Meet the 2020 class of Iowa STATEment Makers

STATEMENT MAKERS 2020

Meet the 2020 class of Iowa STATEment Makers: Ten young alumni who are spearheading change in education and health and working toward social good. e STATEment Makers award is sponsored by the ISU Alumni Association and recognizes the early personal and professional achievements of alumni age 32 years and under.

Haitham Alabsi

Haitham Alabsi (’08 biochemistry) is a clinical fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Women’s Hospital whose research focuses on leveraging automated bedside data to provide more accurate prognostication and data-driven clinical decision-making. Alabsi has a degree in osteopathic medicine from Des Moines University.

Heidi Becker

Heidi Becker’s life came to a standstill on Jan. 19, 2017. On that day, Becker (’08 meteorology) and her husband Josh lost their 2-year-old son Drew to a year-long battle with neuroblastoma. In memory of their son, the couple founded Warrior Wagons, Inc., a nonprofit organization that gives newly diagnosed pediatric cancer patients and their families a wagon filled with practical and comfort items.

Kayla Flyckt

Kayla Flyckt (’14 biology, MS ’16) feels most at home in her research lab. She began working for Corteva Agriscience in Johnston, Iowa, after completing her master’s degree research on plant lipids. Since joining the trait discovery department at Corteva as a senior research associate, Kayla has continued to specialize in plant lipids – specifically soybean oil.

Marquis Hamilton

Marquis Hamilton (’09 com studies) is a learning specialist at Noble Network of Charter Schools in Chicago, Ill., where he provides one-to-one instruction of students with disabilities and collaborates with teachers and parents to implement support for overall success. He also founded the nonprofit UP.Mentoring, which provides opportunities to youth from underserved communities in Chicago.

“[My favorite college memory was] skipping class to cover the 2016 election, which really confirmed for me that, yes, this is actually what I wanted to do with my life.”

Kelly Howard

Kelly Howard (A)(’08 journalism) is the CEO of Los Angeles-based EightSixtySouth, an agency that focuses on strategic communications for a diverse roster of clients in the lifestyle and wellness space. She was named communicator of the year during PR Couture’s 2018 Bespoke Communication Awards and has presented at WWDMagic, Simply Stylist, BOSS Talks, and NerdyGirl Academy.

“Being an international student at ISU inspired cultural humility within me.”

– AKSHI MOHLA

“Iowa State will always feel like home. I grew so much personally and professionally during my time at ISU, and I am forever grateful for those experiences.”

– KAYLA FLYCKT READ MORE Read more about this year’s STATEment Makers at www.isualum.org/statementmakers2020.

NOMINATE Nominate young alumni for the 2021 awards at www.isualum.org/statementmakers. Nomination deadline is Dec. 1.

Meredith McKean

Meredith McKean (L)(’07 biochemistry) is a medical oncologist and hematologist with Tennessee Oncology, PLLC and a clinical investigator at Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville. She has published multiple academic articles – primarily on immune therapy and melanoma.

Goran Micevic

Goran Micevic (’10 biochemistry), a resident physician at Yale New Haven Hospital and West Haven Veteran Affairs Hospital, grew up in war-torn former-Yugoslavia. His goal to become a physician and researcher brought him to Iowa State. At Yale University, Micevic and a team of researchers have discovered new treatments that could improve the care of melanoma patients.

Akshi Mohla

Akshi Mohla (’13 aerospace engineering) is a procurement solutions consultant at the cloud software juggernaut SAP. As an engineer, she has the drive to make good systems better. Outside of her work, Mohla serves as a teaching volunteer for Black Girls CODE, a nonprofit devoted to providing computer coding lessons to girls from underrepresented communities.

Lissandra Villa

Think of a national news story, and chances are Lissandra Villa (’16 journalism & political science) has covered it. Villa is a staff writer for TIME magazine, where she covers national politics. She has reported on topics ranging from allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of power in Congress to the shooting at the Republican Party baseball practice in 2017.

“I’m passionate about helping others and in my community.”

– MARQUIS HAMILTON Kelsey (Upah) Wigans

Kelsey (Upah) Wigans (’14 dietetics) is the Seed to Table manager at Gilmore City-Bradgate Community School District in Gilmore City, Iowa. She has spearheaded the creation of a school greenhouse, introduced chickens to the school grounds, initiated a food backpack program, created a learning kitchen, and started honey bee and monarch projects for students.

being recognized for doing good work

“I will spend the rest of my days striving to imitate these qualities [my son] displayed in the 1,024 days of his life.”

– HEIDI BECKER