From balancing trays to balancing textbooks, Michael Habermann walked the floor of many North Idaho restaurants before earning his college degree.
With stints at The Boathouse, an aptly named eatery on Hayden Lake, to upscale Terraza Waterfront by DeLeon’s, a café that overlooks paddleboard traffic on the Spokane River, Habermann spent years after high school waiting tables to pay for college.
When he enrolled at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, he wasn’t just starting classes — he was booting up a new future.
“I always had a knack for computers and knew I would attend North Idaho College and then transfer to the University of Idaho program,” said Habermann, a homeschooler who, as a teenager, loved playing video games and competing in robotics competitions nationwide.
Habermann is among dozens of students who benefit each year from a long-standing collaboration between NIC and U of I, which helps students complete prerequisites at NIC before transitioning to U of I to finish their bachelor’s degrees.
“I saved a lot of money going to a community college and knew all my classes would transfer seamlessly,” Habermann said.
He didn’t even have to leave town to attend U of I: The university houses a computer science and robotics program on the NIC campus.
“I still live at home,” he said. “It’s another cost-saving benefit of earning a bachelor’s at the U of I Coeur d’Alene campus.”
Being able to attend NIC and then transition to U of I, basically on the same campus, was a real blessing.
Ambur Robbins
Undergraduate in education
Ambur Robbins lives at home, too — in Bonners Ferry — while earning a U of I degree. Unlike Habermann, Robbins lives in the house where she raised her family and has a mortgage. She also attended NIC, as a nontraditional student, before she segued into U of I’s early childhood education and special education programs. The degree courses are taught at U of I’s Coeur d’Alene Harbor Center and online.
“Being able to attend NIC and then transition to U of I, basically on the same campus, was a real blessing,” Robbins said.
Robbins, who graduates in Fall 2025, made regular 90-minute trips from Bonners Ferry to the Lake City for in-person courses. Despite the tumultuous winter drives, she still considers the effort worthwhile.
“I had such quality educational experiences at both schools that the drive was always worth it,” she said.
As the Panhandle’s only community college, preparing students for their higher education goals is central to NIC’s mission.
“Our partnership with University of Idaho gives North Idaho students more choices and fewer barriers,” NIC President Nick Swayne said. “Together, we’ve built programs that make it possible for students to start strong in Coeur d’Alene and graduate with a four-year degree or beyond without leaving their community.”
Education corridor
Andrew Fields, CEO of U of I Coeur d’Alene, said when the idea of forming an education corridor in Coeur d’Alene was first proposed two decades ago, it was the perfect opportunity to serve North Idaho’s college-bound community.
The corridor along the Spokane River includes Lewis and Clark State College, North Idaho College and the University of Idaho’s Harbor Center.
“From the beginning, it was important for U of I to be part of this effort so students could find clear, local pathways to high-quality education and meaningful careers,” Fields said. “These partnerships let us meet students where they are and support the workforce needs of this region.”
The college offers several collaborative pathways that lead to degrees including bachelor’s degrees in computer science, geoengineering, education and liberal arts.
“This collaboration strengthens the region’s workforce, fuels economic growth and ensures educational opportunities remain within reach for North Idaho students,” Swayne said.
Becky Byers, the associate director of admissions at U of I in Coeur d’Alene was once an NIC student who transferred to U of I to earn her bachelor’s degree and knows the importance of easy changeover from community college to university.
“Easy to transfer”
“I understand how confusing the transfer process might be without on-site support,” Byers said.
She partners with the NIC advising team to make sure students’ academic plans fit future bachelor’s degree requirements at U of I.
“I have early access to NIC students as they plan a future transfer to University of Idaho, so we can discuss academic goals, how their NIC credits will transfer to U of I, when they should apply for U of I admission and what scholarships U of I can offer to NIC transfer students,” Byers said.
She meets with students on campus to ensure they feel confident with their academic plans.
“It’s extremely valuable to have those early discussions on the NIC campus, as it takes away some of the guesswork about the transfer process,” Byers said. “It’s my goal to walk NIC students through the transfer process so they feel excited and empowered to take their next steps at NIC and U of I.”
At first, Jasmine Martinez — a Rathdrum Army veteran and mother of two — planned to become a paralegal. But after attending NIC’s paralegal program, she realized she loved the legal process and decided to take a leap.
“I wanted to go higher, so after earning my associates at NIC, I decided to earn a bachelor’s in history at U of I and then apply to law school,” Martinez said.
Now, she manages a full slate of online courses as she balances being a stay-at-home mom with her studies and will graduate in Fall 2026.
“I was really nervous about the transition process from community college to university, but with the help of advisors at NIC and U of I, it was very easy,” Martinez said. “It was so easy that it almost felt like I didn’t do anything. They just did it for me, and all my courses transferred smoothly.”
Even so, Martinez realizes her career path, although out of the ordinary, is obtainable.
“I just woke up one morning and decided I wanted to go to law school,” she said. “I am fortunate to have two schools nearby that are helping me to do that.”