St. Ambrose University's enrollment continues to rise, with the university achieving a record 3,780 students this fall, according to the official 20th-day count. The record enrollment is the school's ninth in the past 10 years. Founded in 1882, St. Ambrose offers more than 75 majors in undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs, and maintains a 15-to-one student-faculty ratio. For more information, go to (http://www.sau.edu).
Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network has informed Trinity West Campus that it has earned the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Medal of Honor for achieving at least a 75-percent donation rate with eight or more eligible organ donors in any 12-month period from June 2004 to June 2006. A representative from Trinity will attend the Second Annual National Learning Congress in New Orleans on Thursday, October 19, at which U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Ken Moritsugu will present the award. Currently the national average donation rate for all hospitals is roughly 60 percent, according to Gift of Hope. The 75-percent hospital goal rate was established in April 2003 as part of a national organ-donation initiative launched by former Health & Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. Trinity will be one of 300 hospitals honored for its leadership in organ donation. More than 95,000 patients are waiting for an organ transplant, with roughly 2,100 of these patients being children.
The Iowa Corn Promotion Board received more than $1.7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. These funds will be used to add value to bio-plastics and related products through the incorporation of bio-mass materials.
The 18th National Trails Symposium will offer its exhibits free of charge to the public on Thursday, October 19, in the RiverCenter South Grand Hall in downtown Davenport. From 3 to 6:30 p.m., the exhibit hall will be open to the public and features some 125 trail-related exhibits. The opening reception for the symposium will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, and tickets may be purchased at the symposium office on-site for $15. For more information, go to (http://www.americantrails.org/quad) or call (563) 322-3911 extension 116, or click here ("Happy Trails," Reader #603).
The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) recently received recognition from the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) for its Aftercare Rent Subsidy Program. Jointly administered by IFA and the Iowa Department of Human Services, the program helps teens who are aging out of the foster-care system to find and maintain safe, decent, and affordable rental housing. IFA was among 25 state agencies that were recognized at NCSHA's annual fall conference. More than 124 award nominations were submitted. The Aftercare Rent Subsidy Program was honored in the category of "Special Needs Housing."
Scott Community College's Career Assistance Center offers basic literacy training for people ages 16 and over. But to provide that service, it needs volunteers willing to donate some of their time, on a regular basis, working one-on-one with a student. Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to attend one of the upcoming training sessions: on October 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. or October 28 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Career Assistance Center, 627 West Second Street in Davenport. Volunteers are asked to register in advance at (563) 326-5319.
The Friends of Iowa Civil Rights is honoring Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa (PPGI) with the "Nonprofit/Community Organization Award" to recognize the group's championing of civil rights. The award is given to organizations, individuals, businesses, and youth that have demonstrated a commitment to civil rights in Iowa. As a health-care provider, educator, and advocate, PPGI serves women and men throughout the state of Iowa regardless of their ability to pay.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has designated a farm in Taylor Ridge owned by Donald C. Jahn and Janice K. Jahn as a "Centennial Farm." To qualify as a Centennial Farm, a straight or collateral line of descendants must own the agricultural property for at least 100 years. The Illinois Centennial Farms program has recognized more than 8,400 farms since its inception in the early 1970s. Application information can be requested by writing to the Illinois Centennial/Sesquicentennial Farms Program, Illinois Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 19281, Springfield IL 62794; by calling (217) 782-6675; or by writing to (agr.centfarm@illinois.gov).
