Thin rimmed glasses, a bright smile and a glimmer of hope adorn

the face of Iowa State’s 14th president, Gregory Geoffroy, as he

walks from the Knoll to Beardshear today, the first day of class.

Geoffroy took over as president July 1, coming to Iowa State from

the University of Maryland, College Park, where he served as

senior vice president for academic affairs and provost since 1997.

He also served as Maryland’s interim president in 1998.

“My work as provost for three and a half years was good training for

being president,” Geoffroy said. “They have the same kind of hectic

schedule and deal with the same type of people. The transition

has been very smooth, and building support for the university has

been a great part of the job.”

Geoffroy’s interests and background prompted the ISU

presidential search committee to contact him in September 2000.

After a nationwide search and numerous interviews, the Board of

Regents chose Geoffroy as president in January 2001. Geoffroy

replaced Interim President Richard Seagrave, who returned to

teaching this fall.

“I’m impressed but not surprised by how well President Geoffroy

has transitioned into his presidency,” said Seagrave,

distinguished professor of chemical engineering. “He doesn’t

need any advice from me. He’s off to a great start.”

Becoming the best

Geoffroy said he has been trying to learn as much as he can about

Iowa and Iowa State. He said he will embrace Iowa State’s goal to

become the best land grant university in the country – and he has

plenty of ideas.

“That requires increasing the number of academic programs that

are among the best in their fields, reaching out to Iowans to fulfill

our land-grant mission and making sure we provide a top-quality

education to our students,” Geoffroy said.

The new president also has determined some short-term goals

for the university.

“My short-term goals include identifying several exciting new

academic initiatives to pursue that will help elevate the excellence

of the university and that are well aligned with our land grant

mission,” he said.

Geoffroy said other short-term goals include “carrying the

message to folks around the state, particularly our political

leaders, of why it is important to the success of Iowa to provide

strong financial support to the Regents institutions, particularly

Iowa State, and continuing our success in raising private support

for the university’s programs.”

Geoffroy said he was unaware of the budget cuts when he was

hired, but he said he is up to the challenge.

“We need to work very, very hard to do everything we can to keep

our faculty and staff,” Geoffroy said. “It means working to make

sure the compensation packages and working conditions are

competitive. I’m very concerned about the impact of the budget on

the quality of education, and students should be concerned as

well.”

Geoffroy doesn’t plan to make any changes to the Veishea policy,

but he will continue to make himself familiar with the past

controversy surrounding the week-long celebration.

“Veishea has worked well the past few years, and I think we’ll

continue those same policies,” he said.

From Honolulu to Ames

Geoffroy was born in Hawaii July 8, 1946. He moved to Louisville,

Ky., with his mother at the age of 4, when his parents divorced. His

mother died when he was 11, and he was raised by his

grandparents in Louisville.

“My grandparents instilled good values and taught me the value of

education and working hard,” Geoffroy said. “They strongly

supported everything I did.”

After the divorce, his father remained in Hawaii. It wasn’t until he

was 35 and working at Pennsylvania State University that Gregory

Geoffroy renewed acquaintances with his father.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from University of

Louisville. At his senior year fraternity rush party, Geoffroy – a Tau

Kappa Epsilon – met his future wife, Kathy, a Kappa Delta pledge.

They were married in 1968, and the newlyweds moved to the Los

Angeles suburbs, where he received his doctorate degree in

chemistry from the California Institute of Technology.

The Geoffroys have four children. Susan, 26, is a nurse at the Mayo

clinic in Rochester, Minn. Janet, 24, is a software developer for IBM

in Endicott, N.Y. David, 22, is a construction assistant with a

renovation contractor in Maryland. All three children attended Penn

State, where Geoffroy was a professor of chemistry. The youngest

son, 17-year-old Michael, will be a senior in high school this

fall.

Kathy Geoffroy, a former junior high school math teacher who

tutors seventh and eighth grade girls, will remain in Maryland until

Michael graduates from high school. She will travel to Ames every

couple of weekends to attend Cyclone football games and other

university events with her husband.

“My family has supported my decision and is so happy that I am

here,” Geoffroy said.

Since July, Geoffroy and his family have begun to adjust to

Midwestern life.

“Maryland is in a suburb of Washington D.C., so it’s really an urban

environment,” he said. “The . area is much more diverse than

Iowa.”

The challenges of starting over in a new state with a new job

haven’t dampened the spirit of Iowa State’s 14th president.

“I have no fears, but a lot of excitement,” Geoffroy said. “And I want

to work really hard to advance the excellence of the university.”

Up Close and Personal with President Geoffroy

Q: Have you ever been campeniling?

A: No, (laughs), and I don’t plan to.

Q: Do you know the ISU Fight Song yet?

A: I have sung it but I don’t think I have it completely memorized

yet…but I am working on it.

Q: What is your favorite cartoon character?

A: Definitely Dilbert. Oh, it’s filled with humorous business and

office situations.

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: Pecan pie. My wife makes the best pecan pie there is.