Franklin Wallace has always been dedicated to serving his community-from founding a nationally-recognized nonprofit to serving on the Governor's Commission for Community and National Service (GCCNS). His career in community service began in 1995 when he co-founded a nonprofit small business incubator and training facility. During this period Wallace also completed two AmeriCorps service terms with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) AmeriCorps. As an AmeriCorps team leader, he coordinated member service activities at several nonprofit community service sites throughout Richmond. After his AmeriCorps service, Wallace returned to VCU's Office of Community Programs as Director of Project Tutor, an academic partnership for court-referred juvenile offenders between VCU and the City of Richmond's 13th District Juvenile Court. Soon afterward, Wallace became Field Coordinator for the VCU AmeriCorps and America Reads programs. In 2001, he became Director for these programs, helping to establish the program's successful legacy (VCU AmeriCorps received the Governor's Community Service and Volunteerism Award for Outstanding National Service Program in 2002). Wallace was also honored in 2002 for his outstanding commitment to service receiving special recognition by Governor Mark Warner for his coordinating efforts as the Director of Volunteer Liaisons for the Governor's Partnership for Achieving Successful Schools (PASS) Program for Richmond Public Schools. Today, Wallace remains a senior administrator in VCU's Division of Community Engagement, serves as the first two-term President of the VCU African American Alumni Council. He is also the inaugural Chairman of the Virginia Service Foundation, and this year, began his fourth term with the GCCNS, serving as Vice Chairman, and chair of its Resource Committee.

Excerpt from Volunteer Virginia Newsletter

The first-ever Robert E. Wone Award for Exemplary Service was awarded Oct. 18 to Cheryl Jennings of Hampton. Ms. Jennings is a returning AmeriCorps member who has served with the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) - AmeriCorp and America Reads program since September 2006. As a single mother of three, she has continued to work full time for the last five years while attending college to obtain a bachelor's degree in social work. As an AmeriCorps member, she has completed more than 1,700 hours of service and was selected as "Team Leader of the Year 2006-2007" for providing a high level of service to her community as a team leader, reading coach, and student mentor at Richmond's Woodville Elementary School. Despite a serious ongoing physical condition, Ms. Jennings led five team members to successfully complete their service terms and earn education awards. She led her team to help increase state literacy test scores while also serving to plan events and recruit new members. The Robert E. Wone Award for Exemplary Service has been established in honor of Robert Wone, a member of the Governor's Commission on Community and National Service from 2002-2006. Wone was a tireless activist and volunteer who actively advanced the interests of many charitable organizations and provided many hours of pro bono legal services to help others. R

Excerpt from Volunteer Virginia Newsletter