Welcome to The Catalyst, an exciting and insightful podcast produced by Northeast Iowa Community College. I'm your host, Amy 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:All right. Well, today on today's episode of The Catalyst, we welcome Nick Weinmeister, our athletic director at NICC Northeast Iowa Community College. Nick's in charge of a growing and successful athletic program at NICC, and we're so excited to have him here to talk about all things athletics. So welcome, Nick.
Nick Weinmeister:Thanks, Amy. Thanks for having me. Appreciate the time.
Amy Lasack:We are so excited to be talking about all things athletics at NICC and you have your hands full right now. There's so much going on athletics wise. It's just booming. So let's just start with the big picture. What can you tell us about what's going on at NICC?
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah there's a lot going on that's for sure. I think there's no shortage of changes and all for the positive. I think the most important thing is just NICC's commitment to adding more or newer programs. Really, I think really just trying to infuse a new energy into the college. For us, you know, that means a lot of different things.
Nick Weinmeister:We got to find facility space. We have to figure out where the teams are going to compete. Know, about a little less than a year ago, I was trying to figure out which teams made the most sense to bring to NICC right out of the gate and try and figure out what the board would want to see and what, you know, the community would support. And so for us, you know, it's been the recruiting trails been been crazy, trying to find that facility. Now that we have one on campus that we're, you know, really trying to, you know, bring that energy and bring as many student athletes from, you know, both locally, regionally, and then also out of state and internationally.
Nick Weinmeister:We're doing a lot right now. Would say that the top things are prepping for August, which is, you know, when students arrive and, you know, that excitement is finally a reality because we get to, you know, get to see them compete, get to see, you know, all of them, you know, become Cougars and join us and be here physically on campus. I think that will, you know, just take that excitement level up to another notch.
Amy Lasack:Alex, this is so exciting. I mean, I know NICC has had a couple of sports for a little while, but I think I read correctly that we have seven now.
Nick Weinmeister:Yep. Wow. Technically it's seven. So we have what we've already had, sports shooting, which, is trap shooting for us and then also e sports. But we have added baseball, softball, and then, dance and then men's and women's cross country.
Nick Weinmeister:So men's women's cross country counting is two would give us seven.
Amy Lasack:That's incredible. I don't know how you're keeping everything straight between all the new additions, the existing facilities, all of those pieces. We were just talking a little bit about you just moved into the new facility in Piazza. Can you talk a little bit about what's been going on there?
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah, so it's ever changing. That is for sure. It was a space that was used for both gas utilities program and for construction management. It just at times in the past and we were able to buy, you know, I guess I would say luck because really they did some renovations to the main campus building that allowed for those programs to move over there. And really it was was nice because the college had asked if it was something that athletics could use as a space for indoor training.
Nick Weinmeister:I said actually it would be perfect. So that kind of set everything in motion. And luckily for us, it was a spot that with the sports that we have incoming was something where we could get athletic training services out of. We have there's a classroom, we will have study tables, film and video review and things of that nature in there. Nice.
Nick Weinmeister:Couple coaches offices, obviously our weight room will be in there. It's going to be a nice large space where we'll have a weight room that's going be open to all staff, students, faculty. Then also it's going to be a turf space that's more for indoor training for baseball, softball, dance, whoever needs it. It's turf space with batting cages and actually our in house contractor put together a great space for shower rooms to the existing bathrooms that we already had. So yeah, it's a space we're really excited about.
Nick Weinmeister:I think the excitement ramped up last week when we finally got the flooring that arrived through shipping. It's not in and down yet, but it actually is physically here, which got us all excited. We're finally starting to make strides and we hope to have as much of it done by early August as possible and by the time the students arrive. So yeah, it's a great new space right on campus, right across from the main campus building.
Amy Lasack:Oh, how exciting. I And know what you mean about getting excited by having the flooring actually there, and it starts to feel a little real and you're in the building. Sounds like it's going to be a great space.
Nick Weinmeister:It seems like a small thing when it just sounds like flooring, it's all wrapped up and it's on pallets. But when you've seen an empty room for so long, it's, you know, that kind of finally started to get us excited. Like, okay, now we're starting to get everything in motion. So, yeah, think just seeing the renderings and what it's going to be is, you know, it's exciting in and of itself, but I think once it's operational and everything's in there and the students can come in and, you know, we'll have an open house, which we're excited about probably sometime in September when everything's completely and students are here. But yeah, we're gonna have an open house, pretty much anybody and everybody can come in and take a look and see what we're working with and hopefully continue to use it as a recruiting tool and be able to have this space be a shining spot on campus.
Amy Lasack:Oh, that's great. And you talked a little bit about recruiting. So going out there and meeting with students and talking to them, I'm sure they're excited about the fact that they get to be part of a first at NICC and talking to them about this new space you're creating. So can you talk a little bit about the recruiting part of it and how your team is out there and talking to all kinds of students?
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah, that's a great question. So I'll start kind of on the ladder there. You talked about my team. I have a great team around me, coaches that are fully invested into trying to provide the the best college experience they possibly can, you know, in recruitment. Recruiting is is not an easy thing.
Nick Weinmeister:I I think anyone out there that has done admissions recruiting or athletics recruiting at any level knows how difficult it is and managing that. And I think for us, we're fortunate to have the right people in the right spots to go out and find student athletes that are going to come be great advocates of the college. They're going to come in and help us be competitive right away. For us, it was not necessarily looking at any one area. It was casting a wide net and trying to figure out, okay, who's who's gonna come in because they fit the personality characteristics we're looking for.
Nick Weinmeister:They have, you know, the the athletic, you know, I guess, traits that we're looking for in terms of coaches finding the right players that can do the right things that that they like to do from a coaching standpoint. And, you know, we we've been very fortunate. We have, you know, coaches on staff, like I said, that have done it before and kinda know what to look for in the in the platforms with which to use. And then also, you know, like you mentioned at the beginning, it's kind of selling that it's you could be one of the first and that's been a huge selling point for us just because, you know, it's pretty exciting to say you were a part of the first team ever, you know, and in terms of our new sports. And then I think, you know, the existing sports we already have, it's it's just been like, it's been awesome telling them, you know, you're gonna be the first to experience, you know, now with five more athletic teams, what it's going to to feel like and be like on campus.
Nick Weinmeister:And
Amy Lasack:yeah,
Nick Weinmeister:I think we, you know, we had fairly lofty goals in terms of recruitment and, you know, have done a great job just in terms of total numbers. So, you know, my hope, like I mentioned, was to kind of infuse a new energy to the campus as a whole. But then also, you know, athletics can can be a big energy boost too for, you know, both academics. It can be for athletics, you know, give the community and people something to rally around and support. And so, yeah, recruiting has been, it's been a challenge at times, but it's also been very rewarding, getting to talk to some of the incoming recruits we have, whether that be baseball or cross country or softball.
Nick Weinmeister:Just to be able to talk about what NICC is doing in terms of changing and for the better in athletics.
Amy Lasack:Did I hear you correctly earlier and you said that you have students internationally and across the country coming to play sports at NICC. Talk about that. That's pretty exciting.
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah. So we, you know, it's been something that I think both baseball and softball have really tried to put an emphasis on because, you know, there's one country specifically that we've targeted in terms of finding those international recruits has been Canada, for a couple of different reasons. But one of the main being that they're, you know, in in baseball and softball, there aren't as many opportunities at the university level in Canada. So a lot of times players in those sports, they'll play travel ball and they'll go look for different opportunities in The States, especially as it pertains to college. They want to go and oftentimes, you know, if they're not being recruited by NCAA division one schools right out of the gate, then they're looking for junior college opportunities.
Nick Weinmeister:And, you know, it's it's been something that we've tried to take advantage of really is is going out and finding very good players internationally. And and luckily for us, you know, we we have a college that, you know, allows us to not have, you know, some some places I know have, you know, the cost is a factor for internationals. And at NICC, you know, we have, I think our cost for international students, you know, I really talk to all the families internationally that I'm trying to recruit and say, you know, it's not that dissimilar from our out of state tuition. And so I think it's, you know, we're not really doing them a disservice by, you know, charging, you know, a crazy figure for them to try to go to college, and especially if they want to continue playing playing sports. And so for us finding, you know, we have right now we have four international students coming, for this upcoming year, all from Canada and two for baseball and two for softball.
Nick Weinmeister:I think that number will only continue to increase, you know, as as the years progress and especially as, you know, again, I think for them, it was about being, you know, being the first. And so then when they can go back home or when they tell, you know, their former teammates or, coaches about, you know, their time at NICC, we just hope they speak highly of it and, you know, get the most out of that experience. So then, you know, obviously for us in the future, we can, you know, be able to capitalize on that And not just in Canada, but all over the world. I think, you know, from a standpoint of myself in an athletic directing role, would love to see, you know, a ton of diversity within our programs and on our campus. And you can only do that by by going out and finding the right people to come in and bring that diversity, whether it be from playing in a country that doesn't offer it as much or it's not as popular as other sports, or it could just be playing on different teams or having a different path to college.
Nick Weinmeister:And, you know, the exciting thing about that is they're all coming for a sport so they can all, you know, have that one thing that they can enjoy together. And so we're very excited about our our international recruits as as we are with all. But, but, yeah, bringing bringing a different look and feel to, to NICC. NICC.
Amy Lasack:Yeah, and not only the international recruits, but like you mentioned, we have recruits coming from outside of the state of Iowa too, providing that really that extra
Amy Lasack:excitement, so to speak, on
Amy Lasack:campus, even for those students that aren't athletes, having new individuals from outside coming in and participating in the classes with them, that's gotta be exciting.
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah, we think that, you know, from just from an athletic standpoint, you know, we're we know the numbers, you know, very specifically of who we're bringing in and who's going to comprise our rosters. But I think, you know, another exciting piece for the college is who might be friends or familiar with those people and where they're going to school that they might end up coming in an ICC as well. And so that's only going to help us from a, you know, a fan and engagement standpoint. But yeah, we're definitely excited about, you know, the out of state student athletes that are coming in and out of state students in general that are going to be coming to campus now that we offer athletics. I think, you know, early on, you probably won't see it maybe as much as I think we will in the future.
Nick Weinmeister:I mean, know you you had spent some time at Kirkwood, so I know that, you know, Kirkwood does a very good job of, you know, bringing, you know, student athletes from all over the country. And I think, you know, we're just trying to, you know, get to a point and and position ourselves around ICC Cougar Athletics is, you know, hopefully at least locally and regionally recognized, but hopefully nationally at some point in the future. And, you know, I don't want to, you know, jump too far ahead of myself, but I I would like to see it sooner rather than later.
Amy Lasack:I love your positive attitude. That's that competitiveness from an athlete coming through there.
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah, I tell everybody I'm like, I'm as competitive as they come, but I'm also a realist. And so I know that it's going to take some time, but, I like to set lofty goals and hope to achieve them as quick as I can.
Amy Lasack:Earlier you had mentioned study tables and the importance of the student part of student athlete. And you know, a lot of folks might not think of a community college as a place to go to further your athletic, career. So talk a little bit about the importance of that student piece of things at a community college.
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah, that's a great point. And I say it and sometimes I catch myself in almost coach speak and it's just natural to me. A lot of people that might be tuning in or listening in might not understand when I make references like that. So I appreciate you bringing it up. But you know, the the first thing is always first, which is student and and the academic piece always has to be the first conversation that we have is, you know, one it's we love the fact that, you know, a lot of times the student athletes want to come and continue the sport that they love.
Nick Weinmeister:But in reality, I want to make sure that all of the students coming in or considering NICC, we're a right fit for them academically. So one of the nice things, and to be quite honest with you, one of the things that intrigued me most before I took the job at NICC was all of the programs that we offer. We offer so many that I think allow for, you know, myself and the other coaches on our athletic staff to be just able to have all the conversations they need to. We have what I feel like is almost something for everybody. Obviously, in the technical side of things, might not have literally everything.
Nick Weinmeister:But I think from a junior college standpoint, we're positioned greatly to be able to offer all that we do. And so then that conversation turns into, you know, we have these things to offer you. Also, we have the sport that you're looking to perform in. And I think for us, it's always going to make, you know, be making sure that they do what they need to do in the classroom because it doesn't only affect themselves and the college as a whole, but it affects their eligibility. It affects the team.
Nick Weinmeister:It affects, you know, everything else. And so not only that, but they have to meet standards that are different than general students. They have to meet academic eligibility standards from the National Junior College Athletic Association. Our conference is very keen on making sure that the academic piece is done right. And so for us, I talk about going out and finding the right players with the right characteristics.
Nick Weinmeister:And I think it's always going to start with finding you know, those that excel in school or that, you know, really have a passion for a certain program. And so, you know, it's a lot easier for us to go out and find those players, when, you know, the sport is kind of the foot in the door for us. But then also we can start having conversations about you know the academic side of things. I think you know it's very important for us once they're here to make sure that they have all the resources they need to be successful. You mentioned study tables and for us you know, it's a small piece really that we try to take advantage of, you know, on a week to week basis with all of the other things within their daily routine of lifting and practicing and classes and all that.
Nick Weinmeister:But, you know, it's being intentional about carving out that time for them to study and be together as a team. And you're not only building on that team dynamic, but you're also showing each and every one of them that academics is important. And, you know, if your coach is willing to sit in there with you and make sure that you're, you know, putting the time, energy, and effort into your work, you know, that's that's only gonna produce, you know, rewarding benefits as you go into practice, as you go into weights and and then get ready for games because, you know, you have the team that's, you know, it's really truly together every step of the way once they get on campus.
Amy Lasack:Right. And I'm sure a part of that is the logistics of balancing the time in class as a student and having that be a student first and then practices and games and travel and all of those pieces of things. So I'm sure that's been a big part of what you've had to kind of figure it out here too as you're getting things implemented.
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah, logistically it's been a bit crazy, that's for sure. Just trying to, well, obviously scheduling for all of the sports and making sure that, you know, we're finding the right areas to play, the teams to play, and things of that nature. But also, you know, just finally now getting, you know, now that the registration has taken place and we're almost there, we're not quite at 100 of all of our students registered yet, but, you know, making sure that we're doing what's in their best interest from just really from a college experience standpoint. And the scheduling is the most important aspect. We're not putting too much on them.
Nick Weinmeister:We're allowing them to have some free and flexible time where they can just be college students and hang out with their friends and and go, you know, to the restaurants and do things like that. But we're also strategic in figuring out what times we can get the whole team together for team lifts or the times that we can get them together for study hall and and making sure that they're, you know, really building out their routine as early as they can so they can they can get into it and they can feel good about it as the semester progresses. Because for us, you know, I would say, you know, it's it's hard to put a figure on it really right now, but a large majority are incoming freshmen with, you know, little to no college experience. And so it's it's gonna be a first for them, not just a first, you know, first part of the team, but first college experience for them to come here and and be on their own away from, you know, their families and and all of that. So I think, you know, it's a coach is always kind of just that that's kind of their immediate role is is that team management and making sure that everybody, you know, feels good about where they're at and they can try and get into that good routine.
Nick Weinmeister:And and then also, you know, I I tell people all the time as an incoming athlete, you already have that built in friend group, which you're going to hang out with and spend a lot of time with that'll hopefully take care of the homesickness and things of that nature that kind of happens sometimes when students go off to college. So yeah, it's logistically, it's a lot, but it's why you do it. You do it for the students and for them to have that great college experience and hopefully for them to go off into the real world, be successful and talk about how impactful their time was, hopefully here at an ICC.
Amy Lasack:Yeah. So important. It's just another support system for those students as well. Talk a little bit too about the scholarship piece of things and NICC and kind of what's evolved there. I know that's something relatively new for the college.
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah so the scholarship piece is it's one that I would call ever changing. It's something that I think for us is you know we're we're not where we would like to be admittedly, you know, right out of the gate, but I don't think any college really is when they, you know, when they add as many programs that we've added and where we want to be. But I think we're making great strides in areas where for us it's going to be important, which you know most most of the time now when you think about you know high schoolers going to be a college athlete you know a lot of the talk is about finances and money and you know are you getting college scholarships? Are you getting NIL money which is important to some And now more than I think for us it's about keeping the main thing the main thing which again is always going to be academics first. So we'll always, as coaches talk about the academic scholarship opportunities and how often you can apply for those.
Nick Weinmeister:And then almost always without fail, you'll have typically it's apparent, but sometimes the student athlete when they're on a visit will say, do you have athletic scholarship money to offer? We're very fortunate that we do. For every single sport that we offer, we do have scholarship money. So for us, as a coach, it's about trying to figure out what the best plan of attack is in in terms of recruitment because you don't wanna give it all to only a couple people and and then not have any for the rest, and you wanna make sure to build out your rosters the way that you the way that you can but you know, it's it's been my goal as athletic director to really build on that scholarship budget as much as I possibly can. We've we've done some some great things so far.
Nick Weinmeister:We we just had a a golf tournament here back in in May that we think went great and are going to have another one here in September on September 5. And that's going to be down at our Piazza location, which, you know, again, is is going to help athletic scholarships. It's going to help every single coach on each of the teams be able to go out and inevitably it's going to help all the students that are receiving those scholarships. Think it's important for them to know that they're wanted as a part of the team and to be a team member, but it's also important for us as coaches to show the importance of them as a team member. I think athletic scholarships do that.
Nick Weinmeister:I think it allows for them to feel that sense of pride that they did it and they achieved the ability to you know hopefully get a chance to go to college and maybe add a little bit more of a discount because of you know their academic academic and athletic prowess in high school and so yeah for us it's you know, it's, it's a management kind of like everything else managing that athletic scholarship budget, managing the, that with the academic scholarship offerings that we have. And, you know, it's, it's been something definitely to to have to juggle, especially when you're talking about brand new programs, because more often than not actually 100% certainty as a coach, you're never going to have to recruit a full team every single year. You'll have those returning athletes every year that don't make you, you know, as a as a baseball coach, you know, go out and recruit 50 student athletes. And so it's, you know, it's one of those different than normal circumstances. And so, you know, luckily, I, like I said, I have coaches on staff that, have done a really good job of balancing that.
Nick Weinmeister:They've done a really good job of being intentional about who they offer athletic scholarships to. They do a really good job of of explaining within the recruitment process if, you know, there's maybe some athletes that they aren't offering scholarship money to, but are saying, you know, you're definitely a valued member of this team if you want to be and you want to join us. And we tell everybody because it's it's the most true fact is if you come in, especially say as a walk on, there's walk ons at every level of every sport in in college athletics. And if you come in as a walk on and show your worth and and go out and do everything that's asked of you, there's absolutely an opportunity to earn scholarships. And I think all of the coaches know that and they want to be surprised by some of the students that can come in and do the things that maybe they didn't initially see.
Nick Weinmeister:And so, yeah, I think it's, like I said, ever changing and we're hoping to continue just to grow that scholarship budget and continue to offer more opportunities from a financial standpoint. Yeah, we're right now we're working with it and hopefully it changes for the better as we continue to go down the path.
Amy Lasack:That's fantastic. And, what a great way to raise money too through your golf fundraiser. Sounds like you had a great day and another one coming up. So that's fantastic. And speaking of different ways that the community can help support the athletic events that you have, did I hear a rumor that maybe your teams get to play on the field of dreams?
Nick Weinmeister:You did. Yeah. That's something that's coming in October. So it's it's actually, the baseball team. So the baseball team will be playing the University of Dubuque on October 10.
Nick Weinmeister:It's a Friday, and the game will begin at 5PM, and it will be on the actual movie site field. So we're very excited about it. It's something that, you know, really, I think from the very first day I got to campus and I, you know, had accepted the job at NICC, I'm like, know, as an athletic director, you're always thinking of ways to infuse some energy within the community. And I think, you know, we're positioned in a place that I think is, you know, one of, you know, near one of the most iconic, you know, baseball settings and fields because of the movie in the country, to be quite honest with you. And so, you we kind of started that process, back in the fall, just the conversations about what it could look like.
Nick Weinmeister:And then I think, you know, luckily for us, our baseball coach Connor Klosterman, did a great job of, you know, one wanting to do it and wanting it to be a thing and happen. Then two, being able to find, you know, the the competition that he did. And and luckily coach Spain at the University of Dubuque was willing to play, you know, to play our team. And I think it's gonna be something that, just from what I have heard, you know, I I guess I'll wait and see on the day that it that it has played. I I've heard rumors of, you know, very, very large crowd because I think there's a lot of excitement building around it.
Nick Weinmeister:And, you know, we're just excited to be able to, you know, showcase the team, showcase, you know, that first baseball team ever at NICC and to do so on, you know, a pretty iconic movie site feel that at the field of dreams and diaries. I couldn't ask for, you know, for more aside from, favorable weather on that day. That's the only other thing that I would really like to I really like to see. But, you know, I I can't control that. So we're just gonna be hopeful that a baseball game is played and and we'll have some pretty cool other things going on that night.
Nick Weinmeister:And, you know, we'd we'd love to see, you know, as many people as are willing to give up, you know, their Friday night to come watch and support our baseball team and, and, the department as a whole.
Amy Lasack:Well, that's, that's pretty exciting. And while not every sport gets to participate on a Field of Dreams, if somebody did want to come to a future event for any of the sports that NICC has, where can they find more information about that?
Nick Weinmeister:Yeah, the main place to go for that would be our athletics website. So it's www.nicathletics.com and you'll be able to find literally everything athletics related that you would need to find. There'll be schedules, you'll see directories on there, how to get to the fields. We have our partners and sponsors are on there. And so, yeah, if you're looking for literally anything athletics related, you can go there.
Nick Weinmeister:We're also on most social media channels. You can see us on Twitter. We have a Facebook. You know, each team has their own their own page, on Twitter as well. So there's a lot of great ways to find us, but our website would be one of them.
Nick Weinmeister:And you can also find that through the main nicc.edu website. And you just click on the menu bar and it's down there towards the bottom as a clickable link. And yeah, it's actually that's brand new as well. So that was one thing that we had to get going as soon as we possibly could. You go on there right now, you won't see much from a schedule perspective or a roster perspective.
Nick Weinmeister:We'll have that as we get into August and all of the student athletes show up. But, yeah, pretty soon that will be, you know, the main place to find all of the upcoming events, all of the upcoming things that the teams have going on, any news, and information, and, you know, some some other pretty exciting things that I I think a lot of the community members will like.
Amy Lasack:That's fantastic. And if I'm a student athlete in high school and I'm considering going to NICC, but I also want to check things out about being a student athlete, same sort of website they go out there and they can find how to get ahold of you?
Nick Weinmeister:Well, first I'd ask if you have any eligibility left, Amy, because if you wanted to come be an athlete at NICC, I don't know with being an employee, if that's possible or not, but we could probably make something happen. But yeah, you actually can go onto our website, so our athletic website. There's a recruitment form for each sport. So right at the top, the main heading bar there, you can find the recruitment forms for every single sport. It's a clickable link as well.
Nick Weinmeister:You fill out the information. All of the information on there is information that the coach for that sport themselves has, you know, deemed most important. So if you're a high school athlete, go on there, make sure that you fill that out. It gets directed straight to the coach and that coach will reach out to you. My guess is probably within, you know, twenty four to forty eight hours of seeing it, they'll they'll reach right out and, you know, kind of start that engagement process.
Nick Weinmeister:The only thing is having to follow NJCIBA rules. It's a student that is not quite a junior or started their junior year of high school, we can't reach out to them and start recruiting them before that. But if, if you are over that age limit, then, yeah, you should expect, you know, at least some sort of communication from the coach as quickly as possible.
Amy Lasack:That's great. Well, Nick, we're already out of time. This was fantastic. Definitely want to chat with you later in the fall after you've got started with your seasons to hear a little bit more, but thank you so much for building the NICC Cougar pride with our athletics program, and we wish you and your team the best of luck.
Nick Weinmeister:Well, thank you very much, Amy, for having me. And I appreciate being a part of the podcast and getting to showcase all the great things that we've done here at NICC and for Cougar athletics. And I would just say, hopefully we'd love to see everybody that listens and you know, engages in this podcast to come out and check everything we've got going out because we're pretty excited about it. But anyways, thank you again. And I appreciate the time.
Nick Weinmeister:And as always, go Cougars.
Amy Lasack:Go Cougars. Thanks, Nick.
Nick Weinmeister:Thank you.
Amy Lasack: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. Want to learn more about NICC and the many ways we support our students, partners, community? Visit nicc.edu for more resources and upcoming opportunities. This podcast is produced by Northeast Iowa Community College and hosted by Amy Lasack with producer Tessa Hill, audio engineer Andrew Saunders, story editor Doug Ropa, and graphic designer Ashley Konzen.