friday takeout

April 9, 2021

CUPPA JOE | straight up news.

  • Student housing at Northeast Iowa Community College to break transportation and distance barriers for students ... KCRG-TV broadcast


  • Matt Henkes, Dairy Science graduate, works on his family's farm in Luana and now serves as a dairy show judge. Participating on the College's Dairy Challenge Team influenced his career ... North Iowa Times news


  • Health Information Technology program at the College named best among community colleges in the nation ... Driftless Journal coverage

FACULTY AND STAFF: Stay up-to-date on the College's Strategic Plan and Tracking document in NICC Shared Files!

WEEKLY FEATURE | good to know.

Construction Progress | Peosta Campus Main Building Update Photos!

APPETIZER | something for your appetite.

Business Professionals of America (BPA) Students Earn Top Scores in Conference!

The Calmar and Business Professionals of America club participated in the virtual State Spring Leadership Conference in February and were recognized for the following:

Interview Skills competition

Ryan Welter, Peosta campus, first place

Riley Fellenzer, Peosta campus, second place

Shahlo Alikhonzoda, Calmar campus, third place (photo unavailable)

Ethics and Professionalism competition

Riley Fellenzer, Peosta campus, first place

Digital Marketing Concepts competition

Riley Fellenzer, Peosta campus, fourth place

The students are now qualified to compete in these competitions at the National Leadership Conference, as well as the Entrepreneurship competition, that will be held virtually in May.

The State Spring Leadership Conference also recognized the Peosta BPA chapter as a Quality Chapter Award recipient and the following two students were recognized as Outstanding Member Award recipients, Riley Fellenzer and Shahlo Alikhonzoda.

WELLNESS 360 | be well.

Self-Care Tips and Inspiration

by Flannery Cerbin-Bohach, Wellness and Life Stage Program Manager

Self-Care Tip of the Week:


Check out the newest episode of the Campfire Podcast! Episode #3 is a campfire chat with Kristi Flack, Director of Operations, Business and Community Solutions at Northeast Iowa Community College. Listen in as Kristi shares her deeply personal journey to better health. You are sure to leave this podcast with a new appreciation for Kristi’s journey and feel inspired to persevere and stick to your goals.


Wellness Challenge - the next Wellness Challenge will kick off April 12 and will run four weeks. It has two goals this time, activity tracking AND one nutrition-related goal per week. Register here as an individual or with a team by the end of the day Friday, April 9.


Wellness Committee members Tara Cooley, Stephanie Dennler and myself will have a virtual LIVE kick off event for this Challenge where we’ll cover tips and tricks for how to achieve the nutrition focused aspects of this Challenge. It will be recorded for those who can’t make it. Please my Lemonade newsletter email this week for Zoom link information.

Inspiration of the Week:


“Fitness is not an indicator of durability and sustainability; it is only an indicator of athletic ability at the present moment. Health, on the other hand, is a more holistic measure of the body’s functionality over time. Fitness does not take into account that you need to continue training tomorrow and next week. It is better to be hundred percent healthy and eighty percent fit than a hundred percent fit and eighty percent healthy.”


Alexi Pappas, filmmaker, actor, writer and Olympian

BIG FISH | be amazed.

Kara Holmstrom

Sustainability Education Coordinator (Green Iowa AmeriCorps)
Calmar Campus


What is your astrological sign and your birthday? Has anything unusual, funny, amazing or inspiring ever happened because of your astrological sign?

I am a Pisces and my birthday is March 10. I have met at least a dozen people who have the same birthday, which seems unusual!


What is the age in your life that stands out as the most memorable, and why?

After I graduated from high school, I was a foreign exchange student in Venezuela for a year. As it was the first time I had ever been out of the United States, talk about major cultural shock! But it was such an incredible experience and I learned so much.


What is your favorite movie of all time? (in a particular genre, if it’s easier to answer. e.g., comedy, drama, horror, sci fi.)

Oh man, too hard to pick just one! I love the movie Captain Fantastic and its portrayal of parenting and family. But I also can re-watch Ocean’s Eleven and Gladiator over and over again. I love the humor and quirkiness of the first and the story of the second. I also adore the cinematography in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Tree of Life.


If you could start all over again, what would be your career choice?

Well, I kind of am starting all over again by pursuing a career in sustainability after many years in the visual effects post production industry.


Name one country or region in the world you have never visited that you someday want to visit, serve or spend a vacation?

I would love to visit the islands in the South Pacific – so many and so much variety!

If you have input on a upcoming feature, Big Fish, something to celebrate or a suggestion, email us at news@nicc.edu!