Iowa State University Alumni Association| online edition | summer 2006

SUMMER 2006
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Cover Story:
Go the Distance

Feature Story:
Viva la VEISHEA!

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AROUND CAMPUS

Honoring Iowa State's fallen soldiers
Ask the expert: Fast on your feet
More bang for your shuck
Unearthing the past
Provost Ben Allen leaves ISU to lead UNI
Iowa State University's Sesquicentennial Celebration: The 150-year adventure
'When you're hungry, you can't learn'
ISU launches unique partnership with DMACC
Passages: Steve Gleason

Honoring Iowa State's fallen soldiers (Return to top)

The Memorial Union recently restated its commitment to commemorating lives lost in battle.

“Iowa State’s monument to its fallen soldiers is an active memorial,” said Kathy Svec, marketing coordinator for the Memorial Union. “Since the first inscriptions for World War I in 1928, the Memorial Union’s Gold Star Hall has seen additions for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam and will continue to see additions as names that meet the criteria are submitted to Memorial Union staff.”

Recently, an overlooked casualty from World War II was brought to the Memorial Union’s attention – as well as two deaths in Iraq. These are the criteria for inclusion in the Gold Star Hall:

• Must be a current or former ISU student who was enrolled and attended classes on a full- time basis.
• Must have died during or as a direct result of government-sponsored military operation. The cause of death was directly related to the military operation and occurred in the theater of operation.
• Must have served in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Marines, or Merchant Marine
  in an active or active reserve capacity.
• The military operation must have occurred during the official dates of a war or conflict as defined by the US Department of Defense.

To make inquiries about the process for additions to Gold Star Hall, contact the Memorial Union at 515-294-2300 or e-mail through the “Contact Memorial Union” link at www.mu.iastate.edu.

Ask the expert: Fast on your feet
Choosing the right footwear for sports and exercise (Return to top)

Do you get blisters on your heels when you play tennis? Do your hiking boots cause your toes to cramp? Do you experience shin splints after a short run? You need new shoes! Our expert is Chad Ward, assistant coordinator for ISU’s Outdoor Recreation Program.

Q: There are a lot of shoes out on the market. It’s confusing! How do I know which brand is best?
There is no one brand that is best. Each brand makes a variety of styles, and the brands tend to have similarities across their product lines. We tend to be swayed by friends and celebrities that say, “This shoe is great!” and it may be – for their feet. Experiment to find a brand that works for your feet and then you can choose the model to suit your sport.

Q: Also, there seem to be special shoes for every sport. How important is it, for instance, that I buy a walking shoe for walking? Can I wear cross-trainers or running shoes instead?
It depends on how different the sports are from each other. For example, walking and running, while generating different forces, both occur mostly on the same type of surface and in a straight line. So it would
be acceptable to wear a running shoe for walking, but not the other way around, as a walking shoe would not be able to tolerate the higher forces generated in running. Personally, I avoid cross-trainers – I’d rather have multiple shoes that each perform well, than one shoe that does a mediocre job for all sports.

Q: What are the most important criteria for ensuring that a shoe will fit?
Most people tend to buy their shoes too small. This is why you always hear that you should buy your shoes at the end of the day, when your feet are swollen. Some folks’ feet swell more than others, especially when exercising, up to a full size. Length is always what you see everyone measuring in the store, testing to see where their big toe ends up in the toe box. The length is important, because you don’t want your toes to hit the front of the shoe or boot when traveling downhill. The width is just as important – you want to make sure that your foot isn’t hanging over the sides of the insole, or if your foot is too narrow, your foot will slide around in the shoe. Perhaps most important is the heel cup. Heels are where most of us have had blisters, and it’s due to too much movement in the heel cup. The fit recommendations for heels vary from sport to sport though, so make sure that you speak to a knowledgeable salesperson that participates in your activity. Once you have the general fit (that’s all you’ll get in the store), don’t be afraid to experiment with the lacing. I hear a lot of complaints about shoes that are too tight in the toes – most times it’s easy to fix just by loosening the laces. The best thing to do is to go to a store that specializes in the type of sport that you are purchasing the shoe for. Go when you have plenty of time to try on all the shoes that you can.

Q: And speaking of good fit, what’s the key to finding a salesperson who knows his/her stuff when it comes to helping me try on shoes?
Going to a specialty store exponentially increases your chances that you’ll find someone that knows what they’re talking about. Some of the major sport store retailers might have a good selection, but chances
are good that your salesperson knows a lot about hunting and guns and very little about cross-training shoes. The smaller stores are usually adequately staffed, and salespeople are able to spend a lot of time with you making sure that you get a good fit. Even more importantly, educate yourself. Read about different products and brands, talk to other people who participate in your activity, and get to know your own feet. It may be helpful to make a list of the characteristics of your relevant body parts: High arches, past problems with Achilles tendonitis, knee
pain when walking up hills, etc. What shoes have worked for you in the past? It’s not a bad idea to bring your old shoes to the store – a knowledgeable salesperson can tell a lot from the wear on your shoes.

Q: Is it necessary to wear hiking boots when I go hiking?
It all depends on the load you are carrying. If I am carrying a 70 lb. pack, I’ll definitely have heavy duty hiking boots on. The tendency these days is to go “light and fast,” where you carry very light gear and no extra amenities. You would most likely wear trail running shoes. The only real problem I see with this is that people wearing running shoes are unwilling to walk through puddles and get their shoes dirty or their feet wet. I encourage wet feet when I take a group out hiking. Wet feet (as long as you keep your socks from bunching up) can actually help prevent blisters because it keeps your feet cooler – less swelling equals less pressure which means less friction.

Q: Do I have to spend a lot of money to get a good shoe?
As with any product, you get what you pay for. You certainly don’t need to spend $200 for every pair of shoes that you buy, but for a quality pair of running shoes, you could expect to pay at least $80. I always look for sales and in outlet stores.

More bang for your shuck (Return to top)

Iowa State biological engineering professor Brent Shanks is digging deep to find chemical catalysts that will allow ethanol producers to use all the sugars in corn – not just 80 percent of them. And it’s a sweet idea: If successful, Shanks’ work could boost ethanol production by 10 to 15 percent. According to Shanks, the current process for producing ethanol involves using enzymes to convert the starch in corn kernels into simple sugars – but 20 percent of each kernel
contains sugar chains that can’t be fermented. That’s where Shanks and his team of researchers come in. “This research makes a lot of sense in an area
that makes a lot of sense for Iowa,” Shanks said.

Unearthing the past (Return to top)

Generations of Iowa State University students walked
by the area without even knowing what was there.
It took a construction crew excavating the hillside south of the Memorial Union to make the discovery – one that quickly got the attention of the Department
of Anthropology.

On March 23, contractors working on the MU
renovation and expansion discovered hundreds of bones more than a century old. Historical records indicated that the College of Veterinary Medicine was located on the site from 1885-1891. Photographs from that time period showed a ravine next to the building, and in those times it was common practice to bury the animal remains used in anatomy class in such an area.
For nine days, a student archaeology team headed by anthropology faculty members Matt Hill and David Rapson mapped and collected nearly 1,500 bones at
the site.

“The bulk of the remains belong to very old horses, but we also recovered several young pigs, a least three dogs, and a handful of cows,” Hill said.

The team also collected glass bottles, a bone button, an English china plate, and a glass candy jar, among other items. A complete report of the findings is tentatively scheduled to be released this summer, and discussions are being held to determine whether some of the findings might be exhibited during Iowa State’s 150th anniversary celebration.

Provost Ben Allen leaves ISU to lead UNI (Return to top)

Longtime Iowa State administrator Benjamin J. Allen was named the ninth president of the University of Northern Iowa April 28 by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa.

Allen came to Iowa State in 1979 as a faculty member in the College of Business, and he became chair of the Department of Transportation and Logistics in 1984. He was named the first university distinguished professor in business at Iowa State in 1988, and from 1988 to 1990 he served as director of the Midwest Transportation Center.

In 1994, Allen was named dean of the College of Business. He served as interim vice president for external affairs from 2001 to 2002 and was named vice president for academic affairs and provost in 2002.
Allen recently led Iowa State’s strategic planning and accreditation processes, and he coordinated the merger of the College of Education and the College of Family and Consumer Sciences to become the College of Human Sciences.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said of Allen’s departure, “While I look forward to working with Ben in his new capacity as president of UNI, all of us at Iowa State and in Ames will miss Ben and his wife, Pat, very much.”

Geoffroy has appointed Susan Carlson, associate provost for faculty advancement and diversity, as interim provost. A national search for a permanent executive vice president and provost will be conducted.

Iowa State University's Sesquicentennial Celebration: The 150-year adventure (Return to top)

Get ready for one giant birthday party! Iowa State officials announced this spring that the university will celebrate its 150th anniversary from April 2007 through April 2008, with a sesquicentennial kick-off during VEISHEA weekend, April 21, 2007. Next summer, ISU Extension will coordinate service projects in each Iowa county, a traveling display will be showcased throughout Iowa from May through August 2007, and a sesquicentennial exhibit will be on display at the Iowa State Fair Aug. 9-19, 2007. Iowa State’s actual 150th “birthday” is March 22, 2008. Look for more information in future issues of VISIONS.

'When you're hungry, you can't learn' (Return to top)

During her freshman year at Iowa State, Amber Herman realized what her passion was: ensuring that people have access to healthy, quality food.
And now her passion has been rewarded. On March 27, Herman was named a Truman Scholar by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation.

Herman, a senior in public service and administration in agriculture from Davenport, Iowa, is currently studying in Uganda. She received e-mail notification of the award from ISU President Gregory Geoffroy.

“I am honored to represent our university as a Truman Scholar,” responded Herman via e-mail. “Winning Truman is validating in that I know that someone is willing to invest in my future so I can continue to passionately address the issues of rural poverty and youth empowerment, without worrying about how to pay for my education. Now, I feel like my options are limitless.”

The Truman Scholarship is awarded to students who have exceptional leadership potential and are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education, or elsewhere in public service. Truman Scholars are awarded $30,000 for graduate school. Scholars also receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government.
Herman is in Uganda to study and pursue research on the support networks of young farmers. This is Herman’s third international experience since coming to Iowa State. In 2003 she taught in Kenya. Last July, she addressed agriculture issues and food aid at the G8 Summit in Scotland.

ISU launches unique partnership with DMACC (Return to top)

In February, Iowa State joined forces with Des Moines Area Community College to offer DMACC’s students a transition plan that makes it easier for them to transfer to ISU to earn bachelor’s degrees. The new Admissions Partnership Program features special benefits for DMACC students before they even enroll at Iowa State, including mentoring, housing, career resources,
student pricing on athletics and cultural events, participation in early orientation and registration, and guaranteed acceptance into an ISU bachelor’s program.

Iowa State enrolls more Iowa community college transfer students than any other university in Iowa, so leaders at both schools say the partnership is a win-win situation...and a huge victory for students
in the state. “It is a big plus for Iowa State, for DMACC, and most especially for students,” ISU president Gregory Geoffroy said.

ISU admissions director Marc Harding agrees. “The program is convenient and will smooth the transition for DMACC students who want to continue their education at Iowa State. Ultimately, we hope to work with other community colleges in the state to develop similar opportunities for their students,” he said.

Passages: Steve Gleason (Return to top)

Dr. Stephen Gleason, a prominent Iowa physician and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack’s former chief of staff, died March 25. Gleason, who served on the Iowa State University Alumni Association’s board of directors from 1996 to 2000, had also been chief of family practice at Des Moines’ Mercy Medical Center, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, and senior health care adviser to President Bill Clinton. He was the president’s representative to the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. He graduated from Iowa State in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in zoology.