ISU Alumni Association Blog

Posted by:
Kate
12/20/10

This weekend I got my first opportunity to experience a new ISU tradition: the post-commencement reception at the ISU Alumni Center. The building is open for two hours after each commencement event (December & May annually) for tours, photos with Cy (both the bronze statue out front and the "real" one), refreshments, gift shopping, mingling, and more. It was so exciting to be a part of this year's event and get the chance to be one of the very first people to congratulate Iowa State's newest alumni!

There's also usually a special guest in attendance. This year it was celebrated bass-baritone Simon Estes, who was signing copies of his new CD, Save the Children, Save Their Lives. So cool!

Find out more about this free event on our website, and be sure to keep it in mind the next time you add an Iowa State alum to your family!

Posted by:
Kurt
12/9/10

The students have had a busy fall!  Between Homecoming, the beginning of the basketball season, and Senior Week, SALC has been busy with their yearly schedule of programs!

The semester began with the final preparations for  Homecoming 2010.  The 23 members of the Homecoming Central Committee put on another year of excellent programs including a concert, tournaments, and the annual display and Yell Like Hell contests.

Yell Like Hell Second Cuts on Central Campus


2010 Homecoming Central Committee

Not long after Homecoming wrapped up the 2010-2011 basketball season began!  With the women’s team success last season and a new head men’s coach in Fred Hoiberg expectations for the season are high.  One of the first big promotions of the season for Cyclone Alley Central Committee was the distribution of thousands of “32” jerseys for all students at the men’s game versus California on December 4th.


Cyclone Alley outfitted in “32” jerseys

Senior Class Council wrapped up the semester with Senior Week in November.  Seniors were treated to free breakfast pizza and “Wieners for Seniors” on campus.  Senior gift packages were also on sale, in addition to other special opportunities for seniors.

It’s been a busy semester with much more to come for SALC!
 

Posted by:
Kate
11/30/10

Posted by:
Kurt
4/30/10

It all started with a page ripped out of a University alumni magazine that I found on my desk.  It was an article about a “Nearly Naked Mile” with a post-it note from Jeff Johnson which read, “We should do this!”

A Nearly Naked Mile is a philanthropic event where students arrive at a race, take most of their clothes off and donate them, and run the race “Nearly Naked.”  Once the SALC Executive Council heard the idea we began planning immediately for a Nearly Naked Mile of our own.

A subcommittee of the SALC Ambassadors known as Cardinal Crew took up the reins, and planned for a modestly successful event.  I decided that I would be happy with 100 – 150 runners.  A week after the registration went live we had about 70.  A week later we were up over 200.  The week before the race we had over 630 Iowa State students signed up to donate clothing and run a mile nearly naked.  We were overwhelmed!

In order to make the clothing donations as meaningful as possible, the planning committee connected with a charity organization that would ship all of the clothes we received to Haiti to assist with relief efforts.  On the evening of the race we had over 500 students participate, with even more bringing clothes to donate.  At the end of the night we had received over 1400 pounds of clothing destined for Haiti!

Although it should be no surprise to me by now, I am still amazed to see our SALC students turn an idea on paper into one of our most successful events in less than four months time.  There will be many more Nearly Naked Miles to come!

ISUAA President Jeff Johnson addressesparticipants outside the ISU Alumni Center before the race (Check out more photos on our Facebook page.)

Posted by:
Jeff
2/23/10

Posted by:
Kurt
1/19/10

Cyclone Alley members?  Over 200.
Charter buses  Four.
Round trip travel time to and from Lincoln, Neb.? Eight hours.

Being louder than the Nebraska student section? Awesome.

A Cyclone win over Nebraska in Lincoln? Priceless.

Posted by:
Kate
1/12/10

Ever since we launched our new Lovebirds program last year, it seems that love is in the air and we're hearing more tales of campus romance than ever.

Sometimes these tales come from unexpected places, however. Like from a TV station in Tampa, Fla., where we get the story of Richard and Ann, who met at ISU 60 years ago and today are Florida newlyweds.

Enjoy!

http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=23982

Posted by:
Carole
12/30/09

Is there anyone left in the state of Iowa? Because I'm pretty sure everyone was at our spirit rally tonight at Rawhide Western Town here in Tempe. It was crazy fun! The football team and coaches were on stage, and the Cyclone Marching Band performed, fresh off a long bus ride from Iowa. The place was a wooden-planked wonderland, with a stagecoach and burro rides for the kiddoes, steaks and margaritas for the grownups, and a wild west shootout or two thrown in for good measure.

Earlier today I encountered Cyclones playing golf, gathering around cozy fire pits, walking down the streets of downtown Tempe, hiking, and even shooshing down a giant water slide. I've gotta say, it's nice weather here, but not nearly warm enough for most of us regular people to jump in the water in our swimsuits.

Tomorrow is gameday!!!!! Fire up!

Posted by:
Carole
12/30/09

The ISU Alumni Association's two charter flights left Des Moines yesterday, leaving the Iowa snow and frigid temperatures behind. The first group of staff met at the Alumni Center at 3:45 a.m., but thankfully my group didn't leave until 11:30. Whee! I will tell you what -- a charter is the best way to travel to the bowl. Nonstop, no hassles, a movie, and even FOOD on the flight.

We flew over snow-topped mountains -- and even flew over Sun Devil Stadium with a big Iowa State welcome in the endzone. The buses met us right on the tarmac to take us to the resort. We're at the Arizona Grand Resort, and boy is it an amazing place. I am still lost -- it's HUGE. Our bags were delivered right to our rooms, and there were margaritas waiting for us at our welcome reception.....ahhhhh! And the best thing? No snow!

Posted by:
Kate
12/22/09

The ISU Alumni Association is now the proud owner of a Flip video camera. I'll admit I'm still learning how to use it, but I had fun taking the camera to the ISU vs. Iowa men's basketball game on Dec. 11 and talking to a few students about Hilton Magic and Cyclone Alley. Here's what they had to say. 

Watch for plenty more ISU Alumni Association videos on our YouTube channel and posted to this blog in the coming year! (We promise we'll try to get better at editing them!)