YOU can be great here Community of Colleges Engages 568 Students This Year

Greater Dubuque Development’s YOU can be great here Community of Colleges series connected students to the region throughout the 2025–2026 academic year, introducing them to local employers, career opportunities, and community experiences.

The AccessDubuqueJobs.com Career Fair in October welcomed 173 job seekers, including 44 college students, providing opportunities for the next generation of talent to explore internships, part-time, and full-time roles.

In addition to career exploration, our social events helped students experience the community in fun ways and connect them with other college students in the region. The College Hockey Night in November brought 257 students together to cheer on the Dubuque Fighting Saints at ImOn Arena, while January's Bowling Night offered a fun, high-energy evening with 136 students participating in cosmic bowling at the Diamond Jo Casino's Cherry Lanes. Earlier this month, we wrapped up the series with a Movie Night experience, where 131 students enjoyed a private showing of The Super Mario Brothers Galaxy movie and enjoyed free popcorn and pop.

In total, 568 students engaged in Community of Colleges events this year—building connections that support long-term talent retention in the Greater Dubuque region. Thank you to our college partners for helping promote these opportunities and encouraging student participation. We look forward to continuing this momentum in the year ahead.

To learn more about our college outreach efforts, contact Mandi Dolson, Director of Workforce Recruitment & Retention at mandid@greaterdubuque.org or 563-557-9049.