Meaningful Mentors Lead to Impactful Legacy
Nyna and Bill Mahan
William “Bill” Mahan (’61) has had many mentors over the course of his career in architecture, but none as influential as those he had as a student at Iowa State University.
When Bill’s GI Bill ran out halfway through his senior year, he was fortunate to be hired by Charles “Chick” Herbert, a well-known architect in the Des Moines area behind notable projects like the Des Moines Civic Center and the Meredith Corporation corporate headquarters. Also working for Chick was another skilled architect, John Locke, who became a tutor to Bill.
“Chick, with his exquisite taste for contemporary architecture, was always looking over our shoulders, but John was my real mentor,” Bill said. “He was not only a fine architect, he was a great teacher.”
After working for a year in Chick’s office, Bill returned to Iowa State to complete his education. The day before graduation, he received sage advice from another mentor, Professor Leonard Wolf, Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and head of the Department of Architecture: “Success is meeting the needs of your client, your community, and yourself. Work for experience until you’re 40, and only then, work for money.”
And that’s what Bill did. Throughout his career as a principal architect at multiple partnerships in Santa Barbara, California, he saw evidence of the value of his Iowa State education time and again. Knowing the rising costs of a college degree, he made the decision to give back.
“While receiving a professional education in architecture, I also received an education in liberal arts at Iowa State,” Bill said. “This, I believe, has greatly influenced my life and career.”
When Bill and his wife, Nyna, were about to fund a scholarship at Iowa State, Bill’s mentor John Locke passed away. Immediately, he decided to give the scholarship in John’s name. Using a blended giving approach, the Mahans funded the John Locke Architecture Scholarship, which is awarded to one deserving architecture student each year.
“Students always try to do their best, but they can be taught to do better. That is my wish, my hope, and my goal,” Bill said. “The best professors will get the best out of their students, and those students will become successful architects and, hopefully, Iowa State University Foundation philanthropists.”
