Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) is proud to partner with Iowa State University through the DMACC-ISU Connect. This program allows students to begin their academic career at one of DMACC's six campuses prior to transferring to Iowa State. Students can also take a variety of college credit courses at the Ames Hunziker Center.
DMACC-ISU Connect participants enjoy a number of attractive benefits that help make their transfer to Iowa State a smooth and successful transition. Benefits include:
- Dedicated academic advisors at DMACC and Iowa State to maximize time at DMACC and ensure all DMACC courses transfer right into your intended Iowa State major
- On-campus housing community at Iowa State for Connect students (while attending DMACC classes)
- Professional and career development workshops
- Access to Iowa State Career Services resources, career fairs, and connections with potential employers
- Stress-free application process for admission to Iowa State
- For an extra fee, access to Iowa State extracurricular activities, recreational/workout facilities, and Iowa State student discount prices for cultural and athletic events
To learn how to apply for DMACC-ISU Connect, please call 515-294-5836. For more information, you can also check out the
Admissions Partnership Program website.
A conversation with Grace Oviatt...
a DMACC graduate who transferred to ISU and earned a degree in Engineering.
Tell us about yourself, your journey to DMACC, and what you’ve done since?
I am currently 26. I enrolled at DMACC after some internal debating. I graduated a year early and was thinking of potentially going to ISU to study engineering. Because of some financial issues though, I decided DMACC might make more sense to me. They have a dual enrollment program with ISU. I attended the Boone Campus because it was close ISU. I lived in Ames and commuted. It was an awesome situation. I tried out for the cross-country team and ended up receiving a scholarship. DMACC has a ton of different scholarships to apply for. Financially it made so much sense for me.
My ISU engineering advisor told me the strongest engineering students were those who went to DMACC first. DMACC’s science and math professors were just unbelievable. They took time to make sure I had the foundation I needed to be successful when going on to ISU’s program. I went to DMACC for a year-and-a-half. I didn’t earn an AA degree, but I was ready to transfer to ISU. At ISU, I majored in Industrial Engineering and minored in engineering sales. I graduated in 2016 and have been working for TraneTM, a commercial Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) manufacturer, helping to design and sell HVAC equipment all over the state of Iowa. Trane is located in Des Moines. The company hadn’t hired a sales engineer in about 10 years. I was the first female hired in this position. I credit a lot of that to DMACC. The classes and teachers there set me up for success.
What do you want others to know about your experience at DMACC? Why should they consider enrolling?
The teachers at DMACC made ALL the difference. They care so much about their students and want to see them succeed. Personal attention is something you can get always get at a university. I had a professor who went above and beyond – Nancy Woods, a physics professor in Boone. She sought me out for a scholarship she thought I’d be good at and I received, and she edited my papers. She has done that for many other students as well. She’s had students apply for and win scholarships all over the US. Finances aside, you won’t find a better faculty committed to see you succeed. I ended up on a full-ride to ISU because of the attention DMACC faculty gave me.
What are the three things that you feel make DMACC the go-to-college-of choice?
I would say:
- Individual attention
- Faculty
- The price tag…the opportunity to get an amazing education for an affordable cost is unbelievable.
What do you think are some people’s misconceptions of DMACC?
Because it’s a community college, some people think it’s easier or that people are going there because they couldn’t go anyplace else. The fact is that you’re able to succeed because you have so much attention and so much help. My ISU advisor told me the strongest engineers come out of DMACC because the faculty is able to take time with you and teach the fundamentals. Some also think you won’t have the college experience at DMACC. But, you absolutely do. I met some of my lifelong friends who I cherish there. I had a complete blast and loved my time there. You can do both there especially if you live in Ames and attend
DMACC’s Boone Campus.