The Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics thanks our donors for their friendship, support and contributions to its programs, scholarships and activities in 2025.
With their support, the center provided scholarships, internships, and leadership development opportunities to students; promoted student voter engagement; brought guest speakers to campus; expanded the collections of the Archives of Women’s Political Communication; supported academic research through the Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics; and gathered and analyzed data about Iowa women in elected and appointed political office.
Donors also purchased bricks and pavers in the Plaza of Heroines to honor important women in their lives.
The donors listed below made gifts to the center between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025, or have provided endowment funds that generate annual support.
Archives of Women’s Political Communication
- The late Mary Jo and Richard Stanley
Axel Leadership Development Fund
- Joni and the late John Axel – Muscatine, Iowa
- David Hoffman – Ames, Iowa
Carrie Chapman Catt Center Endowment
- Judith Brandlin – Los Angeles, Calif.
- Ann and Brent Carstensen – Iowa City, Iowa
- Linda and Gail Dieleman – Minneapolis, Minn.
- Karen Fouke – Saint Paul, Minn.
- Edward Gallagher – Waterloo, Iowa
- Rachel Geilenfeld – Ankeny, Iowa (with matching gift from Chevron Corporation, Plano, Texas)
- William and Nancy Haigh – Peoria, Ariz.
- Eugenia Hernandez and James Schmeling – Brookeville, Md.
- Susan and Michael Johannsen – Muscatine, Iowa
- Debra Marple – Ames, Iowa
- Katharine Mauer – Minneapolis, Minn.
- Karen McGregor – Des Moines, Iowa
- Laura Patton – Overland Park, Kan.
- Cheryl Peckenpaugh – Greenbelt, Md.
- Greg Reynolds – Saint Augustine, Fla.
- Kay Kretschmar Runge – Davenport, Iowa
- Amy and Mark Slagell – Ames, Iowa
- The late Mary Jo and Richard Stanley
- Matthew Voss – Ames, Iowa
Legacy of Heroines Scholarships and Internships
- 30th Anniversary Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: John Evans and Kim McEachron – Santa Rosa, Calif.; Patricia Ann Shipley – Nodaway, Iowa
- Claire B. Andreasen Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Dr. Claire Andreasen – Ames, Iowa
- Katherine Bruntlett Annin Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Katherine Annin estate
- Beth Bierbaum Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Beth Bierbaum – Wellesley, Mass.
- Maxine M. Burch Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Maxine Burch estate
- Phyllis Davis Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Endowed fund with multiple donors
- Jane Greimann Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: The late Lowell Greimann and Marsha and Paul Readhead – Ames, Iowa
- Haselhoff Family Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Sharon Haselhoff – Larchwood, Iowa; Lynn Bartlett – Larchwood, Iowa; Greta Brower – Larchwood, Iowa; Trevor Enger – Rock Rapids, Iowa; Vincent Fury – Tea, S.D.; Jessica Freeman – Sioux Falls, S.D.; Brady Hess – Larchwood, Iowa; Christopher Hickman – Larchwood, Iowa; Katie Lovstad – Baltic, S.D.; Jindra Roudybush – Larchwood, Iowa; Clayton Stevens – Brandon, S.D.; Rea Stroh – Sioux Falls, S.D.
- Elizabeth Hoffman and Brian R. Binger Legacy of Heroines Fund: Elizabeth Hoffman and Brian R. Binger – Ames, Iowa
- Helen Jensen Howe Scholarship for Women in Science: Helen Jensen Howe – Muscatine, Iowa
- Dr. Lauren Hughes Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Lauren Hughes – Denver, Colo.; Daphne Scott – New York, N.Y.
- Kedrowski and Fitzgerald Family Legacy of Heroines: Karen Kedrowski and family – Ames, Iowa; League of Women Voters of Ames & Story County
- Meylor Family Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Sharon Haselhoff – Larchwood, Iowa
- Political Science Alumni Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Sharon Haselhoff – Larchwood, Iowa; Ya Ni – San Bernadino, Calif; Maureen Roach Tobin and Terrence Tobin – Clive, Iowa
- Rice-Neville Political Activism Fund: Dianne and Keith Bystrom – Plattsmouth, Neb.
- Sharon and Alice Rodine Leadership and Advocacy Internship: Sharon and Richard Rodine – Dallas, Texas
- Dr. Deborah Turner Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Carol and Mark Elliot – Gallatin Gateway, Mont; Martha and James Fifield – Des Moines, Iowa
- James R. and Lauri K. Young Legacy of Heroines Scholarship: Lauri and James Young – Cedar Falls, Iowa
Mary Louise Smith Chair in Women and Politics
- The late Mary Jo and Richard Stanley
- Joni and the late John Axel – Muscatine, Iowa
- Martha and James Fifield – Des Moines, Iowa
Plaza of Heroines Fund (donors and honorees)
- Jorjan Borlin and Peter Schwei (Dodgeville, Wisc.)
- Jean Brett (Ames, Iowa)
- Patrick and Lillian Cotter (Saint Paul, Minn.) honored Lisa Freese Cotter
- David and Lezlie Couch (West Des Moines, Iowa) honored Sheila McGoldrick
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology honored Deborah Lewis
- Mindy DeVries (Huxley, Iowa) honored Cynthia Kay Peterson
- Jeanne Fleck (Fresno, Calif.) honored Erma Hollen Underwood and Jeanne Fleck
- Barbara and Michael Helland (Germantown, Md.)
- Julia Hutchcroft (Ames, Iowa) honored Sheryl Kamps
- Robin Jones (Grand Junction, Iowa) honored Mary Bergstrom
- Becky and David Klatt (Ames, Iowa) honored Peggy Chase Gustafson
- League of Women Voters of Ames & Story County honored John R. Klaus
- League of Women Voters of Iowa honored Carolyn Good and Bonnie Pitz
- Deanna J. Lowe (Brooklyn, N.Y.) honored Martha Jane Holland
- Peter Martin (Ames, Iowa) honored Beth Martin
- Diane Rickerl (Leland, Iowa) honored Diane Holland Rickerl
- Diana and Richard Sosalla (Ankeny, Iowa)
- Linda and Peter Svec (Cumming, Iowa) honored Christine Svec and Phaedra Svec
- AJ Tjaden (Dallas, Texas) honored Krystyn Tjaden
Stanley Global Leaders Scholarship Fund
- The late Mary Jo and Richard Stanley
Student Internship and Scholarship General Fund
- Maureen Roach Tobin and Terrence Tobin – Clive, Iowa