From NICC Student to Faculty: How One Alumnus Rebuilt Her Career Inspiring the Next Generation
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Life has a way of prompting unexpected resets. At age 53, facing a major life transition, Maren Larsen knew it was time to completely reinvent her professional life. Needing a fresh start and a sustainable new career path, she turned to Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) to build a future in technology.
Today, Maren stands at the front of NICC classrooms as a third-year instructor in the Computer Science department. It is a full-circle journey defined by faculty encouragement, hard work and a profound personal transformation.
"NICC gave me hope because I could start a new life," she reflects. "Now, I love my job as an instructor at NICC and I am hopeful about my future."
A Radical Career Pivot
Holding both a B.A. and an M.A. in English, Maren’s early career was remarkably diverse—spanning corporate training, teaching college-level grammar and even instructing art and piano. But when she decided to transition into technology, her path required some exploration.
HIT instructor Andrea Kane encouraged Maren to explore her interests in IT, and expressed absolute confidence that she could succeed in the field.
Swapping health tech for hard drives, Maren graduated in 2023 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Science and Security. The rigorous program covered everything from digital electronics to programming and networking under the mentorship of Calmar instructors Gary Cross and Manzoor Murshed. Along the way, she discovered her knack for networking and even earned a spot on the prestigious All-USA Academic Team through Phi Theta Kappa (PTK).
Bringing Real-World Expertise to the Classroom
Now an instructor, Maren brings a unique blend of 20 years of corporate experience, high-level communication skills and fresh technical knowledge back to NICC. Because of her diverse background, she pulls double duty, teaching both Computer Science and Communications courses.
"I have a plethora of communication examples from my corporate career," Maren says. "I can provide students with my expertise—both in communicating well and avoiding some of the mistakes I made as a young, entry-level employee."
Paying It Forward, $20 at a Time
Remembering the profound impact of having mentors believe in her when she was starting over, she has dedicated her career to being that champion for her own students.
She also carries on a quiet, personal tradition passed down by one of her own former instructors to celebrate her students' hard work:
The Twenty-Dollar Note: Upon graduation, Maren gifts each of her students a handwritten note reflecting on their unique successes in her program, enclosing a $20 bill.
"I feel that even though it’s not a lot, it just gives them a little extra to perhaps celebrate their success with a couple of nice coffees or even going out for dinner."
Looking to the Future
When asked what is next, her answer is simple: a long, fulfilling teaching career at the institution that helped her rebuild.
"I love my job, and I enjoy my students. I enjoy watching them succeed and learning from them," Maren says. "If they know that someone believes in them, they find a way to succeed. I want to make my students aware that I believe in them."
The Catalyst Podcast
Hear more about Maren’s journey on the NICC Catalyst podcast at nicc.edu/podcast.