Stephanie Clark, ISU Creamery Director, envisions the Creamery as a place to prepare Iowa State students for careers in the food and dairy sciences. Her passion for dairy started as she grew up on small farm in Massachusetts, where she first started making cheese from milk of her dairy goats.Today, Dr. Clark is an internationally sought expert in dairy foods processing, safety, and quality. Along the way, Dr. Clark earned her Ph.D. in Food Science from Cornell University and was an Associate Professor at Washington State University. In Spring 2016, Dr. Clark was promoted to professor and awarded the Virginia M. Gladney endowed professorship, which she has used to launch the micro-creamery.
At Iowa State, Dr. Clark teaches courses in dairy products, scientific communication, and sensory evaluation of foods.She has been the research advisor of more than 35 undergraduate, 20 M.S., and six Ph.D.students. She has advised successful food product development and dairy products evaluation teams at WSU and at ISU.
Dr. Clark researches dairy products' chemistry, microbiology, processing and sensory evaluation. She is the Associate Director of the Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center and an active member of the American Dairy Science Association and the Institute of Food Technologists. She has been the technical advisor of the American Cheese Society Judging & Competition since 2011 and chaired the committee from 2016-2018.
As the Business Administrator, Sarah Canova manages the daily operations of the Creamery. Her career in the food industry started on her family farm where they raised beef cattle, swine, and sheep. While attending Iowa State University, her passion for the dairy industry took root. She competed on the Dairy Products Evaluation Team and worked with Dr. Stephanie Clark on her dairy research. After working in research and development in the meat industry, Sarah returned to Iowa State to help launch the Creamery. She holds an MBA and BS in Food Science from Iowa State. When not at the Creamery, she enjoys time with family, working on her family farm, and gardening.
“It is so exciting to be developing an opportunity for incoming ISU students to learn about dairy manufacturing during their time on campus. They will have a great experience learning about all steps of the process: formulation, production, inventory control, finance management, and marketing of the retail business.”
Hi, I’m the Production Supervisor of the Creamery, Danielle Christofferson! I’m the one who ensures that all of the ice cream and cheese that we produce is of the highest quality and manages all aspects related to that production. This is my first foray into the world of food and dairy science and I couldn’t be happier that it involves my favorite food, ice cream! Before coming to the Creamery, my background was in that of molecular biology. I’ve worked in molecular diagnostic and regulatory labs and have a Bachelor’s in both Biology and Biotechnology from Grand View University. When I’m not at work, I can be found spending time with my family, weight lifting or rock climbing, or reading. This is an exciting opportunity for me to help students learn about dairy production, but to also teach them skills that they’ll need once they graduate and what better place to do it than somewhere that makes such delicious food?
Student Staff Members
Graduation Year: Fall 2023
Major: Aerospace Engineering
Hometown: Grand Blanc, Michigan
Favorite Flavor: Lunar Lavender
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Alumni Center before Step Show
Graduation Year: 2027
Major: Food Science
Hometown: Colesburg, Iowa
Favorite Flavor: 1858
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Outside Parks Library
Graduation Year: 2024
Major: Animal Science
Hometown: Richfield, WI
Favorite Flavor: Human Sci Sweet Cherry Pie
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: During Classes
Graduation Year: 2024
Major: Dietetics
Hometown: Urbandale, IA
Favorite Flavor: Business Brew
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: In a hammock on central campus
Graduation Year: Spring 2025
Major: Food Science
Hometown: Roselle, Illinois
Favorite Flavor: Business Brew
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Central Campus under a tree or on one of the benches near the walkways
Graduation Year: 2025
Major: Culinary Food Science
Hometown: Denver, IA
Favorite Flavor: Legacy
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Lagomarcino Courtyard
Graduation Year: 2024
Major: French
Hometown: Rhode Island
Favorite Flavor: Forever True
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Central Campus
Graduation Year: 2025
Major: Event Management
Hometown: Oak Park, IL
Favorite Flavor: Materials Masterpiece
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Student Innovation Center
Graduation Year: Spring 2025
Major: Culinary Food Science
Hometown: Arlington Heights, IL
Favorite Flavor: Lunar Lavender
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Hammocking on central campus
Graduation Year: 2025
Major: Culinary Food Science
Hometown: Denver, CO
Favorite Flavor: Anything with chocolate
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Student Innovation Center
Graduation Year: May 2025
Major: Food Science
Hometown: Monticello, IA
Favorite Flavor: Pasture Bedtime
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Courtyard in the Food Science Building
Graduation Year: 2027
Major: Culinary Food Science
Hometown: Slidell, Louisiana
Favorite Flavor: ChampionCHIP Kyven Dough
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: On the Quad
Graduation Year: 2023
Major: Chemical Engineering with a Food Science minor
Hometown: Eagan, MN
Favorite Flavor: Marston Mash
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Walking around central campus.
Graduation Year: 2026
Major: Management Information Systems
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Favorite Flavor: Business Brew
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Memorial Union
Graduation Year: May 2024
Major: Culinary Food Science
Hometown: St, Peters Missouri
Favorite Flavor: Wintersgreen
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Food Sciences Building Courtyard
Graduation Year: 2027
Major: Public Relations
Hometown: St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Favorite Flavor: Campanile Kiss
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: By Lake Laverne!
Graduation Year: 2026
Major: Animal Science
Hometown: Gilberts, IL
Favorite Flavor: Lunar Lavender & Lemon Berry bLASt
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: With my friends in my dorm
Graduation Year: 2024
Major: Culinary Food Science
Hometown: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Favorite Flavor: Lunar Lavender
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Food Sciences Building
Graduation Year: 2025
Major: Aerospace Engineering
Hometown: Storm Lake, IA
Favorite Flavor: Lemon Berry bLASt
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Central Campus
Graduation Year: 2024
Major: Food Science
Hometown: Plainfield, IL
Favorite Flavor: Cardinal Tracks
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Central Campus while hammocking!
Graduation Year: 2024
Major: Animal Science
Hometown: Story City, IA
Favorite Flavor: Alma Mater Baklava
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: While walking to class.