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North side of MCC campus structure designed by Debra Short. Pictured from left to right Tim Castle, Dr. Matt Schmit, Nancy Adams, Welding student Fischer Voss, Artist Jorge Rodriguez, and Debra Short.

South side of MCC campus structure designed by Jorge Rodriguez. Pictured from left to right Tim Castle, Dr. Matt Schmit, Nancy Adams, Welding student Fischer Voss, Artist Jorge Rodriguez, and Debra Short.

Marshalltown, IA – Marshalltown Community College is thrilled to announce the unveiling of two new, inspiring sculptures on its campus, a vibrant collaboration that brought together student artists and multiple programs from across the college. This exciting addition showcases the diverse talents and interdisciplinary spirit fostered within MCC, bridging the gap between our industrial programs and the arts.

The project originated with an open invitation to MCC Art Faculty, Tim Castle’s 2D and 3D Fall students. Designs were submitted and then selected by a committee. The artwork features contributions from talented student artists Debra Shore and Jorge Rodriguez, whose distinct perspectives on form and nature converge in this engaging piece.

Student artist, Shore stated, “For this project I wanted to limit my design to just a couple of shapes. I wanted each panel to have a change in movement but still flow from one panel to the other.” Shore was the designer of the sculpture located on the north side of campus.

Student artist, Rodriguez added, “In nature, there are rolling hills and the gentle slopes, in cities of concrete and steel there are sharp lines and ridges. Look into my work closely and you will see both.” The south side of campus sculpture was designed by Rodriguez. Both sculptures have a very distinct theme.

Once the designs were selected, Faculty Nancy Adams and Castle brought in the industrial programs that each played a part in the final creation. Al Parks’ Machine Tool Technology class provided plasma cutting and framing, Dave Winkleblack’s welding students welded the large 4×8 foot panels for the final pieces, Jake Bennett’s Construction class poured the cement foundation, and the final installation was done by the MCC Plant Services staff.

The entire process from beginning to finishing was supported by MCC Provost, Dr. Matt Schmit and Iowa Valley Community College District President, Anne Howsare Boyens.

“This artwork is a powerful testament to the interdisciplinary collaboration thriving at MCC,” said Schmit. “It beautifully highlights how our diverse programs can come together, giving our students invaluable real-world experience and showcasing the incredible talent being cultivated across our campus.”

This ambitious project saw the involvement of various MCC programs, highlighting the diverse skill sets and collaborative efforts of students and faculty alike:

• Art – Faculty Tim Castle; Student Artists Jorge Rodriguez and Debra Shore.
• Construction – Faculty Jake Bennett and his class.
• Welding – Faculty Dave Winkleblack; MCC students: Fischer Voss, Bryce Lacina, Kham Jesmok, and James Wenner.
• Advanced Manufacturing & Machine Tool Technology – Faculty, Al Parks, MCC students: Alexander Riddle, Kenna Paxson, James Keenan, Theeramanus Kyae Pae, and Tristan Maddox.
• MCC Plant Services – Chris Bland, Adam Vogeler, John Murray, Cory Ewoldt, and Josh Adkins.

The new artwork is now accessible to students, faculty, staff, and the community, offering a unique blend of artistic expression and natural inspiration. MCC invites everyone to visit campus to experience this significant addition to the campus landscape.

There are plans to build on this project throughout the years with more sculptures going up around campus.