Marshalltown Community College is here to provide a high quality, success-focused education for all students. We are proud of our diverse student body that represents (among other characteristics) students ranging in age from 16 to 60, including 69 international students, and many students whose financial situation requires grants and loans to make a college education possible. In addition we feel especially privileged to enroll a quarter of our students whose race and ethnicity is non-white.

Last spring, MCC was identified by Excelencia in Education, a national organization focused on Hispanic and Latinx student success, as an Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution (ESHI). An EHSI college is considered emerging when at least 15% and no more than 25% of its students identify ethnically as Hispanic according to the U.S. Department of Education data system, called IPEDS. Once a college reaches 25% Hispanic enrollment, it is federally designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). MCC is one of four EHSI colleges in Iowa with 16.4% of our 2017-2018 students identifying themselves as Hispanic.

MCC has identified this academic year as “MCC es para mi” (MCC is for me) and is focusing on improving our services and experiences for our Hispanic/Latinx students with the goal of increasing our enrollment by 5%. This fall we celebrated Hispanic Heritage month with “Dream Diaries,” an art exhibit by MCC alumnus Siri Garcia. The exhibit included a panel of people describing their immigration experiences and the effect of deportation. Our students chartered a new club, MCC LULAC #378, which sponsored a College Access Night at Miller and South Tama Middle Schools and Marshalltown High School, a networking event with two local Al Exito clubs, and a dance for college students. And the college instituted the MCC Latinx Leadership Initiative, an eight-week leadership development program for our students.

The rest of the academic year will bring additional events and initiatives designed to fulfill our promise that “MCC is for me.” Although the Latino population in Iowa has increased 135.8% since 2000, the percent of Hispanic Iowans with a bachelor’s degree or higher is only 14.6%, lagging behind the total population at 29%. Marshalltown Community College is striving to fulfill its role in creating an educated and well-trained workforce. Creating a great experience through “MCC es para mi” is one example of fulfilling our commitment to our students and communities.

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Dr. Robin Lilienthal is Provost of Marshalltown Community College, a unit of Iowa Valley Community College District.