan debt and address workforce shortages in high-need fields. Research indicates that service-contingent aid programs are effective in recruiting professionals to underserved areas and retaining them beyond the required service period. Policy options for developing and improving service-contingent programs include aligning funding priorities to complement need-based aid; setting award amounts that reflect education costs and projected wages; simplifying and clearly communicating service criteria; strengthening program evaluation to guide improvement; and coordinating state and federal initiatives to maximize efficiency and reduce redundancy. 

Governor Reynolds Announces New Grant to Advance Healthcare Careers in Iowa

In last night's Condition of the State address, Governor Kim Reynolds announced a new grant opportunity that addresses Iowa's need to grow its healthcare workforce in communities across the state. Starting today, the Iowa Healthcare Credentialing Grant is open to eligible healthcare employers and is accepting applications on iowagrants.gov. The announced grant will provide $3 million in total funding to create new pipelines of workers to help fill high-demand occupations in the healthcare sector. Eligible employers can utilize the new opportunity to expand existing models or implement newly designed earn and learn programs in designated high-demand occupations such as a Registered Nurse, Direct Support Professional, Laboratory Assistant or Technician, Paramedic, Dental Assistant or Hygienist, and more. The healthcare and social assistance industry was the largest industry sector in the state in the most recent sector data, and several healthcare occupations are consistently cited on the list of top 25 job openings on iowaworks.gov

© 2025 Community Colleges for Iowa. All rights reserved.