Welcome to Iowa State University to both returning and new students.

I urge you to experience as much as possible to make your Iowa State years as plentiful and life-changing as they can be.

Iowa State is a special place for all of us. We each have memories that we will carry with us and cherish forever. The friends we gain, those professors who challenge us, the groups we join, and the causes we fight for are all a part of a complete four years at ISU.

As Iowa State students you have a head start in today’s world. You will graduate with a very well-respected degree from one of the best universities in the nation.

As a fellow student, I realize we don’t spend 100 percent of our time studying. There are intramurals, student groups, working or hanging out that fill up our days.

Inside the west entrance of the Memorial Union are three quotes inscribed in the limestone.

One of those quotes spoken by M.J. Riggs states: “We come to college not alone to prepare to make a living, but to learn to live a life.” I hope all Iowa State students will stop by and read this for themselves.

Remember, we are not here just to get grades and create a resume. We are here to grow and learn how to live on our own. If we do that during our years in Ames, then we have been truly successful in college.

There are many things this year that are going to change the face of ISU. The construction of a new Student Health Center on the west edge of campus and the continual remodeling of the Memorial Union to better meet your needs — just to name a few.

The Cyclone football team is poised to be a dominant force in the new Big 12 Conference, especially after the construction of a new sports facility and natural grass field.

The Cyclone men’s basketball team returns five starters and is already in the top 10 in the preseason polls. The Cyclone women are coming off one of their best season’s ever, and look to improve even more.

As the student government, the Government of the Student Body directs more than $1.2 million in student fee money to student groups.

We are a very large organization, and we need people to get involved. GSB makes more than 130 appointments to committees and councils that make decisions that shape your ISU.

GSB is the students’ voice. As the elected leader of GSB, I ask students to make their voices heard. Come see me in my office. Tell me you want to be committed to improving Iowa State Student Government. Contact your GSB senator and tell them your concerns and ideas.

Make a difference.

GSB is becoming a more productive unit, and both myself and Vice President Carolyn Jones plan on pushing that initiative forward and making GSB a worth-while institution on campus. I ask that you please get involved. Be proactive—not reactive— and make your ISU experience the best it can be.

Here’s to a great academic year. Go Cyclones!