Iowa Stater readers share their favorite custom ISU-themed license plates
“Here is my story re: 4GENALM, my chosen vanity plate. My grandfather, James Gray Watson, arrived in America from Scotland in 1908 and went immediately to Ames. His uncle owned the Gray Farm, current site of the Iowa State Center, including Hilton, Jack Trice, and the Alumni Center. ‘Jimmie’ worked his way through ISC by delivering milk for the Gray family, frequently driving past Beardshear Hall in his milk wagon. He became my GEN 1 family member to graduate from Iowa State in 1913, while his uncle is remembered as the namesake of Gray Avenue, home to many of ISU's Greek houses.

My parents, Donald and Marymae Watson, both graduated from Iowa State in 1949 and 1947 respectively. Donald's education was interrupted by WW2 when he served in the US Marine Corp for five years, meeting my mother (hanging out the window of the Student Health Clinic, he often claimed) after he returned to finish his degree in Ag Journalism. I count them together as GEN2.
I am GEN3, arriving in Ames in 1969 and graduating in journalism in 1973. My wife, Tia (journalism 1977), can also be included in this generation of family graduates. Born at Mary Greeley, she is the daughter of Barney Slater who was a professor of architecture on staff for decades. Her mother, Virginia, also earned a master's degree from ISU.
We were proud to send our daughter Katie Watson to ISU in the fall of 2008. She graduated with a degree in business administration in 2013.
There you have it, four generations of proud Cyclones spanning more than a century of ISU's progress. Hoping that our grandchildren continue the tradition in the years ahead. Perhaps I should reserve 5GENALM with the DOT?”
— Jim Watson (’73)