Applause for Paws
Through the Animal Assisted Crisis Response program, human and four-legged volunteers have assisted in the aftermath of the 9-11 terror attacks, Hurricane Katrina, and the Virginia Tech shootings.

Volunteers of America
In response to Iowa Alumni Magazine's recent feature about charitable works, readers share more inspirational tales of goodwill.

Putting the 'Y' in NYC: Janice Reals Ellig
Iowa business graduate Janice Reals Ellig is the first woman to head New York City's YMCA, the country's largest YMCA chapter.

Lined up backstage and wearing a formal gown, Emily Olesen felt like a star. After all, the Nebraska teacher was about to accept a prestigious education award in a Los Angeles ceremony described by Teacher magazine as the "Oscars of Teaching."

Before an audience that included politicians and Hollywood celebrities, Olesen received the Milken Educator Award and a $25,000 check in recognition of her work as a seventh-grade science teacher at R.M. Marrs Magnet Center in Omaha. Olesen, 01BA, of Council Bluffs, was one of 75 K-12 teachers to receive the award this past March at the Milken National Education Conference in Los Angeles.

Now an instructional facilitator, Olesen no longer teaches, but she still interacts with students as a sports coach and after-school tutor. "It's rewarding to know that I'm influencing the kids," she says, "and allowing them to get the most out of their education."