The city of Ames is home to a variety of residents. Whether you are a longtime local, a hardworking college student eager to walk the stage or even a recent graduate, the community welcomes all.
Oftentimes, graduation marks the end of the road. Most leave Ames, diploma in hand, ready to tackle the real world, welcoming a new lifestyle. Three recent graduates, however, chose to stick around.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the population of Ames is an estimated 69,026. Of that number, a staggering 44% are enrolled at Iowa State, with many heading home for summer.
For recent graduates Cael Sleezer, Blake Petersen and Emily Carreon, leaving was not on the list of things to do after walking across the stage.
“[Ames] is one of those places that I loved so much, I never left,” Sleezer said. “There’s nothing about this town that I don’t like.”
Sleezer, a 2024 graduate of the Greenlee School of Journalism, entered his freshman year of college during the pandemic. He spent a great deal of time wearing a mask, avoiding contact and trying to find the courage to branch out.
“Once I stepped out of my comfort zone and I really saw what Ames had to offer, I loved it,” Sleezer said. “It’s a place that my family is even gravitating towards settling down, and where my fiancé is attending graduate school.”
The bond between Sleezer, Petersen and the Ames community has also grown alongside the university’s successful athletic programs.
“Some of my favorite memories came from last season,” Petersen said. “Winning our game against Kansas State to secure a 10-win season was something special, and seeing it from behind the scenes only made me love it more.”
It was during his sophomore year in a geology class that Sleezer became acquainted with fellow journalism major Blake Petersen. Thanks to the pair’s shared love for Marvel and the upcoming release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, a lasting friendship was born.
“We were like the Beavis and Butt-Head of every class that we took together,” Petersen said. “Funny enough, we didn’t even realize that we were in the same major until the semester after we met.”
From there, the pair would go on to appear on the set of EverGreenlee News, one step closer to achieving the ultimate goal while growing closer with their mentors every step of the way.
Sleezer and Petersen credit their success to a handful of current and former professors within the Greenlee School of Journalism. According to Petersen, one professor in particular stands above the rest.
“Tony Moton was the single most influential professor that I took classes with,” Petersen said. “His mastermind ideas helped me secure my first full-time job, and that’s after everything he’s done for me during school.”
Sleezer credits his successes outside of Greenlee to former professor Jeff Ames, someone he made it a goal to take classes with every semester.
“The first journalism class that Blake and I took together was with Professor Ames,” Sleezer said. “It’s because of [Ames] that I was able to better my skills.
“I’ve felt drawn to Ames since I was a freshman in the dorms,” recent graduate Emily Carreon said. “I’ve met some many good friends here, including my two roommates. They made my last few years special.”
Similar to Sleezer, Carreon fell in love with the Ames community, not just the university and its influence. According to Carreon, her social life has also changed dramatically since choosing to attend Iowa State.
“During my freshman year, I went home every weekend,” Carreon said. “Since then, I’ve found a good group of people who introduced me to places, mutual friends, and events outside of the university.”
Before graduation, she also found professional opportunities as an apprentice for Dotdash Meredith, America’s largest digital and print publisher.
“I could not imagine a better college experience than the one that I had the past four years with the journalism school. I will be staying connected with a lot of the people that I met as a student and apprentice in the future.
Since graduating, Sleezer and Petersen have taken on projects of their own. Petersen, a former employee of Cyclones.tv, still works with a number of local organizations.
“The [Cubs] kept me busy all of last summer and continue to while I’m still here,” Petersen said. It’s the closest thing to baseball around Iowa State.”
Petersen most recently worked with the Department of Music and Theatre and the 2025 Tailgate Tour at its stop in Clear Lake.
Similar to Petersen, Sleezer began another season with the Gilbert High School boys’ baseball team in May. His responsibilities range from game coverage and coordination to color commentary for the school’s radio broadcasts.
“I genuinely believe that Iowa State has one of the most underrated journalism programs in the entire country,” Sleezer said. “I credit a lot of my success and early opportunities to access that were given to me while I was a student, and I’m grateful for the degree that I pursued.”
