Cheri Doane, director of community-based learning at Central College, received the Governor’s Volunteer Award (GVA) for her commitment to service-learning.
The GVA program provides all Iowa nonprofit, charitable and government organizations with an effective way to honor their volunteers with a prestigious state-level award. It was created in 1982, with inaugural awards presented in 1983.
Doane was recognized for her work with the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, an organization aimed at developing quality service-driven programs that address Iowa’s needs while also engaging Iowans in their communities. She has also worked extensively in Pella and the surrounding area. Her volunteer activities include work with Pella Public Library Board, Pella Chamber of Commerce Board, Positively Pella Advisory Board, Red Rock Lake Association Board and Newton Community Education Foundation.
“Organizations benefit when individuals and groups invest their time and energy, and of course the volunteers benefit from the experience and camaraderie with other community leaders and members,” said Doane of the benefits of volunteerism.
As Central’s director of community-based learning, Doane works to place over 600 students per year with one of 95 partners throughout Central Iowa. Service-learning is used to supplement classroom instruction in more than 40 courses on campus. “The service ethos has always been reflected in the mission and goals of Central College,” said Doane. Central’s service-learning program has received the Carnegie Foundation’s Community Engagement Classification and been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
For more information on service-learning at Central, visit www.central.edu/servicelearning/
Cheri Doane with Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds.
