Program History

The two founders of the present day ICC Engineering Program are instructors Aaron Wenger and Ron Ulseth.

Aaron started teaching at ICC in 1983. At the time, there were only three students enrolled in the Engineering Program. Aaron spent the next nine years working hard to improve and grow the Engineering Department. In 1992, he was joined by former U.S. Navy nuclear submarine instructor, Ronald Ulseth. Ron was based at Hibbing Community College and worked with Aaron through a collaborative effort utilizing interactive television to offer engineering classes to students from both colleges.

Using this interactive distance education, Aaron and Ron developed a joint program, which grew to over 40 engineering students at each institution by 1997. As the program expanded, new math, physics, and engineering facilities had to be added. In the fall of 2002, the construction of the new engineering building was completed, and is now home to over 120 students, with 36 students living on the third floor. 

Aaron retired from full-time teaching in 1998, and Ron transferred to ICC to take his place. Over the past decade Aaron and Ron have teamed together and carefully brought new members to the team to build a nationally recognized two-year college engineering transfer program.  Today there are six full-time instructors in the Engineering Department, a concept lab manager and STEM advancement director as well as Aaron, who is now working with his wife Carol finding and writing scholarships for ICC engineering students.