Belief in Iowa State Leads to Lifelong Passion for Giving Back

Becky Stadlman and her late husband, Evan, have had long and strong ties to Iowa State University.

The Stadlmans met at Iowa State in the 1970s when Becky attended for journalism and mass communication and Evan for agricultural education. As a student, Becky was active in numerous activities, including Phi Beta Kappa and the VEISHEA Central Committee.

Right after Becky and Evan graduated, they joined the Iowa State University Alumni Association, kickstarting their involvement as alumni and passion for sharing their time, talent and treasures with the university.

Becky said she and Evan have had a strong connection to Iowa State and that they felt it was important to give back and give as much as they could.

Guided by that belief, Becky, who retired as the human resources manager from Danfoss Power Solutions in 2015, has remained heavily involved over the years. She's served on the Iowa State University Foundation Governors, as well as the alumni association's board of directors. As part of the organization, she's also been involved with the scholarship and diversity and inclusion taskforces – roles she's especially proud of.

Becky recalled helping develop a mission statement that shares the alumni association's commitment to diversity and inclusion. It's work she feels good about still today.

Becky also believes it's important to give back to the university and contributes to both the Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Endowment and the Iowa State University Stadlman Family Cardinal and Gold Scholarship for first-generation students. The latter holds personal meaning, too, as both she and Evan were the first generation in their families to earn college degrees.

"I hope it has a long-term impact on students who may not have the family history or other types of things to fall back on as a tradition for continuing their college degree," Becky said of the scholarship. "I hope it will help those who could really use the money to finish their degrees."

Becky and Evan contributed to the areas important to them through cash gifts and gifting life insurance policies, allowing them to leave a lasting legacy. Ultimately, their giving has been based on what they're passionate about. And their love for Iowa State never waned.

"Iowa State was important for us because of what we gained," she said. "And we both made very strong, lifelong friendships there."

You can ensure that Iowa State impacts deserving Cyclones as deeply as it did Becky and Evan by including us in your estate plan. We're happy to speak with you about the diverse giving options you have to choose from. Simply contact the office of gift planning at 800.621.8515 or giftplanning@foundation.iastate.edu.