Before Megan Stadtmueller worked at Kirkwood’s Jones County Regional Center, she was a student. Growing up in Monticello, she took college courses at the center while in high school, then went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in just three years. She eventually found her way back, this time as Student and Academic Support Coordinator.
That full-circle experience shapes everything about how she does her job.
“I never want a student to miss out on an opportunity simply because they didn’t know it existed,” Megan said.
A first-generation college student herself, Megan knows how easy it is to feel out of the loop. So rather than wait for students to come to her, she goes to them, visiting partnering high schools, attending student events, and building relationships with students before they enter the classroom.
“My goal is to be a familiar, approachable face so that asking for help feels natural,” she said. “Those early connections make it much easier to build trust and support students throughout their concurrent enrollment experience.”
That commitment shows up in the details. When a Patient Care Academy student faced unexpected barriers to completing her TB screening — no insurance, no nearby family — Megan helped coordinate a solution and drove her to a local hospital herself. The student earned her CNA. When Auto Tech Academy students needed a ride to complete their alignment certification on main campus, Megan drove them herself, using the time to ask about their dreams, goals, and plans after high school.
Kirkwood’s presence in Jones County is about more than college credit, she said. It’s about giving local students access to real opportunities without having to leave home to find them. The center partners with local businesses, hosts industry tours, and brings workforce-relevant programs directly to students, helping meet a genuine need in the community. Concurrent enrollment courses are free to students, and for many families, especially first-generation ones, that access can be life-changing.
“As a former student, I am grateful for the opportunities this resource provided me, and that is one of the reasons I am so dedicated to this work,” she said.
For Megan, success isn’t a single destination. It’s an outcome built through the support, connections, and opportunities students find along the way. She wants every student who walks through the Jones County Regional Center — whether they’re headed to a four-year university, entering the workforce, or still figuring it out — to know that this resource is for them.
“This opportunity is not only for those planning to continue their education after high school,” she said. “It is still important for students to take advantage of these opportunities while they can and to build connections within Jones County that may benefit them later in life.”