The Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics held a reception for the Women Impacting ISU Calendar honorees on Wednesday. The center has been producing calendars with funding from the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion since 2007.

The idea for the calendar was originally founded in 2005, when Angela Groh Fogt, the 2005 Government of the Student Body president, attended a conference at the University of Kansas. It was meant to highlight the powerful and achieved women of Iowa State, one year at a time.

“I think I’ve come a long way in the past year or so,” Lisa Lund, manager of information technology support of the veterinary medicine administration said. “Starting a food pantry out at Vet Med, and getting promoted to manager at my job, it’s just been a big year for me. This was just the icing on the cake for me.”

Lund shared the mantra that helped her to grow to the level of success she has today, “I can do hard things.” She also said she recommends any young woman who is hoping to be successful remember that mantra.

At the event, 12 women were celebrated for their accomplishments and their calendar features and honored for an individual trait that made them stand out to the Catt Center.

Students

• Mia Kawamitsu, (advocate), a senior in journalism and mass communication.
• Alycia West, (genuine), a doctoral candidate in higher education.

Faculty

• Erica Beirman, (influential), teaching professor of culinary food science and human nutrition.
• Sara Marcketti, (unwavering), assistant provost, executive director for the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching and Morrill professor for apparel, events and hospitality management.
• Sara Nelson, (champion), director of the NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium.
• Beate Schmittmann, (role model), Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
• Jodi Sterle, (supportive), Harman endowed professor in teaching and learning and associate department chair for teaching in the department of animal science.

Staff

• Lisa Lund, (integral), manager of information technology support for the College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Karen Rodekamp, (instrumental), director of ISU Dining.
• Emily Wilcox, (pivotal), assistant director for the first-year programs in the university honors program.
• Cyndi Wiley, (passionate), digital accessibility lead for information technology services and assistant teaching professor for the human computer interaction program.
• Svitlana Zbarska, (collaborative), campus-wide undergraduate research program coordinator.

One of the honorees, Beirman said she has been on the Iowa State campus for over 26 years and is currently a teaching professor and culinary food science coordinator.

“This is one of the awards that you don’t even know you’ve been nominated for until the email in the inbox comes,” Beirman said “It’s hard to shock me, but it took my breath away.”

Beirman also mentioned how much it means to have people on campus notice the work that women are putting into their professions and academic careers.

“Last year, I attended the ceremony to support Dr. [Toyia] Younger,” Mia Kawamitsu, a senior in journalism and mass communication and international studies said. “To be here a year later, and be the one being honored is shocking for me, but I’m very thankful for those who nominated me and the Catt Center for having this opportunity.”

For more information on the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics, look to their website.