Five sharing agreements that would allow area high school students to participate in a culinary career academy were approved Tuesday by the Iowa Central Community College board.

The academy would be located on Iowa Central’s main Fort Dodge campus and would include students from Humboldt, Clarion- Goldfield-Dows, Southeast Valley, Fort Dodge, and Eagle Grove school districts. Iowa Central is awaiting word next month on a $1 million grant which would fund the renovations for the academy and move it forward.

“What will make this special is that this will be our transition plan for Willow (Ridge),” said Jesse Ulrich, Iowa Central Community College president. “If we get this grant, we’ll transition the restaurant to be on campus and that will allow high school students the opportunity to actually work in a restaurant on campus as part of the Career Academy. That will be a huge innovative move forward for us.”

Stacy Mentzer, vice president of instruction at Iowa Central, noted that transportation for high school students from the main campus to Willow Ridge has been difficult in the past and having the restaurant on campus would allow more high school students to participate.

New job training agreements with both CJ Bio America and Platinum Crush were also approved by the board. The agreements will provide training for new employees at both facilities.

“We’re really excited,” said Mentzer. “We’ve not had one of these agreements with CJ Bio since 2017.”

“Platinum Crush is a really neat and innovative company in Storm Lake that crushes soybeans,” added Ulrich. “The amount that they will be purchasing from local markets is incredible. We’re excited to be working with them.”

The board approved extending the current plant fund levy through June 2044. There is no change to the current levy, but extends the fund out an additional 10 years. The levy funds utilities for 58 Iowa Central buildings in nine different counties.

Iowa Central’s board of directors also heard from TrustPoint, Certified Public Accountants. TrustPoint provided an independent audit and financial report for the college and found that statements were true and ethical. TrustPoint praised Vice President of Finance Angie Martin and her staff for the work they’re doing and in providing financial statements for the audit.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board named Mark Crimmins as the 2025 board president and Larry Hecht as 2025 board vice president.

2024 fall semester by the numbers

4,975 total students

891 first generation students

46 international students

93 of Iowa’s 99 counties represented in student body

44 of 50 U.S. states represented in student body