BVU Hosts Governor’s Volunteer Awards
Seniors joined several BVU alums, including the winner of the Iowa Campus Compact Award for Student Leadership, in being feted for exemplary service to others.
Several Buena Vista University students and alums were honored last week as President Joshua Merchant joined Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg in hosting the annual Governor’s Awards in Siebens Forum.
Coordinated by Volunteer Iowa, the 36th Annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards presented more than 540 citations for service at locations around the state. This year’s awards represented more than 27,000 hours of community service performed.
Merchant and Gregg were joined on stage by Storm Lake Mayor Mike Porsch. Gregg saluted volunteers present and hailed BVU’s “Education for Service” motto while lauding the University’s ongoing efforts to improve the lives of so many across the region.
“This was such a cool opportunity to have, and I wouldn’t be here being recognized if it weren’t for Ashley’s support and her nomination.”
Aubrey Anderson
Among the volunteers honored were several with BVU ties, including current senior Allie Hartman and these alums: Abigail Ross, Amanda Miley, Amber Freund, Aubrey Anderson, Conner Winkelman, Emma Hartz, Katie Davidson, Kylie Roe, Mikayla Foster, Nyajouk Lam, Tanner Jensen, and Caitlyn Brinkerhof.
“I was super excited to get a letter from the Governor,” Miley says. “I wasn’t expecting it at all, especially since I’m not even from Iowa.
Miley, a native of Independence, Mo., who graduated in May, earned the Iowa Campus Compact Award for Student Leadership last April.
Anderson credited Dr. Ashley Farmer-Hanson, assistant vice president of Student Success and director of Community Engagement at BVU, with helping lead her and others to a number of volunteer opportunities during her time as a student on the Storm Lake campus.
“This was such a cool opportunity to have, and I wouldn’t be here being recognized if it weren’t for Ashley’s support and her nomination,” Anderson says.