News and events--Parks portrait unveiling

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News & Events

W. Robert Parks and Ellen Sorge Parks

W. Robert Parks

W. Robert Parks, the 11^th President of Iowa State University, was born October 13, 1915, in Mulberry, Tennessee. He received his B.A. (1937) in political science from Berea College (Ky.); an M.A. (1938) in political science from the University of Kentucky; and a Ph.D (1948) in political science from the University of Wisconsin. In addition to his degrees, Parks also served in research and administrative position with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics in Washington, D.C., and served 30 months in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He also was employed as a consultant to the Secretary of the Interior in 1952.
Ellen Sorge Parks

Ellen Sorge was born in Reedsville, Wisconsin and was valedictorian of her high school class. She received an undergraduate degree in journalism and a Ph.D (1947) in political science from the University of Wisconsin. She was also elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
She and W. Robert Parks were married on July 1, 1940 in the Methodist Church in Reedsville, Wisconsin. Dr. Parks finished her Ph.D in 1947 and moved to Iowa State with her husband in 1948. They had two daughters, Andrea and Cynthia, both of whom graduated from Iowa State and went on to obtain their Ph.Ds.
As the Iowa State’s First Lady, Ellen focused on renovating the Knoll (the President’s home); raising her two daughters; and maintained an intense interest in political science and history, collecting and reading British letters and diaries of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. "When the Parkses returned to Iowa State College in 1958, Mrs. Parks said the library was one of the first places she wanted to go. "I love to handle books." She has always believed that the library is "the essence of the university." And she was pleased beyond measure in June 1984 when the library was named the William Robert Parks and Ellen Sorge Parks Library in their honor." (The Iowa Stater, May, 1986)
In 1948, Parks was appointed an associate professor (1948-1956) at Iowa State with a joint appointment in the Dept. of History, Government, and Philosophy and the Department of Agricultural Economics and then returned to the University of Wisconsin as an agricultural economist (1956-1958). Iowa State then created the position of Dean of Instruction (1958-1961) for Dr. Parks and during his tenure, he established the honors program as well as a program for National Merit Scholars. Dr. Parks was then promoted to Vice-President of Academic Affairs (1961-1965), where he focused on broadening the curriculum. Dr. Parks was named University President in 1965 (1965-1986) As the first social scientist to head Iowa State University, he articulated a "new humanism" blending sciences and the humanities. In his inaugural address, he stated: "We must adopt a philosophy which will permit us so to adjust our lives and our institutions that science, rather than being a dehumanizing threat, can become a liberalizing and liberating fource opening up our lives to new ideals, new values, higher human goals…Today I want to commit the Iowa State University to the task of working to develop what might be called a "new humanism" at the philosophical basis upon which its education programs can be built." W. Robert Parks Inaugural address (March 1966) During his 21-year tenure, Iowa State experienced a dramatic level of growth in student enrollment, academic programs, and physical facilities: Three new colleges were created: Education (1968); Design (1978) and Business Administration (1984) 40 undergraduate degrees and 30 graduate majors were added to the curriculum Enrollment increased by 90%, and app. 88,000 degrees were awarded during his presidency. New buildings included: Bessey Hall; Colleges of Design and Veterinary Medicine; Computation Center; Jack Trice Stadium; Iowa State Center; Library (major addition) Residence Halls: Towers; Maple; Willow; Larch At its 1984 dedication, the university library was officially named the William Robert Parks and Ellen Sorge Parks Library. The library had always been close to the hearts of the president and Mrs. Parks. The recommendation (to name the library building, Parks Library) to the Board of Regents stated, "The excellence of the University Library is the work of many hands but clearly a determining force in its growth and development during the past two decades has been that of Dr. Parks….Mrs. Parks has taken a special interest in various aspects of the Library and is one of its most consistent users. (The Iowa Stater, May, 1986) In 1999, the ISU Library commissioned a portrait to honor President Parks and his wife, Ellen Sorge Parks. The artist was Kurt Anderson, a native of Iowa, and the portrait is to be dedicated on Friday, April 14, 2000 during Iowa State’s VEISHEA celebration.