[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 4029-4030]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              IOWA WESLEYAN: ONE MILLION HOURS OF SERVICE

 Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, this month, Iowa Wesleyan College 
is marking an important milestone--1 million hours of service by their 
students to the community. As we celebrate National Volunteer Month, I 
would like to take a few moments to recognize this extraordinary 
achievement.
  Iowa Wesleyan is a 161 year old liberal arts college located in Mount 
Pleasant, IA. The college is affiliated with the Methodist Church and 
``Learning in Community'' has been the central mission since its 
inception in 1842. This mission was formally integrated in 1968 with 
the establishment of the Responsible Social Involvement, RSI, program. 
Initially begun as a way to channel the strong desire of students to 
become socially active, RSI was adopted as a requirement for graduation 
in 1971.
  Students must contribute a minimum of 160 hours of service to a non-
profit organization. They record their experiences in a journal, write 
a paper reflecting on the experience and make an oral presentation to a 
faculty committee. Students receive 6 hours of college credit for their 
service.
  For 35 years, Iowa Wesleyan students have served in all types of jobs 
and all kinds of communities. Students have served as mentors with Big 
Brother/Big Sister and volunteered for organizations including the 
American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and Special Olympics. Students 
have served in schools, orphanages and hospitals around the world. They 
have contributed their time and talent in communities from Mount 
Pleasant, IA to Jakarta, Indonesia.

[[Page 4030]]

  Since 1968, Wesleyan students have provided companionship to nursing 
home residents, tutored children on Indian reservations, coached 
athletic teams and the list goes on. Over the years, 5000 Wesleyan 
students have logged 1 million hours of service--or more than 114 years 
of service. The RSI program has been a life changing experience for 
many and has prompted many alumni to continue their volunteer efforts 
after graduation. It is impossible to calculate the total impact of the 
program around the State, Nation and world.
  In the first of its kind survey of U.S. households, the National 
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 59 million Americans over the 
age of 16 volunteered between September 2001 and September 2002. 
Although nearly 30 percent of our citizens are currently serving their 
communities, the need for more volunteers is vast and I encourage every 
person to get involved. Volunteer work is the most rewarding experience 
you will ever find.
  I am reminded of this fact every week as a volunteer for the 
Everybody Wins! Program where I spend the lunch hour reading with a 
student at Brent Elementary. This is one of the most enjoyable parts of 
my week and I wouldn't miss it for the world. Unfortunately, there are 
too many children and not enough volunteers, so please get involved.
  You can check your local newspaper, contact nonprofit organizations 
in your areas or log on to the Internet to find out about volunteer 
opportunities in your community. There are millions of volunteer jobs 
that need you. The best way to recognize this milestone of 1 million 
hours of service by the students of Iowa Wesleyan College is to join 
them.
  Congratulations to the students, alumni and staff of Iowa Wesleyan 
College for reaching this milestone. You have made a real difference to 
your communities.

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