When Jamie Pollard took the job as Iowa State’s athletic director, he was told the people around Iowa State were the thing that made the job special.

Walking around the concourse of Hilton Coliseum during Tuesday’s volleyball game, he saw it firsthand.

Nearly every person he walked past greeted him with a handshake and a smile, telling him how happy they were that he now calls Ames home.

Their compliments were returned by a genuine smile from Pollard. He’s happy to be here, too.

“It’s been absolutely awesome,” he said.

“The people have been fantastic. People had told me coming in that Iowa people would be really special and it’s been that and more so.”

Pollard’s first day at work in Ames was Saturday, and he said he was impressed with the support he has already received.

“What was overwhelming when I came into my office were the number of congratulatory notes or business cards,” Pollard said.

“Not only from around the country, but people from this community who were saying how excited they were that you were here, and if there was anything they could do to help, [to call]. That really speaks volumes to how I feel about all the people right now.”

Those around the athletic department have also taken quickly to Pollard. Dr. Calli Theisen Sanders, senior associate athletic director, said Pollard’s adjustment has been smooth.

“He’s doing great,” she said. “He came in and did all the right things and knows what to do. He has hit the ground running.”

Sanders also said the athletic department is behind its new leader.

“It’s only been a few days, but everyone has been very positive and supportive and we are ready to get behind everything he is going to do,” she said.

Pollard made the trip to both Cyclone road football games and ISU coach Dan McCarney said he has been impressed by what he has seen so far from his new boss.

“He’s an outstanding leader,” McCarney said. “He’s very organized and has a high energy level. He’s doing his homework and he’s really trying to ask questions, find out about how Iowa State has been successful and the problems Iowa State has had.

“That’s the mark of a real good leader.”

Although he has been on the job for less then a week, Pollard has already set some definite goals to accomplish during his tenure.

The first and foremost of his priorities is to improve Iowa State’s athletic facilities, which are steadily declining in quality.

“When I look ahead, the projects that are on the table now: a basketball practice facility, the ability to do something with Hilton and renovate Hilton,” Pollard said.

“But I go beyond that and I think about 10 years down the road and think whether we could have a new natatorium or an indoor tennis facility or bowl in the football stadium and add suites and new scoreboards. That’s what excites me.”

Pollard also said he wants to see the Cyclone’s performance on the field improve. Each year, all Division I schools compete in the Directors’ Cup, a ranking system that tallies a school’s performance in all sports and ranks them according to their achievements.

Iowa State finished 60th last year and has an average finish of 80th place in the past five years. Pollard wants that to change.

“I’d like to see us be a top-25 program,” Pollard said. “We don’t need to have the budget that Texas has, but we can be just as good as they are in everything if we really buy into the vision that something special can be done.”

With his job just beginning, Pollard said the exciting thing for him is the improvement and advancement Iowa State can achieve.

“We need to think outside the box, and not think about the ways we’ve always done them,” Pollard said.

“We have to look at things and say, How do we stack up against our peers and what are they doing differently that we’re not doing and how can we try to re-engineer what we’re doing so we can have more opportunities? That’s the part that really excites me.”