Meet the marshals

Mia Abeja, from Tinley Park, Illinois, will serve as student marshal for the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship. Abeja is graduating with a bachelor of science in human resource management and international business, summa cum laude. She has accepted a position as a U.S. people specialist at McDonald’s corporate headquarters in Chicago, Illinois.

Bennett Dirkx, from Waukee, Iowa, will serve as student marshal for the Department of Marketing. Dirkx is graduating with a bachelor of science in marketing, summa cum laude. He has accepted a position as a junior client executive at Holmes Murphy in Waukee, Iowa.

Kate Gira, from Eagan, Minnesota, will serve as student marshal for the Department of Supply Chain Management. Gira is graduating with a bachelor of science in supply chain management and management, magna cum laude. After graduation, she will be working as a buyer for Abbott in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Carly Izard, from Spencer, Iowa, will serve as student marshal for the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics. Izard is graduating summa cum laude with two degrees: a bachelor of science in business analytics and a bachelor of science in management information systems. She has accepted a position with RSM as a technology consultant in Des Moines, Iowa.

Violet Lapke, from Logan, Iowa, will serve as the MBA student marshal. Lapke is graduating with two degrees: an MBA and a bachelor of science in chemical engineering, summa cum laude. After graduation, Violet will join Rockwell Automation’s engineering leadership development program.

Alexis Shike, from Greenfield, Iowa, will serve as student marshal for the Department of Accounting. Shike is graduating with a bachelor of science in accounting, summa cum laude. After graduation, she will complete the master of accounting program at Iowa State and then join Principal Financial Group full-time in Des Moines, Iowa.

Zoe Stonebraker, from Tipton, Iowa, will serve as student marshal for the Department of Finance. Stonebraker is graduating with a bachelor of science in finance and accounting, magna cum laude. She is also a graduate of the University Honors Program. This fall, Stonebraker will enroll in the master of accounting program at Iowa State.

Aaron Randak, from Cresco, Iowa, will serve as the Ivy College of Business student marshal at Iowa State’s undergraduate commencement ceremony on May 17. Randak is graduating magna cum laude with two degrees: a bachelor of science in finance and a bachelor of science in financial counseling and planning. Randak passed the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exam in November 2024. After graduation, he will start his own firm, Golden Acre Wealth Management, in Scottsdale, Arizona, to begin his career as a financial advisor.