Alumni Days 2007

Photos:

View group photos from Alumni Days 2007
View candid photos from Alumni Days 2007*
*If you have photos to share on this Web site, contact Kate Bruns at kbruns@alumni.iastate.edu

About Alumni Days 2007:

Alumni Days 2007 was a huge success and enjoyed by 335 alumni and friends May 17-19.   Alumni came from all over the U.S. and beyond, including Australia, California, Washington, Massachusetts, and New Mexico. Alumni gathered the evening of May 17 at the Knapp-Storms Dining Center 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, a tour of the ISU Dining Catering Facility, 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, Jacobson and Bergstrom Athletic Facilities, ISU Foundation presentation and open house, the Tornado Simulator and Greek House Tours.  The colleges hosted receptions prior to class dinners on Thursday evening.  Many of the deans and college administrators greeted and visited with the guests.  The 1957 class had their own Class Banquet, in which Thomas Twetten, 1957 class president and former Deputy Director of Intelligence Operations for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, shared a few spy tales from his CIA experience.  The Gold Medal Club classes had their own banquet which included trivia and anniversary pins for those celebrating their 55, 60, and 65 anniversary of graduation from Iowa State.  After the class dinners participants enjoyed music and a dessert bar while they concluded their reminiscences for the day.

Everyone was 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 2000’s” at the Union Drive Marketplace. Choices included everything from pasta to Chinese to meat and potatoes, and as much red and gold soft serve ice cream as you could eat!  Several mini-reunions took place over lunch including Agriculture Education, Alumni Hall, Cardinal Key/Mortar Board, Delta Zeta, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Veterinary Medicine.

The afternoon was filled with more tours and open houses, including Farm House Museum, Brunnier Art Museum, Campanile tours, the newly renovated Morrill Hall, Special Collections in the Parks Library, and the Grant Wood Mural display.  After the 50-year class made it through their class photo, 410 people joined together for dinner and the Gold Medal presentation at the Gateway Hotel.  One hundred and sixty medals and diplomas were given to members of the 1957 class by current ISU president Gregory Geoffroy. The Class of 1957 was officially inducted into the Gold Medal Club.

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

The 1957 Reunion Class Gift designated for a scholarship endowment reached an all-time class gift record of $91,030.  At the 1957 class dinner the first scholarship was presented, in the amount of $2,000, to Rachel Pfantz, a sophomore in animal science from State Center, Iowa.  In addition to the scholarship fund, the 1957 Vet Med Class raised $26,100 for their class gift so the Class of 1957 provided total class gift contributions of $117,130.  To make a gift go to: https://sws.foundation.iastate.edu/give/online and select "other areas of support".   Or you may contact John R. Glover, Iowa State University Foundation,
(515) 294-0635, jglover@foundation.iastate.edu  Thank you to Gary Thompson and Gerry Leader for their tremendous effort in chairing this year’s class gift project.

Since the Memorial Union was being renovated many of the activities were held at the Knapp-Storms Dining Center and Gateway Hotel.  Both of these locations provided ample space and free parking which everyone appreciated.  The change of venue for Alumni Days 2007 proved to be successful. 

Next year everyone who is a member of the Gold Medal Club (graduated 1957 or before), and graduates from the 1958 class are invited to celebrate during Alumni Days 2008, May 14-May 16.

A special thanks to Tom Twetten and Norma Speer and their reunion planning committee for their hard work in putting together a fun and memorable event for 335 alumni and friends to enjoy.