By the time this issue of Iowa Stater magazine reaches you, I will be two months into my retirement from the Iowa State University Alumni Association. Over the last year, I’ve taken many moments to reflect — on my faith, on my life, and on my 43-year career in higher education, especially the almost 26 I spent here at Iowa State. What began in 1999 as a professional opportunity quickly blended into a personal transformation, one that reshaped my family’s trajectory and rooted us in a community we truly call home.
I’ve shared before of my gratitude to Iowa Staters welcoming me, who at the time was a non-alumnus, with warmth and generosity. You not only embraced me, but you engaged my wife, Peggy, and our children. You allowed us to grow alongside this remarkable university, city, state, and worldwide Cyclone family.
Peggy and I began liking each other when we were 12 and 14, respectively, and grew up together. Peggy has been my partner in every sense. From hosting southern dinners, board and alumni receptions, and student and staff meals in our home to supporting association, university, and alumni events, she has embraced this work as if it were her own. Our shared upbringing — rooted in hospitality and generosity — shaped how we built community here. Whether through gala dinners, board gatherings, or student celebrations, our home, family, and lives became an extension of the association’s mission.
Throughout my tenure, I’ve been blessed to work with extraordinary staff; individuals who, whether alumni or not, became Iowa Staters through their dedication and love for this university and its constituents. Their commitment was matched by campus colleagues, national and international peers, community partners, and vendors who helped us elevate the work of the association and the reputation of Iowa State University.
Alumni work is rooted in alumni engagement beyond being a dues-paying member. It’s the giving of one’s time, talents, expertise, experiences, and perspectives. Whether that happened during one’s student days, as a graduate, or as an Iowa State friend, my staff and I were blessed to be surrounded and supported by a cadre of committed volunteers.
There are countless tangible legacies I am proud to have been a part of: the building of the ISU Alumni Center, the creation of the “Cyclone Power” chant, the endowment of the nation’s first alumni association leadership position, the growth of the LegaCY Program, and the creation of the graduation regalia and mace now used in Iowa State’s commencement ceremonies, to name a few.
Outside of my role at the association, I’ve had the privilege to serve the broader Ames community as president of the Ames Chamber of Commerce and president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Story County, as well as a member of the Ames Economic Development Council, the Ames Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Mary Greeley Foundation Board of Directors. These roles allowed me to give back while still serving Iowa State — a rare and cherished opportunity.
Perhaps my greatest legacy is personal: As a first-generation college graduate, I wanted to change the trajectory of my family’s future, and I knew education was a way to do so. In May 2014, I earned my PhD from Iowa State (officially joining the ranks of the alumni I so proudly served) the same weekend that my daughter, Krystal, graduated with her bachelor’s degree. It is one of my proudest memories.
Iowa State’s land-grant legacy — a college based on science and open to all; one dedicated to the education of the working people of Iowa — has always resonated with me, and I’m proud to have served such an institution for more than a quarter of a century. My family was welcomed with these values, of openness and acceptance, decades ago, and they’re why we’ll continue living here. Peggy and I have chosen to stay in Ames, not out of obligation, but out of affection for this city and state.
Thank you for allowing me to live the mission I asked others to support. Thank you for the memories, the milestones, and the meaning. Iowa State will always be among the places we call home, and Iowa Staters will always be our extended family. My email address will remain jjohnsn@iastate.edu; please stay in touch.
Jeff Johnson, PhD ‘14
Iowa State University Alumni Association President and CEO Emeritus
