Swimming Student Honors Special Instructor

"Barbara Forker touched my life,” says Betty Stephenson of her former physical education instructor. Now Betty, the “slow learning swimming student who still doesn’t enjoy the pool,” (as she refers to herself) would like to assure Forker’s legacy impacts other students today and in the future. Betty (B.S. ’52) refers to Barbara as “a special college professor who touched my life while a student at Iowa State,” and has established the Barbara Forker Scholarship in her honor.

If you’re wondering what would compel someone to recognize another individual by naming a scholarship for them, Betty says it’s simple. “Barbara was there whenever I needed to consult with someone. She was a college instructor who took a real interest in me as an individual, interested in my progress and success in the various aspects of my college life.” That interest didn’t end after graduation, according to Betty. “She continued to follow my successes in teaching and my involvement in state and national professional organizations.”

This scholarship was a unique opportunity, she says, “to honor a teacher who had become a friend and someone who I admire for her professionalism, love of teaching and compassion for others. This is a small way in which I can share my success with students in the process of preparing for their careers by having it designated in honor of one person who was part of my success in college,” says Betty.

Now retired, Betty was a home economics teacher for three years in Iowa and 33 years in Colorado, but never lost interest in physical education. For 25 of those years, she says, she developed and taught a home economics program for special needs students. “While continuing my interest in physical activities and sports,” she recalls, “I became aware there wasn’t much available in that area for challenged students. Thus my desire to help future physical education teachers working with special needs individuals.”

Her hope to support training for students to work with children with disabilities determined the direction of the scholarship. The Barbara Forker Scholarship recognizes students who exhibit academic excellence and professional commitment to educating others about the values of sports and active lifestyles, especially for physically challenged populations. Scholarship recipient Anne Holthaus, a senior majoring in physical education, wants to get her master's in special or adapted physical education.

“It’s an awesome opportunity,” she says of the scholarship. “I work with kids with disabilities right now, and look forward to doing it in the future.”

Recipient, Allison Nevins, who will graduate in May with a degree in athletic training and pre-physical therapy, says “Barbara Forker is a well-known individual in the department of health and human performance within the College of Human Sciences, and to be awarded something that is dedicated to her is a great honor. Working with individuals with disabilities is something that I love to do and to receive a scholarship that recognizes that work is a great feeling.”

Recent graduate and scholarship recipient Jenny Smith plans to earn her Ph.D. in pedagogy and may teach at the university level. “It’s nice that the scholarship recognizes hard work beyond going to classes,” she says. “I would work with the physically challenged even if there wasn’t a scholarship, but the fact that there is a scholarship is particularly rewarding.”

All of this pleases Betty, who has financially contributed to Iowa State since 1987 through her will and trust, with the funds divided between the home economics and physical education departments. Because it may be many years before her dream of helping students will be realized, Betty has also begun contributing annually. In this way, she can achieve her goals of honoring Barbara Forker and providing immediate financial support for students.

A bequest naming Iowa State in a living trust is the easiest and most popular deferred git plans used by alumni and friends. Donors may name the Iowa State University Foundation as a percentage beneficiary, for a specific dollar amount or specific assets, or as a residual or contingent recipient.

“There were no such things as scholarships when I was in college,” she says. “What I can do may be on a smaller scale, but it affects individuals and makes a difference in their college careers. I’ve always known the professional success enjoyed in my own life was because of my undergraduate degree from Iowa State. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to give back.”

Barbara Forker

Barbara Forker (M.S. ’50), who retired in 1986, served as the first chair of the department of physical education, now the department of health and human performance. She joined the ISU faculty in 1948. After earning her Ph.D., she became head of physical education for women at Iowa State in 1958 (assisting in the creation of a physical education major for women in 1960) and in 1974 led that department in a merger with the men’s department of physical education. She served as head of the newly created department, which was one of the first in the country to have a single program for men and women.

Barbara was appointed by President Gerald Ford to the President’s Commission on Olympic Sports and later served as a member of the United States Olympic Committee. She served 22 months in Europe with the American Red Cross during World War II.

Her honors include ISU Professor of the Year (1963), Distinguished Professor (1978) and the Strong-Minded Woman Award from the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. In 1997, the physical education building at Iowa State was renamed the Barbara E. Forker Building.