This story has an accompanying photo gallery.

On Monday, Dec. 8, ISU President Gregory Geoffroy takes off for Creston at 8:53 a.m. in the six-seat ISU plane.

For the first few moments of the flight, he looks over a few pages of his notes. The typed notes are covered in pen — additions and cuts to a presentation he will give later in the day during an alumni reception.

Fighting off the beginnings of a cold, Geoffroy tells Jeff Johnson, president of the Alumni Association, and John McCarroll, director of University Relations, he hopes his voice can hold up throughout the day.

“I’m shaking too many hands,” he says candidly. “I’ve come down with another cold.”

For most of the rest of the time, he talks sports with Johnson and McCarroll.

After the 22 minute flight, the plane lands in Creston — a small Iowa town with a population that compares to about one-fourth of the student body at Iowa State. Quickly out of his seat belt and his seat, Geoffroy is the first off the plane.

This is Geoffroy’s first trip to Creston, but just one of many community visits he has participated in since he became Iowa State’s president on July 1, 2001. His visits started with the bigger cities during his first year: Des Moines, Iowa City, Davenport, Mason City and so on.

Since that time, Geoffroy has visited another round of smaller cities each year.

Now a semester into his third year at Iowa State, Geoffroy plans to visit Perry, Shenandoah, Fort Madison, Decorah and Pella before the end of the school year. He will then start over with the bigger cities next fall.

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This story has an accompanying photo gallery.

“These visits really serve two purposes: To learn about the different communities in Iowa and hear from folks about what they think of Iowa State and then to let people know about what Iowa State is doing,” he says.

Geoffroy’s schedule is packed and meticulously detailed right down to his scheduled traveling time. Seven back-to-back events cover Geoffroy’s day in Creston. There are no scheduled breaks. Lunch in itself becomes an event as it is scheduled with the local Rotary club.

Although the 10-and-a-half hour day complete with flights, meetings and high school students may seem daunting to most, Geoffroy takes on every event full force.

Creston High School visit

Geoffroy’s first stop is a 10 a.m. visit to Creston High School. The newly renovated school is heavy with school spirit, right down to the panther statue outside the building, eerily staring at unfamiliar oncomers with orange eyes.

In the school library, Geoffroy presents a speech to a mix of juniors and seniors interested in or already accepted to Iowa State.

Of the total population of the school — 503 — 23 students showed up for Geoffroy’s presentation. About half of the students have already been accepted to Iowa State, but only one has officially decided to attend Iowa State.

Colleges such as the nearby Northwest Missouri State and Southwestern Community College compete with Iowa State for Creston’s high school students.

The students are timid at first when Geoffroy opens the carpeted library floor to questions.

“What advice can you give to freshmen not sure about what to major in?” one student asks.

Following the answer, the students continue to inquire non-stop.

“Where do freshmen park?”

“Can you describe the residence halls system?”

Johnson says Geoffroy really showed a lot when he came out from behind the podium and opened himself up to the students.

“A visit like this might give that push to get them to Iowa State,” Geoffroy says. “I enjoy it. I would not want to do a community visit without a high school visit.”

A visit with the local Rotary Club

Geoffroy typically likes to visit with either the local Kiwanis Club or Rotary Club during community visits.

Following a lunch from the Creston hospital cafeteria consisting of a pork tenderloin sandwich, mixed vegetables and an oversized meatball, Geoffroy is introduced to 18 members of the Creston Rotary Club.

While a number of the members continue to eat the lunch on their trays, Geoffroy discusses Iowa State’s four priority areas, which coincide with strengthening Iowa’s economy. His speech stresses some things Iowa State does specifically in Creston, including helping local businesses and developing Three Mile Lake.

His speech is candid in some parts when he brings up the popularity of broomball at Iowa State. The speech is also serious, such as when he discusses the state of Iowa’s economy and its effects on the university. Geoffroy refers to his notes at some points, while at other parts, he holds pages of his notes in both his hands as they rest at his side while he talks with members.

“That is the smallest Rotary I have ever spoken to,” Geoffroy says in the car on the way to his next stop at Southwestern Community College. Typically, he says, Rotary Club meetings consist of 80 to 100 members.

“It was just a small Rotary Club.”

Visit to Southwestern Community College

Of the 1,350 — student enrollment at Southwestern — the second smallest community college in Iowa — about two-thirds are arts and science transfers while the other one-third are vocational students.

Many of the students end up transferring to Iowa State after completing their two-year degree.

Following a meeting with President Barbara Crittenden, Geoffroy and the others are given a brief rundown tour of the campus, highlighting some areas while skipping others due to time constraints.

Having heard the Southwestern College choir in Des Moines a few nights earlier, McCarroll expresses interest in seeing the music department.

“The program is very intense,” says Chris Duree, Southwestern’s vice president for instruction. “It brings a nice cross — culture to the campus being out here in the middle of nowhere.”

Back in the car, Geoffroy checks the voice mail on his cell phone and makes calls back to his office in Beardshear Hall.

“Even on the road, he is still there,” Johnson says. “Always connected.”

Visits to local businesses

During the next two hours, Geoffroy visits a couple of local factories — Gits Manufacturing Company and Fansteel Wellman Dynamics.

Luckily, for time purposes, the factories are next door to each other.

The nondestructive evaluation department at Iowa State has worked with Gits in the past to improve a butterfly valve it produces. The department also helped Gits produce a fluorescent inspection technique to pick out damaged goods received from suppliers. This aid from Iowa State now saves Gits about $200,000 annually in production and warranty costs.

Leading the pack through the factories, Geoffroy is fascinated by the tours, constantly asking questions and looking in on the different facets of the factories.

Following meetings with personnel from both of the factories, one message becomes clear: The businesses are extremely interested in hiring ISU students as both employees and interns, and Geoffroy is extremely interested in setting up those connections.

“We are starving for technical people,” says Daryl Lilly, president of Gits manufacturing.

He said there were many opportunities in his company for graduates.

“We have to have Iowa State students learning the same thing over and over because it is the way the company works,” says Juleen Loomis, human resources manager of Fansteel Wellman Dynamics.

Both express troubles they have experienced trying to convince graduates to stay in Iowa to work.

“These students think, ‘Why should I stay in Iowa when I can go somewhere else and get paid a lot more?” Loomis says.

Johnson says it is important for a business to put a face on the leadership of a university.

The alumni reception

Entering the home of Don and Diana McKim, there is no question where the McKims’ loyalty stands. ISU paraphernalia graces the Christmas tree. An eight-foot-long cork board is covered with newspapers and paraphernalia reporting Iowa State’s greatest moments in sports. Autographed photos of ISU basketball players and former ISU basketball coach Larry Eustachy grace the walls of the basement.

Just as he has done on previous visits, Geoffroy leads the pack and is the first of the group to enter the McKims’ home.

He is instantly greeted.

“Welcome President Geoffroy,” the woman says, as she hands him a name tag.

Over the next hour, Geoffroy makes his way around the downstairs of the McKims’ home, not spending more than five to seven minutes in one place in an attempt to mingle with everyone.

At 5:55 p.m., Geoffroy begins his presentation in the Iowa State Cyclone-covered basement. Don, dressed in a red ISU sweatshirt, and Diana, in a red sweater, sit next to the makeshift podium made of two music speakers stacked one on top of the other.

Geoffroy stands behind the “podium” with his notes and a flashlight in front of him in case the room is too dark to see as he gives his Powerpoint presentation.

The feeling between the alumni and Geoffroy is not a distant one. Geoffroy’s presentation regarding what is going on at Iowa State is hands-down the most candid of the day. Whether it be the atmosphere, the audience or the knowledge that the day was coming to a close, Geoffroy seems much more relaxed and candid as he presents in front of the group of 24 alumni.

Exchanging some final conversations and handshakes with the alumni before he leaves, Geoffroy is out the door like clockwork at exactly 6:30 p.m.

“When people think of a president, they think ‘untouchable,'” says Breck Breitsprecher, Alumni Association assistant director for outreach and events. “He really likes these small settings. He’s a one-on-one kind of guy.”

On the trip back to Creston Municipal Airport, Johnson says that even with his busy schedule, Geoffroy finds it important to get out and visit with alumni.

“To get his time this way, we are lucky to give alumni an afternoon, especially in small towns, with the president,” Johnson says.

Homeward Bound

The 22-minute plane ride back to Ames is very similar to the plane ride to Creston: relaxed. Geoffroy answers some questions regarding his first trip to Creston. He also discusses the positive aspects of these meetings.

“You’ve got to get out and show you care,” Johnson says regarding the community visits.

As the day ends, Geoffroy remarks, “These days can be exhausting.”