Isaac Sturm (’17)
Mathematics & Secondary Education
Bellevue, Iowa
Isaac Sturm (’17) comes from a long line of Duhawks. From his parents and two siblings, to his high school sweetheart now wife Haley (Lampe) Sturm (’18), Sturm family get-togethers are filled with Duhawks. His mother, and long-time Loras accounting professor Karen (Gonner) Sturm (’80), wanted to make sure Isaac found the place he wanted to call home for the next four years, so with the help of Iowa Private College Week and a Casey’s Gas Incentive, the Sturms toured over 13 schools that week, with all roads leading back home: Loras College.
Growing up in Bellevue and attending Bellevue Marquette High School, Isaac’s affinity for the small-town, tight-knit community has shaped his life. This sense of community continued at Loras, where he was actively involved in various sports teams, Dance Marathon, and even worked as a Help Desk intern. Loras professors, coaches, friends, and more, along with the Loras Dispositions, taught him the importance of using the gifts God has given you. Mentors like Men’s Basketball coaches Chris Martin and Gabe Miller took Isaac under their wings and provided insight as a student coach that showed Isaac how he ultimately wanted to lead a team someday.
Post-graduation, Isaac’s commitment to community remains a guiding force in all he does. Returning to Bellevue to raise his family, teach at his alma mater, and coach a basketball team that has been ranked in the top of its class this entire season. “Our coaching staff really wanted to build our program with love and effort. Those are two lessons we have wanted to instill in our players because if they give all the love and effort into everything they do, they will be successful in life.” According to him, success in life, whether building a family, going to work, or playing on a team, hinges on love and effort. That love and effort starts with Coach Sturm, and this is just part of what makes him our February 2024 Duhawk Dozen recipient.
