Mason City Community School District history

The first motorized fire engine was purchased, a 1913 Seagrave

April 17, 1916 Mason City High School Principal F. M. Hammitt presents the idea of a local junior college at a PTA meeting.

September 9, 1918 Mason City Junior College opens for classes at Mason City High School with 28 students under the direction of Principal James Rae.

1919 The first MCJC athletic teams start with city basketball and baseball teams.

1925 After a 26-0 win over Wartburg College, MCJC is called the Trojans for the first time.

1929 S.L. Rugland becomes new dean of Mason City Junior College.

1943 College Dean S. L. Rugland serves his country as a Field Director with the American Red Cross in Europe.

1947 Clifford Beem becomes dean.

1955 MCJC moves from the high school building to the Memorial University Building.

1965-66 In the last year as MCJC, enrollment is 1,390 students.

MCJC is to become North Iowa Area Community College at the start of the 1966-67 school year and serve the nine counties in Merged Area II.

1968 50th Anniversary of MCJC/NIACC.

1972 All NIACC students attend classes on a single campus.

1976 The Music Department presents the first annual Quodlibet.

1979 The North Iowa Community Auditorium opens its doors.

1981 David Buettner becomes president after David Pierce resigns to serve as chancellor for the Illinois Community College system.

1984 Buena Vista College-Mason City Center finds a home at NIACC.

1990 Football team goes to the RC Cola Bowl.

1991 Football team participates in RC Cola Bowl for second consecutive year.

1995 NIACC First promotional campaign becomes popular.

2001 Mike Morrison becomes president after David Buettner moves to Fox Valley Technical College in Wisconsin.

The City Volunteer Program hit the 45,000 mark in regard to the number of hours donated by citizen volunteers to municipal projects and nearly 400 volunteer projects were completed since the establishment of the program in 2002

2008 Deb Derr takes over presidency from Mike Morrison, who retires.

2014 Campus View Housing, a state-of-the-art dormitory complex on the NIACC campus, opens.

MHS Class of 2016 Offered over $13.9 million in Scholarships