BVU Student Amanda Miley Honored for Volunteer Service

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BVU student, Amanda Miley

STORM LAKE, IA (03/15/2018) (readMedia)-- Buena Vista University (BVU) student Amanda Miley has been named as a Newman Fellow in recognition of her exemplary volunteer service. Miley is one of 268 students nationally who were given the honor by the service organization Campus Compact, for which she was nominated directly by BVU President Joshua Merchant.

"Service and creating opportunities for change in a community is something I love to do," said Miley, who is a junior biology major from Independence, Mo. "It is an honor to be named a Newman Fellow for the service work that I continue to do in my daily life."

Miley has dedicated her time and service to a variety of causes and student organizations. She is president of Student MOVE (Mobilizing Outreach & Volunteer Efforts), an organization that works to mobilize student volunteers and raise awareness of local issues. As president, Miley has planned a variety of service initiatives on and off campus and has played a key role in mobilizing more than 80 students to serve approximately 5,000 hours of community service to date.

"Amanda is a great representative of BVU for the Newman Fellowship with Campus Compact," said Dr. Ashley Farmer-Hanson, assistant dean for student life and director of civic engagement. "She is an incredibly hard worker with a passion to make change in society."

Miley has also been instrumental in strengthening BVU's AWOL (Alternative Week of Offsite Learning) program through a variety of volunteer and capacity building efforts.

"Amanda is a servant leader in all aspects, and because of her, the AWOL program is one of the strongest in the state," added Farmer-Hanson.

In addition, Miley is the civic engagement coordinator for BVU's Office of Civic Engagement, in which she helps organize special events and initiatives. She is also involved with Beaver Animal Rescue & Care (BARC), Students Concerned About Tomorrow's Environment (SCATE), and BV Buddies, which is dedicated to mentoring middle school youth

Miley also has several planned service initiatives ahead. This summer, she will help manage BVU's on-campus "Little Free Pantry" – one of two watertight structures in Storm Lake that are used to house food items that are available for anyone in the community – as part of her AmeriCorps Vista role.

"One of my goals this summer is to provide more information to the Storm Lake community about the Little Free Pantries to make sure they know they are available for their use and that they are an additional place to donate goods to individuals in their neighborhoods," said Miley.

In January, Miley will be traveling to Tanzania as part of BVU's January Interim. There she will work with Hope Ministries, an organization that is dedicated to improving healthcare for individuals in underserved communities, enhancing living conditions for orphans, and encouraging people to work with and help others.

About Buena Vista University

Since 1891, Buena Vista University has prepared students for lifelong success and blends liberal arts with real-world applications. Our traditional campus on the shores of Storm Lake hosts students in a variety of majors and pre-professional programs, including elementary, secondary, and special education; business and accounting; and biological and chemical sciences. Our 16 degree-completion locations, online, and graduate programs expand student potential with a pace and academic rigor designed for working adults and a variety of class formats that make scheduling even more convenient. With an average scholarship of more than 50 percent off of tuition, BVU is an affordable option for all students. Visit www.bvu.edu.

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