VISIONS: Summer 2019

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 |

ARE ANTIBIOTICS MAKING US SICK?

Summer 2019

Iowa State’s new antimicrobial resistance institute could have far-reaching impact on a global health crisis

G E TTI NG START ED

by Carole Gieseke

CGIESEKE@IASTATE.EDU

The frightening rise of drug-resistant infections

I

owa State is doing some heavy lifting on a serious health threat that I’m sure you’ve heard about.

The concept of antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, has been in the news a lot lately. You may have read about antibiotic-resistant bacteria, drug-resistant infections, and superbugs.

There’s a lot of information out there, some of which is not entirely correct.

And there’s also information that needs to be shared, but it’s not.

Our cover story is about a new National Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education. It’s housed right here in Ames, Iowa, and our faculty and staff are contributing important research and taking on leadership roles. Folks in Lincoln, Neb.; Iowa

The leadership at NIAMRRE hopes that by spreading accurate information, everyone will get on board to use antibiotics only when necessary and at the right dose and only for the length of time necessary to defeat the infection.

City; Rochester, Minn., and elsewhere are also heavily involved. The goal is to create a network, focused on research and education, all over the country and the world.

I have the greatest respect for folks who work with infectious diseases. Many of them work in Iowa State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and others are doing research in the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Science, 2

Engineering, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and other units. Iowa State has for years trained students – now alumni – to work in health-care fields, in hospitals, medical centers, veterinary clinics, and senior housing facilities. They’re on the front line when it comes to recognizing and treating these super-stubborn germs.

I opened up my New York Times one Sunday in early April, and a story on the front page instantly grabbed my attention: “Mysterious Bug Adds Alarming Dimension to Dangers of Overusing Medicines,” the headline said.

The story was part of “Deadly Germs, Lost Cures,” a series that explores the rise in drug-resistant infections, the causes, and the possible solutions.

This particular story was about a relatively new germ, not seen before in the U.S. It’s a fungus called Candida auris, and like one of its bacterial counterparts, MRSA, it preys on people with weakened immune systems. The authors say that it is “quietly spreading across the globe.”

In the past five years, the article states, the fungus has hit a neonatal unit in Venezuela, swept through a hospital in Spain, forced a British medical center to shut down its ICU, and taken root in India, Pakistan, and South Africa.

Recently, C. auris, as they call it, came to New York, presenting in an elderly man at Mount Sinai Hospital in Brooklyn. He died after 90 days in the hospital, and he left behind a legacy of C. auris that refused to die. Let me paraphase here from the story: Tests showed it was everywhere in his room, so invasive that the hospital needed special cleaning equipment and had to rip

out some of the ceiling and floor tiles to eradicate it. Everything tested positive – the walls, the bed, the doors, the curtains, the phones, the sink, the whiteboard, the poles, the mattress, the bed rails, the window shades. Everything.

Now, to be clear, C. auris is a fungus, and the national AMR institute housed here at Iowa State is focused specifically on bacteria. But whether it’s a fungus or bacteria or virus, the bottom line is that drug-resistant infections are growing – and they don’t always have a cure.

Part of the problem, as you’ll see in the cover story, is that for decades, antibiotics have been overused, both in humans and in animals. Even anti-fungals are applied to crops. So those antibiotics you’ve been taking for what may very well have been a virus? That’s got to stop. The leadership at NIAMRRE hopes that by spreading accurate information, everyone – physicians, veterinarians, health-care workers, industries, governments, and patients – will get on board to use antibiotics only when necessary and at the right dose and only for the length of time necessary to defeat the infection. And that researchers will share breakthroughs with one another and figure out a way to outsmart these deadly little creatures that we can’t even see.

It’s pretty cool that Iowa State is leading the way on AMR and partnering with other heavy hitters in the science world. It gives me tremendous hope for the future. 

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

COVER STORY

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Are antibiotics making us sick?

Iowa State’s new antimicrobial resistance institute could have far-reaching impact on a global health crisis

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

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Cyclones Everywhere: Three alumni, connected by compassion

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2 4 6 30

2020 Traveling Cyclones Adventures

26 28

A tale of two minds Iowa STATEment Makers

Getting Started Letters to the Editor Around Campus Cyclones Everywhere Featuring Newsmakers, Cyclone Stories, a Homecoming preview, and more 44 Sports 46 Calendar

Cassandra Dittmer (’13 apparel merch & design) is the CEO of her own successful red-carpet fashion styling company, where her clients have included Hollywood A-listers like Dwayne “The Rock”Johnson and Ryan Reynolds, musical act Lady Antebellum, major magazines, and the Bill and Melinda Gates family. She lives in Seattle, Wash., and is one of 15 Iowa STATEment makers profiled on pages 28-29.

Submitted photo

On the Cover: The overuse of antibiotics in people and animals has led to a dramatic rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths are caused in the U.S. each year by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Last year, Iowa State was chosen to house a new National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education that will foster an active understanding of antimicrobial resistance to reduce its societal impact. Learn more in our cover story, starting on page 10.

SUMMER 2019 / VOLUME 32 / NO. 2 EDITOR: Carole Gieseke ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Kate Bruns PHOTOGRAPHY: Jim Heemstra, Rachel Mummey DESIGN: Scott Thornton LOCAL PHONE 294-6525 TOLL-FREE 1-877-ISU-ALUM (478-2586) WEBSITE isualum.org

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

Photo illustration by Jim Heemstra and Scott Thornton VISIONS (ISSN 1071-5886) is published quarterly for members of the Iowa State University Alumni Association by the ISU Alumni Association, 429 Alumni Lane, Ames, IA 5001 1-1403, (515) 294-6525, FAX (515) 294-9402. Periodicals postage paid at Ames, Iowa, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VISIONS, ISU Alumni Center, 429 Alumni Lane, Ames, IA 50011-1403.

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Copyright 2019 by the ISU Alumni Association, Jeffery W. Johnson, Lora and Russ Talbot Endowed President and CEO and publisher.

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

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.

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2019-2020 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 Thomas A. Connop**# Chair ’76 History Dallas, Texas Kathy A. (Sullivan) Peterson**^ Chair-elect ’95 Speech Comm.

Aurelia, Iowa Lawrence Cunningham**^ Immediate Past Chair ’02 Liberal Studies Ames, Iowa Timothy R. Quick**# Vice Chair of Finance ’01 Marketing, Intl. Business Clive, Iowa Marc Mores**# Vice Chair of Records ’95 Exercise & Sport Science Parker, Colo.

Joan Piscitello**# University Treasurer ’98 MBA Ex-officio/voting West Des Moines, Iowa Jeffery W. Johnson**# Lora and Russ Talbot ISUAA Endowed President & CEO PhD ’14 Education Ex-officio/non-voting Ames, Iowa ELECTED DIRECTORS Daniel A. Buhr**# ’95 Elec. Engr.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Kelli Ann Cameron** ’02 Ag. Education Janesville, Wis. Taylor Davis* ’17 Supply Chain Mgmt.

Ames, Iowa Heather L. (Reid) Duncan**# ’06 Public Service & Admin. in Ag. Kansas City, Mo. Duane M. Fisher**# ’73 Ag Ed., MS ‘80 Mt. Auburn, Iowa Chad Harris** ‘01 Political Science Kansas City, Mo. Donald A. Hoy**# ’63 Ag. Business Weatherby Lake, Mo.

Larry Pithan** ’73 Mech. Engr.

Andalusia, Ill. Cathy Schmidt**# ’88 Marketing Plymouth, Minn.

Gregory Smith**# ’91 Occ. Safety, MPA ’10 Marion, Iowa Martha Smith** ’04 Ag. Business St. Louis, Mo. Amy Burrough Tetmeyer**# ’91 Accounting Johnston, Iowa Dana (Willig) Wilkinson** ’78 Interior Design Bettendorf, Iowa Eric Wittrock**# ’92 Mech. Engr.

Urbandale, Iowa Suzanne J. Wyckoff**# ’70 English Riverside, Mo. APPOINTED DIRECTORS Sophia Magill** Office of the President Representative ’05 Pol. Sci. Ames, Iowa Michele Appelgate* College Representative ’88 Journ. & Mass Comm.

Ames, Iowa

CYCLONES EVERYWHERE

I totally enjoyed the “Cyclones Everywhere: Young alumni leading the way” (spring 2019).

The personal stories were awesome. I also appreciated your alumni bookshelf showcasing some ISU authors. Born, raised, and educated in Iowa left a huge impact on my life. I remain an avid Cyclone fan and was so disappointed we didn’t go further in the NCAA tournament, but there is always next year. Go, Cyclones.

Lorraine Peterson Ernst

’62 home ec ed Storm Lake, Iowa

We have some very close friends who should be recognized as outstanding Iowa State alumni. Franklin (Doc) A. Weymiller (A) (’58 farm operation) of Harpers Ferry, Iowa graduated from ISU in the 1950s. Doc and his wife, Jean Ann, are the proud parents of six children who all attended Iowa State. The Weymillers and the Wonderlichs have had season tickets to Iowa State Football since 1980. As you know, Harpers Ferry, Iowa, is at least 200 miles from Ames. Go, Cyclones!

Arlen Wonderlich**

’70 animal science, DVM ’73 Lansing, Iowa

Andrew Larson*** Student Alumni Leadership Council Representative Senior, Forestry LeRoy, Ill.

PhD ’08 fam & cons sci ed Clive, Iowa Editor’s note: Julie attached an impressive list of the institutions and countries that have viewed her dissertation. Countries include the Philippines, Nigeria, Malaysia, Kenya, the UK, Nepal, Poland, and Zambia – 75 countries in all. In fact, the United States is not even No. 1!

(It’s the Philippines, 2-1.) And researchers at 150 different commercial, governmental, and educational institutions have accessed her information, including public schools, junior high schools, the U.S. Department of State, American and international universities, and something called Internet Marketing Ninjas.

PHILADELPHIA STORIES

[I’m writing to let you know that my Iowa State] dissertation has been viewed 1,683 times since 2012. It’s called “Emergency Preparedness: An Analysis of Iowa High School Emergency Preparedness Plans”.

This month was the first time I actually took the time to look at the readership

I wondered if you could use another Philadelphia story.

I joined United Engineers and Constructors, an engineering and construction company in 1969 and by 1974, I was director of the Advanced Engineering Department, with responsibility for 40 engineers and scientists

Membership Key: *Annual member **Life member ***Student member

^Business member # 2018 Sustaining Life donor To apply for the Board of Directors, go to isualum.org/ board. The deadline is Nov. 1.

Meet the Board: isualum.org/about/board

Read VISIONS online We hope you enjoy receiving VISIONS magazine as a benefit of your ISU Alumni Association membership. Thank you for reading, and thank you for your membership!

Do you prefer to read your magazine on a smartphone or tablet? Want to cut down on paper waste and have a copy of VISIONS magazine that’s easier to read on Throughout this magazine: (L) indicates life member of the ISU Alumni Association

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Julie Marie Tigges*

OUTSTANDING ALUMNI

A GLOBAL INFLUENCE Phyllis M. Fevold**^ Non-alumni Representative Ames, Iowa

report dashboard. I was truly amazed that this information is being looked at globally.

I was in a cohort of non-traditional students in family and consumer sciences.

Being the only person in the group that was not a teacher (working in the corporate environment), my passion was emergency preparedness. My professors gave me the latitude to incorporate my dissertation with emergency preparedness in education. Little did any of us think my dissertation would touch lives around the world. My hope is if folks can take a morsel of information from my dissertation and expand it into their own continuity plan, I have helped contribute something for the good.

the go? Now you can say YES to receiving VISIONS online ONLY! Simply let us know if you prefer the digital option for future issues, and you’ll start receiving a special email alerting you each time a new issue is ready to read online or through the Iowa State Alumni app. Fill out the form at isualum.org/visionsonline.

(A) indicates annual member of the ISU Alumni Association

Member names are bold

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

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REGISTER TODAY at isualum.org/discounts isualum.org/discounts! working on alternate energy designs and environmental impacts of new power plant construction and operation.

In October 1977, I was invited to be a member of a joint US/USSR scientific accord on heat rejection and utilization in power plant design and operations. We met twice in the USSR and twice in the US. In the USSR, we traveled to several plants and discussed operational problems and solutions at nuclear and fossil powered plants. During our first visit in February 1978, we were trapped in a hotel fire that killed at least 40 people and almost killed the 200 people who were trapped with us on the 21st floor.

I wrote a story about the experience story shortly after I returned.

George A. Englesson**

MS ’59 nuclear engr, PhD ’65 Huntingdon Valley, Pa. Editor’s note: Here is an excerpt from George’s harrowing true-life story, Four Hours in Moscow’s Towering Inferno. To read the full story, go to www.isualum.org/towering inferno “The smoke thickened. Using water from someone’s glass, I wet my handkerchief and covered my nose and mouth. Moving quickly from window to window, Mike Ptchelin [a representative from the Soviet Ministry of Power and Electrification] and I searched for a window that would open. There were none.

Suddenly we were plunged into almost total darkness as the hotel’s electric power failed.

Still moving along the windows to try to find one that would open, we tripped over a small portable refrigerator on the floor. Mike motioned for me to take one side of it and he took the other. We smashed it into the window and were showered with broken glass.

Another sharp blow and the storm window shattered and fell into the courtyard below.

“Mike and I moved quickly to the other windows. This time, armed with the restaurant chairs, we broke out all of the rest of the windows. We were grateful that we could breathe again, but we were now vulnerable to the Russian winter. The temperature that February night was far below freezing, and there was a cold, biting wind. Women in evening dress were especially vulnerable.

We pulled down drapes and removed table cloths to wrap them around the women and around one another. We turned over tables to make a breakfront to divert the wind, and VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

huddled together for warmth. We looked down and could see smoke billowing from both ends of the north wing. Thus began our harrowing experience in the towering inferno.”

A FULL AND FASCINATING LIFE

I think your readers would like to know the story of Dafnis Panagides (L)(’69 economics, MS ’73), whose accomplishments in horticulture, agribusiness, environmental initiatives, abolition of human trafficking in Cyprus, and numerous other endeavors rank him among the distinguished alumni of Iowa State University.

I met Dafnis in 2011, when I was a Senior Fulbright Fellow conducting research in Cyprus. During my time on the island, I interacted with many interesting people, from the Archbishop to street venders.

The most fascinating person I encountered, however, was Dafnis – who earned two degrees at Iowa State. Dafnis turned 90 years old on Feb. 17, 2019.

In 1974, when Turkey invaded northern Cyprus, Dafnis was working on his dissertation at ISU. To help feed displaced and desperate Greek Cypriots, he returned to Cyprus to manage the 6,000-acre Fassouri Plantation. Drawing on what he learned at ISU, he implemented many initiatives. Dafnis has always been innovative, and the legacy of his influence may be seen all over Cyprus today.

In the 1950s, Dafnis invented a small tractor designed to make the tight turns involved in cultivating the terraces of Cyprus.

After Great Britain granted independence to Cyprus in 1960, Dafnis served in the first parliament of the Republic of Cyprus. After six years, he resigned his position and went on a Fulbright program to the United States to visit centers for agricultural innovations, including ISU. He ended up staying in Ames to pursue a degree, and he excelled so much that he remained to do graduate studies.

After returning to Cyprus in 1974, he provided leadership in numerous humanitarian and environmental efforts.

His life story is so rich and diverse that I sought and received permission to write his

biography. In 2017, my wife and I returned to Cyprus and spent extensive time recording interviews with Dafnis and those who know him. We learned much about his pioneering efforts in environmental protection, his grassroots efforts to foster peace between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, his influence on watershed preservation, his work to protect endangered species, and his legal battles against Russian and Asian businessmen who exploit Asian women brought to Cyprus under false promises.

His studies at ISU opened many new vistas for Dafnis, and he has implemented what he learned in ways that would make ISU proud.

But the connection of the Panagides family with ISU is not simply an account of this remarkable man. Dafnis’s younger brother, Stahis Panagides (L)(PhD ’67 economics), was a graduate student when Dafnis visited Ames, and he convinced Dafnis to consider attending ISU. Stahis had a distinguished career working on development projects for the World Bank and other institutions. In addition, Dora Panagides (’86 biochemistry), Dafnis’s youngest daughter, earned a bachelor’s degree at ISU. She has had an impressive career working as an educator and coordinator of programs in Africa, Asia, and Geneva.

She is now fortification advisor at United Nations World Food Programme in Rome.

In other words, three very accomplished graduates of ISU come from the same, Greek-Cypriot family – and each of them has an amazing story.

Michael R. Cosby, Ph.D.

Senior Fulbright Fellow Retired Professor, Messiah College 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 universities 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, 429 Alumni Lane, Ames, IA 50011-1403 or email cgieseke@iastate.edu.

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Around Campus

ISU Extension is here to help

I

owans returning to their flooddamaged homes and farms in southwest Iowa may not even know where to begin to pick up the pieces of their lives.

ISU Extension and Outreach is there to help.

Unlike the Red Cross, FEMA, and other disaster-recovery resources — which are necessary and helpful but generally don’t stay for the long haul — ISU Extension is in the community 52 weeks a year, providing needed help and information.

“Extension is there before, during, and after a disaster,” said Willie Klein, advancement specialist for ISU Extension and Outreach. “Extension is embedded in Iowa communities and

RACHEL MUMMEY

Under water?

responds to needs as they arise.”

Communities in southwestern Iowa such as Hamburg, Pacific Junction, and Glenwood were hit by devastating flooding this spring, destroying roads, homes, farm fields, businesses, grain silos – everything in the path of the overflowing Missouri River.

ISU Extension and Outreach worked with USDA to organize a meeting with Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and other officials in late March, personally calling farmers to invite them to attend. More than 200 individuals took part in the meeting, asking questions of the state representatives about river management, assistance for farmers, crop insurance, and more.

Gathering resources from a variety of sources, the ISU Extension and Outreach “Disaster Recovery: Flooding” web page also answers questions about delayed field planting, contaminated well water, soil management, recovering flooded pastures, what to do with stored grain, first steps to cleaning up a flooded

home, removing mold, and hiring contractors.

“When questions come in, we put the answers on our website,” Klein said.

When dealing with flooding or other natural disasters, Iowans can also turn to Iowa Concern for help, says Tammy Jacobs, coordinator for the long-time service from ISU Extension and Outreach.

With a toll-free phone number, live chat capabilities, and a website, Iowa Concern services are available 24/7 at no charge. Iowa Concern provides access to stress counselors and an attorney for legal education, as well as information and referral services for a wide variety of topics.

“If you are dealing with stress, or if you have questions about your insurance coverage or your legal rights after a flood, or whether you qualify for state or federal disaster assistance, Iowa Concern can help,” Jacobs said.

To reach Iowa Concern, call 800-447-1985 or visit the website, www.extension.iastate.edu/ iowaconcern/, to live chat with a stress counselor one-on-one in a confidential environment. Links are available to email an expert regarding specific crisis and disaster issues.

ISU alumnus is next dean of engineering An Iowa State University alumnus, W. Samuel Easterling (L)(PhD’87), has been named the next James L. and Katherine S. Melsa Dean of Engineering at ISU. Easterling is Montague-Betts Professor of Structural Steel Design and head of the Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

He will start his new position on July 15.

“Dr. Easterling is an accomplished educator, scholar and administrator, and has long been a leader in his discipline of structural engineering,” said ISU President Wendy Wintersteen (L)(PhD ’88 entomology). “He is a great choice to build on the College of Engineering’s excellence and national prestige, and 6

we are proud to welcome him back to campus.”

Easterling holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from West Virginia University, and a PhD in structural engineering from Iowa State.

He is active within the American Institute of Steel Construction, the American Iron and Steel Institute, and the American Society of Civil Engineers, and has won numerous awards for his research and professional service.

“It’s an incredible and humbling opportunity to come back to Ames and lead the college where I earned my PhD,” Easterling said. “I look forward to working with our students, faculty, staff, and alumni to build upon the legacy of those who came before me and, with their support, helping the college climb to even greater heights.”

Easterling replaces Dean Sarah Rajala (A), who retired at the end of the 2018-19 academic year.

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

JACK TRICE STATUE TO RETURN TO CENTRAL CAMPUS

JIM HEEMSTRA

Sculptor Christopher Bennett created the bronze Jack Trice memorial statue in 1988 to honor Iowa State’s first African-American student-athlete.

A

statue of Jack Trice will be returning to Iowa State’s central campus this summer.

The statue of Trice, Iowa State’s first African-American student-athlete, has been outside the north entrance to Jack Trice Stadium.

The statue needed to be relocated because of the construction of the new Sports Performance Center.

Rather than temporarily relocate the statue during the construction period, a committee of campus and student leaders proposed permanently returning it to central campus and using the construction project as an opportunity to develop additional visible ways to recognize

Jack Trice’s legacy in and around Jack Trice Stadium. The statue was originally located between Beardshear Hall and Carver Hall.

“Moving the statue back to central campus is a wonderful way to lift up the prominence and recognition of Jack Trice’s legacy to the entire Iowa State community,” said ISU President Wendy Wintersteen (L)(PhD ’88 entomology). “I appreciate the careful thought and wide input that helped us arrive at this important decision.”

Consensus on the central campus location for the statue is between Beardshear Hall and the Hub, a high-traffic area that provides ideal visibility.

CYCLONE SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS IT WAS A GREAT SPRING SEMESTER FOR CYCLONE FANS EVERYWHERE. HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS: • Top of her game: Senior basketball standout Bridget Carleton received the Cheryl Miller Award and was named Big 12 Player of the Year and WBCA All-American.

• Big 12 basketball tournaments: Cyclone men won the Phillips 66 Big 12 Basketball Championship at Kansas City’s “Hilton South,” defeating Kansas. The win was the fourth championship in the last six years. The women’s team was defeated 67-49 in the championship game by eventual NCAA national champion Baylor in Oklahoma City.

• NCAA hosts: The Cyclones played host to the first and second rounds of the women’s NCAA tournament at Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones won the first game 97-61 over New Mexico State but lost in the second round to Missouri State.

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

• An athlete and a scholar: Iowa State junior Michael Jacobson, a Waukee, Iowa, native, was named the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The finance major with a 3.80 grade point average was also named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America second team and was an Academic All-Big 12 First-Team selection.

• AD of the Year: Iowa State Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard (L) was recognized as the 2018-2019 Under Armour AD of the Year for his 14 years of success in growing ISU’s athletics program in a wide range of areas, including facilities, academics, support, innovation, and competitive success. Pollard was also recently appointed to the NCAA Men’s Division I basketball committee.

• Best Dresser: Second-year Cyclone head coach Kevin Dresser (A) was

named the National Wrestling Coaches Association 2019 Coach of the Year.

• Historic wins: The Cyclone women’s tennis team ended its season with a 6-12 record but saw significant improvement this year under new head coach Boomer Saia. The team notched historic wins over Nebraska and Baylor during the regular season. Senior Annabella Bonadonna finished her career as the winningest Cyclone ever, amassing 159 victories throughout her career.

• And this: The Big 12 and ESPN have announced a partnership agreement that will bring hundreds of conference events to ESPN+, the direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service. The service will be initiated at Iowa State during the 2020-21 season.

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JIM HEEMSTRA

A The Bells of Iowa State

special concert will be held Homecoming weekend to commemorate the anniversary of the Stanton Memorial Carillon.

The “Bells of Iowa State” Gala Anniversary Concert will be held Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. in Stephens Auditorium. This historic concert will celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Stanton Memorial Carillon; the 25th anniversary of the university carillonneur, Tin-Shi Tam; the 50th anniversary of the Stephens Auditorium and The Ames International Orchestra Festival Association, and the 65th anniversary of the Stanton Memorial Carillon Foundation.

The event will also showcase the new Campanile-Carillon Model, designed in ISU senior capstone classes, and will feature the Stanton Carillon, Iowa State Singers and alumni, ISU Symphony Orchestra, and ISU Wind Ensemble.

Tickets will be available through the Iowa State Center. Proceeds from this celebration will be dedicated to promoting the carillon for future generations.

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We all have a remedy – a glass of wine or a piece of chocolate – for lifting our spirits when we’re in a bad mood. Rather than focusing on ways to make ourselves feel better, a team of Iowa State University researchers suggests wishing others well.

“Walking around and offering kindness to others in the world reduces anxiety and increases happiness and feelings of social connection,” said Douglas Gentile, professor of psychology. “It’s a simple strategy that doesn’t take a lot of time that you can incorporate into your daily activities.”

Gentile; Dawn Sweet, senior lecturer in psychology; and Lanmiao He, graduate student in psychology, tested the benefits of three different techniques intended to reduce anxiety and increase happiness or well-being. They did this by having college students walk around a building for 12 minutes and practice one of the following strategies: • Loving-kindness: Looking at the people they see and thinking to themselves, “I wish for this person to be happy.”

Students were encouraged to really mean it as they were thinking it.

• Interconnectedness: Looking at the people they see and thinking about how they are connected to each other. It was suggested that students think about the hopes and feelings they may share or that they might take a similar class.

• Downward social comparison: Looking at the people they see and thinking about how they may be better off than each of the people they encountered.

The study, published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, also included a control group in which students were instructed to look at people and focus on what they see on the outside, such as their clothing, the combination of colors, textures as well as makeup and accessories. All students were surveyed before and after the walk to measure anxiety, happiness, stress, empathy, and connectedness.

The researchers compared each technique with the control group and found those who practiced loving-kindness or wished others well felt happier, more connected, caring, and empathetic, as well as less anxious. The interconnectedness group was more empathetic and connected. Downward social comparison showed no benefit, and was significantly worse than the loving-kindness technique.

– ISU News Service

JIM HEEMSTRA

Around Campus

How to improve your mood in 12 minutes

Thiel elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

P

atricia Thiel, who studies surface chemistry on an atomic scale, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Thiel is one of more than 200 newly elected members announced April 17 by the academy. She will join the academy’s chemistry section within its mathematical and physical sciences class.

Formal induction ceremonies will be in October in Cambridge, Mass.

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Thiel is a Distinguished Professor in Liberal Arts and Sciences with appointments in chemistry and materials science and engineering. She’s also a scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory.

“This is an amazing honor for me, but just as much for the many gifted and generous people who have worked with me over the years, especially my graduate students and postdocs, and the theoreticians with whom we’ve collaborated,” Thiel said. “I am very, very happy that our achievements have been recognized in this way.”

Iowa State and Ames Laboratory leaders praised Thiel’s research and leadership. “We are absolutely delighted to hear of Pat’s election to the Academy,”

said Adam Schwartz, Ames Lab director.

“Her research has been invaluable to advancing our understanding of quasicrystals and metamaterials. She has served the laboratory well in multiple leadership roles, and is a strong and constant collaborator with scientists around the globe. This is recognition well-deserved.”

The late Earl Heady, an agricultural economist at Iowa State, is Iowa State’s only other member of the academy.

The academy was founded in 1780 with the idea of honoring accomplished people and engaging them in the public good. Members include Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Margaret Mead, and Martin Luther King Jr. – Mike Krapfl

cool things you should KNOW and SHARE about ISU

1: Stephens Auditorium is amazing. USA Today selected Stephens Auditorium as the “most amazing university or college building in Iowa.” The newspaper created a list of iconic structures on campuses throughout the country.

2: Agricultural and biosystems engineering at ISU

is No. 1. Iowa State’s graduate program in agricultural and biosystems engineering is back on top of the U.S. News and World Report graduate program rankings after dipping to No. 2 last year.

The program is one of 13 ISU colleges or departments ranked in the top 50 in the magazine’s 2019 grad school rankings.

3: Undergraduate researchers are getting noticed.

A record number of ISU undergraduate students participated April 11-13 in the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.

Sixty-two Cyclones representing 30 different majors presented

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

their research at the nation’s largest undergraduate research conference, which was held this year in Kennesaw, Ga. 4: Precision radiation therapy is now a treatment

option for pets. Veterinarians at Iowa State’s Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital have a new weapon in the fight against cancer: stereotactic radiation therapy. The treatment is an option for animals who have tumors and cancers for which surgery and chemotherapy are not ideal.

5: An Iowa State student has received a Fulbright

Award. Collin Powell, a graduate student in interior design, was selected for a Fulbright Award for the 2019-20 academic year. He will live in Vienna, where he will conduct research, take classes, and teach English.

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GRAND SOLUTIONS TO GRAND CHALLENGES

ARE ANTIBIOTICS MAKING US SICK?

BY CAROLE GIESEKE

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SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

IOWA STATE’S NEW ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE INSTITUTE COULD HAVE FAR-REACHING IMPACT ON A GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS

W

hen the energetic 82-year-old woman fell and fractured her hip, her family wasn’t too worried. After all, she was a healthy older adult. Hip replacement surgery is routine – and not all that complicated.

But after the surgery, the woman was diagnosed with a MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infection, so she was treated with antibiotics.

MRSA, a type of staph bacteria, is known to be resistant to many of the antibiotics used to treat ordinary staph infections. These bacteria can travel deep into the body, causing potentially life-threatening infections in bones, joints, and surgical wounds, according to the Mayo Clinic.

WHAT IS GOING ON? Nearly every week, it seems there’s a new media report about antibiotics in our food system, deadly and mysterious fungal infections immune to drugs, sexually transmitted diseases that don’t respond to the usual treatment, and bacterial infections that can’t be cured with antibiotics – even those powerful antibiotics of last resort. Headlines scream “How the overuse of antibiotics is fueling our modern plagues” and warn about “nightmare bacteria,” “superbugs,” and germs that are “secretly sweeping the globe.” What are the facts? How urgent is VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

It’s common, but it’s not an infection to take lightly.

During the course of the antibiotic treatment for MRSA, the elderly woman’s immune system became less effective at fighting new infections, and she contracted C. diff (Clostridioides difficile), bacteria that can cause life-threatening diarrhea and inflammation of the gut. Most cases of C. diff occur when a patient has been taking antibiotics, has been recently hospitalized, or has a weakened immune system. In other words, most people who get an infection like this are already sick with other things. Her C. diff also presented as antibiotic-resistant, so it was like a one-two punch.

The woman did survive the pair of infections, but she still struggles to fight the lingering effects several years later.

this threat? How can these illnesses be prevented? Should we be alarmed?

A growing health challenge According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest public health challenges of our time. Infections caused by antibioticresistant bacteria cost an estimated $20 billion a year in direct health-care costs and up to $35 billion in lost productivity. The CDC estimates that at least 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths are caused in the U.S. each year by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Globally,

these antibiotic-resistant microbes kill more than 700,000 people a year. By 2050, it is predicted that 10 million lives will be lost every year in the U.S. because of drugresistant infections.

In response to this growing threat, two national organizations – the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) – worked together to create a national institute to provide an integrated approach to share research, education, and solutions to the increasing problem of antimicrobial resistance.

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JIM HEEMSTRA

The rise of superbugs It’s important to understand that not all antibiotic-resistant bacteria are superbugs. Dr. Paul Plummer, associate professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine, explained that many don’t even cause problems in humans.

“You can’t use the terms interchangeably,” he said. “Probably 99 percent of our resistant bacteria are not superbugs.”

In July 2018, Iowa State was competitively selected to host the new National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education (NIAMRRE). Led by executive director Dr. Paul Plummer (PhD ’09 veterinary microbiology), associate professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine, the institute is located in the ISU Research Park, with initial funding provided

by Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

What is antimicrobial resistance?

Resistance is not a new phenomenon. It’s a natural, evolutionary process. Antibiotics have been used for decades, since penicillin was discovered in the 1940s. It was basically a miracle drug, curing infections in soldiers fighting in World War II and around the globe.

But by then, bacteria was already developing resistance to the drug.

In the decades that followed, scientists developed new and more specialized antibiotics to treat bacterial infections – a gradual

back-and-forth of antibiotic, followed by antibiotic resistance, followed by a new or changed antibiotic to overcome that resistance.

“We’ve lived in an era where we’ve had continual innovation and discovery in new antibiotics,” Plummer said. “The pipeline has been filled with new antibiotics coming down, and so when resistance emerged, we had a backup. And that is what has changed.”

Bacteria evolve much more quickly than scientists can invent new drugs to kill them, and overuse of antibiotics only hastens this process. Furthermore, economic and regulatory barriers exist that essentially make the development of new antibiotics financially infeasible. As a result, the last novel class of antibiotics was invented in 1984, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The general population’s awareness has been raised relatively recently that throwing antibiotics at every sneeze and cough may be having the opposite effect that the medical community intended.

Antibiotics in animals Antibiotics are used in animals to treat diseases just like they are in people.

Antibiotics have also historically been used as growth promoters and enhancers in livestock. Much of the drama surrounding antibiotic resistance has been aimed toward the agriculture industry, which was widely known to use antibiotics in feed to make animals grow more quickly and thus increase profits.

In January 2017, the Food and Drug Administration enacted rules banning the use of medically important antibiotics (those considered important to human health) purely for growth promotion and requiring veterinary oversight for all use of these antibiotics in feed or water. Since this requirement was put into place, USDA sales data show that the use of antibiotics in livestock have dropped nearly 35 percent. Other regulatory guidelines specify the number of days producers must wait after antibiotics have been given to livestock to prevent or

“We’ve lived in an era where we’ve had continual innovation and discovery in new antibiotics. The pipeline has been filled with new antibiotics coming down, and so when resistance emerged, we had a backup. And that is what has changed.” – PAUL PLUMMER 12

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“We want our animals to be healthy so that the food that comes from those animals is safe and healthy for people to eat.” – KRISTEN OBBINK

Office of the Vice President for Research The Office of the Vice President for Research advances the ISU research mission in collaboration with partners in academic colleges, interdisciplinary research centers, and ISU administration. The office organizes, facilitates, and provides strategic direction to maximize the ability of faculty to create new knowledge and translate their discoveries toward the benefit of society. It also offers facilitation services to support sponsored funding, responsible conduct of research, and research integrity.

“Iowa State looks at the landscape and tries to anticipate opportunities where our research can impact significant societal challenges,” said Sarah Nusser, vice president for research. “Researchers are going after opportunities based on their own interests, but we’re also working with the colleges to look at larger opportunities that Iowa State is well equipped to respond to.” cure disease before the animal can be slaughtered for food (or milked, in the case of dairy cattle).

“We don’t want to completely lose the ability to use antibiotics in veterinary medicine because animals still do get sick,” said Dr. Kristen Obbink (A)(’06 zoology, ’11 DVM), associate director of NIAMRRE. “We are improving husbandry practices and implementing alternatives such as vaccines to try to avoid using antibiotics, but they still need to be available to use.

We want our animals to be healthy so that the food that comes from those animals is VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths are caused in the U.S. each year by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

safe and healthy for people to eat.”

Though consumers and the media still express concern about the prevalence of antibiotics in the agriculture industry, Plummer is optimistic.

“We have the safest food supply in the world,” he said. “There’s no way to completely eliminate resistant organisms from the environment, but the industry makes every effort it can to minimize and eliminate those risks.”

Humans, animals, and stubborn infections Patients take antibiotics to treat colds, the flu, ear infections, and various other

illnesses caused by viruses and fungi that are not affected by the drugs. A recent CDC report revealed that one third of antibiotic prescriptions written in the U.S. are actually for viruses.

“There’s no question that antibiotics save lives,” says Dr. Daniel Fulton (L)(’04 biology), a physician specializing in infectious diseases at McFarland Clinic in Ames. “But I do think sometimes doctors will use antibiotics as a hedge against risk. They’ll think, ‘I don’t know for sure what you have, and I want you to get better sooner, so I’ll try an antibiotic.’

“From the patient standpoint, for the past 13

MCFARLAND CLINIC

“There’s no question that antibiotics save lives. We need to be good stewards of this very precious resource so that it continues to be a resource for us in the future.” – DAN FULTON

20 years when you felt sick you got treated with an antibiotic,” Fulton said. “But we need to be good stewards of this very precious resource so that it continues to be a resource for us in the future. It takes input from everyone to change the narrative about how and when we use antibiotics.”

Dr. Fulton recently treated a farmer from a small town in Iowa who was diagnosed with a urinary infection that was resistant to all antibiotics available in pill form. He survived by receiving IV antibiotics at an outpatient clinic near his home.

“We counsel patients [about antibioticresistant infections], and there’s a huge stigma,” Fulton said. “People know what these diseases are. They’ve heard of them in the news, or they’ve had family members with them, and it can be really scary and isolating for people to be diagnosed with something like this.”

In companion animals, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are also on the rise. Because the veterinary community has made such huge strides improving health care for pets, animals are living longer – and that puts them at risk for the same kind of infections that are common in the older human population. It’s not uncommon to use orthopedic implants, long-term urinary catheters, or chemothera14

py to increase the life span of pets, and each of these scenarios puts the animals at risk.

“As we’ve improved the health care of our pets – which is a wonderful thing from a human-animal bond – it’s set us up to have more geriatric pets, more pets that are immune-compromised, and those are at a higher risk for having antimicrobial-resistant infections that we can’t treat,” Plummer said.

A national institute, based locally The opportunity to convene broad-based research and education on the topic of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria prompted Iowa State researchers in 2015 to create a consortium on campus. Leaders of that initial group were Dr. Qijing Zhang (A)(PhD ’94 microbiology, immunology, and preventive medicine), distinguished professor of veterinary medicine; and Joe Colletti (A), senior associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The duo, along with the Office of the Vice President for Research, put out a call to interested parties throughout the university. Faculty from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, and other areas quickly signed on, providing a broad base of expertise.

And so, the Midwest Antimicrobial

Resistance Consortium was well prepared when its members learned that the APLU and AAVMC were interested in organizing a national institute to coordinate the research and educational activities around antimicro-bial resistance from a One Health perspective. (One Health is an emerging approach in healthcare that involves veterinarians, physicians, and other scientists working closely together to improve health for humans, animals, and the environment.)

Nine proposals were submitted by major universities across the country. Iowa State was chosen to lead the new institute because of the range, depth, and capacity of partnerships and resources it had devoted to the antimicrobial resistance issue.

Though NIAMRRE, the newly created institute, is housed at Iowa State and directed

by Plummer, it is truly a national organization.

Partners include the University of NebraskaLincoln (the project’s co-founder), University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Iowa, Mayo Medical Clinic, USDA Agricultural Research Service facilities, and stakeholders representing the U.S. swine and beef industry. Partnerships are expected to expand in the coming months.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for us,” SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

ISU’s Midwest Antimicrobial Resistance Consortium was well prepared when its members learned that the APLU and AAVMC were interested in organizing a national institute to coordinate the research and educational activities around antimicrobial resistance from a One Health perspective.

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The National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education Vision: The National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education (NIAMRRE) will drive collaborative and integrative research, education, and engagement to solve antimicrobial-resistance challenges and benefit society using a One Health approach.

Mission: The institute will provide local, national, and international leadership in combating antimicrobial resistance, generating evidence-based solutions for antimicrobial stewardship; contributing to improvements in the health of animals, humans, and the environment (One Health); and facilitating economically and socially sound policy development and implementation.

Institutions involved with NIAMRRE: • Iowa State University • University of Nebraska-Lincoln • University of Nebraska Medical Center • University of Iowa • Mayo Medical Clinic • USDA Agricultural Research Service Location and contact information: The institute is physically located at Iowa State University.

2901 S. Loop Drive Building #3, Suite 3300 ISU Research Park Ames, IA 50010 www.nationalAMRinstitute.org (515) 294-3352

The NIAMRRE staff Erica Hellmich, administrative specialist; Valyn Bodensteiner, marketing & communications specialist; Paul Plummer, executive director; and Kristen Obbink, associate director.

JIM HEEMSTRA

“We really need all hands on deck to address this problem.” – SARAH NUSSER 16

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Iowa State’s NIAMRRE leaders have been traveling regularly to Washington, D.C., to meet with legislators, policymakers, and funders.

“NIAMRRE is uniquely positioned to fight this threat.” – DUSTIN LOY said Sarah Nusser (L)(MS ’87 statistics, PhD ’90) Iowa State’s vice president for research.

“I think that we have a lot of assets here that we can bring to bear, but we can’t do it by ourselves; we need a community. And so, we need to leverage the assets of other stakeholders to pull this off. And I think it’s fair to say that we’re very honored to have been selected.”

A One Health approach NIAMRRE’s goal is to foster an active understanding of antimicrobial resistance to reduce its societal impact. More specifically, leaders say they intend to provide local, national, and international direction in combating antimicrobial resistance; generate evidence-based solutions for antimicrobial stewardship; improve the health of animals, humans, and the environment (One Health); and facilitate economically and socially sound policies.

“Our institute’s goal is to really try and synergistically get all these efforts working together,” Plummer said. “Right now it’s a lot of the human physicians dealing with improving stewardship on their side and veterinarians doing stewardship on their side and the environmental people in the middle, and [with NIAMRRE] we’re trying to bring everybody together and say, ‘Let’s learn from each other’s experiences. Let’s get past pointing fingers (‘Antibiotic resistance isn’t my fault, it’s your fault’) and really get to the point where we all say ‘It’s incumbent on each of us – whether we’re a consumer or a health

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

care provider, the prescriber, or the industry person – to say we need to identify ways we can use antibiotics better and not use them when we don’t need to.”

Another goal is advocacy: raising awareness and understanding among funders, federal agencies, legislators, and appropriators to see the importance of raising more money to focus on the issue. Plummer said that funds to do research in antimicrobial resistance are roughly 60-to-1 human-toanimal. Institute leaders don’t want to see the funds allocated to humans going down, but rather funds allocated to animal health going up.

“NIAMRRE is uniquely positioned to fight this threat,” Dr. J. Dustin Loy (’05 animal science, ’09 DVM, ’11 PHD veterinary microbiology) said. Loy is an associate professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Nebraska and a member of the 2019 “Stand Up to Superbugs Ambassadors.”

“Antimicrobial resistance is a tremendously complex challenge that spans everything – humans, wildlife, livestock, pets, and the environment,” Loy said. “True and effective disease prevention and AMR mitigation strategies will require broad involvement from stakeholders in academia, industry, government, and non-government organizations to be successful. NIAMRRE’s broad coalition of stakeholders in these areas can bring a One Health approach to addressing these challenges.”

All hands on deck At Iowa State, as many as 70 researchers across all the colleges are doing work to contribute to NIAMRRE’s goals. A core group of about a dozen key leaders are integrating those efforts into the institution’s outcomes and are working with the institute’s partners on administrative, policy, and governmental decision-making. Plummer and Obbink have been traveling regularly to Washington, D.C., to meet with legislators, policymakers, and funders.

Currently, the institute is reaching out to other leading institutions in the area of One Health and antimicrobial resistance and engaging them in the institute. A meeting was held in May with a dozen or so universities that fit that description. This fall, Plummer said the group intends to have a broader roll-out to any institution or industry in the country that has an interest in participating.

If we had access to a crystal ball, a successful first 10 years of NIAMRRE would look like this: increased funding to address antimicrobial resistance research and education, the transfer of that research knowledge into practice, and robust networks of teams all across the country working toward the same outcomes.

“In talking to external stakeholders, what they’re really excited about is the fact that it’s not just universities but really connecting with industry and federal agencies and others, who really need to all come together to solve this,” Nusser said. “We really need all hands on deck to address this problem.” 

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Connected by compassion From Washington, D.C., to Las Vegas, three unique Iowa Staters have led the conversation on the sensitive subjects of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, given voice to female survivors of abuse in Africa, and soothed a community grieving an unimaginable outbreak of violence. By Carole Gieseke

Breaking down the bias barrier When it comes to understanding diversity and inclusion, Joe Gerstandt believes we are all works in progress Joe Gerstandt jokes that he may be the only former Iowa hog farmer who is a diversity and inclusion professional.

Gerstandt (L)(’96 ag business), a speaker and author who works with corporations and organizations on “resetting the diversity and inclusion conversation,” didn’t realize he grew up with racist and sexist beliefs. His slowly changing attitudes have led him on a career path to open hearts and minds, one person at a time.

“We are all works in progress,” he says.

“The most important work we have to do is on ourselves.”

Gerstandt grew up on a farm in rural northwest Iowa, graduating with a high school class of 26 where there was little racial or ethnic diversity. Four years on active duty in the Marine Corps opened his eyes to his own unconscious biases.

He found himself expecting certain behaviors and characteristics in people based entirely on race, and for the first time he began thinking about the issue.

At Iowa State, he says he “bumped up against more implicit bias specific to gender and orientation.” As a high school student, he had written a term 18

paper asserting that AIDS was God’s way at getting back at gays. Now that he was face to face with people from the LGBT community, he started rethinking his well-camouflaged homophobic attitudes.

He stopped arguing that gay, lesbian, and transgender men and women should not be allowed to serve in the military.

“I think through some of these life experiences, my view of the world changed, and that led me to my view of myself changing,” he said. “I came to realize there was more injustice in the world than I thought there was. I didn’t see a lot of it growing up, but when I learned from other people that there was injustice it made me wonder, well, what kind of person am I?” As his view of himself changed, he became drawn to diversity and inclusion advocacy, and he’s been doing it ever since.

He worked for an organization called Nebraska AIDS Project, performing HIV and STD prevention education. He went to work for a national non-profit called the National Conference for Community and Justice, which ran residential youth camps. His last “real job” was in a regional healthcare system that hired him to start their diversity and inclusion efforts.

Today he works with Fortune 100 corporations, small non-profits, and everything in between, with the goal of bringing greater clarity, action, and impact to organizational diversity and inclusion efforts. He speaks at numerous conferences and summits and is a featured contributor for the Workforce Diversity Network Expert Forum. His work has been published in dozens of print and online journals, and he co-authored the book Social Gravity: Harnessing the Natural Laws of Relationships.

Gerstandt says his work is often poorly understood. He sees well-intentioned corporations and organizations working toward diversity and inclusion without really understanding the concepts. But he says he is hopeful and optimistic that organizations are beginning to create positive energy around the discussion.

“It’s like fitness,” he says. “You can’t just know about it and think about it and plan to do it. You have to do it.” 

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

WHEN YOU’RE A CYCLONE, YOU’RE NEVER REALLY FAR FROM HOME.

JIM HEEMSTRA

“I was surprised sometimes as I got to know [individual people], which illuminated for me the fact that I went into the interaction with some expectations that were mostly stereotypical. When you don’t know reallife human beings from a particular social group, your brain kind of has to make stuff up.”

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

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Connected by compassion

Choosing hope over despair In just three days, Jay Pleggenkuhle led the creation of a community healing garden Numb with shock and disbelief, Jay Pleggenkuhle sat silently drinking a cup coffee on Monday morning, Oct. 2, 2017.

That was the morning after everything changed. The morning after a gunman shot and killed 58 people who had gathered at the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas strip. The morning after the deadliest mass shooting by an individual in U.S. history.

And it was in his town. Right in his own back yard. There was no easy way to process this tragedy, where more than 850 other concert-goers were also injured. No way to go back to business as usual.

Where could people in the community – and others whose lives had been shattered by the senseless, violent act – go to connect?

To grieve? To comfort each other?

Then Pleggenkuhle, a landscape architect, had an idea. He called his friend, city attorney Brad Jerbic, who was struggling with his own grief: One of his closest employees was killed in the shooting.

Pleggenkuhle told Jerbic he had an idea for a park, where people could go to connect and grieve. Jerbic jumped on the idea.

“The city found a piece of property and gave us a quarter of an acre,” Pleggenkuhle said. “I sketched the idea on a napkin, we made photo copies, and that was the blueprint for the garden.”

Pleggenkuhle (L)(’90 landscape architecture) had made many contacts in his successful landscape construction career in Las Vegas. By Tuesday, he had called everyone he knew for donations and volunteer service. Construction and plant materials began pouring in. The city 20

put out a release calling for volunteers.

Las Vegas entertainers Seigfried and Roy donated a huge specimen oak tree, which would become the centerpiece of the garden – the tree of life.

People from all over the world showed up to help – survivors from the night of the shooting, people from the MGM fire, parents who lost a daughter to a drug overdose. At one point, there were so many volunteers, it was impossible to get any work done, so Pleggenkuhle asked people to leave and come back later. It took just three days for the project to come together.

By Friday, the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden was complete.

The garden was not a finished product by any means, but Pleggenkuhle said it was at that point a mechanism to get people together. And it succeeded. That Friday, the city blocked off the street, a youth choir sang, and so many people showed up that it was impossible to count them all.

“It was a humbling experience,”

Pleggenkuhle said.

The healing garden is more permanent now. The memory wall, originally built from wooden pallets, has been replaced with more permanent materials. There’s a water feature, a wall with the names of all the victims, tens of thousands of handpainted rocks, 58 trees representing 58 lives lost. The tree of life is outlined by a heart-shaped planter with tile mosaics created by loved ones. Eventually the garden will double in size and feature a community storytelling garden.

One of the panels bears the words “Celebrating life, beauty, love and compassion. Choosing love over fear, life over death, hope over despair. Helping each other heal.” Pleggenkuhle himself wrote those words.

“I grew up in Iowa, and I’ve never seen a community come together like this,” Pleggenkuhle said. “It’s amazing that it came out of ‘Sin City.’ It’s just not what you would think.”  SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

PHOTOS BY DAVE GIESEKE

WHEN YOU’RE A CYCLONE, YOU’RE NEVER REALLY FAR FROM HOME.

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

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Connected by compassion

JIM HEEMSTRA

“I had just heard in the news that Congo was the worst place in the world to be a woman.

Rape capital of the world. And I just thought: ‘Is this some sort of a sick competition?’”

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SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

WHEN YOU’RE A CYCLONE, YOU’RE NEVER REALLY FAR FROM HOME.

‘This is the work I do’

Lee Ann De Reuss has dedicated her career to leading change for vulnerable populations in the U.S. and Africa There was this moment: Lee Ann De Reus and two other women were sitting on mats on the ground, in a refugee camp in Chad, in 120-degree heat, hearing the worst stories you can imagine from women who had fled the genocide in Western Sudan, and suddenly they’re listening to the translator telling this survivor’s horrific, detailed story, and the three women looked at each other like, “Holy sh--, what have we gotten ourselves into? What are we doing?”

It was at that moment, realizing the magnitude of where she was and what she was hearing, that a lightbulb went off in her head and De Reus (L)(’86 political science) just thought, “This is it! This is the work I do.”

De Reus’s hands never stop moving, and her eyes grow huge as she tells about her “lightbulb moment” at a coffee shop in Ames, where she has traveled to receive the ISU Alumni Association’s 2018 Merit Award, given for outstanding humanitarian efforts. De Reus grew up in Iowa, not far from Pella, and her mother still lives there, so it’s been a fun visit. But soon she needs to head to the airport to go back to her home in North Bethesda, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C. During our meeting, De Reus and I toggled between talking about Panzi Foundation USA (a non-profit that assists survivors of gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo) and the Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (or DV LEAP for VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

short, the only non-profit in the United States that specializes in legal appeals for domestic violence survivors). She is the co-founder and board chair of the former and executive director of the latter.

The connecting tissue between the two organizations? De Reus’s passion to lead change for vulnerable populations.

A longtime associate professor at Penn State University Altoona, De Reus earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from Purdue University. She says she loved spending 20 years as an academic, working with students and doing meaningful research. Now, as head of these two non-profit organizations, she fights for the rights of abused women who have lost their children in custody battles, and she shares the stories of sexual violence survivors in Africa.

It’s clear to De Reus that she grew up, not wealthy, but as an otherwise privileged, white American with unlimited potential.

At a young age, her parents “dragged” her to the Iowa Caucus meetings. There she gained an understanding of the power of small groups at the grassroots level. That early experience shaped her understanding of how an individual can be involved and make a difference. She also wrote a memorable book report in sixth grade.

The report was on Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. The story opened her eyes to the injustices that people – people without her privilege – experience.

For 10 years, De Reus has worked closely with Dr. Denis Mukwege, a 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and worldrenowned gynecological surgeon at Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She’s known for her spellbinding lectures, telling women’s stories at high schools, on college campuses, and to other groups. (The outpouring of financial support she received after these talks led her to create the non-profit Panzi Foundation USA.) She recently did a TEDx talk on the work she does in Congo – you can find it on YouTube.

It’s sobering and impressive work, but De Reus insists she is not exceptional.

“My career path is nothing special in terms of how I got from Point A to Point Z,” she said. “It’s more about passion, and about seeing opportunity and taking advantage of it.” 

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TRAVELING CYCLONES 2020 ADVENTURES

TRAVEL WITH CYCLONES...

EVERYWHERE!

 To request a 2020 Traveling Cyclones Catalog, go to www.isualum.org/travelrequest WINTER ADVENTURES

February 22-29 Cruising the Windward Islands

January 3-22 Sunny Islands & Andes

Sail on the high seas aboard Le Champlain

Cruise the coast of South & Central America & Caribbean

SPRING ADVENTURES

January 12-28 Egypt & the Eternal Nile January 18-28 Costa Rica’s Natural Heritage January 23 – February 7 Classic Safari: Kenya & Tanzania January 27 – February 11 Patagonian Frontiers Argentina & Chile by land & sea

February 1-17 Outrageous Outback Australia & New Zealand

Journey to the American West

March 15-25 Legends to Lagoons Cruise the South Pacific with Oceania

March 28 – April 5 Historic South & Golden Islands Cruise the East Coast’s Intracoastal Waterway

March 31 – April 15 Portrait of Italy Amalfi Coast, Rome, Umbria, Tuscany, Venice

February 4-15 Astounding Antarctica

April 14-22 Windmills, Tulips & Belgian Delights

February 10-18 Colonial Cuba

April 19-27 Southern Grandeur

February 11-24 Radiant Rhythms Cruise the coast of South America

February 14-23 Morocco: Marrakech

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March 8-13 Great Trains & Grand Canyons

Mississippi River cruise

April 28 – May 9 Cloisters of Culture

May 4-15 Croatia & the Dalmatian Coast May 14-25 Aegean Medley Cruise with Oceania to Greece & Turkey

May 20-31 Journey to Cornwall 10 nights in Southwest England

SUMMER ADVENTURES June 2-12 Switzerland, Germany, Austria & the Passion Play June 4-15 Explore the Mighty St. Lawrence Seaway Quebec City & the cruising the Seaway

June 4-12 Spain: Andalucia June 15-30 Norwegian Splendor June 21-29 Circumnavigation of Iceland

Cruise to Spain, France, and Italy

July 7-21 Grand Danube Passage

April 28 – May 11 Classic China & the Yangtze River

July 13-23 Glaciers & Wildlife of Alaska

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

May 15-25 Classic Europe

Y O U N G AL

May 25-31 Exotic Egypt: Valley of the Kings July 1-5 Costa Rica Eco Explorer August 2-7 Northern Ireland: King’s Road

U

M

Find out more about each of these trips at: July 17-27 The Great Journey through Europe Grand tour via Rhine River and railways

September 12-20 Italian Riviera September 12-26 Northern Italy Lake District, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Venice

July 18-24 Cape Cod & the Islands

September 16-21 Northern Lights

July 27 – August 7 British Isles Tapestry August 2-10 Great Pacific Northwest August 5-13 Swiss Alps: Interlaken August 10-19 The Majestic Great Lakes August 28 – September 8 Baltic & Scandinavian Emperors

Northern Manitoba wilderness

September 17-29 Enchanting Ireland September 20 – October 5 Journey to Southern Africa

Young alumni and grad trips are now available!

Go to www.isualum.org/yatravel

November 3-11 Cosmopolitan Havens Western Mediterranean cruise

December 4-12 Holiday Markets

Reserve your spot TODAY! • Call Heather directly at (515) 294-9171, Lainey at (515) 294-5775, or toll-free (877) ISU-ALUM (478-2586)

Cruise London to Montréal with Oceania

October 2-10 Verona October 6-16 Seaside Harbors of Canada & New England October 9-14 Albuquerque Balloon Festival

FALL ADVENTURES

Includes Santa Fe

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

T R IP S

September 23 – October 8 Crowning Journey

Cruise from Copenhagen to Stockholm

September 7-18 Scotland: Highlands & Islands

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www.isualum.org/travel2020

July 17-23 Canadian Rockies

July 19-27 Cruise the Rhine River

November 5-8 Live in Iceland: Airwaves Music Festival

Heather

Lainey

• Solo travelers: Give us a call to find out which of our trips include no single supplement!

October 27 – November 11 Machu Picchu to the Galapagos

25

A tale of two minds

PAUL GATES

Danniel Arriaga has learned to make the most of both sides of his brain

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By Lindsey Davis, ’17

hen Iowa State senior Danniel Arriaga talks about the many facets of his life, one theme quickly emerges: It’s all about balance.

During the day, the double major in chemical engineering and chemistry from Des Moines, Iowa, is immersed in the sciences: He works as a teaching assistant for the department of chemistry, conducts undergraduate research in the VanVeller Lab, and tutors 26

for the STEM Scholars Program.

Arriaga developed a love for science when he joined Science Bound – Iowa State’s pre-college program that encourages Iowa students of color to pursue degrees and careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields – while in middle school in Des Moines.

“Honestly, I don’t think I would have realized my potential to study chemistry without Science Bound’s help and support,” he said. “Way back when, there

was a phrase that stuck with me about what the program really means: It’s the ‘Science Bound family,’ and I learned many life skills from the coordinators and instructors involved.”

That feeling of community is one that Arriaga, a recipient of the Jonathan and Susan Rich Undergraduate Research Scholarship in Chemistry, hopes to bring to his future classroom as a chemistry professor.

“I’m not expecting that every student I encounter will have the same appreciation for chemistry that I do, but I do hope that at some point in their life they see something and have an ‘a-ha!’ moment relating it back to science,” he said. “For those who do have a greater interest in chemistry, I hope I can inspire them to look beyond the equations and definitions and apply the science to real-life problems.”

Throughout his life, Arriaga plans to balance his work in science with art, music, and writing – hobbies he currently pursues in the evening to give the “left side” of his brain a break and to exercise his creative muscles. He plays the drums, guitar, and ukulele because he believes “learning how to play an instrument allows you to think differently and creatively, but there’s also a certain amount of effort and dedication associated with music.”

Arriaga’s commitment to music also weaves into his creative writing. “I’m currently working on a writing project that I hope to do illustrations for as well,” he said. “Ideas for stories will come into my mind at random moments, and I use music to help me set the tone and emotions for the piece.”

Another common thread found in Arriaga’s work in both the sciences and the arts is that he’s not afraid to take chances, which sometimes means experiencing failure. It’s a result of his belief that experiencing a few stumbles is actually the best way to learn.

“Making mistakes is something I’ve learned to be OK with, as long as I own up to them and take it as an opportunity to grow,” he said. “Breaking glassware in the lab is inevitable. Cleaning it up ensures that you’re more careful next time.”  SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

TRUE INSPIRATION When you support Iowa State University, you help foster innovation, you inspire learning and you uplift lives.

Because the world needs more Cyclone spirit.

To learn how you can be forever true to Iowa State, visit ForeverTrueISU.com.

 ASSOCIATION NEWS

Meet the 2019 STATEment Makers Cheers to the 2019 class of Iowa STATEment Makers! Sponsored by the ISU Alumni Association in conjunction with the Young Alumni Council, this recognition honors the early personal and professional achievements and contributions of Iowa State’s young alumni (graduates 32 years of age and under).

Michelle Schott ’12 Spanish Bondurant, Iowa An educator at ISU Extension who leads Polk County’s Juntos: Together for a Better Education program, which empowers Latino youth by bringing together parents, youth, school staff, and community partners to promote academic success and explore paths to higher ed

Lance Freeseman ’07 mech engr Greenfield, Minn.

Boston Scientific’s youngest senior process engineer, creating products that save human lives; holds patents on multiple medical devices, processes, and equipment used in some of the world’s tiniest and least invasive medical devices

Majd Abdulghani MS ’18 genetics, development and cell biology Ann Arbor, Mich.

First Saudi Arabiaborn individual to earn a Rhodes Scholarship; her radio diary, “Majd’s Diary: Two Years in the Life of a Saudi Girl” won the 2017 Best Documentary: Silver Award at the Third Coast International Audio Festival

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Elaine Godfrey ’15 journalism & environmental studies Washington, D.C. Reporter at The Atlantic writing daily on politics and the 2020 democratic presidential primary, and since 2016 creating the Politics & Policy Daily – a newsletter with more than 100,000 subscribers.

Discover this year’s STATEment Makers’ favorite ISU traditions, their guilty pleasures, dream jobs, words of wisdom, role models, and more. STATEment Makers are profiled at www.isualum.org/ statementmakers2019.

Erik Gustafson* ’10 finance London, U.K. One of Wells Fargo’s youngest investment bankers who has worked closely on financing deals for companies such as Microsoft, Apple, and Oracle; moved to London to play a key role in the bank’s expansion efforts in Europe

Eric Hare MS ’14 statistics, PhD ’17 Marysville, Wash.

Creator of BulletMatcher, a software program he began developing at Iowa State that has major implications in the criminal investigation world, analyzing whether or not two given bullets were fired from the same gun

Jennifer Cox* ’07 ag & biosystems engr, MS ’09 Waco, Texas World traveler and top scientist, developing and marketing vaccines and biologics for Merck & Co.; graduated with MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

Cassy Dittmer ’13 apparel merch & design Seattle, Wash.

CEO of successful red-carpet fashion styling company, where clients have included Hollywood A-listers, musicians, major magazines, and Bill and Melinda Gates; traveled the world studying fashion

Guor Maker ’11 chemistry San Antonio, Texas Refugee-turnedCyclone who carried the South Sudan flag into Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in 2016; the two-time Olympic marathoner saw eight of his nine siblings die in his war-torn home nation

Justin Rosenberg DVM ’13 Orlando, Fla. Veterinarian who’s worked at the Vancouver Aquarium, Columbus Zoo, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom; recently helped rehabilitate thousands of radiated tortoises seized by authorities from an abandoned house in Madagascar

To learn more about the STATEment Makers recognition program or to nominate a young alum for the 2020 awards, go to www.isualum.org/ statementmakers. Nomination deadline is Dec. 1.

Kevin Marquardt ’11 psychology and env studies St. Paul, Minn.

Manager of federal policy for CenterPoint Energy, Inc. with a passion for policy that dates back to his time as an ISU student developing recycling and waste management policies on campus; former intern with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar

Kimberly Hurd ’14 accounting Ames, Iowa Founded with husband, Colin, the Kolbe Scott Foundation, a fund that supports families who have lost infant children and pays opportunity forward to children around the world, including an orphanage in India

VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

Leng Vong Reiff* ’07 art & design and advertising Clive, Iowa Award-winning marketer and designer for Akili Design & Marketing Services, Agora Events Center, the City of Des Moines, and others; recognized three years in a row

by Cityview as one of Des Moines’ best

Karl Kerns* ’14 an sci Columbia, Mo. A researcher, leader, and aspiring entrepreneur who is at the forefront of “One Health” – conducting infertility studies that affect both humans and animals; earned a PhD in animal science / molecular reproductive physiology from the University of Missouri

Kelsey Kelley* ’10 pol sci & intl studies Minneapolis, Minn.

Assistant attorney of Anoka County, Minn., representing the State of Minnesota in cases dealing with serious criminal offenses; one of the youngest lawyers ever to appear for oral argument at the Minnesota Supreme Court

* Annual member of the ISU Alumni Association ** Life member of the ISU Alumni Association

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 FROM THE PRESIDENT

Cyclone families are everywhere An increasing number of Iowa State families are chronicling their Cyclone legacy. Some of this has led to alumni calling our office to verify that a family member from the class of 1872 to 2019 attended or graduated from Iowa State. Some have purchased plaques on the Alumni Center’s Wall of Alumni and Friends to honor family members, especially those who are veterans, legacies, or deceased Iowa Staters. Others have simply called to sign their son or daughter up for the Future Alumni Network program. And this spring, we had family members reach out to buy their child a class ring, a spot on the Classic Europe Grad Trip, an ISUAA membership, and/or a LegaCY cord. It has been an explosion of alumni showing loyalty to keep their families well-connected, engaged, and branded as Iowa Staters.

Two stories, in particular, stand out to me: The first has to do with the LegaCY Club.

Since we reintroduced this program in 2018, aunts and uncles who are Iowa State alumni who didn’t have children go to Iowa State still wanted to support having a future family member attend the university.

The initial focus of the LegaCY Club was directed toward parents and grandparents.

A member of our Young Alumni Council mentioned that he would love to sign up his nephews and nieces for this great program.

Well, I am happy to report that it is now possible for aunts and uncles to sign up their nieces and nephews for the LegaCY Club. To date, the response has been wonderful! So, again, if you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle with children in your family who are 18 years of age and under, you, too, can sign them up as a member of the LegaCY Club. To learn more about this program, including its purpose, benefits, and cost (a one-time charge of $35 per child), go to www.isualum.org/LegaCY. 30

Make sure these Cyclone prospects are learning about their future alma mater on a consistent basis. (P.S. Peggy and I definitely signed up our two grandchildren, Tony and Emmy!)

The second story has to do with alumni Loy (’57 home ec ed) and Bob (’56 farm operation) Walker (L) of Marengo, Iowa.

The Walkers were honored in 1983 as Iowa State’s Parents of the Year. In 2017, the Walkers’ children and extended family members chose Iowa State’s homecoming as an opportunity to honor their parents on their 60th wedding anniversary with

Thanks to Loy and Bob Walker for stepping up to ensure that 100% of their family members who are Iowa Staters are now Life members of the Association and have a plaque on the Wall of Alumni and Friends. How cool is that!? a tailgate party in the parking lot of the Iowa State Center. Their daughter, Theresa Walker Heitman (L)(’83 international ag), invited Julie Larson (L)(MS ’84) and me to drop by to help celebrate and surprise their parents. We gladly said yes.

In her 2017 invitation to us, Theresa wrote, “We keep accumulating ISU alumni in our family! Mom and Dad met at ISU. All four of their kids graduated, plus two of the kids’ spouses. Of the 16 (six not yet college-age) grandchildren, four have graduated and three are currently attending. One grandchild has an ISU spouse and another one is engaged to an ISU grad. Mom and Dad also each had one sibling that graduated or attended. I think this puts us up to 19 family members!” Information like this makes

an alumni director giddy. You can bet this brought a smile to my face.

Julie and I set out to find all of these folks in our database, ensure their records were properly coded and their memberships up to date, and check to see if they had plaques on the Wall. What we discovered is that there were not 19 family members but 22 members of the Walker clan that had Iowa State connections. When we completed our work, we shared our findings with Theresa and her parents. Thanks to Loy and Bob for stepping up to ensure that 100% of their family members who are Iowa Staters are now Life members of the Association and have a plaque on the Wall of Alumni and Friends. How cool is that!?

The Walkers offered the following sentiment: “An Iowa State University education helps create the structure for students to gain the skills they need to enter the work force. As alumni, we benefitted from our Iowa State degrees and are both proud to be able to recognize so many of our family members on the Wall.”

Let us help you tell your family’s Iowa State story on the Wall of Alumni and Friends or through Association membership, the LegaCY Club, awards, class notes, etc. I know there are more Cyclone families like the Walkers out there. So, as you and your family come together this summer, plan on chronicling your family’s Iowa State story, and then let me and my staff hear from you! Like with the Walkers, we will work with you to make it affordable for you to enshrine your family’s legacy at Iowa State.

Yours for Iowa State,

#

Jeff Johnson ** Lora and Russ Talbot ISUAA Endowed President and CEO PhD ’14 education SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

 CA M PA I G N P R O F I L E S

‘Why I give’ ISU launched its $1.1 billion campaign, Forever True, For Iowa State, in fall 2016.

For the ISU Alumni Association, the campaign will help position the Association to better serve and showcase Iowa State and Cyclones everywhere. Meet these donors who are contributing to the Alumni Association’s campaign priorities.

A match made at Homecoming “We are grateful to Iowa State University for the many opportunities and wonderful experiences with ISU faculty, staff, and friends. We met each other while competing in Homecoming activities our freshman year, including Yell Like Hell. As students, we were both involved in the Student Alumni Association (now SALC) through Homecoming Central (Brenda) and Cyclone Guides (Eric). Our involvement in these activities, and the leadership opportunities SAA provided, are some of the most memorable and valuable experiences we had at Iowa State. Eric also recently served on the ISUAA Board of Directors.

Our oldest daughter, Lauren, is a sophomore at ISU, and enjoyed participating in Yell Like Hell and serving on Homecoming Cy Squad. Both Lauren and Olivia appreciate being part of the LegaCY Club. We were excited to contribute to the ISUAA Student Leadership Programs Endowment as part of the Forever True, For Iowa State campaign. We hope that our gift will help ensure these opportunities continue to enhance the student experience at Iowa State. For us, the ISUAA has been a major connection to ISU since our time as students. As a family, we enjoy living in Ames and attending the many ISU activities.

Go, Cyclones!”

Eric & Brenda Burrough** Eric: DVM ’97, PhD ’11 veterinary pathology Children: Lauren & Olivia Ames, Iowa Pledged $15,000 to the Student Leadership Programs Endowment VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

That personal connection “Because of the alumni friends I have made over the years, my connection with Iowa State can now sometimes seem more personal than academic or professional – but my degree in landscape architecture from Iowa State has also been a big part of my identity. The ISU Alumni Association has been an important facilitator of the more ‘personal connection’ since my graduation. As an Alumni Association volunteer for more than 20 years, I have been active as a past local club president and event organizer.

For a number of years, I have been donating annually to support programs such as the Design College and Reiman Gardens (it’s that landscape architect heritage!). With the Forever True, For Iowa State campaign, I felt it was a good time to make a more definitive pledge in addition to my annual contributions. In support of the Alumni Association, I elected to pledge to the Clubs Endowment Program. I can’t think of a better way to support the ‘connection’ that has been so important to me.”

Russ Snyder* ’73 landscape architecture Golden Valley, Minn.

Committed $10,000 to the Alumni Clubs Endowment

Supporting future students and diversity “Iowa State University gave me a wonderful start in my adult life – my late husband Evan and I met there; we both made many lifelong friends there, and our careers got a wonderful start with the excellent education we both received. So, it was an easy decision to make a gift to Iowa State!

Evan and I were both first-generation college graduates, so it was a logical choice to endow a scholarship for first-generation students.

I want future students to have the support they need to stay in school and contribute to Iowa’s future. I served on the board of the ISU Alumni Association and was very involved in helping to craft the first diversity and inclusion statement. It has become an integral part of the Association’s mission and vision, so making a pledge to the Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Endowment felt like an important contribution to the Association’s future.

Iowa State continues to be a blessing to me and to many of my family members.

Anything I can do to contribute to the future will be the best way I can say thank you for everything we have received. I’m looking forward to seeing the success of others!”

Becky Stadlman** ’74 journalism & mass comm Ankeny, Iowa Made gift commitments to the Stadlman Family Cardinal & Gold Scholarship, ISUAA Programs Endowment, and the ISUAA Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Endowment * Annual member of the ISU Alumni Association ** Life member of the ISU Alumni Association

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 NEWSMAKERS

Alumni Bookshelf

$14.00

 During the summer of Sam Neumann’s (’09 journ & mass comm) junior year at Iowa State, he embarked on a trip to Alaska and subsequently wrote the non-fiction book Memoirs of a Gas Station, which made the New York Times bestseller list in 2013.

Since then, Sam has authored several other works, including his most recent release titled Frost. Sam lives in Denver with his wife, Kristen, and their newborn son, Connor.

▪

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 James (Jim) Redman (L)(’82 accounting) has written a book titled Ancestral Quest, a profound book that takes readers to discover their ancestry and learn its lessons. It’s also a story filled with family reminiscences and anecdotes, providing short, humorous diversions along the trail of the quest to learn more about his own Redman ancestors. Redman is a retired Ernst & Young employee.

Vol. 45, No. 1

 Kathryn Whitaker (L)(MS ’98 ag ed), a former VEISHEA general co-chair, has a book coming out later this summer. She tells us that “it was soul-filling to write it, and even more fun to share some Iowa State memories on those pages.” Whitaker was the first graduate student to co-chair

 Lorraine Peterson Ernst (’62 home ec ed) is a cancer survivor-turned-author. The rural Storm Lake native turned a battle with cancer into an opportunity to spread hope.

Ernst calls her book Recliner Row after the imposing line of patient chairs she found waiting when reporting for chemotherapy.

“Writing was never in the plan,” she says.

“But then again, neither was the cancer.”

▪

 Constance Lickteig (Miller) Moore (’72 history) has co-authored a book titled Maria Longworth Storer: From Music and Art to Popes and Presidents. Moore is the historian of the Army Nurse Corps Association.

Her subject, Sorer, was the founder of the first female-run manufacturing company in the U.S., Rookwood Pottery.

She was passionate about women’s rights, her city, and issues of poverty and the arts.

COVER ART Tino Rodriguez

AT E M E R S O N C O L L E G E

Spring 2019

 Marshalltown, a U.S. manufacturer of construction tools, has announced the release of a children’s book, Marshall T. Trowel and Family – Concrete – Work Hard.

Work Together. President & CEO Joe Carter (L)(’85 industrial engr) wrote the book, and his daughter, Hanna Carter (’16 graphic design), a freelance graphic designer in Portland, Ore., did the illustrations. They hope to inspire young people to see the value of working in the construction field.

FICTION BY Joy Castro ▪ Daniel Chacón ▪ Brock Clarke ▪ Alice Elliott Dark ▪ Serkan Görkemli ▪ Mario Alberto Zambrano NONFICTION BY Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore ▪ Edgar Gomez ▪ Marcos Gonsalez ▪ Jonathan Winston Jones ▪ Marie Mutsuki Mockett ▪ Lisa Mullenneaux ▪ Emily Raboteau POETRY BY Sherwin Bitsui ▪ Sara Borjas ▪ Sarah Burke ▪ Andrés Cerpa ▪ Victoria Chang ▪ Tiana Clark ▪ Geffrey Davis ▪ Paul Guest ▪ Kimiko Hahn ▪ James Allen Hall ▪ Zeina Hashem Beck ▪ Safia Jama ▪ Ilya Kaminsky ▪ Jennifer L. Knox ▪ Rachel McKibbens ▪ Rajiv Mohabir ▪ Aimee Nezhukumatathil ▪ Nkosi Nkululeko ▪ Julian Randall ▪ Jayme Ringleb ▪ Viplav Saini ▪ Natalie Scenters-Zapico ▪ Callie Siskel ▪ Jake Skeets ▪ Paul Tran ▪ Devon Walker-Figueroa ▪ Marcus Wicker

 Sarah Burke (MFA ’13 creative writing & environ) published “At the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum” in the spring 2019 issue of Ploughshares. Her PLOUGHSHARES first poetry collection, Blueprints, won the 2018 Cider Press Review Editors’ Prize and will be published later this year.

Her poetry has appeared in 32 Poems, Beloit Poetry Journal, Cimarron Review, Cincinnati Review, Mid-American Review, and Passages North.

She lives in Pittsburgh, Pa. Poetry and Prose edited by Rigoberto

RIGOBERTO GONZÁLEZ

 Dreck Spurlock Wilson (A)(’71 urban planning) recently authored Julian Abele, Architect and the Beaux Arts. Abele (18811950), the first African American to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania School of Architecture in 1902, was senior designer for the Office of Horace Trumbauer in Philadelphia. Among the over 100 buildings Abele designed are the Free Library of Philadelphia (1917) and 39 buildings for a new Duke University – without ever stepping on campus because of racial prohibitions.

VEISHEA, and she also helped launch the first-ever alcohol-free celebration. After graduating from Iowa State, she went to work as a communications consultant for the National FFA Organization in Indianapolis; she worked as a freelance communication specialist after the birth of her first child.

After moving to Texas and having five more children, she began writing that book: Live Big, Love Bigger: Getting Real with BBQ, Sweet Tea and a Whole Lotta Jesus.

González

SPRING 2019 $14.00 US / CAN

display until july 31, 2019

Top Jobs  Javaune Adams-Gaston (PhD ’83 psychology) has been named the seventh president to lead Norfolk State University. She is an academic professional with over 30 years’ experience in higher education. Her most recent position was senior vice president at The Ohio State University. She also served as Ohio State’s vice president for student life.  Carl Kirpes (L)(’12 indust engr/mech engr, ME ’14 systems engr) has been elected to the Board of Trustees for the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE).

He recently assumed a new position in crude oil strategy and analysis at Marathon Petroleum Corp. in Findlay, Ohio.  Ben Bruns (L)(’01 construction engr) has been promoted to vice president of The Weitz Company, a leading U.S. commercial general contractor headquartered in Des Moines. Bruns has spent his entire professional career with Weitz, including past roles as project engineer, project manager, and business development director.  Staci Laird (MEd ’15) has been named principal of Fort Dodge (Iowa) Senior High School effective for the 2019 -2020 school year. She becomes the first-ever female SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

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 CY STORIES

Promoting democracy

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itting in the presidential palace in Azerbaijan, a former Soviet state more than 6,200 miles from Iowa State University, Jennifer Crall (’03 management information systems) only had one thought: “What is this girl from a small town in Iowa doing here?”

Over the years, Crall’s career moved her to Washington, D.C.; Iraq; Afghanistan; Dubai; and Libya – and she has also traveled the globe, to Colombia, Guatemala, Jordan, Kenya, Mongolia, Nigeria, Slovakia, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

She worked for the International Republican Institute (IRI), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages democratic development around the world. Before working for IRI, Crall had already developed an impressive career in political and strategic communications.

She worked for Congressman Tom Latham and Senator John McCain leading up to the 2008 presidential election, as well as the U.S. Department of State. She also volunteered with three general elections.

Raised in Albia, Iowa, Crall grew up around politics. Her mother and grandfather were both involved in local government.

“Politics was something I had always been involved in,” she said. “I understood that politics was local. It was grassroots.”

Her job was to share experiences with people in other countries about democracy and democratic values. Crall lived in these countries for months or years to run programs and events to engage those advocating democracy in their own country. The people she worked with would ideally implement these democratic practices into their own political systems.

JENNIFER CRALL Ankeny, Iowa

#CyclonesEverywhere This process came naturally for Crall.

Practicing and sharing democracy is what drives her.

“A free and fair and democratic election is a privilege and an honor for a country to have.”

After years of traveling the globe, Crall returned to Iowa. In 2018, Crall and her husband decided to raise their new baby in a more family-friendly environment. “We had our son and we really wanted to raise him in Iowa,” she said.

Since returning home, Crall has been working for Iowa’s largest pork producer, Iowa Select Farms.

“It was an amazing experience to travel the world and have such an important adventure, but I am happy to be home in Iowa now.”

– Marco Núñez (’18 public relations) Originally printed in Prospectus, the Ivy College of Business magazine

 READ MORE CYCLONE STORIES AT ISUALUM.ORG/CYCLONESEVERYWHERE

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SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

DES MOINES, IOWA

ACTIVE. WELCOMING. SURPRISING. Top 5 Best Place to Live in the U.S. — U.S. News & World Report, 2019

#DSMUSA

liveDSMUSA.com

Discovery is abundant in Greater Des Moines (DSM). With more than 800 miles of trails, a network of public art and vibrant festivals and events year-round, every day is a new adventure in DSM. Here you will take pride in your city. DSM is where you can have it all. Live life without compromise in DSM.

 NEWSMAKERS & CY STORIES

A hard-earned degree

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or a former student-athlete who struggled initially with the “student” part, Abdel Nader (’15 liberal studies) ultimately found success on the basketball court, in the classroom, and now with the NBA. It was not always an easy process.

He started his collegiate career at Northern Illinois University, where the tie-in between school and sports wasn’t immediately evident. He was suspended for violating team rules. He then transferred to Iowa State, and while mandated to sit out for a year before playing, he was arrested for Oklahoma City, Okla. operating a vehicle while #CyclonesEverywhere intoxicated. He had to sit out the first three games of the 2014-15 season.

“Once he saw the connection between sports and academics, the lightbulb went off and he did fantastic,” said Natalie Williams, academic coordinator for men’s athletics. “He saw where if you were stressed in school, you were stressed on the court. He then did awesome, and I am very proud of him.”

That year, playing for the Cyclones, he gave the fans a show: Nineteen points and six rebounds in a big win at Iowa. The next year, Nader had what turned out to be the game-winning shot at Cincinnati. And his highlight dunk against Oklahoma State got national attention. He ended up averaging 12.9 points and five rebounds a game that year. On Senior Day, head coach Steve Prohm (A) called Nader his most consistent player.

Nader, who was born in Alexandria, Egypt, was drafted in the second round by the Boston Celtics. For a time, he played for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA’s developmental league. He now plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder, where last season he averaged 11.4 minutes on the floor.

“Ever since I was a kid I wanted to make it in the NBA,” he said.

He’s also proud of earning his degree.

“If I had it to do over,” he said, “I would have taken school more seriously.”

ABDEL NADER

– Michael Swan (L)(’79 journalism & mass comm, MS ’98)

 READ MORE CYCLONE STORIES AT ISUALUM.ORG/CYCLONESEVERYWHERE

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lead principal of the school. Laird and her daughter are both graduates of the high school, and her son currently attends the school. Laird has been employed by the school as an English teacher for 19 years.  Bryan Petersen (’09 kinesiology, MEd ’12), a former Iowa State men’s basketball player who is now head coach of the men’s basketball team at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has led the Eagles to their second National Junior College Athletics Association Division II national championship in four seasons as head coach. Petersen, who also played basketball at Kirkwood and was a junior college All-American before transferring to Iowa State, led the squad to a 31-4 overall record this season.  Perceptual Informatics, an environmental startup company formed by Bjorn “BJ” Brooks (’00 biology, PhD ’09 geology), has received Microsoft’s AI for Earth Grant to further its research on the economic effects of climate change on the agriculture industry. The company, located in Asheville, N.C., is actively developing a software platform that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite imagery to identify the sustainability of short- and long-term agricultural investments and to determine costs and mitigate risks associated with climate change.  Game designer Tony Hauber (’08 comp sci) moved to Silicon Valley after graduating from Iowa State. He worked with Google for several years before moving back to Iowa, where he is currently living in Elkader. He is the owner and designer of the arcade game system Deathball, which is a new coin-operated arcade console that has been selling rapidly to arcades in large metros throughout the country. The old-school game pits two wizards … essentially playing soccer. He says if you loved Mario and Donkey Kong games, you’ll love Deathball.

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

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 NEWSMAKERS & CY STORIES

Alumni Honors  An Iowa State alum and former Cyclone sailing team member has qualified for a world championship regatta this summer near Helsinki, Finland. Doug Steffenson (L)(’88 journ & mass comm/pol sci) and his

Racing around the globe

H

alef Gunawan (’04 landscape arch) is an Atlanta-based landscape architectural designer by day, but his true passion for global adventure has become like a second job for him and his partner, Michael — The Round the World Guys. Halef uses his website and YouTube Channel to document his many adventures and Atlanta, Ga. showcase his travel writing — including #CyclonesEverywhere scenes he always tries to capture with his favorite college mascot along the way.

On St. Patrick’s Day, Halef married his passion for running with his passion for exotic travel by completing the 2019 Antarctica Marathon on King George’s Island. It was the Bandung, Indonesia native’s seventh marathon – and seventh continent visited. With this race under his belt, he is one of only 600 people in the world who are members of the prestigious Seven Continents Club for runners who have completed marathons or half-marathons on every global continent.

The Antarctica Marathon was created in 1995 to raise funds for Oceanites, a non-profit environmental organization. Halef was one of 116 runners in this year’s event, which started in Buenos Aires and included a 10-day expedition to Antarctica aboard a Russian polar vessel.

– Kate Bruns

HALEF GUNAWAN

crew were preparing to participate both in the Lightning 2019 European Championship and the Lightning 2019 World Championship regattas from June 8 – June 17. As many as 65 teams from the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, Australia, and Africa were expected to attend the nearly two-week event. Steffenson, who lives in the Chicago area, and his crew qualified to sail in Finland by placing high enough last year both in their Lightning Midwest District Championship regatta in Green Bay, Wis., and the subsequent Lightning North American Championship regatta in San Diego, Calif.  Denise Drake (’85 psych/speech comm) has earned the Litigation Practitioner Award by Missouri Lawyers Weekly as part of their Women’s Justice Awards. Drake is one of 51 female attorneys in the state of Missouri selected for the Women’s Justice Awards. Currently, she is a shareholder at Polsinelli law firm, based in Kansas 38

 READ MORE CYCLONE STORIES AT ISUALUM.ORG/CYCLONESEVERYWHERE City, Mo. She also serves as chair of Polsinelli’s employment disputes, litigation, and arbitration practice.  Jeff Mounts (’08 advertising/art & design) received the 2019 Employee-Owner of the Year Award from the Iowa/Nebraska Chapter of The ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) Association. Jeff was given this award as recognition for his tremendous passion and commitment to building a culture of ownership at ESP International. Mounts resides in Cedar Rapids with his wife, Kira, and their 2-year-old daughter. He is the marketing coordinator and an employee-owner of ESP international, an employee-owned company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with multiple domestic and international locations.

ESP is a global and domestic supply chain specialist for seals and rubber products.

 WHO-HD Des Moines Channel 13 evening anchor Dan Winters (L) (’03 journ & mass comm) won a regional Edward R. Murrow award for a story entitled “Pipe Dream.”

 Rob Stout (A)(’78 farm op) of Washington, Iowa, was named the American Soybean Association’s (ASA) 2019 National Conservation Legacy Award winner. The award was presented March 1, 2019 during the ASA’s Commodity Classic in Orlando, Fla.  Don Latham (L)(’69 agronomy) of Alexander, Iowa, has been named the United Soybean Board’s 2019 Outstanding Achievement Award recipient. The award SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

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 NEWSMAKERS

was presented March 1, 2019 during the American Soybean Association's Commodity Classic in Orlando, Fla.  Walter Armstrong (A)(’84 ag & life sci ed) of Bayer Crop Science in Ames, Iowa, recently received the 2019 International Certified Crop Adviser of the Year award from the American Society of Agronomy.

The award is presented annually to just one from a pool of more than 13,000 certified crop advisers worldwide in recognition of service, innovation, leadership, and education in the agriculture community.  Dawn Mellion-Patin (PhD ’95 ag and life sci ed), vice chancellor for extension and outreach at Southern University Agricultural Center, received the T.M. Campbell Leadership Award at the

Tuskegee University Farmers Conference.

Mellion-Patin was recognized for her efforts to improve extension and outreach and advancing the quality of life for rural citizens.  Michael Nettles (MEd ’77, MA ’78 pol sci, PhD ’80 education) has received a 2019 Dr. John Hope Franklin Award from Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. Nettles is senior vice president and the Edmund W. Gordon chair of the Educational Testing Service’s Policy Evaluation and Research Center.  Ron Hankins (A)(’80 industrial administration) received the Abbott 6-Star

Finisher distance running award in April for completing all six of the Grand Slam of World Marathon Major running events of London, Tokyo, Berlin, Boston, New York, and Chicago. Hankins proudly supported Iowa State by wearing Cardinal & Gold gear for his international running events, and he often trained on campus during the cold winter months. Hankins lives in Polk City, Iowa, and is retired from a career in logistics with MidAmerican Energy.

Meet a few of our CYCLONE-FRIENDLY BUSINESS MEMBERS (of the ISUAA): Country Inn & Suites Ames, Iowa Cyclone Liquors Ames, Iowa East Iowa Plastics, Inc. Independence, Iowa Executive Express Ames, Iowa First National Bank Ames, Iowa Foss, Kuiken & Cochran, P.C. Fairfield, Iowa Gateway Hotel & Conference Center Ames, Iowa Gateway Market Des Moines, Iowa Geisinger Construction Inc. Ames, Iowa Global Reach Internet Productions, LLC Ames, Iowa Golf Cars of Iowa Pleasant Hill, Iowa 40

GrandStay Residential Suites Ames, Iowa

Iowa Corn Growers Association Johnston, Iowa

Great Western Bank Ames, Iowa

Iowa DOT-Motor Vehicle Division Ames, Iowa

Greater Iowa Credit Union Ames, Iowa

Iowa State Center Ames, Iowa

Green Hills Ames, Iowa

Iowa State Daily Ames, Iowa

Hertz Farm Management, Inc. Nevada, Iowa

Iowa State University Research Park Ames, Iowa

Hickory Park, Inc. Ames, Iowa

ISU Catering Ames, Iowa

Home Instead Senior Care Waukee, Iowa

Josephs Jewelers West Des Moines, Iowa

Hunziker & Associates Ames, Iowa Lincoln Center Hy-Vee Ames, Iowa

Kelly Cattle Company Dallas Center, Iowa Kingland Systems Clear Lake, Iowa

West Ames Hy-Vee Ames, Iowa Insomnia Cookies Ames, Iowa

JOIN TODAY! www.isualum.org

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

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 ASSOCIATION NEWS

See you at Cyclone Central This fall, head to the ISU Alumni Center before home football games to meet up with friends, eat and drink, watch football games, and buy ISU gear. There’s plenty of entertainment for all ages! Be sure to join Talbot Endowed ISUAA President and CEO Jeff Johnson in front of the Alumni Center for the Cyclone Central Tailgate Step Show featuring the Iowa State University Cyclone Football ‘Varsity’ Marching Band and Spirit Squad 90 minutes prior to kickoff.

Mark your calendar now!

The Cyclones will see action at Jack Trice Stadium on these dates: Aug. 31: Cyclones vs. UNI Sept. 14: Cyclones vs. Iowa Sept. 21: Cyclones vs. Louisiana-Monroe Oct. 5: Cyclones vs. TCU Oct. 26: Cyclones vs. Oklahoma State (Homecoming) Nov. 16: Cyclones vs. Texas Nov. 23: Cyclones vs. Kansas

Find a gamewatch near you Connect with Cyclones everywhere to watch Iowa State football on TV! For game details, go to www.cyclones.com.

For gamewatch locations: www.isualum.org/ gamewatch

Cyclone Central tailgates begin three hours before kickoff. Admission is free. Cash bar is available.

LegaCY families everywhere Three generations of Cyclones celebrated at Iowa State’s commencement ceremonies on May 11. Raymond R. Housh (’55 animal science) of Red Oak, Iowa, and daughter Anne W. Housh (A)(’89 hotel & rest mgmt) of Eden Prairie, Minn., attended the ceremony to see Anne’s daughter, Olivia W. Otis, walk across the stage with a bachelor’s degree in apparel, merchandising and design. “ISU has been an amazing place for all three of us,” Anne wrote. “It was special in 1955 and remains that way today!” Legacies like the Housh family were top of mind for the Alumni Association this year, with changes and growth in the LegaCY Club. More than 160 graduates purchased LegaCY cords to wear during the campus ceremonies; the Club expanded to allow members of the Alumni Association to purchase LegaCY Club memberships for their nieces and nephews; and the ISUAA app became a must-have element for commencement with the addition of a new graduation tile. More than 3,100 users downloaded the app, which allowed guests and family members to view the full commencement program. Registrar Mark Simpson said the change to do an electronic version of the program for guests was made to be green, save money, and reduce waste.

He said the university printed about 10,000 fewer 140page commencement programs this spring.

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SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

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G

rowing up in an athletic family, it comes as no surprise that Bridget Carleton was a multi-sport athlete as a young child.

Luckily for her – and for the Iowa State community – basketball was one of the sports.

Her mother, a Division II basketball player for Grand Valley State, played a fundamental part in Carleton’s pursuit of basketball. But it was also the competition she began to experience in her early basketball days that immediately captivated her.

“When I was 9 years old, I started playing club basketball for the first time. I quickly fell in love with the competition and being a part of a team with a common goal,” she said.

“Especially the team atmosphere was really fun to me. Today, this isn’t any different. My passion for the

THE BEST SEASON

JIM HEEMSTRA

Bridget Carleton will be remembered as a Cyclone great

44

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

game and the competition hasn’t changed.”

Once Carleton attracted the attention from several college coaches during her high school career in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, it was time to pick a destination for the next chapter in her life. One main reason Carleton ended up committing to the Cyclones, as the first Canadian player in program history, was the atmosphere in Ames.

“There was something special about Iowa State that I hadn’t really experienced anywhere else. The people and coaches were just so genuine, and they truly cared about me as a person. Ames also really reminded me of back home. I instantly felt comfortable,” she said.

As soon as the 6-1 guard stepped foot onto Cyclone territory, it didn’t take long for the Iowa State community to fall in love with her. In her inaugural season, Carleton produced one of the best freshman campaigns in program history, averaging 12 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.

Little did she know, this was just the beginning of one of the most successful, and arguably even the most successful, women’s basketball careers at Iowa State.

In her senior year, the greatest singleseason in Iowa State history, Carleton received the Cheryl Miller Award and was

BRIDGET CARLETON’S 2018-19 AWARDS • Cheryl Miller Award winner • WBCA Naismith Starting Five member • WBCA All-American • Big 12 Player of the Year • Associated Press Second Team All-American • ESPNW Second Team All-American

named Big 12 Player of the Year and WBCA All-American. She also set the single-season school record in points scored (760) and scoring average (21.7), finishing her career as Iowa State’s second-leading all-time career scorer (2,142 points), right behind Iowa State icon Angie Welle.

Inevitably, Carleton is added to the conversation about Iowa State’s all-time greats.

“Knowing all the ups and downs I have been through the past four years, it is a huge honor to even be in that conversation,” she says. “Angie Welle is an amazing player, VISIONS WWW.ISUALUM.ORG SUMMER 2019

Sports

one I look up to, so this means a lot to me. This is just the type of legacy I want to leave behind.”

While her freshman year was a great indicator for what followed next (she was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week five times), Carleton knew that she needed to develop various aspects of both her game and mentality to truly reach greatness.

“As a freshman, I didn’t really know where I would fit in or how good I could be,” she said. “But as my career went on, I found my confidence and true identity who I was as a basketball player.”

To get to the top of her game, Carleton had to become a more versatile player.

“Shooting 3’s was kind of my main thing,” she said. “While I still like to do that, I became a lot more of an all-around player.

And I believe that was very crucial for my personal development.”

Ranking third in program history in blocked shots (128), third in steals (211), and third in free-throw percentage (85.4%), Carleton has certainly proven her versatility.

During the WNIT tournament that kicked off her senior year, for example, Carleton earned the tournament MVP award – for more than “just” her ability to score.

She averaged 16.3 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists during the four games that concluded with a championship win over #24-ranked Miami. “Beating a ranked opponent at home to start the season was one of my most memorable moments as a student-athlete here,” she said. While none of this progress came easy for Carleton, she always knew where to look for motivation.

“My overall dream is to make it to the Olympics one day and represent my country. I think about that every day,” Carleton said. “Secondly, I just want to make my family proud. They mean the world to me and always supported me through everything. I have such a close relationship with them, and this really helps me each and every single day.”

The tight bond with her family has played a special role in her athletic and personal development. Her parents, Rob and Carrie Carleton, often drove 11 hours from Ontario to see their daughter play in Ames. But building and nurturing relationships outside of her family is what Carleton enjoyed most about being a college athlete.

“The people I come in contact with and the relationships we get to build is the most rewarding thing about this whole

by Christopher Aumueller

athletic career,” Carleton said. “I’ve only been here for four years, but I’ve found friends for the rest of my life.”

Her friends agree. “Bridget is one of my greatest friends,” said teammate Meredith Burkhall, an ISU senior from Urbandale, Iowa. “She cares about me off the court and we spend so much time together being roommates. I know our friendship will carry on once we both leave Iowa State. We joke all the time about being in each other’s weddings down the road. She is very supportive of me and I love her! She not only has been a great teammate but an even better friend I can always count on.”

After ending her collegiate basketball career in March, Carleton became the 14th Cyclone in school history to hear her name called in the WNBA draft. She was selected in the second round as the 21st overall pick by the Connecticut Sun. Sun coach Curt Miller calls her the “Swiss Army knife” of the draft class for her versatility on the court.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be drafted by the Connecticut Sun,” Carleton said.

“I can’t wait to get there, soak it all in, and work as hard as I can.”

Head Cyclone basketball coach Bill Fennelly has nothing but praise for Carleton.

“Bridget is going to be one of the all-time favorites to wear the Iowa State jersey for what she did on the court, but just as much what she did off the court,” he said. “She is the perfect example of what it means to be a Cyclone student athlete. Bridget wore it right, and she will always be remembered as a Cyclone great.”

As one of the all-time greats of this sport, Carleton – who graduated in May with a degree in kinesiology – will illustrate a role model for incoming freshmen who aim to follow her footsteps. For these freshmen, Carleton has an essential piece of advice.

“Time flies by really fast,” she says.

“Take it all in and be the biggest sponge you can – on the basketball court, in the classroom, in your social life. Embrace the good and the bad days, because it all goes by way too fast. Enjoy it all while you can.”  Christopher Aumueller is the CEO of storytelling company FanWord.

45

Calendar  Cyclones Everywhere:

Des Moines

July 28: ISU Day at the I-Cubs

Streets, Mass Campaniling, Pancakes & Fireworks Oct. 26: Animal Science Chuckwagon Breakfast Oct. 26: FSHN, Sigma Alpha & Ag Bus Club Tailgates

 Careers

Aug. 8-18: Iowa State Fair Sept. 9-13: ISUAA Corporate Blitz Oct. 3: Find the Wine Corn Maze

Sept. 18: Engineering Career Fair Sept. 24: Engineering Career Fair Sept. 25: Fall Business, Industry & Technology Career Fair Sept. 25: People to People Career Fair Oct. 8: CALS Fall Career Day

 Cyclones Everywhere

 Cyclone Athletics

Sept. 7: ISUAA Henry Doorly Zoo alumni event, Omaha

Aug. 31: Football vs Northern Iowa Sept. 14: Football vs Iowa Sept. 21: Football vs Louisiana-Monroe Sept. 28: Football at Baylor Oct. 5: Football vs TCU Oct. 12: Football at West Virginia Oct. 19: Football at Texas Tech Oct. 26: Football vs Oklahoma State

 At the ISU Alumni Center Aug. 23: ISUAA Board of Directors annual retreat Aug. 24: ISUAA Board of Directors summer meeting Aug. 31: Cyclone Central Tailgate Sept. 12-13: Young Alumni Council fall meeting Sept. 13: ISUAA Loyal Leaders Celebration Weekend Sept. 14: Cyclone Central Tailgate Sept. 21: Cyclone Central Tailgate Oct. 5: Cyclone Central Tailgate Oct. 24: ISUAA Board of Directors fall meeting Oct. 25: Gold Medal Ceremony: Class of 1969 50-year Reunion Oct. 25: Homecoming Happy Hour, Pep Rally & Yell Like Hell finals Oct. 25: Homecoming CYlent Auction Oct. 26: Cyclone Central Tailgate

 On campus & around Ames Sept. 30 – Oct. 4: CALS Week Sept. 26-28: Department of Computer Science 50th Anniversary Celebration Oct. 11-13: Cyclone Family Weekend

Oct. 20: Homecoming Parade Oct. 25: Homecoming ExCYtement in the 46

For all Cyclone sports schedules, go to www.cyclones.com

 Alumni travel

Sept. 20 – Oct. 4: Provincial French Countryside Sept. 21-29: Normandy 75th Anniversary of D-Day Sept. 22-27: Great Trains & Grand Canyons Sept. 29 – Oct. 15: Across Spain & Portugal Say YES to new adventures with the Traveling Cyclones! For more information on remaining 2019 and upcoming 2020 trips, go to www.isualum.org/travel.

 Arts and entertainment Now through Nov. 1: Timeless: Love & Romance in the Victorian Era, Farm House Sept. 3 – Oct. 4: ReACT: Civility & the LandGrant Mission in the 21st Century, Petersen Museum Sept. 19: Brunnier Art Museum Reopening Gala Sept. 19 – Dec. 20: Artists in Iowa: The First Century, Brunnier Sept. 19 – Dec. 20: Contemporary & Iowa Pottery, Brunnier Oct. 2: Cirque Mei, Stephens Oct. 7: The Kingdom Choir, Stephens Oct. 19: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Stephens Oct. 27: The “Bells of Iowa State” Gala Anniversary Concert, Stephens Oct. 28 – Nov. 22: ReACT: Aging by Design, Petersen Museum

 Awards Oct. 25: Homecoming Honors & Awards Lunch & Ceremony For criteria and to submit a nomination for ISUAA awards: www.isualum.org/awards

 Lifelong learning July 5-12: Discover Southeast Alaska July 8-17: Rhine Highlights July 22 – Aug. 4: Northern Frontiers July 26 – Aug. 6: Wildlife & Frontiers of Alaska Aug. 2-11: Canadian Maritimes Aug. 7-17: Canadian Rockies Explorer Aug. 22 – Sept. 2: Mediterranean Pathways Sept. 1-12: Inspiring Italy Sept. 2-14: Insider’s Japan Sept. 6-14: Krakow, Poland Sept. 8-15: Hops, Grains & Slainte (young alumni trip) Sept. 10-27: North Atlantic Quest Sept. 15-23: Great Pacific Northwest Sept. 17-28: Romance of the Duoro River

Aug. 8: OLLI at ISU fall open house Sept. 9: OLLI at ISU first day of fall classes

 Find more events online Campus Calendar: http://event.iastate.edu/ ISU Alumni Association: www.isualum.org/calendar Cyclone Athletics: www.cyclones.com Reiman Gardens: www.reimangardens.com Iowa State Center: www.center.iastate.edu University Museums: www.museums.iastate.edu Lectures: www.lectures.iastate.edu/ Homecoming: www.isualum.org/ homecoming

SUMMER 2019 WWW.ISUALUM.ORG VISIONS

Iowa State University Alumni Center 429 Alumni Lane Ames, Iowa 50011-1403

VISIONS magazine is published four times a year by the Iowa State University Alumni Association, which serves more than 262,000 living alumni as well as ISU students and friends. VISIONS reaches nearly 53,000 Alumni Association members and is just one benefit of membership; details can be found at isualum.org/join.

AT HOMECOMING 2019 SEE YOU ON CAMPUS

CAN’T MAKE IT BACK TO AMES THIS FALL?

Come home to Iowa State for Homecoming 2019, Oct. 20-26. Activities will include:

Even if you can’t be here in person, here are some ways to celebrate Iowa State’s Homecoming 2019 where you live:

• • • •

Homecoming Parade (Sunday, Oct. 20) Honors & Awards (Friday, Oct. 25) Reunions Friday evening happy hour, pep rally, and Yell Like Hell finals at the Alumni Center • Homecoming Cyclone Central Tailgate (Saturday, Oct. 26) • Cyclone football vs Oklahoma State

• New! Show us your Cardinal-&-Golddecorated office for a chance to win a prize • Watch us live! Several events will be livestreamed • Download Homecoming-themed desktop wallpaper • If you met your significant other at ISU, participate in our Cyclone Sweethearts contest

Watch for more information this summer at www.isualum.org/homecoming