While scrolling through Facebook last week, I saw the Iowa State Poultry Farm page had shared an article with the headline, “Regents say yes to planning for multi-million dollar Jack Trice Stadium project.” It was noted by the page that the article included information on Iowa State’s new poultry farm.

Intrigued, I clicked the link to the Ames Tribune article. I learned Iowa State will soon begin a project to improve facilities at Jack Trice Stadium. The renovations include changes to the north entrance of the stadium and a new student-athlete academic and sports nutrition performance center. This project will cost $65 to $80 million and will be funded by private givings and the athletics department budget. 

Later in the article, the Iowa State poultry farm is mentioned. Three donors, including the Robert Hamilton family, the Iowa Egg Council and Hy-Line North America have given a total of $5 million. These funds will be used to construct six new buildings to replace the 1960’s-era barns currently on the site.

The ISU Poultry Science Farm will be renamed the Robert T. Hamilton Poultry Teaching and Research Farm and will include a layer barn, the Iowa Egg Council Layer Research Facility, and a genetics facility, the Hy-Line Genetics Research Building.  

Let me explain.

Throughout my time at Iowa State, I have been heavily involved in the Block & Bridle poultry interest group, where I now serve as president. This is a club that brings together students interested in poultry who seek to gain more industry-related knowledge.

The poultry industry supports many Iowans and other agricultural industries to the tune of $440 million annually. I’ve seen the impact of Iowa State’s Poultry Science Farm firsthand. This farm hosts experts from around the world and locally, which gives Iowa State the opportunity to conduct research that will advance the poultry industry, helping to ensure poultry products will remain affordable and safe food options for consumers everywhere.

I know the $5 million donation was a smart investment, and one that will improve the food system in the long run and has the potential to benefit millions of people worldwide. 

Then there is the multi-million dollar Jack Trice project that will benefit so few.

Private donors, thank you for your generous gifts to the university that I love, but I hope you will recognize the Iowa State Athletics department supports an extremely small group of students.

According to the Ames Tribune article, there are about 400 student-athletes at Iowa State. Since 36,321 students are currently enrolled at Iowa State in total, student-athletes only represent 1.1 percent of the student body, and it is uncertain that all student athletes will use the new facility.

So why is $80 million being spent when it will only benefit this very small group? Will the Jack Trice project have wide-reaching impacts like the poultry farm project?

Please don’t mistake my stance for a bash to the Iowa State Athletics program. I know the program supports its students well and helps draw positive attention to Iowa State. I also know the athletic facilities are as important to student-athletes as the Poultry Science Farm is to me.

However, it’s disheartening to me and a number of other students when the athletics program continues to receive very large gifts year after year to improve almost new facilities. This happens when many programs throughout the university struggle to maintain very old buildings or fix broken equipment because of lack of funding. 

Private donors are essential to the success of every component of Iowa State. I, as well as countless others, are so thankful for the opportunities made possible through the gifts of donors.

However, I hope donors will consider different programs that benefit students from a variety of backgrounds. Support scholarships that help students working multiple jobs just so they can stay at Iowa State. Support the Ag Entrepreneurship Initiative or the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, that helps students turn business ideas into reality. Support the departments at Iowa State that desperately need funding for updated facilities. Support Student Accessibility Services which allows many students facing health issues to get the services and assistance they need to stay at Iowa State.

Support any program at all at Iowa State that conducts research for the betterment of humankind. Support student organizations that need funding to represent Iowa State at respected national conferences. Support Student Government, so students can have a say in funding allocation. Support something that helps more than a small group of Iowa State’s students.