MCC establishes ‘college-ready partnership’ with South Tama
Friday / December 4, 2015
Connie Gardalen, MCC Coordinator of High School Relations, speaks to the 8th graders at South Tama Middle School on Wednesday.
Students and staff from Marshalltown Community College spent their Wednesday afternoon educating (and entertaining) the eighth graders at South Tama Middle School. In an effort to promote college readiness and awareness, MCC instructors, admissions staff, and student athletes each took the podium—or the court—to showcase a particular area of college life.
“The goal of these assemblies will be to bring the faculty and staff to the students and have them explain their areas of expertise, and hopefully show them something ‘cool’ from their area,” says Connie Gardalen, MCC Coordinator of High School Relations. “This age of student needs to SEE things and not just hear about them.”
Faculty members talked about the classes that they teach and the opportunities within their field, while student athletes showed off their skills in their particular sport. Volunteers from the audience even had the opportunity to go “1-on-1” with each of the Tiger athletes. Members of the men’s and women’s basketball team, baseball team, soccer team, and dance team were present at the assembly.
MCC Tiger mascot leading some ‘cheers’ at the assembly last Wednesday.
The idea for this program came when South Tama counselor, Kate Ihnen attended the Iowa School Counselor conference last month. “At one of the breakout sessions I attended, an elementary school counselor was describing this program she has at her school where different colleges have ‘adopted’ different grades,” says Ihnen. “The college would then come to the school and get the students engaged in different hands-on learning activities that promote college and career readiness.”
It didn’t take long to put something like this into motion in South Tama. “When I mentioned the idea to Connie [Gardalen] she jumped on it, and suggested they start with the eight grade class. I got approval from administration and we just started to roll with it.”
Vincent Lasley (right), member of the MCC Tiger basketball team, goes 1-on-1 with a South Tama student. Members of the men’s and women’s basketball team, baseball team, soccer team, and dance team were present at the assembly.
This “college ready partnership” event was the first of potentially many more assemblies hosted at area schools within MCC’s district. Gardalen says the College is planning to implement four more ‘assembly’ type presentations during the spring semester.
“What we at South Tama Schools and MCC want to do is build a ‘college-going’ culture based on early college awareness. We will provide students with opportunities to build their confidence, to aspire for college, while simultaneously providing adequate supports and conveying the conviction that all students can succeed in college.”