Editor’s Note: “10 Questions” is a weekly series in which a prominent person in the Iowa State and Ames communities is interviewed. To suggest someone for an interview, submit an e-mail request to [email protected]. This week’s interview is with Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics.

What do you do as director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center?

As director, I oversee all of our programs, most of which are in the outreach and research area. We sponsor several annual events, including an annual workshop for the high school students, an annual conference on women in politics and an annual celebration of strong-minded women.

We provide leadership development training for Iowa State students. One is a group of Legacy of Heroine Scholars, and this is a program for undergraduate women at Iowa State. We also coordinate the Catt Associate Program.

How is having women such as Elizabeth Dole speak beneficial to Iowa State students?

One of the things I’m really proud of is the caliber of the speakers that the Carrie Chapman Catt Center has been able to bring in, both on its own and also through the sponsorship of the Mary Louise Smith Chair.

I think the important thing is that with the women we bring in, we get a diversity of opinions. [The speaker serves] as a role model not only for women on the Iowa State campus, but also for men to see that women can succeed in the realm of politics.

What would you like to see happen for women in politics at Iowa State?

I would like women at Iowa State to become more involved with the political process. One thing that concerns me and others in the field of politics is the lack of participation among young people.

I understand you were on the committee representing the administration during a meeting with The September 29th Movement. What did you learn from this?

I think the meeting that took place was an important dialogue between the university administration and some of the key members of The September 29 Movement. I think if we can learn anything from that, it’s the importance of being able to talk about difficult issues but being able to do so in a civil and informed manner.

What events or programs do you have coming up this spring?

On March 8, we’re coordinating the celebration of “International Women’s Day.” We have funding from a variety of campus organizations, including the Multicultural Task Force. Everyone’s invited, and we’ll have a variety of speakers. Patty Judge, who is the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, will be speaking. This year, “International Women’s Day” focuses on agriculture.

How do you choose which speakers to come to Iowa State?

We try to keep in tune with our students. We also work very closely with the Lectures Program [coordinator] Pat Miller. She works with the student committee, so I work with her to find out what her committee is interested in.

Do you think Iowa State has made a concentrated effort to encourage positive things for women in politics?

I think the establishment of the center is a good example of Iowa State commitment. We’re one of the few centers for women in politics in the country and the only one of our kind in the Midwest.

For a program that’s just 6 years old, it does a lot, and I don’t think it would have been able to grow that quickly without the support of the administration.

What advice would you give young women in politics?

Be educated about political issues, be interested in the world around you and be involved. And as far as being involved, I think you can be involved at your own level — the basic level being people should vote. And until younger people start voting at the same proportion of older people, we’re not going to see a change in campaigns or the issues that families talk about.

What do you think is the key to a successful program in women’s politics?

Well, I think the key to a successful program, first of all, is commitment by the university; secondly, leadership in directing the program, and I think the third element is being able to identify the interests of the people that we’re trying to serve. I think our challenge here is to provide programming that we feel has an impact on students’ lives.

Do you think Elizabeth Dole will run for president?

I don’t have any insider information, but my prediction is that she’ll probably run for office. I don’t know when she’ll announce her candidacy, but I wasn’t expecting her to do it here.

My feeling is that she’s traveling the country now and seeing what her support is. I do think she’ll announce her candidacy, and if she does, this will be the first time since 1988 that a woman has announced her intentions to run.