President's Welcome

Welcome to Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). We celebrate our 40th Anniversary this year with record enrollment, nearly 27,000 college credit students and 32,000 enrolled in continuing education or business training classes. It’s been an exciting 40-year journey, but our mission is to help you start your own journey. Whether it’s preparing you for a four-year college degree, identifying an exciting, rewarding career, training for new skills that will put you first in line for a promotion or just satisfying a desire to learn about something that interests you, DMACC is committed to helping you achieve your life’s passion.

There are so many examples. Let me share a few that have been in the news recently:

Amy Schoepf has a passion for learning and helping others. Schoepf worked with at-risk mothers and their children at Good Samaritan Urban Ministries. At DMACC she discovered “a love” for sociology and writing. After graduating from DMACC, she continued her education at Drake University where she earned the prestigious Oreon E. Scott Outstanding Senior honor, the first DMACC grad to ever earn that award. Her long-term plans include earning a doctorate in sociology and teaching at a university. Milwaukee Brewers’ third baseman Corey Koskie got his major league start at DMACC’s Boone Campus. Now, a major league baseball veteran, Koskie said he remembers the fun he had playing baseball as a DMACC Bear and the many friends he made in Boone. It’s an experience he won’t forget. Patti Peery of Monroe was laid off from Maytag. As a wife and mother of three children, Patti entered DMACC the same time as her two oldest children. Excelling as a management student, Patti took first place in the entrepreneurship category of the 2006 Delta Epsilon Chi International Career Development Conference. Patti’s winning idea got off the ground recently when she opened the “Fireside Camper Rental” company. Her service includes hauling customers’ campers to reserved campsites and preparing them for use. She is currently expanding her business after only a few months in operation.

These are just three DMACC student success stories among thousands. DMACC has more than 75 career programs, transfer degrees, more than 3,000 classes and dozens of athletic opportunities to choose from. We also have 2,800 dedicated faculty and staff on six campuses who are concerned about you and your unique success.

As an institution of lifelong learning, DMACC can help you achieve your career dreams — whether you are 16 or 60. We exist to serve you and our communities. We will continue to adapt and grow to meet your needs and help you discover your lifelong passion.

We are excited about helping you begin your own journey. Good travels!

Sincerely,
Robert J. Denson
President
Des Moines Area Community College
515-964-6638
rjdenson@dmacc.edu

» View Presidential Bio