Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

November 8, 2002

After five

Ever wonder where your co-workers are headed at the end of the day? This Inside feature catches up with university employees "after five." Photo by Bob Elbert

Name: Marie Mayer

By day, she's: Communications specialist, Academic Information Technologies

After five, she's: National trustee, past board member and life member, American Mensa, and president, Central Iowa Mensa (an international society for individuals who score in the top 2 percent of the population on a standardized intelligence test).

Knew not to pick up Algebra for Dummies: When she took the Mensa mini-test in Vogue magazine and sailed through it.

It pays to get smart: Mayer works as a Mensa trustee to award scholarships and research grants, "the more serious side of Mensa."

Actually organized an "Egghead Open": "We're a very eclectic and very social group. Like everyone else, we have parties and talk about sex and chocolate and physics and cooking. What's different about Mensan conversations is the range and depth."

So it doesn't take a rocket scientist? "Actually, I have a good Mensan friend who was a rocket scientist on the Hubbell spacecraft. I also have Mensan friends who are teachers and mothers and lawyers and doctors and the best pinball repairmen in the country. Mensa has added to my life hugely, introducing me to people and taking me to places I never would have found on my own."