Inside Iowa State

May 20, 2005

ISU is a destination for many this summer

by Samantha Beres and Anne Krapfl

Each summer, Iowa State is a different place. The buildings are the same, but the sidewalks are a little less crowded at the top of the hour and our masses of college students are replaced by swarms of visitors, ranging in age from 8 to 70.

They come for camps, conferences, games and more. They come to have fun while learning. Below are just some of the events that will make campus a busy place this summer.

Iowa Special Olympics

For more than 20 years, Iowa State has hosted the summer games of the Iowa Special Olympics. About 3,200 athletes will compete in this annual event, run with the help of at least 1,000 area volunteers. Another 7,500 coaches and family members will attend.

The games (May 19-21) include 10 sport venues held in and around the Lied Center, Forker, the Iowa State Center and Beyer Hall. Most athletes will stay at Maple-Willow-Larch residence complex. An opening ceremony at Hilton starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 19. Parking lots near Lied and Forker will have limited access for ISU employees (reserved and handicap permits will be honored). Beach Road will be closed to through traffic Thursday and Friday.

International conference on quasicrystals

Researchers from around the world will gather in Ames May 22-26 for the ninth International Conference on Quasicrystals. This is only the second time a U.S. city has hosted the conference. Most conference activities will take place in the Scheman building, with an expected 150 attendees from 22 countries. Conference co-chairs are Cynthia Jenks and Dan Sordelet, materials scientists at Ames Lab, and Patricia Thiel, Distinguished Professor of chemistry.

ISU freshman orientation

About 3,800 incoming freshmen and transfer students, some with parents, will visit campus in 2-day increments June 1-28 for freshman orientation. Martin Hall, in the Union Drive neighborhood, is where guests who opt to stay on campus will be housed. Students will register for fall classes, take any necessary placement tests, meet their advisers, get ID cards and e-mail accounts, take tours and generally start to get acclimated to university life.

United Methodists

Six hundred men and women will attend the annual Iowa United Methodists conference June 9-12. They will meet by day at the Iowa State Center and live at the Maple-Willow-Larch residence complex.

Girls State

For the third year, Iowa State is the site for the American Legion Auxiliary's Iowa Girls State (June 19-24), a government conference of 350 girls, plus staff. The girls will be high school seniors this fall. They will live at Willow Hall and use meeting facilities at the Iowa State Center.

USA Wrestling World Team Trials

Hilton Coliseum is the site for this qualifying tournament for the world championships for American wrestlers June 18-19. Five to 10 former or current Cyclones will compete and, in all, there will be about 200 athletes, 50 of whom are women. Up to 5,000 spectators are expected each day. For more information on the tournament, including ticket prices, go to http://www.2005trials.com.

4-H Youth Leadership Conference

About 1,000 14-to 18-year-olds from around the state will visit Iowa State June 28-30 for this annual leadership development conference that is planned by a 4-H student team. They'll stay in the Richardson Court residence halls. The conference includes large-group events at Stephens Auditorium, topical seminars and a morning of community service at various locations in the Ames area.

Cyclone sports camps

More than 40 summer sports camps are scheduled in June and July, with more than 4,000 campers expected to participate. About 75 percent of the attendees stay overnight; the rest attend day camps. Most stay in the Maple-Willow-Larch complex, but others are housed on the west side of campus. The longest camp is a 24-day camp for high school wrestlers June 26-July19.

Iowa Games

The Summer Iowa Games (July 14-17) are expected to draw between 12,000 and 15,000 athletes and another 10,000 coaches and spectators to the Iowa State campus. Some athletes and officials will stay in the Maple-Willow-Larch residence halls. Competitions will be held at the Lied Center, Beyer and Forker halls, State Gym, intramural fields east of Jack Trice Stadium, Veenker Memorial Golf Course, the equestrian area at Vet Med complex, soccer fields adjoining the Towers and Willow residence halls, Forker tennis courts, the ISU Disc Golf course and ISU Cross Country course. An opening ceremony begins at 8 p.m. July 15 at Jack Trice Stadium. "Family Night" events -- movies, two dances, board games -- will be held Saturday evening at the Scheman Building.

A second, smaller weekend of competition is scheduled for July 22-24. New events include football passing for teens and coed dodgeball.

Talented and gifted Students

Approximately 100 students and 15 instructors will take part in this program of enrichment courses (July 10-30). Programs last from 1 week (for students who have completed grades 7 to 10) to 3 weeks (for high school seniors this fall). Some will stay in Friley and others will commute to campus daily. Enrichment courses this summer include robotics, digital photography, physics, medieval world and modern mythologies. For more information, see http://www.opptag.iastate.edu.

Shrine Bowl

June 2005 graduates of Iowa high schools are chosen to take part in the Iowa Shrine All-Star Football Game July 23 at Jack Trice Stadium. Coaches, 90 football players and about 80 cheer and drill team members begin arriving on campus July 13. Students will stay at Maple, Willow or Larch halls. Game kickoff is at 7 p.m. July 23. Tickets are available at the gate and proceeds benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children. Contact Jerry Hoffman, 276-3319, for advance tickets. Game day also includes a morning parade in downtown Ames.

National cheer camps

Iowa State is a site for three July camps (July 10-13, 19-22 and 26-29) offered by national cheer and dance companies that will draw between 500 and 600 (total) high school cheerleaders and dancers. Camp participants live on campus and practice on campus grassy areas and in recreation services gyms.

Just Eliminate Lies (JEL)

About 400 middle and high school students will be on campus July 25-27 for JEL's annual Iowa summit about the risks of using tobacco products. They'll stay in Willow Hall. JEL is a program of the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Get a Grip

This leadership, alcohol prevention and traffic safety program for 100 Iowa high school students is July 26-28. It's put together by the ISU department of public safety and the governor's Traffic Safety Bureau. Adult trainers and college and peer advisers lead participants through the process of team building and goal setting to develop ideas for alcohol-free, traffic-safe environments in their hometowns. Participants will live in Martin Hall and conference sessions will be held in Friley. More information is online at http://www.dps.iastate.edu/getagrip/hs.

Many other guests will come to campus, typically in groups of 12 to 50, to study something specific: virtual reality, leadership, computer security, percussion instruments, for example.

About 3,800 incoming fall freshmen will get to know campus better during orientation activities on campus during June. Many of the students' parents also attend. Photo by Bob Elbert.