University News

WIU Graduate Student Wins Governor’s Volunteer Service Award

April 26, 2017

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MACOMB, IL - In honor of National Volunteer Week, the Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service presented 24 Illinoisans and four businesses with the Governor's Volunteer Service Award during a special reception at the Old State Capitol Tuesday, April 25.

The award recognizes volunteers and volunteer programs that have made a difference in Illinois and highlights the importance of volunteerism and community service. Governor Bruce Rauner proclaimed April 23-29 as National Volunteer Week in Illinois.

Among the honorees, was Western Illinois University graduate student Jamie Burns, of Fond Du Lac, WI. Burns is a member of the Peace Corps Fellows Program through the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at WIU, and a graduate student in the WIU Department of Health Sciences, where she studies public health with an emphasis on community and economic development.

Burns is also a returned Peace Corps volunteer, who worked in the education sector teaching biology and health to secondary school students in a rural village in Tanzania from 2013-2015. She is a strong advocate of promoting equal access to healthcare and health education.

As part of her Peace Corps Fellowship, Burns is serving her second year as an AmeriCorps volunteer at the McDonough County Health Department. Through her service, she has implemented community health programming that addresses health priority needs within McDonough County in regard to sexual health, oral health, obesity and mental health.

"Jamie represents the best our program has to offer – she is talented, creative and dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of residents in our community," said Karen Mauldin-Curtis, manager of the Peace Corps Fellows program.

"Those that were honored at the event are part of millions of Illinoisans who gave 286.6 million hours of their time to others in 2016," said Commission Executive Director Scott McFarland. "These particular individuals and businesses have gone above and beyond in their effort at improving their communities through volunteerism. We are proud to have them serving in Illinois."

Nearly 200 nominations were received by the commission in six categories (adult, AmeriCorps, business, senior, Senior Corps and youth) from the commission's five service regions across the state (Northeast, Northwest, East Central, West Central and Southern).

The Serve Illinois Commission is a 40-member (25 voting and 15 non-voting), bipartisan board appointed by the governor and administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Its mission is to improve Illinois communities by enhancing volunteerism and instilling an ethic of service throughout the state.

For more information about the WIU Peace Corps Fellows program, email Mauldin-Curtis at K-Mauldin-curtis@wiu.edu.


Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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