Written by Anne Krapfl | Photos by Christopher Gannon
June 13, 2023

ISUCard manager Jody Pietz hands first-year student Raina Graalfs.

ISUCard manager Jody Pietz hands first-year student Raina Graalfs, Urbandale, her ID card. Graalfs is among the 10% of her class who opted to submit a photo image electronically before she arrived on campus. One of the holdovers from the pandemic summer of 2020 -- when the whole orientation experience moved online and ID cards were distributed in August -- is that incoming students may submit a preferred headshot for their ISUCard. Those cards are printed in advance, so that option also creates two, shorter queues for cards most June mornings. 

Student employee Jennifer Daharsh captures the photograph of first-year student Jenna Borwick in the ISUCard office.
Student employee Jennifer Daharsh captures the photograph of first-year student Jenna Borwick, Cedar Falls, in the ISUCard office.

Staff in the ISUCard office generate between 11,000 and 12,000 university ID cards for new students and employees each year. Roughly half of those cards -- close to 5,800 this year -- roll out in June during new student orientation. Two staff members, assisted by three summer student employees, handle that volume at a rate of about 280 student IDs per day, mostly during a two-hour morning crunch.

It's a fundamental moment in a student's acclimation to college life. What says "I belong here" better than a photo ID? ISUCard manager Jody Pietz, who started her 27th orientation, has learned a thing or two about ID cards that make people smile.

"A majority of the students are very excited about this step. Some acknowledge to us, 'I know it's not a glamour shot,' but it's important to them," Pietz said. "They get to choose to smile or not. We focus on basic things like, are their eyes open, can we tell their eye color and does the image represent them adequately?"

Program specialist Ashley Thompson, who operates a third photo station while supporting the student employees at the first two and prints cards for electronically submitted student photos as the images arrive, admitted, "It's kind of a whirlwind process. They're not here in our office very long."

Regardless, they all get a smile and a "You're all set. Have a good day," from her as she hands them their new card.

Like many employees providing a critical student service at orientation, Pietz hasn't planned a family vacation in June -- or the runner-up busy card month, August -- in decades. Not this summer. She retired at the end of last week to finally enjoy a pandemic-delayed cruise.

First-year students Anthony Garcia and Wilson Diep complete the ISUCard application form.

First-year students Anthony Garcia (left), Des Moines; and Wilson Diep, Eldridge, complete the ISUCard application form. With it, they're ready to step up to one of three processing stations in the ISUCard office for a quick photo. 

ISUCard staff member Ashley Thompson visits with first-year student Chase Phillips as he receives his new ID card.

ISUCard staff member Ashley Thompson visits with first-year student Chase Phillips, Waukee, as he receives his new ID card. To a mostly preprinted card, staff add the student's name, ID number and new photo.