Each year, Iowa State University’s Department of Civil Construction and Environmental Engineering (CCEE) honors legacy-creating alumni for their professional achievements, service to the profession, community and/or the department, and high degree of integrity and character through two different recognitions.
The Hall of Fame is a lifetime achievement award recognizing those known for their preeminent leadership or far-reaching impact on the profession. The Distinguished Alumni award is for alumni with significant industry impact through professional achievement and service. In 2024, two individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and five will be honored as Distinguished Alumni.
These Cyclone alumni are leaders and innovators that are locally, nationally and internationally recognized for their expertise and impact in areas like soil stabilization, engineering education, construction innovation, business, concrete pavement, wastewater and research.
2024 Hall of Fame inductees:
James M. (Jim) Hoover, bachelor’s in civil engineering, 1953, master’s, 1956
Rick Tollakson, bachelor’s in construction engineering, 1976
2024 Distinguished Alumni inductees:
Madan L. Arora, master’s in civil engineering, 1968, doctorate, 1970
James Cable, bachelor’s in civil engineering, 1964, master’s, 1976
Ryan Callaghan, bachelor’s in civil engineering, 1995, master’s, 1996
Islam H. El-adaway, doctorate in construction engineering, 2008
Gordon Smith, bachelor’s in civil engineering, 1975
Read more about past honorees and how to nominate someone for next year.
Nominations are vetted through a joint committee of the department’s two advisory councils, reviewed by the university and council executive committees, and then voted on by the Civil and Environmental Engineering External Advisory Council or the Construction Engineering Industry Advisory Council. We need your help in finding deserving alumni. If you would like to nominate someone for 2025, please use this form. Applications are due August 1, 2024.
This year’s award recipients will be honored at the Construction Engineering Awards Banquet on Friday, April 19, 2024, or the Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering Awards Banquet on Thursday, October 10, 2024. For more information on the banquets, contact Alisha Carroll at carrolla@iastate.edu. We are extremely proud of this year’s class of honorees as well as our existing members.