Iowa Stater Spring 2024

GROUND TO SPACE

Innovating for fresher greens, sustainable supply chains, and space travel, Iowa Staters are producing world-changing work

THE HEART AND SOLE OF INNOVATION

Colin Behr, a senior product designer for Jordan Brand Special Projects at Nike, shares his creative process

CYCLONE SUPERFANS

Iowa Staters live up to the words that weave through their fight song: loyal, forever, true

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An appreciation for the humbly confident

In the short time I’ve been back in the Midwest, I’m reminded of a trait shared by many here, especially at Iowa State: humble confidence. So many students, alumni, faculty, and friends are achieving great things in their personal and professional lives. Not every story makes it into our inbox, and not every story that does can be shared here, but the ones that do and are shared often come to us by way of those around the achiever: colleagues, friends, family, and community members. Humble confidence appears to lead to a community of supporters willing to highlight the work of others and ask, “Did you hear what this alum is doing?”

Our cover story brings you three Iowa Staters who are making an impact in their respective fields — Clayton Mooney (’12) is working to bring the world’s freshest salad to a drive-thru near you, Chelsea Lamar (’09) is creating a more sustainable supply chain, and Dereck Ioos is helping SpaceX make interplanetary flights a reality.

In the back half of the magazine, you’ll meet several Cyclone superfans — including one who has only missed one football game in 47 years — and hear from others on why they love being a Cyclone fan. Claire (’15) and Webster (’15) Kranto are partners in life and business, and their Cyclone story reminds us of the importance of passion in the work we do.

In planning and preparing this magazine for you, I was able to learn about Iowa Staters who come from a variety of backgrounds and colleges. While these alumni may span interests and even generations, what they all share is an appreciation for their time and experiences at Iowa State. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to hear and share these stories, and I hope that you’ll enjoy them as much as we do.

Iowa Stater

Editor Kirsten Kraklio

Assistant Editor Caleb Grizzle

Designer Jenny Witte

Photographers Christopher Gannon, Matt Van Winkle, Isaac Farner, Ryan Riley

Creative Consultant 2communiqué

Editorial Board

Kirsten Kraklio, Director of Communications, ISU Alumni Association

Brian Meyer, Associate Director for Strategic Communications, Iowa State University

Sherry Speikers, Director of Editorial Services, ISU Foundation

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INDELIBLE IMPRESSION

I read with great interest your terrific stories in the fall 2023 issue on Jack Trice and his 100-year legacy that included family, students, and, of course, the stadium on campus. Looking at the photo of the freshman team (page 24), I was reminded of a photo from the 1958 Bomb that my father often pointed out to my brothers and me when family conversations revolved around civil rights.

My father, Dr. Frank Jolly (BS ’58, MS ’64, PhD ’70), was a member of the ISC/ISU track team all four years of his undergraduate study under the tutelage of the fine ISC/ISU staff member Burl V. Berry. My father, who passed away in 2018, spoke so highly of Coach Berry as a coach, mentor, and “teacher” of civil rights. He often related a story about when Coach Berry had the team leave

FAVORITE ISU KEEPSAKES

Last issue, Iowa Staters shared their favorite ISU keepsakes, and there was an abundance of responses filled with classic memorabilia and sentimental keepsakes. Readers can look forward to reading about some of the items submitted in an upcoming issue of Iowa Stater magazine!

a Kansas restaurant where they went to have supper after a meet in Manhattan because the African American team members could not be seated in the restaurant.

Coach Berry left an indelible impression on my father and other runners. He was a fine example, and Iowa State should be proud of his legacy. His lesson, my father said, was this: “We are all equal. Act that way, and don’t put up with circumstances that result in any other outcome.”

The Hub

Letters of Love

Students gathered in the Memorial Union Great Hall last fall to create heartfelt cards for children with cancer and other serious illnesses.

The Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication’s Advertising and Public Relations Learning Community hosted the event in partnership with the Letters of Love Iowa State Chapter. More than 1,000 cards were sent to children in Iowa and across the country.

Image by Isaac Farner

McFarland Clinic will anchor CYTown development

McFarland Clinic, Iowa’s largest physician-owned, multi-specialty clinic, has agreed to become the first tenant in CYTown, the university’s multi-use district currently under construction between Jack Trice Stadium and the Iowa State Center.

McFarland Clinic is expected to break ground on an anticipated 78,000-square-foot, multi-level medical facility adjacent to the north entrance of Jack Trice Stadium in summer 2024. It will be the first building developed as part of the university’s new 40-acre multi-use district.

DID YOU KNOW?

No. 1

Iowa State reclaims top spot as Iowa’s largest university

30,177

TOTAL FALL ENROLLMENT 8.8% INCREASE IN FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS OVER TWO YEARS

Students represent:

99 IOWA COUNTIES

50 STATES

117 COUNTRIES

This growth is a direct result of Iowa State University’s commitment to provide innovative programs that meet student interest and workforce needs.

— President Wendy Wintersteen

Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building update

CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY at the Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building, which will be the stand-alone home for Iowa State’s Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering when completed later this year.

Once completed, this state-of-the-art facility will help advance the student experience at Iowa State and the field of industrial engineering more broadly through groundbreaking research and innovative ideas.

The building is named in honor of C.G. “Turk” Therkildsen (’59) and Joyce McEwen Therkildsen (’59). Their $42 million gift for the facility is the largest gift for an academic building in Iowa State University history.

CATT HALL RETAINS NAME

Last November, President Wendy Wintersteen accepted a review committee’s recommendation to keep the name of Carrie Chapman Catt on Catt Hall.

After more than two years of study, which included a 60-day public comment period, the review committee took its final vote. Eleven members voted to keep the name on the building, and four voted to remove the name. As outlined in university policy, two-thirds of the committee members would have had to agree to recommend a name removal.

Debate over naming the campus building in honor of Catt, an 1880 ISU alumna, goes back nearly 30 years, when students began questioning some of her words and actions in leading the national women’s suffrage movement. Under Catt’s leadership, ratification of the 19th Amendment was achieved in 1920, giving women the right to vote.

A MUSTACHE KEYS LEARNING ABOUT PEST MANAGEMENT

HOW DO YOU GET IOWANS INTERESTED in the weeds, insects, and diseases that threaten crops? Turns out a suit bought at a secondhand store and a fake mustache does the trick.

In plant pathology, entomology, and microbiology, the duo of industry extension specialist Adam Sisson and media production specialist Brandon Kleinke used their expertise to create an unlikely way to deliver news about pests and plant diseases: Sebastian Eugene Bartholomew. Sisson transforms into the pompous, know-it-all professor for the YouTube series, “The Undergrowth,” where he interviews pest management experts with a combination of humor and serious questions to share information Iowans can use.

In roughly 20-minute interviews, the topics range from the effects of singing to plants to why beehives are disappearing at faster rates. All the effort has helped the Integrated Pest Management YouTube page garner nearly 3,800 subscribers and more than 780,000 views since May 2018.

A Sense of Place

A SENSE OF PLACE has been described as the experiential and expressive ways places are known, imagined, yearned for, held, remembered, and lived.

During the 1950s and ’60s, I was a faculty kid and frequently accompanied my father, Louis Thompson, associate dean of agriculture (1958-1983), to his office and other locations around Iowa State. The campus became an extension of my neighborhood. As I explored, I encountered Christian Petersen’s works of art on campus many times and again years later as a student at Iowa State in the 1970s.

In 2007, I documented these experiences with Petersen’s beloved and iconic works of art for an essay in the book, “Christian Petersen: Urban Artist, 1900-1934” by Lea Rosson DeLong. His sculptures became a character-defining element in my campus experience and continue to provide a sense of place in my life. The array of his sculptures around campus gives me a special and unique sense of place that I have not found on other campuses I have visited or attended.

As we await the re-installation of Petersen’s iconic

Fountain of the Four Seasons (which was removed for restoration in 2022), I imagine others who have experienced the Iowa State campus may have similar placemaking memories.

“Christian Petersen: A Sense of Place in Campus Life” is on exhibition in the Campbell Gallery of the Christian Petersen Art Museum in Morrill Hall from now until July 26. Using models and concept drawings from the University Museums’ collections, the exhibition explores Petersen’s contributions to the place we know as Iowa State and love as Iowa Staters.

I invite my fellow Iowa Staters to share stories and impressions of what makes Iowa State a special place in their lives by visiting the exhibitions on campus or emailing museums@iastate.edu.

Jerome Thompson is the curator of two exhibitions on Christian Petersen currently on display at Iowa State’s University Museums. He retired from the State Historical Society of Iowa in 2015 after serving 33 years.

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Northcrest Community invites you to enjoy a vibrant lifestyle, build lasting friendships and immerse yourself in a sense of community!

EMBRACE STORY COUNTY’S BEST SENIOR LIVING EXPERIENCE

One Course, An $87.4 Million Impact

DOWN IN THE BASEMENT of the Black Engineering Building late last fall, students of mechanical engineering’s senior capstone course gathered in their working groups.

There were four or five to a table, open laptops before each studentengineer. The semester’s 23 teams were all working to design solutions to real problems at companies big and small, most with Iowa operations.

This particular class session was a sprint, plan, and review day. Jim Heise, professor of practice in mechanical engineering and the instructor who started the course in 2008, visited with each team to ask about progress and problems.

“We’re keeping teams accountable every two weeks,” Heise says.

The participating companies are not only bringing their problems to the course, they’re financial sponsors, too. Their thousands of dollars support the students’ project expenses, the hiring of student technicians in a fabrication lab, and course administrative costs.

So Heise has this message for students: “These companies are paying customers. You’re not just here for a grade. You’re here for a successful business venture.”

This course has been a successful venture. Between its founding and fall 2021, student teams helped 135 Iowa companies, produced an economic impact of $87.4 million, and created 209 jobs, according to Iowa State’s Center for Industrial Research and Service.

One of the current student teams

reported to Heise about its work to help CURRIES, a Mason City manufacturer of steel doors for commercial and industrial use. The company wanted a better way to cut and weld metal parts for the window frames embedded in some of its doors.

Chris Clark, a senior from Hampton, Illinois, thinks the search for solutions will help him and his capstone classmates prepare for work as engineers.

“We’re learning to see where there are issues,” he says. “Then we can assess, understand what’s happening, make improvements, and go to the factory floor.”

As Heise says of the course and the students’ work, “Everything in here is about real issues and real challenges in engineering.”

THEN AND NOW

Maintenance Shop Celebrates 50

Years

On Jan. 4, 1974, ISU’s Student Union Board turned the Memorial Union’s maintenance shop into a live entertainment venue. Since then, the Maintenance Shop (aka M-Shop) has been the spot for students of all ages to hear from artists like Koko Taylor, Chick Corea, Arlo Guthrie, Tower of Power, Smashing Pumpkins, and many more. For years, the M-Shop was also the place to refuel with food and drinks until food service was discontinued in 2005. Today, the space still hosts live shows and is open as a lounge Monday through Friday during the academic year.

COLLABORATION

A Critical Pivot to Pork

RUSSIAN ATTACKS REDUCED ACCESS to grain markets. The glut of inventory drove grain prices down, while reduced domestic production increased meat prices. That prompted some Ukrainian grain farmers to raise hogs for the first time, a more lucrative use of their harvest.

Dr. Justin Brown (’22), an assistant teaching professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine, held monthly online workshops last year for Ukrainian hog farmers. His sessions covered biosecurity, disease identification, treatment, and prevention. Each session included recorded lectures and a live Q&A, starting at 5 a.m. in Iowa so it could be held around the lunch hour in Ukraine.

“The questions came flying in,” Brown says. “And they asked a lot of really good ones. There was definitely a thirst for in-depth knowledge.”

Brown’s slides and recorded lectures were translated into Ukrainian, and follow-up questions were translated by Oksana Yurchenko, president of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, which organized the workshops.

“Given what they’ve been going through, I was amazed with their responsiveness,” Brown says. “I gave them information they needed about swine medicine, but I also helped maintain some sense of normal life for them, I think.”

When the invasion began, tending to hogs wasn’t a priority, Yurchenko says. About 15% of the nation’s commercial pig inventory was lost, leading to a 100,000-ton drop in pork production in 2022.

“The first two or three months were chaos. We weren’t sure we’d continue to produce pork. But after the situation

stabilized more, we came back to our routines,” she says.

As grain farmers realized finishing pigs could convert cheap grain to needed protein, Yurchenko’s group received a small grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to cover the workshops. Sessions drew as many as 100 people and were designed for farmers raising swine for the first time.

“For these new producers, getting this information was very, very, very important,” Yurchenko says.

Brown’s presentations were tailored in some ways for a Ukrainian audience.

For instance, raising hogs outdoors — more common there than in the U.S. — requires different approaches, he says. But in general, Iowa State’s swine health expertise is applicable in other regions, and it was rewarding to help farmers in need far beyond the state’s borders, he says.

“It’s our mission to disseminate knowledge, and often that happens here in Iowa,” Brown says. “But a pig is a pig is a pig. There are some variances in genetic lines, but they get the same diseases. And the goal is the same: to safely grow food.”

SUPER FRESHMEN

Iowa State football’s Rocco Becht was named 2023 All-Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year after leading the Cyclones to a 7-5 regular season record and a 6-3 record in the Big 12. In his first year as a starter, Becht broke ISU freshman records for completions (209), passing touchdowns (20), and passing yards (2,674). Iowa State volleyball’s Nayeli Gonzalez was named Big 12 Volleyball Rookie of the Year. She earned first-team 2023 All-Big 12 honors and a unanimous All-Rookie Team selection. Gonzalez was the first freshman in program history to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors. Gonzalez shined on the court, totaling 348 kills in 2023 (five shy of the Iowa State freshman record), helping lead the Cyclones to an NCAA tournament appearance.

Storming Back Into the Top 5

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY placed fifth at the 2023 NCAA Championships, marking its third top-five finish in the last five years and the ninth all-time. Sanele Masondo led the Cyclones with a 16th-place finish, and Rodgers Kiplimo finished 37th, as both men earned All-America honors for the first time in their respective careers. Iowa State was the Big 12’s third-highest finishing team, following Oklahoma State (Champion) and BYU (third).

ANOTHER TICKET PUNCHED

IOWA STATE VOLLEYBALL RETURNED TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT to close out the 2023 campaign. This tournament berth was the 16th appearance for Iowa State under Christy Johnson-Lynch in her 19 seasons in Ames and 17th all-time for the Cyclones. Johnson-Lynch won her 200th Big 12 match in 2023, becoming only the fifth coach in the league’s 28-year history to accomplish that in the sport. Iowa State finished the regular season with a record of 20-9 overall and 11-7 in conference to finish fourth in the Big 12 standings.

COMPETITOR

Legendary Legacy

“BEING A CYCLONE HAS BEEN SPECIAL TO ME; I hold it close to my heart.”

Ties between Iowa State and David Carr’s family run deep.

Carr’s parents met at Iowa State, and his father, Nate, is one of the most decorated ISU wrestlers ever; his brother, Nate Carr Jr., wrestled at Iowa State from 2009-11, and his uncles, Solomon and Michael Carr, were Cyclone wrestlers in the 1980s.

Carr has built his own Cyclone legacy, earning a national title in 2021, two other top-three NCAA tournament finishes, and four Big 12 Championships among a lengthy list of accolades.

And his father has been there from day one. Motivating him every step of the way.

“He’s always encouraging me and was one of the reasons I wanted to go to Iowa State,” Carr says. “He has so many great memories here, and he loved Iowa State, and I’ve grown to love Iowa State so much.”

With Carr’s time with the Cyclones on the mat coming to a close (he’ll graduate with his master’s degree in education this May), he plans to begin training for world and Olympic competitions with Team USA and eventually give back to the sport he loves by coaching.

What will Carr miss the most at Iowa State?

“The people, friendships, the bonds, and the community I’ve built here,” he says. “And, supporting Iowa State. I love getting out to other sporting events like football, gymnastics, and other Cyclone games. I’ll miss supporting and cheering on other athletes.”

Forever bloom

Commissioned by University Museums with funds from the Joyce Brewer Acquisition Fund and the Neva Petersen Endowment. In the Art on Campus Collection, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Innovating for fresher greens, sustainable supply chains, and space travel, Iowa Staters are producing world-changing work.

THE WORLD’S FRESHEST SALAD?

Alum Clayton Mooney seeks to give people ‘the food they deserve’ — one drive-thru at a time

In early 2023, one expert predicted that the restaurant industry was headed for a 15% reduction, meaning the elimination of 100,000 restaurant sites.

While some entrepreneurs may have used that forecast to stay away from the restaurant industry, Clayton Mooney (’12) and his business partner, Danen Pool, leaned into it.

“A lot of those restaurants are restaurants with dine-in space that no one wants to go to anymore,” Mooney says. “We asked ourselves, ‘Can we take over a vacant restaurant, convert the dine-in space to a farm, and then serve the world’s freshest salads to the drive-thru?’”

The answer so far, is yes. Set in a former Fazoli’s in Ames, Iowa, Clayton Farms Salads launched in March 2023 and has served more than 40,000 salads and smoothies. In what was once a dining area for the fast casual Italian restaurant now stands rows and rows of hydroponic gardening equipment growing romaine, arugula, butter lettuce, oakleaf lettuce, and a variety of microgreens.

The origin of Clayton Farms dates back to 2017, when Mooney and Pool first started their company, focusing on hydroponic equipment, and then the software that runs that equipment.

“For the first few years, we really fine-tuned the technology piece, and then we started applying it to various business models,” he says. “One business model we started was a subscription box farm where we would harvest from our farm and deliver produce straight to a residence’s doorstep.”

Another business model is the drive-thru. The company continues to evolve, but the mission at the core of the founders’ efforts remains the same.

“Since day one, it’s been about providing people with the food they deserve,” says Mooney, who grew up in a small farming community in southeast Iowa.

“Something that I think is broken on the supply chain side for food is when you have a community that is smaller, a lot of times here in Iowa, rural — what is the access to food? Maybe it’s a McDonald’s, maybe the community’s too small for

a Walmart, so there’s a Dollar General. If that’s your only option, the convenience side is going to drive people to those locations,” he says. “I’m a firm believer in what you eat is your death sentence, and I live and breathe that every day. That may sound intense, but because of that, you have to provide accessibility to the healthy foods that matter.”

In addition to the ease of access, Mooney is also concerned with the time between harvest and consumption (once fresh produce is picked, nutrients begin to deplete in the days that follow) and the sourcing of additional ingredients found on his menu (local partners supply tofu, honey, and berries).

“By growing on-site and having the same day harvest and serving from our farm to the drive-thru window, you get the full nutritional benefit,” Mooney says. “And with that, you also get the full flavor profile, which is really important.”

As Mooney eyes the future of Clayton Farms Salads — expansion through owned and franchised locations in communities across the nation — he also reflects on the

past opportunities he had at Iowa State. Mooney says he has utilized Iowa State resources for the past decade including through the ISU Startup Factory as well as donor-supported CYStarters, and the Start Something College of Agriculture and Life Sciences program.

Connections he made through those programs have remained strong over the years, both in helping to support the restaurant’s day-to-day operations (seven employees are past CYStarters, and half a dozen are either ISU alumni or current students) and providing advice in the startup space.

“I’m a firm believer that your network is your net worth,” he says. “And looking at Iowa State alumni and the faculty on campus, there’s most likely someone who can help you with whatever roadblocks or hurdles you’re coming across. You just have to not be afraid to ask the questions.

“We consider ourselves very lucky and blessed that Iowa State is in our backyard from what we consider our national office.”

Alumna Chelsea

Lamar is working to make the supply chain more sustainable

IMPATIENT OPTIMIST

Chelsea Lamar (’09) always knew she would work in the environmental space. When she wasn’t outside physically, she explored it virtually through her two favorite PC games. In “Rock Doctor,” she discovered and identified different types of rocks; “EcoSaurus” gave her a job as a recycling collector in the local dinosaur community.

Lamar has traded her environmental-themed video games for the real deal and now works as the vice president of global sustainability at AIT Worldwide Logistics, a global freight forwarder. She credits the experiences she had at Iowa State University with helping her find her path. She started as an environmental science major and secured several research assistant positions, contributing to projects on carbon respiration and bio-renewable resources.

“I was able to learn a lot throughout my time at ISU, including in lab internships working to research the effects of climate change on soils and the novel production of ethanol fuel,” says Lamar, a George Washington Carver Scholar. “It really provided a great starting point and introduction to many different topics related to sustainability.”

Lamar discovered that while sustainability remained her passion, research didn’t feel like the right vessel for pursuing it, and she switched her major to civil engineering. After her junior year, she interned for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, where she worked on energy and water conservation at an industrial meat processor. This was her first hands-on sustainability experience, and it set the trajectory for her career in applied sciences.

After graduation, Lamar spent a year as an efficiency and program specialist at Rebuilding Together San Francisco. But to move the needle in a meaningful way, she knew she had to climb the larger ladder. Lamar joined the corporate world in 2011 and has since run the gamut of sustainability-focused initiatives: she installed charging infrastructure for an entire fleet of electric delivery vehicles, successfully championed mass solar panel installation to create some of the most energy efficient warehouses in the U.S., and achieved year over year energy reductions in existing buildings via utility data management.

From managing energy efficiency consulting projects at Navigant to directing sustainability and facility asset programs at Reyes Holdings, Lamar has continued to expand her scope of leadership. But with more responsibility comes fewer opportunities to engage directly with the communities she’s serving. When asked how she reconciled the give and take, she shared her gratitude for her early, hyperlocal experiences,

but also recognized the greater need for sweeping sustainability reform.

“I really enjoyed working locally, particularly earlier in my career when I worked in direct service with nonprofits — you are able to see the impact you are creating immediately. However, if you are at all familiar with or interested in the science of climate change, you know that we need to make huge changes and shifts in order to limit global warming. This has been a guiding mission in my work — going where I can make the most impact — which for me has been large corporations in hard-to-abate industries.”

Today, Lamar is focused on reducing AIT’s emissions through renewable energy purchases for its buildings and the use of renewable fuels for its fleet. She’s also partnering with AIT customers and carriers to roll out decarbonization projects like using sustainable marine fuel, sustainable aviation fuel, electric vehicles for commercial use (including semitractor-trailers), and renewable diesel and biodiesel.

Outside of work, Lamar finds joy and pride in cultivating a network of mentors, mentees, and peers who are as dedicated to the environment as she is. She volunteers regularly for the Illinois Green Alliance to keep her grounded and inspired as she continues to rise as a leader in ethical corporate citizenship.

In speaking with Lamar, it’s hard to imagine a more genial, easy-going VP. She imbues her words with a palpable sense of poise, humility, and most of all, hope.

“I am not always confident that we are doing enough, quickly enough,” she says. “But I like to think of myself as an impatient optimist — popularized by Bill and Melinda Gates — impatient for the world to get better, but optimistic that it will do so.”

And if there’s one thing she wants the Cyclone community to join her in, it’s saving the world.

LIFTOFF!

ISU experiences help launch alum Dereck Ioos to career with SpaceX

We all know the saying, “reach for the stars.” That literal endeavor has seen the efforts of SpaceX and its rockets dominate recent news, and imagination, in a reignited love affair with space. And an Iowa State graduate is at the heart of those innovations.

Dereck Ioos (’18) has been part of developing rocket engines for SpaceX since 2019. He’s currently a lead propulsion engineer with the company and says he’s extremely proud to have transitioned from his student experience with Iowa State to the experience of pioneering a new age of space exploration in a few short years.

“I’ve always pursued the biggest challenges, and when I found out what SpaceX was doing while I was studying at ISU, I set my sights on them,” Ioos says. “I’ve worked closely with a team of very talented, scrappy, and highly motivated engineers — all of whom I’m proud to call family. Together we have pushed the boundaries of what was possible, doing what some people dubbed impossible or even unrealistic.”

SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy launch vehicle, the heaviest, tallest and most powerful rocket to ever get airborne, did so with the thrust of SpaceX Raptor engines that Ioos helped develop. His team has worked on the in-house machining of valves and turbomachinery that power and control the engines. They powered launches of Starship orbital test flights in April and November 2023.

“Watching all of that power, precision, and hard work speeding through the sky was a feeling unlike any other and a feeling that keeps me forever excited about what I get to do every day,” he says.

His career trajectory was set as an undergraduate at Iowa State when he discovered a love of hands-on machining work as a complement to his aerospace engineering major. He spent many hours in Iowa State’s Machine Shop working on diverse projects.

Iowa State connections are strong in the world of SpaceX, and Matthew Greiner (’23) has also had a hand in the same rocket engine functions through an internship he completed

at SpaceX last year. It included working on some tasks alongside Ioos and supplying Ioos’ team with 3D-printed engine parts.

“SpaceX is changing the fundamental trajectory of mankind through reusable spaceflight, so having the opportunity to work closely with the teams that are making this possible was one of the greatest experiences I could have asked for,” Greiner says. “I think enabling us to become a spacefaring civilization is a lot more important than most people realize.”

For both Ioos and Greiner, their “basic training” in managing demanding engineering projects came while students at Iowa State through their involvement with the Cyclone Rocketry student organization. Ioos and fellow undergraduate Maciej Batura (’18), former head of stage operations at ABL Space Systems, founded Cyclone Rocketry. That group has since seen exponential growth and established a strong reputation among student rocketry groups nationwide. The team took a second-place finish in its division in the prestigious Spaceport America Cup annual student rocketry event in New Mexico in 2022. Other alums of the Cyclone Rocketry program have gone on to careers in space development, including some who are now employed at SpaceX.

Future plans for SpaceX’s Super Heavy-Starship are extensive, and Ioos will be highly involved. He recently moved to Brownsville, Texas, where he will lead the program’s integration team as a lead build engineer for the Super Heavy Booster, which uses the same Raptor engines he helped develop. The platform is designed to carry up to 100 people on long-duration, interplanetary flights (including to Mars), and to help with satellite delivery, development of a moon base, and point-to-point transport on Earth. Challenges for SpaceX have been many, but Ioos and others continue to look forward.

“My goal for the future is simple,” he says. “Build the rockets that get humans to other planets. In the next five to 10 years, I will continue working with and leading the greatest engineers in the world to build the vessels that will take us to new ones. This is only the beginning.”

THE HEART & SOLE OF INNOVATION

Colin Behr, a senior product designer for Jordan Special Projects at Nike, shares his creative process in the world of design

magine you’re a recent graduate from Iowa State, working your dream job designing shoes for one of the largest brands in the world, and your latest shoe — a new rendition of a Nike classic — sells out within an hour of launch.

That was Colin Behr’s (’15) reality in 2019 after he helped create the Nike Air Force 1 Type, a remix of the Nike Air Force 1 (AF1). Behr had identified a problem: many people wore AF1s untied for style or comfort, but consumers were missing out on the feel of a fitted shoe. After he and a couple of his coworkers cut up an AF1, Behr created a side-tightening lockdown mechanism that allowed consumers to have the shoe untied but still experience the comfort of a laced shoe. The shoe worked seamlessly on the first proof of concept.

Launched on the Nike SNKRS app, the shoe sold out quickly, with no celebrity collaboration, marketing dollars, or build-up to its release. The Nike AF1 Type went on to join Nike’s inclusive and accessible lineup of FlyEase wearables due to its hand-free lacing

“The beauty of the design process is that when you’re focused on solving a problem with a specific sharp point in mind, and you focus on your design and solution authentically, it can reach heights and areas you never would have imagined,” Behr says.

Behr’s appreciation for apparel and design began long before his time at Iowa State and Nike. Whether it was on the court or in the field, Behr was always attentive to the way athletes expressed themselves through their apparel and footwear. (He can even point to his first pair of Air Jordan sneakers at his desk, an infant-sized pair he received from his uncle.)

“Exposure to the style and culture outside of sports sparked it all,” Behr says.

As an athlete, Behr had aspirations to continue his basketball career at the collegiate level, but it was cut short due to injuries. His knowledge of an athlete’s needs and his own work ethic served him well at Iowa State.

While a student, Behr interned with menswear designer Todd Snyder (’92), and at New Balance, before he joined Nike nine years ago.

“Bringing in that entrepreneurial mindset and that empathy of other roles and experiences helped me in

terms of my networking, proactive approach, and fitting right into the huge matrix of Nike,” he says.

Behr credits the wide range of opportunities and core values at ISU (internship connections, hands-on apparel design, and an entrepreneurial focus) for providing him with a clear picture of his path and process in the design world.

“I think there’s a big misconception about creativity,” Behr says. “Creativity is a skill like shooting or passing or anything else in athletics. I can’t just show up and design. I need to have an approach, a methodology, a philosophy, and a process that I feel good about. And that’s taken a decadeplus to develop to what I use now.”

Behr has designed sellout sneakers, collaborated with celebrities like Travis Scott and Roger Federer, and has 20 design patents at Nike alongside his nearly 50 footwear projects, all while pursuing personal growth.

Behr’s entrepreneurial efforts

shine through in his small business, Gōmbehr Studiōs, a multidisciplinary workspace home to written projects, mural creation, commissioned artwork, and whatever he and his wife, Mia, dream up next. Behr has also begun work on the Wardrobe Theory Project, born from his love of sustainability and apparel, which he features on his Instagram (@colinjamesbehr).

While Behr’s projects continue to grow and evolve, his advice for Iowa Staters remains the same: Be a student of the game.

“Lean into the fundamentals, learn how things are made, the manufacturing processes, and understand the nuts and bolts of what you want to design,” Behr says.

“It’s easy in college, as I was so guilty of, to draw for drawing’s sake and make stuff that looks cool. There’s a time and purpose for that. But having that base knowledge gives you a platform to innovate and bring change.”

www.ISUalum.org/Weddings

ISUAA TRADITIONS TEES

A TRADITION UNLIKE ANY OTHER

The Traditions Tee is back! We’ve designed a brand new, exclusive, members-only T-shirt for April Membership Appreciation Month.

This T-shirt is only available to ISU Alumni Association members. To preorder your 2024 Traditions Tee, visit www.ISUalum.org/TraditionsTee beginning April 1. Don’t miss out! This limited-edition member design will be locked away in the Traditions Vault at midnight on April 30, 2024. Shirts will be delivered in late May.

We appreciate you, members!

Elevating Excellence

DEAR ISU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBERS:

In the fall 2023 issue of Iowa Stater magazine, we introduced the association’s new strategic plan. The cool thing is I’m already hearing from many of you that you are willing to help us achieve the goals of this plan. Thank you!

There’s no doubt that diversifying our financial resources will be essential to accelerating efforts to help “elevate the excellence” of Iowa State University and Cyclones everywhere. Below are some options for you to consider partnering with us on.

Become a sustaining donor or increase your sustaining donor gift the next time you donate. Sustaining donor gifts help us support programs to engage alumni and friends and to create future alumni leaders through student engagement, scholarship, and leadership programs. www.ISUalum.org/Sustaining

Upgrade your membership. Consider an upgrade whether you’re increasing from a new grad membership to an annual membership, or from an annual membership to a life membership. www.ISUalum.org/Join

Sign up your young clone(s) for the LegaCY Club. Your children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews who are under the age of 18 can receive gifts through our LegaCY Club. www.ISUalum.org/LegaCY

Become an OLLI member. Neither a college education nor previous affiliation with a college is required to join OLLI, the only requirement is a desire to keep on learning! www.ISUalum.org/JoinOLLI

Add a name to the Wall of Alumni and Friends. Alumnus Paxton Williams added his name and that of the late Dr. George Washington Carver. That inspired my wife, Peggy, and me to add four fellow Iowa Staters: our daughter, our

son-in-law, the late John “Jack” Trice, and the late Dr. Frederick Douglas Patterson. www.ISUalum.org/Wall

Take a Traveling Cyclones trip! Traveling Cyclones provides educational and cultural exploration for all alumni, families, and friends — including solo travelers. www.ISUalum.org/Travel

Carry and use a Cyclone-branded bankcard. Using your card — even if for one consistent ongoing purchase item like gas or groceries — helps support our programs and services. www.ISUalum.org/CreditCard

Get a quote from Farmers. Evaluate your insurance coverage and cost by allowing our partners at Farmers to give you a quote. www.ISUalum.org/Insurance

Give a gift directly. Email Courtney Marshall, the association’s development director, about making a gift to the association. courtneymarshall@isufoundation.org

Thank you to all members who have already supported these efforts and thank you in advance to those of you considering additional ways to help us elevate the excellence of the university and Iowa Staters!

Yours for Iowa State,

Darius Potts

Darius Potts has dedicated more than 32 years to a career in law enforcement and is Ankeny’s first African American police chief. During his time at Iowa State, Potts was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He is a current member of the Rotary Club of Ankeny, the Iowa Police Chiefs Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

How did you choose law enforcement as a career?

I wanted to be a radio DJ. I was programs director for the campus radio station, 91.5 KUSR. After graduating and sending out audition tapes, I realized the radio industry was very difficult to get into. I moved back to Chicago and lived with my parents. My dad suggested I try law enforcement. At the time, I just needed a job and did not think I would stay in law enforcement. After sending out applications, I joined the Phoenix Police Department in 1991. Thirty-two years later, here I am!

Tell us about meeting your future wife at ISU. Renee and I met in the commons area between Storms and Knapp Halls. Renee lived in Knapp, and I lived on the ninth floor (Griffith) in Storms Hall. We met on the second day of school. I was looking for my mailbox and saw her. We have been together since 1985 and married in 1993. My daughter’s middle name is “Commons” to represent our love for ISU.

What’s your favorite way to stay connected to Iowa State?

Since graduating from Iowa State University, I return to campus with my family every year to take a picture near the Campanile. We have a series of pictures of our children over the years on the ISU campus.

Memorial Union’s Gold Star Hall Doors

On the second floor of the ISU Alumni Center, located on each side of the staircase near Cy’s Lounge and the Burnet Alumni Living Room, stand the Memorial Union’s original north-entry doors. In 1969, 10 bronze plaques bearing the names of 369 Iowa State men who died in World War II were mounted on the doors. These names, plus those of Iowa Staters lost in World War I, Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, and the Global War on Terrorism (Iraq), have been permanently engraved in limestone in the MU’s Gold Star Hall. Due to their weight, the original doors were removed from the MU to allow for more accessible accommodations. In 2008, the doors were gifted to the Alumni Center by the Memorial Union.

Kitchen Arabic: How My Family Came to America and the Recipes We Brought with Us

Immigrant children first speak the language of their mothers, and in Toledo, Ohio’s Little Syria neighborhood where Joseph Geha grew up, the first place he would go to find his mother was the kitchen. “Kitchen Arabic” is part memoir, part cookbook, illustrating the journey of Geha’s early years in America, and the family recipes and stories that he cherishes.

About the author

Joseph Geha is professor emeritus of creative writing at Iowa State University. He is also the author of “Through and Through: Toledo Stories and Lebanese Blonde.” He lives in Ames, Iowa.

Virtual discussion date: April 30, 2024 at 7 p.m. CT Sign up for more information at www.ISUalum.org/BookClub.

From Dual Degrees to Doctor-in-Training

When Kathryn Wittrock (’23) was deciding where to attend college, she considered several options but was ultimately pulled to follow her family’s legacy at Iowa State University.

“My family has strong ties to the ISU community,” Wittrock says. “I’m the 16th member of my family to go to Iowa State, and every decade since 1920 there has been a person from my family there.”

Currently a medical student at the University of Iowa, Wittrock credits her Iowa State education in biochemistry and microbiology for providing a solid foundation to build on and making the transition to medical school easier. In addition to her dual degrees at ISU, Wittrock pursued a minor in French and studied abroad in Paris. Now she’s taking medical French courses and plans to spend the summer working at a hospital in a French-speaking part of Central Africa.

“I’m glad I took the chance to study abroad and that I kept up with French at Iowa State,” she says. “If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have this opportunity.”

Outside of the classroom, Wittrock worked in hemodynamics and virology research labs, participated in the Stupka Symposium and Pre-Health Club, and served as a Ronald McDonald House volunteer. These experiences further solidified her interest in medicine, and she’s considering a specialty in pediatric surgery.

“I enjoy working with children and families, which is a lot of what my volunteer work has been,” she says. “And I like the hands-on aspect of surgery because you know you’re making a real difference.”

In recognition of her academic achievements and extracurricular activities, Wittrock received several awards: She was a National Merit Scholar, a President’s Leadership Class member, and an Iowa State Alumni Association Wallace E. Barron Award recipient, among others.

Coming from a proud Cyclone family, she says she’s grateful for these honors and plans to stay connected to her Iowa State roots through an ISUAA life membership that her dad, Eric Wittrock (’92), gifted her for graduation.

Future Cyclones

1. Lettie: Submitted by Brette (’13) and Kevin Puhl (’12)

2. Halas: Submitted by Matthew (’14) and Samantha Pavlicek (’13)

3. Katherine (Katy) and David Anderson (’74): Submitted by Susan Anderson

4. Elsa: Submitted by Rachel Collie (’96)

These little Iowa Staters are showing off their true colors!

Parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who are members of the ISUAA can enroll their future Cyclone in the LegaCY Club to receive age-appropriate gifts and activities from the time of enrollment until age 18 for a one-time fee of $35. As part of your ISUAA membership, you can shop with a 15% discount on children’s apparel and toy purchases in the ISU Bookstore.

Sign up for LegaCY Club today at www.ISUalum.org/Legacy

IF YOU’RE HEADED TO ...

Dallas, Texas

FORMER ISUAA DALLAS-FORT WORTH (DFW) CLUB LEADER BARRY PETERSON ( 90) HIGHLIGHTS THE BEST FOOD, OUTDOOR ATTRACTIONS, AND SPOTS TO CONNECT WITH FELLOW CYCLONES IN DFW

 Stay fueled throughout your trip by trying one of the many local BBQ spots, making a trip to a local brewery, or going to historic Joe T. Garcia’s in Fort Worth for Tex-Mex. Peterson guarantees that no matter where you are in DFW, you’re within a 15-minute drive of amazing BBQ.

 Add some Cyclone fun to your trip with a tour of the Cowboys’ ISU alumni designed AT&T Stadium, which offers a family-friendly, behind-the-scenes look at one of the many impressive stadiums designed by HKS.

 Experience the area’s rich history with a tour of the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, honoring the legacy of John F. Kennedy and the history of his assassination.

 Enjoy the wonderful outdoors at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, and AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Annette Strauss Square.

Make sure to connect with new club leader Greg Anderson (’83) on your trip to enjoy game watches at BoomerJack’s in Lewisville, and check out www.DFWCyclones.org for more Cyclone events.

CYCLONE SUPERFANS

SUPERFANS

“We’re not Cyclone fans because it’s easy. We’re Cyclone fans because it’s awesome.”

You can find those words printed on a T-shirt made by Iowa State fan site, Cyclone Fanatic. But they’re more than just words on a shirt. It’s a saying that generations of Cyclones embrace.

There are fans who lead the rallying cry. Some who never miss a game. And those who start traditions that span generations.

Through the highs and the lows of fandom, Iowa Staters live up to the words that weave through their fight song: loyal, forever, true.

TIM GLEASON

It’s game day in Ames. Kickoff is just two hours away, and there’s a buzz in the air. A line of buses carrying ISU football players and coaching staff cruise down University Avenue.

Tim Gleason (’81) hops into his cardinal and gold painted retro firetruck, the cab filled with Cyclone fans, and sirens blaring.

It’s time to lead the team into Jack Trice Stadium.

“When we first started doing it, there were a few parents waiting for their kids,” says Gleason, a life member of the ISU Alumni Association. “Now it’s driving through a sea of people.”

The tradition began back in 1998 when Gleason pulled up to head coach Dan McCarney’s house.

Says Gleason: “He came out, and we told him, ‘Coach, we’re tired of losing to Iowa 15 years in a row. We’re going to

take this thing and drive it to Iowa City and cheer you on.’ He poked me in the chest and said if we could find a way to drive this old thing over there, we will find a way to win.”

The Cyclones beat the Hawkeyes that day, and now, 25 years later, the tradition is still alive.

Gleason invites anybody who wants to ride the firetruck to hop on. “Only one rule,” he explains. “Can’t cheer for the opposing team. And it can never be a Hawkeye.”

Tradition keeps him and the truck going.

“One of the most endearing moments happened a couple of years ago. A young man in his mid-20s came up to me holding a 2-year-old and asked if his kid could ride the firetruck. He said, ‘I had so much fun doing it when I was a kid.’ So, we’re on the second generation. We just want to get people fired up. We bleed cardinal and gold.”

DAN BARRETT

There’s simply no other way to put it — Dan Barrett (’74) is a Cyclone superfan. Since 1976, the Iowa State alum has traveled to 561 of the last 562 home and away football games.

That’s 426,710 miles traveled over the past 47 years. And yes, he keeps a running spreadsheet.

“There was one day I woke up and thought, hey, it’s 6:15 in the morning. I might as well drive to Manhattan, Kansas,” Barrett says. “And from that point on, I went to every home and away game.”

A fraternity brother’s wedding broke his streak back in 1985, but that’s the only blemish on a nearly perfect attendance record.

A life member of the ISU Alumni Association, Barrett played in the marching band as a student and even performed during the Sun Bowl in 1971, the football program’s first bowl game. He hasn’t missed a bowl game since.

Barrett — who lives just outside of St. Louis — typically travels by himself. But when he arrives to a game, it’s always like a reunion.

“I’ve met Iowa Staters I never knew before going to away games,” Barrett says. “I see them, and we immediately give hugs. It’s that comradery, like being in Ames at the tailgates.”

Recently retired, Barrett says he plans to keep traveling to watch the Cyclones as long as he can.

“I don’t want to break the streak!”

RUSS AND CAROLYN COPLEY

It would be hard to find a couple who has been more loyal, forever, true than Russ and Carolyn Copley.

While Russ (’55) was studying agricultural engineering, Carolyn was busy in her own right at Iowa State.

“She worked [on campus] and helped pay my way through college,” Russ says with a smile. “And I enjoyed it,” Carolyn adds.

Life members of the ISU Alumni Association, Russ and Carolyn have been cheering on the Cyclones since 1951. Russ remembers well those cold games at Clyde Williams Field, sitting in the stands with Carolyn and leaving class early with his twin brother, Ross (’58), to watch Gary Thompson (’57) and the Cyclone basketball team beat Wilt Chamberlain and

Kansas at the Armory.

“I was just a big sports fan,” Russ says. “I loved it. We went to as many events as we could.”

More than 70 years later, the Copleys still attend every home football game and are proud women’s basketball season ticket holders. “I enjoy the atmosphere [at Hilton Coliseum],” Carolyn says. “I’m always amazed at how the crowd gets so behind the players.”

Russ and Carolyn’s passion for Iowa State has been passed down to their two sons and six grandchildren — all Iowa State alums.

“It’s amazing,” Russ says. “It’s really something. Iowa State has been a great place.”

“Being an Iowa State fan has been a big part of my identity for all of my adult life, and I love the memories I have of special times shared with family and friends. The pictures are with my son at his first game (in 1979) and at the Texas game (in 2019), 40 years later. #LoyalForeverTrue”

“What I love most about being an Iowa State fan is when we travel to road stadiums to support our teams. Especially for smaller sports specifically, you get to meet other die-hard fans or family members of the athletes, and after a few minutes of conversation, you have made a new friend, or learned about why those folks also love Iowa State. The answer is always, ‘Iowa State Athletics is family,’ and that makes me happy.”

WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT BEING AN IOWA STATE FAN?

“The fanbase makes you feel like you grew up in a small town with all of them. The friends I’ve made in school and in the stands are worth their weight in (cardinal and) gold.”

“I love the environment and the passion that fans bring to athletics regardless of the sport. There’s no better place to be than at an Iowa State game because of it.”

“My favorite thing about being an Iowa State fan is the tight-knit community of fans who share in the highs and lows of each season and show their support of all teams by packing the games and traveling long distances to cheer on the Cyclones!”

“Living in the heart of Longhorn country for 25 years now, I keep running into new ISU alumni around the Austin area sporting some kind of cardinal and gold out and about, which reminds me just how passionate Cyclones fans really are.”

2024 ISU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS SLATE

The ISU Alumni Association Board of Directors recommends the following candidates for membership on the board. Each of these individuals has agreed to serve a four-year term. As a member of the ISU Alumni Association, you are invited to go online (www.ISUalum.org/ BoardSlate) by April 26 and cast your vote for the slate of new ISUAA board nominees or write in the name(s) of others you would like to serve on the ISUAA board. To request a printed copy of the ballot, please call (877) ISU-ALUM and request that one be sent to you by mail. Each member may complete only one ballot. Final results will be announced at the association’s annual meeting on May 17. Thanks in advance for your participation.

AMANDA DE JONG

’02, ISUAA Life Member Rhodes, Iowa

Amanda De Jong works as head of government affairs at Pivot Bio, a sustainable agriculture company delivering farmers crop nutrition technologies. In addition, she and her husband Ryan (’02) farm in Marshall County. Following her degree from ISU, she earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Iowa Law School. De Jong has enjoyed an 18-year career serving farmers and others across agriculture in several roles, including at the USDA, in the U.S. Senate, at the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and in private agribusiness. She served as the first and only female state executive director of the Iowa Farm Service Agency, where she led 625 employees across 99 offices in Iowa. De Jong has served a variety of organizations, including as founder and past board president of the Young Professionals in Agriculture, on the Marshall County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, and as an ISU Ag Business Club mentor. “I would continue to promote new and existing partnerships both locally and across the country to strengthen the opportunity to grow membership and activities,” she says. “I have experience with fundraising and promoting the value of membership organizations — all hard work and asks that can be uncomfortable and especially harder during tougher economic times.”

DARRYL COLUMBUS HILL

’85, ISUAA Life Member Southfield, Michigan

Darryl Hill works as senior vice president of safety and security at First Student Inc., the leading school transportation solutions provider in North America. In addition to his degree at ISU, he has also earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Oakland University,

a Master of Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University, a Master of Arts in biblical studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Master of Science in hazardous waste management from Wayne State University. Hill has been involved in several organizations, including serving as president of the American Society of Safety Engineers and on the School of Health Sciences Board of Advocacy and Resource Development at Oakland University. “My background in diversity and inclusion will further support to advance the ISUAA mission and vision to engage diverse partners to showcase how Iowa State University is a preeminent university that makes communities, Iowa, and the world a better place for everyone,” he says. “My insight into academia, volunteer organizations, and Fortune 100 companies will provide the ISUAA a board member that not only possesses the competencies but also the innovation, solutions-focused, and passion to continue to advance the ISUAA vision and objectives.

LAUREN SABOE HUGHES

’02, ISUAA Life Member

Denver, Colorado

Lauren Hughes works as an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, as well as state policy director at the Farley Health Policy Center, where she researches how to improve primary care, behavioral health, and rural health care delivery. She provides clinical care for family members of all ages at a rural federally qualified health center north of Denver. In addition to her degrees from ISU, she has earned a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Iowa, a Master of Public Health in Health Policy from The George Washington University, a Master of Sciences in Health and Health Care Research from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Health Care Delivery Science from Dartmouth College. As a family physician, Hughes works at the nexus of primary care, health policy, and public and population health to improve the lives and well-being of vulnerable communities. She has held

an array of leadership positions in boards and organizations, and currently serves as the immediate past chair of the American Board of Family Medicine and the vice chair of the Rural Health Redesign Center Organization Board of Directors. “As a person, I am naturally optimistic and love developing others and helping them succeed. As a leader, I thoroughly enjoy the hard work of critically analyzing challenges, identifying new opportunities, and moving people and systems from ideas to action,” Hughes says. “I would bring these characteristics and skills to the ISUAA Board of Directors, applying ‘fresh eyes’ to the work of the Association, its programs, and initiatives.”

JEFFRY SCOTT BRADY

’84, ISUAA Life Member Niceville, Florida

Jeffry Brady is a retired consultant with experience as a skilled operations and legal executive and leader. Brady was part of a delegation of government and business people that presented growth and security options to seven of the Algerian foreign ministers. The concept was to create logistic oases to provide economic stimulus to areas outside the capital and prevent Islamic extremist groups from establishing bases of operation and recruitment hubs. In addition to his degree from ISU, Brady also earned a Juris Doctor degree from Drake University Law School (with honors), a Master of Law from The Judge Advocate General’s School (with honors), and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Iowa. He has served on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of South Carolina, as the co-founder of the CARE (Child Abuse Response and Enforcement) Team in South Carolina, and more. His goal for the ISUAA: “I would aim to create a vibrant and inclusive alumni community, increasing the quality of engagement and ultimately attracting more members and volunteers to support the ISUAA’s mission and initiatives,” he says.

KRISTIE ROEHR SIGLER

’95, ISUAA Annual Member Overland Park, Kansas

Kristie Sigler works as senior partner and global lead of FleishmanHillard’s food, agribusiness, and beverage sector, where she oversees more than 250 food and agriculture professionals across the globe. She is also a client experience director for 12 of the firm’s largest food and agriculture clients, providing strategic counsel and ensuring the teams deliver insight-driven programming. In addition to her degree from ISU, she also earned a Master of Management in marketing and strategy from Northwestern University. Sigler has been involved in numerous boards and committees, including serving as the board vice president and member of the Food Equality Initiative; serving on the board of deacons, finance chair, and capital campaign chair at Second Presbyterian Church; creating a civic leadership training program and serving as marketing chair at the Junior League of Kansas City, and more. “I would bring the voice of longer-distance engagement and shared university loyalties,” Sigler says. “I would also bring to the board views shaped by several different generations: my retired alumni parents, my mid-career friends, and my recently graduated employees. Involved alumni require an evolved and evolving alumni association.”

2024 DISTINGUISHED AWARDS CELEBRATION

Iowa State University’s highest awards administered by the ISU Alumni Association and the ISU Foundation will be presented to the following alumni and friends at the 2024 Distinguished Awards Celebration on Friday, April 19. The ceremony will take place in the South Ballroom at the Memorial Union at 2 p.m. Cyclones everywhere are invited to campus to share in these recognitions.

AWARDS ADMINISTERED BY THE ISU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

Alice Hudson

(’63 CHEMISTRY)

Technical Director Emeritus and former President/ CEO, Surface Chemists of Florida, Inc. Jupiter, Florida

Thomas Koehn

(’72 ENGINEERING OPERATIONS AND INDUSTRIAL

ADMINISTRATION)

Chairman of the Board

The Waldinger Corporation Des Moines, Iowa

Douglas D. Troxel

(’67 MATHEMATICS)

Retired Founder/Director SERENA Software Kealakekua, Hawaii

HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD

Dean Hunziker

CEO, Hunziker Companies Ames, Iowa

Max F. Rothschild

C.F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Iowa State University Ames, Iowa

AWARDS ADMINISTERED BY THE ISU FOUNDATION

ORDER OF THE KNOLL CAMPANILE AWARD

Steven G. King

(’68 LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE)

Retired Founder, Chairman of the Board, Landscape Structures, Inc. Wayzata, Minnesota

ORDER OF THE KNOLL CARDINAL & GOLD AWARD

James Frein

(’67 INDUSTRIAL ADMINISTRATION)

Retired President and CEO, Hutchison, Shockey, Erley & Co. Scottsdale, Arizona

ORDER OF THE KNOLL FACULTY AND STAFF AWARD

Ann D. Thompson and the late R. Bruce Thompson

Ann: Professor Emerita and Founding Director of the Center for Technology in Learning and Teaching, Iowa State University Ames, Iowa

Bruce: Anson Marston Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, Iowa State University

ORDER OF THE KNOLL CORPORATION AND FOUNDATION AWARD

Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Corn Promotion Board Johnston, Iowa

YOU’RE INVITED TO ATTEND THE 2024 DISTINGUISHED AWARDS CEREMONY

Friday, April 19, 2024, 2 p.m., South Ballroom, Memorial Union Reception to follow ceremony.

Nominate alumni and friends for Spring 2025 awards by Aug. 1, 2024, at www.ISUalum.org/DistinguishedAlumni.

SUSTAINING CYCLONES

Thanks to new and continuing sustaining donors who made gifts in 2023*. The ISUAA Sustaining Donor program is a voluntary way for association members and ISU alumni to provide additional tax-deductible annual support to the ISU Alumni Association. This is the 20th year of the program, and dollars donated by life members have helped provide additional support for the association’s programs and services.

Make your 2024 gift online at www.ISUalum.org/Sustaining.

*ISU made updates to its constituent database in 2023. If you see errors in the below information please notify alumni@iastate.edu so corrections may be made.

20-YEAR DONORS

Jacque (’74) and James Andrew

James (’70) and Mary Ann Black

Mark (’77) and Julie Blake (’78)

Douglas Bosworth (’62)

Winton Boyd (’66)

Martha (’76) and Doug Brown (’76)

Robert Carlson (’74)

Janice Coy (’54)

Craig Denny (’71) and Janet South

Robert (’56) and Marie Dierks

Gary Flander (’80)

Jon Fleming (’75)

Barb (’71) and Craig Foss (’71)

Joanne Frederiksen

Vicki Grimes

John (’67) and Barbara Hagie

Ronald (’71) and Pamela Hallenbeck (’71)

Kyle Harms (’89)

Peter (’77) and Pamela Hemken

Randy (’76) and Liz Hertz (’76)

Clara (’64) and Harold Hoover (’65)

Elizabeth (’82) and Gregory Hora (’82)

Richard Horton (’62)

John Hunt (’64)

Peggy and Jeff Johnson (’14)

Dale (’67) and Jane Kiser (’67)

Thomas (’82) and Nancy Macklin (’78)

Beverly (’60) and Warren Madden (’61)

William Moran (’73)

Steven (’67) and Michelle Mores

James Myers (’58)

Scott (’69) and Penny Olson

Vicki (’78) and Gary Owens (’78)

Dennis Puffer (’68)

Carol (’75) and Marlin Reimer (’75)

Richard (’73) and Sharon Rodine (’71)

Charles (’58) and Darlene Schmidt

Ryan (’95) and Meg Schon (’98)

Michael Sinclair (’80)

Gary Speicher (’69)

Russ (’17) and Lora Talbot (’17)

Roy (’57) and Sandra Uelner (’58)

Roger (’80) and Connie Underwood (’84)

Dwayne (’93) and Lori Vande Krol (’93)

Mike (’79) and Maria Westfall (’77)

Thomas Whitson (’63)

Eric Wittrock (’92)

Tim (’76) and Mary Wolf (’78)

Ralph (’57) and Gertrude Yoder (’52)

Don (’60) and Carolyn Zuck

Sustaining donors support the Iowa Stater magazine in its effort to share compelling, meaningful, entertaining, and land-grant-mission-in-action stories.

19-YEAR DONORS

Lloyd (’57) and JaNelle Anderson (’69)

Mary (’86) and Charles Bendgen (’87)

Roger Benning (’63)

Paul (’63) and Shirley Dana (’63)

Kevin (’83) and Jeanne Drury

Donald (’59) and Glenda Eggerling (’60)

Elaine (’85) and Brian Gifford

Roger Hansen (’65)

Joseph Huber (’89)

Gerald (’68) and Gwen Johnson

Jane Lohnes

Glen (’61) and Mary Jo Mente (’20)

Carol (’56) and Donald Olson (’55)

Sonia Porter (’60)

Roger Reimers (’82)

Sandy Searl (’87)

Carolyn (’69) and Charles Sidebottom (’68)

Norma (’60) and Robert Snyder (’60)

Kevin (’87) and Shelley Stow (’87)

Franklin Townsend

Jay (’59) and Sarah Van Wert (’71)

18-YEAR DONORS

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Peggy Allen (’67)

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Kevin (’80) and Christine Brooks

Melissa Brush (’91)

Douglas Caffrey (’72)

Curt Clifton (’92)

Linda Glantz Ward (’70) and Doug Ward (’67)

Craig Griffin (’83)

Maynard (’66) and Anne Hogberg

Maryl Johnson (’73)

William Millen (’70)

Deanna (’64) and Walter Nodean (’69)

Fred Peitzman (’61)

Victor Pierrot (’63)

Carl (’67) and Valerie Rausch

Michael Steffenson (’59)

Omar Stoutner (’70)

Neal Suess (’84)

Dennis (’70) and Mary Dee Thomas

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Tom Wilson (’84)

17-YEAR DONORS

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Janice and Jeffrey Breitman

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Chris Cunningham (’79)

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Daniel (’59) and Sharon Krieger

Joel Leininger (’72)

John (’63) and Kay Mortimer

Robert Palmer (’62)

Douglas (’83) and Nancy Pringnitz (’83)

John Saunders (’62)

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Marcia (’85) and Steve Stahly

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16-YEAR DONORS

Claire Andreasen

Mark Batchelder (’95)

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David Hahn (’80)

Melissa Houston (’95)

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Patricia (’66) and Ronald Vansteenburg (’66)

15-YEAR DONORS

Carol Anderson (’76)

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Larry (’62) and Barbara Ebbers

Don Francois (’84)

Katherine (’70) and William Gilbert (’70)

Thomas (’69) and Colleen Good

Bill (’72) and Lindy Good (’68)

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Kent Lage (’86)

Willis Ryan (’62)

Jeffery (’81) and Deborah Schebler (’83)

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Angie Lookingbill (’93)

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Diane (’79) and Allan Roderick (’83)

David VanHorn (’89)

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David (’72) and Jane Wombacher (’77)

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Gayle (’87) and Jeffry Farrell (’86)

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Julie (’88) and Jay Jacobi (’89)

Robert (’58) and Nancy Lindemeyer

David (’61) and Jeanne O’Melia (’62)

Kathy Rhode (’82)

Richard Roepke (’70)

Shirley Smith (’09)

Becky Stadlman (’74)

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Charles (’83) and Chris Cornelius (’83)

Darrell Cox (’83)

James (’56) and Etna Doyle (’56)

Sharon Drendel

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Carol Elliott (’72)

David Eyre (’61)

Rudy (’73) and Deborah Herrmann

Tracy Kolosik (’81)

Allan Mattke (’60)

Edward (’66) and Ana Hays McCracken (’84)

Thomas McIntosh (’67)

Steffan Paul (’91)

Ronald (’57) and Myrna Powers (’82)

Timothy Smith (’77)

Diana (’78) and Mark Weber

Christine Wehrman (’70)

Tara Whitmire (’01)

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Jeffrey Couch (’77)

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Fred Heinz (’78)

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Albert Jennings (’56)

Daniel (’00) and Lori Kartman (’02)

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Julie (’84) and John Larson (’77)

Douglas Meyers (’88)

Marc Mores (’95)

R. Ted Payseur (’72)

Jamie and Ellen Pollard

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Noel (’66) and Sybil Rasmussen (’67)

Richard (’64) and Sharon Richman (’64)

Richard Rickert (’68)

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Norma Speer (’57)

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Terrence (’79) and Maureen Tobin

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Mary Wettach (’78)

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10-YEAR DONORS

Stuart Anderson (’91)

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Christy (’00) and Justin Doornink (’01)

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Don Goering (’58)

Brenda Greaves (’83)

Roger Grundmeier (’72)

Richard (’91) and Larissa Hautekeete (’93)

John Hoper (’62)

David Johnson (’70)

Lester (’62) and Shirley Juon (’62)

Jeffrey Kemink (’81)

Timothy Kuntz (’88)

Roger (’71) and Marilyn Mahr

Dennis (’73) and Susan Martin

Todd Miszner (’83)

Bonnie (’65) and Gerald Moeller

Steven (’72) and Nancy Myers

Steven Petska

Brooke (’03) and Richard Prestegard (’02)

Thomas (’69) and Janet Putnam

Eric Rogers (’93)

Jennifer Scharff (’98)

Bryan (’08) and Nicole Schmidt (’09)

Ruth Ann (’73) and Brock Seney (’73)

Eugene Severson (’49)

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Thomas (’68) and Evonne Smith (’68)

Charles Swanson (’67)

Martha Jean and Robert Watson

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9-YEAR DONORS

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Debra Dotzler Pfeifer (’86) and Dennis Pfeifer (’86)

Marilynn Forsberg

Kathleen Geoffroy (’13)

Johnie Hanson (’73)

James Harris (’74)

James (’86) and Kim Heise (’85)

Barbara Janson (’65)

Steven Jargo (’70)

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Ross Johnson (’68)

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8-YEAR DONORS

Sally (’69) and Mark Adrian (’69)

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Ron Eastman (’86)

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Mark (’70) and Laurel Fleming

Ruth Harris

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Dennis Helmke (’67)

Myron Hinrichs (’66)

Cecilia (’89) and Harry Horner

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Cuong Pham (’77)

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Keith Rolston (’64)

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Kimberly and James Seaton (’78)

Mary (’67) and Wallace Souder (’66)

Curtis Stamp (’89)

Donna (’81) and Bill Steckel (’80)

Mitchell Stock (’69)

Ruby Trice (’87)

Janet Tryon

William Underwood

7-YEAR DONORS

Lynda Adams (’64)

Joan and Kelley Bergstrom (’65)

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Duane Fisher (’73)

Curtis (’90) and Teri Ford (’90)

Becci (’89) and Robert Hamilton

Matthew (’00) and Sara Hillis (’00)

Donald (’63) and Mary Hoy (’64)

Donald Johnson (’57)

Carol (’71) and Richard Jurgens (’71)

Martin Kalton (’83) and Julie Schwalbe (’87)

Kellie Jo Kilberg (’89)

Kenneth Klindt (’59)

Gary Laabs (’74)

Barbara Lemmer (’82)

Joseph (’56) and Barbara Leonard

Karen (’69) and Dennis Licht (’71)

Joseph (’83) and Michele Lucas (’87)

Gerald Lutkenhaus (’70)

Margaret Main (’67)

Dea (’69) and Ronald Oleson (’68)

Gerald (’58) and Margaret Pint

Anne and David Radke (’80)

Jim and Marilyn Rock (’51)

Dennis (’59) and Sally Rust (’59)

Ronald Scharnweber (’68)

Kristin Sears (’76) and F. Dean Seiber

Margaret Sohm (’72)

Richard Tait (’99) and Amanda Ramer-Tait (’06)

Janice Twinam

Andrew Underwood (’17)

John (’86) and Elizabeth Van Diest (’87)

Kay and Stephen Wessman (’68)

6-YEAR DONORS

Shelley (’85) and Mark Ackermann (’86)

Donald (’64) and Marylou Ahrens (’70)

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Brian Banker (’08)

Gary Belzer (’67)

Randy Borg (’81)

Ann and George Deery (’88)

Jason (’08) and Heather Duncan (’06)

William Farr (’76)

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Colin Finn (’06)

Sheri Floyd (’86)

Jennifer Garrels (’84)

Leah (’88) and Bret Gilliland (’84)

Dale (’93) and Kathleen Heinrichs (’77)

Susan Jacobi (’82)

Christopher (’73) and Deanna Jens (’73)

Keith Leitich (’90)

Brian (’85) and Kathy Meyer

Teresa Nece (’74)

Carl Neifert (’70)

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Jon Radabaugh (’61)

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Neil Schraeder (’81)

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David (’84) and Jeanene Skarshaug (’83)

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Janet Finer-Moore (’78)

Janet Goss (’86)

Robert (’76) and Debra Guetzlaff

Gregory Hansen (’85)

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J. Elaine Hieber

Linda Hiniker (’76)

Douglas Judge (’94)

Amy Miller (’90)

Betty Miller (’64)

John (’68) and Helen Olson (’72)

William Patton (’53)

Thomas and Coey Podraza (’79)

Monica (’69) and Max Porter (’65)

Brian Schaeffer (’82)

Wendy Scott (’78)

Richard Snyder (’72)

Gregory Thiel (’70)

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Juliana Wernimont (’83)

4-YEAR DONORS

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Paul Esker (’01)

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Mary (’73) and Timothy Frank (’71)

Jerry (’62) and Jeanette Gault

Michael (’85) and Mary Herrick

Darryl Hill (’85)

Gail and David Huser (’76)

Donald Jacobi (’55)

Jennifer Johnson (’98)

Robyn Jones (’93) and DeRionne Pollard (’93)

Jean Loup (’63)

Bradley Novacek (’82)

Jan Payer (’52)

Kathy (’95) and Timothy Peterson (’95)

George Puffett (’83)

Margaret Quayle

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Christopher Stephen (’93)

James Twedt (’73)

3-YEAR DONORS

Betty (’73) and Tom Barton

Swen Berger

Dody Boat (’55)

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Helen and Don Drake (’88)

David Emmert (’89)

Jill (’78) and Brian Graves

Ann Halligan

Thomas Hinga (’82)

Lynn Jenison (’71)

John (’72) and Sherri Josephson

David Kelley (’67) and Mavis Kelley (’77)

Jill Kolb (’85) and John Kolb (’87)

Jason (’96) and Tonya Maxwell (’93)

Jack Miller (’61)

Peggy (’76) and Thomas Radio (’76)

John (’70) and Lorene Rexwinkel (’69)

Judith and Allen Soltow (’65)

Michael Tomlinson (’72)

Craig (’93) and Sara Vander Leest (’91)

Richard Von Langen (’72)

Ryan York (’95)

2-YEAR DONORS

Janardhana Baliga (’67)

John Black (’76)

Thomas Bluth (’89)

Linda and Dean Boettcher

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Bonnie and Donald Cowie (’69)

Hunter Crawford (’22)

Timothy Downing (’91)

Andrea Fellows (’06)

Charles Fitzgerald (’95)

Ruth and Donald Fryer (’80)

Chad Harris (’01)

Scott Hudson (’84)

Philip (’66) and Lousanne Lofgren

Jessica (’02) and Todd McKenney

Beverly Moeller

Vern (’59) and Donna Moore (’60)

Carol Ouverson (’92)

Holly and David Peterson (’84)

Jeffrey and Jane Putzier (’93)

Edwin Renaud (’49)

Andrew Schon (’22)

Barbara Smith

Susan Souder (’77)

Richard Stauffer (’63)

Richard Tadsen

Julie (’80) and Brian Tuttle (’79)

1-YEAR DONORS

Dirk Beekman (’88)

John (’74) and Colleen Carlson (’75)

Thomas Clausen (’88)

Jeremy Davis (’01)

Donald Dickerson (’75)

Martha Evans (’67)

Dawn and Brent Foss (’81)

Lynn (’60) and Karl Griffith (’60)

Sallie Haugen DeReus (’61)

R. Jon Henson (’71)

Daphne Humphlett (’88)

Bruce King (’85)

Courtney Knupp (’07)

Judge Nero Kornegay (’80)

John Larson (’77)

Marlan Logan (’74)

Keith Negley (’91)

Jon Spelman (’62)

Henry Tyrrell (’59)

Dorothy and Merlyn Vander Leest

Joan Waters (’76)

Hustle and Hard Work

Two students are attending model tryouts for the Iowa State Fashion Show. One leans over to whisper, “It’s your number I really want.” That’s the moment Claire Kranto (’15) met her life — and business — partner, Webster Kranto (’15).

“He invited me over and cooked for me: traditional Liberian food, collard greens,” she recalls. “We’ve been together ever since.”

“Together” takes on a new meaning for these Iowa Staters. In addition to running their entrepreneurial venture Budu\Bu, a smoke shop and art collective in four locations across the Des Moines metro, they are heavily involved in their community and global outreach.

The couple has facilitated the sale of fair-trade products throughout their stores. They started the Kranto Education Alliance of Des Moines — for after-school programming — and the Kranto Education Foundation, their nonprofit in

Liberia providing access to schooling and school supplies. Claire teaches fashion design at Des Moines Area Community College and serves on the City of Des Moines Housing Appeals Board. Webster — whose early childhood was spent in war-torn Liberia and then in the Ghana refugee camp Buduburam (where Budu\Bu gets its name) — has been appointed to the Iowa Board of Corrections. He has served as chair of the Des Moines Civil and Human Rights Commission and on a community task force charged with recommending local and state actions concerning marijuana legalization and decriminalization.

How do they do it all while raising three children?

“The key is to have an equal passion for everything,” Webster explains. “We don’t do something that we don’t have the passion for, and we don’t put ourselves in spaces where we can’t be ourselves.”

 Every single thing we do in this business, I learned at Iowa State. I made a plan for our business in my entrepreneur class at Iowa State. My senior collection is this store, Budu\Bu. Iowa has been good to us; it is good for business. It is such a good place to raise a family and grow.

DOWNLOAD YOUR NEW ISUAA DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP CARD TODAY!

The Iowa State University Alumni Association’s digital membership cards replace the previous mobile app. Add it to your Apple or Google Wallet today to easily access your membership benefits. If you haven’t received an email with details on accessing your digital card or have questions, contact Emily Beck at ekieffer@iastate.edu.

ISU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBER INDEX

ANNUAL

Chelsea Lamar p.2

Clayton Mooney p.2

George Trice p.4

Jerome Thompson p.9

Courtney Marshall p.30

Matthew Pavlicek p.33

Samantha Pavlicek p.33

David Anderson p.33

Dean Hunziker p.42

Max F. Rothschild p.42

LIFE

Kirt Walker p.4

Jamie Pollard p.4

Bob Hall p.4

Wendy Wintersteen p.6

C.G. “Turk”

Therkildsen p.7

Joyce McEwen

Therkildsen p.7

Jim Heise p.10

Christy

Johnson-Lynch p.14

Todd Snyder p.27

Jeff Johnson p.30

Peggy Johnson p.30

Paxton Williams p.30

Darius Potts p.31

Renee Potts p.31

Kathryn Wittrock p.32

Eric Wittrock p.32

Rachel Collie p.33

Barry Peterson p.33

Greg Anderson p.33

Dan Barrett p.34

Russ Copley p.38

Carolyn Copley p.38

Gary Thompson p.38

Adam Batcheller p.39

Matt Borgstrand p.39

Amanda De Jong p.40

Ryan De Jong p.40

Darryl Hill p.40

Lauren Hughes p.40

Jeffry Brady p.41

Kristie Sigler p.41

Alice Hudson p.42

Steven G. King p.42

James Frein p.42

Stewart Burger p.51

Congrats to Our Fall 2023

Pop Quiz Winner!

Jared Overmann, a current ISU student, was the first to identify MacKay Memorial Fountain. The fountain in MacKay Hall was installed in 1926 and restored in 2016.

Special shout out to Stewart Burger (’72), an assistant teaching professor at Iowa State, who went the extra mile in answering the fall 2023 pop quiz.

Anne Shimerdla

CEO and president of Blank Park Zoo

While a student at Iowa State, Anne Shimerdla (’98) interned at the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines. The experience confirmed her career path, and in 2020, she was appointed the zoo’s president and CEO. Caring for more than 2,000 animals, Shimerdla and her team work to “inspire an appreciation of the natural world through conservation, education, research, and recreation.”

How important was your internship in leading you to where you are today?

It’s where I found my passion. Growing up, I always loved animals. My great uncle was a volunteer at Brookfield Zoo near Chicago, and I enjoyed hearing his stories. But I never considered it a career until my internship.

Is there a particular place in the zoo or an animal you like to visit each day?

Walking around the grounds is a therapeutic experience. Each animal is unique and has different behaviors to observe and appreciate, but there are a few that hold a special place in my heart. I never miss a chance to check on Barnaby, an Aldabra tortoise around 100 years old. A favorite activity is feeding the giraffe, and watching people interact with these majestic animals is a joy.

What’s on the horizon for Blank Park Zoo?

Since 1966, Blank Park Zoo has welcomed Iowans of all ages to explore the natural world. I’m excited about the next chapter of service to our community. The 20-year master plan is under review, and we are currently fundraising for several projects to improve accessibility, continue animal welfare upgrades, ignite wonder for all Iowans through enhanced education experiences, and expand our conservation practices.

What advice do you have for ISU students interested in careers at zoos?

Studying is important and necessary, but also work to be a well-rounded individual. Join clubs, volunteer, do an internship, work. These extra experiences often build skills for a successful career. Having a positive attitude, a good work ethic, and being self-sufficient and reliable are important. The zoo world is a tight-knit community of professionals, and references go a long way toward securing full-time employment.

At Iowa State, gifts of all sizes to the Cyclone Club directly impact the lives of our student-athletes. These contributions allow them to compete in their sport at the highest level while preparing them to utilize their Iowa State degree once their athletics careers have concluded. Cyclone Club members further our legacy as the Heart of the Nation. We – and they – thank you for your Cyclone Club membership and unending support.

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