The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) is hosting a week of events to celebrate the more than 50 majors, minors, certificates and academic programs offered. 

“LAS Week is an event to celebrate the college’s diverse academic areas in the physical and life sciences, math and computational sciences, communications, arts and humanities and social sciences,” according to the website.

Monday, the first day of events, saw a wellness 5K run along with a kickoff breakfast, press paws at Hamilton Hall, pizza with professors, an ROTC open house and more.

On Tuesday, the events are as follows:

• Blind Date with a Book (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 212 Ross Hall)
  • Students can pick up a mystery book, enjoy free pizza and learn about the English Department’s programs and research opportunities.
• Play On!: Game Studies and Game Design in the Humanities (2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., 302 Catt Hall)
  • The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies invites students to explore a range of games (video games, board games, etc.) from an academic perspective.
• Cookies and the Constitution (4:00 p.m., Carver Hall Plaza, Rain location: 0101 Carver Hall)
  • Hosted by the Department of Political Science and Cyclone Civics, students can participate in readings of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution with patriotic cookies.
• LAS Study Abroad Stories: Past, Present & Future (4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., 0268 Carver Hall)
  • The LAS Study Abroad Office presents past participants sharing their experiences studying abroad with snacks from around the world and a chance to win a $250 study abroad scholarship.
• Sharkuterie Connections (6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., First-floor Multipurpose Space, Student Innovation Center)
  • Students can be the judge in a Shark Tank-style event where participants can judge startup pitches, network with entrepreneurs and enjoy charcuterie. Registration is required.
• Spring 2025 LAS Dean’s Distinguished Lecture (6:00 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union)
  • Associate Professor of Mathematics Claus Kadelka presents “The Next Pandemic Could Strike at Any Time: Are We Prepared?”

The events begin Wednesday with Press Paws, which allows students to relax with therapy dogs from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in 178B Hamilton Hall. The opportunities continue with:

• Doodles and Donuts (10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 77-1 Armory, SCI VIZ Studios)
  • Join the Scientific Illustration and Visualization program in sketching unique specimens, including bones and insects, with free donuts.
• Yoga in French (noon to 1:00 p.m., 3113 Pearson Hall)
  • Professor Stacey Weber-Fève will lead a 30-minute yoga session in French, with no prior language experience needed.
• Obstacle Course Military Skills Challenge (noon to 3:00 p.m., Lt. Col. Richard H. Burnett Sr. USMC Memorial Obstacle Course)
  • Participate in a military-style obstacle course under ROTC guidance. 
• POP-IN to LAS Career Services (1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., 0150 Carver Hall)
  • Stop by for free popcorn, prizes, professional headshots and career resources.
• Start Something LAS Academy Info Session (4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., 1118 Student Innovation Center)
  • Learn about developing innovative ideas and entrepreneurial skills through the LAS Academy.
• “Judicial Law Clerk Experience” with Christine Baber (5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., 0160 Carver Hall)
  • Pre-Law Club hosts ISU alum and judicial law clerk Christine Baber to share advice about law school and legal careers. 
• Global Trivia Night (5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., 2105 Pearson Hall)
  • Test knowledge of world cultures at this trivia event hosted by World Languages and Cultures Department Ambassadors.

Thursday’s schedule starts 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., with The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice hosting its annual pancake breakfast for LAS Week at 311 East Hall. Continuing through the day:

• Bagels Demanded, Bagels Supplied (9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., 167 Heady Hall, Undergraduate Student Lounge)
  • Learn more about the Economics major and courses over breakfast with faculty, staff and students.
• LN2 Ice Cream & Goop with the Physics Club (noon to 2:00 p.m., Physics Hall front atrium)
  • The Physics & Astronomy Club will serve free liquid nitrogen ice cream and demonstrate physics experiments, including the Dancing Goop Experiment.
• 19th Annual Stupka Symposium (all day, Molecular Biology Building)
  • This student-run symposium highlights undergraduate research in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology. For more information about the seminar, visit the Stupka Symposium website. 
• Filmabend (German Movie Night) (7:00 p.m., 0001 Carver Hall)
  • Join the World Languages and Cultures Department for a German film screening with English subtitles.

The week-long celebration wraps up Friday with several events, starting at 2:15 p.m. in 204 Carver Hall, with a panel discussion on Careers in Mathematics that will offer insights about the opportunities available to math majors.

Later in the afternoon, at 4:30 p.m. in 1002 Gilman Hall, the Society of Chemistry Undergraduate Majors will have their “S.C.U.M.” show and present a chemistry demonstration with experiments and activities for all. 

The LAS End-of-Week Flag Folding Ceremony will close out the week’s festivities at 5:00 p.m. at the Central Campus Flagpole. Air Force ROTC cadets will conduct a formal flag folding ceremony of the Iowa State Flag and the U.S. Flag.

For more information about all the events available, visit the LAS week website.