Students at all campuses, as well as online and concurrent enrollment, logged in or walked into their classes for the first time.

“Iowa Central has such a beautiful campus,” said Paige Holmes, an Iowa Central student taking pre-dental hygiene courses. “They also have great people and instructors working there. It makes me happy knowing I am on such an awesome campus.”

“I’m excited to get started on my college education,” added Nathan Graves, a dual-enrollment student from Southeast Valley High School majoring in biomedical engineering.

Monday also marked the first day of classes at Iowa Central for five new majors, including plumbing, ultrasound tech, veterinarian tech, dental assistant and cosmetology.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Hunter Diepenbrock, of Wabasha, Minnesota, and Teddy Mans, of Finlayson, Minnesota, walk to class on the first day of the fall semester Monday at Iowa Central Community College.

Altogether, 750 classes are scheduled for the fall semester.

“I am very excited to see our programs successfully launched to better meet the needs of workforce demands within our region,” said college President Jesse Ulrich. “We want students to come to Iowa Central and finish their degree or certification in the shortest amount of time possible, with the least amount of student loan debt, so they can have a better life.”

Last week, Ulrich noted that student residences, which house more than 1,200 students, were nearly at capacity with housing applications still coming in each day.

Students moved into their dorm rooms on the Fort Dodge campus Sunday with the help of faculty and staff members.

Stacy Mentzer, vice president of instruction, spent the days up to opening day preparing 94 full-time faculty members and 300 adjunct instructors. Mentzer led professional development and training opportunities as well as answered questions from instructors.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Hunter Diepenbrock, of Wabasha, Minnesota, and Teddy Mans, of Finlayson, Minnesota, walk to class on the first day of the fall semester Monday at Iowa Central Community College.

“Having students back on campus is my favorite time of year,” said Mentzer. “They are the reason I am here and the reason I do what I do.”

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Reigan Grossnickle, of Fort Dodge, attends her first day at Iowa Central on Monday.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Que Fortune, of South Africa, shows his excitement for the first day of classes at Iowa Central Community College on Monday.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Iowa Central President Dr. Jesse Ulrich gives out directions to Malachi Bai, of Liberty, Missouri, on the first day of classes Monday at the college.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Erick Rodriguez, left, of Des Moines, and Anthony Silva, of Council Bluffs, head to their first class of the day at Iowa Central Community College Monday on the first day of the fall semester.