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