170 enrolled students mark a 35% increase

DES MOINES, Iowa – Spring enrollment in the UNI@DMACC program has increased 35% this semester compared to enrollment in the spring of 2024.  170 students are enrolled, up from 126 at the same time last year. 

The UNI@DMACC partnership, which began in the fall 2020 semester, offers degree completion programs for students who have completed their associate’s degree through DMACC. Students can then complete an online or hybrid bachelor’s degree through the University of Northern Iowa.  

“This partnership targets place-bound students, many of whom are busy working adults who can’t get to the Cedar Falls campus to complete a degree,” said Paul Sapp, director of UNI@IACC partnerships. “It’s making getting a four-year degree accessible and affordable for many students.”

Sapp says UNI staff now on the DMACC Urban Campus have increased awareness around DMACC and Des Moines, plus marketing and recruiting efforts over the last several years.

“We’re also offering majors in high-need areas, such as elementary education, accounting and criminology and criminal justice,” said Sapp.

UNI is now offering several programs that accept Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees, including criminal justice, industrial management and managing business & organizations.

“Our newest addition is a hybrid accounting program, a combination of online courses and face-to-face classes delivered at the DMACC Urban Campus in the evenings,” said Sapp. “This program was created in response to the high need for accountants in the area.”

Since 2020, the UNI@DMACC partnership model has expanded to all 15 community colleges in Iowa. The greater statewide partnership is referred to as UNI@IACC (Iowa Community Colleges).

“DMACC was the first - and is still the largest in terms of numbers of students in the programs,” said Sapp. “This semester, we have nearly 500 students enrolled statewide among the 15 community colleges, and 170 of those are DMACC students!”

“The UNI@DMACC partnership is a testament to the power of collaboration in higher education—creating seamless opportunities for students to advance their learning while strengthening the bonds between our institutions,” said Abby Zegers, executive dean of the DMACC Urban Campus. “This program thrives because of our shared commitment to student success, open communication and a vision for the future.”

Sapp said another plus to the partnership is that students in these programs may be eligible to receive a Future Ready Scholarship. 

“This scholarship, when applied, brings their UNI tuition down to a community college price tag. Students just need to be admitted to one of the programs and submit their FAFSA to UNI to see if they qualify,” said Sapp.