The Club Connection

Katie Lickteig leans forward as she recalls her first out-of-Iowa ISU Alumni Association club experience. 

“I sometimes take my daily brushes with cardinal and gold for granted,” Lickteig says. “I recognize not everyone is seeing Iowa State daily. There was so much excitement at the event – the passion and attentiveness blew me away.”

As vice president of constituent engagement for the ISU Alumni Association, Lickteig (’05 marketing) harnesses that passion and directs the focus of club programming efforts – working hand-in-hand with more than 140 enthusiastic club volunteers across the nation.

The first ISU Alumni Association club was formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1893. Today, you can find 36 club locations in 23 states organized by alumni association club volunteers. Smaller gatherings are held by alumni association ambassadors in all 50 states and internationally.

A little-known fact: you do not have to be an alumnus of Iowa State to be a volunteer or engage with club events. All that is required is a connection to the university and fellow Iowa Staters.

In her 28 years of service, alumni association staffer Beth Lott has seen an evolution in the way association clubs connect Cyclones everywhere.

“There was no cable or on-demand in 1995,” she recalls from her desk on the first floor of the ISU Alumni Center — HQ for the association’s clubs. “To have a game watch, I had to get the satellite coordinates from ISU Athletics, give those coordinates to the club leader, and the club leader had to ask the bar to tune the TV to the game.”

Today, email has replaced phone calls. Club social media accounts connect alumni with events happening in their region. Streaming services pull up Cyclone games with a few simple clicks. Something that hasn’t changed is the excitement of a club game watch on a fall day, or the feeling of community that emerges when Cyclones volunteer on a project. The energy is contagious, just like it has been for the past 130 years. 

NORTH TO SOUTH, EAST TO WEST

Jim (’70 fisheries and wildlife biology) and Sandy Elkin and Doug (’68 ag and life sciences education, MS ’75 animal science, PhD ’77 ag and life science education) and Diana 
(’68 home economics) Pals know a thing or two about connection. The dynamic duos have hosted all kinds of events out of Fort Meyers and Naples for the ISU Alumni of South-west Florida: game watches, dinner cruises, even agricultural and nature tours.

“We feel a bit like an extension of Iowa State, and I hope we are with the example we set, how we treat people, and how we support the university,” Diana says.

The Florida crew even has its own recruitment tactics.

“It’s been known to happen that – if you see an Iowa plate – some people will sit in their car and wait for that person so they can find out who it is and invite them to the game watch,” Doug explains with a laugh.

The couples inherited a legacy of fun and friendship when they took up the mantel of club leaders. Re

sident historian Doug has traced the formations of the southwest Florida clubs back to 1998.

“Give any credit for what our club is doing back to the history,” Doug says. Sandy, Jim, and Diana agree. When the opportunity presented itself, both couples stepped up to continue the club’s good work.

“There’s a camaraderie,” Jim says of club events. “There’s a bond with fellow Iowa Staters. It doesn’t matter what walk of life you are. If you are a Cyclone, you are a part of that family.” “What stands out in my mind were the Iowa State students,” Sandy says when asked to share her favorite game watch memory. “They came with their grandparents, and they had the best time! They couldn’t wait to tell us at the end, ‘If I’m here again, I’m coming back. You guys are fun!’ That meant a lot, to cross the age barriers and see how enthusiastic we were. The Hilton Magic overflowed into our game watch that day.”

WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME

“There are a million different tourist attractions in New York City, but priority no. 1 for my mom and dad is to get to the Cyclone bar.”

Tanner Twetten (’11 hotel, restaurant, and institution management) is the leader behind game watches at The Keg Room in Midtown Manhattan. The Iowa native knows a thing or two about bringing people together – thanks in part to his degree from Iowa State – and, like his parents, Twetten bleeds cardinal and gold.

“Not Broadway, not the Statue of Liberty, not the Empire State Building. They want to go to The Keg Room in Manhattan,” he says.

Twetten’s parents are not alone. During any given game watch, you’ll find the bar packed with Iowa Staters – half of whom may be tourists visiting The Big Apple. Twetten even remembers a time when two famous Cyclones walked through the front doors.

“Suddenly I look over my shoulder and see Georges Niang (’16 marketing) and Naz Long (’16 communication studies) walk into our game watch,” Twetten recalls. “They were doing summer tryouts out here. Everyone looked around at each other like, ‘Do you see Georges Niang and Naz Long?’ We were a bit nervous to go up to them, but as soon as someone broke the ice, they were the nicest guys in the world. They even stayed to watch the football game.”

When you’re at The Keg Room, Twetten is quick to make you a part of Cyclone Nation. The wait staff are honorary fans, too.

“It’s the ‘Cheers’ effect,” Twetten says. “The owners, the staff, they all know your name. When we lose, they are very kind to us. When we win, they celebrate with us. We may even get a free round.”

ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE CYCLONES

Hieu Nguyen (’16 finance, DMJ ’16 economics, DMJ ’16 mathematics) found Iowa State by accident when a friend took him on a college visit. A first-generation student whose family moved to Minneapolis from Vietnam, Nguyen was soon taken in by Cyclone peers, mentors, and the campus community.

“Iowa State was life-changing for me,” he says. “That’s why it’s so important to give back, and working with my local club is a way to do that.”

Nguyen volunteers for Iowa State Alumni of the Twin Cities. As a young alum, he has a unique understanding of the power of clubs.

“When you graduate, you’re a little lost,” he says. “You’re in a new city, a new job, a new environment. You don’t know anybody. Having a community that shares Iowa State in common makes you more comfortable.”

In the last three years, Nguyen has met many Twin Cities Cyclones through game watches, happy hours, and volunteering opportunities hosted by the club. Whether it is a brewery tour, packing meals, or cheering on the Cyclones for a game, there’s a spot waiting for Iowa Staters in the Twin Cities.

“We always leave room for more Cyclones,” Nguyen says.

THE CLUB CONNECTION

Back at the ISU Alumni Center, Lickteig and Lott are training fellow staff members to work with club volunteers. It’s an effort by the ISU Alumni Association to enhance the connection of Cyclones everywhere, and it’s a crucial part of bringing Iowa Staters back home in many different ways.

“Club involvement is a grassroots, inclusive opportunity for people to volunteer that often sparks further support for Iowa State,” Lickteig says.

You’ll see a Student Alumni Leadership Council member graduate, get involved with their local club, then connect through charitable giving to the association and university and through service on association boards and committees,” Lott says. “It’s amazing to me how – each year –our club volunteers are recognized with association, university, and foundation awards for their dedicated service.” 

CLUB FAVORITES