Alumni Memories

Jeff Janak

Alumni Memories

Jeff Janak

Microbiology, B.S., 1983

Field Application Consultant GE Healthcare – Biosciences

The Theta Delta Chi Float for Veishea 1981 consisted of characters from the comic Shoe to match the celebration's theme of comic strips. It's about 4 a.m. in front of the SAE house and police are investigating the accident described in the story.

One of my ISU memories was about VEISHEA 1981. I was co-chairman of the Theta Delta Chi - Alpha Delta Pi parade float. After planning, building and skipping classes for months, we had finally completed our masterpiece float for the VEISHEA parade. The morning of the parade was a very foggy morning. Around 4 a.m. we had moved our float out the back of our house parking lot, through the church parking lot next door to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house. Of course, the float did not have and headlights, taillights, etc. So we positioned my car in front of the float and my fraternity brother's car in back of the float as it moved toward campus in front of the SAE house.

Suddenly, we heard a couple of cars squeal around the corner about a block away. To our horror, a Corvette and a Trans Am were racing down the street, side-by-side, straight for our float. The Corvette saw us first and skidded to stop just shy of the car behind the float. However, the Trans Am did not react quite as quickly. The driver slammed his brakes while swerving, slowing some before impact. The rear end of the Trans Am struck the car protecting the rear of the float and went to a spin right around the float and my car.

It missed both of us completely! It was a surreal slow motion event that will stick with me for the rest of my life. The Trans Am came to a stop just ahead of my car. Unbelievably and fortunately, no one was hurt and the cars suffered only minor damage for such a horrific potential disaster. We all were very lucky. I am grateful that no one was hurt and VEISHEA was not tarnished! The float did win a prize that day as well!!! What a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!