All posts by Ashton Hockman

News & Achievements Archive

Drake student work reaches finals for SPJ awards

Drake student work has reached the finals of the Society of Professional Journalists Region 7 Mark of Excellence contest. Winners will be announced at the region’s annual conference at the University of Central Missouri on April 5–6. The Drake finalists are:

  • Best Independent Online Student Publication: Urban Plains
  • Best Podcast: Hold Up, Jessica Spangler and Mitch Kedzior
  • Best Online Sports Reporting: Jessica Spangler
  • Best Online Feature: Samantha Ohlson
  • Best Student Magazine: Drake Magazine
  • Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper: Times-Delphic
  • General News Reporting: Rachel James and Phong Ly
  • Breaking News Reporting: Marie Nalan
  • Best Online Sports Reporting: Andrew Beall
  • General News Photography: Grace Hulin
  • Breaking News Photography: Lorien MacEnulty
  • Best Sports Photography: J.D. Pelegrino

Kathleen Richardson, Dean, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Reminder: Faculty and staff online course due March 31

Reminder: the online course Prevent Discrimination and Harassment Together is to be completed March 31 by faculty and staff.

This is the third online course to be completed by faculty and staff this year. The online courses, Drake University Online Information Security Awareness and Prevent Sexual Violence Together, were to be completed by faculty and staff by Dec. 7. The courses are part of Drake’s new online programs, which underscore Drake’s commitment to safety and security. The courses feature realistic scenarios based in a higher education setting and participants interactively answer related questions.

Training is completed at your own pace and the courses may be accessed multiple times. Courses retain previously completed content and will return you to the place you last viewed course information. The Blackboard system electronically records your status as “completed” when you finish each course.

Course Access
Log in to myDrake and click the Blackboard app in the shaded blue area near the top of the screen. Click Agree and Continue at the pop-up screen describing Privacy, Cookies and Terms of Use. Next, enter your Drake Banner numeric ID and password, and you’ll be directed to the Blackboard home page. The courses are listed in the My Courses area of the page.  The Prevent Sexual Violence Together and Prevent Discrimination and Harassment Together courses are bundled within the link titled Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Violence Prevention.

Unsure If You’ve Completed a Course?
Click on the course title and then My Grades on the left menu. A green checkmark indicates you’ve completed the course.

Next Steps
Deans/administrative leaders will receive a spreadsheet listing their faculty and staff who need to complete the courses that were due Dec. 7. They will provide information to managers for follow-up.

Need Help?
The home page of Blackboard includes a link to On Demand Help topics. If you experience technical issues, click the Blackboard Issues link in the Bb Student News section of the home page and submit your request. For questions about course content, contact Peter Lundstedt, director, Information Security and Compliance; Kathryn Overberg, Title IX coordinator and equity and inclusion policy specialist; or Mary Alice Hill, director, HR Partner Services.

Mary Alice Hill, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Tornado drill March 27

The National Weather Service will conduct a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, March 27. A test tornado watch will be issued around 10 a.m. followed by a test tornado warning around 10:15 a.m., in which sirens will sound.

The statewide drill allows us to test our planning and readiness and practice seeking appropriate shelter in case of a real tornado. Faculty, staff, and students should participate in the drill by following campus severe weather plans and going to the lowest level of their building, away from doorways and windows. View a list of designated severe weather shelters.

In the event of actual severe weather in the state during the drill, backup days are scheduled for March 28 and 29.

Learn what actions to take when a tornado hits, whether you are outside in a manufactured home or in a building.

Wherever you are, remember that most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so protect your head.

Tornado facts:

  • Tornados may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
  • Funnel clouds usually last less than 10 minutes before dissipating, and many only last several seconds. On rare occasion, cyclones can last for over an hour.
  • Tornados may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
  • The average tornado moves southwest to northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
  • The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 mph, but may vary from stationary to 70 mph.
  • Damage paths of tornadoes can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long.
  • Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., but can occur at any time.

Tornado watch: Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to the NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.

Tornado Warning: A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Seek shelter immediately.

Chris Nickell, Environmental Health and Safety

For Students Archive

Student Senate elections

Interested in holding a representative seat for Drake University within student governance? Elections for the Drake Student Senate will begin this month. View official election calendar.

Student Senate is the governing organization of the student body whose function, in simple terms, are (1) allocation of funds, (2) approval and maintenance of student organizations, and (3) direct liaisons to campus administrators, staff, and faculty. 

Any full-time Drake student is eligible and encouraged to run for a seat around the table. There is a spot for everyone. 

Petitions are available in the Student Life Center in Olmsted for both election cycles. Executive Board (Student Body President, Vice President of Student Life, Vice President of Student Activities, and Student Body Treasurer) petitions are available from March 7–14 and voting will be from March 27–28. The general Senator election (Senator-at-Large, Academic Senator, and Equity & Inclusion Senator) petitions are available from March 27–April 3 and voting will be from April 11–12. 

If you think you are interested in running, or you would like to know more about the Senate in general, you can always reach out to student.senate@drake.edu and/or ElectionCommission@drake.edu.

Bakari Caldwell, Vice President of Student Life

HR Information Archive

Welcome new Bulldogs

Please join Human Resources in welcoming four new, full-time Drake University employees for the month of February.

Sarah Heller, Student Account Consultant, Student Accounts
Jeremy Calvert, Information Security Analyst, ITS
Ananda (Annie) Spadt, Assistant Director, Brand Integration, UCM
Karen MacKinnon, Administrative Assistant, History, Arts & Sciences

Laura Schwarz, HR Support Specialist

For Students Archive

Save the date: All In 2019

As a non-profit university, Drake relies on generous philanthropic support from people who care about the institution and its students to offer the best educational experience possible each year. And next month, you can be part of one of Drake’s most exciting and successful fundraisers, All In. During this 24-hour giving challenge, students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends share, celebrate, and support all things Drake. During All In, gifts go further through exciting matching gifts and donor count challenges.  

A new ambassador program will be an important driver of All In’s success and students are invited to be a part of sharing All In. Your connections and network can be a powerful tool for spreading the word about Drake. Ambassadors get exclusive resources to help spread the All In message and track their impact. Sign up to be an ambassador.  

All In primarily takes place online (check out the new website) and in social media feeds, where people share their Drake pride and give to the All In fundraiser. Events will also take place on campus during the day, with more information to come.  

Contact Becca Widmer, director of annual giving, at becca.widmer@drake.edu if you have any questions about the Ambassador program or the All In challenge and be sure to follow the Drake Alumni social channels, (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), which will be the primary social feeds for All In, but expect to see All In everywhere Drake is. 

Becca Widmer, University Advancement

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Save the date for All In 2019

One of Drake’s most exciting and successful advancement and fundraising activities is back and better than ever. On April 4–5, the Drake community will rally around the University for All In. During this 24-hour giving challenge, alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, and friends will share, celebrate, and support Drake. As a non-profit University, Drake relies on philanthropic support to fulfill its mission. During All In, every gift goes further through matching funds and donor count challenges.  

A new ambassador program is one way All In will be more dynamic this year. Ambassadors are provided with exclusive resources to help spread the All In message and track their impact. As faculty and staff members, your connections and endorsement will help All In achieve even more in 2019. Sign up to be an ambassador.  

All In primarily takes place online and on social media, where people share their Drake stories and pride and give to the All In fundraiser. Student events will happen on campus during the day and a happy hour event for alumni, faculty, and staff will also take place in Des Moines during the evening of April 4. (More details to come.)  

Contact Becca Widmer, director of annual giving, at becca.widmer@drake.edu if you have any questions about the Ambassador program or the All In challenge and be sure to follow the Drake Alumni social channels, (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), which will be the primary social feeds for All In, but expect to see All In everywhere Drake is. 

Becca Widmer, University Advancement

Strategic Updates Archive

Great Colleges survey: Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who completed the Great Colleges To Work For survey. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. The survey closed yesterday, and I am pleased to announce that we had 62% participation. A summary of the results will be shared with the campus in early summer. 

Mary Alice Hill, Director, Human Resources