The University has officially launched its search for a Dean of Admission. Among the top priorities for this key leadership role are designing and implementing a comprehensive and integrated enrollment strategy; developing and executing a data-driven, dynamic plan for recruitment; and promoting maturation in enrollment management across the institution. The position listing can be found here.
The search committee will be working against the following milestones:
Friday, March 3 – Deadline for applicants
March – selection of candidates; video interviews; final candidate selection
April – On-campus interviews; finalist selected
Early May – Offer extended
If you have thoughts or questions about the process, please reach out to search committee co-chairs, Kelly Bruhn or Kevin Saunders.
It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Mary Alice Hill, retired human resources director. Mary Alice passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, Jan. 26, at her home in Clive. Mary Alice was a valued, dedicated, respected, and talented member of the Drake community who will be deeply missed by those who had the privilege of calling her a colleague and friend.
During Mary Alice’s time at Drake, she led enhancements to several HR programs, including staff recognition, professional development, and employee wellness. However, it is her kindness, thoughtfulness, positive attitude, and smile that will be remembered most.
Scott Raecker, executive director of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center, said it best: “Mary Alice was the epitome of our Drake Core Values in action. She always brought her best self to work, assumed the best in everyone, was always looking for All In opportunities for our campus, and had a tremendous commitment to our mission. Mary Alice transformed lives and strengthened not only our Drake community but the broader Des Moines community.”
A funeral service will be held on Friday, Feb. 10, at 11 a.m. at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines. The service will be livestreamed from http://hopeonline.tv/specialevents.
Please share your memories of Mary Alice at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com as hearing stories about her is greatly appreciated by her family. Or, if you are attending the service, please bring a written note. You can read Mary Alice’s obituary here.
Alumni Relations is excited to introduce Bulldog Born, Drake’s new legacy program for the children and grandchildren of Drake alumni. Bulldog Born builds upon the life-long connection that Drake students form with the University, while revamping traditional offerings of the program. Children enrolled in the program will receive complimentary gifts to help commemorate some of their biggest milestones, such as birthdays and graduations. Learn more, spread the word, or enroll a child in your life: alumni.drake.edu/bulldogborn.
Drake students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in an educational or volunteer activity to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.MLK Day of Service is observed the third Monday in January as a “day on, not a day off,” and is one of two federally-recognized national days of service. All events listed are on Jan. 16, unless otherwise noted.
10th Annual MLK Jr. Prayer Breakfast – 7:30–9:30 a.m., Drake University Knapp Center.Presented by John R. Grubb YMCA. The theme of the 10th Annual Prayer Breakfast is The Quest for Environmental and Climate Justice. This event will gather various community residents, leaders, and agencies to join in fellowship through a dialogue on environmental justice in Iowa. Keynote will be delivered by Dr. Robert D. Bullard, a distinguished professor and award-winning author known as “The Father of Environmental Justice.” Register in advance.
MLK Day of Service at CYC – All are invited to join for service projects at King Elementary (1849 Forest Ave, Des Moines) from 1–4 p.m. Additionally, from 1:15-2:15pm, there will be a leadership workshop for middle school students, and from 2:45-3:45pm a leadership workshop for high school students. Please RSVP using the link, CYC’s 2023 MLK Day Registration, or by emailing mollie@cyconcepts.org.
MLK Day Celebration: The Beloved Community:Hope + Elim will host an event from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. to include worship, musical performances by Bridges to Harmony and Genesis Youth Foundation, and an inspiring message from guest speaker Sam Acho, an ESPN football analyst, nine-year NFL veteran, author, and ambassador to International Justice Mission. Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable items to be shared with community members in need. To-go meals will be handed out as people leave. The event will be live-streamed. They will also host a Meals from the Heartland packaging event on Saturday, Jan. 14.
Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Multicultural Reception and West Des Moines MLK Day Celebration – 3:30–6 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy RecPlex. The Greater Des Moines Partnership will host a Multicultural Reception in partnership with the City of West Des Moines, the West Des Moines Human Rights Commission, West Des Moines Schools, West Des Moines Historical Society, Des Moines University, Polk County, Taste of the Junction, Meals from the Heartland and the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. The theme is “The Time is Always Right to Do Right,” in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The event will begin with a roundtable discussion from 3:30–4:15 p.m. where attendees will have the opportunity to discuss a variety of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-related topics of importance to their organization and the community. A beverage and appetizer reception will begin at 4:15 p.m. with brief remarks around 4:30 p.m. and continue until 6 p.m.
Forest Ave. Library MLK Day Celebration, 4–5 p.m. at the Forest Ave. Library. Keynote speaker is community leader Jacquie Easley McGhee, the division director for health equity, diversity, and inclusion for MercyOne. She is also the health chair for the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP, and in 1990 became the first Black woman to serve on the Des Moines School Board. Live ASL interpretation will be onsite for the speakers, funded by the Forest Avenue Library Brick Fund. After introductions by Des Moines Public Library Director Susan A. Woody, Jacquie Easley McGhee will speak, followed by a Q-and-A session. Refreshments will be provided courtesy of the Forest Avenue Library Brick Fund.
Free Tours of the Jordan House Museum, Sunday, Jan. 15, 1–3 p.m. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, free tours of the historic Jordan House will be available. The Jordan House is a member of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program. There will be a book giveaway or “The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.” and “It Starts With Me.”
MLK Packaging event at Meals From the Heartland – Volunteer for a 90-minute shift between 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. to package meals for the hungry here in Iowa and around the world. Sign up in advance.
Undesign the Redline Exhibit – Take a virtual tour of this Polk County Housing Trust Fund exhibit, which provides background on federal policies started in the 1930s showing which neighborhoods were worthy of investment specifically due to the race, ethnicity, and class of residents. These policies had a profoundly negative social and economic impact on those living in “undesirable” neighborhoods, especially African American residents, that persist to this day.
Free Skating with Donations at Brenton Skating Rink, 12–9 p.m. Receive free admission to Brenton Skating Plaza with a food or clothing donation. Donate non-perishable food items or adult-sized new socks. One item = one customer receives free admission. Two items = one customer receives free admission and free skate rental. Walk-up registration only. Donations will support Central Iowa Shelter and Services.
Take some time to educate yourself on a topic of racial justice. Read a book, listen to a podcast, watch a documentary, and dialogue with others on what you’ve learned.
In addition to the welcome message from Provost Mattison below, we wanted to share a few fun facts and personal preferences about new Interim Dean of Admission Tim Albers that you won’t find on his LinkedIn page.
Hometown? I was born in Pekin, Ill., but moved to Colorado when I was four years old and grew up in Salida, Colo.
Coffee, tea, or juice? COFFEE!!!
Summer or winter? Fall
PC or Mac? Android or Apple? PC and Android! (I have an iPhone because my family members are iPhone folks)
Favorite food? Mexican food of any kind and Japanese hibachi
Favorite vacation/place you’ve visited? I loved Hawaii (north shore Oahu) but hated the flight there and back!
Dog or cat person (keep in mind Griff II is reading this)? Bulldog, of course
Favorite thing about Drake or Des Moines so far? The people! I am impressed by the staff and faculty I’ve met, and I had a chance to watch alums at the Drake Diner after the basketball game on Saturday. I really enjoyed “eavesdropping” on some nearby conversations. The love folks have for Drake is impressive.
Early riser or night owl? Night Owl
Favorite thing to do in your spare time? I enjoy working on my cars. I also like snowshoeing and going to sporting events
Most admired person? Abraham Lincoln. Read the book “Lincoln on Leadership”
Best concert or favorite band? Best concert was Willie Nelson; Favorite Band is Boston (am I allowed to admit that?)
You have a degree in mining engineering. Why this major? I grew up in the mountains in Colorado and fell in love with the mega-sized equipment that mines use, and the complicated processes to process ores.
A few words from Tim:
“I am thrilled to join Drake University! As the Interim Dean of Admission, I’m honored and excited to work with the great admissions, financial aid, and marketing teams already in place at Drake. I will work to make sure that the strategies and efforts already in place will continue successfully. I am also thrilled to be part of a university with a strong reputation and with so much to offer to its students, alumni, staff and faculty.”
A welcome message from Provost Mattison
I am writing to formally welcome Tim Albers as Interim Dean of Admission. Tim is filling the role of Annie Kremer who has decided to leave Drake after 6.5 years of dedicated and exemplary service. Tim officially began his duties yesterday and will serve in his role until a permanent Dean of Admission is in place.
Tim has more than 20 years of experience in undergraduate admissions and has a passion for developing and implementing strategic plans that increase enrollment and improve retention. Tim comes to Drake from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota—one of our peer institutions—where he served as Vice Provost for Enrollment Management. In this role, he supervised undergraduate and graduate admissions, financial aid, registrar, student central services, and enrollment operations.
He is no stranger to the enrollment challenges facing traditional campuses across the country. While at Saint Mary’s, Tim chaired the Presidential Enrollment Council to address current enrollment issues and spearheaded several new initiatives around transfer credit programming and retention.
Throughout his career, Tim has demonstrated his commitment to diversity, equity, and access for all. Prior to Saint Mary’s, Tim served at Missouri University of Science and Technology for six years as the Director of Recruitment Marketing and Enrollment Development and then later as the Dean for Enrollment Management. It was here that he focused on improving recruitment programs for diverse student populations. He also chaired the Access2Success Committee, a national organization devoted to increasing equity for underrepresented students.
During his time at Missouri S&T, the University achieved record enrollment institution-wide as well as within the College of Arts Sciences and Business. This included record enrollment of underrepresented student groups. S&T also yielded its largest first-year class in history under Tim’s leadership.
Tim holds a Master of Science in Education with a specialization in Enrollment Management from Capella University and a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
The search for Drake’s next Dean of Admission is underway. We are in the process of convening a search committee of deans, faculty members, senior administrators, staff, and students to partner with us on this critically important search. I will keep you updated as the search progresses.
In the meantime, I am grateful for Tim’s exceptional leadership abilities. He brings a wealth of expertise and experience to Drake and has jumped into the role with enthusiasm and energy. I’m very much looking forward to working with him.
It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Betty Gause, beloved alumna and former Drake staff member of 13 years. Betty began her career at Drake in 1986 as Cashier and Students Accounts Manager. In 1991, she assumed the role of Director of Student Organizations and Programming, and later became the Director of Student Activities, a position she held until she left Drake in 1999.
A 1986 issue of the Times Delphic highlights Betty’s “open-door policy for all.”
It’s hard to put into words how much Betty meant to the students, colleagues, and the entire Drake community. She served as a mentor and advisor to students and staff, and was a long-time champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on campus. She recognized the need for more Black representation in student government and worked as an adviser to increase diverse voices on the Student Activities Board (SAB) and in Greek life. She later helped head the Coalition of Black Students. She also served as a long-time adviser for the Drake and Des Moines chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
While Betty will be deeply missed by the many students and colleagues who had the privilege of calling her a friend, her legacy and commitment to diversify student programming and leadership at the University will live on and only continue to grow.
Provost Mattison sent the following message to campus Tuesday, Dec. 20.
Due to anticipated blizzard conditions, and dangerously cold air temperatures combined with high winds, Drake Universityoffices will be closed after 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, reopening at the conclusion of the winter break on Tuesday, Jan. 3.
Only essential staff should report to work. This designation includes employees who are in operations such as public safety, food service, security, power plant, animal care, critical maintenance, and snow and ice removal. Supervisors should communicate with their employees regarding individual schedules.
Dress appropriately if you need to go outside during this time of bitter cold. It is best to wear layers and properly cover all extremities, including hands and face, as frostbite can occur on exposed skin in as little as 15 minutes.
Thank you to those who work so diligently to keep our campus safe and ensure continued operations.
On Thursday, Dec. 15, The Varsity Cinema will reopen and the big screen will light up with a mix of new and classic films, including Singin’ in the Rain, Decision to Leave, White Noise, Elf, and Lost Cinemas of Des Moines. Tickets for reopening weekend are on sale now.
After the theater closed its doors Dec. 31, 2018, Des Moines Film purchased the building—the last remaining historic theater in Des Moines—and began a massive renovation to bring back the movies and preserve the designated local landmark. The refurbished space includes a second auditorium, expanded lobby, upgraded concessions with a full bar, and a fully accessible building.
Bring family and friends and help us pack the Knapp Wednesday to create a fantastic home-court advantage for our volleyball team. Purchase tickets. Admission is free for Drake students.
The Drake volleyball team has had a historic season. They set a program record with 30 victories this season, including a 16–2 record in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team was just two points shy of winning the conference tournament, but accepted a bid to the NIVC (the equivalent of the NIT and WNIT in men’s and women’s basketball) and is now sitting at the top of the bracket. The Bulldogs has won 16 of its last 17 matches. What is more, they are 10–0 at home in the Knapp Center and have lost only one of 31 sets played.
On the main floor of Cowles library, about 250 vinyl records cover the shelves and are now part of the library’s circulating materials. Along with LPs for self-checkout, portable record players can be checked out from the information desk. In addition, the library added a listening station fit with a turntable and headphones.
“The record collection provides a new experience and access to materials that students, faculty, and staff normally wouldn’t stumble upon,” said Joanna Stankiewicz, access services manager at Cowles Library. “It was something that was started by the Music Department, and the library embraced it.”
The records collection moving to Cowles Library was a project that was talked about for years. When Stankiewicz arrived at the University about a year ago and was told about the project, she recognized the opportunity that the collection was. Work began in the summer of 2021 to begin the process of organizing and cataloging the collection.
“We found a Drake Alumni Choir record … I think it’s from the 1960s,” said Stankiewicz. “I would have never thought that was something we would find. There are some really fun records like the Mission Impossible soundtrack … a Nina Simone record; there’s Ella Fitzgerald.”
About 4,000 records were kept behind doors at the Dickson Media Resource center, according to James Romain, Music Department chair and professor of saxophone.
“Before there were computers and streaming, all of the media had to be physical,” said Romain. “So, for decades, the department was developing a collection of recordings, prior to the advent of the CD … for maybe about 50 or 60 years.”
The Dickson Media Resource Center was a place where students could listen to vinyl records, CDs, and so forth, housed in the Harmon Fine Arts Center.
With the reality of streaming services, the number of students visiting the Media Resource center has been dwindling through time. Especially now, as the department lacks staffing resources to catalog the materials and run the listening station.
“There is a widespread resurgence in interest in LPs,” said Romain. “I think it was Joanna who decided that this would be a nice opportunity to be able to share it with people who specifically have that interest.”
And listening to a vinyl record provides an experience more closely intended by the artist, Romain said.
“[The artists] chose the order that pieces would be in,” said Romain. “A symphony might last for 45 minutes—it’s a whole, large work that is very much related; the movements have internal relationships to one another.”
That’s not the only benefit of listening to vinyl records.
Aside from being able to digest whole stories within the albums and study the liner notes, it’s a tool that allows one to nurture the soul in trying times.
“Music can be beneficial for mental health,”said Stankiewicz. “If we can provide some quiet and relaxation, and a more holistic approach to serving campus needs, I think that’s great.”
The library is planning to expand the collection to 300 records in the next few weeks. Not to mention, the thousands more that are still waiting to be moved from the media resource center—it’s an ongoing project that’s only going to continue growing.
“We’re also looking to find out what students are interested in, and what they want to listen to,” said Stankiewicz. “Just like we do with our books, our traditional materials, we want to expand that collection and take care of it based on their interests, whether it’s educational or just for leisure.”
The record collection and listening station are located on the west side of the first floor of Cowles Library. The library created step-by-step instructions for using the turntable, since for many people, using a record player is a new experience.
— Written by Sarah Jamil, junior, School of Journalism and Mass Communication
