By Whitney Baxter
An influential professor who had “marsh pictures on the wall, duck decoys on his desk and a bookcase full of ornithological and wildlife materials,” the late Milton Weller had a way of bringing students together. That legacy has continued inspiring professional relationships – and gatherings – over decades.
Weller was professor-in-charge of the fisheries and wildlife section of Iowa State University’s Department of Zoology and Entomology (now the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management) before taking positions at the University of Minnesota and Texas A&M University.
Leigh Fredrickson (’61 fisheries and wildlife biology, ’63 MS zoology, animal ecology, ’67 PhD zoology), the first doctoral student to graduate under Weller’s guidance, coordinated the first gathering of former students in Puxico, Missouri, to celebrate Weller’s retirement from Texas A&M in 1994.
“We had such a great time, there was interest in having more reunions to continue the camaraderie,” Fredrickson says.
At that point, he became the self-described “main driver” of reunions that continued even after Weller’s passing in 2017. Attracting upwards of 20 people, the Weller Reunions have taken place in:
- Ruthven, Iowa (1999)
- North Park, Colorado (2004)
- Fulton, Texas (2012)
- Big Wall Lake and Milford, Iowa (2023)
- Big Wall Lake near Clarion, Iowa (2025)
Locations are selected based on who is hosting, opportunities to observe wildlife and a place to enjoy a group meal.
“There’s usually something unique about each place that would add to our knowledge of wildlife systems,” Fredrickson says.
Jim Dinsmore (’64 fisheries and wildlife biology) says he enjoys the synergy of these gatherings and hearing career updates from attendees.
“By hearing where others’ careers have taken them, we can see how our education and careers play a role in the larger fields of wildlife and ecology,” Dinsmore says.
Several former students have put together biographies on how Weller influenced their lives.
James Karr (’65 fisheries and wildlife biology) credits Weller for introducing him to research opportunities.
“Milton’s leadership of the fish and wildlife program at Iowa State was instrumental in giving me the knowledge and confidence to pursue an ecology career,” Karr says. “The foundations established during my four years in Ames have guided me through the next six decades.”
David Voigts (’70 MS zoology, ’73 PhD) says these reunions are evidence of the “profound effect” Weller had on his students.
“Weller had a very different perspective on education starting with how he selected and then mentored students,” Fredrickson says. “One of the important lessons he promoted was that he would provide exceptional support, but he always demanded you look deeper to review all evidence you could find to incorporate into your decision making.”