Wartburg College and North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City have announced a new partnership to offer a joint admissions and enrollment program.

Under an agreement announced today, students admitted to NIACC are guaranteed admission into a parallel program at Wartburg once they have earned an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science or Associate in Applied Science degree and meet admissions criteria.

“This means that NIACC students who complete their AA, AS or AAS degree and transfer to Wartburg are guaranteed they can get their bachelor’s degree in two years,” said NIACC President Dr. Debra Derr. “This is an outstanding opportunity for our students.”

“We will have a pathway between the two campuses so students feel comfortable,” Wartburg President Dr. Darrel Colson said. “We want to provide a seamless transition from the community college environment to the Wartburg environment.”

NIACC has co-enrollment programs with all three state universities, but this is its first with a private school.

“We are proud to strengthen our relationship with Wartburg College,” Derr said. “Wartburg is recognized as an institution with a very high academic caliber.”

“We are also excited about this new partnership,” Colson said. “This is a win-win for both colleges and the students we serve.” 

Dr. Edith Waldstein, Wartburg vice president for enrollment, said the agreement significantly enhances the ties between the colleges. NIACC students who make a commitment to attend Wartburg will have access to resources on both campuses, including a student ID to attend events at both schools.

“We would like to bring faculty and student groups back and forth to get to know each other,” Waldstein said. “It’s also important for key staff to know each other — the registrar and admissions officers, in particular — so that they can talk to students about the advantages of the relationship.”

Wartburg enrolls about 40 new transfer students annually — from community colleges and four-year institutions.