Late Night Conversation Makes Lange a Believer in Chemistry
Gene Lange’s transcripts at Iowa State University show majors in history, government and modern languages.
Nowhere in those transcripts does chemistry even appear.
“I lasted just three weeks in my freshman chemistry class,” said Lange, a 1969 Iowa State graduate. “Chemistry and I didn’t mix well. It quickly became clear to me I wasn’t prepared to take that class.”
So Lange shifted his interests and moved into the humanities and social sciences at Iowa State.
After graduating, he attended law school at Georgetown University and is now a successful partner with the law firm of Lange, Thomas & McMullen in Washington, D.C. He is also the owner of Union State Bank in Winterset, Iowa.
So, given his lack of interest and association with chemistry over the years, why in the world did Lange contribute $150,000 to the construction of Hach Hall, Iowa State’s newest chemistry building?
Change of heart
When Lange and his wife Jeanie arrived on campus in the fall of 2007 for the kickoff celebration for Campaign Iowa State: With Pride and Purpose, the couple was prepared to make a contribution to Iowa State and to one of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) many academic programs.
Chemistry was nowhere on their radar screen.
“I attribute my decision to two people,” Lange said, “Burton Christensen and my wife.”
Christensen, a 1952 chemistry graduate and retired senior vice president of Merck Research Lab, was on campus to receive an award from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
After the campaign kickoff ceremony, the Langes went back to their hotel where they ran into Christensen and his wife. The couples sat in the hotel lounge and talked about the evening.
“The conversation always drifted back to the chemistry department, and Dr. Christensen made it clear that, while chemistry was an excellent department, it was in need of enhancements, particularly to its facilities, if it was to maintain and improve on that excellence,” Lange said.
“My original leanings were to contribute to one of the social sciences or business departments, but my wife, who isn’t an Iowa Stater, noted that one of the highest priorities on campus and in LAS was the chemistry building. She said it made more sense to put our resources where the most good would come of it,” Lange continued. “Jeanie summed things up ‘Why give to any other area when here was this great need and it was a priority of the university?’
Giving back
As an undergraduate at Iowa State, Lange not only had several majors, but was involved in numerous activities as well. He participated in a number of department clubs, was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, served as co-chair of VEISHEA his senior year, and was a member of Cardinal Key.
Once he graduated, though, he left Iowa State in the rearview mirror and headed to the nation’s capital.
“I spent the first 20 years of my adult life trying to get out of Iowa and the next 20 trying to get back in,” he said. “Iowa State prepared me well for life after graduation. Now I want the opportunity not only to give back to Iowa State financially, but in other ways as well.”
A member of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council, Lange is a frequent visitor to campus these days. He attended the groundbreaking ceremonies for Hach Hall and is excited about the direction of the chemistry department and Iowa State.
“I’m pleased to be able to help somewhat with one of the university’s top priorities,” he said. “I feel in order to build up the entire university, you have to first build up its finest programs, and chemistry is one of those.”
