Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

October 25, 2002

Honors Building to be dedicated

The Martin C. Jischke Honors Building is on central campus, west of the Farm House Museum. Photo by Bob Elbert.

by Diana Pounds
The Martin C. Jischke Honors Building will be dedicated Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9 to 10 a.m. The dedication is open to the public and will include a reception, tours of the facility and a brief program, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Located on central campus west of the Farm House Museum, the building is named for Martin Jischke, Iowa State president from 1991 through 2000.

"President Jischke knew many of the Honors students, some of whom were members of his President's Leadership Class or campus leaders," said Liz Beck, director of the Honors program. "He understood the importance of having a 24-hour building where they could learn and interact."

Jischke, who currently is president of Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., and his wife Patty will attend the dedication.

The Prairie Style architecture, made popular by Frank Lloyd Wright, is evident in the Jischke Honors Building. The red brick structure features strong horizontal lines emphasized by a low roof and broad overhangs. The building was funded with private support and university funds.

The 1,200 students in Iowa State's Honors program take classes in the building's two traditional classrooms and a more informal class/project room, work on assignments in the computer lab, and study and visit in the two-story lounge and meeting area.

"This building is a valuable addition to Iowa State and reflects the commitment we have to under-graduate education," Beck said. "Learning doesn't just happen in the classroom. It happens in a broader arena, where students can interact and help each other learn."

The University Honors Program, which is more than 40 years old, promotes an enriched academic environment for high-ability undergraduate students. Students in the program can pursue a broad liberal education, individualize their study programs, take graduate-level courses and get involved in research projects.