More than 40 students currently associated with the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics enjoyed a year-end celebration dinner on April 24 that recognized 28 seniors and three graduate students who have received or will be earning their degrees from Iowa State University in May, August and December 2014.
Students attending the dinner held at the Scheman Building included Legacy of Heroines scholars, Catt Center student interns, and members of the community leadership and public service certificate program and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences “Dean’s Leadership Seminar.”
“This is the largest number of students – and graduating seniors – associated with the Catt Center, due to the stability of the Legacy of Heroines program and the increased enrollment in the leadership certificate program, which has more than doubled over the past year,” said center director Dianne Bystrom. Approximately 150 students will participate in the Catt Center’s student leadership programs in 2014-2015.
Dean of students, Pamela Anthony
Pamela Anthony, Iowa State’s dean of students, was the guest speaker for the event. Her remarks focused on how to be a good leader and be true to yourself.
Another special guest in attendance was Beate Schmittmann, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
To conclude the celebration, seniors graduating in May, August and December 2014 were called to the front of the room to receive a gift from center staff while their future plans were shared with dinner guests. Those plans are as follows:
Cameron Beatty
Originally from Indianapolis, Ind., Beatty will graduate with his doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies with a concentration in social justice in August. As a graduate teaching assistant for the Catt Center and College of Engineering in 2013-2014, he taught CLPS 270x, “Campus Leadership Development” and ENGR 150, “Foundations of Leadership Development and Learning.” Following his graduation, Beatty plans to continue working in higher education as a faculty member in leadership education.
Madeline Becker
Becker was a Katherine Bruntlett Annin Legacy of Heroines scholar from 2011 to 2012 and a Rice-Neville Legacy of Heroines scholar from 2012 to 2014. Hailing from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, she graduated in May with degrees in political science and history. Becker has joined the Congressional Hunger Center as a 2014-2015 Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow. After the year-long fellowship, she hopes to pursue a career in nonprofit or public policy work.
Molly Bryant
Bryant graduated with degrees in journalism and mass communication and political science in May. She has been an Elizabeth Hoffman and Brian R. Binger Legacy of Heroines scholar since 2011. Originally from Bettendorf, Iowa, she will begin law school at the University of Iowa in the fall.
Danielle Carda
Carda will graduate in December with a degree in materials engineering and her certificate in community leadership and public service. She is from Humboldt, Iowa, and plans to attend law school and specialize in patent law.
Amanda Carnahan
Carnahan is earning a degree in communication studies with a minor in psychology and a certificate in community leadership and public service. She plans on working in the public relations or human resources field. Carnahan is from Manchester, Iowa, and will graduate in December.
Molly Carpenter
Carpenter will graduate with her degree in community and regional planning with a minor in English and her certificate in community leadership and public service in December. She is from Highlands Ranch, Colo., and plans to secure a full-time job using her community and regional planning degree.
Dominic Diambri
Diambri will graduate in December with a degree in civil engineering and his certificate in community leadership and public service. From Libertyville, Ill., Diambri plans on applying to law school and enrolling in fall 2015. He hopes to work as a patent and personal injury lawyer.
Morgan Foldes
Foldes was the public relations intern for the leadership certificate program for the 2013-2014 academic year. She earned her certificate in community leadership and public service and her degree in management. Originally from Johnston, Iowa, Foldes graduated in May and will be a leadership development consultant for Pi Beta Phi fraternity for women.
Molly Foley
Foley graduated with degrees in agricultural and life sciences education and public service and administration in agriculture in May. She also earned her certificate in community leadership and public service. Foley is from Huxley, Iowa, and will attend George Washington University in Washington, D.C., to pursue her master’s degree in public administration.
Erin Fry
Fry is from West Des Moines, Iowa, and majored in event management with a minor in music. She also earned her certificate in community leadership and public service. After graduating in May, Fry will attend graduate school at Iowa State to pursue a master’s degree in rhetoric, composition and professional communication.
MaryAnn Gibney
Gibney graduated in May with her degree in communication studies and minors in speech communication and advertising. She also earned her certificate in community leadership and public service. Originally from Elkader, Iowa, Gibney will attend the University of Tennessee in Knoxville to pursue a graduate degree in college student personnel. Her assistantship with the program will be in the Center for Leadership and Service as their alternative breaks coordinator.
Hallie Golay
Golay graduated in May with her master’s degree in political science with an interest in American politics, particularly in the areas of political behavior and gender. She will begin her doctoral work in political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Golay was a graduate research assistant for the Catt Center in 2013-2014. She is from Glidden, Iowa.
Katie Gustafson
Gustafson graduated in May with a degree in communication studies and her certificate in community leadership and public service. She will intern for the Iowa Gold Association through December. Gustafson is from Jewell, Iowa.
McKenzie Hagge
Hagge is from Ankeny, Iowa, and graduated in May with her communication studies degree and certificate in community leadership and public service. She has accepted an internship at the Kansas City Country Club for the summer. After August, Hagge hopes to either join the full-time staff at KCCC or find a career in a similar field.
Laura Hansen
Hansen plans on graduating in December with her biophysics degree. She has been a recipient of the Helen Jensen Howe Legacy of Heroines Scholarship for Women in Science since 2011. Originally from Shenandoah, Iowa, Hansen hopes to attend graduate school in the fall of 2015.
Aja Holmes
Holmes will graduate with her doctorate in higher education with a concentration in social justice in August. She is originally from Chicago, Ill., and was a graduate teaching assistant for the Catt Center for the 2013-2014 year, co-teaching LAS 151x and 152x, “Dean’s Leadership Seminar.” After graduation, Holmes plans to pursue a position in student affairs at an institution of higher education.
Janet Horsager
Horsager graduated in May with majors in economics and music. She is from Minneapolis, Minn., and has been the Beth Bierbaum Legacy of Heroines scholarship recipient since 2011. Horsager will attend the University California-Davis to pursue a master’s degree in agricultural economics in the university’s agriculture and resource economics department.
Lauren Johnsen
Johnsen is from Eagan, Minn., and majored in communication studies and environmental studies with a minor in English. She also earned her certificate in community leadership and public service. Johnsen graduated in May and will attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to earn a master’s degree in communication studies-interpersonal communication. After that, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in communication studies at another university.
Krista Johnson
Johnson is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and majored in political science and international studies with a minor in English. She was the Catt Center’s Alice Rodine intern in community activism and Sharon Rodine leadership and advocacy intern for the 2013-2014 school year. Johnson graduated in May and plans to work for a year before pursuing a career in international law.
Rebecca Konicek
Konicek majored in biochemistry and is from Rockford, Ill. She has been an Elverna Christian Legacy of Heroines scholar since 2011. Konicek graduated in May and will attend medical school at Des Moines University.
Szuyin Leow
Leow majored in mechanical engineering and economics and graduated in May. She was an Elizabeth Hoffman and Brian R. Binger Legacy of Heroines scholar for the 2013-2014 year. Before she moves to Chicago to work full-time as a technology consultant at PwC starting in August, Leow will indulge in her love of backpacking with a trip to national parks in Washington and Oregon and a two-week adventure in Peru. She is from Apple Valley, Minn.
Katherine Marcheski
Marcheski will graduate in August with her degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in Spanish. She has been an intern at the Catt Center for the past two-and-one-half years. Over the summer, Marcheski will be a communications intern at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After August, she plans on taking a trip and then moving to Los Angeles, Calif. Marcheski is from West Dundee, Ill.
Catherine Nost
Nost will graduate in December with a degree in communication studies and a minor in psychology. She is also earning her certificate in community leadership and public service. Nost is from Grimes, Iowa, and plans to pursue a career in the communication studies field.
Lindsey Pluim
Pluim is from Sioux City, Iowa, and graduated with a degree in communication studies with a minor in journalism and mass communication in May. She also earned her certificate in community leadership and public service. Pluim has accepted a full-time position with Skyline as a project coordinator in Des Moines, Iowa.
Danielle Pohl
Pohl majored in biology with minors in Spanish and microbiology and graduated in May. She is from Center Point, Iowa, and has been a recipient of the Helen Jensen Howe Legacy of Heroines Scholarship for Women in Science since 2012. Pohl plans on taking a year off to work and relax and then attend medical school to become a physician.
Elizabeth Pritchard
Originally from Sioux City, Iowa, Pritchard is majoring in child, adult and family services while working toward a general business minor and community leadership and public service certificate. She has accepted an internship at the Iowa chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the summer of 2014. Following graduation in December, Pritchard hopes to pursue a career within a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children and families.
Anne Salem
Salem will graduate in December with a communication studies degree and a psychology minor as well as a certificate in community leadership and public service. She is from Urbandale, Iowa, and plans to obtain a job in the communication studies field.
Sarah Synovec
Synovec is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and graduated with her marketing degree in May. She was a recipient of the Elizabeth Hoffman and Brian R. Binger Legacy of Heroines scholarship in 2013-2014. Synovec also worked as the Catt Center’s Plaza of Heroines intern from spring 2012 to spring 2013. She will continue her public relations internship in Des Moines throughout the summer and move to St. Louis, Mo., in August to pursue a career. She and her fiancé will be married in the summer of 2015.
Morgan Todd
Todd was the Catt Center’s Gender Balance Project intern and a Rice-Neville Legacy of Heroines scholarship recipient in 2013-2014. She graduated in May with a degree in political science and minors in history, general business, and journalism and mass communication. She is interning for the City of West of Des Moines in the community and economic development department for the summer. Starting in the fall, Todd will pursue her master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis on public policy at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Jackson Turner
Turner graduated with a degree in communication studies, a minor in political science and the certificate in community leadership and public service in May. He is from Ankeny, Iowa, and plans on spending his summer reflecting on his great college experience while continuing to look locally for a career.