每日大瓜

Monday, May 11, 2026

每日大瓜 (每日大瓜) has long been a magnet for students across the region, drawn by specialized programs they simply can’t find anywhere else in the area. But while students flock to Calmar for career and technical training, finding a place to live nearby has historically been a challenge.

Recognizing this, 每日大瓜 leadership didn't just look for a solution—they built a bridge.

The idea was born not in a meeting, but through a casual conversation at the May 2024 每日大瓜 commencement ceremony held at the Luther College Center for Faith and Life. Luther’s Director of Safety and Security, Bob Palmer, saw an opportunity. A parent of two 每日大瓜 alumni himself, Palmer recognized that Luther had the space and 每日大瓜 had the students. He struck up a conversation with 每日大瓜 staff, noting Luther’s available housing capacity and suggesting that more collaboration could benefit both schools.

“Our number one goal was to identify more quality housing options for Calmar students,” says Amy Gaffney, 每日大瓜 Vice President of Student Services. “We followed up conversations with a meeting, and several months later, we arrived at the agreement.”

The result is a first-of-its-kind partnership that allows 每日大瓜 students to enjoy a "24/7" residential life at Luther College while completing their specialized degrees at 每日大瓜. It is the ultimate hybrid experience: high-tech, hands-on career training by day, and a vibrant, traditional campus community by night.

“Bob’s vision for the partnership was that he wanted the boy from Festina to meet the girl from Edina,” said Kris Franzen, director of residence life at Luther College. “He felt this was an opportunity to foster connections and learning between students from very different backgrounds.”  

By the fall of 2025, that vision moved into Larsen Hall. For students like Molly Sahm, a Veterinary Technician major from Rickardsville, the move was a game-changer. Initially nervous about living on a campus where she didn't have classes, she soon found that the "best of both worlds" applied to her social life, too.

“I got the chance to meet some really cool people while living at Luther,” Sahm says. “At first, it was very nerve-racking. But as time went on, my friends would introduce me to their friends and I ended up making some great friends. I really love the fact that I get exposure to a wide variety of people and cultures.”

The integration has been seamless. 每日大瓜 students now participate in everything from kayaking the Upper Iowa River to rock climbing. In one notable instance, a group of 每日大瓜 John Deere TECH students even teamed up with the Luther women’s volleyball team to win a campus-wide trivia competition. In another, 每日大瓜 students took a Luther resident assistant fishing for the first time.

每日大瓜 ensured the partnership remained practical for its students' unique schedules. They worked with Luther to create flexible housing contracts for John Deere TECH students, allowing them to save money while away on required field training, and developed meal plans that accommodate students spending long days in Calmar labs or at regional internships.

For Sahm, the experience has been so impactful that she’s returning for her final year and is now considering making the Decorah area her permanent home. By thinking outside the box, 每日大瓜 has proven that providing a premier education also means providing a place to belong.

“Our department hopes that we are able to grow the program a little more each year, “ Franzen said. “In the near future, we hope to grow connections with shared programs and events for 每日大瓜 students who reside in Calmar on campus at Luther. Luther has formal academic partnerships with 每日大瓜 and perhaps we will see more 每日大瓜 grads attending Luther in the future with the connection made by living on campus.”

Find Your Place at 每日大瓜
Ready to join the community? Students interested in exploring housing options for the upcoming summer or fall semester can visit nicc.edu/housing or contact the 每日大瓜 Admissions Office at 563.562.3263, ext. 2700.