A new ISU ring will soon become an official symbol of ISU graduates.

The ISU Alumni Association and the University Book Store are in the process of developing a committee to help design the ring, which will replace the numerous class rings currently available.

After university officials were contacted about the idea, a national ring manufacturer, Millstone Traditions, a vendor out of Pennsylvania, was chosen to create the rings.

“Our next step is to gather a committee of staff, faculty, students and alumni to collect ideas,” said Scott Dahl, ISU Alumni Association assistant director of marketing. “We want to have each area of the university represented.”

Mike Shupp, merchandise manager for the University Book Store, said when the committee meets, it won’t initially be talking about the rings.

“We’ll be talking about Iowa State and what comes to mind when we think of Iowa State,” he said.

The company will work closely with the ring design committee to identify “symbols and ways of showing Iowa State on a ring,” Shupp said.

Once the ideas are narrowed down, artists from Milestone Traditions will create designs.

“[Committee members] can tell the artists what they like or dislike,” Dahl said.

The final ring will be unveiled at Homecoming 2002, he said.

Although the ring committee will make the final decisions, Shupp said juniors and seniors will most likely be the students allowed to purchase the new rings.

Alumni will have the opportunity to purchase the single ring, as well. “There has been a lot of interest generated with alumni,” Dahl said.

Currently, anyone can go to the University Book Store and purchase a class ring, which they choose from many different styles.

The significance of the ring has decreased. “The ring has really become a piece of jewelry to people,” Dahl said.

“People are wanting to get back to tradition.”

Dahl said the single ring option has generated higher sales in the past, but Shupp said sales are not the most important thing.

The project’s importance is in having an official symbol people can associate with ISU graduates, he said.

“It qualifies people that they’ve really earned the right to wear the ring,” Shupp said.

Dahl said 25 to 40 people will be on the committee, 15 to 20 of whom will be students.

Leaders from campus organizations who have shown an interest in the ring project have already been invited to join the committee.

Students interested in getting involved can contact Dahl at 294-9529 or by e-mail at [email protected].