Hello, CALS,
Campus has sure gone quiet with our academic summer here, and yet the fields of Iowa are about to burst with the energy of germinating corn and beans (finally)! Seems like an interesting juxtaposition to me. I hope you’ve found time and ways to enjoy our beautiful campus this spring, from the daffodils to the redbuds and more. Peonies are about to pop, too!
Perhaps it’s every year – but this year the spring semester seemed busier than ever. Maybe it was because we're just coming out of several more subdued COVID springs of recent years. Please continue to watch out for COVID. It's not gone, and the very nature we study and teach and love - can always have another curveball to throw. Same with HPAI, which seems to have gone a bit quiet, and hopefully will stay that way. It's not only afflicting our domestic food birds, but wild birds in record numbers, too.
Last week, on Thursday evening, we had a terrific CALS faculty, staff and families spring picnic in Moore Memorial Park (see images below). More than 150 attended and enjoyed great conversation, food and music (thanks to the Dixie Slicks band, including Paul Lasley and Larry Pedigo). Please help me thank Alison Parker and Angie Weeks for putting together the picnic and taking it apart. Our next college gatherings will be CALS chats in the fall semester, and then a holiday party in December. Please come out for those!
Finally, another note about our wonderful CALS Convocation and ISU Commencements, now about 10 days ago. Those were wonderful, happy events, and so many people work so hard to make them what they are – thanks to all for making those happen in such grand fashion! Don’t forget to keep up with your students over the summer – a simple outreach to them by email, “How are you doing this summer?", will encourage and motivate them, and be long remembered!
My best and have a great week. - Dan
Scenes from CALS
Joel Rybolt, animal science, submitted this image of a bumble bee on an allium flower.
We had beautiful weather for the CALS faculty and staff picnic last Thursday evening. It was so great to be able to hold this annual event again after time off due to COVID.
Finally, below are two images of books in bronze on the Jack Trice Statue, just north of Beardshear Hall. Does anyone know anything about these two books?
