Dr. Charlie Minnick, vice president/campus director of Ashford University, has been appointed by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad to the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service. Minnick’s appointment was effective July 1, 2014, and is not subject to Iowa Senate confirmation.

In February, Branstad created the Governor’s Council on National Service in Iowa. Being led by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, the Council includes leaders from state agencies, higher education, and the private sector and will make recommendations on how to expand national service for Iowans.

“I am both humbled and honored to be appointed by Governor Branstad to the Volunteer Service Commission,” Minnick said. “I applaud Governor Branstad for creating this first in the nation Governor’s Council and am excited to contribute however I can to engage a new generation of Iowans in making a positive difference in the lives of other human beings.”

According to Brandstad’s office, the Governor’s Council on National Service in Iowa will complement the national initiative, the Franklin Project, which is working to develop a national online technology platform, creating a national service certification system and trying to increase the number of one-year national service opportunities in the country.

About Ashford University

Achievement belongs to all of us at Ashford University. By offering a traditional college campus as well as online degree programs, Ashford meets the diverse needs of individuals pursuing integrity in their lives and in their communities. Students may earn an associates, bachelor’s, or master’s degree online, while campus students in Clinton, Iowa may earn a bachelor’s degree. Whether on campus or online, Ashford students enjoy the same supportive community. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu, www.facebook.com/ashforduniversity, www.twitter.com/AshfordU, or call Shari Winet, Vice President of Public Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513.

About the ICVS (or Volunteer Iowa)

The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and its partner agencies work with organizations and individuals on three main fronts.  The first is to help agencies develop quality programs that use service as a strategy to fulfill their missions and address Iowa’s greatest areas of need.  The second is to help engage Iowans in their communities by promoting service and expanding the volunteer base.  Finally, the third area of work is to connect individuals with appropriate service opportunities by building the volunteer infrastructure.  More information is available at www.volunteeriowa.org.