When Charles Frederiksen was told Hawthorn Court was getting a new name – Charles Frederiksen Court – “it was a real shock,” he said.

“I was thrilled,” said Frederiksen, who was the ISU residence director from 1967 to 1996.

Frederiksen, who still lives in Ames, learned of the proposed name change the recommendation had already been approved by the ISU Naming Committee for Buildings & Streets and the ISU president. It still needed the approval of the Board of Regents.

The board approved the change earlier this month, and the university-owned housing complex north of campus was renamed in honor of Charles Frederiksen, who first came to Iowa State in 1949, when he enrolled as an undergraduate.

During his 29 years as director of the Department of Residence, Frederiksen said the biggest challenge he faced was the construction of buildings and the hiring of staff in the 1960s and 1970s.

“There were a lot of projects going on at the same time,” Frederiksen said, a by-product of the student population growth of about 1,000 per year. One or more residence hall buildings were built each year to meet the growing numbers of ISU-bound students, he said.

Unlike 40 years ago, the Department of Residence now faces competition among other housing options for ISU students, Frederiksen said. But the goal is still the same – providing a supportive and neighborhood environment for students, he said.

Hawthorn Court is meeting this goal, Frederiksen said.

“I think it’s a response to what students want,” he said. “The important thing is location.”

Students also have expressed a desire for more independence and privacy in an apartment living option, Frederiksen said.

And the way Hawthorn Court is constructed, he said, allows students to participate in group activities not available in off-campus communities.

“There are programs available for students who still want some structure,” Frederiksen said. “I hope they think there is a more committed or caring staff that wants to deal with students.”

Although Frederiksen said he is “loving retirement,” the people he met in his 40 years at Iowa State gave him memories.

“The only part about leaving that was really difficult was the people,” he said. “They were like family. I have such good memories of the staff and students.”

Since his retirement, Frederiksen said he has spent time with his family and has enjoyed traveling. He and his wife do genealogy work and have traveled to Denmark and Switzerland to trace their family roots.

Having Hawthorn Court changed to Frederiksen Court is especially rewarding for Frederiksen, he said, because he plans to stay in Ames, and he and his family will feel honored every time they drive by.

Although the name change came as a surprise to many students and residents of Hawthorn Court, the idea has been in the works for years.

“Our recommendation went in I believe 1996 to name one of the residence hall communities after Charles Frederiksen,” said Randy Alexander, director of residence.

At the time, however, there was a rule that required nominees to be absent from the university for five years before a building could be named in their honor, he said. The five-year policy has since been abolished, he said, allowing the new honors building to be named after former ISU President Martin Jischke.

Hawthorn Court was named after a tree, he said.

“We still want to keep the Hawthorn name in the area,” Alexander said, which is why Hawthorn Market and Caf‚ will keep its name.

Some Hawthorn Court students have expressed concerns that mail will be interrupted with the new name.

But Alexander said students do not need to change their mailing addresses until after the spring semester.

Apartment numbers will remain the same, he said, and mail addressed to “Hawthorn Court” will still be delivered.

“It’s unfortunate some people see it as a negative thing,” said Virginia Arthur, associate director of residence. “I don’t think it will be negative. It is honoring someone who gave a lot of years of good service to the university.”