Twelve women whose leadership has made a difference at Iowa State University will be honored on the 2025 Women Impacting ISU calendar.
The 2025 calendar will be officially unveiled during a reception recognizing the honorees on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2024, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union. The program will begin at 4 p.m. and will be livestreamed at https://go.iastate.edu/TYDIV7. After the program, copies of the calendar will be distributed for free. The event is free and open to the public.
Students selected for the 2025 calendar are: Albulena Basha, a Ph.D. student in agricultural economics; Rachel Leholm, a senior in chemical engineering with a minor in biomedical engineering; Ashlyn Rairdin, a Ph.D. student in plant breeding; and Emily M.S. Worrall, a Ph.D. candidate in apparel, merchandising and design.
Faculty selected are: Amani Elobeid, teaching professor of economics, Deiter Endowed Chair for Sustaining Excellence in Agricultural Business, and faculty member in the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD); and Maggie LaWare, professor of English and director of public speaking.
Staff chosen for the calendar are: Kirsten Abel, faculty recognition director in the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost; Rachel Burlingame, secretary II for the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice; Holly Dunlay-Lott, student services specialist II for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Taylor Gerdes, administrative assistant II for the Department of Chemistry; Lesya Hassall, course design and quality director for the Center for Learning and Teaching (CELT); and Christine Hradek, senior manager for Human Sciences Extension Outreach.
Each year, a committee of students, faculty and staff – including past calendar honorees – evaluates the nomination packets to select the final honorees. The committee choses the 12 honorees based on their impacts in service, teaching, research, administration, scholarship and involvement in campus activities, depending on each nominee’s role on campus.
The Catt Center sponsors the calendar with funding provided by the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost.
“The Catt Center is so pleased to coordinate a project that recognizes the positive impact of Iowa State women,” said Sue Cloud, communications specialist at the center. “We appreciate the people who wrote such heartfelt nomination letters and the selection committee members who had the difficult task of selecting the 2025 honorees.”
Copies of the calendar will be available after Jan. 22 at various campus locations, including the Catt Center, Sloss House, Beardshear Hall and the Memorial Union. If you would like calendars for distribution at your campus office, email the Catt Center at cattcntr@iastate.edu.
Visit the Catt Center’s website to see previous calendars and a list of past honorees.