About the MASC

Mission

The mission of the Military-Affiliated Student Center at Iowa State University is to provide programming and services that facilitate the academic and personal success of students who are Active-Duty service members, veterans, ROTC cadets, Reservists, National Guard members, and dependents (spouses and children). Our center is dedicated to creating a supportive environment that recognizes and values the unique experiences and needs of military-affiliated students, Through resources, advocacy, community-building initiatives, and transition assistance, we aim to ensure that all military-affiliated students can effectively navigate their educational journey, achieve their academic goals, and contribute positively to the university community, as aligned with the mission of the University and the Division of Student Affairs in supporting student success.

Rita Case

Director

Director

Rita Case

Rita comes to ISU from MSU Denver with deep connections in the military and veteran community. She is an Army spouse and a United States Navy and Navy Reserves veteran. In the military, Rita served as a 2nd class Petty Officer, Logistics Specialist with the U.S Navy Mobile Construction Battalion-17, commonly called the Seabees. Rita holds a B.A. in Communications from the Colorado Women's College at the University of Denver and a M.S. in Organizational Leadership from the Anderson College of Business at Regis University.

Phone: 515-294-5035

Email: ritacase@iastate.edu
Tony Thacker

Assistant Director

Assistant Director

Tony Thacker

Tony retired from the United States Army after 20 years of service in February 2023. He served as a Logistics Officer stationed in Virginia, Washington D.C., and North Carolina. Additionally, he deployed to Iraq twice and Kuwait once. Before retiring, he served as an instructor in the Army ROTC program at Iowa State where he taught sophomore cadets from 2019 to 2023. Tony holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the Citadel and a M.A. in Military History from Norwich University. Most importantly, Tony is a husband and a father of three.

Phone: 515-294-3429

Email: thacker@iastate.edu
Mitch Recker

Leadership and Programming Graduate Assistant

Leadership and Programming Graduate Assistant

Mitch Recker

Mitch graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2019 with a B.S. degree in Criminology. Upon graduating from UNI, Mitch worked for the Department of Corrections for 3 years in Des Moines while earning another B.A degree in Communication Studies from ISU. Mitch served 6 years in the Army National Guard and was deployed to the Middle East in Operation Spartan Shield from 2020-2021. He is currently in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program to earn his M.Ed. Mitch plans and coordinates the social events, weekly dinners, and graduation celebrations at the MASC for our military affiliated students.

Phone: 515-294-1914

Email: mitchrec@iastate.edu
Allison Stuenkel

Academic Success and Transition Graduate Assistant

Academic Success and Transition Graduate Assistant

Allison Stuenkel

Allison graduated from Central College in 2022 with a B.A. in English and a certification to teach Language Arts. While she doesn't have military experience of her own, her grandfather served in the Vietnam war. Allison looks forward to learning more about the experiences Veterans encounter and assisting students achieve their academic and professional goals. She is currently pursuing her M. Ed. in Higher Education with an emphasis in Student Affairs. As the Academic Success & Transition GA, Allison is responsible for anything academic-and transition-related: tutor requests, academic coaching, academic/transition/career workshops.

Phone: 515-294-1970

Email: stuenkel@iastate.edu

Mission

Meet Our Staff

Rita Case

Tony Thacker

Mitch Recker

Allison Stuenkel