Please join the All Staff Council in celebrating our newest True Blue award recipients! 🎉

We hope you’ll take a moment to check out the wonderful nominations submitted for these fantastic colleagues below.  Congratulations to all!

Katie Akin, CPHS – nominated by Katie Scott

“Katie has been an absolute joy to work with since joining the CPHS! She is always positive and willing to jump in to do the hard work for the sake of students and programs. She consistently goes above and beyond to be helpful and finds different ways to support her colleagues. We are so thankful for all the support she has shown the nursing program, and we are lucky to work alongside her!”

Tracy Beck, OLLI at Drake – nominated by Lisa Cooper

“Tracy Beck is the epitome of joyful accountability, generosity of spirit, commitment to mission, and All In This Together. She is efficient, confident, and her contagious laugh is recognized by all. OLLI at Drake members love her, and I personally and so thankful to work with her (report to her). She is all that is good about Drake University and her leadership in an ever-evolving environment is outstanding.” 

Joanna Gilmore, Office of the Registrar – nominated by Michelle Becker

“Joyful Accountability: Joanna is quick to ask any questions to best serve our students. As the Registrar’s Office we get several questions from across campus. Many times, we may not know the answer quickly off the tops of our heads. Most of the questions Joanna is the first point of contact. If she isn’t sure, she reaches out immediately with any questions. She then takes those notes and compiles them.

All in this Together: When I first began at Drake, Joanna provided me with a document that contained all procedures for the Registrar at Drake. Over the previous few months, she provided our team members with a comprehensive set of instructions for all tasks we may be responsible for. This document is over 50 pages, and it answers most questions someone may have. Her dedication has made it easier for our office to collaborate on tasks. Also, when she is out, we know our students can still be taken care of in a timely manner since we have the ability to complete any tasks.

Commitment to Mission: Joanna is dedicated to the Drake community and our students. To make our space more comfortable and welcoming, Joanna decorated our office. This included a whole wall of various Drake memorabilia. While some may not think this is so important, it elevated our space. You can see our commitment to Drake University. Without Joanna, our office would still look bland, cold, and uninviting.

Finally, Joanna is spearheading our efforts to digitize the historical transcripts for our students. This includes students who attended Drake from the 1930s to the 1990s when we converted to Banner. Her process ensures our historical student records are digitized accurately. There are tens of thousands of transcripts to work through, and Joanna is currently working hard to complete the project. Her efforts will make it easier to find and access any records for historical students. She is often the person I go to with any questions or concerns.

In conclusion, Joanna is dedicated to the Drake University community. She has provided our students and our staff with the necessary information and resources. She completes her work promptly and with care. Joanna deserves this award!”

Abbie Cram, Law School – nominated by Danielle Shelton

“Abbie strives for excellence every day in her interactions with her co-workers and with students. She is reliable and committed to Drake’s mission. We can count on Abbie to dig in and get things done, and she is willing to go the extra mile. She is kind and professional, setting a tone of civility and respect.”

Ashley Rasmussen, Arts & Sciences – nominated by Ann Cravero

“On July 1, I began serving as Chair for the Department of Music. During my first week in this role, the department experienced several transitions. Our primary administrative specialist accepted a new position, our music budget manager was unavailable due to a nine-month contract, and our lead music advising specialist was unexpectedly out of the office until September. At the same time, we were conducting two faculty searches and beginning another search for a new administrative team member.

Amid all of this change, Ashley Rasmussen stepped in and provided exceptional support. Although I had not worked closely with her before, she made herself available, answered my many questions with patience and clarity, and regularly stopped by my office to check in. Her calm and steady presence was a source of reassurance during a busy and uncertain time.

Ashley demonstrated a true spirit of collaboration. Her willingness to help, even when it was not part of her formal responsibilities, made a significant difference. She brought a sense of shared purpose and teamwork that helped me stay grounded and informed. Ashley is outstanding at what she does. She is knowledgeable, thoughtful, and generous with her time and expertise.

I am deeply grateful for Ashley’s support and dedication. She exemplifies what it means to thrive through collaboration and teamwork, and I am proud to nominate her for this recognition.” 

Kimberly Throop, Law School Legal Clinic – nominated by Heidi Wessels

“Kimberly joined the Drake Legal Clinic within the last year. Kimberly is the first face seen when you enter the Legal Clinic- and how lucky we are for that! She greets clients, students, faculty and visitors with such enthusiasm, professionalism and joy. Kimberly has a difficult job- she responds to every phone and walk in inquiry for the Legal Clinic. Those calls and walk-ins can be emotionally difficult. She treats each human that walks in the clinic with dignity and respect and returns each phone call with care and concern. Kimberly is a gift to the Clinic and the community.”

Megan Lilly, School of Education – nominated by Annie Matte

“Megan is a prime example of our Core Value All In This Together. Megan has helped immensely with event planning inside the SOE and out. She is always an enthusiastic volunteer and helps with work from faculty and staff immediately. Megan is often the reason that programs ultimately come together.”

CPHS – Nursing (Erin Reagan, Hannah Crocker) – nominated by Katie Scott

“Erin Reagan and Hannah Crocker (along with their faculty partners Amanda McGraw and Abby Rail), effortlessly encompass all aspects of what it means to be “All in this together” at Drake University. They flawlessly support and rally around not only one another but the students within the nursing program as well. Their communication is unmatched, and their teamwork is something that others can learn from. Over the past 15 months, this team has encountered countless barriers and unexpected setbacks having never once wavered in their support, collaboration and teamwork for one another and the nursing students. They have gone above and beyond what has been asked of them at every turn and have done so with genuine smiles across their faces. I have never had the privilege of working with such a hardworking, selfless, driven, passionate, and caring group of women in the whole of my career. These individuals provide 100% support for one another at the drop of a hat and never think twice. They consistently advocate for each other, our students, and others around them with genuine compassion and support. They are true gifts to our students, Drake University, CPHS, and the profession of nursing.”

Human Resources (Erica Kluver, Marlene Heuertz, Linda Feiden, Christina Kness, Emma Maifeld) nominated by Teresa Downs

“The Human Resources Department at Drake has gone through many changes in the last year, including reduction in staff. Led by Erica and supported by long-standing employees, Marlene and Linda, HR has taken on new responsibilities with determination and fervor. New employees Christina and Emma add to the skillset and can-do character of the supportive HR environment. In addition to ongoing commitments, HR is surging forward with the future implementation of Workday, which requires many hours of preparation and testing. HR handles this gracefully as it continues to offer great service to the university, such as supporting hired faculty, staff, students, benefits, wellness, and all HR questions/concerns. Drake HR is truly all in this together!”

Do you know of a staff member or department that has gone above and beyond to exemplify True Blue spirit? Nominate them today!

— Amber Welsh, On Behalf of All Staff Council