News & Activities


 

President Sue Collins asks for feedback on district plans

 

President Sue Collins is asking for comments and suggestions on several district plans that are available for review on our website.

 

The plans are or will be soon avaliable in pdf format and can be reviewed on the District Initiatives page.   

 

Please send your comments and suggestions to: scollins@nhed.edu

 

 

Connecting with Colleagues  
9-3-09

 

On Thursday, September 10, 2009, Representative Tom Rukavina, President Richard Davenport, Minnesota State University, Mankato, members of the Iron Range Higher Education Committee, and fourteen students of the Iron Range Engineering program will gather at Mesabi Range-Virginia for the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement to deliver an innovative, industry site based mechanical engineering program through Arrowhead University Consortium. Mr. Ron Ulseth, the champion and principal architect of this program, will be on hand to describe the transformational nature of the curriculum design and introduce students who comprise the first cohort of the bachelor’s degree program. This will prove to be a memorable day for the Iron Range Higher Education Committee, our colleges and the communities we serve.

 

 

 

4-year degree memo signed
Engineering program is offered at Mesabi Range
By JESSE WHITE
Staff Writer

 

Published: Thursday, September 10, 2009 10:02 PM CDT

 

VIRGINIA — Touting a new engineering degree program as a potential model for future such programs internationally, representatives from Mesabi Range Community and Technical College and Minnesota State University-Mankato made the course official Thursday.

 

The program, which will provide students with the opportunity to earn a four-year bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering through the Arrowhead University Consortium, will be offered on the Mesabi Range campus in Virginia.

 

“I view it as the beginning of a legacy,” said Dr. Sue Collins, president of the Northeast Higher Education District. “This new academic program will blaze a new trail for the Arrowhead Education Consortium.” Collins made her comments during a news conference and memorandum of understanding signing ceremony at the Virginia campus.

 

She was joined by officials from Minnesota State University-Mankato and others instrumental in creating the new program — including Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, and a number of students already enrolled.

 

Rukavina said getting the four-year course on the Iron Range was the culmination of many years of efforts by himself and others to get higher education offerings in the area.

 

“This program is going to be a model not just in the United States but all over the world,” Rukavina said. “I think it’s fitting that this type of program gets the first funding from (taconite tax dollars).”

 

Rukavina added that it’s a great fit “to see dollars used to better students in northern Minnesota and right here on the Iron Range.”

 

The mechanical engineering degree program was modeled after a similar two-year program offered for years at Itasca Community College.

 

Officials from Mankato, a nationally recognized college for their engineering program, will be working with Mesabi Range faculty and staff to run the program, which was described as “hands-on,” “project-based,” and “industry-driven.”

 

Students enrolled in the program will get the opportunity to work in the engineering field at businesses that have joined with Mesabi Range to offer the program, including Hibbing Taconite, Barr Engineering and PolyMet.

 

“This will lead to registered engineers and then we’ll put them to work here,” said Mankato President Dr. Richard Davenport. “We want to retain the youth here and this will do it.”

 

Source:  Mesabi Daily News, September 11, 2009
 

 

 

 

 

Northeast Higher Education District

Tentative Calendar of Events

 

President’s Cabinet Meeting Dates: 

 

 Tuesday, September 15, 2009                 

 Itasca Community College

 Thursday, October 8, 2009

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, November 12, 2009

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, December 10, 2009

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, January 14, 2010

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, February 11, 2010

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, March 11, 2010

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, April 8, 2010

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, May 13, 2010

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, June 10, 2010

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, July 8, 2010

 MN Discovery Center

 Thursday, August 12, 2010

 MN Discovery Center

 

 Other Important Conference/Meeting Dates: 

 

 RCCA Annual Conference                                             

October 14-15, 2009 

 AACC Annual Conference

 TBA

 Higher Learning Commission

 April 9-13, 2010

 Higher Learning Commission Vists:

 

      MR - October 19-21, 2009

 

      VCC - November 2-4, 2009