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The
first class of Iowa Agricultural College (Iowa State University)
graduated in 1872, and it wasn’t long after that these alumni
felt the need for an association of former students.
An informal meeting was first held in 1876 by Iowa State
alumni and students. The
Alumni Association was officially formed on November 12, 1878 with
Edgar W. Stanton (class of 1872) as president.
Officers were elected, a constitution was signed and it was
decided that meetings would be held biennially.
The
first alumni club outside of Ames was formed in Chicago in 1893,
and soon there were clubs in Washington D.C., New York City, and
Pittsburgh. The
Chicago club has been particularly active.
In 1931, they sponsored a contest for a new school song.
An entry by Jim Wilson titled “Bells of Iowa State”
remains Iowa State’s school song to this day.
The
Alumni Association would slowly take a more prominent role in
campus activities. In
1905, the Alumni Association first published The Alumnus, which
made it possible to keep alumni all over the country informed
about the activities of Iowa State.
Alumni Hall was completed in 1907 and became the home of
the Alumni Association. During
the 1920s, the Alumni Association played a large part in securing
donations for the construction of the Memorial Union and upon its
completion in 1928, moved their headquarters there.
Since
then, the Alumni Association has grown to provide numerous
services to the University and its alumni.
In 1932, the Alumni Achievement Fund was created, the
Alumni Association was incorporated as an independent
self-governing association, and the first Honors and Awards
program was held. In
1973, the Student Alumni Association was formed and a year after
that the alumni travel program started.
In 1980, the Alumni Achievement Fund merged with the ISU
Foundation to combine fundraising efforts.
1988 marked the first issue of the Alumni Association’s
new publication, VISIONS. Currently,
the Alumni Association is in the process of planning a stand-alone
alumni center for the Iowa State campus.
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