Young alumna, ISU Foundation staff honored with awards
Three Iowa State University Foundation staff members and a 1990 graduate of the College of Design will be recognized during the ISU Foundation Governors meeting this October.
The awards will be bestowed on alumna Deeia M. Topp and ISU Foundation employees Jodi Andersen, Sandy Helgeland and Shawnna Murphy during a luncheon at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center Friday, Oct. 16.
Order of the Knoll Young Alumni Award
Deeia Topp
Deeia M. Topp (’90 interior design) is a renowned interior designer and president and owner of Deeia M. Topp Interiors in Sarasota, Fla. She is known for her creativity, competence, professionalism and integrity in her field with the ability to translate the personal tastes and wishes of her clients into reality. Her business focuses on custom residential projects and model homes for high-end builders.
Topp’s work has been honored with more than 50 regional Parade of Homes Awards and has been recognized by SRQ, Sarasota's premier magazine where she has won 11 awards, including seven for Home of the Year.
A member of the College of Design’s Interior Design Advisory Board, Topp has remained committed to the continuous improvement of the Iowa State program, from the classroom to real world practice.
Topp and her husband, John Sparling, have established an expendable scholarship in the department of art and design for the purpose of benefitting students studying abroad, specifically in the College of Design’s Rome program.
Order of the Knoll Governors’ Staff Awards
Jodi Andersen
Jodi Andersen, director of donor relations, has been a member of the ISU Foundation staff since 2001. Under Andersen’s guidance, the donor relations team has achieved impressive results, improving the ISU Foundation’s relationships with Iowa State donors. Her team has reached out to donors and prospects with highly personalized and impactful communications.
Through her leadership, the Order of the Knoll donor recognition society was restructured to include an annual gift component and changes in the cumulative giving requirements. She is a frequent presenter at professional conferences and has been recognized with numerous awards in her field.
Sandy Helgeland
Sandy Helgeland, executive development assistant, joined the ISU Foundation in 2002. She has worked in both the communications and leadership gifts areas and now supports Larissa Holtmyer Jones, vice president for development.
Described as an “unsung hero” of the ISU Foundation, Helgeland has consistently worked behind the scenes providing a vital link connecting Iowa State University with the institution’s many alumni and friends.
Shawnna Murphy
In her role as director of accounting for the ISU Foundation, Shawnna Murphy provides oversight of gift processing, manages real estate activity, and assists in the preparation of financial statements, among other duties. Her work requires tremendous collaboration with various groups within the ISU Foundation.
Murphy has been integral in a number of critical projects since joining the ISU Foundation, including: developing and revising the gift acceptance policy, assisting with foundation proposals, assisting in the development of an IRA rollover program, and establishing new credit card processes for online giving.
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