Iowa State University Alumni Association| online edition | spring 2006
Tanya Zanish-Belcher

 


SPRING 2006
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Cover Story:
>>The 20 Most Ingriguing People on Campus

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An Iraqi hero

Alumni Profile:
Putting the fun in functional

Alumni Profile:
Three wishes for Stephanie Kobes

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Roy Reiman: I could write a book

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Ask me anything

What year did Iowa State change its varsity letter from an A to an I? What role did the Olmsted brothers play in the design of central campus? Who was George Washington Carver’s mentor at Iowa State?

Tanya Zanish-Belcher knows. As director of special collections for the University Library, Zanish-Belcher has access to thousands of books and boxes filled with literally millions of items that tell the history of Iowa State.

The role of gatekeeper for Iowa State history has never been more important as it is right now. Zanish-Belcher is chairing the history committee for the university’s sesquicentennial, working to produce
historical facts, exhibits, oral histories, and a comprehensive timeline for the celebration that will begin in spring 2007.

“I am really happy about the sesquicentennial, because I think we will end up with a lot of information that we didn’t have before,” she says.

The university’s archives include photographs, films, manuscripts, theses, alumni files, records, and artifacts ranging from a freshman beanie to a brick from the English Office Building. The Special Collections Department, under which archives resides, also contains a 50,000-volume rare books collection.

Zanish-Belcher admits that it can be overwhelming.

“I try to point people in the right direction,” she says. “We have a lot of really, really good stuff here.”

-- C. Gieseke

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