By Adam Gellert
This past Friday marks the beginning for the Iowa Lakes Technology Club on the Estherville campus. The club welcomes all technology enthusiasts, regardless of major. The club’s sole faculty sponsor this year is web development and game design instructor, Kevin Grems. He has been a faculty sponsor for the club in the past, but this year previous co-sponsor David DeVary has moved into an administrative position elsewhere on campus.
At the club’s first meeting, the room was full of students sharing a common interest in technology. Returning club member Zach Westemeyer is excited for the potential for the club this year.
“I’ve been a part of the tech club for a few years now,” Westemeyer said. “It definitely seems to be potentially the most active year we have ever had.”
The group this year is a little different than last year, with a larger freshman class in the mix. Freshman doesn’t always mean fresh from high school though, as Iowa Lakes welcomes many non-traditional students.
“We do have a few second year students returning,” Grems said. “I’m excited that we have a couple non-traditional students this year.”
The first order of business for the club was planning their regular events, such as social game nights. They also began thinking about bigger events, like their annual trip to an escape room. They also started the process for selecting their president and other officer positions.
Another order of business was a more bittersweet one, as this will be the last semester at Iowa Lakes for Grems. Club members were tasked with finding a teacher they think would be a good replacement sponsor for the club. He will be returning to work as a software developer, a bittersweet feeling for him.
“The cliché response is that it’s bitter sweet, but it really is,” Grems said. “I’m so excited to be returning to work as a software developer, putting the skills I’ve been teaching my students for so long to good use.”
Grems has had thoughts that each time he gives a lecture that it would “probably” be the last time he gave that particular lecture.
“I say ‘probably’ because I’ve been bitten by the teaching bug and will always be teaching in some way or another,” Grems said. “Either through some part-time adjunct teaching, working with our continuing education department, or giving my first TEDx talk in November!”
Grems is confident about attendance remaining high throughout his last semester at Iowa Lakes, with their meeting time being very convenient to members.
The Tech Club meets Fridays at 11:00 a.m. in room 45 on the Estherville campus of Iowa lakes. Any student interested in technology at all is welcome to join, no matter what program of study they happen to be enrolled in.
Call of the Lake 
Leave a comment