COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (December 15, 2025) — Iowa Western Community College (IWCC) is proud to announce a new partnership with Boyer Valley Community School District to offer the full Agribusiness Administration Certificate to high school students through concurrent enrollment. The first cohort began this fall and is already gaining valuable skills and experience that will prepare them for future careers in agriculture and related fields.
Through this opportunity, Boyer Valley students can earn both high school and college credit at no direct cost, giving them a strong foundation for continuing their education and entering Iowa’s growing agricultural workforce with confidence. The program emerged from Boyer Valley’s interest in expanding agriculture pathways for students, and quickly progressed thanks to the partnership between IWCC’s Agribusiness Technology program and Boyer Valley’s agricultural instructor, Chelsea Schroeder, who completed additional training to become certified to teach the expanded coursework.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work that went into launching this program and of the students who are already engaging with it,” said Dustin Nelsen, Chair of the Agribusiness Management program at Iowa Western. “Agriculture continues to evolve rapidly, and this certificate gives students a strong head start. Boyer Valley has been an excellent partner in making this opportunity possible.”
Iowa Western President Dr. Dan Kinney emphasized the importance of concurrent enrollment programs in strengthening Southwest Iowa’s future workforce. “When high school students have access to hands-on career exploration and college-level coursework, they gain knowledge and momentum that can change their futures,” said Kinney. “This partnership with Boyer Valley is exactly the kind of educational innovation our region needs. As Iowa Western moves forward with our Career and Technical Education expansion project, our goal is simple: to ensure that every high school student in our service area is within 30 miles of high-quality CTE training. Partnerships like this one bring that vision to life.”
For more information about concurrent enrollment opportunities at Iowa Western Community College, visit www.iwcc.edu or contact Kimberly Wollenhaupt at 712-325-3499 or kwollenhaupt@iwcc.edu