All posts by Ashton Hockman

Strategic Updates Archive

RaySociety renamed Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Drake University

Drake University’s lifelong learning organization known as the RaySociety received a $100,000 grant from The Bernard Osher Foundation to strengthen and expand its programming. As a result, the RaySociety was renamed the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Drake University. The name change signifies its inclusion as one of 125 lifelong learning institutes on university and college campuses across the country supported by the Osher Foundation.

“The RaySociety has been a recognized leader in the field of lifelong learning for nearly two decades,” said Tracy Beck, manager of OLLI at Drake University. “This grant along with our new national affiliation as an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will allow us to enhance our programming and serve more people in the community. We will continue to be the same great organization, just bigger, better, and with a nationally recognized name.”   

Beck said one of the benefits of joining the Osher Foundation is having access to a national network of resources, ideas, and colleagues to help strengthen its academic and social offerings. She said the grant funding will allow OLLI at Drake to increase its membership by providing scholarships for those who need help covering membership costs. In addition, funding will provide necessary technology upgrades to be able to deliver courses in both virtual and in-person formats.   

The RaySociety was established at Drake in 2004 and named after Governor Robert D. Ray, who served as Iowa’s 38th governor and later in his career as the 11th president of Drake University, and his wife Billie Ray, former teacher and first lady of Iowa. The organization has evolved into a respected lifelong learning program offering more than 60 non-credit courses and 10 lectures each year taught by Drake faculty and community leaders.

“This is an exciting growth opportunity for lifelong learning at Drake,” said Drake University President Marty Martin. “As we transition from the RaySociety to an Osher Institute, we will always honor Governor and Mrs. Ray for their instrumental support and involvement. With Mrs. Ray’s enthusiastic support, we will continue to build upon their legacy as we expand course opportunities, grow membership, and better serve our community.”

There will be no changes to membership costs and class structure during the transition period. Membership to OLLI at Drake is $50. The membership year runs from July 1 through June 30. Course registration for the Fall 2021 semester will open Aug. 9. Important to note: OLLI is now located at the Alumni House. For more information about OLLI at Drake, visit drake.edu/olli.

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Addressing common COVID-19 vaccine concerns with Associate Professor Nora Stelter

Concern 6: Can I trust the COVID-19 vaccine? It was developed so fast.

Although the COVID-19 vaccine was developed faster than typical, the vaccines were still required to go through all the proper phases of testing and analysis to make sure they are safe and effective—no step in the process was skipped. The COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. They are also under the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history. As of June 2021, more than 300 million doses of COVID-19 have been administered in the U.S. All of the scientific data has proven them to be safe and effective and critical to ending the global pandemic.

View the facts: Six common concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.

—Nora Stelter, associate professor of pharmacy practice

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Addressing common COVID-19 vaccine concerns with Associate Professor Nora Stelter

Concern 5: What about the recent reports of myocarditis?

There have been reports to the voluntary Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) of inflammation of the heart muscle—called myocarditis— happening after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. This is likely vaccine-induced myocarditis and has been observed in mostly young men after receiving their second dose of vaccine. However, the number of individuals that reported this side effect is very small compared to the hundreds of millions of people that have been vaccinated. Also, most patients who experienced myocarditis had a full recovery from symptoms. The benefits of the getting vaccinated outweigh the small risk of myocarditis.

View the facts: Six common concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.

—Nora Stelter, associate professor of pharmacy practice

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Addressing common COVID-19 vaccine concerns with Associate Professor Nora Stelter

Concern 4: Can the COVID-19 vaccine affect my fertility?

This myth arose from a false social media article. There is absolutely no scientific evidence that indicates that COVID-19 vaccines can affect fertility. The false report stated that the spike protein on the coronavirus was the same as another spike protein found during pregnancy, and that getting the COVID-19 vaccine would cause a woman’s body to fight this spike protein and affect her fertility. This is not true. The two spike proteins are completely different, and getting the COVID-19 vaccine will not affect fertility.

During the Pfizer vaccine testing, 23 women volunteers involved in the study became pregnant, and the only one who suffered a pregnancy loss had not received the actual vaccine, but a placebo. In addition, a large number of pregnant women have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and it has been shown to be completely safe.

View the facts: Six common concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.

—Nora Stelter, associate professor of pharmacy practice

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Addressing common COVID-19 vaccine concerns with Associate Professor Nora Stelter

Concern 3: Can the COVID-19 vaccine change my DNA?

The vaccines cannot change your DNA. Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna vaccines are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. They do not enter the nucleus of the cell where our DNA (our genetic code) resides and do not affect our DNA.

So, what do mRNA vaccines do? The mRNA vaccines contain instructions that tell your own cells to make a protein (the little spike or “crown” that you see on pictures of the coronavirus) that is unique to COVID-19. These spike proteins cannot harm you or give you COVID-19. Your immune system reacts to this protein and activates a response, which includes making antibodies that can recognize and fight COVID-19 if you do get exposed.

Interesting fact: The vaccine itself only stays in your body for about 72 hours after vaccination, but your immune system now has the ability to recognize and attack the virus should it come into contact with it in the future. That doesn’t mean you can’t contract COVID-19 in the future, but it does mean that if you do, you are much less likely to become extremely ill with symptoms, become hospitalized, or die from the virus.

This activation of your immune system may cause some temporary, minor side effects, such as a slight fever, headache, aches and feeling tired. That’s ok! It means your immune system is working and gearing up for battle should it come into contact with COVID-19.

View the facts: Six common concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.

—Nora Stelter, associate professor of pharmacy practice

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Addressing common COVID-19 vaccine concerns with Associate Professor Nora Stelter

Concern 2: If I’ve already had COVID-19, do I need to get vaccinated?

Even if you’ve had COVID-19, you should definitely get vaccinated. We’re still learning about natural immunity and how long it lasts after COVID-19 infection, but we do know that getting a vaccine after you’ve recovered from COVID-19, strengthens your immune response. We also know that the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines provide better protection than natural infection against rapidly spreading, highly contagious variants such as Delta. Finally, getting vaccinated protects our community, especially our more vulnerable members of society. Think of getting vaccinated as an act of care—it protects your grandparents, parents, neighbors and immunocompromised friends.

View the facts: Six common concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.

—Nora Stelter, associate professor of pharmacy practice  

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Addressing common COVID-19 vaccine concerns with Associate Professor Nora Stelter

Concern 1: Is COVID-19 dangerous for young adults?

While young adults have a lower risk of developing severe outcomes from COVID-19, there have been thousands of young people who have required hospitalization and more than 2,400 adults between the ages 18–29 have died. Beyond getting vaccinated to protect our own health, we have a responsibility to keep our community safe and healthy. When you get vaccinated, you’re doing your part to protect those around you—it’s truly a collective effort. This is why it’s important to get vaccinated.

View the facts: Six common concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.

—Nora Stelter, associate professor of pharmacy practice

Campus Announcements Archive

Dogtown block party this Saturday

On Saturday, July 10, from 1–3 p.m., visit the Dogtown Business District for a block p-art-y! The event will take place in the Lucky Horse parking lot, located at 2331 University Ave. There will be free food and refreshments provided from local Dogtown businesses, while supplies last. This event is in collaboration with the Drake Neighborhood Association, Drake University, and Invest DSM.

As part of the celebration, check out the interactive sidewalk art experience between the 23rd and 25th Street blocks of University Ave. Adventure off the main path and discover the hidden murals in the Drake neighborhood. Find them, snag a pic, and post the photos with #dogtowndsm.

Watch Drake social media for a chance to win a Dogtown T-Shirt if you use #DogtownDSM.

This event will kick off the Color Your Palate Block P-Art-y event series, which will feature block parties throughout the Drake neighborhood the following two weekends. Come “Color Your Palate” and explore this beautiful neighborhood.

The public art installation is provided by Invest DSM’s Artist In Residency Program. The 2020–2021 Artist in Residence is Eleanor Kahn. Learn more about these events and Eleanor’s work at eleanorkahn.com/color-your-palate-party-locations.

Strategic Updates Archive

Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Jon Meacham to deliver the Fall 2021 Bucksbaum Lecture

The Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series is returning to Drake University in-person this fall with presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham. The lecture will take place Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Knapp Center, 2525 Forest Ave. The event is free and open to the public. Details regarding health and safety protocols for the event will be released at a later date.

“We are thrilled for the return of Drake University’s most celebrated lecture series,” said Neil Hamilton, former director of the Drake University Agricultural Law Center and chair of the Bucksbaum Lecture selection committee. “The Bucksbaum Lecture series is known for bringing renowned and influential scholars to Des Moines. Jon Meacham is one of the country’s most respected voices on presidential history and politics, and we are honored to welcome him to Drake.”

Meacham is one of America’s most prominent public intellectuals. A contributor to TIME and The New York Times Book Review, Meacham is a highly sought-after commentator, regularly appearing on CNN and MSNBC.

His latest #1 New York Times Best Seller, The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels, examines the present moment in American politics and life by looking back at critical times in U.S. history when hope overcame division and fear. Meacham is a co-author of the recently released book, Impeachment: An American History, which reveals the complicated motives behind the first three impeachments in U.S. history.

Meacham’s presidential biography, Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list. The Times said, “Destiny and Power reflects the qualities of both subject and biographer: judicious, balanced, deliberative, with a deep appreciation of history and the personalities who shape it.” Meacham delivered eulogies for both President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush.

Meacham’s #1 New York Times Best Seller, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, was hailed as “masterful and intimate” by Fortune magazine. His other national bestsellers include Franklin and Winston, American Gospel, and American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2009.

“Jon Meacham is a valued voice with a deep knowledge of politics, religion, and current affairs,” said Drake Professor of Politics Rachel Paine Caufield. “His work is particularly relevant today, as we seek to contextualize and bring perspective to our contemporary political environment, using historical knowledge to understand the present. His Pulitzer Prize-winning work explores multiple facets of our collective shared history, and I look forward to a vibrant conversation and insightful commentary.”

Named a “Global Leader for Tomorrow” by the World Economic Forum, Meacham is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a fellow of the Society of American Historians, and chairs the National Advisory Board of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. Meacham is a distinguished visiting professor of history at The University of the South and a visiting distinguished professor at Vanderbilt. He is currently at work on a biography of James and Dolley Madison. 

About the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series
The Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series is made possible by a gift from the late Melva and Martin Bucksbaum. The Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lectureship Committee includes: Neil Hamilton (chair), Julian Archer, James Autry, Pamela Bass-Bookey, Michael Gartner, Janis Ruan, Mary Bucksbaum Scanlon, Marcia Wanamaker, and Eleanor Zeff.