Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include an additional Cardinal Court member. 

Iowa State’s Cardinal Court winners were announced at the Homecoming Pep Rally Friday. The 2021 winners were Nicole Martindale and Tyler Naughtrip.

The Cardinal Court winners will receive will receive a scholarship for their accomplishments. 

Applicants for Cardinal Court must have a 3.0 GPA, a minimum of 90 credits at Iowa State and community and campus involvement. Top applicants are selected by two judges and then go through an interview process.

The two winners of the Cardinal Court are chosen by a point-based system from their interview and involvement.

Camille Maurer, a senior in agricultural studies, is the single Cardinal Court committee member in charge of the application process for students. 

“My family are all Iowa State alumni, we had a huge tradition and always came up for football games and basketball games. It was just a big deal in my family, so I’ve always absolutely loved all the Iowa State traditions. I always wanted to be involved with the homing here,” Maurer said. 

Maurer got to sit in on the interviews with each candidate and review applicants with the judges afterwards. 

Nicole Martindale, a senior studying civil engineering, is one of the two selected winners. 

“Honored would be an understatement, my opportunity to attend Iowa State has been such a huge blessing because engineering is something that I’ve known I’ve always wanted to acquire as a career, and Iowa State provides that opportunity,” Martindale said. 

Martindale described how thankful she was to get the experience of interviewing for Cardinal Court and her career at Iowa State. With the given scholarship, she plans on using it towards her academics. 

Tyler Naughtrip, a senior studying chemical engineering, was the other winner selected. 

“I was actually pretty surprised. The other members that were on Cardinal Court were all really involved and really impactful people, but I was really surprised being able to say that I was one of the chosen as one of the finalists out of all of the people that were on the court,” Naughtrip said. 

Naughtrip described his experience at Iowa State to be amazing with all of the people wanting to help him succeed. With the given scholarship Naughtrip plans to use it for academics for his last semester at Iowa State. 

Ten students were selected for Cardinal Court:

Lane Kunzie 

Lane Kunzie is a criminal justice and psychology double major, with a Spanish minor, from Corydon, Iowa. Lane attended the University of Extremadura in Caceres, Spain for a study abroad program. He has been involved in his fraternity Beta Theta Pi, a peer mentor for the Criminal Justice League and for the World Food Prize: Global Youth Institute, World Food Prize: Borlaug-Ruan international internship in Penang, Malaysia at WorldFish, psych club, CJ club, Spanish Club, Pride Goes Greek, an ambassador for the Green Dot Program, executive member of the Social Justice Committee for IFC, mental health and life skills counselor at Optimae Life Services, and Notes to Strangers. He owns a photography business, named after his role number in Beta Theta Pi—1957 Photography. Lane wants to obtain his graduate degree in criminology and eventually work in state investigations. 

Emma Plum 

Emma Plum is pursuing a major in marketing and minors in management, French, and apparel merchandising and design. She serves the Collegiate Panhellenic Council as the vice president of public relations and as the executive director for Fraternal Values Society, and has also been involved in Greek Week, Sorority and Fraternity Community Ambassadors, Dance Marathon, Emerging Fraternal Leadership Council, Cardinal Key, Order of Omega, and Rho Lambda honors societies, her House Council, and her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. She has also been active in the Office of Admissions as a Campus Visits Student Associate and a STAR. She hopes to return to school to pursue a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs.

Tyler Naughtrip

Tyler Naughtrip is a chemical engineering major from Lake Zurich, Illinois. He currently serves as the Iowa State Interfraternity Council President and has also been involved in the community as the Chapter President of Beta Theta Pi, Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Service for Beta Theta Pi, and in his role as the Men for Fraternal Excellence Co-Director in the Sorority and Fraternity Community. Through all these positions, Tyler has placed a focus on philanthropy while helping to host a variety of events to raise money for the Special Olympics of Iowa, ACCESS, Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa, and Movember. Upon graduating from Iowa State in May, Tyler hopes to work as an engineer and eventually work towards his MBA to help him become an engineering team lead.

Meg Grice

Meg Grice is currently pursuing a double major in public relations and international studies and minors in general business and French. She has been involved and held leadership positions on campus with the Iowa State Daily, University Honors Program, ISU Theater, ISU’s food magazine Cardinal Eats, Cardinal Key Honors Society, Legacy of Heroines Scholarship Program and the Cyclone Marching Band. She has volunteered within the Iowa State and Ames communities by participating in the honorary band fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi as a member and finance chair, the Red Cross as a blood donor, and English Together as a conversation leader. Following graduation this fall, Meg intends to work at an international public relations firm for several years before obtaining her master’s degree abroad.

Cale Pellett

Cale Pellett, a native of Atlantic, Iowa, is currently pursuing a double major in agricultural business and economics with a minor in Agronomy. During his time at Iowa State, he has had the opportunity to serve in several positions within Alpha Gamma Rho, lead as president of the Emerging Fraternal Leadership Council, recruit students through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Ambassador program, serve on the Interfraternity Council, Agricultural Business Club executive team, assist students as a Teaching Assistant, and participate as a past member of the President’s Leadership Class with President Wendy Wintersteen. Following his graduation in May, he will be moving to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to begin his career in the biofuels industry as a merchandiser for POET Bioproducts.

Nicole Martindale

Nicole Martindale is pursuing a civil engineering degree with an environmental emphasis and minor in sustainability. During her time at Iowa State, she has been highly involved in student organizations and holds several notable leadership positions. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, Chi Epsilon and Tau Beta Pi Civil Engineers Honors Society, Running Club and a local church. She is also a former athlete on the Iowa State Women’s soccer team and served on the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. After graduation, Nicole plans to continue her education at Iowa State and obtain her civil engineering master’s degree with a focus in sustainable water and wastewater treatment.

Morgan Fritz

Morgan Fritz is originally from Lake Mills, Iowa. She is pursuing a degree in political science, where she has focused on American government and political theory. Throughout her time at Iowa State, Morgan was active in Student Government, where she served as a Legislative Ambassador, the Collegiate Panhellenic Council Senator, and then as Student Body President. She has also been a member of President Wintersteen’s Leadership Class, Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Senior Class Council, a Cyclone Aide, and is a member of Cardinal Key and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies. Following graduation, Morgan plans to work in government affairs in the state and later attend law school.

Stefany Naranjo

Stefany Naranjo is pursuing a global resource systems and agriculture and life sciences education communications dual degree. Naranjo is originally from Belmond, Iowa. She has been involved in FOCUS as a mentor, an IAAS Exchange Program Coordinator, MANRRS as a public relations officer, and a Global Resource Systems Ambassador. She has also served on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean’s Student Advisory committee and Committee on the Advancement of Student Technology for Learning Enhancement (CASTLE). Naranjo has also been an undergraduate teaching assistant for the AGEDS 327 classroom for several semesters. She has taken advantage of many service learning programs including the ISU EARTH Program and the Sustainable Global Resource Systems of Uganda and the Netherlands. Upon graduation, Stefany Naranjo will pursue a career in urban agriculture to tackle food insecurity.

Jacob Vos

Jacob Vos is pursuing a master’s of education with a student affairs emphasis. He is the creator and director of Iowa State Weather, has served as president of the student volunteer organization Pay It Forward for three years, was a volunteer tour guide for four years within the Office of Admissions, has served as a Cyclone Aide, served on the Student Alumni Leadership Council part of the Homecoming committee for three years, and has served on the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Student Advisory Board for the last year. Jacob has volunteered with multiple community organizations in the Ames area including the Salvation Army, Food at First, Reiman Gardens, and the Food Bank of Iowa. Upon graduation, Jacob will pursue a career in the broadcast meteorology field to share weather information with local and national audiences.

Laura Virgilio

Laura Virgilio is pursuing a double major in marketing and management and is originally from Wheaton, IL. Throughout her time at Iowa State, she has been involved in Alpha Delta Pi Sorority serving as the chapter’s Vice President of Panhellenic Relations, Rho Gamma for CPC sorority recruitment, STARs, IVY Business Ambassadors, IVY Business Learning Team Peer Mentors, Cysquad, Homecoming Central Committee, ISUrec Fitness Instructor, and SALC Senior Class Council serving as the President this year. She has taken full advantage of all the opportunities Iowa State has to offer and is so grateful for all the amazing memories she has made. Upon graduation, Laura Virgilio will be working in Urbandale, Iowa at PepsiCo as a Sales Management Associate