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- MCC Student Senate nominates Sen. Sodders for prestigious award
MCC Student Senate nominates Sen. Sodders for prestigious award
DES MOINES – The Marshalltown Community College Student Senate and their advisor, Abbie Alsene, submitted a nomination for Sen. Steve Sodders (Senate District 22) to 
receive the 2012 Herbert Hoover Uncommon Public Service Award in the Iowa Senate. The award, created by the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association, commemorates Iowa native Herbert Hoover, 31st president of the United States, and honors his commitment to public service and volunteerism. The award was presented to Sen. Sodders on Monday, Mar. 26, at the Capitol in Des Moines.
The award takes its name from a 1948 speech in which Hoover said, “Let us remember that the great human advances have not been brought about by distinctly mediocre men and women. They were brought about by distinctly uncommon people with vital sparks of leadership.”
Sen. Sodders is serving his first term in the Senate and serves his community as a county deputy sheriff. He currently serves on the Education, Judiciary, State Government, Government Oversight, and Veterans’ Affairs Committees. He is an Assistant Majority Leader and Chair of the Economic Growth/Rebuild Iowa Committee.
The application required the MCC Student Senate to explain Sen. Sodders’ actions and personal attributes which represent leadership, integrity, work ethic, generosity, and uncommon service to the people of Iowa above and beyond legislative responsibilities.
The MCC Student Senate wrote in its application: “It is not uncommon to find Sen. Sodders going above the call of duty to mentor others on how to make a positive difference in their communities. As a state senator, he demonstrates Herbert Hoover’s value of work ethic when you find him mentoring students on the Iowa legislative process in their high school government classes. During the 2011 session, he challenged students at a local high school to create legislation to solve a problem they were facing. A high school student organization at West Marshall was recently challenged to host a fundraiser to pay the medical costs for a student, and as a result of this challenge the students became inspired to work with Steve on legislation which would allow schools and school groups to create a special philanthropy account. Currently, the school’s fundraising policy would not have allowed the student organization or a school group to raise money for causes which do not benefit the entire student body. The legislation was filed during the session and the students came to the Iowa Legislature to await the final vote needed for its passage. As a result of his work ethic, Steve continues to engage Iowa’s youth with the legislative process in their high school government classes and has become a mentor to his daughter, Maggie, who serves on the WM Middle School Student Council.”
On June 16, the Hoover Presidential Library Association will officially present Sodders’ award during its annual dinner in Iowa City. In addition, Sen. Sodders’ name will be added to a display called the “Uncommon Wall” at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum in West Branch.
Past winners include Rep. Mark Smith, Rep. Lance Horbach, and Rep. Annette Sweeney.
PHOTO CAPTION: Sen. Steve Sodders was recognized as the 2012 recipient of the Herbert Hoover Uncommon Public Service Award in the Iowa Senate, after being nominated by the Marshalltown Community College Student Senate. Shown are (front row) Crystal Tharp, Amber Ferriss, Dr. Robin Lilienthal, Carrie Sodders, Maggie Sodders, (back row) Owen Williams, Adam Sodders, Sen. Sodders, Kyle Weber and Abbie Alsene.