Since 1996, the Legacy of Heroines program has provided a number of scholarships to women who seek involvement in and knowledge about the political process and public service. Each scholarship has specific criteria determined by the donor, and all applicants must demonstrate academic achievement and leadership experience.
Each student selected receives a one-time scholarship divided between the fall and spring semesters. Students may renew their scholarships if funds are available and the criteria continue to be fulfilled.
Students in the program are offered a plethora of opportunities that include trips to the state capitol, dinners with guest speakers, leadership development programs and mentoring. Scholars also are given the special opportunity to meet with their donor(s).
Returning scholars are:
Elizabeth Hagan is the recipient of the Katherine Annin Legacy of Heroines scholarship, sponsored by Annin’s estate. She is a senior in family and consumer science education and studies with a communications option from Bayard, Iowa. Hagan has made the Dean’s List each semester of her college career, worked as a research assistant for the department of human development and family studies, is the philanthropic chair of the Family and Consumer Science Education Club, and was inducted into the Phi Upsilon Omicron and the Kappa Omicron Nu honor societies. She hopes to eventually attend law school and work as a family attorney.
Laura Hansen, a recipient of the Helen Jensen Howe Legacy of Heroines scholarship for women in science, sponsored by Helen Jensen Howe from Muscatine, Iowa, is a senior in biophysics from Shenandoah, Iowa. She is an active member of the Physics and Astronomy Club and is former president, vice president and treasurer of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Student Council. She has interned at CERN Laboratories in Geneva, Switzerland, and at the Ames Laboratory on Iowa State’s campus.
Jennifer Musgrove is the recipient of the James R. and Lauri K. Young Legacy of Heroines scholarship, sponsored by Lauri and James Young of Cedar Falls, Iowa. She is a senior in world languages and cultures and Spanish with a minor in criminal justice from Ames, Iowa. Musgrove is a volunteer violinist for the Central Iowa Symphony and completed an internship this summer with a language academy in Valencia, Spain, teaching English classes to native Spanish speaking students. She received a teaching assistantship and scholarship to participate in the 2014 ISU on the Mediterranean/Summer in Valencia study abroad program. A non-traditional student, Musgrove is a wife and a mother of two teenage boys.
Cathryn Kelzenberg, a recipient of the Rice-Neville Legacy of Heroines scholarship, sponsored by Dianne and Keith Bystrom of Ames, Iowa, is a senior in political science and English from Woodbury, Minn. She is a community adviser for the ISU department of residence and is active in the Iowa State Model United Nations as the secretary and under-secretary for information services.
Krista Klocke, an Ames, Iowa, native, is a senior in speech communication and communication studies with a minor in psychology. She is also enrolled in the community leadership and public service certificate program coordinated by the Catt Center. Klocke is a recipient of the Phyllis Davis Legacy of Heroines scholarship, which is sponsored by multiple donors in memory of Davis. She has served as co-president of Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma freshman honor society and as president of the Communication Studies Club. Klocke is also a representative to the Liberal Arts and Sciences Student Council and helps teach freshman students in the first-year Honors Program seminar.
Veronica Middlebrooks, a senior in biology, is a recipient of the Elverna Christian Legacy of Heroines scholarship, sponsored by Darleane Hoffman of Oakland, Calif. She is from Chicago, Ill., and is enrolled in the community leadership and public service certificate program. Middlebrooks has been an undergraduate teaching assistant for Biology 212 and CLPS 322 and served as the vice president for Motion Sickness Dance Team. She also serves as a peer mentor for incoming students to the community leadership and public service certificate program.
Melissa Moy, a recipient of the Helen Jensen Howe Legacy of Heroines scholarship for women in science, sponsored by Howe, is a sophomore in biology from Aurora, Ill. She is enrolled in the community leadership and public service certificate program coordinated by the Catt Center and participated in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Leadership Seminar. Moy has been an intern for ISU’s department of natural resource ecology and management, participated in the First-Year Honors Program, served as the diversity chairperson for the Friley Pennell residence hall and was a member of the Honors Student Board Art Committee.
Anna Olsen is a Phyllis Davis Legacy of Heroines scholarship recipient, sponsored by multiple donors, from McCallsburg, Iowa. She is a senior in microbiology with a minor in political science. Olsen is a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences senator for ISU’s Government of the Student Body for the 2014-2015 academic year and was the Catt Center’s 2013 Ready to Run® Iowa: Campaign Training for Women program intern. She is also a member of the Student Organic Farm and Bioinformatics Club and secretary and treasurer of The Green Umbrella.
Maddison Shrader is a recipient of the Elverna Christian Legacy of Heroines scholarship, which is sponsored by Darleane Hoffman. She is a junior majoring in political science from Tiffin, Iowa. Shrader is an active member of the Iowa State Democrats, volunteers as a Student Admissions Representative (STARS) and is a part of the ISU Hip Hop Club.
Kate Tindall is the recipient of the Jane Greimann Legacy of Heroines scholarship, sponsored by Lowell Greimann of Ames, Iowa. She is a senior majoring in political science and journalism and mass communication from LeMars, Iowa. Tindall was the 2013-2014 Archives of Women’s Political Communication intern for the Catt Center and a production intern for the city of Ames channel 12 television station. She has been a teaching assistant in the political science department, a reporter for ISUtv’s “Newswatch” program and has been on the Dean’s List throughout her Iowa State career.
Lissandra Villa is a recipient of the Elverna Christian Legacy of Heroines scholarship, which is sponsored by Darleane Hoffman. She is a junior in journalism and mass communication and political science from Webster City, Iowa. Villa is the Catt Center’s Archives of Women’s Political Communication intern, the student ex-officio member of the Ames City Council, and is a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. She has been a press intern for U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin; a reporter for the Iowa State Daily newspaper; and spent her summer researching how media influences the public’s opinion of political candidates with David Peterson, ISU professor of political science.
New scholars are:
Shreya Bhardwaj, a junior in economics from Newark, Del., is a recipient of the Elizabeth Hoffman and Brian R. Binger Legacy of Heroines scholarship, sponsored by Elizabeth Hoffman and Brian Binger of Ames, Iowa. She is a community adviser for the ISU department of residence, the president of the Society for Advancement of Gender Equity and has volunteered for Teach for India. Bhardwaj hopes to one day work with international organizations such as the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
Janessa Coleman is a sophomore in political science from Des Moines, Iowa. She is the recipient of the Political Science Alumni Legacy of Heroines scholarship, sponsored by Bill and Nancy Haigh of Fairmont, Minn.; Dwight Ink and Dona Wolf of Leesburg, Va.; Richard Heuwinkel and Judith Raak of Washington, D.C.; and Terrence and Maureen Tobin of Clive, Iowa. Coleman is a Big 12 Conference committee leader for the Black Student Alliance, a member of She’s the First and is co-founder of Future: The Alternative “F” Word. She hopes to eventually attend law school and work as a practicing attorney for a gender-specific nonprofit organization while traveling as a speaker and advocate for underprivileged young women.
Jane Kersch, a junior in global resource systems and political science from Dubuque, Iowa, is a Rice-Neville Legacy of Heroines scholarship recipient, sponsored by Dianne and Keith Bystrom. She has been the vice president and treasurer of the Iowa State College Democrats, interned for President Obama’s campaign in 2012 and served as co-chair of the World Affairs Series for the Committee on Lectures. Kersch hopes to work for a government or nonprofit organization such as the U.S. Department of State or the World Wildlife Fund after her graduation from Iowa State.
Kathleen Roberts is a junior in mathematics with a minor in Spanish. She is the Beth Bierbaum Legacy of Heroines scholarship recipient, sponsored by Beth Bierbaum of Wellesley, Mass. Roberts is from Wykoff, Minn., and is very active on campus. She is a Destination Iowa State leader, the kitchen chair for the Martin Starbuck residence hall house cabinet, a community adviser for the Martin Starbuck residence hall, and is a university Honors Program member.
Jeane Robles, a sophomore in biology from West Des Moines, Iowa, is a recipient of the Helen Jensen Howe Legacy of Heroines scholarship for women in science, sponsored by Howe. Robles is a community adviser for Eaton Hall, is a lab assistant for genetic development in cell biology, and was a Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls conference representative. She has been the Wallace Nielsen residence hall president and participated in the LAS Dean’s Leadership Seminar in 2013-2014.
Kristine Roush, a senior in journalism and mass communication and event management from Urbandale, Iowa, is a recipient of the Rice-Neville Legacy of Heroines scholarship, sponsored by Dianne and Keith Bystrom. She has been the Catt Center’s public relations/events planning intern since 2013. Roush is a Student Admissions Representative (STARS) for the Office of Admissions and is active in her sorority, Pi Beta Phi, as the vice president of communications, co-chair of Greek Week, member of the policies and standards board, and co-chair of the Homecoming lawn display board.
Cimone Wright, a senior in computer and electrical engineering from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a recipient of the Elizabeth Hoffman and Brian R. Binger Legacy of Heroines scholarship, sponsored by Elizabeth Hoffman and Brian Binger. She is involved in many different organizations on campus including the McNair Program, National Society of Engineers, Project Prep the Way, Black Student Alliance and the Air Force ROTC. Wright also serves as a member of the board of directors for the YWCA Ames-ISU. She hopes to eventually earn a Ph.D. in human and computer interaction and develop a program that guides minority children from elementary school through college.