Brother to Brother at DMACC (B2B) hosted their 2025 Pathways to Manhood Summit Saturday, April 12 at DMACC's Urban Campus. This year’s summit featured some excellent presentations and discussions around various topics. Will Thomas hosted a presentation on how to Fight Fair and implement conflict resolution skills and emotional intelligence in professional settings. Jordan Brooks hosted a presentation on Playing Both Sides of the Tape in which he encouraged students to tap into their true strengths and identities. 

Rev. Representative Rob Johnson also hosted an interactive session on "Being Black in State Government," educating our students on the organizational structure of the State of Iowa's governing body and empowering them to vote in local elections. Dr. Albert Farr hosted a meaningful discussion with students during the student panel, during which they highlighted key aspects of their academic journeys. 

Dr. Wesley Harris did an excellent job of emceeing the summit and served as an integral part in helping plan the event. 

Brother to Brother at DMACC’s 2025 Pathways to Manhood Summit proved to be a successful event with participants joining us from various colleges, high schools, and other institutions in the Des Moines metropolitan area. Brother to Brother at DMACC would like to thank the Bureau of Iowa College Aid and LCAN for providing funding to the program, DMACC’s Marketing department, our photographers, Urban’s custodial staff, our guest speakers, B2B’s leadership team, and the participants for making this an impactful experience!

Opt-In Iowa is a collective impact initiative founded in 2018, which has evolved into an active network comprising representatives from youth-serving organizations and government stakeholders. This committed team aims to enhance successful existing strategies by fostering opportunities for all interested parties to collaborate and exchange relevant and timely information concerning resources and support for young adults.

One of the LCAN's particularly impactful initiatives, "Opt-In Presents," provides a platform for industry experts and organizations interested in strengthening service delivery networks by exchanging information and sharing best practices. The Opt-In Iowa Advisory Network guides the initiative by sharing its wisdom and expertise in real-time, supporting the planning and recruiting efforts.

Guest presenters include direct service providers with firsthand wisdom in serving our target population, providing access to resources, mentorships, career guidance, job readiness, and college preparedness in both urban and rural communities across the state. Collectively, each has the opportunity to network with one another and a host of individuals and organizations, teachers, case managers, counselors, foster parents, youth with lived experiences, career coaches, administrators and more. Topics covered include campus supports, youth voice, financial aid, community supports and work-based learning.

AIM aligns community resources and identifies elective practices for implementation to reduce achievement gaps and improve outcomes for all students and families.

The LCAN recently hosted its annual Postsecondary Workshop. This event brings together high school counselors, superintendents, high school principals, EICC staff members, community-based organizations, and, most importantly, students. 

They examine data trends, successes, and opportunities, and develop priority areas for the next school year to increase high school graduation and postsecondary enrollment.

The Iowa Higher Education Mathematics Transitions Advisory Council (IHEMTAC) held its summer conference at Grand View University on Wednesday, July 11.  IHEMTAC and the conference are supported in part by a multi-year Math Pathways Local College and Career Access Network (LCAN) grant.  IHEMTAC, with the support of the Math Pathways LCAN grant, aims to promote smoother transitions in mathematics as students transition from high school to college to career.  

The conference brought together 45+ college math instructors, high school math instructors, and education professionals from around the state of Iowa for a day of learning and exchanging ideas. Session topics included:

• Redesigning the Mathematics Curriculum to Incorporate New Standards, Pathways, and Best Practices; 
• Impact of Technological Innovation (AI) on the Mathematics Curriculum;
• Mathematical Preparation for College and Career Readiness; and
• Assessing for Content Mastery.

For many in our bureau, summer is a time for planning. Our Community Engagement staff are preparing programming and resources to support educators, students, and families in the coming academic year. If you aren't familiar with the range of programs we offer, please read on! Should this information pique your interest, let us know, and we can direct you to the program support personnel. 

• Course to College supports Iowa high schools in building a college-going culture through five steps: Prepare, Apply, Finance, Decide, and Go.
• The Bureau of Iowa College Aid provides the support and resources for schools to cultivate a college-going culture from college preparedness through the transition to higher education. 
• Our College Access & Success AmeriCorps program provides college-access and success assistance to high school and college students in Iowa. Members are hosted in high schools, community colleges and virtually across Iowa. Positions include: College Coaches, Student Leaders and Summer Transition Associates.
• GEAR UP Iowa is a program supporting underserved students to prepare, enroll and persist through college. GEAR UP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs and is a federally funded program. In partnerships with local school districts, students and their families receive services aimed at preparing them academically, financially and inspirationally to enroll and succeed in college.
• The Iowa College and Career Readiness Academy is a suite of Iowa-specific online courses for college access and success professionals. The courses enable educators, school counselors and administrators to provide equitable postsecondary opportunities for all students. The next session begins in September.

The Collective Impact Forum is hosting an online training, “Facilitating Collaborative Meetings, July 29. See this link for more information and to register. 

The Tamarack Institute, also a leader in collective impact theory and practice, offers a variety of training opportunities. Their next online offering, Turf, Trust And Collaboration: Practical Tools For Building Trust, is on Aug. 21. Registration and more information can be found here. 

The 2025 NCAN (National College Access Network) National Conference will be held Sept. 8-10, in New Orleans, Louisiana.  See this link for more information about the conference and how to register.