Playing it by ear
It's world series time this week in Ames for the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA). More than 370 athletes and volunteers are here for the competition that features 16 coed teams from around the country and another from Taiwan.
Beep baseball -- an adaptive sport for blind and visually impaired athletes -- features baseballs and bases modified with auditory sounds. In this photo, a Colorado Storm player nears the base after hitting the ball. A point is awarded if the runner touches the base before the opposing team fields the ball. Rules and additional information are available on the NBBA website. An event schedule can be found on Ames' world series website.
Round-robin play opened play July 24, and double-elimination games are at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily from June 25 to 27. The championship game is at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 28. All games are played at the intramural fields east of University Boulevard, across from Jack Trice Stadium. Admission is free and open to the public. Photo by Bob Elbert.
East Osborn campus entrance reopens
The east campus entry on Osborn Drive reopened to traffic July 19, following renovations and improvements for traffic flow. The temporary entrance via Stange Road will close Sunday, July 29. The new east entrance layout offers a call box and turnoff exit for access back to Wallace Road. Brick columns, landscaping and sidewalk improvements also were included in the project. Photo by Bob Elbert.
Fire victims find shelter on campus
When more than 100 residents of a South Meadow Apartments building were displaced by a fire early on July 15, an American Red Cross service center and shelter was mobilized at Iowa State's Willow Hall. Red Cross chapter support officer Tony Burke said about 50 percent of the affected residents were Iowa State students.
Burke said more than 50 people took advantage of Red Cross services at Willow, including overnight accommodations, meals and casework (such as residential placement). The Salvation Army also worked to supply the victims with recovery items.
Martha Royer, program coordinator in the department of residence, said three factors made the decision to use Willow easy -- availability of air-conditioned rooms, parking access and residence staff in the Maple-Willow-Larch area.
"It just made sense," Royer said. "It took a minimal amount of work to prepare. We're glad we could help."
Not the first time
Iowa State's residence halls have served as emergency housing for disaster victims in the past. Patients from a flooded-out nursing home were moved to the Wallace-Wilson complex in 2008, and Towers space was used to assist displaced Greek house residents.
Welcome, Dr. Reynolds
Ralph Reynolds became Iowa State's inaugural director of the School of Education in the College of Human Sciences on July 1. The school will serve students, alumni, faculty and staff who focus on Pre-K-20 teaching, learning and educational leadership -- and the preparation of professionals for a wide range of educational settings.
Reynolds came to ISU after serving as professor and chair in the department of educational psychology at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas since 2000 and has more than 20 years experience in higher education administration. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin, a master's in educational psychology from Arizona State University, and a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Illinois.
Reynolds' office is in N131 Lagomarcino Hall, and he can be reached by phone (4-3265) and email (ralphr@iastate.edu). Photo by Bob Elbert.
Solar car perseveres for No. 2 spot
Team PrISUm and Hyperion finish in St. Paul. Photo courtesy Team PrISUm.
Neither rain nor clouds nor curb collision could keep Team PrISUM's solar car from notching its highest-ever finish in the biannual America Solar Car Challenge.
Eight days and 1,650 miles after it pulled off the start line in Rochester, N.Y., Iowa State's student-built solar car Hyperion crossed the St. Paul, Minn., finish line July 21 in second place. It was the highest finish ever for Team PrISUm, which has fielded 11 solar cars for the biannual cross-country race.
The team knew it had a hot car, in every sense of the word, achieving speeds of up to 65 mph on sunny, steamy days that took a toll on less heat-tolerant cars.
The biggest setback came on the second day of race when the ISU car struck a curb on an interstate on-ramp, sustained considerable damage, and lost a lot of time. The team worked into the night to repair a broken suspension piece, damaged aerodynamic wheel fairings and a loose radio wire.
Fresh off its repairs, Hyperion rolled off a speedy day three, passing two teams and moving into fourth place. By day four, the car had gained third place and on day five, Hyperion took the No. 2 spot which it would not relinquish.
Eleven cars competed in the the 2012 challenge. The University of Michigan car earned its fourth straight win in the race.
Concert memorializes alumnus, supports singers
Music faculty members, students and alumni now performing professionally will honor one of their own during a concert Sunday, July 29 (2 p.m., Tye Hall, Music). Admission is free, but free-will donations collected at the concert will help establish a voice scholarship in memory of alumnus and tenor Joey Wilgenbusch, who died suddenly last Dec. 26. A reception will follow the concert.
Performers include bass-baritone Simon Estes and faculty members tenor Donald Simonson, mezzo-soprano Mary Creswell and pianist Jodi Goble. The first half of the program will feature art song and chamber music and the second half, hits from opera and music theater.
Fund will aid promising singers
The memorial scholarship fund in Wilgenbusch's name, created through the ISU Foundation and music department, will support promising singers.
The concert will be webcast live at www.music.iastate.edu/feeds/recital.
Joey Wilgenbusch
Wilgenbusch
Victor-native Wilgenbusch graduated from Iowa State in 2005 with a degree in vocal performance and went on to complete a master of music degree at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, N.Y. A talented singer and actor, Wilgenbusch was living and performing professionally in New York City. He died on Dec. 26, 2011, from a heart attack stemming from a birth defect.
