Alumni Days 2006

NEW! View photos from Alumni Days 2006

NEW! View group photos from the Class of 1956

Alumni Days 2006 was a huge success and enjoyed by 325 alumni and friends on May 11, 12, and 13. Alumni came from all over the U.S. and beyond, including Ireland, California, Mexico, New York, and Oregon. Alumni gathered the evening of May 10 in the Campanile Room and at several local restaurants to get reacquainted with their classmates before all the festivities began the next day. Thursday morning began with breakfast, a campus art and architecture walking tour, and a bus tour which ended at Reiman Gardens. Guests enjoyed sack lunches, touring the butterfly house, visiting the gift store and conservatory, and a guided tour of the gardens.

The afternoon was filled with many tour and open house options, including Special Collections in the Parks Library, Brunnier Gallery, the Bergstrom Indoor Football Training Facility, the Tornado Simulator and the Molecular Biology building. The highlight of the day was the performance by Simon Estes, an internationally acclaimed bass baritone who sang for the reunion attendees in Thursday's early evening hours. Later that evening the 1956 class had its own Class Banquet, in which Thomas Sutherland, 1956 alum who endured six years of imprisonment as a hostage in Beirut, gave a speech. Carol Volkral Hall sang a fun-filled reminiscence song written by Roger and Carol Volker. The Gold Medal Club classes had their own banquet, which included trivia and medals for those celebrating their 55, 60, 65, and 76th anniversary of graduation from Iowa State.

After an exhausting day, the energetic participants were up early, socializing, eating, and touring on Friday morning. After a delicious breakfast alumni were off to visit their colleges. At noon, everyone experienced “dining in the 2000s” at the Union Drive Marketplace. Choices included everything from pasta to Chinese to meat and potatoes, and as much ice cream as you could eat! Several mini-reunions took place over lunch, including Cardinal Key/Mortar Board, waiters, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Gamma Phi and Kappa Delta. After lunch alumni had the option to tour the new residential suites at Eaton Hall.

The afternoon was filled with more tours and open houses, including Farm House Museum, Campanile tours, Beardshear Hall, and Special Collections in the Parks Library. After the 50-year class made it through their class photo, 400 people joined together for dinner and the Gold Medal presentation. One hundred and sixty medals and diplomas were given to members of the 1956 class by current ISU president Gregory Geoffroy. And with that, the Class of 1956 was officially inducted into the Gold Medal Club.

On Saturday morning alumni enjoyed a lovely brunch at The Knoll hosted by President Gregory Geoffroy and his wife, Kathy, and sponsored by the ISU Foundation. It was exciting for so many alumni to finally be able to tour The Knoll.

World-renowned sculptor Albert Paley (www.albertpaley.com) has been commissioned to create a contemporary, captivating public work of art for the entryway of Morrill Hall that will serve as the 1956 class reunion gift.  We’re happy to announce that more than $52,000 has been raised for this project by class members. To make a gift, connect at: http://www.foundation.iastate.edu/gift/  Thank you to Dave LeBuhn for his involvement in helping the class reach its goal.

Next year, everyone who is a member of the Gold Medal Club (having graduated in 1956 or before) and graduates from the 1957 class are invited to celebrate during Alumni Days 2007, May 17 and 18.

A special thanks to Jere Wise and Jane Montgomery Herbold and their reunion planning committee for their hard work in putting together a fun and memorable event for 325 alumni and friends to enjoy.