Devoted to Iowa State

Shortly after being named head of the then department of physical education for the women at Iowa State University, Barbara Forker incorporated alumni relations into her duties.

“It was very early after we created the bachelor’s degree in physical education that we started an alumni newsletter,” said Barbara (M.S. ’50).

Barbara believes that initial alumni newsletter was one of the first such publications within an academic department at Iowa State. It was also the beginnings of a philanthropic effort for the department that Barbara remains active with to this date. Only her method of involvement has changed.

“Early on, the department decided we needed to raise money to help our students,” Barbara recalled. “I discovered we had a room with about 20 phones. So with faculty and students enticed by pizza and pop, we went to work.”

The group called the department’s few alumni and former minors, getting pledges totaling $6,000.

“That’s how we started philanthropy in the department. We were one of the first departments on campus to do this, and I think we’ve done pretty well over the years,” Barbara said.

But Barbara didn’t just ask alumni to contribute to the department. She has backed up her asks with her own donations, “contributing as long as I can remember.”

Those contributions have aided all areas of campus — from scholarships set up to honor fellow Iowa State colleagues to Veenker Memorial Golf Course and the Brunnier Art Museum.

A majority of her philanthropic efforts have been directed to what is now known as the department of kinesiology. It’s a natural connection since Barbara served on the department’s faculty for 38 years, including 28 years as the department head.

While on campus she assisted in the creation of a physical education major for women. She also led a newly merged department of men’s and women’s physical education, one of the first departments in the country to have a single program for men and women.

“I really wanted to help students that didn’t have enough money to go to school,” Barbara said. “I had worked my way through college so I knew the needs some students had.

“My resources came from Iowa State and I felt it was important to give back to the university.”

After retiring, Barbara would call up the department year after year, asking how her resources could best help the department and its students. She has established deferred endowments for scholarships for both graduate students and undergraduates.

Ironically, Barbara said she hadn’t heard of Iowa State prior to a cross-country trip she took with an old American Red Cross friend, with whom she served in Europe after the end of World War II.

Prior to that, she had taught at the elementary and high school levels. Not satisfied teaching in public schools, Barbara decided to return to the Red Cross, but before she could take on a new assignment, a very persistent department head called with an offer from Iowa State to fill out a position starting at the beginning of a quarter.

She relented and eventually stayed at Iowa State for the next 38 years.

“I devoted my life to Iowa State and my profession. I’m proud of what we accomplished and proud as can be to be able to give a little back to the university now,” she said.