Iowa Sociological Association

History of the ISA

The Iowa Sociological Association is an undergraduate-focused academic association organizing an annual meeting where undergraduates present their research in a formal yet supportive environment. Student participants come from community colleges, private colleges, and public universities across Iowa.

The First ISA Conference

On April 30, 1959, sociology faculty and students from Iowa universities, colleges, and junior colleges met at Iowa State University in Ames for the first “Iowa Sociology Conference.” Planning for the conference began in February of that year at the initiative of the Department of Sociology at Iowa State and in response to interest throughout the state in having an annual sociology conference. Professor Lee Burchinal of Iowa State chaired the first program committee composed of faculty members from Drake, Cornell, Grinnell, Iowa State, Simpson, and Wartburg.

In attendance at the one-day conference in 1959 were 27 faculty and 134 students from 15 Iowa institutions. Students heard a talk on “An Overview of Sociology” by a Dr. Meadows of the University of Nebraska and then attended a panel discussion on the occupational roles of sociologists. Later, students presented papers, beginning the emphasis of all future annual meetings of Iowa sociologists on student research.

Photo courtesy of: Frederick W. Kent Photograph Collection, The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City, Iowa.

The Second ISA Conference

The second ISA Conference was held the following year on May 2, 1960, at the State University of Iowa. In attendance were 38 faculty and 150 students.

At the business meeting, the representatives of the sixteen institutions with faculty attending the conference decided that a permanent organization for sociology faculty and students should be established and that at least one annual meeting be held. In additon, a program committee was established.

The Third ISA Conference

The third annual Iowa Sociology Conference was held on April 7, 1961, at Iowa State University. This meeting featured the adoption of a constitution and by-laws officially establishing and naming the Iowa Sociological Association. A slightly revised version of the constitution was adopted in 1979, but the Iowa Sociological Association retains its original purposes and organization.

The constitution also provided for the election of three officers to serve one-terms: a president, a president-elect and a secretary-treasurer. Membership in the association was open to undergraduate sociology majors and minors, graduate students in sociology, and sociology faculty at Iowa colleges and universities, as well as any Iowa student or faculty with an interest in the program of the association.

The Iowa Sociological Association has met annually since 1961, with the institution of the president-elect hosting the meeting. At the 1967 business meeting, members suggested that the papers read be limited to undergraduate students, and subsequently the presentation of undergraduate papers has been the focus of the annual meetings. An additional regular feature of the annual meetings is a keynote address by a sociologist invited by the host institution.

In 1968, the Association began the practice of presenting an award for the best student paper presented at the conference.

The annual meetings of the Iowa Sociological Association continue to feature the presentation of undergraduate papers, three awards for to the best papers, and a keynote speaker. As its founders intended over four decades ago, the Association continues to provide opportunities for interaction among sociology faculty and students at Iowa’s colleges and universities.

* History compiled by Chris Carlson, Cornell College

Past Presidents of the Iowa Sociological Association

1958 - present

2025-2026 Rebecca Tuxhorn, Des Moines Area Community College and Susan Stewart, Iowa State University

2024-2025 Jason Surratt, North Iowa Area Community College and Jenn Haylett, University of Iowa

2023-2024 Ramona Linville, Marshalltown Community College and Marybeth C. Stalp, University of Northern Iowa

2022-2023 Michael Johnston, William Penn University

2021-2022 Michael Johnston, William Penn University

2020--2021 Michael Johnson, William Penn University (meeting cancelled COVID-19)

2019-2020 Charlotte Kunkel, Luther College (meeting cancelled COVID-19)

2018-2019 Charlotte Kunkel, Luther College 2017-2018

2016-2017 Kathrin Parks, Loras College

2015-2016 Michael Lovaglia, University of Iowa

2014-2015 Shawn Wick, Central College

2013-2014 Charlotte Kunkel, Luther College

2012-2013 Amy Deibert, Grand View University

2011-2012 Kevin Leicht, University of Iowa

2010-2011 Gayle Rhineberger-Dunn, University of Northern Iowa and Marybeth C. Stalp, University of Northern Iowa

2009-2010 Tori Barnes-Brus, Cornell College and Erin Davis, Cornell College

2008-2009 Kent McClelland, Grinnell College

2007-2008 Charlotte Kunkel, Luther College

2006-2007 Stephen Wieting, University of Iowa

2005-2006 Bill Norman, Graceland University

2004-2005 Steve Colatrella, Mount Mercy College

2003-2004 Mark Freyberg, Simpson College

2002-2003 Keith Crew, University of Northern Iowa

2001-2002 Joseph Schneider, Drake University

2000-2001 Michael Lovaglia, University of Iowa

1999-2000 Wendy Harrod, Iowa State University

1998-1999 Charlotte Kunkel, Luther College

1997-1998 Jane Kvetko, Simpson College and Fred Jones, Simpson College

1996-1997 Mohammed Chaichian, Mount Mercy College

1995-1996 Susan Wright, Drake University

1994-1995 Glenn Nelson, Luther College

1993-1994 Hallowell Pope, University of Iowa

1992-1993 Michael Delaney, Des Moines Area Community College

1991-1992 Keith Crew, University of Northern Iowa

1990-1991 Ken Root, Luther College

1989-1990 Jane Kvetko, Simpson College

1988-1989 Mohammed Chaichian, University of Dubuque

1987-1988 Robert Schafer, Iowa State University

1986-1987 John Stratton, University of Iowa

1985-1986 Robert Frenier, Kirkwood Community College

1984-1985 Robert Claus, University of Northern Iowa

1983-1984 Kenneth Miller, Drake University

1982-1983 Fred O. Jones, Simpson College

1981-1982 Brent Bruton, Iowa State University

1980-1981 Michael Delaney, Des Moines Area Community College

1979-1980 Donald Maxam, Central College

1978-1979 Mary Alice Ericson, Coe College

1977-1978 Russel Nash, University of Dubuque

1976-1977 Charles Clark, Mount Mercy College

1975-1976 Dean Wright, Drake University

1974-1975 Joseph Faltemier, Morningside College

1973-1974 Marni Mellen, Parsons College

1972-1973 Virgil Noack, University of Northern Iowa

1971-1972 Ed Powers, Iowa State University

1970-1971 Richard Wilmeth, University of Iowa

1969-1970 Albert Burrows, William Penn College

1968-1969 Mary Alice Ericson, Coe College

1967-1968 Everett Laning, Simpson College

1966-1967 Harold Eastman, Parsons College

1965-1966 Albert Anderson, Drake University

1964-1965 David Johnson, Luther College

1963-1964 Harold Ennis, Cornell College

1962-1963 J. Richard Wilmeth, University of Iowa

1961-1962 Lewis McMeurlen, Drake University

1960-1961 William Kenkel, Iowa State University

1959-1960 Manford Kuhn, University of Iowa

1958-1959 Lee Burchinal, Iowa State University

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