Food Bank of Iowa Employee Receives Award from Communication Studies Program
Author: Todd Jenks, Communication Studies faculty and alumni coordinator
Recent news headlines remind all of us of the issue of food insecurity, which sadly is experienced by so many individuals. An ISU graduate was recently recognized with an Outstanding Achievement award from the Communication Studies Program for her work to fight food insecurity here in Iowa.
COMST Alumna Emma Runde
Emma Runde graduated from Iowa State in 2014, with majors in Communication Studies and Spanish. Since her graduation, Emma has been using her talents to make a meaningful difference. Emma currently serves as the marketing and events manager at Food Bank of Iowa. Emma leads direct marketing, brand awareness, and signature events that mobilize Iowans in the fight against hunger. With a blend of creativity and purpose, Emma uses marketing and philanthropy to connect people with meaningful opportunities to support their neighbors and strengthen communities. Emma has been with Food Bank of Iowa for six years, bringing deep experience in nonprofit development and a passion for service. Emma finds impactful ways to highlight the plight of those coping with food insecurity and to inspire individuals and organizations to get involved in giving and helping.
Prior to joining the food bank, Emma worked at Iowa Homeless Youth Centers (a YSS program), supporting transition-age youth experiencing homelessness. Emma’s commitment to community is making a difference for so many! For her significant efforts to help improve the lives of others, Emma was awarded with the 2025 Communication Studies Program Outstanding Achievement by a Young Alumni Award at the College of Liberal Arts Alumni Awards Ceremony on October 23, 2025.
Past Alumni Winners
The inaugural recipient of the Communication Studies Program Outstanding Achievement by a Young Alumni award was the program’s alumnus Brock Purdy. In fall 2023, Brock received the first-ever alumni award from the Communication Studies Program for his phenomenal rookie season in the NFL. The program honored Brock’s body of work during the 2022-2023 season, in which Brock led the San Francisco 49ers to the Conference Championship. The following year (fall 2024), Iowa native Allyson Krull received the program’s young alum award for her superb contributions giving back to the state of Iowa through her years working for the Mason City Chamber of Commerce serving Northern Iowa, where she is Vice President, and prior to that doing promotional and fundraising work for the Iowa State Fair’s Blue Ribbon Foundation.