Amy Lasack: Welcome to the first ever episode of The Catalyst, the official podcast of Northeast Iowa Community College. I'm your host, Amy Lasack, and we are super excited to get this podcast off the ground.
Amy Lasack: So we can best share all the great things happening at NICC. So, we often hear the phrase, well, I didn't know NICC did that, and we hope that this podcast can be one vessel that will help share all the activities, projects, and stories that we're so very proud of here at Northeast Iowa Community College.
Amy Lasack: For our first episode today, we thought we would start off big, and bring in a guest that helps NICC steering in the right direction, and I'd like to welcome our interim president, Dave Dahms. Dave, thank you.
Dave Dahms: Good morning, Amy.
Amy Lasack: So, Dave, one of the reasons we felt it was important to have you as our first guest on the podcast was because it was important to share the larger vision of NICC and community colleges in Iowa, but also to give the community a chance to get to know you. So we'll be talking about a lot of different things today in our short time together. Are you ready to buckle in and dive right in?
Dave Dahms: Absolutely, let's do it.
Amy Lasack: Alright, maybe just share a little bit about your background, your career journey, what brought you to NICC to begin with?
Dave Dahms: Well, probably not, traditional, for, presidents and community colleges. You know, I spent most of my career in the private sector, and, with various roles and responsibilities in finance and administration.
Dave Dahms: And, …
Dave Dahms: through that, with multiple industries I was in and the companies I worked for, it gave me a pretty vast, experience and, depth of experience working with various individuals and departments and customers. And, you know, the majority of
Dave Dahms: of my career was spent with one company for about 20 years, and we were very customer service oriented, as well as,
Dave Dahms: The professional development and promotion of education internally and externally with our customers, to the point where
Dave Dahms: We developed and built our own learning center, and it was built for internal, education for our staff, as well as a wing for all of our customers to come in and be trained as well. Oh, that's cool.
Dave Dahms: Yeah, it was, it was…
Dave Dahms: And that was our culture. Our culture was one of continuous improvement. And so, when the opportunity came here.
Dave Dahms: about 10 years ago to be a part of higher ed, there was a lot of synergies that matched up to what I had been, in my… the atmosphere I'd been in previously.
Amy Lasack: Yeah, that's kind of a natural transition, then, for you, because you already had one foot in…
Amy Lasack: An environment where education was very important.
Amy Lasack: Absolutely. Yeah.
Amy Lasack: You know, throughout your journey, both in the private sector and now at NICC, how have you shaped your leadership style, or what would you… how would you describe your leadership style?
Dave Dahms: One that is… my approach to it is, being a very good listener and understanding
Dave Dahms: what people are saying. And, and not trying to come to, immediate conclusions, but being inclusive of what you look at and what information you need to understand.
Dave Dahms: And, taking that from a variety of sources, whether that's individuals or committees reform, internal and external information, but bringing that back in and making an informed decision.
Dave Dahms: And, even though it may be a situation that it's more of a short-term change, always making sure that what you're doing leans into the long-term objective.
Dave Dahms: Of the institution.
Amy Lasack: Well, and I bet you've had a lot of people that wanted to bend the president's ear since you've been in this role, so that listening skill probably comes in real handy for you.
Dave Dahms: Well, and you know, the other, I gotta tell you, …
Dave Dahms: When I started my first job out of college.
Dave Dahms: I was very fortunate to have a supervisor that was very patient, and was a very good listener, because, …
Dave Dahms: And I learned a lot from him for the short 3 years I was with him, but that has taken me a long way.
Amy Lasack: Oh, that's so cool when you think back and can remember mentors or people that you've learned from, and it shapes who you are today.
Dave Dahms: Yeah, there's been some… some individuals in my career that have been instrumental to
Dave Dahms: moving me along and setting direction, helping me set direction to where I wanted to move to and grow, so I've been very fortunate.
Amy Lasack: That's awesome.
Amy Lasack: So, you've been in this role now for almost 2 years? Does that sound right?
Dave Dahms: That's correct, yeah.
Amy Lasack: Yeah, so what have you enjoyed about it?
Dave Dahms: Well, there's quite a few things, actually.
Dave Dahms: You know, I think even though from where I was before, I interacted with a lot of different individuals across the college, but this certainly, …
Dave Dahms: has… Opened up the…
Dave Dahms: touchpoints that I have every day, internally and externally, with individuals, or committees, or businesses, or what have you, that, I think is…
Dave Dahms: Has been a real joy, because every day is different. Every conversation, you know, has a…
Dave Dahms: Is different, and being able to be a part of working with a lot of great people internally, and being… being out in the public working and having conversations with other leaders and communities and businesses has been very enjoyable.
Dave Dahms: It's, it's been,
Dave Dahms: a pretty fast-paced time, so, you know, it's… it's, I think, one of the things that maybe was… …
Dave Dahms: Different about it is just how each day, even though you think you got your day planned, that's not necessarily the case most of the time.
Amy Lasack: I imagine your brain has been pretty full this last couple years with all the different
Amy Lasack: People that you've had an opportunity to meet, and all the different facets.
Amy Lasack: Of things that you've been able to get involved with.
Dave Dahms: Well, it sure has, and, you know, I think part of it is the fact of…
Dave Dahms: how we have brought about opportunities to connect with businesses, through business and community solutions, and having those, meetings and, bringing in individuals to.
Dave Dahms: … Get input from and help us guide our programming as…
Dave Dahms: Just as well as, you know, internally, where we've
Dave Dahms: We've now kicked off our strategic plan, so the last year actually has been extremely busy internally and externally as well, with conversations and developing our mission, vision, and values, and …
Dave Dahms: now developing and moving forward on the goals that have been agreed to. So, it's exciting.
Amy Lasack: Has anything surprised you?
Amy Lasack: The last couple years.
Dave Dahms: I don't know if it's a surprise or not, but, I think just the fact of
Dave Dahms: The environment that we all work in, we being all the community colleges, and… from the changes from…
Dave Dahms: federal government and the challenges internally in Iowa.
Dave Dahms: has been a real eye-opener this last year, because there has been a lot more uncertainty of things that we've had to deal with. And that has just put another layer on to how do we move
Dave Dahms: NICC forward in this type of environment.
Amy Lasack: Yeah, I imagine, too, with the strategic plan being
Amy Lasack: Developed this last year, and having to take a look at the vision and what our priorities are.
Amy Lasack: that's enabled you to really take a look at all of those different pieces. So, you know, now that the strategic plan has been started, what are the priorities for NICC this next 3 years?
Dave Dahms: Next year.
Dave Dahms: Well, you know, the… the departments and all the goals have… are now linked together, and, you know, if you… if you were to…
Dave Dahms: try to narrow down where our emphasis is. It's continuing to build a very strong, robust internal body of faculty and staff working together, and …
Dave Dahms: Building that the…
Dave Dahms: Commitment and the collaboration on everything that we do so that the college as a whole
Dave Dahms: Has understanding and buy-in to the direction, and that's extremely important,
Dave Dahms: given limited resources and the fact that there are things that we just… we need to move forward on, and we can't, … we can't take a lot of time debating about it. Once we… once we've gone through the decision-making process, and we've included individuals and committees that needed to be a part of it, then we need to move forward.
Dave Dahms: And I think, you know, our communities and our businesses expect that from us. I mean, they're looking for new solutions, they're looking for us to be
Dave Dahms: A leader in our… in our communities, and the…
Dave Dahms: the best way we can do that is to do that collectively, with all of the employees of NICC moving in the same direction. That's great.
Dave Dahms: So, you know, my expectation is that that provides, then, different avenues of programming. It provides us to look at how we, support businesses from what we do today, but how we support them, in a more robust way.
Dave Dahms: We're being able to be flexible and being able to change.
Dave Dahms: quickly as the environment changes. So… Excuse me.
Dave Dahms: …
Dave Dahms: You know, the success of the college is the ability to continue to meet student needs, support them wherever we can.
Amy Lasack: ….
Dave Dahms: As well as working with businesses and leaders in our communities.
Amy Lasack: Yeah, I think one of the real strengths of NICC is exactly what you said, is that we can respond.
Amy Lasack: To those needs that we're hearing from our students and from the workforce and our businesses and our communities. And that's one of the great things about working here, is that you get a chance to interact with everybody out in the community and make a difference.
Dave Dahms: Yep, absolutely. You know, and I think… you know, the… the…
Dave Dahms: Meetings and the information sharing,
Dave Dahms: events that we've had. You've seen…
Dave Dahms: At least I've seen the…
Dave Dahms: enthusiasm and the acceptance of business leaders and community leaders wanting to be a part of the college, and wanting to be a part of moving our communities forward.
Amy Lasack: 100%.
Amy Lasack: It's so nice to hear that about the value that NICC can bring everybody.
Amy Lasack: So, a big part of the role of interim president is being the face of the college, but also having to listen and learn from everybody. How do you
Amy Lasack: balance that. That's quite a bit.
Dave Dahms: Well, actually, … You know, if you live our mission, vision, and values.
Dave Dahms: I mean… Then everything else should come naturally.
Dave Dahms: And… How we work together internally resembles how we work externally.
Dave Dahms: And, … So… when I'm talking to individuals outside the college, it's… it's…
Dave Dahms: Reiterating what our vision is, and the values that we… that we've all agreed to… to work with.
Dave Dahms: And, the priorities, the four priorities that the college is moving forward on.
Dave Dahms: And, I mean, that conversation… Needs to be the same as we talk externally, as what we do internally.
Dave Dahms: And, the more that I think …
Dave Dahms: Communities, leaders, and business leaders can understand
Dave Dahms: this is who we are, and this is the direction they're going. It will help them understand the college, and I think, build stronger relationships.
Amy Lasack: Yeah, you mentioned our values, so one of the things that this last year that we did was reevaluate our values, and I have to tell you, we have a catchy song that we put together at the college, and it makes remembering those values very easy. Respect, innovate, serve, and engage.
Amy Lasack: how do you bring those values in what you do at NICC?
Dave Dahms: Well, I think it's… to me, it's daily life, and I'll go back to where…
Dave Dahms: I worked most of my career, and we had,
Dave Dahms: Guiding principles and cultural practices as part of our mission and vision.
Dave Dahms: And they were much more lengthy than what we have here. But, they were… actually, the four we have were the four already embedded in what my… most of my career, included. So, when we… we talk about that, it's… to me, it's natural, because that's how we should operate. That's how… that's who we should be.
Dave Dahms: And how we should work together.
Amy Lasack: That's what makes it such a great place to work, is that
Amy Lasack: You know that that's here, yeah.
Dave Dahms: Yes.
Amy Lasack: How do you approach decision-making, in your role? Because what we do at NICC impacts so many different constituents, students, employees, partners. What are the things that you think about when you have to make a decision?
Dave Dahms: Well, I think first is, what is… what are we really trying to accomplish?
Dave Dahms: And what is that end result?
Dave Dahms: And… Once we understand
Dave Dahms: What that is, then who needs to be a part of those discussions to be able to get the most informed decision?
Dave Dahms: …
Dave Dahms: But having said that, it really needs to then lean back into what is our long-term goals, and does that support, the goals that the college has just agreed to for the next 3 years?
Dave Dahms: Because everything has to support where we're moving forward. If it doesn't, then why are we… why are we having the discussion, and why are we talking… what are we trying to accomplish if it doesn't support our goals and our mission and vision?
Dave Dahms: So it's looking more short-term, but it's also making sure that long-term we'd be consistent in the direction we want this college to move towards.
Amy Lasack: Yeah, and having that strategy to help guide things, in particular, as you mentioned earlier, with some of the funding issues that colleges all across the country
Amy Lasack: are facing, being strategic about those decisions, I'm sure, is very top of mind.
Dave Dahms: Well, it does provide that.
Dave Dahms: … We need to be…
Dave Dahms: Very diligent about what is going on around us, and understanding that as things change, we need to be flexible enough to move with that change.
Dave Dahms: You know, I can't be… I can't be concerned about things that we don't control. I do have to be concerned about the things that we do control, because that in itself helps.
Dave Dahms: us adjust and make adjustments as things go on around us that we may not have been… may not have anticipated, or we knew were going to be maybe coming up on us, and now we have to make internal adjustments to accommodate that.
Amy Lasack: I'm gonna switch a little bit and talk about community and workforce, because that's an area that I… I'm not sure a lot of people understand the role community colleges play.
Amy Lasack: in community and workforce. NICC plays such a big role in workforce development in our region. How do you… how do you describe the role the college plays in that, and the evolving piece of that? Every day it changes?
Dave Dahms: True. You know, I think that…
Dave Dahms: This college has always been good in its relationships with businesses and industry.
Dave Dahms: But their needs are… continue to change.
Dave Dahms: And our ability to be more connected with them, to have opportunities to have more conversations, whether they're structured or casual.
Dave Dahms: But being able to build those relationships that, when we hear of something that's moving in their world, we're able to support and adjust accordingly.
Dave Dahms: And, …
Dave Dahms: You know, we've got such a variety of industry in our area of the college, throughout our division.
Dave Dahms: You know, manufacturing, healthcare, I mean, it is such a wide, spread base of businesses that, that in itself is a challenge, right? Because we have to understand their markets, we have to understand their challenges, and they're all different.
Dave Dahms: …
Dave Dahms: And the closer that we can be with them, and, the better off that I think we're able to serve.
Dave Dahms: Our, you know, our commitment to the communities is to be
Dave Dahms: a partner with activities that are going on within our cities and our towns, and support those activities.
Dave Dahms: And having that outward face and being a good steward.
Dave Dahms: Okay.
Amy Lasack: I… the one thing I always say is that community college
Amy Lasack: is… does only as well as the communities do. So if the communities aren't thriving because we don't have employers that are here and finding the workforce that they need.
Amy Lasack: That, … it…
Amy Lasack: Can… our students aren't finding what they need, then? Because we want our students to be gainfully employed when they leave here, and they can find everything that they… they want to for their future.
Dave Dahms: Exactly, yeah, and… as students come to us for the programs we offer, and…
Dave Dahms: How we can build, …
Dave Dahms: Relationships with businesses for internships and other types of scholarship-type programs that could be developed to help.
Dave Dahms: Students as they come through and graduate from us and move right into, industry in our district is… is the end goal, right?
Amy Lasack: Yeah.
Amy Lasack: So what's… what's something most people at NICC might be surprised to learn about you?
Dave Dahms: Well, I don't know. … I… you know, I think, you know, as a…
Dave Dahms: Kid growing up, …
Dave Dahms: My off time was more woodworking and craft-type stuff like that, and that migrated into, …
Dave Dahms: you know, things that I do at home is, is, …
Dave Dahms: that kind of gives me a little relief is getting behind the stove and cooking and providing different dishes that, maybe you can't necessarily get down at a restaurant downtown. And it's a release to me, but it goes back to being able to create something.
Amy Lasack: Dave, I am… I am taking notes. I think you might be able to teach one of our BCS classes.
Dave Dahms: I don't know. He's the president.
Amy Lasack: I love it! Well, I thought it might be fun to end our podcast just with some quick-fire questions, if you're game. Ask you a couple questions and get… allow other people to get to know you a little better. Are you… are you ready for that?
Dave Dahms: Okay, let's go.
Amy Lasack: Okay, so, first question, what's your go-to coffee order or morning drink?
Dave Dahms: Well, that's pretty simple. Coffee and cream.
Amy Lasack: Just coffee and cream, huh?
Dave Dahms: Yeah, yeah, I know it's boring, but that's what it is.
Amy Lasack: Alright, so if you weren't working in higher ed or finance, what job do you think you would have?
Dave Dahms: Oh, well, that's… that's another easy one to answer. I would be working at retirement, so….
Amy Lasack: That's fantastic. Alright, so what's something people would be surprised to learn about you?
Dave Dahms: … I don't know, I think just back to the fact that, you know, how I try to, …
Dave Dahms: de-stress during the evenings or weekends. It's, just finding things to do, whether it's, walking the dog or getting behind the stove, just something that
Dave Dahms: takes my mind away from what, I've been doing all day long.
Amy Lasack: Oh, well, I'm a dog person. What kind of dog do you have, and what's your dog's name?
Dave Dahms: He's a cockapoo, and his name is Chester.
Amy Lasack: Aww, cute.
Amy Lasack: What's your favorite way to spend a Sunday afternoon?
Dave Dahms: Kind of depends on the time of the year, but normally it's, …
Dave Dahms: by the middle of the afternoon, I will say that it's starting to get my head wrapped around for the next week, so…
Dave Dahms: You know, I try to use Saturday and Sunday morning to kick back and just do things around the house, or whatever we're doing, but by the time Sunday afternoon rolls around, it's…
Dave Dahms: Time to get the thoughts back in order again.
Amy Lasack: Get ready for the week, huh?
Dave Dahms: That's right.
Amy Lasack: Is there a book or movie you've reread or rewatched more than one time?
Dave Dahms: Well.
Dave Dahms: It kind of goes back to how many movies… you know, there's always movies that continually rerun year after year after year, so that's probably where…
Dave Dahms: I've, seen the most, because I'm not one that goes to the theater, but, so if I had to pick the movies that I would probably watch more often would be the ones like a Clint Eastwood movie, or something like that, that
Dave Dahms: continues to come back year after year, and it's just there. So I'm flipping channels, there it is, let's just watch that.
Amy Lasack: Where's a place you'd like to visit, but you haven't been to yet?
Dave Dahms: There's several, but one place that I really do want to, go to is Upper Maine. I've been to Vermont, New Hampshire, and it's beautiful up there, but I've never gone farther to the Northeast, and, that is on my list.
Amy Lasack: I was just looking at pictures of the…
Amy Lasack: national park up in Maine, and it's… it's gorgeous.
Dave Dahms: It is. In the summertime. I don't know if I want to be there in the winter, but….
Amy Lasack: Probably not. Do you have a favorite local restaurant or a guilty pleasure food stop?
Dave Dahms: Oh, you know, we've got a lot of great restaurants in the Decorah area, and they're all different menus, so, I mean, we frequent all of them. I'd say probably the… going back to your Sunday afternoon question, if it's a nice day, we'll… we'll… Laura and I will go out for ice cream, and we'll grab some
Dave Dahms: And then head to the Abraiowa River and eat ice cream in the summertime and watch the kayakers go by, so….
Amy Lasack: Oh, beautiful. Decor is so pretty. They have a wonderful waterfall up there, love going to.
Dave Dahms: Yeah, very nice.
Amy Lasack: What's a small thing that always makes your day better?
Dave Dahms: You know, I think…
Dave Dahms: Coming into the office, or coming to the campus buildings, and just seeing people having smiles on their face, and engaging with one another, and having just good conversation.
Dave Dahms: And, … I, I think that…
Dave Dahms: That is just such a wonderful thing to see, and…
Dave Dahms: It just makes your day start off well.
Amy Lasack: That's… that's been very evident this…
Amy Lasack: This, last couple weeks with classes starting up again, and seeing students' smiles, and staff and faculty so excited.
Dave Dahms: Yes, it's a great time of year.
Amy Lasack: What's your recharge method? Are you a person that likes to read, walk, or do you like complete silence? How do you recharge your battery?
Dave Dahms: Well, normally it's Chester and I going for a walk. Most of the time, it's his idea, not mine, but….
Amy Lasack: Isn't it always?
Dave Dahms: But I do enjoy that because it gets me out of the house, gets some exercise, and … …
Dave Dahms: gets me thinking about other things, so… That's great.
Amy Lasack: So you talked a little bit about your first manager, but what was your very first job, and what did it teach you?
Dave Dahms: So when I graduated from college, I, was fortunate enough to get a position in a company in Des Moines.
Dave Dahms: And I was a division office, for a large, soybean processing oil company, and I was the assistant division finance manager. And, …
Dave Dahms: That was the individual that… …
Dave Dahms: Told me how to… how to work with employees, and being compass… compassionate, … Being patient.
Dave Dahms: Being a good mentor.
Dave Dahms: And, doing that in a way by making sure that, you know, what you're doing, you're doing.
Dave Dahms: correctly, and precisely, and having the integrity to carry out your function at work.
Dave Dahms: But, you know, he was the one that I think really set the stage of how I appreciated, how individuals should work together within a business environment.
Amy Lasack: That's great. Well, Dave, that was so much fun. Thanks for playing along, being a good sport, and…
Amy Lasack: Believe it or not, we've already hit the end of our first podcast episode. That went by very quickly.
Amy Lasack: So thank you so much for joining us today, and we'd love to have you back again to share more about what's happening at NICC in the future.
Dave Dahms: Okay, sounds good, Amy, thank you.
Amy Lasack: Great, and thank you all for joining us, as we hoped you enjoyed this very first episode of The Catalyst.