Iowa Beats Nebraska (In Mentor Recruitment), Mentoring Gap Closed

Gov. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds, along with the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, today announced the closure of the mentoring gap in the state of Iowa. The end of the estimated “mentoring gap” is a result of the “Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge,” an Iowa Mentoring Partnership initiative led by University of Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz and Iowa State University football coach Paul Rhoads Aug. 1 – Dec. 3, 2011.

Over the four month duration of the challenge, 3,345 Iowans were recruited. This year marks the first time, since the beginning of the Iowa Mentor Partnership in 2001, that the number of Iowans participating as a mentor matched the estimated need for mentors.

The intent of the “Coaches’ Mentoring Challenge” is to promote and encourage participation in certified mentoring programs across the state of Iowa, amongst the spirit of the college football season and neighborly state competition. Winners were determined by who recruited the most new mentors within respective states.

The state of Iowa was announced the winner over the state of Nebraska during the Nov. 25 University of Iowa-Nebraska football game. Kansas was announced the winner during last Saturday’s Iowa State-Kansas State University football game in Manhattan, KS.

The final score for the challenge: