About Campus Life

  • 92%

    of first-year students in 2023 chose to live on-campus

  • 23

    ISU Dining locations

  • 355,000+

    Event attendees at the Memorial Union

Campus Life impacts students every day. It's where they live, what they eat, and how they engage in their community. Campus Life helps provide the base for the Iowa State experience and a safe, healthy, and supportive framework for the duration of their stay.

Campus Life is split into three departments; the Department of Residence, ISU Dining, and the Memorial Union. These departments work together collaboratively to provide a more cohesive, holistic, and well-rounded foundation for a student's life on campus. 

For more specific information on each of the departments and what they offer, please check their individual websites.

Large gathering of students on the terrace of the Memorial Union on a sunny day

Campus Life Leadership

  • Amelia Cepeda

    Director of University Housing
    Amelia Cepeda serves as Director of University Housing at Iowa State University, a role she began in January 2025. She oversees all aspects of the Department of Residence, including more than 3 million square feet across 20 residence halls and three apartment communities. These spaces are maintained by a $55 million operating budget, and approximately 190 full-time and 230 student employees who support more than 10,000 students living on campus.

    About

  • Chad Garland

    Director of the Memorial Union
    Chad Garland joined Iowa State University as Director of the Memorial Union in April 2024. The Memorial Union, a cornerstone of campus life since its opening in 1928, is part of Campus Life within the Division of Student Affairs.

    About

  • Joe Paulick

    Associate Vice President for Campus Life
    Joe Paulick began serving as Associate Vice President for Campus Life in the Division of Student Affairs at Iowa State University on July 31, 2026. Campus Life connects the Department of Residence, ISU Dining, and the Memorial Union to enhance the student experience outside the classroom.

    About

  • Meredith Ponder Hanisch

    Director of Marketing and Communication for Campus Life
    Meredith Ponder Hanisch serves as Director of Marketing and Communication for Campus Life at Iowa State University, a role she has held since March 2022. Campus Life includes the university’s housing, dining, and student union operations, which together support more than 10,000 residents, serve over 63,000 meals per week, and welcome approximately 1.3 million annual visitors to the Memorial Union.

    About

  • Karen Rodekamp

    Director of ISU Dining
    Karen Rodekamp has served as Director of ISU Dining within Campus Life in the Division of Student Affairs at Iowa State University since November 2023. ISU Dining supports more than 10,000 meal plan holders, serving approximately 17,000 meals each day (more than 2 million annually), and includes a full-service catering operation and multiple retail locations that generate over 1.3 million transactions each year.

    About