As part of a continuing program to provide community service, employees at the Ashford University Iowa Online Center recently served dinner four nights in a row at the Victory Center.  

“On the nights of June 14, 15, 16, and 17 Ashford employees provided a hot meal for a approximately 120 men, women and children who may not have been able to enjoy such a meal,” said Tony Belha, an academic advisor who helped with the project. Volunteers from the online center put together meals and took them to the Victory Center.  Belha said 51 Ashford volunteers supplied food, beverages and utensils, and served the food and beverages. 

Early in 2010 a social responsibility team was created at the online center “to establish a culture of social responsibility,” said Mitch Thomas, vice president of the Iowa Online Center. “Each department has a participant on the team and the quarterly rotation of team members offers all employees the chance to be involved at some point.” Projects are led by a manager or a staff member who participated in a prior quarter’s project. 

“The social responsibility team was given the task of finding other service oriented projects to participate within the Clinton community,” Belha said.  “Madonna Berry (an enrollment advisor) is a member of the team and had participated at the Victory Center through her church in the past. It was her idea to donate our services at the Victory Center.” 

Since the first of the year, Ashford University employees have worked on a variety of projects benefitting individuals and organizations, including the Carroll County Haiti Mission Project, Clinton Fire Department Smoke Detector Project, Big Brother/Big Sister Bowl for Kids Sake, Multiple Sclerosis Walk, March of Dimes and Relay for Life. 

About Ashford University

Founded in 1918, Ashford University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org). The University offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs online and at its Clinton, Iowa, campus. The University is known for its high quality yet highly affordable online and on-campus programs. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, director of Public Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513.