Senior 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.