Julian Vandervelde Nominated For Allstate/AFCA Good Works Team
by Adam Jacobi on Jul 20, 2010 11:22 AM CDT
in Iowa Hawkeyes Football
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PrintSenior Iowa Hawkeyes lineman Julian Vandervelde (weird to think of him as a senior, isn't it?) was nominated today by Allstate and the AFCA for the Good Works Team:
While glory and praise may be traditionally reserved for the most athletically skilled college football players on the field, it is the student-athletes committed to serving others who make the most important impact off the field. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® exists to tell their stories and acknowledge their impact beyond the game.
"In the third year of our partnership with the AFCA, Allstate, our employees and our agents continue to be inspired by the stories of class and character displayed by these young men," said Guy Hill, vice president of sales and service for Allstate, who also serves on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel. "We applaud the commitment of these 112 student-athletes to positively impact their communities with innovation, creativity and passion that reflects so well on their sport, and their respective institutions."
This year's class of nominations includes student-athletes with a wide range of accomplishments, including developing programs to support Haitian relief efforts, working with rural and minority students to help them reach their goal of attending medical school, and organizing a campus fundraiser to incentivize students to shave their heads to raise money for pediatric cancer research.
Vandervelde's bona fides are impressive...
- Assisted a UNESCO City of Literature initiative by reading to classes throughout local schools and stressing the importance of reading and literacy throughout the area
- Lent his time to various other community enhancing and fundraising projects including a Ronald McDonald Run/Walk, an Alzheimer’s Association Pancake breakfast and work with the Salvation Army
...and even if Vandervelde's not selected to the final list of 11, so what, because not only does that not diminish the actual impact of everything Vandervelde does off the field, but it also means that there are at least 11 other men in college football who are accomplishing at least as much, and that's even better for society here and abroad.
It also merits mention that for the last four years, Northwestern has been a fixture on the final list. Good looking out, Windy City Kitties.
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Good for Julian
on a side note it’s also really nice to see Dan Hoch’s name on the list.
by Pain in the Sash on Jul 20, 2010 12:30 PM CDT reply actions
Julian can sing too
He sang the National Anthem before President Obama spoke in the Fieldhouse. He was good, too!
All around good guy.
I went to Davenport Central High School with Julian
And I must say, the kid is probably one of the best people I know. Raised by a single mom, he managed to bring East Iowa to the Little League World Series for the first time in history. While he was in high school at Central, he played four sports (football, wrestling, threw for track and baseball), sang in show choir, played in the orchestra, AND was on the honor roll all four years he was there.
Not only all of that, but he is one of the nicest people I have ever met. As the athletic trainer for the football team, Julian was the only player who ever said “Thank You” when we brought him water, and he said it every time. When we had a small get together when he committed to Iowa at school, he said hello to all 150 of the people there for him, and managed to remember everyone’s name. When he wrestled, he helped coached an underclassmen who was autistic.
At Iowa, besides now being a starter and singing the National Anthem for Obama, he has managed to keep his grades up for Academic All-American and is majoring in English and religious studies with a minor in Japanese. How many offensive linemen in the NCAA are minoring in Japanese? I spoke to him last fall at a high school football game, and he said he was thinking about grad school. Again, how many left guards are thinking about grad school?
All in all, Julian Vandervelde is the best representation of what a student athlete should be. Knowing who he is, I love seeing him in a Hawkeye uniform.
In heaven there is no beer. This isn't heaven, it's Iowa.
That is also awesome.
"Kittens give Morbo gas."
by Bucketochicken on Jul 20, 2010 10:26 PM CDT up reply actions
Typical Iowan
The negative stories about Iowa athletes getting in trouble often overshadows the fact that the Hawkeyes have some of the best character of any team in the game. Whether it be players visiting the children’s hospital in Iowa City or helping the victims of the floods and tornadoes of 2008; the Iowa Hawkeyes represent more than just the football team that we all know and love. They also role models for our youth, representing class and character; qualities that are consistant throughout the players, coaches, students, and citizens of the state of Iowa. Congratulations to Vandervelde and I hope more recognition comes to the positive impact that the Iowa Hawkeyes have on the community every year. On Iowa, Go Hawks!
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