All posts by Heidi Weiss

Strategic Updates Archive

Online programs update

Since the launch of the new online programs, Master of Arts in Communication and Master of Science in Education–Literacy Education, several milestones have been achieved, including the admittance of our first online students.

Landing pages created

Our online program manager, Higher Education, created and posted the first of many landing pages for our programs. These landing pages are designed explicitly to spur potential students to action. These pages are part of different digital campaigns, including a strong Facebook ad campaign. Visit online.drake.edu to view the pages.

Staff trained and ready

One of the important aspects of the partnership between Drake and Higher Education is the transparency of processes. The last three months have been used to ensure systems are working together and that all staff at each institution understands them. This past month, Admissions, the Registrar’s Office, and Online Program staff have been working together to train Higher Education staff on our processes, and we have been learning theirs, including a dynamic dashboard that tracks application status for potential students and provides essential demographic data to assist in communication and marketing.

First admitted students

Both programs have students who have completed their application and been admitted into the program. Currently, there are about two dozen more potential students in the process of applying. It is exciting and gratifying to see the hard work of so many areas culminate into a class of Drake students. We are confident that both programs will have a strong core group of students.

Next Steps

As the programs begin, there is still much to do. Programmatic landing pages will be developed to include some A/B testing, the web pages for online degrees will be developed that will include student support information and guides, and more faculty and instructors will complete the Quality Matters modules and work with our instructional designers. To date, ten faculty and staff have completed the Online Teaching Certificate through Quality Matters, and another four have completed the required modules. Several others are prepared to take courses next year. If you are teaching in the online programs and are not sure how to register, please contact me at extension 2506 or at christina.trombley@drake.edu.

—Christina Trombley, Online Programming

For Students Archive

Hiring service-learning ambassador

The Office of Community Engaged Learning is recruiting a Drake student to be a paid service-learning ambassador for the spring semester. The student will help design and lead an alternative spring break for students, while also performing outreach and service-learning education with international and other students on campus. The position requires a commitment of 6 to 7 hours per week (outside of spring break), and pays $8.25 an hour. Contact Amanda Martin at amanda.martin@drake.edu for more information.

View job description.

—Amanda Martin, Community Engaged Learning

For Students Archive

Study in Sub-Saharan Africa

Study sustainable development in Uganda from May 22 to June 12. This six-credit course is open to all undergraduate students. It fulfills the Engaged Citizen or Global and Cultural Understanding AOI; course numbers BUS 067, HIST 067, or HONR 067. Register here by Jan. 30; spaces are first come, first served. For questions, contact Professor Heath Henderson at heath.henderson@drake.edu, Professor Jimmy Senteza at jimmy.senteza@drake.edu, or Professor Deb Bishop at deb.bishop@drake.edu.

Stephanie Cardwell, Entrepreneurship Centers

For Students Archive

Hy-Vee Classic: Free student tickets available

A limited number of free student tickets are available for the Hy-Vee Classic on Saturday, Dec. 16, at Wells Fargo Arena. This college basketball event brings together the four Division I men’s basketball programs in the State of Iowa. The Drake men’s basketball team will take on the University of Iowa at 1 p.m. followed by the Iowa State–Northern Iowa game at 3:30 p.m. Students may claim one free student-section ticket by visiting The Knapp Center Ticket Office and showing a valid Drake Card during regular business hours. The ticket will give students access to both games. For more information, contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or tickets@drake.edu.

—Ryan Harris, Drake Athletics

For Students Archive

Little Pantries food drive

Have extra flex dollars? Want a great way to spend them? Purchase non-perishable food items or toiletry items and donate them to the Little Pantries Food Drive, which is happening now. Donation boxes are set up in Olmsted and outside the C-store until the end of finals week. Donate to the Des Moines and Drake community during the holiday season and help us keep the pantries stocked. Thank you in advance for your donations.

—Emily Lammers

News & Achievements Archive

SJMC classes present work to community clients

Students in SJMC courses have presented their work to class clients in recent weeks.

The Master of Communication Leadership students in the Applied Theory and Research class presented their assessment of the organization, brand recognition, and community needs to Best Buddies of Iowa, a nonprofit that serves children and adults with developmental disabilities. The MCL students will also conduct work for Best Buddies in courses in the spring and summer.

The advertising research class presented their report to the capstone client Des Moines Menace soccer organization, as did the public relations seniors to their client, Creative Visions, which serves low-income residents in the Drake neighborhood and beyond. Those courses will work with their clients in the spring as well.

The PR Planning class presented work to their clients, Tutus & Tennis Shoes and The Avenues of Ingersoll and Grand. Students in PR Writing and FYS-The Real Hunger Games presented their collaborative work to five representatives of the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) food pantry network for their new initiative, Food Pantry 2.0.

—Kathleen Richardson, SJMC

News & Achievements Archive

SJMC students win national honors

Two Drake public relations seniors were recognized at the recent PR News annual awards luncheon in Washington, D.C.

Maddy Gildersleeve was named PR News Student of the Year. The award recognizes “an outstanding student who has demonstrated leadership, talent and passion” for public relations and communications.

Sarah Mondello received honorable mention for PR News Intern of the Year for her work with Drake Community Press. The award recognizes a student who “established herself or himself quickly as a self-starting member and idea generator for a communications team and exhibited strong writing skills, professional demeanor [and] smart use of digital tactics.”

—Kathleen Richardson, SJMC

News & Achievements Archive

Martin Roth publishes book on Neurolaw

Martin Roth, Drake professor of philosophy, will release his book, Philosophical Foundations of Neurolaw, this month. It is a scholarly monograph published by Lexington Books. Neurolaw is a rapidly growing field that addresses several important issues at the intersection of neuroscience, law, and philosophy. The book addresses a number of public policy matters, such as criminal law, and showcases cross-disciplinary research.

—Martin Roth, Department of Philosophy and Religion

Featured Events Archive

This week in Drake Athletics: Dec. 11

Men’s Basketball
Hy-Vee Classic—Drake vs. Iowa; UNI vs. Iowa State
Saturday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m.
Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines

Women’s Basketball—Hoops for the Holidays
Drake vs. South Dakota State
Sunday, Dec. 17 at 2 p.m.
The Knapp Center

Arrive early to visit and take pictures with Santa Claus!

For more information, contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or visit godrakebulldogs.com.

—Ryan Harris, Drake Athletics

Featured Events Archive

Students to discuss legislative research with community members

Who says you can’t talk about politics? After intensive analysis, study, and preparation, students in the sociology course Race and Ethnic Relations will host the class’ second annual Present and Defend, a discussion in which groups of Drake students will share findings about state legislative proposals with the Des Moines metro community.

Tomorrow, Dec. 13, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. in Meredith Hall, Rooms 102 and 103, the class will meet with Iowans interested in racial equity in state policy. RaySociety participants, a middle school church group, and key equity advocates will come to dialogue with Drake students. Topics include employment certification for re-entering prisoners, a public safety initiative to issue drivers licenses to immigrant Iowans, restoration of felon voting rights, and ending racial profiling.

The course was taught by Darcie Vandegrift, and the event is funded by the sociology program in the Department for the Study of Culture and Society.

—Darcie Vandegrift, Department for the Study of Culture and Society