W. Robert Parks

William Robert Parks (October 13, 1915 – July 13, 2003)^[1] was the 11^th president of Iowa State University.

Education:

• B.A. political science Berea College, Kentucky (1937)
• M.A. political science University of Kentucky (1938)
• PhD political science University of Wisconsin–Madison (1945)

Achievements:

• Research & administration with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics (1940 - 1948)
• Lieutenant of the United States Navy during World War II
• Professor of government at ISU (1948 - 1956)
• Professor of agricultural economics at University of Wisconsin–Madison (1956 - 1958)
• Dean of Instruction at ISU (1958 - 1961)
• Vice President of Academic Affairs (1961 - 1965)
• 11^th president of ISU from 1965 to 1986
  • Head of National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges
  • Head of Association of American Universities
  • Head of Council of Presidents
  • Head of Mid-American State Universities Association
  • Head of Association of Iowa College Presidents
  • Member of the board of trustees of the Teachers Insurance and Annuities-College Retirement Equities Fund
  • On board of directors of Norwestern Bell
  • On board of directors of Central Life Assurance
• Honorary doctorate from Bear College (1966)
• Honorary doctorate from Westmar College (1968)
• Honorary doctorate from Drake University (1968)
• Named honorary alumnus of ISU (1969)
• Honorary doctorate from University of Kentucky (1973)
• Library named W. Robert and Ellen Sorge Parks Library (1984)
• Received the first Christian Petersen Design Award for his leadership in establishing the College of Design

He married Ellen Sorge (1914 - 1999) and had two daughters: Andrea (Van Howeling) and Cynthia (Hamilton). Ellen was the first woman to receive a PhD in political science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

References

• W. Robert Parks Papers, RS 2/11, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.