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Student life archivist works with students on records preservation

October 12, 2022

Graphic: Rectangle color image of SCUA reading room with Rebecca Wells, who has long brown hair. She is wearing a long sleeved red shirt and is sitting at desk with book open looking at a page, surrounded by records boxes and other books.Collecting and preserving the history of Iowa State University is fundamental to the work of Special Collections and University Archives. Students, although often only here for a handful of years, have an immense impact on the university’s history. These students daily shape what it means to be an Iowa Stater through their coursework, activism on campus, participation in student organizations, and more. Every ISU student makes a mark on campus.   

It is the charge of Rebecca Wells, student life archivist in Special Collections and University Archives, to help students, past and present, collect and preserve their legacy at Iowa State. Wells does so by teaching students how to care for their records and by facilitating the donation of materials that express a range of perspectives, people, and formats (both analog and digital) produced by ISU students. 

Wells holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, creative writing, and Scandinavian studies with a music minor from Augustana College and an Master of Science in Information Studies with endorsements of specialization in archival administration and preservation administration from the University of Texas at Austin. In addition, Wells holds a certificate from the University of North Texas in advanced management in libraries and information agencies. Wells joined SCUA in the fall of 2022 and remains active in the Society of American Archivists and the American Library Association. 

Contact

Rebecca Wells, student life archivist, 403 Parks Library, 515-294-6676