Dear LAS alumni and friends,
As Ames transitions into fall, the campus is abuzz with student activity and alight with autumn colors.
Fall is always a great time of year to recall college memories, and I am curious about your favorite activities and experiences as an Iowa State student. Sometimes the learning we do outside the classroom is the most memorable.
This issue of Link is brimming with stories of students learning in new places, from a Caribbean coral reef on the island of Roatán to the museums of Washington, D.C. You will also find stories of students applying their skills to exciting scientific and creative endeavors, such as an international music video, podcast production, and a research symposium.
For me, the stories in this issue exemplify Iowa State’s new strategic plan and its five statements of aspiration. The first statement reads, “to be the most student-centric leading research university.” That is most definitely Iowa State. And, it is undoubtedly LAS, where student curiosity is guided by world-class faculty mentorship.
I am grateful for our LAS alumni and friends who support some of the opportunities featured in this issue. Thank you, as always, for your generosity that connects one Cyclone to another and makes it possible for LAS students to thrive.
With warm wishes,
Beate Schmittmann
Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences