College News

 

WENDY’S JOURNEY

Wendy Wintersteen (’88 PhD entomology) begins her new responsibilities as the 16th President of Iowa State University today, after serving 11 years as the 10th dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In this video, she shares thoughts on her Iowa State journey, including thankfulness for those who’ve made it possible. Video

 

MACDONALD NAMED INTERIM ASSOCIATE DEAN

Ruth MacDonald has been named the interim senior associate dean and associate director of the Experiment Station of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. MacDonald has served for the past 13 years as professor and department chair of Iowa State’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. She also has been assistant dean of graduate education for the college since 2012. Ruth Litchfield will serve as interim chair of food science and human nutrition. MacDonald fills the position held by Joe Colletti, who last week was named interim dean of the college. MacDonald begins her new responsibilities today. More

 

VANDERZANDEN RECEIVES NATIONAL USDA TEACHING AWARD

Ann Marie VanDerZanden, associate provost for academic programs, has received the USDA National Excellence in College and University Teaching Award for Food and Agricultural Sciences. VanDerZanden also is a Louis Thompson Distinguished Undergraduate Teacher and horticulture professor. VanDerZanden leads university efforts related to accreditation, academic program quality, distance education and international programs. More

 

CLARIFYING THE CONSEQUENCES OF EATING “CLEAN”
Eating “clean” is all about avoiding foods with additives, preservatives or other chemicals on the label, but Ruth MacDonald and Ruth Litchfield, food science and human nutrition, clarify the consequences in terms of food waste, safety and cost. Clean food advocates suggest avoiding foods with ingredients you cannot pronounce. MacDonald and Litchfield say just because an ingredient or additive has an unfamiliar name does not automatically make it bad for you. More

 


Students interested in applying for College of Agriculture and Life Sciences scholarships can find more information and deadlines online. Incoming freshmen who have applied for admission need to wrap up their scholarship application by the priority deadline of December 1. One application earns a student consideration for over 50 different freshmen scholarship programs, which may have between 1 and 55 recipients. More

 

AGRONOMY CLUB TAKES SASES BY STORM


Undergraduate students in the Agronomy Club brought home many honors and awards – including first place in the Crops Team Contest – from the Students of Agronomy, Soils and Environmental Sciences (SASES) meeting last month in Tampa. Iowa State University students also placed first in the Quiz Bowl, placed well in individual competitions and three were named to national office.  More

 

TOOLS FOR EXAMINING DEFERRED PRICE CONTRACTS

There are many different types of contracts used to sell grain. One is a deferred price contract, also known as a credit sale contract. These contracts are different from cash and priced forward contracts because they create a unique relationship between the two parties: the seller becomes an unsecured creditor of the buyer. The type of information sellers should be looking for is highlighted in a new ISU Extension and Outreach publication, Evaluating a Company’s Financial Position before Selling Grain on Deferred Price Contracts. More

 

NEW FEED TECH LECTURER EXPANDS ABE EXPERTISE

A gift from Bühler Inc. has established the Bühler Lecturer in Feed Technology position at Iowa State University. After a national search, the inaugural holder of the Bühler Lecturer will be Sam Cook, who has been working since 2016 as a post-harvest engineer and feed technologist in Iowa State’s Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE). He began his new responsibilities on Oct. 9. Bühler’s commitment, made through the Iowa State University Foundation, is part of the Forever True, For Iowa State campaign. More

 

BRUMM, DELATE HONORED FOR CALS ONLINE LEARNING
Thomas Brumm, agricultural and biosystems engineering, and Kathleen Delate, horticulture, have been named CALS AgOnline Learning Teachers of the Year. Videos featuring Brumm and Delate are available online. The award is sponsored by the Brenton Center in honor of National Distance Learning Week. More

 

STUDENT TO STUDENT: EARNING THE AMERICAN FFA DEGREE

Amanda Crow, a junior in agricultural education, interviewed Melissa Garcia Rodriguez, senior, animal science, at the American FFA Degree Ceremony. The American FFA Degree is obtained by less than 1 percent of all FFA members. Garcia and Crow were two of 70 students from Iowa State University who received the honor this year. To be eligible, FFA members must have earned and productively invested $10,000 through a supervised agricultural experience program. Recipients must also complete 50 hours of community service and demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities. More

 

MORE COLLEGE NEWS

 

Alumni News

 

CHAPIN, DE JONG TAPPED TO RUN FARM SERVICE AGENCIES

Clark Chapin and Amanda De Jong have been appointed by President Donald J. Trump to manage the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in their states. Chapin ('12 MS interdisciplinary studies) will lead the Connecticut FSA. He previously served 16 years as a Connecticut state legislator prior to his most recent role as project director for Working Lands Alliance. De Jong ('02 ag business) will head the Iowa FSA. She worked with U.S. Senator Charles Grassley and the U.S. Department of Agriculture before serving in her most current role as senior policy advisor for the Iowa Corn Growers Association.

 

KERNS OFFERS DEAL LEADERSHIP LECTURE

Joe Kerns ('86 ag business), risk management consultant and president of Kerns and Associates, presented the 2017 William K. Deal Endowed Leadership Lecture at Iowa State University on Oct. 5. His presentation, “Suddenly, suddenly, then all of a sudden: A tale of resiliency, entrepreneurship and the value of mentors” is available on video. Kerns has 25 years experience working with producers, suppliers and mills to support agricultural operations. He and his team assist clients in more than a dozen states with procurement and risk management activities related to: hedging, ingredient purchase, optimizing relationships with mills, feed quality control, cost-effective diet formulation, operational benchmarking, livestock marketing, generational transition and business development. Video

 

BARNUM HONORED WITH STATUE AT DIXIE STATE

Andrew Barnum (’59 PhD entomology), retired biology professor at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, was honored with a life-size bronze statue in front of the university’s science building. Barnum, one of the college’s longest serving professors, is known for his dedication to animal and plant science and for the creation of a museum of scientific specimens at Dixie State. Video

 

CALS ALUMNI HONORED WITH GOOD NEIGHBOR AWARD 

Four college alumni were recognized with a Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award this fall. The award recognizes families who take pride in being good neighbors and stewards of the land. It is presented by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa Ag Radio Network in partnership with the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers.

 

Young Alum of the Month

Jordan Hunt

Title: Dairy consultant,

Big Gain, Inc.

Hometown: Earlville, Iowa

Degree: '13 dairy science,

ag business

Major responsibilities: advising dairy producers on milk cows, dry cows and young stock

 

 

Save the Date: Feb. 10
Growing Leaders​

Make plans to join us as the college celebrates its role Growing Leaders! Save the date for the CALS Cyclone Women’s Basketball game and reception Feb. 10, 2018. A complimentary pre-game reception with program will begin at 3 p.m. with Cyclone women’s basketball vs. Oklahoma State to follow at 6:30 p.m. and on-court recognition of the 2018 Emerging Iowa Leader. Registration will be available in December’s STORIES Online.

 

 

Class Notes

 

Did you land a new job? Receive an honor or award? Reach a milestone? We’d like to know! Submit your class note via e-mail to stories@iastate.edu.

 

2010s

Allie Ferguson ('16 agronomy) is a sales promoter for DuPont Pioneer.

 

Andrea Kuffel (’16 ag and life sciences education), ag educator at North Scott Junior High School, was featured in the Quad City Times.  

 

Natalina Sents (’16 ag business) has been hired as a digital content editor for Successful Farming.

 

Madison Humpfer (’15 animal science), is a new quality assurance manager at Jennie-O Turkey Store in Fairbault, Minnesota.

 

Brent Sexton (’14 animal science), a student in the College of Veterinary Medicine, was featured in the Ag Update online. 

 

Angie Carter (’12 MS rural sociology, sustainable ag, ’15 PhD) has joined the faculty of Michigan Technical University in Houghton, Michigan as an assistant professor of environmental and energy justice.

 

Brittany Weaver (’12 ag business) has joined her family’s farm operation near Garner.

 

Martin Gross (’11 biology, ’13 MS food science and technology, ag engineering, ’15 PhD), CEO of Gross-Wen Technologies in Ames, won the 2017 John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition.

 

2000s

Molli Griffin (’07 ag and life sciences education, animal science), biology and ag educator at Kingsley-Pierson Community Schools, was featured in the Sioux City Journal.

 

Katie Rock (’06 plant health and protection, international ag) is a new policy associate for the Center for Rural Affairs in Nevada.

 

Chelcee Hindman (’05 ag and life sciences education), has been promoted to key account manager with Boehringer Ingelheim.

 

Jacob Handsaker (’04 ag studies), a farmer near Radcliffe, served as a panel speaker for the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association Marketing and Distribution Convention.

 

Martha Smith (‘04 ag business, international ag) was named the 2017 Discussion Meet winner for Colorado Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers, and will compete at the national contest at American Farm Bureau’s annual meeting in January.

 

Heather Hucka (’03 animal ecology), naturalist for Story County Conservation, received the National Association for Interpretation's Master Frontline Interpreter Award.

 

Angela Shaw (’03 animal science, ’06 MS meat science, food science and technology), associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, received the Advance Degree Graduate of Distinction Award from Texas Tech University’s Department of Animal and Food Sciences.

 

Joe Bormann (’02 agronomy), a farmer near Algona, was featured by in the Iowa Farm Bureau Spokesman.

 

Matt Bormann (’01 ag business), a farmer near Bode, was featured in the Iowa Farm Bureau Spokesman.

 

Shane Brant (’02 agronomy) has joined the team at Midwest Land Management in Spencer.

 

Julie Stevens (’02 horticulture), assistant professor of landscape architecture, was recognized as a change agent by Iowa State University.

 

1990s

April Riley (’94 ag studies), farm manager at Riley Farms, Harrisonville, Missouri, received the CropLife Ambassador of the Year Award.

 

1980s

Pamela White (’81 PhD food technology), former dean of the College of Human Sciences, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Board on Human Sciences, Inc.  

 

1970s

Marvin McDermott (’77 dairy science), a farmer near Kingsley, was featured in the Sioux City Journal.

 

Garry Brandenburg (’71 fisheries and wildlife biology), retired director of Marshalltown County Conservation, was featured in the Marshalltown Times Republican.

 

In Memoriam

View alumni memoriams

 

 

TIPS FOR CREATING YOUR OWN

HOLIDAY DÉCOR

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach experts offer these step-by-step instructions for creating a holiday wreath. Need more help? Call the experts at the ISU Hortline at 515-294-3108 or hortline@iastate.edu.

 

 

About STORIES Online

STORIES Online is a supplement to STORIES magazine. The e-newsletter delivers college and alumni news, class notes and relevant links each month. If you have news or story suggestions or would like to subscribe please contact editor Melea Reicks Licht at mreicks@iastate.edu.
 

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Iowa State University 

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stories@iastate.edu

http://www.cals.iastate.edu