Iowa State has teamed up with Iowa Western Community College to promote a pre-engineering program.

The pre-engineering program allows students the chance to begin their education at a community college with a direct path that will lead them to a smooth transition to Iowa State. Both institutions will work together to prepare courses that will help keep the students on the right track.

Students can expect to take a lot of basic classes; calculus, physics, English and other general education classes will be a part of the curriculum. The courses are structured this way to help prepare the students for Iowa State. Once at Iowa State, students can then begin engineering courses right away.

“The order of the courses may be flexible, but [they] are very important,” said Gary Mirka, associate dean of academic affairs in the College of Engineering.

Both colleges want to emphasize individuality, and by following this program, the students can choose what courses they want to take and when. Students may attend Iowa Western for two semesters, or they could attend Iowa Western for four semesters and receive an associate degree before going to Iowa State.

The pre-engineering program gives students the chance to attend a university for a lower tuition cost for two years, while still allowing them the confidence of getting into the engineering program at Iowa State University.

Iowa Western and Iowa State University both benefit from the pre-engineering program. Having a partnership between the schools promotes both of the colleges.

Iowa Western is hoping to bring in more students interested in the program, and Iowa State will benefit from the students entering as a transfer in the engineering program.

The program also gives students the chance to work with an adviser from Iowa Western and Iowa State University. The advisers work together and with the students to help design a course of action.

“This allows students to work with advising staff at Iowa State and Iowa Western at the same time, ensuring a smooth transition between schools,” said Kim Carter, Iowa Western’s dean of mathematics, engineering and industrial technologies. “The articulation agreement between the two colleges provides a solid educational pathway for students to follow.”

The idea of universities working with community colleges is not an entirely new idea. Iowa State has close ties with DMACC, Iowa Western and Kirkwood. The relationships between community colleges and universities are very important.

Iowa State’s Admissions Partnership Program takes pride in creating long lasting relationships with the community colleges. Iowa State’s engineering program also has the Engineer Admissions Partnership Program to help with the partnership at Iowa Western.

The number of students participating in programs of this sort should increase, due to the marketing and publicizing of the programs. Iowa Western said they expect to have 20-30 students enrolled in the program next fall.

Iowa State wants to continue to acknowledge that programs like the pre-engineering program exist.