Iowa Ag Connection - Van Ginkel: One Woman Impacting Iowa State University

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Van Ginkel: One Woman Impacting Iowa State University
Iowa Ag Connection - 01/16/2017

Margaret Van Ginkel is one of three women in human sciences who are being recognized for making a difference at Iowa State University. She is among 12 women featured in the 2017 Women Impacting ISU calendar.

The calendar, which is in its 11th year, is produced by the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics and honors women for their leadership and achievements in service, teaching, research, administration or various other campus activities.

This year's calendar will be officially unveiled during a reception from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, in the Sun Room and South Ballroom of the Memorial Union. The reception is free and open to the public. During and after the reception, 1,000 free copies of the calendar will be distributed.

Hotlines coordinator who impacts thousands of Iowans Van Ginkel helps thousands of Iowans as a hotlines coordinator and human sciences specialist in family finance. She coordinates the Iowa Concern hotline, which provides Iowans with answers to their questions.

"Her tireless leadership of the Iowa Concern hotline has impacted tens of thousands of Iowans for more than 25 years across the state and across all walks of life," said John Lawrence, an associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension and Outreach.

Originally named "Rural Concern," the hotline provided a toll-free number for the agricultural community during the farm crisis of the 1980s. Today, the hotline serves as a resource to alleviate Iowans' stress from finances, legal matters, disasters and other concerns.

Along with her role at Iowa Concern, Van Ginkel and her team help people with gambling addictions through 1-800-BETS OFF, teens with various health questions and anxieties through Teen Line, and women and children with health care questions and needs through Iowa Healthy Families.

"Through her 40 years of outreach, and particularly her leadership of ISU Extension's hotline system, it seems to me entirely possible that more Iowans may have been positively impacted by Margaret Van Ginkel than by any other representative of Iowa State University," said Barbara Wollan, a human sciences specialist in family finance.

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