UIU Kappa Zeta Tau sorority also receives Governor’s Volunteer Award
FAYETTE, Iowa (July 15, 2011)-Upper Iowa University Kappa Zeta Tau sorority also has been awarded a Governor's Volunteer Award from Governor Terry E. Branstad during a special recognition ceremony recently in Waterloo.
Kappa Zeta Tau was honored with a group Volunteer Award, nominated by Paul Trombino from the Iowa Department of Transportation, for numerous years of service to the Adopt-a-Highway program.
Upper Iowa's Kappa Zeta Tau sorority has 18 members; among them are: Sorority President Allyson George is a senior from Waterloo, Iowa, junior Victoria Booth, Rockton, Ill.; junior Catherine Bunting, Marion, Iowa; freshman Claire Cateles, Ballan-Mire, France; senior Emily Forseth, Mineral Point, Wis.; senior Kristy Hinrichs, Swisher, Iowa; senior McKenzie Holthaus, Onalaska, Wis.; senior Lydia Lofte, Ossian, Iowa; senior Ashleigh Lengel, Maxwell, Iowa; senior Erica Maisto, St. Charles, Ill.; sophomore Amanda Millard, Madison, Wis.; sophomore Melissa Mueller, Fridley, Minn.; sophomore Kelsey Taldone, Crystal Lake, Ill.; senior Erin VanPraag, Marion, Iowa; senior Lauren Verhulst, Dike, Iowa; senior Caitlin Wagener, Green Oaks, Ill.; and junior Kayla Wagner, Ottumwa, Iowa.
"Community service is always encouraged as part of the mission of all Upper Iowa Greek sororities and fraternities, as well as other organizations on the Fayette campus," stated Jean Merkle, associate dean of student development and director of residence life. "As a result, in a very short time, as these students do more and more projects, the benefits of community service, volunteerism, and helping others are quickly realized and become a way of thinking and living." Merkle added, "This award is a positive reinforcement and will keep our students even more motivated."
The Governor's Volunteer Awards program was created in 1982, with inaugural awards presented in 1983. The program has grown from a small program only available to state agencies to its present function of providing all Iowa nonprofit, charitable, and government organizations with an easy and effective way to honor their volunteers with a prestigious state-level recognition award. Volunteers may be nominated for an award in one of several categories: Individual, Group, Length of Service, or Disaster Volunteer.
More than 700 volunteers were selected for awards in 2011. A complete list of 2011 award recipients and an electronic copy of this press release are available at www.volunteeriowa.org/awards. Electronic photographs will be available approximately one week following each ceremony and may be requested by sending the individual's or group's name and which ceremony they attended to icvs@iowa.gov.
The Governor's Volunteer Award program is coordinated by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and the Governor's Office. For more information, visit www.volunteeriowa.org or call 515.725.3094.
For more information about Upper Iowa University, go to www.uiu.edu.
Contact:
Monica Bayer Heaton
Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
Phone: 563-425-5773
Cell: 515-291-2070
heatonm@uiu.edu
About Upper Iowa University
Founded in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private, not-for-profit university providing undergraduate and graduate degree programs and leadership development opportunities to nearly 6,800 students—nationally and internationally—at its Fayette campus and learning centers worldwide. Upper Iowa University is a recognized innovator in offering accredited, quality programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems, including online and independent study. For more information, visit www.uiu.edu.