Luke Werthmann – 2025 District V Award Recipient
Space exploration and community service might seem like different worlds, but for Luke Werthmann Iowa State ’21, they’re both about expanding horizons and improving lives.
Luke’s aerospace engineering studies at Iowa State focus on humanity’s greatest challenges — developing innovations like hypersonic flight, supersonic commercial travel, and advanced space exploration that make travel more efficient and accessible while protecting the environment. As a systems engineering co-op at Collins Aerospace, he works on mission systems and avionics components, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to define system requirements and ensure software and hardware integration.
“My primary long-term goal for my career is to make a substantial impact on humanity,” Luke explains. “The universe is one of humanity’s greatest mysteries, and something we know frighteningly little about. Being able to spend my career developing ways to explore deeper into space and uncover some of its mysteries is extremely appealing to me.”
But Luke’s commitment to improving lives extends far beyond aerospace. Since 2015, he’s volunteered with Make-A-Wish Foundation, helping grant wishes for children facing critical illnesses. He regularly participates in American Red Cross blood drives and served as recruitment & morale captain for ISU Dance Marathon, raising funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
His leadership approach, shaped by his Phi Psi experience, emphasizes servant leadership — putting others’ needs first to build trust and achieve team success. As chapter president of Iowa Beta, Luke demonstrated this philosophy while maintaining the personal relationships that he considers essential to any meaningful work.
“I strive to treat everyone I meet with kindness and respect, which I feel is essential to success in any facet of life,” Luke says. Through Phi Psi, he’s learned that having integrity and intense work ethic “can take people much farther in life than any amount of skill or knowledge.”
Whether he’s designing aerospace systems or volunteering in his community, Luke’s goal remains the same: using his talents to expand possibilities for others and leave a lasting positive impact on the world.
In 2025, Brother Werthmann was awarded the Phi Psi Foundation’s District V Award, recognizing students from District V who demonstrate academic achievement, character, and commitment to their studies.