All posts by Aaron Jaco

News & Achievements Archive

Drake sophomore selected for Principal Community Scholars Program

Sophomore Lauren Oreto is among 20 college students from Iowa and California who were selected for the first class of the Principal Community Scholars Program. The recipients were selected by Principal, Iowa Campus Compact, and California Campus Compact after being nominated by faculty or staff and going through a rigorous review process. The scholars proposed a project designed to engage their peers and their institutions in meeting community needs.

Lauren has proposed developing a program that enhances literacy in science and math for youth around the community. Oreto will receive a $1,000 scholarship from Principal upon completion of the service project. Learn more about Lauren and her project in the Drake Newsroom.

—Amanda Martin, Community Engaged Learning

Featured Events Archive

This week in Drake Athletics: Jan. 30

Men’s Basketball
Drake vs. Wichita State
Feb. 1 at 6 p.m.
Knapp Center
*WHITEOUT*—Wear white to the game, free T-shirts for students, free rally towels for first 500 fans
*Faculty/Staff Night*—Faculty can receive up to four complimentary tickets by presenting a valid Drake ID at the Drake Athletics Ticket Office

Women’s Tennis
Drake vs. South Dakota
Feb. 4 at 1 p.m.
Roger Knapp Tennis Center

Women’s Tennis
Drake vs. Augustana (SD)
Feb. 5 at 11 a.m.
Roger Knapp Tennis Center

—Tom Florian, Drake Athletics

Featured Events Archive

The PCGC Spring 2017 speaker and film series

For more information on the following events, visit the Principal Center for Global Citizenship website.

Tuesday, Feb. 7: Li Yang, Fulbright Scholar, associate professor in the School of International Trade and Economics at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing
Topic:  China’s Economic Miracle: Exploring Past Successes and Future Prospects
Location:  Sussman Theater
Time: 7–8:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 13:  Consul General Xhavit Gashi (Kosovo)
Topic: Iowa and Kosovo: The Importance of Partnerships in State Building
Location:  Sussman Theater
Time: 7–8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 21: Sheila Smith, Director, Japan Studies Program, Council on Foreign Relations
Topic: Challenges and Opportunities for U.S.-Japan Relations Under the New Trump Administration
Location: Sussman Theater, Olmsted Center
Time: 7–8:30 p.m.
Sponsors: PCGC, Department of Political Science, and Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership

Thursday, March 23: Harvest of Grief film, also part of the Engaged Citizen documentary series; featuring an introduction by Rekha Basu of The Des Moines Register, daughter of filmmaker Rasil Basu
Location: Olin 101
Time: 7–8:30 p.m.
Sponsors: Principal Center for Global Citizenship; Engaged Citizen program

Monday, March 27: Panel on the Trump Presidency and U.S. Foreign Policy
Panelists: Ambassador Ronald McMullen, Professors Mary McCarthy and Kieran Williams; Moderator Professor David Skidmore
Location: Sussman Theater
Time: 7-8:30 p.m.

April 5-8:  Nelson Institute Conference

  • April 5: Stephen Rapp, LW’74
    Topic: Bringing War Crimes Perpetrators to Justice
    Location:  Sussman Theater
    Time: 7–8:30 p.m.
  • April 6: Fulbright event
    Location:  Cowles Library Reading Room
    Time: Welcome 2–2:30 p.m., Breakouts 2:30–3:30 p.m.
    Reception/Panel 3:30–6 p.m.
  • April 7: Global Connectivity Launch
    Location:  Shivers Hospitality Suite
    Time: 5:30–7 p.m.
  • April 8:  Student research panels and other presentations
    Location:  Cowles Library Reading Room
    Time: 9 a.m–12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 11: Globalization, Technological Change and the Rise of Populist Politics
Panelists: Jim McCaughan, David Skidmore
Location: Sussman Theater, Olmsted Center
Time: 7–8:30 p.m.

The following event sponsored by The Susan Glaspell Writers & Critics Series is listed here as courtesy:
Wednesday, Feb. 22, Chigozie Obioma
Topic: The Fishermen
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Cowles Library Reading Room (2nd floor)

The following event sponsored by the Engaged Citizen Experience is listed here as courtesy:
Wednesday, April 19: Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight: Japanese War Brides (documentary film)
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Sussman Theater, Olmsted Center

Please see The Comparison Project’s Spring 2017 events listed online.

—Denise Ganpat, Principal Center for Global Citizenship

Featured Events Archive

“Animal Welfare Issues in Horse Racing”

Lecture: “Animal Welfare Issues in Horse Racing”
Thursday, Feb. 2
4 p.m.
Cartwright Hall, Room 201

Local attorney and Drake Law graduate Maggie Moss will give a lecture on “Animal Welfare Issues in Horse Racing.” Moss is a former chief prosecutor in Polk County and a former partner in a law firm where she specialized in personal injury, discrimination, and victims’ rights. She competed nationally in show jumping for 20 years, winning national championships at Madison Square Garden, the Washington International, and more. She was also a recognized judge and owned race horses across the country. Moss is currently a sole practitioner specializing in equine law, working to protect horses in the racing industry. The event is hosted by Drake’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund.

The event is free and open to all.

—Kayla Choate, Drake Law

HR Information Archive

Upcoming wellness opportunities

Club Ped 10,000 Step Program
The idea of this program is to get moving! Walking, running, exercise classes—anything that creates steps. You don’t have to be an exercise enthusiast. It will work for beginners or fitness gurus. The ultimate goal of Club Ped is to reach 10,000 steps a day. Don’t worry, we will work up to it.

Club Ped begins Monday, Feb. 13 and lasts 10 weeks, ending April 23. All you need is a pedometer, activity tracker, or smart phone app to track your steps, and the desire to succeed. The rest is easy. You will receive a walking journal and weekly emails with helpful tips.
If you are ready to “step it up,” please send an email to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu with the subject line “Club Ped.” Deadline to register is Thursday, Feb. 9.

Couch to 5K (C25K) Program
If you would like a special challenge this spring, then Couch to 5K (C25K) may be for you. This program is designed to take almost anyone from the couch to completing a 5K (3.1 miles) in nine weeks.

There will be weekly training groups and motivational emails for when you need that extra kick. You can download a training app or receive a hard copy of the program. You just need to commit to training 30 minutes a day three days a week for nine weeks.

And when you finish the program we will form a team and complete the Drake Road Races 5K on April 29! Ellen Lowe and Linda Feiden will be your C25K coaches.

Couch to 5K begins Monday, Feb. 20. There will be an information meeting on Thursday, Feb. 16 at noon in the Paul Morrison Room of The Knapp Center. To register for this program please send an email to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu with the subject line “C25K.” Deadline to register is Thursday, Feb. 9.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

BUILD (Bulldogs United in Learning Drake) update

Bulldogs United In Learning Drake (or BUILD) began Fall 2016, replacing the Excellence in Learning & Development program. To date, 186 faculty and staff have participated in at least one session. Each session is worth one or more credit hours. At certain credit hour levels, employees earn digital badges. A total of 17 employees earned badges during the fall semester. Fourteen employees earned a Level 1 digital badge, two earned a Level 2 digital badge, and one employee earned a Level 3 digital badge.

In addition to the digital badges, two names were randomly drawn from those who attended at least one class. The winners are Susan Dittmer and Pam Smith. Each will receive an email with a link to a catalog where they can select a prize of their choice.

All faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in sessions this semester where you may learn a new skill, improve your health, or strengthen your professional knowledge. As you participate, you will continue to earn credits toward digital badges that can be placed in your email signature to recognize your commitment to learning. And we will have another drawing at the end of the semester to give away more prizes! Registration forms for all BUILD classes are accessible through blueView’s Employee tab, in the Learning and Development Channel under Human Resources, or by clicking here. For more information, contact Human Resources at drakehr@drake.edu.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

Upcoming BUILD classes

There are three upcoming BUILD classes you won’t want to miss!

Did U Know: Information Technology Services
Feb. 2, 11 a.m.–noon, Olmsted Center, Rooms 310/311.
Learn more about the services provided by ITS, how you can get assistance if needed, and where to find out what’s happening in technology on campus. Carla Herling, Jerome Hilscher, James McNab, and Clayton Mitchell will be presenting.

Get Up: Stand Up
Feb. 8. 10–11 a.m., Olmsted Center, Rooms 310/311
How much time do you spend sitting at your desk, commuting, and relaxing at home? Learn how to get moving throughout the day to boost your physical and emotional health. Traci Stumbo from Employee & Family Resources will be presenting.

Healthy4U – Small Changes, Big Impact (Part 3)
Feb. 15, 10–11 a.m., Olmsted Center, Rooms 312/313
If you have ever tried to read a food nutrition label, determine how big a serving of meat really is, or wondered how to eat healthy at a restaurant, this class is for you. Dietitian Lucas Flaherty along with Ellen Lowe will cover exercise and protein + water in the third class of this four-part series. Attendance at prior sessions is not required.

Participants will earn BUILD (Bulldogs United in Learning Drake) credits and be entered into drawings for prizes each semester.

The registration form for these classes is accessible through blueView’s Employee tab, in the Learning and Development Channel under Human Resources, or by clicking here. Please email Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu for more information.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

W-2 statements now available on blueView

To access your electronic W-2 statement, sign into blueView with your Drake ID (Banner) number. If you need to reset your password, contact the Help Desk at 515-271-3001.

OPEN: Employee Tab
CLICK: Electronic W-2 (under Payroll Information)
SELECT: Tax Year 2016
CLICK: Display
SELECT: Printable W-2 Button (bottom left); Through the web browser, select File/Print to print the W-2 Statement.

Please note that 1095-C Forms will be available on/before March 1. Per the IRS, employees are NOT required to attach this form to their tax returns.

Should you have questions, please contact Human Resources: 271-1901.

—Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Singing Valentines from the Drake Choir

Surprise your sweetheart, co-worker, or relative with a singing valentine presented by the Drake Choir. Each singing valentine is a special delivery and can be presented at work, a restaurant, a retirement center, or wherever you designate. (We’ve sung at construction sites, schools, offices, hospitals, and many more venues, so be creative.)

We deliver to the entire Des Moines metro, including West Des Moines, Clive, Johnston, Windsor Heights, and Urbandale all day on Tuesday, Feb. 14, (9 a.m.–3 p.m., 5:30–8 p.m.) and 5:30–8 p.m. in Ankeny, Altoona, Waukee, and Norwalk.

Choose from one of our three great packages:

  • True Romance—one rose and a song: $30
  • Cupid’s Favorite—six roses and a song: $45
  • Hopeless Romantic—a dozen roses and a song: $65

Why a singing valentine? In addition to winning brownie points with your valentine, you’ll be supporting the Drake Choir’s upcoming international tours. No University funds are used for these tours, so your support is important and greatly appreciated.

Two easy ways to order:

Order deadline is Feb. 8, so order now.

—Aimee Beckmann-Collier, Department of Music