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.”
Associate Dean for Personnel and Finance for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University, Dr. Ruth MacDonald continues to play a major role in re-establishing the Iowa State University Creamery.
Student Staff Members
Graduation Year: 2024
Major: Dietetics
Hometown: Ottumwa, IA
Favorite Flavor: 1858
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: The benches outside of the Food Science building
Graduation Year: 2024
Major: Nutritional Science
Hometown: Farmington, MN
Favorite Flavor: ChampionCHIP Kyven Dough
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: On central campus!
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: 2024
Major: Dairy Science
Hometown: Rudd, Iowa
Favorite Flavor: White Chocolate Squirrel
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Underneath a tree in central campus
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: 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: 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: 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: Spring 2023
Major: Dietetics
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, IA
Favorite flavor: Wintersgreen
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: A bench near Lake Laverne
Graduation Year: 2023
Major: Chemical Engineering; Food Science Minor
Hometown: Quincy, IL
Favorite Flavor: Homecoming
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: On the steps of the Food Sciences Building
Graduation Year: 2026
Major: Math Education
Hometown: Shoreview, MN
Favorite Flavor: Cardinal Tracks
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: The Campanile
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: 2023
Major: Dietetics
Hometown: Waterloo, IA
Favorite Flavor: Peanut Butter
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Central Campus
Graduation Year: 2024
Major: Animal Science
Hometown: Clinton, IA
Favorite Flavor: Marston Mash
Favorite place on campus to enjoy creamery ice cream: Library
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.