Five Things

Happy Monday from rainy Ames! Here are five things to know that will get you up to speed on Iowa State this week:

1) Today is the last day of the Steven Leath administration at Iowa State, as former ISU provost and University of Northern Iowa president Ben Allen becomes interim president until a permanent successor for Leath — who is headed to Auburn University — is named in October. On Friday, the Iowa Board of Regents announced that it had hired AGB Search from Washington, D.C. as the firm to assist with the selection of the next ISU president. AGB will be paid $110,000, plus expenses, for its services assisting with the search. AGB will work with the official search committee, which was announced April 20. The search committee is expected to meet for the first time later this month.

2) This weekend 5,093 Iowa State students participated in commencement ceremonies, marking an increase of nearly 500 graduates over last year’s record-breaking spring class. Welcome to our newest alumni!

3) Also this weekend the Iowa State softball team, under the direction of first-year head coach Jamie Trachsel, swept Kansas to finish fifth in the Big 12 standings — the Cyclones’ best finish since 1994 — and earn a berth to the conference championships. ISU will take on Oklahoma State and Baylor Friday in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament in Oklahoma City.

4) Speaking of sports, the Iowa State women’s golf team opens play at the NCAA Lubbock Regional this morning in hope of earning a berth to the national championships May 19-24 in Sugar Grove, Ill. The men’s team starts its NCAA run next Monday, May 15 at the regional in Austin, Texas.

5) It’s officially summer break here at Iowa State now that graduation has come and gone, but spring is definitely still in the air. Check out the latest “Postcard from Campus” video and take a virtual tour of springtime on the most beautiful campus in the world.

Have a great week — and a great summer. We’re starting our summer hours today, so please note that we’ll be closed at 4 p.m. daily starting today until Aug. 11.

 

Five Things

Happy Monday to Cyclones everywhere. Here are five things to put on your radar this week as we start the month of May:

1) It’s Finals/Commencement Week already! The Graduate College ceremony is Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum; the Veterinary Medicine ceremony is Saturday at noon at Stephens Auditorium, and the undergraduate ceremony featuring commencement speaker Dennis Muilenberg (’86 aero engr) — chairman, president, and CEO of The Boeing Company — will begin at 1:30 p.m. in Jack Trice Stadium. (In the event of inclement weather, which we’ve had in spades for the past week, the event will be moved into Hilton Coliseum — but you’ll need tickets from a grad.) The Dean of Students’ Office will also once again be hosting Lavender Graduation for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and ally community.

Congratulations to all our very-soon-to-be alumni. Follow all the excitement of commencement throughout the week online via hashtag #cyclONEgrad.

2) April has now officially ended, so make sure to take a few minutes to log your participation in “Cy’s Days of Service” — our worldwide service initiative for Cyclones everywhere. If you participated in a community service project, a regular volunteer initiative, or even a board or committee that serves the community, please log the hours your spent during the month of April and help us accurately reflect the impact of Iowa Staters during April 2017. (Oh — and send us your best photos, too, please!)

3) We hope you’ve been enjoying “Cyclone Stories” on our new CyclonesEverywhere.com website. Our latest stories are of Syria-born artist and architect Mohamad Hafez (’09 arch), NBA Development League Rookie of the Year Abdel Nader (’15 liberal studies), and the ISU women’s basketball stat crew, which traveled to Dallas in April to serve as official statisticians for the Final Four. You can also go back and meet all the previously featured Cyclones in our Cyclone Stories archive. “Cyclone Stories” is our way of helping keep you up to date on how Cyclones everywhere are making a difference. If you ever have a suggestion of a newsworthy Cyclone who would make a great feature, be sure to contact us. You can email Kate Bruns (’99 journalism) at kbruns@iastate.edu.

4) The NFL Draft was this weekend, and no Cyclone names were called. But three signed free agent contracts: Jomal Wiltz, Jhaustin Thomas, and Nigel Tribune.

5) The spring hiring spree continues at the Alumni Association: We have a new job posting this week for a full-time Graphic Designer. Apply online by May 12.

 

Five Things

Happy Monday to Cyclones everywhere. Here are five things to put on your Iowa State radar this week:

1) Last Friday the Iowa Board of Regents appointed the official search committee for the next ISU president. The committee will be co-chaired by Dan Houston, president and CEO of Principal Financial Group, and Luis Rico-Gutierrez, Dean of the College of Design. The ISU Alumni Association has two representatives: attorney Steve Zumbach (’73 ag business) and retired CPA Thea “Ted” Oberlander (’77 accounting & indus admin), both of Des Moines. Learn more about the committee and the search process online.

2) Also last Friday, the Iowa State softball team made history by notching its first-ever win against Texas. The Cyclones, who are set to start a six-game homestand Wednesday, won 4-2 on the road at McCombs Field.

3) Speaking of the Cyclones and Texas, the Longhorns were the only team the Cyclones couldn’t take down at this weekend’s Big 12 women’s golf championship in San Antonio; Iowa State finished a strong second at the league championship, marking its eighth-straight finish in the top half of the Big 12 and setting up the Cyclones to earn an eighth-straight NCAA regional bid this Thursday. The Cyclone men — who have won three tournaments this season — start play in their league championship today in Hutchinson, Kan.

4) In celebration of National Preservation Week, the experts at Parks Library are hosting a series of events this week called “Ask the Experts.” Preservation staff will be on hand to assist the public with handling, preserving, and archiving heirlooms and collectibles during events Tuesday morning, Wednesday afternoon, and Thursday afternoon in the Parks Library lobby.

5) We at the Alumni Association have extended the deadline for applications to be our next Assistant Director of Constituent Engagement and SALC advisor. You can now continue to apply online through April 30.

Five Things

Happy Monday! Here are five things to put on your Iowa State radar this week:

1) It’s a time of transition at ISU, and not just at the very top as we search for a new president. Senior vice president and provost Jonathan Wickert has named John Lawrence as the interim replacement for Cathann Kress (’83 social work) – who is leaving ISU for Ohio State – as vice president for extension and outreach, and Pat Halbur as interim replacement for Lisa Nolan – who is leaving ISU for the University of Georgia – as dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. Lawrence (’84 an sci, MS ’86 ag econ), associate dean for extension programs and outreach in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and extension director for agriculture and natural resources, became acting VP March 31 and will become interim VP April 29. Halbur (DVM ’86, MS ’92 vet pathology, PhD ’95), professor and chair of the veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine department, will begin serving as acting vet med dean June 1 and interim dean July 1. National searches for both positions are expected to commence in the coming months.

2) In case you missed it, the 2017 ISU Homecoming theme has been announced: Sound the CYren. Mark your calendar for Oct. 22-28 and get all the latest info at www.isualum.org/homecoming.

3) There are lots of great, timely and relevant lectures going on this week on campus, including the Greenlee School’s annual First Amendment Day celebration keynote address Thursday when Pulitzer Prize winner Glenn Smith will speak about watchdog journalism in the MU Great Hall. Other lectures on the agenda this week include tonight’s “GI’s and Jews after the Holocaust” (7 p.m., Great Hall), tomorrow morning’s College of Business CEO speaker series event with Union Pacific’s Lance Fritz (9:30 a.m., 1148 Gerdin) and tomorrow night’s “The History of Politics of Russian-American Hacking” (7 p.m., Great Hall). As always, ISU lectures are free and open to the public.

 

4) This Friday is the deadline for Iowa Staters to purchase discounted tickets for Iowa State Night at the Iowa Barnstormers April 29 at Wells Fargo Arena. The Barnstormers won their third-straight game Saturday night to move to 5-2; it’s definitely a great time to check out a hot team and have some fun with Iowa State friends next Saturday night.

5) From the “Hey! She went to Iowa State!” file: Readers of Real Simple magazine may have noticed an ISU College of Design alum featured in the April issue. Pamela Abalu (BArch ’01), chief architect and global head of design and construction at MetLife Inc. in New York City, is highlighted on pages 105-106 (go to 94-95 on the slider bar at the link provided).

 

Five Things

Happy Monday! Here are five things to put on your Cardinal & Gold radar this week:

1) We at the Alumni Association are continuing to celebrate Cyclones Everywhere with stories, events, and more. Be sure to visit our new Cyclones Everywhere website if you haven’t already. And if you want to know more about what “Cyclones Everywhere” is all about, be sure to check out our new video:

Share your own story by using the hashtag #CyclonesEverywhere or contact us directly at (877) 478-2586 or alumni@iastate.edu.

2) Last Friday the Alumni Association and ISU Foundation teamed up to present their annual Distinguished Awards to alumni and friends. If you missed the opportunity to see these tremendous individuals honored in person, you can always catch the replay. Congratulations to 2017 honorees Susan Carlson, Larry Ebbers, W. Eugene Lloyd, Lora and Russ Talbot, Roy and Bobbi Reiman, Richard and Joan Stark, Steven T. Schuler, Danfoss Power Solutions, and William Hoefle.

Debbie Bergstrom, who was slated to receive the Honorary Alumni Award from the ISUAA, was unable to attend due to a family illness. She will now receive her award next April at the 2018 Distinguished Awards Celebration.

3) A boost to Iowa State’s already-impressive art collection is the latest big announcement coming out of Forever True, for Iowa State — the university’s $1.1 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign. Fifteen Sculptures and 14 drawings by American artist Manuel Neri have been given to Iowa State from the Manuel Neri Trust of Benicia, Calif., with a total overall value of $1,275,000.

4) More hiring at the Alumni Association: Our digital communication specialist position was closed for applications last week, but now we have two new active job postings: Alumni Center Program Assistant and Assistant Director for Constituent Engagement and SALC advisor. Apply by April 21 and 23, respectively.

5) From the “Hey! She went to Iowa State!” file: Bloomberg News White House correspondent Jennifer Jacobs, the journalist credited with breaking last week’s news that presidential advisor Steve Bannon was being removed from the principals committee of the National Security Council, was all over the television and radio news programs late last week and over the weekend talking about the story. The 1993 ISU English graduate is a former Des Moines Register reporter.

 

Five Things

Happy Monday and Happy April, Cyclones! Here are five things to put on your Cardinal & Gold radar this week:

1) April is National Volunteer month, and we at Iowa State are in the swing of things with Cy’s Days of Service. Whether you’re participating in a regular volunteer activity, organizing a project just for Cy’s Days, or looking for an opportunity to engage with a group, we have the resources you need to get started, find existing group volunteer opportunities, and log your hours on our website at www.isualum.org/cysdaysofservice. Last year Iowa State alumni and friends volunteered 2,781 hours in the name of ISU — let’s try to top 3,000 in 2017.

Be sure to send us your photos or share them online by tagging @isualum and/or #CyclonesEverywhere.

The Iowa State Alumni of Dallas-Fort Worth (pictured, right) and the Iowa State Alumni of Phoenix are among the local groups that have already completed group service projects this weekend. More opportunities are listed on our website.

2) We have two deadlines coming up this week at the Alumni Association: the last chance to apply for our brand-new Digital Communication Specialist position is this Wednesday, and the deadline to register for our complimentary April 13 alumni reception in Omaha is this Thursday. No more time to procrastinate!

3) The spring 2017 issue of VISIONS magazine hit mailboxes late last week, and we’ve already received positive feedback on the special “Global Hunger” issue, which includes a feature on ISU’s Sustainable Rural Livelihoods program in Uganda. Editor Carole Gieseke and photographer Jim Heemstra traveled to Uganda for the story — and it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Oh, and they have the photos to prove it. To see even more images from Uganda beyond what was published in the magazine, you can view our Adobe Spark gallery online at www.isualum.org/uganda.

4) Here on campus, we’re right in the thick of an exciting 9-day artist residency during which Rose Frantzen is live-painting portraits of prominent Iowa State faces in the lower gallery of the Christian Petersen Art Museum, 0003 Morrill Hall. All portrait sessions will be open to the public to display Frantzen’s artistic process as it unfolds. Learn more about the project, as well as about the subjects that have been and are yet to be painted, online.

5) Today is National “Find a Rainbow” Day. We have the rain part covered here in Ames, but we’re just missing the necessary sunshine. After several days of gloomy weather, it’s expected to rain again all day on campus. The good news? Warmer, dryer weather is coming in later this week and the current forecast calls for a high of 66 degrees and likely dry conditions for Saturday’s Cyclone Gridiron Club Spring Game at Jack Trice Stadium. We’d take that. Keep your fingers crossed.

Have a great week!

 

Five Things

Happy Monday, Cyclone Nation! Here are five things to put on your Cardinal & Gold radar this week:

1) Shortly after we published “Five Things” last Monday, the Iowa State campus was hit with a really major thing: President Steven Leath is leaving the university this spring, bound for a new role as president of Auburn University.

Leath, who has served as ISU’s president since January 2012, has grown the university in significant ways over the past four years: Enrollment has climbed to more than 36,000; the ISU Research Park has doubled in size; and a $1.1 billion fundraising campaign was launched this fall. Leath has, however, spent the academic year facing public scrutiny over what a recent Associated Press report describes as a potential “penchant for mixing personal and professional interests,” questions about which began largely in October when the AP reported that Leath had damaged a university airplane he was piloting.

Despite the criticism he has faced, Leath says he leaves Iowa State proud of his accomplishments, filled with fond memories and goodwill:

“Janet and I have made lifelong friends here in Iowa and have had many great experiences,” Leath said in a letter to the campus community. “We will always consider ourselves Cyclones and have great affection for this university and its beautiful campus; it is a very special place. Our appreciation for the Cyclone family is beyond words, and we found this extended family of students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to be the greatest joy of our time at Iowa State.”

The Iowa Board of Regents is expected to name a search committee for Leath’s permanent successor today.

2) Permanent successor is a question mark, but the interim successor may already be determined. Pending approval of the Regents today, former ISU provost and former president of the University of Northern Iowa Ben Allen will begin leading the university as interim president on May 9. Allen, a former dean of ISU’s College of Business, was a popular figure at ISU before he left to become UNI president in 2006. In his seven years at UNI, however, he was forced to make a number of tough budgetary decisions that made him less popular in Cedar Falls.

3) While there is about to be a major change at the top for ISU, athletics director Jamie Pollard is hoping there won’t be any changes coming soon at the top of ISU’s men’s and women’s basketball programs. Steve Prohm and Bill Fennelly have recently agreed to contract extensions through 2022, Pollard announced Friday.

“We have two of the premiere college basketball programs in the nation, and each is led by a very successful and talented coach,” Pollard said. “Securing contract extensions with Steve and Bill solidifies the future of both programs for our institution, fans, and student-athletes.”

4) Twenty-five Iowa State undergrads will be at the State Capitol tomorrow to showcase their research during the annual “Research at the Capitol” event — 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Rotunda. The event is designed to highlight the importance of research to the undergraduate learning experience, as well as the depth and variety of research being done. See a list of the project that will be on display here.

5) We need a digital communications professional — a videographer and photographer with social media experience — to join our staff team at the ISU Alumni Association! Is it you? Is it someone you know? Check out our latest job opportunity, share the link, and apply online by April 5.

 

Five Things

Happy Monday! Here are five things to put on your Cardinal & Gold radar this week:

1) Well, March Madness is officially over in Cyclone Country, as both the women’s and men’s basketball teams ran into opponents that were firing on all cylinders in their respective first halves Saturday. The women launched a comeback bid that fell short in their first-round game against last year’s national runners-up, Syracuse, on Saturday morning; the men fell behind hot-shooting Purdue early in their second-round contest Saturday night but came all the way back to take the lead late in the second half before falling just short of another Sweet 16, 80-76.

It was an emotional postgame for men’s head coach Steve Prohm, who choked up talking to reporters after the game about the journey he’s taken over the past two seasons with Monte Morris & Co.

“These seniors have been amazing,” Prohm told the media following Saturday night’s loss. “This senior class has been to four-straight NCAA tournaments. They’ve won 20 or more games every season, [and] three Big 12 tournament titles. And then you’re saying goodbye to two of the best three-point shooters to ever come through here and then, with all respect to Jamaal Tinsley and Jeff Hornacek, probably the best point guard ever to come through this school. And they did it the right way, and they represented this program the right way. You have to continue to recruit guys that can do that.”

In the meantime, we appreciate the suggestions that are already rolling in from fans to help Cyclones everywhere survive next season:

2) If you’re going to jump a spot in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, it might as well be from 2 to 1. And that’s exactly what’s happened for ISU’s graduate program in ag and biosystems engineering, as the publication released its latest rankings March 14. Now that deserves a “Cyclone Power” cheer.

3) In case you missed it: The College of Human Sciences recently published a feature on its website about the service learning project being done by students in an introductory apparel construction class: creating clothing for needy children in South Africa — a great practical application, the students say, of their skills. Read the full feature online here.

4) So what’s happening on campus this week? Besides school getting back in session after Spring Break, it’s also time for the Pearl Hogrefe Visiting Writer Series. Authors David Anthony Durham and Benjamin Percy, the latter a former ISU faculty member, will present “(Un)Natural Histories: From Fantasy to Historical Fiction” at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Memorial Union Sun Room. The authors also will discuss the writing process and answer questions during an afternoon session. “From Fantasy to Historical Fiction: Two Novelists on the Craft of Writing” will be at 2 p.m. in the Sun Room.  Both events are free and open to the public.

Also this week: Melissa Michelson and Brian Harrison will present “How to Change Attitudes toward LGBT Rights” at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Michelson and Harrison are co-authors of “Listen, We Need to Talk: How to Change Attitudes toward LGBT Rights,” which explores how identity and communication affect attitudes about LGBT policies like marriage equality, employment non-discrimination legislation and transgender rights. The talk is free and open to the public.

5) The ISU Alumni Association is headed to Omaha April 13. Register online by April 6 for a free event that will bring Omaha area Cyclones together and bring them up to speed on what’s happening on campus.

One Thing

One thing is on our mind this Spring Break week: March Madness!

The Iowa State men’s basketball team has done it again. Saturday night in Kansas City, the Cyclones won their third Big 12 tournament title in the past four years, making 2017 tournament Most Outstanding Player Monte Morris the winningest individual in Cyclone history and the all-time Big 12 tourney career steals leader.

Check out photos from a weekend to remember here and watch highlights of ISU’s epic 80-74 championship game win over West Virginia here.

Last night, we learned that the Cyclones are Milwaukee bound as the No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament’s Midwest Region. They will take on No. 12 Nevada Thursday night in the late game at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The Alumni Association and Athletics Department are currently working together to coordinate fan activities in Milwaukee, but in the meantime just sit back and enjoy this video from Selection Sunday at Hilton Coliseum and get all the information you need about tickets and games on cyclones.com’s NCAA tournament central website.

Even if you can’t travel to Milwaukee to cheer on the team in person, the Alumni Association will connect Cyclones everywhere in the spirit of tourney time with gamewatches (stay tuned to our online events calendar for details) and our Cyclones Everywhere Bracket Challenge.

The Cyclone women didn’t win their Big 12 tourney, but they have been on a serious roll and currently sit firmly on the NCAA tournament bubble. ISU finds out its fate tonight as ESPN airs Selection Monday at 6 p.m. CT. Tune in to find out what’s next. And we’ll keep you posted, too.

Go, Cyclones!

Five Things

Good morning, #CyclonesEverywhere! Here are five things to put on your Cardinal & Gold radar this week:

1) In case you missed it, the Alumni Association launched a new website and a new rallying cry last week, focused on our mission to tell the stories of and provide connections for Cyclones everywhere. Find out more at www.cycloneseverywhere.com or use the hashtag #CyclonesEverywhere.

2) Speaking of hashtags, you might have to juggle your #CyclonesEverywhere this week with your #HiltonSouth, as the Cyclone men’s basketball team heads to Kansas City for the annual Big 12 tournament. We’ll be attempting to keep you apprised of the latest fan information on our website at www.isualum.org/big12, so check back often for the latest on spirit rallies on the main Power & Light District stage and other activities for Cyclones.

The week of festivities in KC actually starts Tuesday with our “Celebrate State” mixer at Union Horse Distilling Co., and continues Wednesday with the ISU Alumni of Kansas City’s tourney kickoff party at Kelly’s Westport Inn. And that’s all before the Cyclones even pick up a basketball. The Cyclones will go for yet another win over Oklahoma State Thursday morning at the Sprint Center, and the Alumni Association and athletics department will be on hand for the pregame fire-up starting at 9:40 a.m.

See you in Kansas City!

3) Tonight, as Women’s History Month kicks into high gear, Iowa State plays host to its Women’s Leadership Lecture featuring veteran NASA astronaut Kathryn Thornton. The free, public lecture starts at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room.

4) Iowa Public Radio recently did a story on Iowa State’s efforts to shift the agriculture workforce and ag education to better reflect the nation’s demographics and diverse approaches to farming.

“When I started doing this a long time ago there was some people who weren’t happy that we were recruiting people that didn’t think like them into agriculture,” agronomy department chair Kendall Lamkey told IPR. “But in the end, that that’s how all fields move forward, is bringing in people who don’t think like we do.” Listen to the full story online.

5) You are likely already aware that it’s Women’s History Month and maybe also that it’s National Frozen Food Month — but did you also know it’s National Peanut Month? Celebrate by boning up on Iowa State alum George Washington Carver’s 300+ uses for this month’s legume of honor.

Have a great week! Go, Cyclones!