Student Life

Honor Societies | Lectures | Memorial Union | Motor Vehicles/Bicycles | Music Activies | Religious Life | Theatre and Dramatics

Child Care

Child Care Administration, a unit of Human Resource Services, supports Iowa State University families by linking them with programs and services that can help meet their child care needs. The university child care coordinator is available to assist families in accessing services available both on the campus and in the community.

Child care programs located on campus include:

• Center for Child Care Resources: Assistance in locating campus and community child care services, 100 University Village, Suite 1010, 515-294-8833 or 1-800-437-8599
• University Community Childcare, Family Resource Center, 100 University Village, 515-294-9838
• The Comfort Zone: Childcare for kids who don’t feel so good, 100 University Village, 515-294-3333.
• Flex-Care: Part time care for children of ISU students, 100 University Village, 515-294-9838.
• University Child Care Center at Veterinary Medicine, 1700 Christensen Drive, 515-294-2273.
• ISU Child Development Laboratory School, Palmer HDFS Building, 515-294-3040.

For more information about child care options, contact the university child care coordinator at 515-294-8827.

Honor Societies

For more information about honor societies and other organizations, see Student Organizations at http://www.sodb.stuorg.iastate.edu/

Alpha Epsilon—Agricultural Engineering

The purpose is to promote the high ideals of the engineering profession, to give recognition to those agricultural engineers who manifest worthy qualities of character, scholarship, and professional attainment, and to encourage and support such improvements in the agricultural engineering profession that make it an instrument of greater service to humanity. Membership is based on scholarship, leadership, and character.

Alpha Kappa Delta—Sociology

Members share interest in the field of sociology, research of social problems, and such other social and intellectual activities as will lead to improvement in the human condition.

Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma —Freshmen

First-year students who achieve at least a 3.5 GPA for one or more semesters their first year may be members of these national honor societies. These societies encourage superior scholastic attainment among students in their first year at institutions of higher education.

Alpha Pi Mu—Industrial Engineering

Members are chosen for character, achievement, and scholarship in industrial engineering. The group provides social and educational interaction for industrial engineering.

Alpha Upsilon Alpha—Education

An educational honorary, this group recognizes and encourages scholarship and leadership in the field of reading.

Alpha Zeta—Agriculture

Members must have completed three semesters of study in the College of Agriculture or Veterinary Medicine and be in the upper two-fifths of their class. Meetings are held to foster high standards of scholarship, character, and leadership. Alpha Zeta sponsors lectures, service projects, and promotes the agricultural programs at ISU.

Beta Alpha Psi – Accounting

A national honorary for students in accounting, Beta Alpha Psi recognizes academic excellence and complements members’ formal education by providing interaction between students, faculty, and professionals, and fosters lifelong growth, service and ethical conduct.

Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society

A national organization for students in the biological sciences with a purpose to recognize undergraduates with exceptional scholarship, leadership and character.

Beta Gamma Sigma

An honor society for collegiate schools of business, Beta Gamma Sigma recognizes high academic achievement.

Cardinal Key—Senior Leadership

The Senior Honor Society of Cardinal Key recognizes those persons who have been outstanding leaders in college life, who have rendered noteworthy service to Iowa State University, who are of high moral character, and who rank high scholastically. Members are selected by application and interview.

Chi Epsilon—Civil Engineering

The purpose of this honorary is to develop the profession of civil engineering through the interaction of members, fellow civil engineering students, and faculty. Scholarship, character, practicality, and sociability are the fundamental requirements for membership.

Epsilon Pi Tau—Education in Technology

Members are selected from the upper one-fourth of the juniors, seniors, and graduate students in industrial technology. The group strives to promote skill, social and professional efficiency, and research.

Eta Kappa Nu—Electrical and Computer Engineering

An International Honor Society for primarily juniors and seniors, as well as graduate students and professional engineers. The organization recognizes scholarship, personal character, useful voluntary services, and distinguished accomplishments. It assists its members throughout their lives in becoming better professionals and citizens.

Eta Sigma Phi—The Classic Club

An honorary organization for outstanding students in Latin and Greek language courses at Iowa State.

Gamma Sigma Delta—Agriculture

The honorary encourages a high degree of excellence in the practice of agricultural pursuits and encourages high standards of scholarship in all branches of agricultural science and education. Membership includes junior and senior students, graduate students, faculty, and alumni.

Golden Key—All University

A national nonprofit academic honors organization, Golden Key is dedicated to recognizing and encouraging scholastic achievement in all undergraduate fields of study and to uniting collegiate faculty and administrators.

Kappa Delta Pi—Education

In an effort to promote excellence in and recognize outstanding contributions to education, Kappa Delta Pi maintains a high degree of professional fellowship among its members, quickens professional growth, and honors achievement in educational work. Membership invitations are extended to second semester sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a GPA of 3.25 or above.

Kappa Omicron Nu, Gamma Chapter

Objectives of the honor society are to promote graduate study and research, and to stimulate scholarship and leadership toward the well-being of individuals and families throughout the world. Top 10 percent of junior and top 20 percent of senior students maintaining at least a B average, and outstanding graduate students in family and consumer sciences, are eligible for selection. Research within the college is shared at monthly meetings.

Kappa Tau Alpha—Journalism

Kappa Tau Alpha is the national society dedicated to the recognition and promotion of scholarship in the field of journalism. Members are selected from the upper 10 percent of the senior class. Graduate students and faculty who qualify are also eligible for membership.

Keramos National Ceramic Engineering Honor Fraternity

A national honorary that recognizes students with outstanding academic achievement and encourages interaction between students and alumni.

Mortar Board

Members are recognized for superior academic achievement and community service.

National Society of Collegiate Scholars

The purpose is to recognize and celebrate high achievement in all academic disciplines, to provide opportunities for personal growth and leadership development, and to organize and encourage learning opportunities through community service.

Omega Chi Epsilon—Chemical Engineering

Membership is open to chemical engineering juniors in the top 20 percent of their class, or seniors in the top 30 percent. The purpose is recognition and promotion of high scholarship, original investigation, and professional service in chemical engineering.Order of Omega—Fraternity and Sorority Honorary

A national Greek honorary, the Order of Omega was founded at Iowa State in 1957. Criteria for membership include character; scholarship; leadership; service to the individual chapter, the Greek system, the university, and the Ames community. Membership is limited to junior and senior students who comprise one percent of the Greek population.

Phi Alpha Theta—History

Students who have a B average in at least 15 hours of history are eligible for membership. The local branch sponsors social activities, co-sponsors prizes for undergraduate essays in history, and encourages students’ participation in state wide, regional, and national Phi Alpha Theta conferences.

Phi Beta Delta, Alpha Delta Chapter

The honor society recognizes and encourages high professional, intellectual and personal achievements in the field of international education.

Phi Beta Kappa—Liberal Arts and Sciences

Phi Beta Kappa is a national honorary society, founded in 1776 “to recognize and encourage scholarship, friendship, and cultural interests.” Membership is by invitation to students enrolled in the LAS curriculum. To be eligible, juniors must have at least a 3.80 cumulative grade point average and seniors, at least a 3.60 average. Other criteria for membership include requirements in the mathematical disciplines and a foreign language.

Phi Kappa Phi—All University

This national honor society recognizes and encourages superior scholarship in all academic disciplines. Membership is open to qualified undergraduates and graduates by invitation and occasionally to faculty and alumni.

Phi Upsilon Omicron—Family and Consumer Sciences

Members are selected from junior and senior family and consumer sciences students who have demonstrated academic excellence and professional leadership qualities. Membership is a means of furthering professional goals. Outstanding graduate students are also eligible for selection.

Pi Mu Epsilon—Mathematics

Pi Mu Epsilon is the national mathematics honorary society whose purpose is the promotion of scholarly activity in mathematics among students and staff. Members are students and faculty who have completed at least two years of college-level mathematics with honor (at least 3.33 GPA) and have maintained an overall GPA of at least 3.0.

Pi Sigma Alpha—Political Science

Pi Sigma Alpha is the national honor political science honor society.

Pi Tau Sigma—Mechanical Engineering

Members are juniors and seniors in the upper ranks of their classes in mechanical engineering. Meetings and social functions are held to recognize and encourage outstanding scholastic achievement.

Psi Chi—Psychology

This national honor society in psychology recognizes and honors individuals maintaining high scholarship and documented interest in psychology.

Rho Lambda

An honorary comprised of the top 10% Collegiate Panhellenic sorority leaders and scholars.

Sigma Alpha – Women in Agriculture

Promotes women in all facets of agriculture.

Sigma Alpha Lambda– Community Service

A national leadership and honors organization, SAL is dedicated to promoting and rewarding academic achievement and providing members with opportunities for community service, personal development, and lifelong professional fulfillment.Membership is open to all undergraduate students who have completed at least 12 credit hours of study and maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale

Sigma Delta Pi—Spanish

Honor society for high-achieving students of the Spanish language at Iowa State University.

Sigma Gamma Tau—Aerospace Engineering

Sigma Gamma Tau is the national honorary for aerospace-aeronautical engineering students who have displayed outstanding scholarship, leadership, and personal characteristics. Members are selected from the upper fourth of the junior class and upper third of the senior class who have maintained a 3.00 or better cumulative grade point average.

Sigma Lambda Chi—Construction Engineering

The purpose is the recognition of outstanding students in construction engineering. Upperclass students in construction engineering may be initiated into the society providing they have an overall scholastic average in the upper 20 percent of their class.

Sigma Phi Omega, chapter Alph Omega—Gerontology

National academic honor and professional society that recognizes excellence in the study of gerontology/aging, and serves as a link between gerontology educators, alumni, and local professionals. The mission of SPO is to promote scholarship, professionalism, friendship, and services to older persons, and to recognize exemplary attainment in gerontology/aging studies and related fields.

Sigma Tau Delta—English

An international English honor society, the purpose of this honorary is to confer distinction upon outstanding students of the English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies.

Sigma Xi—Research

Sigma Xi, the scientific research society, is a broad-based scientific honor society with over 500 chapters and clubs at universities and nonacademic scientific institutions. Sigma Xi awards associate membership to undergraduates and graduate students who have demonstrated research potential through participation in an original scientific research activity. Full membership in Sigma Xi recognizes a significant scientific research contribution.

Tau Beta Pi—Engineering

Tau Beta Pi honors engineering undergraduates, graduate students, and outstanding alumni who have distinguished themselves in scholarship and by exemplary character. Members are selected from engineering juniors in the upper eighth and seniors and graduate students in the upper fifth of their classes.

Upsilon Pi Epsilon—Computer Science

An honor society for computer science students.

Xi Sigma Pi—Forestry

An honor society that recognizes outstanding juniors, seniors, graduate students and faculty members in forestry. The objective is to encourage high professional standards in the profession of forestry and to promote fraternal relationships among foresters.

Lectures

Throughout the academic year the Committee on Lectures brings to the campus a number of speakers eminent in national and international affairs, the sciences, and the arts. In addition to giving formal lectures, a number of these speakers meet with students informally for discussions. Through these lectures and discussions the students are given a well-rounded presentation on subjects and areas affecting their culture, educational and economic philosophy, and scientific development. Past speakers include scholars E.O. Wilson and Stephen J. Gould; activists Gloria Steinem and Anita Hill; actor and comedian Bill Cosby; poet Maya Angelou; and astronaut Sally Ride.

The Institute on World Affairs is an annual series of speakers and on a topic of international interest held in the fall. Spring semester, the Institute on National Affairs is held with a topic of national concern as its focus. Focus, an annual fine arts festival with emphasis on student creativity in the arts, is held in the spring. The Committee on Lectures also sponsors or co-sponsors dramatic, dance, and musical events.

Students are encouraged to contact the lectures program office and become involved in the planning of these events.

Memorial Union

The Iowa State Memorial Union is regarded as the heart of campus life and the campus center of informal education at Iowa State University. It is the meeting place and headquarters for most student organizations and houses several university offices. Dances, exhibits, films, concerts, lectures, banquets, and other campus gatherings are accommodated in its meeting rooms and ballrooms.

Food service is provided to the university community by a catering service, a 24-hour vending area and a food court with eight food vendors offering a variety of choices. The Maintenance Shop is a deli during the day and at night hosts some of the finest performances in blues, jazz, rock, and folk music. The Recreation Center offers autoscore bowling, billiards, pinball, and video games, and a large screen television.

Art is a way of life in the Union that includes special film showings, galleries, and a browsing library that offers reading, music, and video materials as well as a computer lab. Anyone may play pianos in two lounges. The Workspace studios are staffed and equipped for individuals who wish to express themselves creatively or take a class.

A small, quiet chapel is available for services, weddings, or meditation. In addition, most study areas in the building are wireless-equipped.

Campus visitors may choose to stay overnight in the guest rooms on the third, fourth, and fifth floors.

The Memorial Union also has a convenience store, automatic teller machines, a ticket outlet, the University Book Store, a copy center, a full service post office, and an attached 640 car parking ramp.

Opened in 1928 as a proud memorial to the Iowa State men and women who served in the Armed Forces during World War I, the Memorial Union is now a living memorial to all Iowa Staters who have served in the United States military.

Motor Vehicles and Bicycles

Students are permitted to own and operate motor vehicles - automobiles, motor scooters, and motorcycles. However, motor vehicles are in no way necessary for an Iowa State University student. Iowa State University is primarily a pedestrian campus. Those who operate a motor vehicle or bicycle on campus must abide by the rather extensive traffic and parking regulations. Fines are levied for infractions of these regulations. All motor vehicles and bicycles owned or operated by students on university property must be registered with the Parking Division Office located in the Armory. Copies of the traffic and parking regulations also are available at this office or online at http://www.dps.iastate.edu/parking/.

Music Activities

The ISU Department of Music presents over 100 concerts each year - many of them free - in the Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall on central campus, at Stephens Auditorium, and at the Ames City Auditorium. The Music Department concert series includes faculty recitals, guest artist performances, and student ensemble concerts. ISU students also have many opportunities to study music and to participate in musical ensembles - including five choral ensembles, eight bands, ISU Symphony Orchestra, and numerous chamber groups. Nearly one-fourth of all undergraduate students participate in some aspect of music while attending ISU. In addition, carillon concerts featuring the “The Bells of Iowa State” are heard on central campus daily throughout the academic year.

Sigma Alpha Iota (professional music fraternity for women), Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma (professional band fraternities), and ACDC and CMENC (organizations for music educators) are represented on campus.

In addition to the organizations and events that are a part of ISU, Iowa State is a regular stop on the arts and entertainment circuit for artists and organizations from around the world. CY Stephens Auditorium is where the arts come alive, from renowned classical music ensembles, ballets, musicals, operas, and plays to jazz, folk and pop concerts. Hilton Coliseum, with a capacity of over 14,000, hosts family shows and concerts - including rock and roll, country and alternative music, to name just a few.

Religious Life

Iowa State University is a state-supported, nonsectarian institution, but it recognizes the importance of spiritual life and cooperates with the many off-campus groups that fulfill the religious needs of the community.

Most of the larger denominations have places of worship within easy walking distance of the campus. Several denominations have attractive student centers and conduct extensive student programs under the direction of professionally trained persons. A number of campus student organizations also address the religious needs of many students.

Theatre and Dramatics

The Iowa State University Theatre, Department of Music, produces a season of at least five major presentations each year. The season’s bill endeavors to offer a variety of theatrical fare, including a musical, well-known dramatic literature and unusual and lesser-known plays. Practical experience in all phases of theatrical production is open to all interested, registered students within the university. The season is partially subsidized by an allocation from the Government of the Student Body; therefore, all students paying activity fees may purchase tickets to a performance at the reduced student price.

Other theatre-sponsored programs include student-produced plays, readers theatre programs, Theta Alpha Phi (a national dramatics honorary), the ISU Theatre Lab productions, the Minority Theatre Workshop, and the ISU Studio Theatre program.