VISIONS Magazine: Spring 2015 Issue

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R M E M B E R S O F T H E I O WA S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N |

A N E W W AV E O F F O O D IS BEING PRODUCED AS CLOSE A S Y O U R O W N B A C K YA R D

Spring 2015

G E TTI NG START ED

by Carole Gieseke

CGIESEKE@IASTATE.EDU

Away we grow

Y

ou can see just by looking at this picture that stories about chickens are really fun for me. And why not? I don’t have to feed the chickens, clean up after the chickens, or chase the chickens around the yard. I just get to play with the chickens for an hour or so, talk to their owners, and go back to the office.

And here’s an added bonus: Sometimes I get free eggs out of the deal.

This is something I’ve noticed about backyard farmers. They’re a generous bunch. They love to give away the stuff they grow and raise. “Here,” they say, “take some apples. Take these zucchinis. Here’s a dozen eggs. I have jars of salsa for you – take six.”

And I say, “Sure! Thanks!” I get all of the pleasure and none of the work.

It occurs to me, of course, that I could raise my own food. I have a huge backyard. I could grow some tomatoes, put in a little herb garden, have my own egg-laying chickens. I could can vegetables and make apple butter and freeze homemade pesto. But it just seems like an awful lot of work. It’s a lot easier to drive to the farmers market on Saturdays – they have them six months out of the year, even in Iowa – and pick out what I want. A bunch of basil, a few heirloom tomatoes, some leafy greens, maybe a watermelon.

Fresh, local, yummy.

In the course of working on this issue’s main feature on urban agriculture, I found myself one cold January morning in a room of passionate, food-growing people. Not one of them would probably define himself or herself as a full-scale farmer, but a show of hands indicated that everyone – everyone – in the room EXCEPT FOR ME had within the past year grown food for themselves to eat. And most either sold or gave away food to others.

I was a fish out of water in that room full of gardeners. I self-consciously told one older man that I felt really out of place. “I don’t grow food,” I whispered.

“I buy my local produce from farmers 2

markets.” He introduced himself as one of the vendors at a market in eastern Iowa, and he assured me this was fine – “We need people like you to buy our food,” he said.

My parents never had a vegetable garden, never had fruit trees. I grew up as one of “those” city kids who thought food came from the grocery store. I know better now, of course, and I also know I’m one of the lucky people who never has to worry where my next meal is coming from. I’m fully aware that many people – even in the state of Iowa, with such abundant farmland – go to bed hungry. Too many people.

I learned a lot about food insecurity and the politics of food from the people I talked to for these stories. The idea of going hungry when there are acres of land that could be used to grow food just seems crazy. Some Iowa Staters are trying to change that. They’re pushing for policy changes, forming coalitions, working with schools and churches – and they’re making a difference.

It does almost make me want to grow my own food. Almost. I’ve been eyeing a patch of land across the street

from my house. It’s owned jointly by the families in my neighborhood.

There’s plenty of room to grow food for all of us. I came really close to bringing this idea up at a neighborhood meeting recently, but then I kept my mouth shut. I’m still not sure I wouldn’t rather join a CSA or just keep going to the weekend markets.

It’s just so easy.

But for those of you who are more motivated than I am to grow and raise your own food, we have two great DIY features for you in this issue: one on raising backyard chickens and another on starting your own community garden. The advice is basic, step-bystep, and we’ve included links to more information.

Happy eating! 

JIM HEEMSTRA

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COVER STORY

10

City farmers

FEATURES

28 32

A cycle of support Distinguished Awards Celebration

DEPARTMENTS

2 4 6 26 30 34 44 46

Getting Started Letters to the Editor Around Campus Diversions Newsmakers Association News Sports Calendar

On the cover: How far does your food travel?

For urban agriculturalists, it may be as close as their own backyard. PHOTO BY JIM HEEMSTRA

Printed with soy ink on recycled SOYrecyclable paper. and

PRINTED WITH

TM

Trademark of American Soybean Association

PHOTOS: JIM HEEMSTRA

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

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2014-2015 ISU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Letters 

WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU Let us know what you think about

stories in this issue – or about other topics of interest to VISIONS readers. Email your letters to: CGIESEKE@IASTATE.EDU. OFFICERS

Chair: Thea “Ted” H. Oberlander**# ’77 Industrial Admin.

Des Moines, Iowa Chair-elect: Alan E. Krysan** # ’87 Ag. Business Lakeville, Minn.

Vice Chair of Finance: Ryan J. Schon** ’95 Agronomy Ankeny, Iowa Vice Chair of Records: Ryan M. York** # ’95 Marketing, MBA ’03 West Des Moines, Iowa University Treasurer: Warren R. Madden** # ’61 Industrial Engr.

Ex-officio/voting Ames, Iowa ISU Alumni Association President: Jeffery W. Johnson** # PhD ’14 Ed. Leadership Ex-officio/non-voting Ames, Iowa ELECTED DIRECTORS

Mark D. Aljets** ’79 Indust. Admin.

West Des Moines, Iowa Timothy C. Becker** # ’94 Const. Engr.

Glenwood, Iowa Kenneth R. Bonus** ’85 Construct. Engr.

West Des Moines, Iowa Joy Wiegman Boruff** # ’76 Home Ec. Journ.

Moline, Ill. Eric Burrough** # ’97 DVM, PhD ’11 Vet. Path.

Ames, Iowa Lawrence Cunningham** ’02 Liberal Studies Urbandale, Iowa Craig K. Denny** # ’71 Civil Engr., MS ’73 Lenexa, Kan.

Melanie J. Reichenberger** ’00 Indust. Engr.

Shorewood, Wis.

CAMPUS BABY

I was fascinated by your “Campus Baby” article in the latest issue of VISIONS. Thank you for sharing that remarkable chapter from our history and for approaching it from different perspectives. It was a joy to read.

Dan Winters*

’03 Jlmc Urbandale, Iowa

campus, in my point of view, as I look back at our marriage, raising twin boys, and managing careers and home life. I taught home economics to middle and high school students for 40 years. The best lessons were those that encouraged teenagers to apply what they were studying to real life.

How ironic that the following article in that very same issue of VISIONS is “New business lab offers hands-on learning for students, expertise for Iowa.” Kudos to all who make education come alive!!!!!!!

Julie Rodgers Rosin* ’78 Home Ec. Ed., MS ’81 Ankeny, Iowa

Terrie Craig Sleeman**

Darryl Vincent Samuels* ’88 Pol. Sci., MA ’90 Comm. & Reg. Plan. / Pol. Sci. Pearland, Texas

I have such vivid memories of my time in one of the home management houses, including caring for “our” baby. You did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the experience.

Thank you so much.

’70 home ec ed Fairport, N.Y.

Nicole M. (Bell) Schmidt**# ’09 Const. Engr., MS ’13 Overland Park, Kan.

Jane Armstrong-Byrne*

’57 institution management Calistoga, Calif.

Rebecca Murphy Stadlman**# ’74 Journ. & Mass Comm.

Ankeny, Iowa

CAMPUSTOWN REBORN

ISU celebrates and professes successful alumni entrepreneurship, but in the recent VISIONS, a pair of true innovators and community leaders in the Campustown revitalization were unfortunately overlooked. Anne Taylor (A)( ’90 fashion merchandising) and Roger Ossian (L)(’89 marketing) opened A&R screen printing and embroidery in the fall of 1996, opened their Dogtown retail operation in 2002, and again expanded to their present storefront on Welch in January 2010.

Countless ISU student organizations and

APPOINTED DIRECTORS

Miles Lackey* ISU Assistant to the President Office of the President Representative Ames, Iowa Kim McDonough** ’02 Jlsm. & Mass Comm., MS ’04 College Representative Ames, Iowa Lora L. Talbot** # Non-alumni Representative Belmond, Iowa Joe Kukulski*** Senior, Civil Engr.

Student Alumni Leadership Council Representative Eagan, Minn.

ISU Alumni Association Membership Key: * Annual member ** Life member # 2014 Sustaining Life donor *** Student member

My VISIONS is always a welcome read here in Fairport, N.Y., 1,000 miles away from Ames, where my two brothers and I were raised so that we might attend ISU. The “Campus Baby” article stole my heart. “The home management course” [article] explains in detail the disciplines that were applied while meeting the requirement of the “senior capstone course.” My mother also graduated from Iowa State in home economics education and DID participate in the home management house, but in the ’60s WE were not expected to include that in our coursework.

The “hands on” learning must have been the most valuable lessons ever learned on

Meet the Board: www.isualum.org/board #

Katherine E. Hallenbeck** ’02 Finance / MIS Ankeny, Iowa 4

Ana M. Hays McCracken**# ’84 Fashion Merch.

Menlo Park, Calif.

Trent L. Preszler** ’98 Interdisc. Studies Cutchogue, N.Y.

Immediate Past Chair: David A. VanHorn** # ’89 Aerospace Engr., MS ’90 Kingwood, Texas

Geoffrey C. Grimes** ’69 Architecture Waterloo, Iowa

Duane A. Halverson** # ’67 Ag. Business, MS ’69 New Brighton, Minn.

Meet the ISU Alumni Association staff: www.isualum.org/staff

SPRING 2015 / VOLUME 28 / NO. 1

Carole Gieseke Kate Bruns PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Heemstra DESIGN: Scott Thornton / www.designgrid.com EDITOR:

ASSOCIATE EDITOR:

VISIONS (ISSN 1071-5886) is published quarterly for members of the Iowa State University Alumni Association by the ISU Alumni Association, 420 Beach Avenue, Ames, IA 50011-1430, (515) 2946525, FAX (515) 294-9402. Periodicals postage paid at Ames, Iowa, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VISIONS, ISU Alumni Center, 420 Beach Avenue, Ames, IA 50011-1430. For ad rates please call 515-294-6560. Copyright 2015 by the ISU Alumni Association, Jeffery W. Johnson, president and publisher.

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Ames community organizations have benefited from their willingness to consult, offer suggestions, and provide support since they opened their doors on the proverbial “wing and a prayer” 18 years ago. As the nation supports “Shop Small Saturday,” let us not forget two of our “true and valiant” alums as shining examples of entrepreneurial success.

Glenda Stormes-Bice**

’91 Jlmc Ames, Iowa Charlie Persinger**

’81 ag ed Lawrence, Kan.

was the problem – few alumni knew about it.

I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to attend the Gold Medal Banquet, not once but twice. In 2004 I attended my first Alumni Days. It was the 65th reunion for my dad, Loyd Beecher (’39 ag ed). I really wanted him to attend so that he could receive his gold medal as he had not been able to attend his 50th.

He was 88 years old at the time, and it is one of my fondest memories. The committee members and everyone were all so good to us.

I didn’t know anyone at the reunion, as it was only my 42nd, but my dad and I had an absolutely wonderful time.

I vowed that day that I would be sure and

VISIONS ACROSS AMERICA

I just unearthed a copy of VISIONS Across America from an aged (obviously) stack in our bedroom at the farm. I am simply blown away

at the scope and execution of this beautiful and fascinating issue of the magazine. Although I have mentioned many times to my Iowa State friends the general excellence of VISIONS, this was more than could be reasonably expected. Obviously this was gestating for a long period. I applaud your vision (of course!), planning, writing, editing, and photography. It is superb – and I’m a very tough grader of communications efforts.

I typically go through our hundreds of papers, magazines, etc. and, because it’s necessary, throw them away. Couldn’t do it with this.

Ellen Walvoord**

’61 home ec journalism Lake Forest, Ill. ALUMNI DAYS

I was very disappointed to read that the Alumni Association is discontinuing the May Alumni Days and combining it with Homecoming in the fall. I felt Alumni Days was one of Iowa State’s best-kept secrets. Maybe that

294-6525 1-877-ISU-ALUM (478-2586) www.isualum.org

LOCAL PHONE TOLL-FREE WEBSITE

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, 3280 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

attend my 50th when it came around in 2012.

I kept that promise to myself two years ago and attended with my husband. We were not disappointed. We had the opportunity to sit with fellow graduates whom we had never met, and we all had a great time!

The May Alumni Days was very special because it gave some of us (who didn’t follow football or whose kids did not choose to attend Iowa State) a reason and an opportunity to go back to campus. The weather was warm, and there were not lots and lots of people as it was just our group of alumni. And we felt great to be among the guests of honor – after 50 years.

It was a special tribute to us! We were treated very, very well and the tours were great. The guided campus tour gave us a chance to see the many changes and improvements on campus after 50 years and to see how the area of our field of study had been upgraded.

My husband and I even climbed the steps to the top of the Campanile and viewed a graduate student demonstrating how to play the carillon. It was a long-lost memory for me as I had climbed those same steps during Veishea in May of 1957 prior to attending my first year at Iowa State College, as it was called back then.

One of the reasons stated for combining Alumni Days with Homecoming is because alumni don’t know many of their classmates.

I don’t understand. What better time to get acquainted? Isn’t the purpose of an ISU education to become a better, more well-rounded person? What better way to use that education

The ISU Alumni Association mission: To facilitate the lifetime connection of alumni, students, and friends with the university and each other.

than to become acquainted with other grads at the reunions?

E. Beth Feldick**

’62 home ec journalism Buffalo Center, Iowa Editor’s note: The ISU Alumni Association is proud of its long history of 50-year class reunions. We appreciate your kind words about the wonderful time you had at the reunions you attended; we’re so glad you made the effort to come back to campus.

When we made the decision last summer to discontinue our sponsorship of Alumni Days, it was based on feedback from alumni that many of them don’t relate as much to their graduating classes as they do to other groups, such as Greek organizations, residence hall groups, or to those in their academic departments or student organizations. Under our new plan, we encourage alumni from any class or in any interest group to organize a reunion committee and plan a reunion on campus.

We suggest holding reunions at Homecoming, but they may be planned for any time of the year. The Association staff will assist with communications and publicity for these reunions.

If you would like to organize a reunion, fill out the reunion request form at www.isualum. org/reunions. We can send you our reunionplanning guide to help you organize a successful reunion.

LIFE IS GOOD

I really enjoy reading VISIONS and keeping up to date with ISU alums. I have a granddaughter who is a sophomore at ISU and we are just proud. I taught and loved voc-ag for a few years but went into insurance and real estate after that.

What really turned me on at ISU was a Prof. Garst in the Agronomy Department who said, “It’s a tough old world out there. It takes guts and hard work to succeed.” So I have always remembered and went through ISU in three years, and it’s been my motto since.

I am blessed. Life has been great in 85 years, even with life’s ups and downs.

Davey Smith**

’’56 ag education Waverly, Iowa *Annual member, **Life member Iowa State University values communication with alumni and other audiences, and VISIONS welcomes letters from readers about topics in the magazine. Letters must be signed and include address and daytime phone number.

Letters chosen for publication may be edited for length and clarity. The editor may decide to publish a representative sample of letters on a subject or limit the number of issues devoted to a particular topic. While univer-sities are places of open discussion, letters deemed potentially libelous or that malign a person or group will not be published.

Letters express the views of the readers and not Iowa State University nor the ISU Alumni Association. Send letters to VISIONS Editor, ISU Alumni Center, 420 Beach Ave., Ames, IA 50011-1430.

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Game on

Talk about wraparound coverage. They were wrapped around the arena. It was awesome. The support here is so passionate, and I think that came through.”

PHOTOS: JIM HEEMSTRA

Around Campus

–– College basketball commentator and host Jay Bilas, who joined Rece Davis, Dan Shulman, Jay Williams, and Seth Greenberg in Ames Jan. 17 for the 89th episode of ESPN’s popular “College GameDay” program, experiencing Hilton Magic at its finest for about 24 hours leading up to ISU’s nationally-televised 86-81 win over No. 9 Kansas

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Keeping the promise of higher education

On Jan. 13, ISU President Steven Leath (L) made good on a promise to students from Des Moines’ King Elementary and Moulton Extended Learning Center when he signed the “ISU 4U Promise” agreement with Des Moines Public Schools to create opportunity for students who may otherwise never be able to afford a college education.

“We want smart, determined, motivated people like you to come to Iowa State University,” Leath told about 100 children who attended the kickoff event. “And we promise to have a place for you at Iowa State if you promise to work hard and be the best students you can be.”

Under the agreement, ISU will provide tuition awards to students from the two schools who meet annual Des Moines school attendance and disciplinary requirements, set annual performance goals with their teachers, maintain portfolios, and submit letters of interest to the university when they finish fifth grade. Students who qualify must meet all university admissions standards, complete the ACT test during their junior years, and formally apply for admission during their senior years. Students will receive up to 100 percent tuition awards as a result of participating in the program, but officials say the program is about much more than just financial aid.

“We want to be a resource for these schools and families and be responsive to their needs,” said Katherine Richardson Bruna, an ISU associate professor of education who is leading the project on campus. “We also want to learn from them about the knowledge they have to offer that can help us prepare more effective educational professionals. It’s not intended to be a prescription or an imposition; it’s a relationship.”

Learn more at www.isu4u.org.

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

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With all the clubs and activities available on campus, what made you choose boxing?

A lot of people ask me that question, and I don’t have a fantastic answer. I think I was inspired by the movie “Million Dollar Baby,” because I love Clint Eastwood.

So it was just an itsy bitsy spark – not a huge flame. But I went over to the practices and just kind of hit it off.

people who officially compete, and I am the only woman. The first couple of times you’re sparring, it’s awful. After the first time I got into the ring I didn’t want to do it again because I just felt like, “Wow, I’m awful. I’m terrible.”

But it just takes practice.

practice with high intensity cardiovascular training, muscle training, and endurance training. I’d say I put in about three to four hours a day just training for boxing, and that’s a significant amount. It’s demanding, but if you like it I think it’s worth it.

So, if you’re the only woman in the club who spars, does that mean you practice against men

Tell us about winning the NBCA title.

Well, I competed against the same girl at regionals and nationals because there aren’t many girls in the sport. So just realize that, compared to the guys who had to fight four or five guys to get there, I didn’t have to do as much.

The competition was held in Eisenhower Hall on the military base at West Point, so everything was high security and intense.

They had videocameras and CBS television there and they interviewed me after – which was good, because my family was able to watch it on TV when it aired.

National Champion Olivia Meyer and the ISU Boxing Club train in the basement of State Gym.

What was it like walking into the boxing club as a novice?

Initially, it is intimidating. But once you figure out you’re surrounded by a whole bunch of other people like you who just want to learn how to box, and everybody is really nice about it, everything is okay.

Some people are just there for the workout – and that’s okay, too, and a lot of people drop out. But eventually you actually have to work with partners and spar – that’s the whole point of boxing, you know.

We have maintained about five

who are larger than you are?

Yep; I have to. Sometimes you have to tell them to slow down or stop, but they’re pretty good about it. If you tell them to step off, they’ll step off. But I’ve ripped my eardrum several times, had a bloody nose, lip, you know – what you’d expect.

What does it take to train as a competitive boxer?

You have to come two hours a day, six to seven days a week, and then you also have to train outside of

How does your family feel about you boxing?

My dad has four girls and is the only guy in our family, so I think he’s happy about it. But obviously, none of them like to see me get hurt. I don’t think Mom could ever watch it; she’s still supportive, but she doesn’t want to watch it.

How did you end up in Glamour magazine?

I got an email from the freelancer, who was looking for women from each state to feature. I immediately called my mom. She laughed and said, “Well, Glamour’s not really your magazine – but go for it.”

PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER GANNON

›› OUTSIDE OF THE BOX

Around Campus 8

Dyersville native Olivia Meyer, a kinesiology major, discovered the sport of boxing while attending ISU’s annual “Clubfest” showcase her freshman year. She played soccer in high school, she says, and wanted to find a collegiate pursuit that would allow her to keep up her fitness and perhaps give her a chance to compete. Today, Meyer is president of the ISU Boxing Club, the club’s lone female competitor, a National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) national champion, and a Glamour magazine “Phenomenal Woman of the Year Who is Making a Difference.” VISIONS recently caught up with Meyer to find out what drives her in the sport of boxing.

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You have said it is difficult to find fights. Do you wish more women would enter the sport?

I would love to see more women enter the sport. It’s upsetting to see so many people sign up and be super excited and come to practice but eventually fade away.

It’s like, “Nooooo! Come back!”

But we see the same number of men get excited, too, and drift away for the same reasons. While I think women leave the sport at the same rate as men do, I do think because of male physiology it’s a little easier for [men] to work at the high intensity without going through muscle atrophy. You definitely have to put in a lot of work.

What do you love about boxing?

I actually really like training for it. But I also do like the moment before you get in the ring and have all the adrenaline rushing through you. I get scared before every fight. I get nervous. Once you step in the ring, you just get tunnel vision. It’s you and the opponent; everything else around you is a blur for that 10 minutes that you’re in there. It’s a really cool experience.

5 cool things you should know and share about ISU

Star Bright On Jan. 26, the Astrophysical Journal published a paper authored by the University of Birmingham’s (U.K.) Tiago Campante and co-authored by ISU professor of physics and astronomy Steve Kawaler describing the recent discovery of an 1 1.2-billion-year-old star surrounded by at least five Earth-sized planets. Kepler-444, a star that’s 25 percent smaller than our sun and 1 17 light years from Earth, was discovered thanks to the work of NASA’s Kepler spacecraft research team of which Kawaler is a part.

Researchers say the discovery will play a key role in unlocking some of the major mysteries of planet formation in the Milky Way. “This is one of the oldest systems in the galaxy,” Kawaler said. “Kepler-444 came from the first generation of stars. This system tells us that planets were forming around stars nearly 7 billion years before our own solar system.”

ISU Foundation changes leadership

Larissa Holtmyer Jones

In February, the Iowa State University Foundation Board of Directors announced that Roger Neuhaus (L), president and chief executive officer, would be leaving the organization and that Larissa Holtmyer Jones (L)(’94 marketing, MBA ’03) is the Foundation’s new president and CEO. During Holtmyer Jones’ 17 years with the Foundation she has held numerous leadership positions, including serving as the vice president of development.

“Larissa is a seasoned fundraising professional, and we are excited that she has agreed to step into this leadership role,” said Len Rodman (L)(’71 civil engineering), chairman of the Foundation’s board of directors. “We look forward to working with her, the senior management team, and the rest of the Foundation staff.”

1: Iowa State has the foodies flocking to Ames: As interest in the culinary arts and the science of food grows nationwide, enrollment in Iowa State’s food science and human nutrition programs has nearly doubled within the past 10 years from 314 to 614 students. “Our alums are everywhere doing good things,” professor and chair Ruth MacDonald said.

“We probably have a food science graduate in every major food company you can think of.”

2: Iowa State is championing open access: Harrison Inefuku, the creator of the ISU Library’s digital repository, has been named one of the Des Moines Register’s “15 People to Watch in 2015” for being what nominators describe as “the face and voice for open access to public research for all of us.” A native of Hawaii, Inefuku came to ISU in 2012. “We work for the people of the state. And one of the land-grant wishes is to take knowledge and share it,” he says.

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

3: Iowa State is a “best value”: Kiplinger’s

Personal Finance recently ranked Iowa State University among its 100 “best value” public universities. ISU came in at No. 70 on the latest list.

4: Iowa State is taking action: ISU participated

in the White House College Opportunity Day of Action Dec. 3 in Washington, D.C., announcing its commitment to President Barack Obama to help more Americans earn college degrees through such programs as Science Bound, learning communities, the University Innovation Alliance, and financial aid.

5: Iowa State is a great place to learn jour-

nalism: The website www.learn.org recently named ISU’s Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication one of the country’s best journalism schools, noting that alumni from the school have won a total of five Pulitzer Prizes.

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hree-year-old Colette Looft is charmed by her family’s flock of backyard chickens in Ames.

Iowa State alumna Susan Moores manages “Roots for the Home Team” in the Twin Cities.

A backyard farm in Des Moines provides fresh food year-round.

H O W FA R D O E S Y O U R F O O D T R AV E L? F O R U R B A N A G R I C U LT U R A L I S T S , I T M AY B E B L O C K S I N S T E A D O F M I L E S

rban agriculture.

It’s about finding a pocket of land – an empty lot, a community garden, a porch planter – and growing FOOD. It’s about finding space to address the growing food insecurity and lack of healthy food in inner cities. And it’s about building collaborative community food networks.

Think community gardens. Shared-use kitchens. Food hubs. Church and school gardens. Backyard chickens. Public edible landscapes.

ISU Extension and Outreach, the College of Design’s Community Design Lab, and Iowa State alumni are all involved in the urban agriculture movement. Learn more about the new wave of urban farming and what YOU can do in your own neighborhood. by c a r o l e G i e s e k e

Photography by Jim Heemstra Landscape architecture students meet with Zachary Mannheimer, executive director of the Des Moines Social Club.

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Ed Moran, who inherited his flock of chickens, learned a lesson after once leaving the garden gate open. “I became that neighbor that chases chickens down the street without a shirt on,” he said.

Urban HENPECKED CITY DWELLERS DOTE ON T H E I R B A C K YA R D B R O O D S

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chickens SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

d Moran is cleaning chicken poop off of his back patio, a space he power-washed less than an hour ago.

“Welcome to the world of urban chickens,” he says, laughing.

Moran (’99 horticulture) is part of a growing trend of city dwellers who keep a small flock of laying hens in their backyards.

“I keep tabs on the website www.backyardchickens.com,” says Christa Hartsook (A) (’98 Jlmc), a small-farms specialist for ISU Extension and Outreach. “In 2007 they started a small forum with 50 members. Three years later they were up to 50,000 members.

Today’s membership is more than 300,000.”

Moran fell into chicken ownership quite by accident: The home he bought in a quiet Ames neighborhood had a small chicken operation in the backyard.

“I inherited chickens with the house,” he said. “It never crossed my mind to do this before.”

But Moran, like so many others, has embraced his backyard brood. Urban chicken enthusiasts build elaborate chicken habitats, obsess over the best mix of feed, debate chicken breeds, and celebrate the fresh, daily eggs they collect right outside their back doors.

Motivation for starting a backyard flock can vary.

“Chickens represent a safe and small enterprise for people to begin in a backyard,” says Hartsook, who raises poultry herself.

“Chickens don’t require large amounts of space, are inexpensive, and are familyfriendly.”

Last spring, Amy Feller (L)(’97 transportation & logistics / German) got four chickens as a gift for her birthday. “I’ve always wanted “I will eat this one,” says Colette Looft, holding out a small blue egg.

Colette has a younger brother, Patrick.

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

chickens,” she said. “I have at least 10 friends who have chickens.” Feller keeps the hens in a coop in her yard in New Braunfels, Texas, not far from San Antonio.

Torey Looft (PhD ’12 microbiology) and his wife, Sandra, an academic adviser in ISU’s World Languages and Cultures Department, wanted their two young children to see where food comes from.

“My grandparents had chickens, and I loved the baby chicks,” Sandra said. “I wanted to recreate that for my kids.”

Before embarking on their chicken project, the Loofts watched a documentary about urban chickens at Wheatsfield, a local food co-op in Ames. That made it more real – and exciting.

They bought a chicken coop crafted by Iowa State architectural design students, one of 20 sold at an auction in fall 2013 as part of a student design-build project. The structures had to meet the specific needs of chickens: space to live and space to range, a place to rest and a place to lay eggs, shade from the sun and shelter from the cold.

The heritage-breed hens in the Loofts’ backyard – the speckled Ameraucana, Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, and New Hampshire Red – lay five or six eggs each day, enough to provide eggs for the family – with some to spare.

“We give the eggs as peace offerings to our neighbors, for having the chickens,” Torey said.

“It’s been a great way to meet my neighbors,” Moran agreed. “If I need anything, I can always give them a dozen eggs. There’s that community aspect.”

Torey Looft and his 3-year-old daughter, Colette, greet chickens in their Ames backyard.

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how to

raise backyard chickens by a n dy l a r s o n

What’s the first thing I should do before deciding to raise backyard chickens?

First, see if it’s legal. As the level of interest in raising backyard poultry continues to rise, more and more municipalities are either enforcing old ordinances pertaining to the keeping of “livestock” within city limits, or drafting new ordinances. You may need to apply for a permit. Second, in the interest of keeping the peace in the neighborhood, it would be worth talking to close neighbors about your idea of getting backyard chickens.

What are the main benefits of raising backyard chickens?

The eggs! They’re delicious and nutritious, you know where they came from and how the birds were treated, and they make great gifts for the neighbors who are tolerating your chicken habit! A close second would be the companionship and learning opportunities for your family, especially the kids.

They get to learn how to raise a pet up from a baby (or even an egg!), the daily routine of chores and egg-gathering, and how to cook with food they have raised themselves.

How much initial financial investment should I expect?

At the most basic, adult chickens need a feeder, a waterer, and a decent coop with nest box and roost. A good gravity feeder with a grill on the trough (to prevent wasted feed) will probably run you $25. A waterer with a heating element in the base (to keep your water from freezing in winter) will probably cost you $35-40. Then you need to buy the feed itself, which will probably run $12-15 per 50-lb bag at the local farm supply store.

The chicks themselves only cost a couple bucks apiece, but if you are going to brood day-old chicks (which most people do) you 14

are going to need a chick feeder, a no-drown waterer, and a heat lamp with a red bulb to keep those little fluff balls at 90+ degrees Fahrenheit for the first couple of weeks.

None of these things are too pricey, probably $4-7 each.

All told, if you already have a big doghouse or small garden shed that you can retrofit into a coop, you can start out in the chicken business for $100. However, many do-it-yourselfers do tend to spend much more.

How much time will I need to spend each day tending to the flock?

It’s literally only minutes a day: five to seven minutes in the morning to open the chicken door and give a little feed and water, another five to 10 minutes over lunch or after work to gather the day’s eggs and watch the birds for a minute to make sure everyone looks happy and healthy, and finally a minute or two at night to close the door to the coop and keep the girls safe from predators.

Add in a coop controller to open and close the door, and your daily time investment is even lower.

However, there will be days when things take more time, like when you have to scoop the dirty litter out of the coop and into the compost pile, replacing it with fresh shavings. Or if one of the girls is acting unhealthy and you have to diagnose the illness.

Is there a downside to raising backyard chickens?

Sure. It’s really hard to lose one (or all) of your chickens, whether it’s due to predators, disease, or simply that your birds eventually get too old to lay productively and you can’t justify the cost of keeping them around.

The other downside to backyard chickens is that they limit your ability to leave for

extended periods of time, because they need daily attention. Keep your neighbors happy, and they may be willing to chicken-sit.

Will the chickens become pets? Is it OK to name them?

My personal rule is to never name my chickens because a chicken with a name crosses the line from livestock to pet, and it just makes end-of-life issues that much harder. But there are many chickens with names out there, which is fine if your primary purpose of keeping them is to have additional pets. Just remember that dogs and cats tend to be on a different plane than chickens; it’s hard to find poultry vets, and you’re probably not going to go to the same financial and emotional lengths to save a chicken as you would a dog. As such, you and your family have to be prepared to experience the death of a chicken.

How long do the chickens live? How long will they lay eggs? What happens to them after they stop laying?

Chickens are likely to be very efficient producers of good-quality eggs for their first couple of laying cycles. After that, the eggs starting getting fewer and further between, with reduced quality, until laying tapers off altogether. A chicken can still live well beyond active laying, but you have to value them for either their manure or their companionship in order to justify keeping them around. Otherwise, it’s time to pull out your favorite recipe for chicken soup.

Where do I buy the baby chicks? How old will the chickens be before they start laying eggs?

Buy your chicks from a reputable hatchery that carries the breed(s) of chicken you want, will vaccinate your chicks before they ship, and is willing to answer your questions when you need an expert to troubleshoot. Your birds are going to be five to six months old, depending on the breed, before they lay their first eggs.

How do I determine which breed to choose?

If your goal is to have maximum feedefficient egg production, you are probably going to be looking at one of the hybrid breeds, like Red Stars or Black Stars, or at one of the more productive heritage breeds, like the Rhode Island Red. Many hobby producers choose dual-purpose breeds that can be good for both eggs and meat – Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Australorps, etc.

Some people really love chickens that have beautiful coloration or rare characteristics, and they often choose a showy variety which might include Polish with their tufted heads, Cochins with their feathered feet, SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

What should I feed my chickens?

Chickens tend to perform best on a premixed complete feed ration from a feed supplier or farm store. These are primarily comprised of corn and soybeans as well as specific vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that chickens need to be healthy and high-performing. Chickens are omnivorous, and a backyard chicken producer can certainly give them unspoiled food scraps from the house as a treat, but it can’t be their whole diet.

What about the coop and the run? How big do these need to be – and how is the best way to approach building them?

It’s best to locate your coop in a place that is high and dry (think about water flow and ponding during heavy rains or snow melt), has a clear line of sight from your house, and is not right on your property line (just in case your neighbor is not as excited about your chickens as you are). Your chicken coop ought to have about two square feet of floor space per bird housed. You’ll also need around 14-16 inches of roost space per bird; a large wooden dowel like a closet rod, or a 2x4 ripped in half, work nicely as a roost.

You should have organic litter material in the coop – pine shavings are good – for cleanliness, dryness, and ease of cleaning.

You should have one nest box for every 4-5 chickens. Nest boxes should be 12"x12"x12" with a slanted roof to prevent roosting.

Raise them off the floor but not higher than your roosts; have a bar for the birds to land on before they step in and a toe board to keep the bedding material in.

South-facing windows with an overhang are great for maximum light and also some passive warming in the winter. Coops can’t be drafty in the winter, but there has to be air exchange, so even if your windows don’t open, you’ll have to have vents to let fresh air in. Just make sure to cover all vent and window openings with hardware cloth to exclude predators; don’t use chicken wire because, despite the name, it tends not to be strong enough and the holes are too big.

If you insulate your coop, make sure the insulation itself is covered over by some other building material because chickens love to eat insulation.

Will I save money on eggs by raising chickens?

Most people don’t. They spend too much on the coop and equipment, or they don’t factor in their costs of production, and the VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

payback period to recoup their investment starts to get pretty long. At the backyard scale, saving on groceries should not be the primary motivation for keeping chickens.

videos on YouTube that you made when you were with ISU Extension & Outreach, what are some other good resources for folks who are just starting out in the backyard chicken biz?

How do I protect my chickens from predators?

There are some good books on the basics of backyard chickens out there, including Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens, The Small-Scale Poultry Flock, and The Chicken Whisperer’s Guide to Keeping Chickens, among others. There are also some periodicals that use authoritative authors, like Backyard Poultry Magazine. I like to get my information from university extension services because their material tends to be the most science-based and unbiased. The University of Maryland Extension has a great, concise publication called Raising Your Home Chicken Flock.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention online forums, like BackyardChickens. com. Every backyard flock owner I know has been on here. User forums such as this tend to be a wealth of experience-based information from hobbyists and enthusiasts, but there is always the risk of bad information based on rumors or specific conditions that will not be relevant in your situation. Be a conscientious consumer of this type of information, and consider verifying its validity before betting the health and wellbeing of your flock on it.

You build your coop like Fort Knox, and you keep your chickens in there at night when the raccoons, opossums, coyotes, etc. tend to be the most active. Anything with sharp teeth and a backbone tends to be pretty interested in getting a taste of your flock. I don’t like to have openings bigger than a dime when my chicken coop is all closed up, and if I do I cover them with hardware cloth. Also, this is why I have splurged on automatic door closers that can be programmed to close the chicken door at night after they have come home to roost. You may even want to day-range your birds in a fenced-in chicken run.

This probably doesn’t have to be as buttoned-down as your coop – materials like chicken wire or wildlife netting ought to suffice – but you’ll want to make the sides high enough to encourage the chickens to stay in and other beasties to stay out.

How many eggs should I expect per week?

Your best hybrid layer breeds, like the Red Stars and Black Stars, lay one egg every 25 hours or so, meaning that in an average week you can expect seven eggs from each chicken as long as they have adequate nutrition, good health, and minimal stress.

Andy Larson and his wife, Kate (MA ’08 science education), raise chickens and children in northern Illinois.

Can I keep my chickens outdoors during the winter? Will they continue to lay eggs during the winter?

Your chickens can certainly day-range outdoors during the winter, but I’d prefer to see them have an inside place, like a coop, to roost at night for protection from both the elements and predators. The coop doesn’t really have to be warm, but it should be above freezing, usually using heat lamps with red bulbs. You can buy thermostatically controlled electrical outlets that will turn your heat lamps on when the coop temperature falls below 35 degrees, and turn them off again when the temp goes above 45 degrees.

Also, chickens are very photoperiod sensitive and are naturally inclined to slow down laying as the days get shorter. If you want eggs consistently through the winter, it’s a good idea to provide supplemental light for a total of about 14 lighted hours per day. A compact fluorescent bulb on an outdoor timer inside the coop works great for this.

Andy, besides your terrific series of

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Frizzles with their almost curly feathers, or Araucanas with their funny beards and blue-green eggs. If you live in the Midwest, you are going to want chickens that can tolerate both extreme heat and severe cold.

ask the expert

andy larson Andy Larson (MBA ’08) is a local food systems and small farms educator at the University of Illinois Extension. He formerly held a similar position with Iowa State Extension and Outreach.

Watch Andy Larson’s “How to raise backyard chickens” video series at www.youtube.com/ user/uknowvideos produced by ISU Extension & Outreach 15

cedar rapids a case study

URBAN AG IS ALIVE AND WELL IN I O W A’ S S E C O N D - L A R G E S T C I T Y

hen it comes to the urban agriculture movement in the state of Iowa, it seems that all roads lead to Cedar Rapids.

A devastating flood in 2008 left 10 square miles of the city – including the downtown area and adjacent neighborhoods – submerged in water when the Cedar River crested at 31.12 feet (19 feet about flood stage) on June 13. More than 5,000 family homes were damaged or destroyed. About 1,400 of them have since been demolished.

As Cedar Rapids continues to redevelop, so too does the opportunity develop to solve some of the city’s issues with food insecurity.

Currently, an estimated 26,000 people in Cedar Rapids go to bed hungry. About 60 percent of its schoolchildren are on free and reduced lunch.

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SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

ISU alumna Neo Mazur checks her tomatoes at Matthew 25’s Cultivate Hope Urban Farm in a residential neighborhood not far from Diamond V mill. The neighborhood was under water during the flood of 2008.

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Tess Romanski works in a vegetable plot at First Congregational United Church of Christ. The Food Corps garden is a partnership between Johnson School of the Arts, Boys and Girls Club, Girl Scouts, and the church.

Neo Mazur holds a variety of peppers freshly harvested from the Cultivate Hope Urban Farm.

But this city now represents some of the best policies and projects in the state: zoning laws that allow urban agriculture to thrive, a commitment to designation as a “Blue Zones” healthy community, and a comprehensive city food system plan.

Iowa State connections are strong in this eastern Iowa community, with a highly engaged Linn County Extension team, alumni working in all sectors of the industry, and a new College of Design Community Design Lab agricultural urbanism project in development.

It was time to pay this city a visit.

One day last August, members of the VISIONS editorial staff headed to Iowa’s second-largest city to see what was happening here. On a day where the combined heat and humidity topped the heat index at an even 100 degrees, and thunderstorms rolled through intermittently, it was clear that the 2008 flood had opened up acres of opportunity.

Cultivate Hope Urban Farm

It’s not yet 7 a.m., and already the air is hot and sultry. A stormy sky threatens to scuttle the first photo shoot of the day, at the Cultivate Hope Urban Farm.

Neo Mazur (’12 global resources systems / world languages & cultures) greets us with a friendly smile and a handful of long beans. Mazur is the Cultivate Hope farm & school garden manager.

The urban farm is a project of Matthew 25, an independent, local nonprofit organization in Cedar Rapids. Matthew 25’s mission is to strengthen core neighborhoods on the west side of the city. This small farm is located at the corner of 6th St. NW and G Ave. NW – in a low-income neighborhood that’s, not surprisingly, in a flood plane.

The idea of growing food here was created following the 2008 flood.

“This area was a food desert,” Mazur says. “They wanted to do something with the empty lot.”

More than 1,200 homes in this area were damaged in the flood. Many were not 18

rebuilt. This two-acre farm is Iowa’s first urban farm education center.

Children come to the garden to play on the natural playground structures. Families take evening walks here. Weeklong summer camps are held in this space, sponsored by FoodCorps, Linn County Extension, 4-H, and other groups.

The 2014 growing season is the third one in this location. Today, Mazur is harvesting heirloom tomatoes, beans, peppers, melons, and eggplant. Across the street is another plot and a row of apple trees.

Mazur grew up in Ames, the daughter of an ISU professor. She says she “hated gardening” when she was a kid. But today she’s bursting with pride as she offers a taste of her small, yellow Wapsipinicon Peach tomatoes.

Urban farming is “thinking about farming in a different way,” Mazur says. “It’s possible; you just have to think about space in a different way.”

faith and education

Our visit to the Matthew 25 urban farm is cut short by a brief cloudburst, which cools the air for about five minutes. When it’s over, the humidity is higher than ever.

Our next stop is at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, the site of one of several faith gardens in Cedar Rapids. In its location directly across from Johnson School of the Arts elementary, this vegetable farm is teaching kids about growing their own food.

In this city, where 60 percent of kids receive free or reduced lunches, Ann (Ewoldt) Torbert (’89 child, parent & community service) says it’s important for children to know where their food comes from. Torbert, a 4-H youth specialist for ISU Extension and Outreach, oversees the FoodCorps program administered through the Linn County office.

FoodCorps is a national program that connects kids to growing food, access to healthy foods, and education. It’s a partnerSPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

Jason Grimm coordinates food distribution from Iowa Valley Food Co-op growers at the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program warehouse. Most of the warehouse space is used to store food for local food banks.

ship with the better-known AmeriCorps.

Here in Cedar Rapids, Tess Romanski is the local FoodCorps service representative and a member of the county Extension staff.

Romanski, a 2012 Luther College graduate, is in her second year with the program.

The education leaders at Johnson School of the Arts wanted to establish a vegetable plot, but the school didn’t have enough space, so the garden was established across the street at the church.

She brings first- through third-graders into the garden to teach them lessons on planting, what to do with the food, and composting the garden waste.

“Most kids enjoy it,” she says. “It’s so interesting being outside with the kids after school. Once they’re in the garden, they’re really focused.” feed iowa first

Sonia Kendrick (’12 agronomy) grew up in Cedar Rapids with parents she describes as “Crippies.”

“You know, Christian hippies,” she says.

“We had a couple of acres. Everything was pretty natural. We didn’t have a TV; we had to play outside. I can remember walking behind my mom putting seeds in the ground.”

Kendrick became an electrician and then joined the Army. When she returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, she had trouble reintegrating and eventually lost her job during the economic downturn. Faced with no job and a trade she really didn’t enjoy anyway, Kendrick called Iowa State.

“I wanted to be a farmer,” she says. “I was interested in food democracy and growing food and how everything works.”

She came to Iowa State and studied agronomy. And after graduation in 2012, she had a revelation.

“The ISU mantra was, ‘Iowa feeds the world,’” she says. “Well, I was volunteering at some food pantries, and what I saw VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

Jason Grimm shares a laugh with grower Bob Vanous of Morgan Creek Farm.

changed my perspective. What does it matter if Iowa feeds the world? We’re not even feeding Iowa.”

Kendrick founded Feed Iowa First, a non-profit organization designed to help feed the hungry and encourage new farmers in Cedar Rapids and Linn County.

“We need to grow two-and-a-half cups of vegetables daily for each person in Cedar Rapids – for the 26,000 people who are food insecure,” she explains. “To do that would take 500 acres. There are 800 acres surrounding churches alone.”

Feed Iowa First currently has 25 acres of land in production, producing 30,000 pounds of vegetables annually, with the goal of expanding to 500 acres within the city limits of Cedar Rapids. Seven “faith gardens” are located on church properties; three more are on the campuses of Rockwell Collins and other corporations. Plots are tended mostly by volunteers – and Kendrick herself – and all of the fresh produce is donated through food pantries, halfway houses, Meals on Wheels, and in collaboration with ISU’s Linn County Extension and the Blue Zone project.

Kendrick has become a full-fledged food activist. She was honored in March 2014 at the White House as a women veteran leaders “Champion of Change.”

“I believe in food democracy,” she says.

“Food is not just for people who can afford it. If I can show that we can feed Linn County with this model, we can feed every county.” farming by square foot

By now, the afternoon heat is sweltering.

At the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program warehouse in nearby Hiawatha, Jason Grimm (’09 environmental studies / landscape architecture) is fully immersed in his role as a coordinator for the Iowa Valley Food Co-op producers.

Local growers are dropping off this

week’s produce in carefully labeled boxes: kale, zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, raspberries, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes. This is not big ag; it’s food production by the minivan-full. And the food is not traveling across the continent; it’s staying local. It will soon be heading to Cedar Rapids-area Hy-Vee grocery stores.

Grimm is a food system planner for Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development, a nonprofit organization serving Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Linn, Poweshiek, and Tama counties. His ISU senior thesis on food urbanism informed the way he views food production.

“Food should be incorporated into civic planning like electricity and utilities,” he says. “There should be a plan for community gardens, for operating farms within the community, for school gardens. The production of food needs to be part of the infrastructure.”

Although he hasn’t yet seen much change in urban agriculture policies in the state of Iowa, Cedar Rapids is an exception.

“Cedar Rapids changed its zoning code to allow urban agriculture to happen,” he explains. “The 2008 flood helped – it made so much land vacant that they couldn’t figure out what to do with it all.”

He says urban farms are “farming by square foot, not by acre.” Even big-city dwellers can find creative ways to grow food, he says, by using pots, hanging plants off of decks and canopies, and creating vertical trellis structures.

Grimm is also involved with a more traditional farming operation. He helps run his family’s farm, located south of Williamsburg, with his parents and grandparents. Grimm Family Farm Raises poultry and grows black turtle beans, potatoes, and other produce.

Community organizers can launch their own projects by first educating their citizens, he said. “People don’t even know how much they CAN do,” he said.

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T E E N E N T R E P R E N E U R S + G A R D E N - F R E S H F O O D + B I G -T I M E B A S E B A L L =

‘Roots for the Home Team’

By M a ry G u n d e r s o n

Susan Moores works the Garden Goodies salad cart with students Tony Lee, Imogene Silver, and Tsminuj Yang at a Twins game last August.

The students grow vegetables for the salads in gardens in east St. Paul.

aseball fans savor the food rituals: cold beer, peanuts in the shell, and – for Minnesota Twins fans – meal-sized bowls of fresh, crisp salad.

Salad!? At the ballgame?! Yup. Since 2012, Minneapolis’s Roots for the Home Team brings young urban agriculturalists together with hungry fans in the midst of Major League Baseball.

“I wanted to change up the food mix at Target Field,” says Susan Dunn Moores (L) (’80 food science), the creative mind at the venture’s heart.

Moores developed close associations 20

with Urban Roots and Youth Farm, Twin Cities neighborhood garden programs with years of experience fostering youth leadership with sustainability and environmentally sound practices to raise and sell organic produce. Moores and 30 paid student interns from these garden partners form Roots’ core sales and marketing team.

In the first three years, 70 percent of the produce for Roots for the Home Team salads was purchased from the garden partners. Moores relies on Co-op Partners Warehouse for additional supplies and to ensure the young growers’ produce meets commercial standards for harvesting, pack-

ing, and shipping for food service. Target Field’s Minnesota Sportservice prepares retail product for the games.

Moores, a long-time entrepreneurial registered dietitian, gained corporate support for Roots’ efforts. The Twins Community Fund, Blue Cross Blue Shield Minnesota, Land O’ Lakes, JustBare Chicken, and others provide direct funding or in-kind services such as marketing support.

Pre-season, Moores and the students collaborate, brainstorming and planning product and sales ideas before rolling the Garden Goodies cart into place at Target Field. In 2014 the Roots crew offered six SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

home run salad varieties at 18 games – with two salads in rotation at each game – including the League’s All-Star Game. All told, more than 130 youth were involved in the program.

One hot July Sunday afternoon, four students alternate in pairs, enticing customers with free samples and selling the finished product to hungry fans.

“I like fresh, local food,” says a 20something woman, tasting the Tic-Tac-Taco Salad with corn, black beans, kale, and queso fresco. “I’m surprised to find it here!”

An older woman takes a sample, then smiles broadly, reaching for her wallet.

“Good idea!”

One dad feeds his year-old son a bite of tomato. Son munches, dad grins. “At least I can say I had a salad at the ballpark,” he says.

Moores stands by at the cash register.

She had envisioned satisfied customers.

But she didn’t expect the broad benefits for her young sales associates.

“They rise to the occasion,” Moores says. She sees growth in teamwork, honesty, and persistence. The students gain unexpected recognition, too. Moores

FIND MORE SALAD RECIPES ONLINE W W W. R O O T S F O R T H E HOMETEAM.ORG

Big Bang Seoul Salad Urban Roots youth rallied around this Korean salad concept. It features several of the vegetables found in their seven gardens on the east side of St. Paul.

SALAD 8 oz. uncooked wide rice noodles (pad Thai) 1 1/2 c. chopped broccoli florets 1 c. chopped radishes 1 c. sweet peas (frozen and thawed) or sliced sugar snaps 1 c. chopped cucumber 1 c. shredded carrots 1/2 c. shelled edamame, fresh or frozen and thawed 1/3 c. sliced green onions

DRESSING 1/2 c. canola or olive oil 1/4 c. rice vinegar 2 T. tamari soy sauce 2 T. honey 2 T. Korean gochujang chile sauce 2 t. toasted sesame oil

8 c. salad greens 1/2 c. chopped roasted and salted cashews or peanuts Black sesame seeds, optional DIRECTIONS 1. Break noodles into shorter lengths; cook according to package directions.

Rinse with cool water; drain well.

2. Meanwhile, mix remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in cooked noodles.

3. To make the dressing, whisk oil, vinegar, tamari, honey, gochujang, and sesame oil together in a small bowl.

4. Toss dressing with noodle mixture; spoon over greens. Garnish with nuts and sesame seeds.

Makes 8 servings © Roots for the Home Team

says, “Customers actually come back after eating the salads and say, ‘Thanks!’”

Tsminuj (SHEE-new) Yang, 16 and a high school junior, gardened extensively with his family before his student-intern experience. “All I knew, I learned again in a different way,” he says.

Now he’s looking toward his future.

“Getting this internship widens what I can do. It’s a good starting point for public speaking and entrepreneurship.”

In her second season as a Roots intern, 15-year-old Imogene Silver, a high school sophomore, owned the honor of creating Roots for the Home Team’s Cracklin’ Cajun Salad, drawing upon flavors from her family’s Cajun heritage. The seven-vegetable garden rainbow features black-eyed peas, green peppers, and hot-pepper sauce. “That

was fun,” Silver says. “I like to see people enjoying our food.”

Beyond Target Field, Roots promotes and sells the salads in two Twin Cities co-op grocery stores and at several Kowalski’s Markets. The Roots team even marketed the garden partners’ beets for beet-flavored ice cream at locally owned Izzy’s Ice Cream Shops in 2014.

Moores expects new products this year, plus Garden Goodies carts and sales teams at more athletics venues in the Twin Cities.

“I’m always on the prowl,” Moores says, “to keep Roots growing and interesting.”

Mary Gunderson (L)(’77 home economics journalism) of Edina, Minn., is an author, lecturer, and the owner of History Cooks.

Student entrepreneurs prepare sample-sized portions of Big Bang Seoul and Mela’s TaterThorne salads to offer to passing fans. To a customer who’s surprised that the kids grew the vegetables themselves, Susan Moores assures her, “They’re great farmers.”

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

21

Community

planning n the heart of downtown Des Moines, teams of Iowa State students are presenting their unique visions toward a singular goal: growing food in the city.

The designs, presented at the Des Moines Social Club at 9th and Mulberry last fall, take advantage of urban spaces like courtyards, rooftops, and alleyways. These “public edible landscapes” are just one small part of a growing movement to create holistic food systems that assist in community redevelopment, revitalization, and sustainability.

“It’s important to work with communities,” says Courtney Long (’10 landscape architecture, MS ’12 sustainable agriculture), design fellow in the ISU Department of Landscape Architecture. Long facilitates the Agricultural Urbanism Toolkit, a project of the College of Design’s Community Design Lab. Funded by a grant from Iowa State’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and launched in 2014, the Agricultural Urbanism Toolkit, by design, has a lot of moving parts. Three pilot communities in Iowa – Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Cresco – were selected to go through a process of developing agricultural urbanism tactics with the goal of promoting local food system revitalization.

Each community is unique, with a different overarching focus and a distinct set of tactics that will be implemented in 2015.

Following an initial look at policy changes, 22

THE ISU COMMUNITY DESIGN L A B ’ S A G R I C U LT U R A L U R B A N I S M TOOLKIT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK TO HELP COMMUNITIES IMPROVE T H E I R LO CA L FO O D SYST E M S

for example, the Des Moines workgroup will create neighborhood networks including food hubs, edible landscapes, and a food box pilot program, with a long-term goal of creating an urban farm.

Cresco, a rural community that has the potential to serve as a year-round regional food hub, is partnering with local food co-ops, rural producers, and community programs to establish community orchards, a school garden/faith garden partnership, and an educational farm.

Community planners in Cedar Rapids envision a comprehensive city food system plan, and they aim to direct projects at the human scale that residents can learn from and use at home and around the city.

Catalyst projects include an urban orchard, partnership for a shared kitchen, and demonstration sites of agricultural urbanism practices.

In addition to these communities, three new Iowa towns will be selected for the project this year. The Leopold Center recently extended the Toolkit funding for two additional years.

“A local food system needs to include both rural and urban agricultural activities,” Long said. “The Toolkit helps these activities work together to meet the needs of a broader community.”

She said that local leaders in and outside the state of Iowa are encouraged to view the Toolkit model online at http://research. design.iastate.edu/communitydesignlab/ to garner ideas for their own communities.

Agricultural Urbanism Toolkit tactics Edible residential gardening Faith gardens • School gardens • Public edible landscaping • Community-supported agriculture • Urban farming • Community gardens • Farmers markets • Local markets / public markets • Food trucks • Restaurants • Rural & sustainable farming • Processing facilities • Food hubs • Food box programs • Shared-use kitchens • Food-enterprise centers • Education centers • Marketing & awareness campaigns • Food policy councils • •

SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

Jake Stodola of Cedar Rapids, a third-year landscape architecture student, and Maclaine Sorden of Creston (’11 community and regional planning / environmental studies), a graduate student working toward a master’s in sustainable agriculture and landscape architecture, present their design to transform the Des Moines Social Club courtyard into an edible landscape.

how to

Start a community garden by t e s s r o m a n s k i

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What are the key benefits of growing a community garden?

What’s the first step to starting a community garden?

Community gardens are a great way to cut down on food costs at the grocery store and allow access to more diverse types of produce. They also offer educational opportunities for children in the area as well as a place for community relationships to develop and deepen. It can also be helpful to turn an unused plot of land into a community benefit to increase quality of living in the area.

The most important first step when thinking about starting a community garden is making sure that there is a solid support system behind the garden. A planning committee is a great place to start. Get some different members of the community involved in a discussion about why/where to start a garden, assign duties, and create a yearly plan so the garden stays organized and productive.

Tip: Make sure there are enough people passionate about the project that if one person leaves, the garden won’t fall to pieces.

Get neighbors, community organizations, the local school, religious organizations, and local businesses involved.

How do we choose the site?

The best way to choose a garden location is by looking at sunlight, soil quality, and proximity to water. A garden should usually get a minimum of 6-7 hours of sunlight per day, so stay away from tall trees or large buildings if possible. Soil quality tests are available through the ISU Extension Office, local libraries, or most farm supply shops.

It is best to start small, but leave plenty of room for expansion if the garden does well in its first years.

Gardens need a lot of water in the summer months, so consider where the caretakers will source water. It’s not fun to

SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

carry heavy buckets of water four blocks in 90-degree heat! Ask around and see if a nearby building would be open to allowing the community to use the water spigot in exchange for a small fee.

Also make sure the site is accessible to the majority of the population the garden is created for. If the garden is two miles away from the neighborhood, people are less likely to become involved. Try to keep the garden within easy walking distance, and make sure it is in a safe spot.

How do we do this if we live in an urban core?

There are a lot of undeveloped green spaces in urban centers, so contact the local city government and inquire if there is a lease agreement that could be reached. Some city governments allow community members to rent out park space to establish community gardens.

If you live in an apartment building, inquire with the landlord to see if there is any small plot available for tenants to use.

If the landlord is hesitant, bring a list of all the interested tenants to show support.

With both city and apartment land, make sure you take into consideration mowing and landscape concerns. Make sure there is enough room to get a large lawnmower around, or offer to cut the grass around the garden to make it easier for maintenance crews.

What are the basic elements of the garden that we should consider as we make our garden plan?

Besides selecting the site, the planning committee will also need to decide what types of plants to grow, if it should be organic or if chemicals are allowed, how the division of labor will be divided, and where funding will come from. Pick a “garden build day” where all the heavy labor will be done, and start publicizing that date early and often so lots of people can make the work go quickly.

and grants are also helpful in getting some seed money to start the project.

When looking at a budget, make sure to factor in both one-time costs (renting a tiller and purchasing other tools, compost, and fencing) as well as yearly costs such as renting the land, water usage, seeds, and tool replacement.

What about the division of labor?

are the consequences if you pick someone else’s produce?” “If you are on the watering schedule, you must show up.”). The planning committee should work with the members to set up expectations and make them clear at the beginning of the gardening season.

What are some good resources for additional information?

Division of labor really depends on each community garden. The number of people, who is involved, and how invested each group is all influences whether a plot or communal system would work best. The planning committee would have to make that decision dependent on who is interested in participating.

Individual plot rentals work well in places such as apartment buildings or other primarily residential areas. In this case, each plot could be rented out at a set price and cover some of the cost of land rental and water usage, and each group working the plot would keep all the produce their plot grew.

For a more diverse group of members, a communal system can work better. If a school, local business, or community organization is involved, a weekly work schedule may be the easiest way to handle distribution of labor and make it cheaper for families to participate. The planning committee would have to assign specific duties to specific groups and plan the division of the produce, but this system would cut down on the overall labor per person.

The American Community Gardening Association and the Let’s Move! website both have some great resources online for starting and maintaining community gardens. For more specific gardening questions relating to your area, the Iowa State Extension Master Gardeners are one of the most helpful resources.

Should we have rules?

Tess Romanski

Expectations should definitely be set, but it is up to the members on how formal these are. Because it is a communal space, there needs to some agreement (“What

ask the expert

Tess Romanski is a FoodCorps service representative in Cedars Rapids and a member of the Linn County Extension staff.

How should we plan the budget?

The budget should include items such as tools (shovels, wheelbarrows, buckets, hoses, etc.), mulch and compost, signs, seeds, and fencing. Donations can cover some of these costs in many instances.

Check the local solid waste agency for rates on mulch and compost; most places charge about $10 per ton of compost, although it varies by location and availability.

Sponsors are also a way to cut down on cost for participants. Churches, schools, local private businesses, or the parks and recreation department are all possible sponsors that could cover some of the start-up cost. Fundraisers around the community VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

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Diversions A GUIDE TO ISU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EVENTS

Spring in Monte Carlo Central Iowans, we hope you’ve registered for the fourth-annual Cardinal & Gold Gala,, coming up on Friday, April 10 at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines. This year, we’ll transport you to the French Riviera for a lively and entertaining evening with alumni and friends. All proceeds from the event support first-generation student scholarships and the newly created Cardinal & Gold Outreach Fund. www.isualum.org/gala

Cy’s Days of Service: It’s time to give back!

Give it your best shot, Cyclone Nation! We want to see how much community service we can provide – all across the U.S. and around the world. APRIL IS THE MONTH to come together and show what a tremendous impact we can have on our local communities. Help with an existing project or create your own – and don’t forget to log your hours and post your photos. Show your Cyclone pride while you work: Wear that Cardinal & Gold! www.isualum.org/cysdaysofservice

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Bring it!

We’re gearing up to launch our new series of ISU events in Des Moines: Bringing You ISU. Capital City alumni: Join us for this new, FREE opportunity to learn about some of the really interesting, very cool things happening at Iowa State and in Ames. We’re bringing YOUR university to YOU through this event series that will showcase a variety of speakers on a wide range of topics.

SPRING 2015 SCHEDULE • April 22, Des Moines Social Club: “Revitalizing Campustown in Ames,” presented by Kim Hanna, director of the Campustown Action Association • May 19: “Exciting Things Happening at ISU Research Park,” presented by Alison Doyle (’98), ISU Research Park marketing manager • June 11: “Jack Trice Stadium South End Zone Expansion,” presented

by Ben Bruns (’01), senior business development manager, The Weitz Company Check out www.isualum.org/desmoines for more information.

All events begin at 5:15 p.m.

You’re invited ISU Distinguished Award Ceremony Friday, April 17, 2015 1:30 p.m., Memorial Union Great Hall Reception follows the ceremony See pages 32-33 for awards details

Save the date!

Homecoming 2015 is Oct. 31 Homecoming is Iowa State’s biggest university-wide celebration of the year, and we want you here!

Homecoming football matchup: Cyclones vs University of Texas Longhorns Organize your ISU friends for a special reunion!

Get your reunion planning guide here: www.isualum.org/homecoming

THE 2015 INSPIRATION AWARDS & ANNUAL RECEPTION

Who inspires you?

“Inspirational” faculty and staff will be honored May 29 at the annual Faculty-Staff Inspiration Awards reception. This year’s event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with appetizers at the ISU Alumni Center; the program is at 6:30 p.m., followed by a dessert reception.

To view a list of honories, go to: www.isualum.org/inspiration

Intramural Alumni Weekend Saturday, June 13, 2015 Registration will open on April 1 so gather your team NOW to play broomball, volleyball, or BOTH. Plans are underway for a full day of play and awards.

Be sure to check out all the details at www.isualum.org/intramural, and watch your email for registration — coming soon!

It’s another chance for you to be an IM Champion!

KEEP UP WITH ALUMNI EVENTS AT WWW.ISUALUM.ORG/CALENDAR AND FOLLOW US ON isualum.org/blog VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

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Empower others, empower yourself: A cycle of support

By Avery Amensen

R

aised on an Iowa farm, Suzanna de Baca was drawn to the mystery of cultures that lay beyond American borders. This curiosity eventually led her to pursue art and design as an undergraduate at Iowa State University.

One of her most important teachers and mentors was ISU art professor Gary Tartakov, who was specifically interested in the art of ancient and contemporary India, Orientalism, and the art and imagery of India’s Dalits. “There was something about East Asian imagery that I found compelling,” de Baca said. “Professor Tartakov drew me in and made this exciting culture come alive through its art.” Tartakov became her faculty adviser and helped de Baca “build her own program” in the College of Design to best fit her interests and skills. Tartakov, now professor emeritus of art and design, also taught a few of de Baca’s classes and enlisted her help with his research.

At that time, there were no formal studyabroad programs in the College of Design.

However, Tartakov helped de Baca identify the perfect scholarship through the YWCA that allowed her to study in India for a summer.

“I got to visit the temples I had learned

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about in class. It was such a positive educational opportunity,” de Baca said. It’s one thing to study the art of a culture from pictures in a textbook, but it’s a completely different learning opportunity to look up from a tourist’s map and see it right in front of you. Suddenly, what could have been another night of studying is transformed into a concrete memory.

“It is important for women to reach our full potential through gaining control over all aspects of our lives, and that includes having input in our financial wellbeing.”

“I believe it is very important to explore and discover the different cultures that coexist in our world – it expands your horizons but also allows you to find the shared values that are present in any nation,” de Baca said.

“I know firsthand how important traveling abroad is for students – especially those in the arts. I want to help someone see the world through the eyes of design.”

Years later, after a career in finance and returning to Iowa to be the chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of the

Heartland, de Baca established the Gary Tartakov Design Scholarship in 2005 to support students who wish to learn through immersion in other cultures – one of their most transformative opportunities at Iowa State.

Supporting her passions through philanthropy is not a new concept for de Baca. She was a member of the Women & Philanthropy Committee at the Iowa State University Foundation for six years starting in 2005. “I loved creating workshops to benefit, inspire and educate women,” she said. “It is important for women to reach our full potential through gaining control over all aspects of our lives, and that includes having input in our financial wellbeing.”

While establishing this scholarship is largely about supporting the experiences that shaped her life, de Baca recognizes that giving back can mean much more. “It’s about becoming confident and educated in how to contribute to what you’re passionate about,” she said. “It’s what the Women & Philanthropy program is all about – how to give to empower yourself and impact the world around you.”  Learn more at: www.movingstudentsforward.com SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

Newsmakers I O WA S TAT E A L U M N I I N T H E N E W S

 New grad writes her own

Baseball’s best

tech ticket

When Eric Cooper (’89 transportation logistics), a Major League Baseball umpire for the past 16 years, got a phone call last fall telling him he’d been chosen to work the 2014 World Series, he literally ran his car off the road.

Cooper tells that story and talks about the World Series experience – the pinnacle of any major league umpire’s career.

How was the World Series experience different from other games?

There’s a lot of hype around the World Series, so there’s extra pressure you put on yourself. It’s go time.

It’s the biggest game you’ve ever done. You want to represent Major League Baseball well, represent yourself well, represent your profession well. It was extremely cool to be a part of the enthusiasm of the fans.

You can’t get caught up in that, but it’s cool to be a part of.

You umpired behind the plate for Game 2. What was that like?

Any time you work the plate, you’re the man. You have to render a lot more decisions than your co-workers.

It’s your time to shine. You have 3.5 hours to do your best and get things right. If you allow yourself to get caught up in the hype it could be 30

Kansas City Royals players argue with home plate umpire Eric Cooper in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the 2014 World Series.

KANSAS CITY STAR / GETTY IMAGES

VISIONS: What was your reaction when you got The Call?

Cooper: My wife and I had gone to a movie. I was driving home and the phone rang. I looked down and it was a 212 area code. I said, “Tara, oh, my gosh,” and I took a fast right turn off on a side street without looking and about ran up on a curb. I answered the phone, and it was Joe Torre [in the MLB office] and he said, “Hey, Coop,” and I just about wrecked the car. He told me to pull over, and he gave me the great news. It was a humbling, emotional, awesome phone call. It’s a long journey to get to that particular call.

detrimental. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. There was a lot of adrenaline. I just wanted to get a few pitches out of the way and get in my comfort zone. Everything went well.

What does this mean for your career?

I think in any job you have to set goals. This was one of my goals. Now I have a World Series under my belt.

Because things went well, there’s even more of a sense of confidence.

Hopefully I’ll have an opportunity to work another World Series. That’s another goal of mine.

Glamour magazine has named Cassidy Williams (’14 computer science) to a list of 35 women under 35 who are changing the tech industry. The magazine described her this way: “While many college students struggle to balance a part-time job and classes, Williams spent her four years at Iowa State University winning hackathons, interning at Microsoft, and racking up job offers. Google, Apple, Intel, and LinkedIn all wanted her – but Williams chose Venmo, a start-up that makes a popular payment app. ‘I wanted to go to a place where I could make a big impact,’ she says.” What Glamour didn’t mention was that as a student Williams also spoke at a White House technology summit; was part of UnGrounded, an innovation lab sponsored by British Airways; and interned at Intuit, General Mills, and Priority 5. She currently lives in New York, N.Y.  Unique process starts software

out strong

Matt Ostanik (L)(’01 architecture, MBA ’09) is garnering publicity not just about the new software he’s developed – but about HOW he created the product. Ostanik and his team spent four months last year meeting with prospective clients to find out what they wanted from a potential marketing and sales analytic software. Based on those interviews, Ostanik developed FunnelWise, a software that helps companies take their data and visualize what it means for future growth.

“I love the aspect of creating new things,” Ostanik says. The startup is his second; he created Submittal Exchange, a company he eventually sold to Textura Corp.

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 Sanders is Des Moines’ new

city manager Scott Sanders (L)(’96 computer science, MS ’98 community & regional planning) moved from the city of Des Moines’ finance director to assistant city manager to chief executive officer in just three years.

“You have to be a believer in destiny,” Sanders told the Des Moines Register. The newspaper featured Sanders on its front page on New Year’s Day and dubbed him one of 15 people to watch in 2015.  Alumnus tapped as Federal

Reserve governor

Pres. Barack Obama has announced he will nominate retired Bank of Hawaii CEO Allan Landon (A)(’70 accounting / industrial administration) to be a Federal Reserve governor. Landon served as chairman of the board and CEO of Bank of Hawaii Corp from 2004 to 2010. He has also been a lecturer at the University of Hawaii’s Manoa’s law school.  Software seed germinated in

classroom “ScoutPro becomes big business.” That was the headline Jan. 25 in the Des Moines Register, beneath a photo of three smiling ISU alumni: Stuart McCulloh (’13 ag education), Michael Koenig (’12 ag education), and Holden Nyhus (’13 ag education).

The trio met at Iowa State in an entrepreneurship in agriculture class, and it was there that they were tasked with creating a business plan for a new or existing company. Koenig’s idea to create a farmfield-scouting app caught the attention of Nyhus and McCulloh. The classroom idea became ScoutPro, a mobile app with scouting tools for corn, soybeans, and wheat – with new functionality to come. The new farming gadget has been getting a lot of attention lately, including a mention at Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s inaugural address in January.

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TOP JOBS

• Aaron Capron (’99 electrical engineering) has become a partner at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the world. Capron has more than a dozen years of patent law experience.

• Berta (Prentice) Aldrich (’90 finance) has joined Franklin Square as the chief marketing officer.

She joins the firm – a leading manager of alternative investment funds – following 10 years at Vanguard, where she held executive positions in marketing strategy and planning, loyalty operations, and investment education.

• Holly Streeter-Schaefer (’98 construction engineering) is Burns & McDonnell’s newest staff attorney. She specializes in construction law, contracts, and risk management, and she will focus her attention on three practice areas: water, transportation, and environment.

• Jeffrey Garrett (’73 architecture, MS ’77 civil engineering, PhD ’03) has joined Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc. as a senior consultant.

RRJ is a national engineering, architecture, and forensics consulting firm in Willowbrook, Ill. Garrett is a structural engineer with more than 35 years of experience in forensic structural investigation and new construction design.

• Information, Inc., a provider of content management solutions, has named James McNeil (’81 advertising design) president and publisher.

He has been with the company since 2011.

• Mindy (Gillespie) Williamson (’96 biological/pre-medical illustration) has joined Amperage, a public relations and fundraising consulting company, as an account manager in the client services department. She is the former director of communications and public relations for Iowa Corn.

ALUMNI HONORS

• Dominic D’Urso (MA ’06 English) was honored among 99 St. Louis-area educators to receive an Emerson Excellence in Teaching award.

The awards pay tribute to area educators for their achievements and dedication to the field of education.

• Mark Walls (’88 speech communication) has been named in Insurance Business America magazine’s “Hot 100” list for 2015. The annual list recognizes 100 people who have made waves in the insurance industry over the past year.

ALUMNI BOOKSHELF

Alumni authors now have a new way to publicize their books. The ISU Alumni Association website now has an “alumni bookshelf” Class Notes category for ISU alumni who have published books or had books written about them. Submit news of your books or read about recently published books by logging into the ISU Alumni Directory at www.isualum.org/ directory. ISU authors will still be highlighted in “Newsmakers” as space permits.

(A) = ISU Alumni Association annual member (L) = ISU Alumni Association life member

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   

I

owa State University will honor eight outstanding individuals, one couple, and one corporation at the 2015 Distinguished Awards Ceremony on Friday, April 17 at 1:30 p.m in the Memorial Union Great Hall. The public is invited. The Distinguished Alumni Award (the highest honor given to alumni) and the Honorary Alumni Award (the highest honor given to non-ISU graduates) are administered by the ISU Alumni Association. The Order of the Knoll awards are the highest honors administered through the ISU Foundation.

View full biographies of the 2015 honorees at: www.isualum.org/dac

Nominate alumni and friends for the distinguished alumni and honorary alumni awards at: www.isualum.org/awards

The nomination deadline for spring 2016 awards is Aug. 1, 2015.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

Theodore M. Crosbie** ’73 ag. education, MS ’76 plant breeding and cytogenics, PhD ’78 agronomy Earlham, Iowa

Thomas and Evonne Smith** Tom: ’68 geology, MS ’71 Evonne: ’68 textiles and clothing Austin, Texas

Ted Crosbie found his calling as a graduate student at Iowa State when a conversation with Norman Borlaug put his future in focus. Crosbie kept the spirit of Borlaug’s advice alive during a highly successful career in plant breeding and cytogenetics. From 1999-2010, his work as head of Monsanto’s global plant breeding division helped address critical issues of food insecurity at more than 100 sites in 20 countries and earned him recognition as a Monsanto Distinguished Fellow in Science. Since retiring as vice president and executive leader of Monsanto Integrated Farming Systems in 2014, Crosbie has served as a consultant and special advisor to the company’s executive team. He has served as the chief technology officer for the State of Iowa since 2005 and was recognized in 2013 by Gov. Terry Branstad with a lifetime achievement award.

While Tom was the one who studied geology at Iowa State, both he and Evonne are recognized as geological pioneers.

Together, they helped develop the oil and gas industry’s most intuitive and costeffective software. Tom began his career as a data processing geophysicist at Chevron Geophysical. In 1984, the Smiths founded Seismic Micro Technology, where they developed the KINGDOM software for seismic interpretation and mapmaking.

The Smiths sold their company in 2007. In 2008, they started Geophysical Insights, another software-development company.

In addition to the Smiths’ preeminent professional contributions, they have also been loyal friends to Iowa State. They established the Smith Family Foundation Chair in the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences and provide leadership support for the Carl F. Vondra Geology Field Station in Wyoming.

Richard N. Jurgens** ’73 industrial admin.

West Des Moines, Iowa For the past decade, Ric Jurgens utilized his position as the leader of Hy-Vee to advance the causes of health and wellness. During his 11 years as Hy-Vee’s president, CEO, and chairman of the board, Jurgens not only oversaw tremendous growth in the company’s footprint and revenues, but also changed food marketing in a way that has transformed the industry and made an impact on individual consumers. During Jurgens’ tenure, Hy-Vee was a pioneering force: hiring in-store dieticians, creating walk-in health clinics, introducing a scoring system to help customers choose healthier food, and sponsoring such events as the Hy-Vee Triathlon.

Jurgens, who spent all 42 years of his career at Hy-Vee, is recognized as an expert in food marketing. He has received the Iowa Grocery Industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Hy-Vee Lifetime Achievement Award.

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HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD

J. Elaine Hieber* Ames, Iowa J. Elaine Hieber has long been committed to gender equity and the fair treatment of all.

In 1979, Iowa State recruited Hieber to help merge its men’s and women’s athletics programs.

As the lone female administrator in the department, Hieber remained staunchly committed to advocating fair, respectful, and equal treatment for all. For her many contributions to ISU athletics, she was inducted into the ISU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.

Thirty years ago, Hieber began volunteering to help create athletic opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. She was instrumental in bringing the Special Olympics Iowa Summer Games to Ames. Hieber has served as director and board chair of the Iowa Special Olympics and was the chair of the first-ever Special Olympics USA National Games held in Ames in 2006.

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HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD

Robes**

Martha Round Pond, Maine While Martha Robes earned her bachelor’s degree from DePauw University and her master of education from Antioch New England University, she undeniably bleeds cardinal and gold. Robes and her husband, Dana (’67), have generously invested in Iowa State over the years with gifts of time and treasure.

Since 2008, more than 1,100 scholarships have been awarded from the Fred Foreman Scholarship for Growth in Leadership Participation, the Dean’s Study Abroad Scholarship, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean’s Leadership Scholars, all of which are funded by the couple. They have also created an endowed professorship in the Department of Animal Science and a marketing and recruitment director position in the college. The Robeses frequently travel back to Iowa State to participate in college events; while on campus, they try to meet with all 130 of their annual scholarship recipients.

ORDER OF THE KNOLL CORPORATION AND FOUNDATION AWARD

The Boeing Company Chicago, Ill. The Boeing Company has been a strong supporter and valued partner to Iowa State University for decades.

Boeing has provided scholarships to engineering and business students, connected students to experiential learning opportunities, supported the university’s growth through capital projects, and advised faculty and staff on curriculum development and a variety of special projects. Boeing representatives serve on numerous councils at Iowa State within the engineering, business, and design colleges. In addition to outright charitable support, Iowa State benefits from the direct engagement of Boeing employees and company leaders. Several of its employees work with faculty on research projects, proposals, and other activities, providing a sound corporate voice on matters of mutual interest. Nearly 600 alumni currently work at Boeing, with more than 200 counted among the company’s retirees.

ORDER OF THE KNOLL CAMPANILE AWARD

Deloris R. Wright** ’69 economics, PhD ’73 Golden, Colo.

Deloris Wright is dedicated to paying it forward at Iowa State. Wright started her giving to ISU in 1980 with a $25 donation. It has since grown in size and in scope, spanning from music and biology programs to Parks Library, the colleges of engineering and veterinary medicine, and the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. One component of Wright’s philanthropy is annual funding for a “fun idea” project on campus. Areas of support have included the Skunk River Navy and the Companion Animal Fund. While many are impacted today by Wright’s generosity, future students will also benefit from her planned gifts: Wright has designated a substantial portion of her estate to create four endowed positions and two visiting artist funds.

ORDER OF THE KNOLL CARDINAL AND GOLD AWARD

Ellen Molleston Walvoord** ’61 home ec. journalism Lake Forest, Ill. Ellen Walvoord left her hometown of Ames for Chicago after graduating from ISU. She began her career in communications and eventually moved to consulting, investor relations, and finally human resources. At Abbott, where she worked until retirement, Walvoord was one of two women named the first female corporate officers in the company’s hundred-year history. Following retirement, she served as chair of the Clara Abbott Foundation, a large global philanthropic organization. Her giving is wide in scope, yet intentional, and is always directed toward making the greatest impact. She and her husband, Tom, helped establish the Walvoord Professorship in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences – the holder of which, Jill Pruetz, is conducting groundbreaking work with chimpanzees that has been recognized worldwide. Walvoord’s generosity has additionally benefited the department of music and theatre and the Greenlee School.

ORDER OF THE KNOLL FACULTY AND STAFF AWARD

Maynard G. Hogberg** ’66 ag. education, MS ’72 animal science, PhD ’76 Ames, Iowa Since 2003, the Animal Science Department in the ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has flourished under the leadership of Maynard Hogberg. During his time as chair, the undergraduate enrollment in animal science doubled, seven endowed positions were created, and a strong group of faculty was recruited. Hogberg has focused on developing a strong partnership between Iowa State and major livestock organizations in Iowa to better serve students and the state. He co-authored a vision for Iowa’s animal agriculture and was involved in the development of the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence and the Egg Industry Center.

Hogberg and his wife, Anne, have also given back to Iowa State for more than 20 years. Most recently, he identified the need and led the initiative for establishing the Jeff and Deb Hansen Agricultural Student Learning Center, which opened in 2013.

Thomas D. McGee** ’48 mechanical/ceramic engr., MS ’58 industrial engr., PhD ’61 ceramic engr. / metallurgy Ames, Iowa During a career at Iowa State that spanned decades, Tom McGee molded the minds of many students in the ISU College of Engineering. McGee taught both undergraduate and graduate courses, introducing new theory and concepts based on his research. He also served as a student advisor and mentor, offering guidance well past graduation. McGee is internationally recognized as an expert in temperature measurement, refectories, glass science and technology, biomaterials, and design with brittle materials. He invented an artificial bone and has nine granted or pending patents for surgical applications. McGee has supported Iowa State for nearly 25 years, impacting many areas of campus, including engineering, veterinary medicine, and the arts. He was named a fellow of the American Ceramic Society, a fellow of the National Institute of Ceramic Engineers, and an Outstanding Engineering Educator by the Engineering Student Council.

*Annual member of the ISU Alumni Association **Life member of the ISU Alumni Association NOTE: Only ISU degrees are listed VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

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ASSO C I ATI ON N EWS

Taking the NEXT step…from LOYALTY to PRIDE! Dear Members: President Leath is on a mission to raise the profile of Iowa State University.

The intensity of his commitment to this effort has reenergized me. O.K., I know that might be a bit scary! I can hear you saying, “Does Jeff Johnson really need to be any more excited about Iowa State than he already is?”

But you see, President Leath speaks daily about what a great university Iowa State is. He talks about how, as they researched ISU, he and Janet liked the institution’s consistent and unwavering commitment to excellence. They liked that Iowa State had remained true to its land-grant roots and values. They liked the fact that this is still a university committed to serving the state of Iowa and Iowans, as well as doing things that make our world a better place to live, work, and grow.

The ISU Alumni Association – especially ISUAA Board members, alumni club leaders, and young alumni councilors – has embraced this mission and are working to provide Association members, alumni, and ISU friends with the information they need to speak confidently about Iowa State. It’s time for Iowa Staters to break out of their “humility” boxes and tell their personal Iowa State stories.

I’ve come to appreciate that humility doesn’t mean you have to be silent. If we’re telling the truth – and that truth really will help individuals, families, businesses, and communities foster more productive lives – we have a responsibility to share that news.

Today, Iowa State markets its educational experience as an adventure.

For many of us, it was the Iowa State adventure that helped to inform and to form us. Our adventure was sometimes a wild, bumpy, and exhilarating journey.

It helped take us from adolescence to adulthood. Iowa State helped expand our thinking and perspectives.

It was on this campus that many of us 34

found our love of another person; our appreciation for art, architecture, and landscaping; our belief in new and emerging traditions; and our life’s direction because of a field of study or a faculty/staff member’s advice. We are now connected to our life’s calling.

Simply stated, Iowa State made a difference in our lives.

Again, President Leath is on a mission to ensure this great university is even greater. He and Janet are committed to leaving the university better than they found it. And they are realistic that this can only be done with all of us playing a part. So this is where I’m asking you to do your part to help us move Iowa State to the next level. What will that require?

“I believe excellence can be communicated in three ways: through loyalty, through pride, or through arrogance.”

For one, I believe excellence can be communicated in three ways: through loyalty, through pride, or through arrogance. Iowa Staters, on the whole, have cornered the market when it comes to loyalty. Why do I say this? I believe the world still views loyalty and humility in the same vein.

Loyalty, as defined by the American Century Dictionary, means to be faithful.

Some call this blind trust. The imagery that this can sometimes conjure up is a bunch of quiet, heads-down, unbranded loyalists. It’s a group of people living out the NIKE slogan (“Just do it!”) with these added words: “But don’t tell anybody.” Let’s face it, Cyclone Nation: We don’t like bragging about ourselves or our university.

Well, I believe the next step Cyclone Nation needs to take is that of pride.

PRIDE, according to the dictionary, means to show elation or satisfaction with one’s achievements or accomplishments. The emphasis, from my perspective, is the “to show” part of the definition.

It means we, together, have an opportunity to help brand to the world the place we are connected to and believe in.

It means going from a heads-down mentality to that of a chest-out mentality, but never a nose-up mentality. The latter would be arrogance. ARROGANCE means being aggressively assertive or presumptuous. And that is clearly not the Iowa State or Iowa Staters I know or hope we ever become.

Today, Iowa State has the largest student body (34,734) in the state, enrolling the greatest number of Iowa residents. We have the largest number of alumni in the state (more than 97,000) and a worldwide alumni body approaching 240,000. It’s time we join with the Leaths and help Iowa State take that next big step. Here are four things I encourage you to do, starting now:  Commit yourselves to telling the Iowa

State story whenever you can. Use the talking points provided at the following link: http://web.iastate.edu/about/  If you live in the state of Iowa, contact your legislators and encourage them to support the Regents’ Performance Based Funding model. More about this initiative is at www.inside.iastate.edu/ article/2014/11/13/funding  Mentor students, help them enroll at Iowa State, and embrace new graduates who move into your community.  Help others identify you as an Iowa Stater by wearing Iowa State-branded items whenever possible, especially when traveling; displaying Iowa State items in your home and office; and placing Iowa State signs on your vehicle, preferably your ISU Alumni Association membership sticker.

Together, we are ready to take this university and Cyclone Nation to the next level of excellence… and, yes, visibility.

Yours for Iowa State,

Jeff Johnson, President and CEO PhD ’14 Education SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

Voteonline T H E 2 0 1 5 I S U A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S S L AT E 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, your vote is needed to approve the slate. Before May 8, please go online www.isualum.org/boardslate to cast your vote for the slate of new ISUAA Board nominees or write in the name(s) of others you would like to see 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. Members may complete only one ballot. Final results will be announced at the annual reception on May 29. Thanks in advance for your participation.

Wendell L. Davis** ’75 DVM Overland Park, Kan.

Wendell Davis is a veterinary consultant in the animal health industry. Formerly he was a project manager for Bayer Animal Health, focusing on parasiticides. He was previously in a private veterinary practice in Spirit Lake, Iowa, from 1975-1991. As a student, Wendell was a member of the Pre-Veterinary Medicine Club, the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and Omega Tau Sigma, a veterinary fraternity. Since graduation he’s been involved with ISUAA clubs and Cyclone Club. He says, “The ISU Alumni Association is a great strength for Iowa State. I would love to have a chance to help lead this organization.”

Kari A. (Ditsworth) Hensen* ’96 sociology, MS ’98 higher education, PhD ’05 educational leadership and policy studies Ankeny, Iowa

Kari Hensen is the associate dean of arts and sciences at Des Moines Area Community College. In this role, she assists with the hiring and support of faculty to ensure students receive outstanding educational experiences.

She is active on the South-Central Governor’s STEM Committee and co-chairs DMACC’s STEM Council.

As an undergrad at ISU, Kari was active in the SAA, VEISHEA, Delta Zeta, Cardinal Key, and Cyclone Aides.

As a graduate student, Kari earned a Research Excellence Award. She and her husband, Andy, received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2009, and she served on the Cardinal and Gold Gala committee in 2011.

Erin Herbold-Swalwell* ’03 liberal studies Altoona, Iowa

Erin Herbold-Swalwell is an attorney at Brick Gentry, P.C. law firm. She has served as chair of the Iowa Bar Association’s agricultural law section, and she previously worked as a staff attorney for the ISU Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation. As a student, she was a member of the Student Alumni Leadership Council/Senior Class Council and was a student admissions representative. Erin says, “I enjoy giving back to 36

Members of the ISU Alumni Association are invited to attend the Inspiration Awards and Annual Reception on May 29, 2015, at 5:30 p.m. in the ISU Alumni Center.

Please register your attendance plans online by May 8 at www.isualum.org/annualmeeting. For more information, or to register by phone, call toll-free 1-877-ISU-ALUM. Locally, call 294-6525.

the university and would be happy to devote the time it takes to effectively guide and serve on the Board. My work experience is unique, and I want to represent young alumni on the Board.”

Deborah Renee (Verschoor) Stearns** ’81 journalism/mass communication Altoona, Iowa

Deborah Stearns is vice president and marketing research director for Essman/Companies in Des Moines. With 20-plus years of marketing research and management experience, Deborah is responsible for the development and implementation of all quantitative and qualitative marketing research projects for the company. As a student, she was involved with a number of organizations including the Student Alumni Association (now Student Alumni Leadership Council), and she worked at WOI-TV, KMNS Radio (Sioux City), and KLYF Radio (Ames). She says, “I want to connect with ISU alumni and students by continuing to promote the lifelong friendships, ISU traditions, academic rewards, and the excellence of Iowa State University.”

Kurt Alan Tjaden** ’85 accounting Bettendorf, Iowa

Kurt Tjaden is vice president and chief financial officer at HNI Corporation and is responsible for financial and information technology leadership for the company. As an ISU student, Kurt was a member of Theta Chi fraternity, the Student Alumni Association (now Student Alumni Leadership Council), and many other campus groups. He and his wife, Kristyn, have endowed the ISUAA’s Tjaden/Cassidy Senior Class Council Scholarship. If elected to the ISUAA Board of Directors, Kurt says, “I can bring an intense passion for the university and the ISUAA, and combine this passion with strategic and focused leadership to deliver the mission and objectives of the ISUAA.”

*Annual member of the ISU Alumni Association ** Life member of the ISU Alumni Association Note: Only ISU degrees are listed

SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

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VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

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NEW MEMBER BENEFIT  SAVE 10%, 25%, EVEN 50% OFF EVERYDAY PURCHASES

Get discounts across the country with The ISU Alumni Association’s newest member benefit provides discounts from the largest online retailers, as well as many local retailers in your city. See the full list of all discounts when you register at www.isualum.org/nationaldiscounts or by downloading the “MyDeals” app to your smartphone – a service that will allow you to instantly access your favorite discounts (and maybe some you didn’t even know about!) wherever you are. You can create your account through the website or through the app.

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SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

ASSOCIATION N EWS

Wallace E. Barron Award honors outstanding seniors The ISU Alumni Association established the Wallace E. Barron All-University Senior Award in 1968 to recognize outstanding seniors who display high character, outstanding achievement in academics and university/community activ-

Morgan Bobb Genetics / global resource systems Fort Madison, Iowa

Celia Bravard Food science Granger, Iowa

ities, and promise for continuing these exemplary qualities as alumni. The award is named for Wallace E. “Red” Barron (class of 1928), who served as director of alumni affairs at Iowa State from 1937 to 1968. The 2015 recipients are:

Gregory Hunt Finance / accounting Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Hillary Kletscher Biological systems engineering Vesta, Minn.

Eric Lathrop Accounting / marketing Ankeny, Iowa

Read about these students’ accomplishments online at www.isualum.org/barron.

To nominate a student for the 2016 award go to www.isualum.org/awards. The nomination deadline is Dec. 1, 2015.

CAMPUS Beautiful Shaping the Aesthetic Identity of Iowa State University The forthcoming publication Campus Beautiful will present a stunningly illustrated overview of the origins and evolution of Iowa State’s campus landscape, architecture and public art collection from 1858 to present.

Learn about the transformation from prairie to university campus in essays authored by noted landscape, architecture and art historians—brought to life through carefully selected inspiring contemporary and historical photographs and maps.

Campus Beautiful will be a full color, hard-cover, 10 x 12 inch book with over 450 pages and 400 images. Publication release date is September 19, 2015.

PRE-ORDER TODAY VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

For a limited time pre-order Campus Beautiful for $80 + s/h

Suggested retail price: $100 University Museums Member Price: $75 Maximum pre-order: 25 copies Pre-order deadline: May 29, 2015 Contact University Museums at sklarson@iastate.edu or 515.294.3342 for details.

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IF you haven’t as yet seen or heard of Our Iowa magazine, you’re missing a lot! You’re missing great photos and hours of lighthearted reading, including humorous and poignant items shared by Iowans.

Launched 7 years ago, this magazine quickly became the fastestgrowing publication in the state. Over 90,000 Iowans (and ex-Iowans) are now subscribers. In fact, more than half of them subscribed for 2 years after seeing a sample issue!

“Each issue is basically a warm conversation with your Iowa neighbors...”

What Makes This Magazine So Special?

It celebrates Iowa, and it’s basically “written by its readers”.

Friendly folks from throughout the state readily share interesting experiences, as well as candid photos and tidbits.

There are full-length articles in each issue, too, from people describing must-visit state sites, or pinpointing small town “Ma & Pa diners” you might not find on your own.

Reading each issue is somewhat like sitting down with a cup of coffee at your kitchen table and getting better acquainted with your neighbors. Basically, it’s a conversation among Iowans.

If you’re ready to subscribe at $18.98 per year for six bi-monthly issues, just call 1-888/341-5878. Or you can subscribe online at: www.OurIowaMagazine.com. Click on the “How to Subscribe” link.

We Hope to Visit You Soon!

We’d love to have you join our “family” of subscribers, so we can show up at your door (via the magazine) regularly throughout the coming year. Every subscription is guaranteed...and you’ll get to know your neighbors much better. It’s like a chat in your mailbox.

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Thank you to our 2014 Sustaining Life donors

T

he Iowa State University Alumni Association would like to thank and recognize all new and continuing Sustaining Life donors who made gifts this past calendar year. Thanks to the support of the following alumni and friends, the 2014 Sustaining Life donor program has brought in more than $237,000 in revenue, which helps provide additional funding support for the Association’s programs and services.

To become a 2015 Sustaining Life donor, go to www.isualum.org/ sustaining to donate online.

ELEVEN-YEAR DONORS Loyd (’57A) and JaNelle (’69S) Anderson Jacque (’74F ) and James Andrew David Babler (’76A ) Irene Beavers (’53F ) Jim (’70E ) and Mary Ann Black Julie (’78D) and Mark (’77A) Blake Beverly Bowers (’73S ) Winton Boyd (’66S ) Martha (’76F) and J. Douglas (’76A) Brown George Burnet (’48E ) Lyndon Cakerice (’81E ) Robert (’74E) and Eizabeth Carlson Joel Cerwick (’66E ) Jay Chapman (’90E) and Karen HeldtChapman (’92M) Jack (’56E ) and Dilla Cosgrove Darrell (’54E) and Janice (’54F) Coy Robert Crom (’50A ) Craig Denny (’71E) Robert (’56E ) and Marie Dierks G. Truman (’58S ) and Karleen Draper Glenda (’60F) and Donald (’59A) Eggerling Keith (’57S) and Mary Alice (’57S) Erickson Gary Flander (’80C ) Jon Fleming (’75S ) Barbara (’71D) and Craig (’71E) Foss Charles (’53S ) and Joanne Frederiksen Donald (’58A ) and Doris Goering John (’67A ) and Barbara Hagie Pamela (’71F) and Ronald (’71S) Hallenbeck Kyle Harms (’89S ) Peter (’77E ) and Pamela Hemken Carol (’72S ) and J. Winston Hodges Palmer (’70A ) and Sheryl Holden Clara (’64S) and Harold (’65E) Hoover Gregory (’82A) and Elizabeth (’82M) Hora Richard (’62E) and Sandra (’62F) Horton James Howe (’73A ) Al (’56E) and Ann (’56F) Jennings Jeffery (’14H) and Peggy Johnson Sharon Juon (’69S ) Gerald (’62A ) and Karen Kolschowsky William (’53A ) and Laura LaGrange David Leatherman (’65E ) Barbara Lemmer (’82A ) Joyce Lenz (’51F ) Lawrence (’73S ) and Barbara Litscher Jerry (’62E ) and Bonnie Loupee Tom (’82M) and Nancy (’78F) Macklin Beverly (’60F) and Warren (’61E) Madden Thomas Manning (’64E ) Steven (’67S ) and Michelle Mores James Myers (’58E ) Patty (’72S) and Allen (’72S) Olson* Scott (’69E ) and Penny Olson Barbara (’92D) and Les (’92D) Omotani Gary (’78A) and Vicki (’78A) Owens George Peterson (’53S ) Calvan (’59V) and Lois (’57A) Pals Gerald (’58S ) and Margaret Pint Dennis Puffer (’68A ) Carol (’75S) and Marlin (’75E) Reimer Dana Robes (’67A ) Nicholas Roby (’81S) and Deborah Tharnish (’77S) Richard (’73A) and Sharon (’71S) Rodine Gary Sams (’70A ) Charles (’58A ) and Darlene Schmidt Neil Schraeder (’81S ) Rudy Schuver (’53A ) Suzanne (’89S) and Bernard (’95E) Schwartze Paula (’75S ) and Mark Seward Gary (’60A) and Harriet (’60F) Short

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Michael Sinclair (’80S ) Marc Snyder (’85M ) Gary (’69A ) and Susan Speicher Elizabeth Stephenson (’52F ) Lora and Russ Talbot Roy (’57E) and Sandra (’58F) Uelner Roger (’80A) and Connie (’84S) Underwood Lori (’93S) and Dwayne (’93M) Vande Krol Mel and Kathy Weatherwax Dale (’74A ) and Mary Jane Weber Richard (’67S ) and Sandra Wellman Michael (’79V) and Maria (’77E) Westfall* Gerald (’61A) and Carol (’61F) Wheelock Thomas Whitson (’63A ) Eric Wittrock (’92E ) Mary (’78C) and Timothy (’76A) Wolf Gertrude (’52F) and Ralph (’57A) Yoder Donald (’60E ) and Carolyn Zuck TEN-YEAR DONORS Duane (’52A ) and Shirley Acker Dale Anderson (’57M) Charles (’87M) and Mary (’86C) Bendgen Roger Benning (’63E ) Sue Bockholt (’65F ) John Burnstrom (’54A ) Douglas (’72S ) and Joan Carlson Burton Cooper (’72A ) Stephen Cooper (’70E ) Paul (’63E) and Shirley (’63F) Dana Dayle Downer (’60A ) Kevin (’83A ) and Jeanne Drury Mary Finley Newton (’56F ) Warren (’61A ) and Catherine Hadley Robert Hall (’54E ) Roger Hansen (’65A )* Jack Hegenbarth (’59S ) Caroline Hetfield Eugene Hohenshell (’62E ) Gary (’61E ) and Donna Hoover Joseph Huber (’89E ) Gerald (’68A ) and Gwen Johnson Kellie Jo Kilberg (’89S ) Dale (’67S) and Jane (’67F) Kiser Christopher (’73S ) and Vernette Knapp Melvin Larsen (’46E ) Jane Lohnes Robert Manders (’63E ) Lyle (’44E ) and Harriet Morse Carol (’56F) and Donald (’55A) Olson Carroll Ottrok (’51F ) Frank (’65S ) and Marcia Parrish Sonia Porter (’60F ) Roger Reimers (’82A ) Sandra Searl (’87S ) Lee Simmons (’72S ) Robert (’60S) and Norma (’60F) Snyder Judith Strohm (’53F ) Kevin (’87S) and Shelley (’87C) Stow Franklin Townsend (’80A ) Judith Walrod (’66F ) Sharon Waterstreet (’78A ) Gary Woods (’62A ) NINE-YEAR DONORS James (’65A ) and Cathryn Ahrenholz Peggy Allen (’67F ) Stephen Anderson (’80V ) Ellen (’56F) and Emerson (’56A) Bodell Barbara Brittingham (’67S ) Kevin (’80A ) and Chris Brooks Betty Brown (’43F ) Loyd (’69A ) and Sue Brown Melissa Brush (’91S ) Douglas Caffrey (’72A ) Robert Callahan (’61E ) Richard Duroe (’52S ) Mary Evert (’57F )

KEY TO ACADEMIC CURRICULUM AND OTHER SYMBOLS:

A: Agriculture; B: Agricultural Engineering; C: Design D: Education; E: Engineering; F: Family and Consumer Sciences; H: Human Sciences; M: Business; S: Liberal Arts and Sciences; U: Interdisciplinary; V: Veterinary Medicine; X: Attended; O: Honorary; * indicates company provided a matching gift

John Faaborg (’71A ) Craig Griffin (’83E ) Thomas (’69E ) and Cheryl Grinna Merlyn (’58E ) and Irene Gutz David (’82E) and Carol (’86S) Hawn Maynard (’66A ) and Anne Hogberg Ross Johnson (’68S ) Maryl Johnson (’73S ) Steven Jordening (’70S ) Robert Kramer Daniel (’59S ) and Sharon Krieger Deanna (’93M) and Patrick (’94E) Kueter* Jerry Ladman (’58A ) Patrice (’73D) and W. Mark (’73E) Lortz Sandy (’59C ) and Everett May Sue (’77D) and Jay (’73A) Merryman William Millen (’70S ) James Moyer (’51E ) Kimberly Neuharth (’87S ) Deanna (’64S) and Walter (’69E) Nodean Ruth Anne Ohde (’62S ) Merle Oleson (’59A ) Edward (’82C ) and Carolyn Ottesen Frederick Peitzman (’61E ) Norman Petermeier (’63E ) Victor Pierrot (’63E ) William Reinhardt (’48E ) Eric Rogers (’93S ) Michael Shepherd (’74S ) Carolyn (’69D) and Charles (’68E) Sidebottom* Marcia (’85M ) and Steve Stahly Chelon Stanzel (’61F ) Michael (’59E) and Jean (’60S) Steffenson Omar Stoutner (’70A ) Dean Stubbe (’79S ) Neal Suess (’84E ) Dennis (’70A ) and Mary Thomas Bebe Tucker (’43F ) Doug Ward (’67E) and Linda Glantz Ward (’70F) Joan Welch (’55S ) Michael (’77E) and Pamela (’77S) Weston Lorraine (’78F) and David (’79V) Whitney Susan Williams (’85D ) Tom Wilson (’84M ) Dean Wolf (’61E ) Kathy (’72D) and Steven (’73A) Zumbach EIGHT-YEAR DONORS Kenneth Allbaugh (’47E ) Ronald (’68E) and Keitha (’67F) Anderson James (’93E ) and Wendy Anderson Alvin Barden (’55A ) Ruth Bassett (’60F ) Donald Borcherding (’68E ) James (’78A) and Marcia(’78F) Borel Jan and Jeff Breitman Richard Caputo (’72S ) John (’82E ) and Kim Carlson Denny (’65E ) and Marcy Chaussee Carrol Collins (’50A ) Harold (’50A ) and Rachel Crawford Chris Cunningham (’79A ) Todd Dahlof (’90D ) Richard Forsythe (’43S ) Nancy Gauthier (’79D ) Elaine (’85M ) and Brian Gifford Jane Gustafson (’57F ) David Hahn (’80V ) Susan Hanke (’87M ) Joann (’55F) and Robert (’55S) Hanson James Harris (’74E )* Jeaneyl Hazlett (’75V ) Johann Karg (’69S ) John (’70S ) and Cheryl Kingland David Metzger (’86B )

John (’63A ) and Kay Mortimer Lu Ng (’69A ) Wayne (’60S ) and Eleanor Ostendorf Robert Palmer (’62E ) Debra Dotzler Pfeifer (’86S) and Dennis Pfeifer (’86E) Nancy (’83A) and Douglas (’83A) Pringnitz Kelly Rose (’86F ) Richard (’61A) and Elaine Rypkema Stephen Sandman (’78A ) Mary (’83M ) and Raymond Scheve Richard Schmidgall (’83E ) Cathy (’88M) and Mark (’88A) Schmidt Vincent Schwenk (’59E ) Mary (’56F) and William (’56E) Snyder Vaughn Speer (’49A ) Charlotte Stafford (’43F ) James (’76E ) and Pamela Swales Steven (’84F ) and Lori Uelner Jay (’59A) and Sarah (’71F) Van Wert Donna Willett (’54F ) Peter Wilson (’55S ) SEVEN-YEAR DONORS Claire Andreasen J. Thomas Andreesen (’89E ) Jeffrey (’70A) and Jean (’70F) Anliker Marianne Berhow (’53F ) Verna (’57F ) and William Boland Bruce Bowen (’67S ) Kenneth Bucklin (’62E ) Wayne (’52V ) and Myrlane Danker Nancy (’72F) and Richard (’72A) Degner James (’87V ) and Julie DeLano Ronald Doofe (’68E ) Richard (’54A ) and Lynn Engen Evelyn (’60F ) and Thomas Fisher Fred (’61E ) and Marilynn Forsberg Geoffrey (’69E ) and Vicki Grimes Donald Harbert (’70E ) Donald (’60S) and Phyllis (’61F) Holmes Cecilia (’89U) and Harry (’89U) Horner Melissa Houston (’95E ) John Hunt (’64S ) Barbara Janson (’65S ) Lee Johnson (’73E ) Teresa Beer Larson (’73S) and Jami Larson (’74S) Joel Leininger (’72V ) Kent Mattison (’74E ) Ruth McAdon (’49F ) Glen (’61A ) and Mary Jo Mente Gerald (’55E ) and Barbara Montgomery Katherine (’43F) and Richard (’44E) Munsen Richard (’62E) and Grace (’63F) O’Leary John Peterson (’78E) and Nancy Turnquist-Peterson (’81V) Patrick (’77E) and Nancy (’78S) Pinkston Don (’54A) and Ann (’54F) Platt Carl (’67E ) and Valerie Rausch Jeffrey Rettig (’83A ) Scott Rogers (’96S ) Thomas Ruzicka (’57A ) Janis Scharingson (’71S ) John (’59E ) and Patricia Shors Robert Stober (’61E ) Michelle Stotts (’88M ) Virginia Thomas Julie (’67F ) and Laird Trusler Sara Turner Ronald (’66A) and Patricia (’66F) Vansteenburg Robert (’49A ) and Lois Vohs Donald Westlake (’59S ) SIX-YEAR DONORS Carol Anderson (’76F ) John (’64S) and Joan (’64S) Axel

Gretchen Backlund (’48F ) Harold Barfknecht (’70S ) James Barr (’62E ) Mark Batchelder (’95S ) Robert Best (’55A ) Richard Boettcher (’61E ) Timothy Bray (’85E ) Keith Bruening (’80S ) Dennis Casey (’64A ) Arnel Citurs (’88E ) Craig Claussen (’69M ) Marilyn (’75F) and Dwight (’74A) Conover James Crouse (’57E ) Christine Dunahoo (’97M ) Larry (’62A ) and Barbara Ebbers Don Francois (’84B ) Linda (’68F) and William (’72A) Good Jill Haas (’82F ) Russell Hansen (’67A ) Paul Hermann (’47E ) Elizabeth (’76F) and Randall (’76A) Hertz James Jacot (’87E ) Robert (’58A) and June (’56F) Johanson Dale (’60E) and Janice (’62F) Johnson Fern Kelsay Betty (’59F) and Dennis (’59A) Keeney Kent Lage (’86E ) Teresa (’70D) and Dale (’69S) Loussaert* Jean (’90M) and James (’69A) Martin Lois (’68F) and John (’67E) Mather David Moeller (’87E ) James (’72A ) and Connie Mohn Ferd (’49E ) and Jeanne Mueller James Naibert (’77S ) Richard Pratt (’56A ) Brian Rumpf (’88E ) Willis Ryan (’62E ) Christine (’79S ) and Daniel Schmidt Keith (’56A ) and Nancy Schmidt Shirley Snyder (’51F ) Bob Suominen Jane Swanson (’61F ) Jerry (’68F) and Karen (’67S) Tow Ruby (’87M ) and Ramon Trice Samuel (’67A ) and Carol Wise* Charles (’65E ) and Penny Yost FIVE-YEAR DONORS James Anglin (’79E ) Ruth Ann Bennett (’59F ) Tom Bjelland (’73A ) Chester (’76A) and Joy (’76F) Boruff Catherine Breed Doris (’54F) and Wayne (’55V) Brown Stewart Burger (’72F ) L. Eugene (’51A ) and Beth Chappell Frank (’54A ) and Dorothy Clark Marcia (’68S) and John (’67A) Cook Dick (’54S ) and Roberta Cox Nancy Dittmer (’84M ) James Fetrow (’61A ) Wayne Friesner (’66S ) Carl (’66E) and Donna (’67S) Gahwiler* Richard Harker (’57V ) Judy Hopson John Hsu (’63S ) Carol (’58F) and Gerald (’53A) Hunter Jay (’89A) and Julie (’88A) Jacobi Carol Jensen (’88M ) Karen John (’65F ) Kent (’78S ) and Sara Johnson Alice Keene (’05E ) Rod (’74E) and Jan Berg Kruse (’76F) Jennifer Larsen (’75S ) David (’77V ) and Diane Larson Wanda Lismer (’56F ) Angela Lookingbill (’93M ) Ralph Martin (’56A ) John (’73E) and Barbara (’87S) Meyer Charles (’85E) and Lori (’83S) Miller

SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

Donald (’67V) and Lorna (’64F) Myrtue Richard Olin (’60E ) David (’61E) and Jeanne (’62F) O’Melia James Palensky (’87V) and Teresa Scheib-Palensky (’87V) James (’43S) and Jean (’43F) Porter Brenda Richmann (’85M ) Kristine Roberson (’73S ) Ruth Ann Robson (’52F ) Allan (’83E) and Diane (’79S) Roderick Deborah (’83E) and Jeffery (’81E) Schebler Lyle (’57A ) and Becky Siefering Roy (’70S) and Karen (’71D) Siple Erma (’70F) and Norm (’69A) Skadburg Ryan Slattery (’00M ) David (’91E) and Christine (’91D) Slump Richard Sperring (’52E ) Shirley Stow (’76D ) Sandra Steffenson Tamkin (’90S ) Robert Taylor (’68E ) Luther (’60A) and M. Jane (’57F) Thompson Jesus Tuazon (’65E ) Doug (’59A) and Clarita (’59F) Vandermyde David VanHorn (’89E ) Byron Veath (’51E ) Mary Wettach (’78S ) Alan (’71E) and Nancy (’71S) Wilcox Lynnette (’82S) and Jeff (’81E) Witt Jane (’77F) and David (’72E) Wombacher FOUR-YEAR DONORS Donald Adams (’72E ) Jerry Adamson (’72A ) Kenneth (’50A) and Edna (’48S) Anderson Donald Arends (’52A ) Robert Ashby (’92C) and Kerry WalterAshby (’92S) Karen Bahr (’73F ) Janice Baker (’73F ) Todd (’84A) and Margaret (’85S) Barker Edwin Bartine (’64A ) Todd (’88A) and Karey (’88M) Bishop Dody Boat (’55F ) Douglas (’81S) and Susan (’81S) Boden Rose Boughton (’58F ) Judith (’62F ) and Leroy Butler David Campbell (’55S ) Carl Carlson (’71A ) Doris Chandler Dean Christensen (’59E ) Donald Cook (’74V ) Charles (’83A) and Christine (’83A) Cornelius Jack Cox (’50E ) Joe (’58E ) and Patricia Cunning Donald (’66V ) and Dianne Draper Jane (’88D) and William (’69A) Edwards James Eggert (’55S ) David Emmert (’89V ) David Eyre (’61E ) James (’73A ) and Dagni Falvey Yvonne Ferris (’56S ) Ellen (’49F) and Richard (’50A) Freeman Jennifer Garrels (’84M ) Anthony Germann (’60A ) Murl Grandia (’56E ) Brenda Greaves (’83D ) Roger Grundmeier (’72A ) Edward (’83C) and Martha (’83S) Gschneidner* James (’79V ) and Susan Hagedorn Shannon Harris (’95S ) Patrick (’56E ) and Paula Hart Dale (’93E) and Kathleen (’77D) Heinrichs Charles (’58S) and Anne (’58F) Hesse Thomas Hills (’81S ) Richard (’56E ) and Elaine Jarvis Jean (’50F) and Lowell (’50A) Johnson Susan Kesting (’86M ) Maurice King (’67E ) Shirley (’71F ) and John Knipfel Kay Kretschmar Runge (’69S ) Dean Kruse (’69S ) Robert (’58S ) and Nancy Lindemeyer Karen (’82M) and Joel (’82M) Longtin Craig (’91E) and Michelle (’87M) Mahoney Mary Markland (’85S ) Allan Mattke (’60A ) Bradley Maurer (’78D ) John Maxheim (’58E ) Lyla (’71D ) and Thomas Maynard Julia McCutchan (’58F ) Rene Erlandson (’87S) and Thomas McDonnell (’85S) Roger Merritt (’51A) Pamela (’75D) and John (’72A) Miller Cathy Nelson (’79S ) Thea (’77S) and R. (’78C) Oberlander Glenn (’62E ) and Carol Olson

Donald (’55) and Carol (’56) Olson Barbara Palmer (’46F ) Mark (’90M) and Gia (’91S) Paris Harold (’73E ) and Mary Paustian* Dave (’85E) and Katy (’83F) Pepper Pamela Peterson (’84S ) Frank (’88E) and Mary (’85E) Reynolds* Randall (’81A) and Jennifer (’82S) Ramundt Jeffrey (’83E) and Leslie (’84D) Riesberg Kathy Rhode (’82S ) Charles and Phyllis Ricketts Mary Ellen Roach Higgins (’48F ) Jack (’85S) and Susan (’78A) Robbins Victor (’50E) and Shirley (’09S) Smith Roberta Simpson-Dolbeare (’76S) and Eric Dolbeare (’77A) Richard Roepke (’70A ) Richard (’73E) and Karen (’74D) Runyon William (’74A) and Denise (’78S) Ryan Jack Sawyer (’52S ) Robert (’57E) and Vanita (’55F) Sels Andrew Shell (’71E ) Rebecca (’74S) and Evan (’74A) Stadlman Gerald (’61V ) and Carolyn Te Paske Dean Teslow (’72A ) Douglas Thacker (’90A ) Glen Vetter (’72A ) Lynn Vorbrich (’60S ) Robert (’57E) and Mary Ann (’56F) Wagner Norman (’59E ) and Margaret Wirkler THREE-YEAR DONORS Curtis (’59A) and Dorothy (’63F) Askelson Paul (’71V) and Marlene (’68F) Armbrecht Judith Baird (’80S ) Barbara (’47F) and William (’49A) Baltisberger James Beatty (’64S) and Jan Westerman-Beatty (’72S) Gregg Behrens (’74A ) Sharon Bennett Marvin Bigbee (’58E ) Charles Bonney (’69V ) Robert (’73A) and Rosalind (’71F) Brand Bradd (’86C) and Janan (’86M) Brown Lorraine Bruns (’47F ) Greta Budweg (’81S ) Donald Campbell (’52A ) Mike (’67E) and Jane (’67S) Carlstrom Susan (’81F) and Randy (’81E) Clarahan Keith (’59A) and Carol (’60F) Clement George Cocks (’41S ) Eli (’70S ) and Carole Cohen Shirley (’56F) and Kay (’56A) Connelly Darrell Cox (’83A ) Matthew (’00S ) and Sarah Craft Gwen Dahlberg (’50F ) Helen Dane (’82V) and Roger Hohle John Dear (’67S ) Glenn (’66E ) and Viola DeStigter Robert Dighton (’56E ) Thomas (’51S ) and Barbara Dougherty Sharon Drendel Lora Duncan (’94A ) Sparky (’67A ) and Suzanne Duroe Timothy (’87M ) and Marjorie Dye Alan Dykstra (’74E ) Curtis (’90M) and Teri (’90S) Ford James (’60A ) and Clare Frevert Gwen Friedow (’85S ) Paul Gesell (’81A ) Everett Gilman (’51E ) Edward (’73E ) and Linda Gilmore Thomas (’69A ) and Colleen Good Luan Hammell (’71F ) Larissa (’93V) and Richard (’91E) Hautekeete Merlyn (’66A ) and Carol Hegland Rudolf (’73E ) and Deborah Herrmann William Hicks (’60V ) Alice Hill (’64F ) Philip Hill (’59A ) Clara (’64S) and Harold (’65E) Hoover Kristi Humpal (’96M ) Rachel Hymbaugh (’96A ) Albert (’51A ) and Carolyn Johnson Julie (’92M) and Darron (’91S) Jones Tracy Kolosik (’81M ) Kevin Krogmeier (’75U )* Judd (’54A ) and Ramona Leland Edward Lents (’75V ) Ana Hays McCracken (’84F) and Edward Mccracken (’66E) David McFarland (’62S ) Carol McGovern (’63F ) Thomas McIntosh (’67A ) Howard (’56A) and Dorothy (’55F) McLean Richard Milburn (’69E ) Nancy Mock (’63F )

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

Joanne Nelson (’63F ) John (’07) and Mary Pappajohn Steffan Paul (’91S ) Myrna (’82F) and Ronald (’57A) Powers Bryce Redington (’61S ) Megan (’97A) and Brent (’96A) Reschly Keith Rolston (’64V ) Duane Rost (’62E ) Richard (’73S) and Lynda (’73F) Schuler Duane Seehusen (’74V ) Kristin (’76S ) and F. Dean Seiber Gordon Smith (’61A ) Timothy Smith (’77S ) Thomas Stanton (’53S ) Jane (’84A ) and Jeffrey Stautz Catherine Stevermer (’93D ) Gregory Strand (’75V ) Taylor Swanson (’03E ) James Swanstrom Nancy (’66F) and Charles (’67A) Sweetman Ronald Thompson (’76E ) Carol Toft Meldman (’72S ) David Villa (’68E ) Diana (’78F) and Mark Weber Donna Whitney TWO-YEAR DONORS Dale Anderson (’95M) and Mary Montgomery (’83S) Jill (’80S) and John Anderson Jonlee Andrews (’80F ) Jeanne Astleford (’63F) Roger Bagbey (’03E ) Elizabeth (’86E) and Scott (’84E) Benjamin Louise (’57F) and Arthur (’57A) Bine Benjamin Boden (’05H ) Don (’84A) and Janet (’85E) Borcherding Nancy Bowe (’77S ) Annette (’71F) and Nathan (’71A) Burnham Colleen (’51F) and William (’50E) Castner Boon Chuan Chew (’91S ) Roger Childs (’58E ) James Christensen (’78A ) Russell (’55E ) and Carolyn Copley David Cotts (’62E ) Jeffrey Crain(’89S ) Michael Davis (’71V ) Diana (’85S ) and Jon DiCesare James (’56E) and Etna (’56F) Doyle Dennis Drager (’85V ) Laurie (’85M) and Kenneth (’82M) Eastman Ron Eastman (’86E ) Karl Eby (’73A) and Judy Erickson (’70S) William Ellingrod (’54E ) Carolyn (’81D) and James (’81S) Engquist Rebecca Eustice(’73S ) Robert Farr (’61S ) Robert Feher (’75V ) Jean Fenchel (’57F ) Raymond Glynn (’41A ) Dennis Grant (’62E ) Lowell Greimann (’64E ) John Grundmeier (’81A )* William (’79S) and Shannon (’82D) Haas Allan (’77S) and Carol (’78F) Hallquist Stephen (’80A) and Brenda (’85D) Hamilton Brian (’78V ) and Kristin Hargens Bruce Hattig (’83E ) Fredric Heinz(’78A ) Sara (’00S) and Matthew (’00E) Hillis Julie Hoefler (’91A ) Douglas (’73A ) and Nancy Hofbauer Elizabeth Horne (’51F ) Randall Hoyle (’93M ) Jeffrey (’83S) and Cynthia (’82S) Hunt Christopher (’73E) and Deanna (’73S) Jens David Johnson (’70E ) Lori (’02M) and Daniel (’00M) Kartman Mark (’83V) and Kathleen (’83V) Kovacs* James Kruse (’76S ) Dorothy Kruse (’53F ) Dennis Lincicum (’72S ) Chad Lochner (’96E ) Patrice (’73D) and W. Mark (’73E) Lortz Charles (’59A ) and Donna Lusher Barbara (’57F) and Gary (’57S) Lyall William Magill (’67A) and Lucia Lincoln (’74F) Edward (’60E) and Judith (’60F) McCall Karen McGregor (’82S ) Douglas Meyers (’88E ) Donald (’73S ) and Marcia Miller William Moran (’73E ) Barbara (’77F) and Ervin (’77E) Mussman Diana Nevins (’85S ) R. Ted Payseur (’72S )

Janis Peak (’61F ) Richard Pearson (’62S ) Darold (’60A) and Sandra (’61F) Plate Jamie and Ellen Pollard Kevin (’84M) and Kathleen (’84M) Prien Gary (’70E) and Shirley (’72S) Pullen Ronald (’60A ) and Mary Pullin Layne (’63F ) and Gary Rabold Sybil (’67S) and Noel (’66S) Rasmussen Laura (’79F ) and Dale Reicks Kathryn (’55F) and Duane (’56E) Renken Alan Renken (’67E ) James Rhyne (’65S ) Richard Rickert (’68A ) John Rogers (’72E ) Carolyn Rosberg (’61F ) Patricia Rozek (’86S ) Lou Ann (’70S) and Kent (’70S) Sandburg Deborah (’70D) and James (’70E) Schultz Robert Shaw (’72S ) James (’72A) and Penelope (’69S) Shenk Robert (’78S ) and Shawn Simonsen Katherine (’56F) and William (’56A) Smith Leo Smith (’71A ) Norma (’57F) and William (’59V) Speer Michael Snyder (’71A ) Scott Stanzel (’95S) and Priscilla Jones Stanzel Wayne (’76E) and Paula (’75S) Sunday Janice Twinam Paul Van Roekel (’80V ) Dee (’75S) and David (’73S) Vandeventer Ronald Voss (’69A ) Harold (’58E) and Sara (’59F) Warrington Tara Whitmire (’01S ) Sally (’70D ) and Wayne Wilson Dana Wilson (’81B ) Marilyn Wolf (’60S ) Dorothy (’61F) and Doyle (’60A) Wolverton Renee Woodall (’94D ) Barbara Woods (’81F ) FIRST-YEAR DONORS Stuart Anderson (’91E )* David Anthony (’57E ) Loren Armstrong (’04E) David (’69E ) and Muriel Arnold Kenneth Bailey (’88D ) Ruth Barber (’85F ) Richard Bauerle (’53E ) Paul Behrens (’76E ) Thomas (’73S ) and Julie Birdsall Carla Bobka (’87F ) Gary Borkowski (’87V )* Marcie Bowser (’98A ) Daleen Brown (’95M ) Gregory Buffington (’67E ) Eric (’97V ) and Brenda Burrough Kayleen Catu (’84S ) Bryce (’71A ) and Cheryl Chamberlain Linda (’80D) and H. Alan (’78A) Carver Joel Clark (’83E ) Dalimira Cmiel (’57F ) Peggy (’77F) and Jim (’75A) Corrington Larry Crane (’91C ) Susan Crofoot (’45F ) George Davis (’46E ) John Dewey (’76S ) Christy (’00S) and Justin (’01E) Doornink Martha (’92M) and Kevin (’92E) Dowling* Todd Doyle (’86E ) Jean (’63S ) and Frederick Dyer Diane (’69S) and Jerry (’73E) Eilers* John (’65A ) and Joann Esser Thomas (’60A ) and Ruth Feldmann Janet Finer-Moore (’78S ) Alan Fisher (’50A ) Bonita Fong (’61F ) Kenneth (’68A) and Mary (’57F) Frank Denise Fredregill (’89M ) Lyle Gaston (’53S ) Wayne Geadelmann (’58A ) Patricia Gibson (’73S )* Connie Gore (’81S ) Julie (’05M) and J. D. (’07E) Greiner Robert (’76D ) and Debra Guetzlaff Doris Haack (’61S ) Lyndon (’63E ) and Roslyn Haddock Kerrianne Hanlin (’88V ) Cathryn Hargis (’76S ) Theodore (’73S ) and Ann Hart Myron Hinrichs (’66V ) Thomas (’72B ) and Jane Hollander Robert Homolka (’86S ) Stephen (’82S) and Mary (’85S) Howard Lung-Hsiang Huang (’78B ) Ralph Huedepohl (’82A )

Steven Humke (’68F ) Kathleen Hunt (’78E ) Mark Ingebretson (’80E )* Jose Jenkins (’51E ) Dan Johnson (’94A ) Brent Johnston (’88E ) Carrie Jorgensen (’93A ) Lester (’62S) and Shirley (’62F) Juon Stanley Kammerer (’65S ) Barbara (’51F ) and Donald Kelsey Vincent Kenneally (’52A ) Jerry Knight Jeffrey Kragskow (’83M ) Michael Krull (’00S ) Tony Kruse (’04S ) Mervin Kuefner (’56E ) Rachele (’89S) and Michael (’87E) Kugel Timothy Kuntz (’88S ) James (’72S ) and Kay Lehman Choy Leow (’85C) and Connie Cher Pak Leung (’86A ) Alice Lissner (’61F ) Verne Logan (’57A ) Joseph (’63S ) and Teresnia Longval Joseph Lutkenhaus (’69S ) Roger (’71V ) and Marilyn Mahr Dennis (’73S ) and Susan Martin Michael Martin (’81A ) Peggy Maxwell (’90S ) Dennis (’66V ) and Jeri McCurnin Roger Merrifield (’63S ) Jane Moen (’86D ) Gretchen (’96F) and Michael (’05D) Mosher Stephen Mossholder (’65E ) Diane (’86F) and Kevin (’83E) Mueller Michael Muhm (’81S ) Ashok Nariboli (’76M ) Kathleen Niedert (’73F ) Paula Norby (’78S ) Emilie Oldfield (’46F ) Mark Olson (’76S ) Diane (’68F) and James (’66A) Patton Lynnette (’73F) and Dennis (’71S) Pelisek Robert Pepmeyer (’73S ) Aldor (’56E) and Carol (’57F) Peterson Steven Petska Monica (’69F) and Max (’65E) Porter Brooke (’03S) and Richard (’02A) Prestegard Jennifer Scharff (’98S ) Ruth Ann (’73F) and B. Brock (’73S) Seney Eugene Severson (’49A ) Michael (’75V) and Patrice (’75F) Sharp Michael (’79C ) and Deb Shelton I. Sue Shepard-Simmons (’61F ) Joan Simpson Kendra Skinner (’98D ) Fred (’68E ) and Patricia Smith Evonne (’68F) and Thomas (’68S) Smith John Smith (’94A ) Eleanor Smith (’66F ) Tami Smith-Rohovit (’82S ) Gaylord Solberg (’63V ) Dave Souhrada (’71A ) Curtis Stamp (’89S ) Scott Stefanc (’94C ) Kim (’76E ) and Rosa Strohbehn Wilma Struss (’93S ) Timothy (’77E ) and Nancy Sullivan Charles Swanson (’67A ) Daniel Terpstra (’89E ) Howard Thalacker (’68S ) Brian Thomas (’97M ) Todd Tierney (’90C ) Keith Vollstedt Floyd (’68S) and Roberta (’68S) Waddle Kim (’90E) and Dan (’90E) Wagner Donna Walker (’54F ) Phyllis Walters (’84E ) Ruth Walton (’66S ) Morgan Wang (’91S ) Stephen (’67E ) and Beverly Watson Linda (’72F) and John (’72E) Weber Dana (’87F) and Peter (’74A) Wenstrand Linda Wilcox (’78F ) Anna (’62F) and Roger Winans Glenn Windom (’66V ) Jill Witowski (’92M ) Ryan York (’95M ) Max Youkin (’60A)

43

THROWING LIKE A GIRL

Cyclone Christina Hillman carves out her own space in the world of women’s shot put

W

hen Tina Hillman was an eighth grader growing up in Dover, Del., her gym teacher’s husband – a champion weight thrower – happened to see the tall blonde pass the pigskin to a classmate. Not an 8.8pound shot put, but a 14-ounce inflated football. Really, there’s very little that a quarterback and a shot putter have in common, but the sight of it was enough to give him a feeling: This girl could throw.

By the time Hillman got to high school, she had added track and field to her long resume of athletics activities.

She was a standout Delaware prep, winning seven state titles at St. Thomas More. Then-Iowa State assistant track coach Grant Wall was in the state recruiting and decided to swing by and check out the 6-foot, 2-inch Hillman, who was still trying to decide whether to pursue collegiate track and field or volleyball. Hillman could hurl the shot 39 feet, even with horrible technique. And Wall just got a feeling: This girl could really throw.

Iowa State was the first school that recruited Hillman, and she rewarded that loyalty by committing to the Cyclones after falling in love with the Iowa State campus on her official visit.

“I didn’t think I was going to come here,” Hillman says, “I really didn’t. But I love it here. The campus is beautiful.

And I love the team; the team is like my family.”

During the summer before coming to Iowa State, Hillman began working with a personal trainer. In just a few months, she increased her throwing distance from 39 to 50 feet. In 2011 she won the New Balance Indoor National High School championship and the Penn Relays. As an ISU freshman, Hillman earned all-Big 12 recognition. She continued to improve. And she started to JIM HEEMSTRA

44

SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

Sports

by Kate Bruns

get a feeling: I really can throw.

When Wall and head coach Corey Ihmels left ISU for Boise State in 2013, Hillman began working with a new throwing coach: Fletcher Brooks.

Hillman says she owes a lot to both of her coaches and has thrived under Brooks’ tutelage. She says his guidance has helped shape what she is today: The top women’s collegiate shot putter in the U.S.

“ I hope my teammates would describe me as an optimist, as someone who is encouraging, generous, and thoughtful. I love being part of a team: We support each other and are part of something bigger.” – TINA HILLMAN Hillman won her first national title at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships, reaching a height she hadn’t even dreamed of pursuing in high school.

“I think I was almost crying,” she remembers. “I won it on my second throw, because the girl who was in first place threw such a PR [personal record]. She was beating me, but I said to myself in that moment, ‘No one wants this more than I do.’ It was a completely different mindset for me. It was the first time I truly believed I could win the national championship, so when I did I was jumping up and down on cloud nine.”

Hillman followed up that performance with the 2014 outdoor title, which she won on her last throw. “That one was almost kind of a relief,” she admits.

“Once you win once, it’s like: ‘I can’t let VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SPRING 2015

another collegian beat me.’”

For Hillman, the bar has now been set extremely high: Not only does she want to win more national titles, but she is also passionate about making it to the 2016 Olympics. She will soon earn undergraduate degrees in psychology and child, adult, and family services and hopes to go on to earn a master’s degree and work with youth in the human services field. But she is willing to put plans on hold to pursue her Olympic dream. “I’ve heard that both training for the Olympics and going to grad school are full-time jobs,” she says, “so I’m not sure how that will work. But I’m open to going wherever I need to go.”

Despite her many successes, Hillman says she still believes there is potential to be fulfilled.

“I’m still relatively weak compared to a lot of the female shot putters,” says Hillman, who lifts weights about four days a week. “I love putting in the hard work and just testing my abilities to see where I can end up. It’s been such a blessing.”

Hillman also says she enjoys defying people’s stereotypes of female throwers. While she is certainly big and strong, she’s not what anyone would describe as masculine, with long blonde locks and painted fingernails.

“I wanted to show that you can succeed in a sport that’s deemed masculine, whether you’re masculine or feminine,” she says. “If [masculine] is your identity, that’s perfectly fine, of course. I’m very feminine; that’s my expression. Even in my sport it doesn’t have to be about masculinity or femininity. It’s about how hard you work and the effort that you put in.”

Issues of gender and sexuality figure largely in Hillman’s life; she was recently profiled by Outsports.com’s Cyd Zeigler, a national author and commentator on

KBRUNS@IASTATE.EDU

sexuality and sports, about her identity as a pansexual student-athlete – an identity Zeigler says adds “another color in the LGBT rainbow.” (“I think of it as being gender blind; I fall in love with humans” is how Hillman explains it.)

“I was open [about my sexuality] in high school because I was dating a female,” Hillman says. “But when I got to college I guess I went back in the closet, in a way, because it was a new place and I’ve always wanted people to know me as a person first. Once I’d made friends and established my networks, I came out and was accepted by almost everyone.

Taking the next step and talking to Cyd was me realizing that maybe I could help some other athletes. No one part defines me, obviously. I’m an athlete, pansexual, sister, daughter…but if that one identity can encourage others, I would love to do that.”

As Hillman works toward adding another identity to that list – Olympian, she is relishing her experience at Iowa State.

“I hope my teammates would describe me as an optimist, as someone who is encouraging, generous, and thoughtful,” she says. “I love being part of a team: We support each other and are part of something bigger.

“But at the end of the day, what I do is completely up to me, and I like that.

If I mess up, it’s my fault. If I do well, it’s because I put in the work. I love everything about it.” 

45

Calendar  Alumni events

VISIONS Across America Tour

April: Cy’s Days of Service (all month) April 2: VISIONS Across America Tour, ISUAA Club of Omaha April 10: 4th Annual Cardinal & Gold Gala, Des Moines April 22: Bringing You ISU: “Revitalizing Campustown,” Des Moines May 19: Bringing You ISU: “Exciting Things Happening at the ISU Research Park,” Des Moines May 28-29: ISU Alumni Association Board of Directors spring meeting and annual reception June 12-14: Intramural Alumni Weekend June 11: Bringing You ISU: “Jack Trice Stadium South End Zone Expansion,” Des Moines

4th Annual Cardinal & Gold Gala

 Events in the

ISU Alumni Center May 9: Commencement Reception May 25: ISU Retirees Memorial Day Ceremony

 Career resources April 1: Career Webinar: “Use Your Strengths to Create a Rewarding and Satisfying Career”* May 6: Career Webinar: “Five Steps to Building a Powerful & Profitable Network”* June 3: Career Webinar: “What You Don’t Say in an Interview Could Hold You Back”* *ISUAA career webinars are free and are held 7-8 p.m. central time. Go to www.isualum. org/webinars for more information.

 On campus April 11: ISU Fashion Show April 25-26: Opening weekend, Treehouse Exhibit, Reiman Gardens April 30: Hixson Opportunity Awards 20th anniversary celebration May 8: Graduate Commencement May 9: Undergraduate Commencement

 Cyclone Athletics April 11: Cyclone Gridiron Club Spring Football Game April 11: Cy’s House of Trivia 46

May 12: Cyclone Tailgate Tour: Ottumwa, Cedar Rapids May 13: Cyclone Tailgate Tour: Bettendorf, Dubuque May 19: Cyclone Tailgate Tour: Sioux City, Omaha May 20: Cyclone Tailgate Tour: Humboldt, Clear Lake May 26: Cyclone Tailgate Tour: Waterloo For all Cyclone sports schedules, go to www.cyclones.com

 Alumni travel The ISU Alumni Association is already planning its Traveling Cyclones schedule for 2016!

The 2016 catalog will be included with the summer issue of VISIONS, but you can get a sneak peek at www.isualum.org/travel. And don’t forget –– it’s not too late to sign up for fall and winter 2015 trips!

 Arts and entertainment Through July: Ever Changing Land: The Art of Ellen Wagener, Brunnier Art Museum Through July: Beauty Through Experiment: The Ceramics of Wedgwood, Brunnier Art Museum April 12: Million Dollar Quartet, Stephens

 Awards April 17: ISU Distinguished Awards Ceremony May 29: Faculty-Staff Inspiration Awards and annual reception Aug. 1: Distinguished Alumni Award and Honorary Alumni Award nomination deadline *For criteria and to submit a nomination for ISUAA awards: www.isualum.org/awards

 Find more events online Campus Calendar: http://event.iastate.edu/ ISU Alumni Association: www.isualum.org/calendar Cyclone Athletics: www.cyclones.com Department of Music and ISU Theatre: www.las.iastate.edu/newnews/arts/isuarts. shtml Reiman Gardens: www.reimangardens.com Iowa State Center: www.center.iastate.edu University Museums: www.museums.iastate.edu Lectures: www.lectures.iastate.edu/ SPRING 2015 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

Iowa State University Alumni Center 420 Beach Avenue Ames, Iowa 50011-1430

Your Lifetime Link

To apply today, visit www.newcardonline.com and enter the priority code below for your choice of card designs:

Please accept our

$10 MILLION

Cy: Priority Code VAB3OP Campanile: Priority Code VAB59M

worth of THANKS!

Since 1995, Iowa State University and the ISU Alumni Association have been a partner with Bank of America (formerly MBNA) in offering Iowa State University alumni and friends the only credit card featuring Cy or the Campanile.

More than 13,000 Iowa Staters currently have one or both of these cards and are actively using them for day-to-day purchases.

For this, we say thank you!

As a result of your active participation in this program over the past 19 years, more than $10 million in royalty payments have been made to the Alumni Association by Bank of America.

These dollars have helped support the Association’s efforts to tell the Iowa State story, honor Iowa Staters and their achievements, support Iowa State traditions like homecoming, and provide needed support for student leadership and scholarship programs.

It has also allowed the Alumni Association to keep membership dues and program costs at a reasonable level.

If you don't currently have the card, please consider applying for one today. Visit www.isualum.org/credit card for more information, or apply online now at www.newcardonline.com using the priority codes above. If you prefer to apply by phone, call (800) 932-2775 and provide the priority code above to the representative.

If you already have the card, thanks for your continued wise use of it every time you make a credit card purchase! Your on-going support is making connections and a difference in the lives of so many and your university.

– Jeff Johnson

For information about the rates, fees, other costs and benefits associated with the use of this Rewards card, or to apply, go to the website listed above, call the toll-free number listed above, or write to P.O. Box 15020, Wilmington, DE 19850. By opening and/or using these products from Bank of America, you’ll be providing valuable financial support to the Iowa State University Alumni Association. This credit card program is issued and administered by FIA Card Services, N.A. Visa and Visa Signature are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association, and are used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. BankAmericard Cash Rewards is a trademark and Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. ©2014 Bank of America Corporation