It is thanks to an engineer that Northeast Iowa Community College(NICC) created a mechanical engineering technology degree program that 
includes field-based experiences and hands-on practice with modern instrumentation.
Peggie Weeks, an educational consultant who previously taught engineering and engineering technology for 16 years at Corning Community College in New York, served as mentor to the college through the National Science Foundation-funded MentorLinks and helped NICC launch its first mechanical engineering courses this fall. The college then got a $200,000 ATE grant to implement career paths among secondary schools, the two-year college and four-year institutions to support enrollment in the new degree program.
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Editor’s note: This article begins a weeklong series on MentorLinks, a National Science Foundation-supported program managed by 
the American Association of Community Colleges that pairs two-year colleges with mentors to develop strong STEM programs.
For Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC), a little advice on a grant application went a long way.
A few tweaks recommended by a MentorLinks mentor helped the college not only eventually secure the grant they applied for, but they also served as a cornerstone to get other federal grants.
“Everything we’ve done has been flavored by our great experience at MentorLinks and our wonderful mentor,” said John Henshaw, assistant dean of workforce development at MWCC in Gardner, Mass.
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Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisc., got a new IT security certificate program up and running via MentorLinks. When it started, 10
students took the course the first semester. By this fall, enrollment grew to 33 students.
The industry advisory committee convened at the suggestion of mentor Jaishri Mehta helped the faculty figure out what the college should offer in the new certificate program.
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