Posted by Galen Panger, Associate, Global Communications and Public Affairs

On the heels of his previous Google Maps tracing his trip to Iraq and showcasing Nebraska tourist destinations, Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson is once again showing off his mad mashup skills with a new "My Map" highlighting students in his state who are spending spring break volunteering in the U.S. and abroad.

The nursing and physician assistant programs at Union College, for example, will be spending twelve days in Nicaragua providing village health care to a remote group of Miskito Indians found in the country's northeast corner. Students from Creighton University will be traveling to New Orleans to help rebuild homes there.

This is another great example of how maps can be an effective communications tool for politicians and other public officials -- both to communicate with citizens and, as in this case, to recognize them for the example they set for others. Maybe a Senate Maps Mashup Caucus isn't far behind?