SCENESsummer 2014

Dear High School and Admissions Colleagues:

As I write this letter, we are about to begin the 2014 RIDE

(Rediscovering Iowa’s Diverse Education). Thirty-five high

school counselors and professionals will be touring 10

colleges and universities in southwestern and southern Iowa.

Every six years, if you are a post-secondary institution, your

institution will be visited by our state’s school counselors who

choose to go on the RIDE. I have been in the admissions

profession a long time—and I am still learning about Iowa’s

rich heritage and diverse array of post-secondary institutions

that make our state of Iowa a great state.

2014-2015 Iowa ACAC President Dan Schofield

Recently, many of us from our state attended the MIDWest Conference held in Madison, WI May 18-20, 2014. The collegiality, the collective energy, and the power of so many high school and admissions counseling professionals in one location for three days was invigorating. There were sessions for everyone, and networking opportunities throughout. Thanks to Erin Gabriel (Drake University—and soon Dowling Catholic High School)

LETTER fromthePRESIDENT

for all your hard work—and Iowa ACAC’s Conference Planning Committee. You collaborated and partnered with WACAC, MACAC, and DACAC to make this a most successful and memorable MIDWest Conference. Planning for the 2015 Iowa ACAC conference is already underway, with Iowa City hosting. Iowa ACAC strives to provide opportunities for member involvement and professional growth. If you are

relatively new to admissions or high school counseling, I encourage you to plug-in to Iowa ACAC. For newer professionals, that could start with your attendance at ACU in Iowa City on July 22-23, 2014. You learn by connecting with others, and Iowa ACAC is a great way to become connected. For those who have been in the profession for a while, I’m always amazed at the new connections that still develop. If you’re not learning from someone else, you are probably just standing still! The cycle of admissions and high school Counseling includes seasonal changes, along with staffing and career changes. I am reminded of the strength and durability of our Iowa Association for College Admissions Counseling when I see some valued colleagues cycle off the executive board, but I see other colleagues cycling onto the board and committees, bringing with them—in their new roles—large doses of enthusiasm and talent. Have a relaxing summer, and find time to enjoy the people who are in your life!

Dan SchofieldPresidentIowa ACAC

Thank you to all of our members who attended this year’s spring conference,

“Best of the MIDWest: Setting Sail with Higher Education.” The event brought over 530 admissions professionals from Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and North Dakota together in Madison, WI to enjoy over 40 presentations and great networking opportunities as we wrapped up another admissions cycle. Keynote speaker VJ Smith provided comic relief and an important message—always say thank you!—during our lunch on Monday.

Madison, WI Keynote speaker VJ Smith

2014 Best of the MIDWest Conference Wrap Up

Mark your calendar

for next year’s Iowa

ACAC Conference

to be held at the

Sheraton in Iowa

City May 17-19, 2015.

MAY

17

During the conference, a few of our

members were recognized for their

outstanding work. Congratulations to

Renea Ogren (Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn),

2014 School Counselor of the Year, Jim

Davis (Indian Hills Community College),

Admission Professional of the Year, and

Hannah Suddendorf (Mount Mercy

University), our 2014 Rising Star!

Through raffle ticket sales and

our benefit 5K run/walk, we

raised over $2,000 for the Ronald

McDonald House! Monday night’s

social brought more fun times at

the Overture Center for the Arts

where attendees enjoyed dueling

pianos and a photo booth. You

can check out the photo booth

pictures—and download them

for free—at www.capmem.com.

Dan Schofield, Debbie Barger, Omar Correa Jim Davis

Lauren Garcia/Associate Director of Admissions/Mount Mercy University “My favorite Iowa Summer Getaway is to the fabulous ‘metropolis’ of Burlington, IA. Every summer during June, they host their own mini-fair and concert series called Steamboat Days. The variety of artists varies every year with this including Chris Young, Jerrod Niemann, Karmin, Halestorm, Hairball and Toby Keith. You can also visit Fun City, which has an outdoor waterpark, indoor ball pit, sky trail, indoor bowling, laser tag, arcade, and go carts. It also has Catfish Bend Casino attached. Besides all of this, they do have the Burlington Bees, a minor league baseball team in town as well. There are some cute little shops in the downtown area that’s right along the Mississippi River, and some great local restaurants to check out while there too. Burlington is also home to the ‘crookedest street in the world’… people can drive down it when there aren’t other activities such as the Snake Alley Art Fair going on.” For more information about these places see the links below.

www.steamboatdays.com www.catfishbendcasino.com www.gobees.com www.snakealley.com

FavoriteIowaGetaways

Stacy Henningsen/Director of Transfer Admissions/AIB College of BusinessAlmost every year my husband and I take the family to Storm Lake for 3 days of fun in the sun! Prices are fantastic for a family of 7 and the family suites are big enough to hold us all and includes a kitchen! Cabins are available, golf, boating, biking and the outdoor and indoor waterpark. There is a mini golf course and a large beach area with playground; something fun for all ages. There is even a nice restaurant and bar for mom and dad to enjoy a nice drink in the evening while the kids watch a movie and unwind. Check out Kings Pointe Resort for your next weekend trip with the kids.

www.kingspointeresort.com

Megan Pitz/Senior Director of Admissions/AIB College of BusinessDes Moines – a city that continues to be recognized nationally as a great place to live for many reasons. For example, it’s been ranked the No. 1 Wealthiest City in America by the

“TODAY” show and the No. 1 Midwest City for Young Adults. Plus, there are so many fun things to do in Des Moines, no matter what your interests are: Gray’s Lake is perfect for a run, a walk, a bike ride, a swim or a sail – and it hosts free events including yoga, zumba and concerts. Downtown Des Moines, where you can find arts and cultural events, as well as restaurants and night life on popular Court Avenue. The Historic East Village has a culture all its own, with ongoing events, eclectic restaurants and fun boutiques.Des Moines is home to professional sports teams, including baseball, basketball, arena football, soccer and hockey. The ever-expanding Jordan Creek Town Center area offers abundant shopping, plus restaurants and a state-of-the-art movie complex. Adventureland has been recognized as one of the top amusement parks and water parks in the country.

You can learn more about things to do in Des Moines at www.catchdesmoines.com/events

Jessica DeWall/Admissions Counselor/UNIA visit to the Amana Colonies can easily fill an entire day! There is much to see, do, and eat, but it’s all done at a relaxing pace. The Amanas were founded about 150 years ago by a group of German people seeking religious asylum in America. They originally lived in a communal setting but in the 1930s abandoned that for more individuality. Main Amana is the largest of the colonies and has the most businesses and sights for tourists. At Main Amana you can find an ice cream shop, quilt shop, chocolate shop, winery, candle shop, most of the restaurants, lace shop, Christmas shops, bakery, basket shop, brewing company, woolen mill, furniture shop and factory, & meat shop. The most important thing to remember about the Amanas is that these shops are all locally owned and operated. There are also other villages that have more historic buildings, but with less shopping.

www.amanacolonies.com

Callie MorningstarAdmission Counselor/Coe College

“I would have to say Lake Okoboji is my favorite Iowa Summer Getaway. There’s so much to do in that area and who doesn’t like spending time on a lake?”

www.vacationokoboji.com

Jill Kuhlers/Senior Associate Director of Admission for Programming/Coe College

“I don’t think it counts as a summer getaway, but I know that summer isn’t complete for my family until we have made a trip to the Iowa State Fair. Looking at all of the exhibits, attending shows, riding the midway rides and more food on a stick than you can eat in one day; It is a great summer tradition!”

www.iowastatefair.orgAngie Eilander/Admissions Executive/AIB College of BusinessIn my travels of NE Iowa, one of my favorite towns to stop and enjoy the scenery is in Guttenberg, Iowa–located right on the Mississippi River. Pictures from my last trip in mid-April are not as beautiful as they would be if I had waited to visit in May, but the day I was there I had some down time to stop and enjoy a Subway sandwich roadside and snap a few shots of the town. Check out the website if you are looking for different getaway spot. I see Guttenberg Germanfest is named one of the top 10 events in Iowa!

www.cityofguttenberg.com

Melinda Arndt/Office Manager, Admissions/Maharishi University of ManagementThis summer we look forward to spending time at Waterworks Park, our favorite summer spot in Fairfield, Iowa. Waterworks Park features a lake for swimming, kayaking, and canoeing; a sanded beach; a sheltered area for cookouts and picnics; and a playground for the youngest.

www.mum.edu/HTML/panoramas/waterworks/pano.html

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ADMISSION COUNSELOR UNIVERSITY

“ACU was a great experience. It was interesting to learn how all the moving parts come together;

between high school visits, college fairs, visit days, financial aid, etc. It made me realize the importance

of the services we offer at RuffaloCODY in helping the admission counselors who are on the front line

working with the students who are making, literally, a life-changing decision.”

Ashly Lagneaux/Project Manager/RuffaloCODY

“ACU was a great opportunity

to network with other

colleagues that are entering

the profession alongside of

you. The discussions, the

presentations, and activities

were extremely beneficial.”

Tony Smith/Admissions Counselor/Wartburg College

Each summer, the Iowa ACAC Professional Development Committee hosts Admission Counselor University (ACU) in Iowa City. The two-day event is a great opportunity for staff new to the world of admissions to network, learn tricks of the trade from admissions veterans and become more comfortable in their positions. This year, ACU will be held on Tuesday, July 23 and Wednesday, July 24. Registration is still available at www.iowaacac.com/admission-counselor-u.Contact Sabrina Tapps Fee with questions at sabrina-tapps@uiowa.edu or

319-335-1972.

Can’t make this year?

Save the date for

ACU 2015 scheduled

for July 22 & 23 at

the Sheraton Hotel in Iowa City.

JULY

22

Tim Butterfield – Assistant Director of AdmissionGrinnell College

“The MIDWest ACAC conference in May really opened up my eyes to the world of admission and college counseling as a whole beyond my home institution. I realized that while it is necessary to remain focused on the schools at which we work, there is also a lot to be gained from knowing how individuals at other schools tackle challenges in college admissions. Being a member of the Iowa ACAC helps keep me connected with my colleagues at other institutions, and volunteering

with a committee makes me truly feel like a contributing part of the whole. The seasonal “Scenes” issues keep all of us Iowa ACAC members connected during the long stretches in between our physical get-togethers, and, as a member of the Publications and Marketing Committee, I enjoy putting the “Scenes” together and helping keep Iowa admissions professionals in the loop.”

Jessica DeWall – Admissions CounselorUniversity of Northern Iowa

“As a counselor, I always tell the students I work with, getting involved on campus will make your experience ordinary to extraordinary! By joining the Publications and Marketing Committee, I feel the same way about my career. This involvement will allow me to continue to enhance my network throughout the year. Creating relationships are important! It allows me to have a sense of security and trust! Being a part of this committee will allow me to share my ideas with

others, ask for advice, and stay up-to-date on the new trends in the Admissions world. I feel continually blessed to belong to a profession, organization, and now a committee that focuses on student success to higher education.”

Grabbing Opportunities in IACAC!Are you interested in networking in

your professional community? Do

you want to gain access to current

events in your career area, or just

have some fun while meeting new

people? Joining an Iowa ACAC

committee is a good start if you

are interested in furthering your

admissions career! You can sign

up to be involved with any of the

eight committees by contacting

the committee chair, or run for

an available elected position by

selecting the “Lend a Hand” link

on the Iowa ACAC homepage.

What’s in it for you? Read why two

members of Iowa ACAC joined a

committee:

Name: Debbie BargerInstitution: Grandview UniversityEmail: dbarger@grandview.eduBoard Position: Past President

Name: Dan SchofieldInstitution: University of Northern IowaEmail: Daniel.schofield@uni.eduBoard Position: President

Name: Omar CorreaInstitution: Loras College Email: omar.correa@loras.eduBoard Position: President-Elect

Name: Ali SchlapkohlInstitution: Drake UniversityEMAIL: ali.schlapkohl@drake.eduBoard Position: Assembly Delegate

Name: Kirk PohlmanInstitution: Des Moines Area Community CollegeEmail: kjpohlman@dmacc.eduBoard Position: Assembly Delegate

Name: Jane Warner Institution: University of IowaEmail: jane-warner@uiowa.eduBoard Position: Assembly Delegate

Name: Jen HackeInstitution: Iowa State UniversityEmail: jhacke@iastate.eduBoard Position: Treasurer

Name: Tina MirandaInstitution: Grand View UniversityEmail: tmiranda@grandview.eduBoard Position: College Day/College Night Chair

MEET YOUR 2014-2015 IOWA ACAC BOARD

Name: Tara Winter Institution: Wartburg CollegeEmail: tara.winter@wartburg.eduBoard Position: Admissions Practices Chair

Name: Erin Gabriel Institution: Drake UniversityEmail: erin.gabriel@drake.eduBoard Position: Conference Planning Chair

Name: Cyrus Nichols Institution: University of IowaEmail: cyrus-nichols@uiowa.eduBoard Position: Inclusion, Success and Access Committee Chair

Name: Josh D’Amico Institution: Mount Mercy CollegeEmail: jdamico@mtmercy.eduBoard Position: Government Relations Chair

Name: Ryan Paul Ronan Institution: ICANEmail: rronan@icansucceed.orgBoard Position: Membership Committee Chair

Name: Stacy Henningsen Institution: AIB College of BusinessEmail: henningsens@aib.eduBoard Position: Publications and Marketing Chair

Name: Sabrina Tapps-Fee Institution: University of IowaEmail: Sabrina-tapps@uiowa.eduBoard Position: Professional Development Chair

Name: Gail McMahon Email: jgmcmahon@mediacombb.net Board Position: Executive Assistant

Clarke UniversityJulie Cirks, admissions operations manager from Clarke University, and her husband Grant welcomed Cole Thomas Cirks on Tuesday, April 18, 2014. Cole is also welcomed by big sister Isabelle (age 2).

Treynor High SchoolSteve Irvin, middle school and high school counselor, at Treynor HS will be leaving to work for the Iowa College Access Network based out of Iowa Western in Council Bluffs.

UNIThis January, the Office of Admissions, at the University of Northern Iowa welcomed Lisa Feldhaus as a Program Assistant.

On January 22, Admissions Systems Coordinator, Tom Reburn and his wife, Lindi, welcomed their fourth child, Paxton.

On May 7, Assistant Director of Admissions, Jenny Connolly and her husband, Scott, welcomed their third child, Parker.

On May 29, Admissions Counselor, Trina Landmesser and her husband, Nick, welcomed their second child, Nora.

AIB College of BusinessStacy Henningsen from AIB College of Business was promoted to Director of Transfer Admissions.

Kim Lange, Admissions Coordinator, and her husband welcomed their son Carson Robert Lange on April 14th.

Central CollegeTami Ford, Susie Schwennen and Fred Schlingemann have joined the Central Admissions Staff.

The University of IowaAnnabelle Vinson, Senior Admission Counselor, and her husband Brian welcomed a beautiful baby girl Emi. She was born on May 10, just in time to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Brianne Schwarz, a recent Graduate from the University of Iowa Masters in Higher Education & Student Affairs program, will be our new Coordinator, Recruitment Programs.

Grinnell CollegeRebecca Patch has joined the office as a new Admission Counselor.

Tim Butterfield and Rachel Whitfield have been promoted to Assistant Directors of Admission.

CHANGES OF SCENERY

Iowa Lakes Community CollegeJohnathan Jordan, Admission Counselor, was married on June 7 in Saginaw, MI. His wife Amber will be teaching in the Estherville school system next year.

Coe CollegeCoe College is pleased to announce that Jamarco Clark and Maddison Woodruff have joined the office as Admission Counselors.

Holly Fourtner has been promoted to Director of First-Year Recruitment and Jay Caughren has been promoted to Senior Admission Counselor.

Ashworth UniversityStacy Borgeson, our campus visitor coordinator, just had a healthy baby boy named Cole on May 25th.

Holly Hull, Associate Director of Campus Admissions, had a baby on Dec. 25th–her name is Lainey.

Mary Bimm has been promoted to Campus Admissions Manager.

Emily Ramsey and Kelsey Munck have been hired as Admissions Specialists.

Maharishi University of ManagementPedro Ugalde joined the Admissions team

Wartburg CollegeLinda Smith, Visit Coordinator, is retiring June 30th after 23 years of service to the Wartburg Admissions office. Paige Klostermann, Admission Counselor, is leaving Wartburg to pursue a graduate degree in Sports Administration at UConn. Wartburg Welcomes Dawn Sundberg, ’01 as the new Coordinator of Visitor Relations & Special Events. Wartburg Welcomes Admission Counselor, Drew Flesch, ’12 who was previously employed at Mudd Advertising and Enterprise. Drew will cover Missouri, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota.

Upper Iowa UniversityJulie Fopma has taken a position with Upper Iowa University as the Center Director for the Quad Cities campus.

Change of Scenery Announcements

What’s new in your world? A promotion? New staff? A new addition to the family? Let us know. Please email Change of Scenery announcements

to Stacy Henningsen at henningsens@aib.edu.

Thank you!

On May 16th, the Office of Admissions at the University

of Northern Iowa marked the retirement of the Director of

Admission, Christie Kangas. Christie first entered the field of

admissions in 1986 as UNI’s transfer admissions counselor.

Shortly thereafter she became UNI’s first ever Assistant Director

of Admissions/Transfer Relations. The 80’s and 90’s were a

time when a lot work needed to be accomplished – and WAS

accomplished - in the area of transfer recruitment, transfer

admissions, and articulation agreements. Christie worked

tirelessly for the transfer student population, and helped

our University understand and believe in the importance of

transfer students. She was their advocate.

After spending some years out of the state of Iowa – as the director of admission at the University of Southern Colorado and the director of admissions at Texas State University, Christie came back to UNI in 2008. At that time Christie was UNI’s first female director of admissions and the first female admissions director at any of the Iowa Regent Universities. Not only will Christie be missed at the University of Northern Iowa, but across the profession. Her colleagues at Iowa State University said, “Christie has been an outstanding representative not only for the University of Northern Iowa, but also for the Regent universities. Her integrity and dedication to helping young Iowans continue their education beyond high school has reflected well on all of us. We will miss Christie’s leadership and her thoughtful and dependable contributions to all those initiatives on which we work together. We wish Christie the very best!”

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