About the Iowa College Access Network (ICAN)

The mission of the Iowa College Access Network^® (ICAN) is to help individuals attain their educational and career goals. ICAN operates two College Planning Centers, one in Cedar Rapids and the other in Des Moines. The Centers provide free information and support to a diverse population of students and their families as they plan, apply, pay for and succeed in college.

ICAN also helps all students, including disadvantaged, minority and first-generation students, enter and succeed in postsecondary education by:

• Supporting a network of state and local college access programs that provide counseling, advice and financial assistance.
• Sharing best practices among the network.
• Providing leadership and technical assistance.
• Helping establish new college access programs.

In 2006, ICAN became the official Statewide College Access Network for Iowa as designated by the National College Access Network (NCAN). This means ICAN works closely with NCAN to bring national access programs to Iowa students. ICAN became its own nonprofit organization with its own board of directors in 2009.