The Memorial Union honors those who have served while still serving students today.

The Memorial Union had its 86th birthday Sept. 22, serving free chili, cake and drinks in the Great Hall. Doors opened at 5:30 p.m. and many of the seats were filled shortly after, causing the food service to expand into the overflow room.

The Memorial Union is a staple on Iowa State’s campus, providing a place for students to get together.

Service to the student body is the Memorial Union’s top priority, as it has has been ever since it was built in the early 1900s, said Kristin Erdman, marketing coordinator for the Memorial Union.

“We’re here to serve the students,” Erdman said.

Though the Memorial Union serves ISU students, it was built in honor of those who had given the ultimate sacrifice.

In the early 1920s, students on campus saw a need for a memorial to honor those ISU students who served in World War I. Students sought support through their peers and alumni by asking for pledges. About $1 million was raised by 1925, allowing for construction to begin. Ground was broken on April 26, 1927.

The Memorial Union had its grand opening a year later on Sept. 23. At that time, it housed a cafeteria, one floor of hotel rooms, meeting and office rooms, a beauty shop, barber shop, lounge, the Great Hall and its main purpose — Gold Star Hall.

Gold Star Hall serves as the north entrance to the Memorial Union, through which many students filter on a daily basis. Chiseled in the stone walls of Gold Star Hall are the names of fallen veterans who at one point attended Iowa State. 

“I think that students often forget that that the [Memorial Union] is a memorial,” Erdman said. “So as you pass through the Gold Star Hall, you’re usually running from class to class or to grab something to eat and you don’t always think like you’re actually walking through a physical memorial that was built to really remember the soldiers who have given their lives over the years.”

Not all students know the Memorial Union is a living dedication to fallen veterans.

“To be honest, we came for the free food,” said Limay Vong, sophomore in industrial design, when asked why she attended the birthday bash.

Once informed of the Memorial Union’s original purpose, she shared her thoughts on the students who served in the nation’s various wars and conflicts.

“I think it’s pretty important because they sacrificed their life for the rights that we have,” Vong said.

Since its grand opening, the Memorial Union has undergone 11 additions, including the addition of the South Ballroom, the Browsing Library and Chapel, the University Book Store, the Sun Room and parking ramp. 

Each addition was made to adapt to the needs of the changing Iowa State community. Today, it serves as a dining location, gathering space, office space, hotel and more for the current campus community.

In addition to Gold Star Hall, another service the Memorial Union provides is a Veteran’s Lounge, a place for current veterans to gather.

Joshua Dawkins, sophomore in mechanical engineering and veteran, visits the lounge nearly every day.

“A normal student has a completely different outlook than what we do,” Dawkins said. “It’s nice to sit with other veterans and have that camaraderie that we have.”

Like many places in the Memorial Union, it’s a place to relax, but this one is special to current veterans.

“It gives me a place to decompress from the stressors of the college collective,” said Chris Johnson, senior in psychology and veteran who served in Afghanistan. “We’re used to a completely different pace of life.”