Dear Members:
It’s no secret … I’ve come to deeply love Iowa State and Iowa Staters! The longer my family and I are here in Ames, the more we appreciate all that this university stands for and still can achieve.
In this edition of Iowa Stater Magazine, we engage with the life and legacy of Jack Trice. In the past year, I’ve found myself thinking over the letter Jack wrote on the eve of his death. “My thoughts just before the first real college game of my life. The honor of my race, family, and self are at stake.” Jack’s words, “race, family, and self,” still resonate with me today. Similar thoughts went through my mind back in 1999, when I was selected to lead the ISU Alumni Association. As a young Black man, the first person of color, and a non-ISU alumnus at the time, to be selected for this role was humbling. Like Jack, I had confidence in my ability. Also like Jack, I understood the weight of the responsibility I had been entrusted with by Iowa Staters.
Jack’s letter goes on to say, “Everyone is expecting me to do big things.” I too, wanted to help Iowa State do big things. And with the help of staff, board directors, donors, friends, and campus colleagues, here are just a few achievements to date:
- Championed by the generosity of Roy and Bobbi Reiman and 400-plus contributors, the dream of building an alumni center was achieved in 2008. The alumni center has provided a space for Cyclones everywhere, across generations, to gather, reconnect, and celebrate their Cyclone pride.
- Also in 2008, association membership grew to 50,000 — making ours the second largest dues-paying member-based organization in the Big 12 Conference. Thanks for making this happen for Iowa State, association members!
- In 2014, thanks to the conviction of Lora and Russ Talbot, the position I hold became the United State’s first endowed alumni position and the first non-academic endowed position on Iowa State’s campus. This endowment frees up and generates critical resources to help the association enhance outreach and programming efforts for alumni, students, and friends, and supports staff development and student internship opportunities.
In 2028, this organization will turn 150 years old. We’ve already got a few big things on our dreams list. Stay tuned to learn how you can play a role in your association’s future. Iowa State and the ISU Alumni Association still have big things to do … together!
Yours for Iowa State,
Jeff Johnson, PhD ‘14
Talbot Endowed President and CEO
