Mike and Nancy Kammerer Establish Endowed Scholarship Through DMACC Foundation

When Mike Kammerer assumed the duties of office manager at West Des Moines design and architecture firm Shive-Hattery in 1989, one of his priorities was maintaining a partnership with Des Moines Area Community College. His predecessor had established the connection, ensuring a steady flow of talent—primarily DMACC graduates skilled in computer-aided drafting—and Mike was determined to continue to grow the relationship.

To that end, Mike joined the Board of Directors for the DMACC Foundation. In more than two decades of service to the board, Mike is proud of the way the Foundation has supported the mission of the College while opening the door to a college education for students with limited financial means.

"DMACC provides a great base for education, with instructors who love to teach and are committed to what they are doing," Mike says. "The Foundation plays a role in that by ensuring students can financially afford to go. And that is just one piece of what the Foundation is doing. The Foundation is always exploring ways it can support the College and help DMACC meet the needs of the local workforce."

Mike is now retired from Shive-Hattery but still serves the Foundation as a member of the Board of Directors and chairs the DMACC Foundation Scholarship Committee. In addition, Mike and his wife, Nancy, give annually to scholarships and attend many of the Foundation's events.

To further their impact, the couple recently made a gift through their estate plan, ensuring that their legacy of supporting DMACC students will continue. Their estate gift will create an endowment to provide scholarships for DMACC students in the architecture, engineering, and health care fields. The Mike and Nancy Kammerer Memorial Scholarship will remove the financial barriers for students pursuing a degree, diploma, or certificate at the College.

"We've spent a lot of time considering what causes we wanted to support and where we wanted to leave a legacy," Mike says. "We are glad that we are in a position to be able to do this. As I have seen through my involvement on the Foundation Board, I have been able to hear the stories of how private gifts make a difference. It hits you right in the heart."

To learn how you can make a gift through your estate plan, contact the DMACC Foundation at 515-964-6229 or foundation@dmacc.edu.