Greetings, alumni and friends. It's a busy time of year in Honors! Where do we start?

• First-year students participating in mentored research are now well into their projects and building important relationships and new technical skills.
• A new cohort of FHP leaders came together before spring break for their initial leader training session and a mini retreat.
• A record number of Honors students are preparing to present their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research next month in Eau Claire, WI.
• HSB has a full lineup of social and professional development events scheduled.
• Last, but not least, 120 seniors are preparing to accept their Honors medallion in May. Tis the season to feel overwhelmed!



Keep reading to catch up on more news and highlights.

Honors staff accompanied 26 student researchers to the statehouse in Des Moines on March 6 for Research in the Capitol. The students presented research posters detailing their work on 20 projects spanning a huge range of topics, from bioengineering to bumblebee hair. The annual event gives students a chance to interact with state officials and the public to show how their innovative work has the potential to impact Iowa, the nation, and beyond. This year's program featured a total of 60 research projects from undergraduates at Iowa’s three Regents universities. See the below link for full participant information.

Read more: Iowa State University undergraduates will showcase research March 6 at the Statehouse

By the numbers:

13 ambassadors

6 staff phones

5 nights of calling

9 pizzas from Jeff’s Pizza



800+ prospective FHP students called

Each spring Honors Ambassadors take over the administrative offices after hours for the their annual calling project. They spend the evenings phoning - not texting! - prospective Honors students and encouraging them to apply for the first-year program. Believe it or not, high school seniors do answer their phones - and many have lingering questions about housing, required coursework, and the benefits of participating in Honors.

A special thanks goes out to this year's calling team: Erik Dralle (civil engineering), Phoebe Ditrinco, pictured (animal science), Joan Meis (microbiology), Jazmin Terrell (integrated studio arts), Luke Marzen (computer science), Benjamin Hobson (civil engineering), Alex Bray (microbiology), Emily Gress (biology), Anna Spahn (healthcare management), Lee Ammons (animal science), Sean Kluesner (mechanical engineering), Matt Butler (global resource systems), and Marie Bolton (biology).

It's always fun to hear about the impact Honors has had on our students' lives. Recently we received an e-mail from alumnus Mark Hackman, who graduated in the summer of 1980 with degrees in psychology and speech. As a student Mark received a grant to help fund his honors project, which he completed under the tutelage of the late (and great!) Dr. Ron Peters. The end result was a paper in the field of neurophysiology titled "VMH- and DLT-Lesioned Animals Eventually Gain Equivalent Amounts of Body Weight." (What?!)

For years Mark held on to several copies of the article because they had tremendous sentimental value and reminded him of an extremely happy - and busy - time in his life. He recalls frequent trips to the psych lab in the middle of the night to measure and record data. For Mark, the honors project was a life-changing experience, and one he was proud to have accomplished as an undergraduate. Looking back, he realizes how lucky he was that Dr. Peters mentored him through a project of this scope and magnitude.

Mark didn't pursue a career in neurophysiology - or psychology or speech - but decided to attend law school. He remembers graduating on a Wednesday during the second summer session, playing a farewell gig with his band on Thursday (he was the drummer), and on Friday starting the three-day drive to California. He arrived on campus at 9:15 p.m. Sunday evening and started classes at 9:00 a.m. the next morning. A whirlwind of an experience! 

While Mark's honors project did not factor directly into his career trajectory, the experience of completing that research was not inconsequential. Facing the unique and challenging responsibilities he took on with his project had a definite impact on his life. It gave him a sense of extraordinary accomplishment and self-confidence. He had learned to believe in himself and his abilities to accomplish what seemed impossible at the time.

Fast forward to today. . . . Mark still resides in California and has been a serial entrepreneur and executive business coach since the late 90s. He reached out to Honors because he had recently lost several boxes of personal items, including the remaining copy of that paper he'd written for his honors project some forty years ago. As luck would have it, the Honors Program submits copies of student grant reports and honors projects to the University Archives each year, and archives staff were able to locate and scan Mark's paper for him. Who doesn't love a happy ending?

Should you find yourself in Mark's shoes, in search of a meaningful relic of your Honors past, the University Archives and Special Collections can assist. More information is available on their website, or contact us in Honors to get started.

Thank you, Mark, for reaching out, sharing your memories, and passing along some fantastic photos, which could have inspired this next story . . .

Mark Hackman isn't the only Honors student who has us re-visiting the 70s! This year's Honors Ball featured a disco theme. February 17 was a cold Friday night, but the Memorial Union was on fire with a killer playlist, retro decor, flashing lights, and nearly 200 Honors students dancing the night away. The events committee outdid themselves!

HSB extends a special thank you to the many alumni and friends who help make events like this possible. Private gifts to the University Honors Fund are the primary source of funding for Honors Student Board programming.

Honors students are actively involved in investigating problems and identifying solutions that shape new frontiers of knowledge. Faculty-led research grants offer core funding for many of projects in which our students participate, but supplemental funding is often required to support undergraduate participation.

The University Honors Committee awarded 6 grants this spring in support of student research, creative expression, or conference travel. UHP Grants provide up to $750 in funding to help defray costs associated with the completion of an honors project. The Melampy Grant supports research being conducted in the field of animal science or agriculture and the life sciences, and student enrichment grants assist with travel expenses for students who have been accepted to present their work at a conference.

A big round of applause for these recipients!

University Honor Program Grants

Khanh Hoang, programming algorithms that allow a quadcopter drone to take off, maintain flight levels, and land without human control

Sierra McCoy, promoting student appreciation of and engagement with their natural environment, specifically historic trees on campus

Matthew Pealer, survey assessing the relationship between social dominance orientation (belief in group hierarchies) and belief in political misinformation

Lindsey Reyes, producing handmade books that incorporate printmaking, painting, and poetry to communicate themes of growing into adulthood

Melampy Grant: Annika Miller, identifying bacteriophage that specifically target mastitis-causing bacteria in dairy cows as an alternative to antibiotic treatment

Student Enrichment Grant: Morgan Simms, presenting research on sustainability in textiles at the Fashion and Circular Economy Symposium in Ft Collins, CO.

And a special congratulations to the 76 first-year students who will receive funding in support of their mentored research this semester.

Support Student Research and Innovation

All student grants and awards are made possible through the generous financial contributions of Honors alumni and friends like you. When you make a gift to Honors, you create opportunities, inspire innovation, and foster growth, and our students - and our world - are better for it! Consider making a gift today.