Class Notes

A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree was awarded Charles McGavren at commencement exercises in December, 2023 from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. After a successful career in journalism he retired then returned to school studying art and art history. His practice is primarily figurative painting in oil and watercolor.

Post graduation I officially began her journey in veterinary medicine! I now attend Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine! I am so grateful for my ISU education that helped me reach this next level!

Nile Mills ('70 industrial ed and graduate work in industrial education and electrical engineering from 1978-1979), graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary on May 8, 2021, with a master's degree in Biblical and theological studies. Nile is a retired U.S. Navy captain. Mills currently lives in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey.

Peter Myers ('17 finance) graduated summa cum laude from Drake University in May 2021 with a master's degree in education.

Rick Tett** is graduating at age 69 with an MS in innovation and entrepreneurship from the Jindal School of Business at UT Dallas in May 2021. He was honored to receive recognition as a scholar with high distinction and membership in Phi Kappa Phi. Writes Tett, "I was pleased to make up for my dismal undergraduate grade point. At the same time, my daughter, Dr. Emily Levy, will receive a PhD in mechanical engineering from UTD's Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science."

Rakibul Ahasan (MCRP '19 community & regional planning, MS '19 transportation) received the Lechner Scholarship from Texas A&M University at College Station for the 2019-2020 academic year. He has begun Ph.D. studies in geography with a focus on urban dynamics and land-change modeling as part of the Urban Dynamics and Sustainability (UDAS) research group.

Lindsay Tigue (MFA '14 creative writing & the environment) has graduated with her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. Her Ph.D. dissertation was a linked collection of short fiction entitled "With Love From All of Us: Stories." She began a tenure-track position as an assistant professor of English and Creative Writing at Eastern New Mexico University in August 2019.

Joe Webb ('16 nutritional sci), an ISU graduate student in food science and human nutrition, received a Young Investigator Award from the American Egg Board’s Egg Nutrition Center to study the role of long-term egg consumption on inflammation in the brain. He will be examining if whole egg consumption modifies neuroinflammation in the prefrontal cortex, using next-generation sequencing techniques.

On May 24, 2019, Laura Catherine Burnett ('11 civil engr) was honored as a Distinguished Naval Graduate of the Officer Training Command in Newport, Rhode Island. At the conclusion of four months' training at Civil Engineer Corps Officer School in Port Hueneme, California, ENS Burnett will then go to her first duty station at NAS Corpus Christi. ENS Burnett is a licensed professional engineer (PE) in her home state of Colorado and received her MSCE at Colorado State University in 2016.

Dr. Craig Cunningham ('12 biology) has graduated from residency at the University of Kansas School of Medicine -- Wichita Family Medicine Residence Program at Ascension Via Christi Hospitals.

Mouhamad Diallo ('19 materials engr & mech engr) has been accepted into the University of California-Berkeley's highly selective graduate engineering program. Diallo graduated from Iowa State in May 2019 having already been published in research journals three times -- twice at ISU and once at Des Moines Area Community College, which he attended before Iowa State. He is a former Boeing Company Scholar and ISU McNair Scholar.

Ken Isley ('84 ag and life sci ed), head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreigh Agricultural Service, will present Iowa State University's 2019 Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture. The lecture will be held April 9 in the Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. As administrator of the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, he leads offices around the world in expanding trade and export opportunities for American agriculture. Additionally, Isley chairs USDA’s Intra-Departmental Coordination Committee on International Affairs.

Michele (Lambing) Adkins (BS ’92 Family & Consumer Sciences) recently graduated from the College of Saint Mary with a Master’s of Science degree in Organizational Leadership.

Genna Tesdall ('15 biology & global resource sys) has been selected by the U.S. Department of State as 2018-2019 Fulbright student program award recipient. She will conduct research at the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany as part of a project to investigate the influences on decision making of farmers and policy makers in management of the invasive species spotted wing Drosophila, which is invasive to Germany and the U.S. Tesdall is currently pursuing her master's degree at Penn State University.

Darrin Rahn ('12 ag business) has been accepted to Harvard University's master's of business program.

Trey Kellner (MS ’14 an sci), an ISU graduate student, received the Stahly-Peo Outstanding Swine Nutrition Midwest Graduate Student Award from the American Society of Animal Science.

Hannah Phillips (’14 an sci), a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, was awarded first place in the Organic Research Forum Poster Session at the 2017 Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service Conference.

Glenda Bivens (’14 interdisciplinary) has received the Council for the Study of Community Colleges’ 2016 “Dissertation of the Year” award for her work on “Retention and Persistence through the Lens of Black Women Community College Students.”

Iowa State University student Madison Dierks (’16 landscape arch & env studies) is one of 75 Americans selected to participate in the 2017-2018 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX), a year-long U.S. Department of State-funded fellowship for study and work in Germany.

Kayla Lichty (’12 ag business) recently graduated from Kansas State University with a master’s degree in agricultural business.

Corrine Stoffel (’13 animal science) graduated with a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and will begin her career as a swine herd veterinarian for The Maschoffs LLC.

Andrew Lauver (L)(’12 ag studies) recently graduated from Kansas State University with a master’s degree in agricultural business.

Andrew Lauver (L)(’12 ag studies) has been accepted into the Drake Law School, beginning fall semester. He plans to specialize in Drake’s agricultural and legislative certificate programs.

Class of 2021!

An Iowa State University alumnus who is a world-class cattle geneticist has established an endowed undergraduate scholarship for students in animal science with an interest in genetics. Robert Walton Sr. (L)(PhD '61 an sci), of DeForest, Wis., is the retired CEO of American Breeder Service (ABS) and an agribusiness leader known for his contributions to genetics research in the dairy, beef and plant breeding industries. While at ABS, Walton developed a mathematical formula for evaluating bulls that revolutionized the animal genetics industry and was adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Walton made gifts in the memory of family and friends, including his late wife, Janice Graning Walton who he met at Iowa State; his brother Chuck Walton, who had a successful career in professional football after being a member of the Iowa State football team in the early 1960’s; fellow graduate student and internationally honored educator, Tom Sutherland; and graduate professor Jay Lush and his wife, Adaline. Jay Lush was an animal science professor who is considered the father of modern animal breeding. “The ISU experience under Dr. Lush played a major role in my life and career. He and his wife were the best teachers I ever had,” he said. Known as a visionary, progressive and selfless leader, Walton served 38 years on the board of the World Dairy Expo and holds the honor of the longest serving director. Walton also has served on the boards of the National Association of Animal Breeders, Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association, Wisconsin 4-H Foundation, Wisconsin Rural Opportunity Foundation and the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. He recently was presented the Henry Wallace Award, from the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which honors an alumnus who has achieved notable professional achievements nationally or internationally and brought distinction to themselves, the college and the university through significant contributions.

Paula L (Nickles) Beckman (L) (BS '92 JLMC) is an August 2016 DMACC graduate, receiving an AS in criminal justice. Her program emphasis was computer forensics.

Class of 2012 Krystal Jones earned her Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University in May 2016, graduating Cum Laude. She is sitting for the Texas July Bar Examination.

Elizabeth Fox earned a second Masters Degree, Library and Information Science, from the University of Illinois Champaign.

Iowa State University graduate Lillian Howard has landed a place in the Master of Science Program in Genetic Counseling at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The program is one of only 32 nationwide that offer a master's degrees in Genetic Counseling -- a requirement for anyone wanting to pursue a career in the increasingly in-demand area of genetic counseling. These degree programs are highly competitive; each receives around 200 applications and accepts only three to 25 students annually. Howard credits her success in securing a place in part to her experience in the Iowa Institute of Human Genetics (IIHG) Summer Internship Program. "[The IIHG internship] is such a unique opportunity and truly sets you up to succeed in a master's program in genetic counseling," says Howard who received a bachelor's degree in genetics (with a minor in psychology) from Iowa State University. "The experiences that you are exposed to are things that many master's students don't see until their second year." As the availability of and demand for genetic testing continues to rise, more genetic counselors are needed to assist patients in interpreting their test results. The IIHG internship program at the University of Iowa is helping to grow the ranks of genetic counselors. Now in its third year, this selective eight-week internship accepts three undergraduate students annually. Interns gain hands-on experience under the direction of genetic counselors at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City in a variety of specialty clinics, including neurogenetics, cancer, women’s health, pediatrics, cardiology, and personalized genomic medicine. "The internship strives to provide students with a similar experience as they will have during their first graduate school clinical rotation. This experience is something we can provide them to assist in the application process [to graduate school] as well as successful completion of their master’s degree in genetic counseling," says Colleen Campbell, Ph.D., IIHG assistant director.

Michael O. Johnston was recently promoted to Assistant Professor of Sociology at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Prior to this role, Dr. Johnston spent one year as an Instructor of Sociology at William Penn University and taught Sociology and Public Administration for two years as an adjunct instructor at William Penn University, Buena Vista University, and Iowa State University. He also worked three years in before and after school programming for children. While working in before and after school care he held the title of Lead Teacher and Health and Safety Coordinator while at Apple Tree Adventures in Norwalk, Iowa and Coordinator for the Before and After School Program at YMCA of Mahaska County. Dr. Johnston received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) of Public Administration from Walden University in 2014; his Masters of Public Administration from Iowa State University in 2009; his Bachelors of Arts (B.S.) from Buena Vista University in 2007; and his Associates of Arts (A.A.) from Indian Hills Community College in 2005.

I returned to Iowa State University in the spring, summer, and fall of 2011 to complete a second undergraduate major in English, which was awarded to me from ISU in December of 2011.

Kim (Kirkpatrick) Rodgers, '97 Exercise and Sports Science received the Tom Lyle Award for Athletic Training Excellence from Northern Arizona University Athletic Training Education Program. Kim teaches Sports Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale, Arizona and serves as the Athletic Trainer.

As you may be aware, Dr. Dan Robinson is retiring in May. A retirement reception will be held Thursday, May 1st in Ames, IA at the Alumni Center from 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm with a program at 3:15 pm. Let's all show our appreciation and support by sharing in an alum video collage he won't forget! Video clips (for his retirement) can be sent to Dennis Culver (dculver@iastate.edu) by April 25. V. Lynette Mitchell, c/o 94.

Vice Adm. Gerald Hoewing (ISU 1971 alum) received an honorary doctorate during spring commencement at Purdue University. Purdue awarded 10 honorary doctorates during spring commencement Purdue University awarded 10 honorary doctorate degrees during commencement ceremonies this spring. Nine of the honorary doctorates were presented during ceremonies May 10-12 in the Elliott Hall of Music on the West Lafayette campus. Another was presented May 12 during the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis ceremony at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. One of the 2013 honorees is an ISU alum: Vice Adm. Gerald L. Hoewing of Pensacola, Fla., who was the 53rd chief of naval personnel. Hoewing received his commission in May 1971 through the NROTC Scholarship Program and was designated a naval aviator in August 1972. He served with Attack Squadrons 147, 122 and 94, and completed several western Pacific deployments aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) and USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). In 1993, he assumed command of the fast combat logistics support ship USS Seattle (AOE 3), deploying to the Mediterranean in support of the USS Theodore Roosevelt battle group. In January 1995, he became the 20th commanding officer of USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). He later served as the senior military assistant to the under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness in Washington, D.C. In 2002, Hoewing assumed the duties of chief of naval personnel/deputy chief of naval operations (manpower and personnel). He received a doctor of education degree at 9:30 a.m. on May 11.

I received a non-thesis M.S. degree from Iowa State in General Graduate Studies (Biology) in May, 1976, and haven’t been back to campus since then. In reading over my old tests and numerous term papers during my two short academic years at ISU, I was very surprised at not only the breadth of material covered in my graduate-level classes, but also the depth of detail required. Certainly this preparation came in handy when I was accepted into the doctoral program in Physiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; I was well-prepared and received a thesis M.S. in Physiology in December, 1978, and a Ph.D. in Endocrine Physiology in December 1982. My wide background in several areas at ISU enabled me to combine my main area of research in Neuroendocrinology/Neurochemistry with Cellular/Ultrastructural Biology in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in 1983 to work as a post-doctoral research associate in Marseilles, France at a national research institute near the gorgeous blue-green waters of the Mediterranean. I’ve taken the opportunity to go back to the “South of France” several times since! I also had a chance to work at my alma mater (KU), albeit just temporarily, from 1984-86, as a result of my outstanding education at ISU. The position was in the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology in Lawrence, KS. My diverse training initiated in large part in ISU’s General Graduate Studies program has also resulted in my publishing many scientific articles in several areas of research science. I would like to express my gratitude to my professors for providing me with a rich and diverse educational experience in Ames.

Christopher Larsen, JLMC '87, received his M.Ed. in Journalism Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia in December, 2007.

Masters of Science Curriculum & Instructional Technology Iowa State University / 2001

I received my Master's in Secondary School Counseling from Drake University in May 2009.

Received Ph.D. in Health Studies on May 16, 2009 from Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas.

Ryan O'Hara ('98, Computer Engineering) received his Masters Degree in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota in December 2008.

Theodore (Ted) Brimeyer ('07, Music) will begin graduate study at Michigan State University this June for a Masters Degree in Choral Conducting. His wife Elyse (Flagg) Brimeyer ('07, Music) will complete her Masters Degree in Education at Viterbo University in July. Both Ted and Elyse currently teach vocal music for the Johnston Community School District.

Jody Lane-Molnari** ('86 pol. sci., psych.) received her Master of Public Adminstration degree from Drake University in 2003.

John Vinzant* ('92 hist., pol. sci.) received his Ph.D. in August 2006, in a ceremony at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He is currently working as a professor of political science in Springfield, IL at Lincoln Land Community College.

Kimberly (Windom) Martinez graduated from the Stanford Graduate School of Business on July 17, 2007 with her MBA. Kim graduated from ISU in 1998 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with Honors and Distinction. Kim will be joining DaVita in a general management position later this summer.

M.A., Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1995

After graduating from Iowa State University in 1970 I went on to the University of Iowa and obtained a Law Degree in 1973. Since then, I have been practicing law in Richmond, Va.

Deborah (Benson) Ashby* ('73 dietetics; '06 fam. con. sci) has been a clinical dietitian at Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center for 32 years, 20 of which she has spent as Chief Clinical Dietitian. Deborah has mentored dietetic interns from ISU for 11 years. "So when the opportunity to earn a MFCS presented itself, I seized the chance to increase my skills in my profession and to give back to that," she writes. "Lifelong learning is rewarding, continuous, energizing, awesome, and achievable." Deborah lives in Gilman, Iowa.

Leann (Little) Willis** (’79 animal sci.) completed her master of science in nursing – family nurse practitioner in January 2005 with University of Phoenix. Leann started work as a family nurse practitioner at the Waterfall Clinic in North Bend, Ore., serving primarily the uninsured and under-insured residents of the surrounding communities. Coos County is one of the 200 poorest counties in the United States, so the needs are great and the resources are tight. Everyday, she says, is a new adventure in the medical economy. Leann lives in Coos Bay, Ore.

Debra J. (Betz) Ciskey* (’79 English) received an M.A. degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix in July 2006. Debra lives in Normal, Ill.

Diana (Lanham) McElroy** (’77 home ec. ed.) received an MBA from the University of Iowa in December 2005. Diana is a consumer affairs manager for Tone’s Spices in Des Moines, Iowa, and lives in Johnston, Iowa.

Erika Thiem** (’94 chem. engr.) writes that she will complete an MBA degree in April 2007 and is excited to put this knowledge to work, along with 13 years of leadership experience with General Mills and many volunteer and NFP organizations. Erika has received board training through United Way “Boardwalk” program and is also excited to get involved with the ISU Alumni Association Board. Erika lives in Joplin, Mo.

Shawn Eagleburger* (’05 interior dsn.) has moved to begin graduate work in student affairs – higher education administration at Ball State University. Shawn lives in Muncie, Ind.