Lifelong learner: Career educator and traveler nurtured her love of learning at the University Library

A job at the University Library afforded Linda (Shallcross) Soukup the financial support she needed to pursue her education. Attending Iowa State connected her to her husband, Richard, and deepened her lifelong love of learning.

Thirst for knowledge

As a child, Linda would practically skip with excitement as she made her way to the local library to pick up her latest read. Her book of choice at the time? Horse and pony stories.

That thirst for knowledge grew. Linda registered for all the biology and zoology courses available at her high school in suburban Chicago, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

“I was fascinated with zoology and the teacher I had, who I adored, planted the seed for me to attend Iowa State,” Linda said. She tagged along with a friend to Ames for a campus visit and by the time she returned she knew Iowa State was the place for her.

But Linda had one major hurdle left before applying – convincing her dad she should attend school out of state. She was the oldest of five children born within eight years. It was understood that out-of-state tuition was out of their family’s reach.

“Dad said if you can figure out how to pay the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition you can go,” Linda said. She promised she would do so and took out a loan to make up the difference.

Once she arrived at Iowa State, she found her way to the University Library and a student job. It was the fall of 1966. She said female students were expected to wear a dress and hose or tights each day to class and work.

“I was willing to work whenever they could use me when I wasn’t in class,” Linda said. “I had to give up some of my sorority experiences so I could work.”

Balancing work and class was not new for Linda. She had started working at age 15 at a local grocery store and walked two miles to the store for each of her shifts.

“I was often the first one at the library in the mornings,” Linda said. “The dean of the library and head of circulation taught me what I needed to know. It was very important to me to do everything right.”

In addition to professional skills, like attention to detail, timeliness, and clear communication, her University Library supervisors left her with another life-long attribute – an appreciation for Agatha Christie.

“They knew I was taking all this scientific stuff as a zoology major and knew I needed exposure to something else,” Linda said. “Now I have almost every single book she wrote.”

Linda worked at the University Library her sophomore and junior year. She said she loved the exposure to the different types of books she would discover.

“As we reshelved books we learned about the expansive resources at the library… I have always wanted to learn more,” she said.

Investing in others

In her role at the University Library, Linda helped others learn by connecting them with resources to meet their educational goals. Her innate love of learning grew into a passion for teaching.

Iowa State introduced Linda to another lifelong love – her husband Richard (’67 civil engineering).

“During a trip to the bookstore this guy comes up, dressed nicely, and asked if he could help me find anything. I thought he worked there, so I told him what I needed, and he found it for me. He asked if there was anything else he could help me with and when I said no, he asked me out for a Coke date,” Linda said of her first meeting with Richard, who in fact was not employed at the bookstore. “I had been following our sorority rules of not talking with men, so he was the first male I talked to at Iowa State University. We’ve now been married for 56 years.”

The two went on to have many study dates at the library over the years.

In 1968, the Vietnam War interrupted Linda’s education. Richard was about to be drafted, so he applied to the Navy’s officer candidate school. The two decided to marry before he left to complete officer training. Richard then earned his MBA from the University Colorado – Boulder in 1972. From there the couple was stationed in California.

“Rich promised my dad that when he finished, he’d make sure I got to finish. My degree is from the University of Colorado Boulder. Everything from Iowa State transferred so it worked very smoothly,” Linda said. “We did not wear dresses at the University of Colorado. It was quite the opposite.”

Linda put her degree in education to work building a career helping others learn. Based on her positive experience at Iowa State, three of her siblings ended up becoming Cyclones. And one of her siblings even worked at the library.

“I definitely feel a deep connection to Iowa State and gratitude for my time at the University Library,” Linda said. That’s why she and her husband support the University Library among other departments and units at Iowa State.

Soukups also support the College of Engineering with gifts to the Richard and Linda Soukup Engineering Development Suite and civil engineering scholarships.

The next chapter

In retirement, Linda said, “if I had my druthers, I would spend more time reading a book.”

Mysteries are her favorite. So is traveling. In addition to teaching, Linda worked part-time as a travel agent.

“I’ve been all over the world, even Iceland and Antarctica. All these things and places I saw… I’m just so thankful I did it when I did it,” Linda said. “Of all the places I’ve visited, my favorite trip was Alaska.”

In addition to reading and traveling in retirement, she and Richard have served as ushers at a theater in Houston, Texas, where they now live, and Richard was a tennis official for the U.S. Open for 17 years.

Linda spends many of her days substitute teaching and sharing books with her grandchild.

“I am still learning. I learn from my students every day when I substitute teach,” Linda said. “The other day, they even put me to work in the school library reshelving. Talk about a full circle moment.”