DES MOINES, IA – Iowa Western Community College is proud to announce that Keely Lovgren, a Speech & Communication Instructor, has been awarded the Outstanding New Teacher Award by the Iowa Communication Association (ICA). The award, which was presented on Friday, recognizes new faculty members who have demonstrated exceptional teaching abilities within their first seven years of full-time instruction.
Lovgren, who joined Iowa Western as a full-time Communication Instructor in 2022, is being honored for her dedication to her students and her innovative approach to teaching. She has played a pivotal role in the Communication Department, inspiring students and building a sense of community in her classrooms.
“IWCC is an incredible place where faculty, staff, and students can all thrive and grow,” said Lovgren. “It’s hard to put into words how honored I was to be selected for this role. In a way, it felt like coming home because IWCC has been such a big part of my personal and professional growth.”
Lovgren’s connection to Iowa Western began in 2015, when she accepted a position as an Intrusive Advisor for the Health Sciences programs at IWCC after graduating from Wayne State. She then transitioned into a grant management role, overseeing a Department of Labor grant awarded to the college.
Encouraged by her dean to explore teaching, Lovgren decided to pursue a master’s degree in communication at the University of Nebraska Omaha. “I fell in love with teaching because I loved building community in the classroom and creatively tackling the new challenges each semester brought,” said Lovgren.
Her full-time teaching journey at Iowa Western began in 2022, and since then, she has continued to make a positive impact on her students and colleagues. “Teaching is one of my favorite things that I have ever done. It has brought the most wonderful people into my life as mentors, leaders, students, friends, and colleagues,” she said. “Winning this award is a tribute to all those people that have helped me grow and learn because I wouldn’t be the teacher I am today without them.”
Lovgren is now in her third year as a full-time instructor and remains committed to fostering growth and success for her students at Iowa Western.
