New experiences. New opportunities.

Alison Wagner

Alison Wagner (animal science, agriculture and life sciences education) came to Iowa State because she was looking for the hands-on application part of the classes she would take. As a First-Year Honors participant, she found a community of peer students who were interested in deepening their subject area understanding through research and seminars. Finding like-minded people was so impactful that she wanted to give back by mentoring new honors students.

As a peer mentor, Alison was responsible for creating lesson plans using a theme to develop a successful transition to Iowa State for new honors students. The practice of laying out objectives with activities to reach the intended goals gave her a new appreciation for teaching. This great leadership experience caused her to reroute her career goal toward education.

Students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) participate in a variety of in-class and out-of-class experiences that contribute to the unique career goals of each student. No matter what you chose to participate in, get involved and try different things until you find your home away from home.