Two Colleges, One Community: How a Shared Vision is Redefining the NICC Student Experience
Monday, May 11, 2026
Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) has long been a magnet for students across the region, drawn by specialized programs they simply can’t find anywhere else in the area. But while students flock to Calmar for career and technical training, finding a place to live nearby has historically been a challenge.
Recognizing this, NICC leadership didn't just look for a solution—they built a bridge.
The idea was born not in a meeting, but through a casual conversation at the May 2024 NICC commencement ceremony held at the Luther College Center for Faith and Life. Luther’s Director of Safety and Security, Bob Palmer, saw an opportunity. A parent of two NICC alumni himself, Palmer recognized that Luther had the space and NICC had the students. He struck up a conversation with NICC staff, noting Luther’s available housing capacity and suggesting that more collaboration could benefit both schools.
“Our number one goal was to identify more quality housing options for Calmar students,” says Amy Gaffney, NICC Vice President of Student Services. “We followed up conversations with a meeting, and several months later, we arrived at the agreement.”
The result is a first-of-its-kind partnership that allows NICC students to enjoy a "24/7" residential life at Luther College while completing their specialized degrees at NICC. It is the ultimate hybrid experience: high-tech, hands-on career training by day, and a vibrant, traditional campus community by night.
“Bob’s vision for the partnership was that he wanted the boy from Festina to meet the girl from Edina,” said Kris Franzen, director of residence life at Luther College. “He felt this was an opportunity to foster connections and learning between students from very different backgrounds.”
By the fall of 2025, that vision moved into Larsen Hall. For students like Molly Sahm, a Veterinary Technician major from Rickardsville, the move was a game-changer. Initially nervous about living on a campus where she didn't have classes, she soon found that the "best of both worlds" applied to her social life, too.
“I got the chance to meet some really cool people while living at Luther,” Sahm says. “At first, it was very nerve-racking. But as time went on, my friends would introduce me to their friends and I ended up making some great friends. I really love the fact that I get exposure to a wide variety of people and cultures.”
The integration has been seamless. NICC students now participate in everything from kayaking the Upper Iowa River to rock climbing. In one notable instance, a group of NICC John Deere TECH students even teamed up with the Luther women’s volleyball team to win a campus-wide trivia competition. In another, NICC students took a Luther resident assistant fishing for the first time.
NICC ensured the partnership remained practical for its students' unique schedules. They worked with Luther to create flexible housing contracts for John Deere TECH students, allowing them to save money while away on required field training, and developed meal plans that accommodate students spending long days in Calmar labs or at regional internships.
For Sahm, the experience has been so impactful that she’s returning for her final year and is now considering making the Decorah area her permanent home. By thinking outside the box, NICC has proven that providing a premier education also means providing a place to belong.
“Our department hopes that we are able to grow the program a little more each year, “ Franzen said. “In the near future, we hope to grow connections with shared programs and events for NICC students who reside in Calmar on campus at Luther. Luther has formal academic partnerships with NICC and perhaps we will see more NICC grads attending Luther in the future with the connection made by living on campus.”
Find Your Place at NICC
Ready to join the community? Students interested in exploring housing options for the upcoming summer or fall semester can visit nicc.edu/housing or contact the NICC Admissions Office at 563.562.3263, ext. 2700.