ROCK ISLAND, IL (04/27/2010)(readMedia)-- In conjunction with Augustana's 34th annual Business Day, the Augustana Business Department is proud to recognize more than 40 business administration and economics majors as recipients of endowed departmental scholarships this year.

Students from the local area who were awarded scholarships include :

Peter Wessels, a sophomore from Bettendorf who is majoring in business administration-advising and accounting. Wessels received the Thomas C. Montgomery Memorial Scholarship.

Alyssa Harmon, a junior from Moline who is majoring in business administration-advising. Harmon received the Harold and Louise Lage Swanson Scholarship.

Adelle DeVolder, a junior from Moline who is majoring in business administration-finance. DeVolder received the Harold and Louise Lage Swanson Scholarship.

Deanna Zwicker, a junior from Orion who is majoring in economics and business administration-finance. Zwicker received the Bruce R. Milligan Scholarship.

Adam DeSimone, a sophomore from Bettendorf who is majoring in economics. DeSimone received the Bruce R. Milligan Scholarship.

The students were honored at the opening breakfast for Business Day, an annual job-shadowing opportunity at Augustana that connects students with business leaders throughout the Quad Cities. In addition to their recognition at Business Day, the scholarship recipients will also be celebrated at an annual Honors ceremony in May.

The keynote address at the awards breakfast was given by Augustana alumna Piper Mead '04, a marketing account executive for the Chicago Cubs. Mead shared advice she learned on her way from Augustana to Wrigley Field and encouraged students to take advantage of all the hands-on learning opportunities Augustana has to offer them.

"I give Augustana all the credit for turning me into the person I am today. I think even the word 'business' scared me when I started college. However, my experiences at Augustana really gave me self-confidence. Now my outgoing personality is my biggest asset in my job."

After the conclusion of the ceremony, the scholarship recipients had the opportunity to further their education by spending a day "on the job" with business professionals throughout the Quad Cities. The students were able to select from a list of more than 40 local companies they could shadow and explore a field that matched their career interests.

The Business Department is one of the largest departments at Augustana, which includes 11 full-time faculty members and offers five separate major concentrations. 90 percent of students in the program complete internships as a part of their study, compared to only 75 percent nationwide. In addition to connecting students with local internships, the department also offers several national and international opportunities, including an accredited eight-week business internship program in Sydney, Australia. For more information on the Augustana Business Department, please visit www.augustana.edu/business.

About the Scholarships:

The Harold and Louise Lage Swanson Scholarship is an endowed scholarship for students who have demonstrated academic excellence and career potential in business administration.

The Thomas C. Montgomery Memorial Scholarship is an endowed scholarship for students who have demonstrated academic excellence and disciplined effort in pursuing careers in business administration or economics.

The Bruce R. Milligan Scholarship is an endowed scholarship for students who have demonstrated academic excellence and career potential in economics.

The Outstanding Senior Business Administration Major Award is a scholarship awarded to a select number of senior students based on their exceptional academic achievements and career potential in business administration.

The Tallgrass Capital Award is a scholarship awarded to one senior economics major each year based on his or her outstanding academic performance and career potential in economics.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls nearly 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 70 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 287 faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.

Foreign language beginning in Kindergarten.  Highest availability of Advanced Placement classes in the state of Iowa.  100% graduate acceptance to four-year colleges and universities.  Extraordinary things happen at Rivermont Collegiate!  Explore our school during our open house this week!  On Thursday, April 29th from 6:00-8:00 p.m., families are invited to drop in for tours of campus, one-on-one discussion, and answers to their questions about Rivermont.  This casual event is designed to introduce local families to the Quad Cities' only private, nonsectarian, independent college prep school.  Rivermont Collegiate, located in Bettendorf, provides students with a comprehensive education in a safe, family-like learning environment.

From PreSchool through twelfth grade, Rivermont students develop a joy for learning, lead peers in community involvement, and take intellectual and artistic risks.  Drop in to learn more about our philosophy, values, and programs!  Cindy Murray, Director of Admissions, will be on hand to answer questions.  The Rivermont campus is located directly off 18th street in Bettendorf behind K&K Hardware.  Visit us online at www.rivermontcollegiate.org!  This event is free and open to the public.

For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate or Thursday's Open House, contact Cindy Murray at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org.

 

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The Thurgood Marshall Learning Center Green Team and the Rock Island High School Studen Council are partnering in a project to bring clean water and toilets to Goitab Kalyet Primary School int he Great Rift Valley of Kenya.  The partnership is sponsored by Water for Live Foundation to make an impact on the 1.1 billion people that lack access to safe drinking water around the globe.

The two groups of students will be holding a joint Walk for Water on Saturday, May 1 at the Rock Island High School stadium from 11am until Noon. Students with sponsors will be walking three miles to represent the average walk that young girls and women make each day in the developing world to carry water to their families.  The students are hoping to reduce the 1.4 million deaths that occur yearly due to diarrhea.

Anyone withing to participate or sponsor a walker can contact Linda Golden at 309-793-5924 or Sheila Guse at 309-793-5950.

The Bettendorf Discovery Shop invites you to join them Monday, May 3rd for our Garden event. We are ready to welcome spring by filling the shop with all of the beautiful spring things that have been donated in the last year.

The store will be bursting with lovely items for your home and garden. Plants, flowers, pictures, dishes, yard decorations, birdhouses, the list goes on and on. We will also have lots of beautiful flowered clothing and accessories to brighten your day. There will be a lot of great things to see, so we hope that you can stop by and take part in the fun!

The Discovery Shop is an upscale resale shop that is celebrating 22 years of successful fund-raising in Bettendorf. Thanks to the generosity of the community, the Discovery Shop raises money by selling gently used items donated by individual donors and local businesses. Helping to make the shop such a success is the staff of wonderful volunteers that donate their time, if you are interested in joining our volunteer team we are always happy to have extra hands to help. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society for cancer research, education, patient services and advocacy.

Donations are accepted anytime the shop is open and a tax receipt is always available. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 5 pm., Thursday from 10 am to 7 pm. and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.

We are thankful for all the wonderful donations and excited to have this fun event for our customers.

Congratulations to Rivermont junior Asha Tadepalli, who has met the requirements to enter the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program!  Asha placed within the top 50,000 highest scoring participants (out of approximately 1.5 million) who took the 2009 Preliminary SAT / National Merit Qualifying Test.  Asha has been offered the College Plans Reporting Service referral to two colleges of her choice.  She also has the opportunity to continue competing in the Merit Scholarship program in the fall of 2010.  All levels of success in the National Merit Program are prestigious and reflect students' academic talent.  The entire Rivermont community is extremely proud of Asha!

Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only preschool through 12th grade independent school, with a proud tradition of preparing students who are grounded in the basics, yet able to think analytically and creatively to confidently meet the challenges of the 21st century.

For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate, contact Cindy Murray, Director of Admissions, at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org.

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Washington, DC - In light of recent revelations about Goldman Sachs' actions leading up to the financial collapse of 2008, Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) signed on to two letters urging the Securities and Exchange Commission and Attorney General Eric Holder to hold Goldman Sachs accountable for its role in creating the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

"For too long, reckless speculators on Wall Street gambled away the savings of America's middle class families," Braley said. "To ensure this never happens again, I'm joining my colleagues in asking the SEC and Attorney General Eric Holder to hold all responsible parties accountable and make sure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. While we can't get every dime of every retirement, college or savings account back, we can certainly make sure that greedy Wall Street speculators understand the full consequence of their actions."

On Friday, Braley joined Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and 60 other Members of Congress in urging Holder to pursue all appropriate criminal charges against those involved in fraudulent activity at Goldman Sachs and other institutions. Today, Braley joined Reps. Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Elijah Cummings (MD-07), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18) and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL), along with 56 other Members of Congress, in sending a letter to SEC Chairwoman Mary Schapiro. The letter asks her to pursue investigations into the remaining 24 ABACUS transactions for securities fraud, evaluate the extent of any receipt, by Goldman Sachs, of fraudulently-generated AIG-issued credit default swap payments, and vigorously pursue the recovery of such payments on behalf of the U.S. taxpayer.

The full text of both letters are attached.

 

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State, Federal Plan Seeks to Create More Than 15,000 Jobs

CHICAGO - April 26, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today unveiled the Put Illinois to Work (PIW) program, an anti-poverty program aimed at building a healthy workforce by putting unemployed and underemployed Illinois residents back to work. The new program is expected to create more than 15,000 jobs.

"Put Illinois to Work will provide good-paying jobs that will help support families and strengthen communities," said Governor Pat Quinn. "The program will also assist in building a workforce that possesses the skills, abilities and experiences that Illinois employers need to remain competitive in the U.S. and global marketplace."

Put Illinois to Work is a collaborative effort of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and Heartland Human Care Services (HHCS). Funding is provided through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF), which was created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Through Put Illinois to Work, eligible Illinois residents will be placed in subsidized employment positions with participating worksites for up to six months, learning valuable skills and supporting their families. The program will help stimulate Illinois' ailing economy and develop a healthy workforce by providing meaningful work experience for participants.

"Put Illinois to Work is an exciting opportunity to employ thousands of Illinoisans during a time of economic downturn and high unemployment," said IDHS Secretary Michelle R. B. Saddler. "The program will draw down federal funds that will stimulate the Illinois economy and even more importantly, will help the citizens we serve to gain critical skills in the workforce."

Private, public and non-profit businesses are encouraged to sign on with Put Illinois to Work. Eligible participants will be matched to subsidized employment opportunities with these worksites in hopes that they might transition into an unsubsidized position at the program's conclusion.

Eligible worksites and participants must meet program criteria and agree to adhere to specific programmatic requirements. Participants must be age 18-21, or 18 and over and the parent (custodial or non-custodial) of a minor child. All participants must have a household income below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($2,428 per month for a family of two) and be legally present and authorized to work.

For eligibility criteria and additional information on Put Illinois to Work, visit www.PutIllinoistoWork.Illinois.gov.

 

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120 volunteers will join hands to assemble 300 "America Cares" bags will be donated to veterans on Saturday.

 

At least 120 volunteers from area organizations and businesses are collaborating to assemble 300 gift bags to distribute to veterans and their children at the Iowa City VA Hospital. The project will take place on Join Hands Day, a national day of service scheduled for Saturday, May 1.
The bags for veterans will include phone cards, snacks and personal care items. Children's bags will include stuffed animals, games, book and snacks to provide a diversion for children and grandchildren of veterans at the hospital.
Your coverage of the local impact of Join Hands Day is invited and appreciated. This project will offer visual and interview opportunities.
What: At least 120 volunteers will assemble 300 "America Cares" bags to be delivered to veterans and their children at the VA Hospital in Iowa City.
Participants:
Modern Woodmen of America employees, Modern Woodmen camp (local chapter) and youth service club members, AmeriCorps volunteers, Quad Cities River Bandits staff, Disabled Veterans of America and Auxiliary members
When: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Where: Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport
Modern Woodmen of America sponsors Join Hands Day, along with other fraternal benefit societies. Join Hands Day is the only national day of service designed to bring youths and adults together to plan and implement service projects in their communities. As the generations work side by side, they learn more about each other, sparking a new level of understanding and respect.
Throughout the Quad Cities, more than 2,000 area youths and adults are teaming up to complete 50 volunteer projects. Locally, Modern Woodmen sponsors these local initiatives and gives each project a $50 grant to offset project expenses.
Founded in 1883, Modern Woodmen of America touches lives and secures futures. The fraternal benefit society offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.
For more information about local Join Hands Day projects, contact Kim Woodward at 309-793-5660, or visit modern-woodmen.org.

Encourages Illinois' Veterans to Take Advantage of Available Services

CHICAGO - April 24, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today attended the third annual Illinois Warrior Summit resource fair and encouraged Illinois' veterans to access available state and federal services. The event is a first-of-its-kind welcome home celebration for servicemembers returning from deployment and provides them with information about housing, healthcare, education, jobs and other benefits.

"Here in Illinois we work hard to provide some of the nation's best benefits and services for our servicemembers when they return home," said Governor Quinn. "The Illinois Warrior Summit is the perfect 'one-stop shop' for our veterans to take advantage of all that is available."

More than 100 veteran organizations, 50 employers, 20 universities and other organizations participated in the summit, which was hosted by the local chapter of the Student Veterans of America. Available services included health and wellness screenings, as well as workshops on the Yellow Ribbon Program, the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill educational programs.

"We are proud to participate in the Illinois Warrior Summit and to help provide essential information on benefits for returning servicemembers, and all veterans who need it," said IDVA Director Dan Grant, who joined Governor Quinn at the event.

In 2009, Governor Quinn signed more than two dozen bills creating or expanding veterans' benefits, including the Veterans Higher Education Bill, which provides greater access to resources for veterans attending public colleges and universities statewide.

The third annual Illinois Warrior Summit was held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Forum, located at 725 South Roosevelt Road in Chicago.

For more information on programs available to Illinois veterans, please visit www.Veterans.Illinois.gov.
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These are the Eddy winners that were awarded Saturday night, April 24, at 7 p.m., at Fish and Fire.

Special Recognition

Paddy Blackman:

In 1983, when Paddy Blackman was President of the Jr. League of the Quad Cities, she launched the Year of the River.  She loved spending time on the planning, activities, and on-the-water education programs. At that time, she decided to do what she could to bring access and development to the riverfront by serving 12 years on the Davenport Levee Improvement Commission.  She fought the floodwall proposals in Moline and Davenport in the mid-80's and presented many programs on the floodplain management view. In 1985, she began the work and now is confident bike trails will extend the entire 60 miles on both sides of the river in the Quad Cities as well as from the headwaters to the gulf. She was responsible for the University of Iowa Hydraulics Lab report on the advisability of dredging Credit Island Slough as well as other Commission initiatives, and wrote the American Heritage Rivers application which was a year in the making. She encourages others to volunteer and keep the faith?"the riverfront is for you", she says.  And thanks to Paddy, it's on its way back to being just that!

Clinton Marina:

The City of Clinton has made impressive gains in a tough economy, and is well positioned to seize riverfront development in the future.  In 2009, assisted by an Iowa Great Places award and Vision Iowa designation, the city built a new marina with 96 slips, new fuel dock, a 2.75 sq foot floating amenities party deck, secured privacy gates and water and power to all boats.  The marina building includes 9,770 square feet of finished space for a Ship's Store that has laundry facilities, men's and women's showers and washroom facilities, amenities all boaters need but seldom find at marinas. A restaurant with 6,680 sq ft includes a dining area, bar, room for 192 people to dine inside and deck seating for 100. One jury observed that many communities could learn from this full service marina, an example of how exquisite and careful attention to detail can push conventional design elements up a notch.  Here to accept the award is Clinton Mayor Rodger Holm.

Revitalization

Rock Island Hydroelectric Plant

Quick.  Name the building that has a dam on one side, a rail line on the other, and a river running through it.   Still stumped?  Try this two word clue.  Rock River.  Now you've got it.  We're talking about the Rock Island Hydroelectric Plant.   Situated on the Rock River where preservation and economic development blend beautifully in the recently acquired and restored plant formerly known as the Sears Powerhouse, purchased from White Hydropower Company in 2008, and now has a plant capacity of 1,200 kilowatts.  Hydroelectricity is generated by the production of electrical power through the force of falling or flowing water and is the most widely used form of renewable energy.  The City invested $2.2 million in the plant; today 95% of the of its revenue is earned by selling electricity to the largest city-owned uses such as the water and sewage treatment plants.  The remainder is sold to Mid American Energy Company.  This plan offers significant environmental benefits for everyone.  City utility customers and taxpayers benefit directly due to lower costs for  electricity to operate city facilities.  The jury applauds Rock Island's helping the economy, boosting civic pride, and revitalizing an area on the water with the modernizing of the Hydroelectric Plant.  Here to accept for the City of Rock Island is Mayor Dennis Pauley.

Stewardship:

Jerry Neff

You might say Jerry Neff is Conservation's Conscience in the Quad Cities, probably in Iowa, no, make it the United States, because when we first met him 20 years ago, he was flying off to Washington to lobby Congressman Jim Leach on tougher logging legislation in national forests.  Since that time he has chaired local Sierra Club efforts, most recently a term as state president, worked on behalf of clean air initiatives, has installed a permeable driveway at his home, chops wood for his stove, and uses a no power lawnmower.

To Jerry Neff, everywhere is within walking, biking, or canoeing distance if you have the time.  Cheerleader for stewardship, River Action, Living Lands and Waters, QC Cool Cities Initiative, and environmental values, he is the only person we know who has climbed to the top of a wind turbine!  He is the spirit of an Eddy.  Jerry is proof that spirit is more important than experience although by now, he has plenty of both!

Education:

Brian Ritter

As the naturalist for Nahant Marsh, Brian Ritter is responsible for explaining and celebrating the wetland's heritage and environment.  He links students with teachers 12 months a year and in the past year, 5,000 students and teachers took part in his programs. This does not include the vast amount of outreach involved in going to schools and public events and reaching thousands more. He contributes to the resource management and restoration of the marsh, an especially difficult task following the 2008 summer flood.  To this busy schedule, Brian has added the Western Illinois University and Eastern Iowa Community College District Natural Resources Management Track, an accelerated curriculum that prepares students for careers in outdoor recreation and natural resources management.  As professor in this three year program, Brian exposes his students to a wide variety of learning environments, including classroom instruction, labs, fieldwork, and internship experiences.  The 2010 jury is pleased to recognize the dedication and passion that Brian Ritter has exhibited in bringing together an education program of enormous complexity on the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities.

Design

Schwiebert Riverfront Park

A hallmark of this new project is the extensive public consultation that brought a major "buy-in" and feeling of community owenership. All RiverVision planning can boast record breaking community participation.  The basic aim of Schwiebert Park was to expand this small city-owned space, previously a parking lot cut off from the community, keep the scale so that riverfront views are possible from 1st, 2nd and 3rd avenues, and expand the area for festivals, music venues, and year round visitors.  Access will be by multiple modes, from car to bike, as well as boat.

A major accomplishment was to work through issues with the Armory, bridging differing views on land use, floodwall, and gate engineering.  As well, funding Modern Woodman's parking restoration, open access from existing roadways, and further expanding park space were a part of the vision.  Continuous steps for seating and an urban beach are unique elements of the design.  The jury was impressed with the depth of planning for a riverfront previously cutoff from the river.  The award for Design goes to the City of Rock Island for a top-quality urban waterfront park due to open the weekend of July 3rd.

Here to accept the award is Rock Island Mayor Dennis Pauley.

Art

Riverfront Pops

It's a sure sign of fall when the Quad City Symphony Orchestra holds its traditional Riverfront Pops concert.  Highlights include families picnicking on the grounds and a fireworks and cannon finale.   But while it seems it has been a must-do in the Quad Cities forever, it was begun in 1983 as a part of the Year of the River. Since that time, there have been numerous obstacles such as floods which have taken the concert from its usual venue to the grounds of Modern Woodman Stadium.  Neither rain nor wind has caused the pops concert to be canceled. Everyone just puts up an umbrella! Each year, with a popular entertainer to headline the concert, it has brought well over 10,000 ticket buyers to the event. The Volunteers for Symphony with 90-100 members and the Board of Trustees are already planning the 28th annual concert. Here to accept the award for Art is Jared Johnson, Marketing Director of the Quad City Symphony.

River Activity

Sylvan Island Off Road Trails

The Friends of Off Road Cycling, or FORC, organized 13 years ago, has been a key player in helping revitalize Sylvan Island and making the island a top mountain bike trail in the U.S.   It was recently listed in a national publication as a top ten urban mountain biking destination.

As well as designing trails, their energetic volunteers maintain them and their efforts have benefited Taming of the Slough. Their Mountain Biking 101 has introduced hundreds more to the sport.  Because the soils on the island allow quick drying after rain, Sylvan Island is always the first venue for the I-74 Mountain Bike Race Series.  The island was once home to a steel mill from which remnants can still be seen such as concrete loading docks, building foundations, and railroad tracks.  These become unique trails that are fun yet challenging to ride. Sylvan Island Stampede attracts hundreds of racers and spectators to the Island which this year had a record 279 participants.   Here to accept the Eddy Award for River Activity is Michael Frasier, three years President of Friends of Off Road Cycling.

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