All posts by Teresa Downs

Campus Announcements

Student Timesheets End May 17

Student Jobs End May 17: All student timesheets will end May 17, 2025. If students will continue working on campus after May 17, supervisors must re-register them for the summer so they will have a summer timesheet.  If students graduate and will continue working after they graduate, they will be treated as part-time temporary employees and will need to visit HR to complete employment paperwork.

Returning Student Workers for Summer and Fall: If you have returning students for summer 2025 and fall 2025, please submit these positions as soon as possible via the Student Employment Registration Form.   If you have a long list of students to add, you may use the Student Employment Registration Spreadsheet in lieu of the Qualtrics form.  This will ensure a smooth transition for the upcoming semesters for you and your student workers.  Questions?  Email student.employment@drake.edu.

— Teresa Downs, HR

Campus Announcements

Decolonizing Mental Health: Feeling What the System Tries to Silence

The Broadlawns Drake Student Counseling Center is excited to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month with a virtual workshop centered on accessing and healing sacred rage and grief impacted by historical and present systems of power. We recognize that our mental health is influenced by our ability to feel and respond to the environment and experiences around and within us. This free virtual workshop with be facilitated by Dr. Jennifer Mullan, the founder of Decolonizing Therapy TM and best-selling author of “Decolonizing Therapy”, on May 2nd from 10-12pm. This event is co-sponsored by the Slay Fund for Social Justice, Office of Equity and inclusion, and Broadlawns Drake Student Counseling Center. Drake and local attendees will also be entered into a raffle to win up to 20 Decolonizing Therapy books.  Register today!

When: May 2, 10-12 p.m.

Where: Virtual, Register here.

For Students

How to Treat Your Friends and Colleagues with Disabilities

Join Rec Services for an engaging seminar on etiquette when interacting with people with disabilities, designed to help Drake University students foster inclusivity and respectful communication. The seminar will be held Wednesday, April 30, from 1-2 p.m. in the Bell Center, Group Fitness Studio. Gain practical skills to navigate social and professional settings with confidence, ensuring that all individuals feel valued and understood. This interactive session will provide real-world examples and essential guidelines to help create a more inclusive campus community.

Read more 

— Gail Witte, Rec Services

For Students

J-Term 2026 Uganda Travel Seminar

Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (BUS 067) is a three-credit, two-week course that will run during J-term 2026. The course will take place in and around Kampala, Uganda and will introduce students to a host of development-related topics through daily excursions, including a safari and a boat trip along the Nile River. Interested students can email any questions to Prof. Henderson (heath.henderson@drake.edu) or Prof. Mannetter (heidi.mannetter@drake.edu). Applications can be submitted through Via.

— Heath Henderson

For Students

Apply for the DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville

Apply for the DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville program through Via Global. Priority deadline and scholarship deadline: Monday, September 15.

Drake is currently accepting applications for DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville, where you can study abroad in spring 2026 in the vibrant capital of the Andalusia region of southern Spain.

This upcoming spring, a cohort of Drake students will study at the University of Seville with Drake Professor of Environmental Science and Sustainability, Dr. David Courard-Hauri. Students enroll in one Drake course and round out their semester credits taking a variety of courses taught by Spanish and international faculty. University of Seville courses can be pre-approved to count towards your major(s), minor(s), concentration, and/or AOIs.

Drake course offered:

ENS 050: Sustainable Food Systems in Southern Spain (AOIs: Engaged Citizen or Scientific Literacy)

When studying abroad on DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville, students are charged Drake tuition and keep their financial aid package, making your experience abroad comparable in cost to staying right here in Des Moines. In addition, we award over $100,000 in global learning scholarships every year!

To learn more, attend one of our upcoming info sessions.

INFORMATION SESSIONS:

Wednesday, April 30 at 3 pm

Thursday, May 1 at 10 am

Monday, May 5 at 10 am

Tuesday, May 6 at 3 pm

Johansen Student Center room 301

If you have any questions, please reach out to studyabroad@drake.edu or schedule a study abroad advising meeting through Starfish.

— Emily Erschen, Education Abroad Coordinator

For Staff

Community Service Leave Benefit Spotlight

Have you used your Community Service Leave benefit for this fiscal year? 

Let’s make the most of this benefit, which strengthens ourselves and our communities! 

What is Community Service Leave? 

Drake University recognizes the importance of community involvement and encourages employees to participate in volunteer and service activities. Community Service Leave (policy) allows staff the opportunity to participate in community service activities that occur during regularly scheduled work hours, without using vacation or personal time. Full-time, regular employees can request paid leave for up to 8 hours per fiscal year to spend time supporting your favorite not-for-profit. 

Community service leave is a paid time off benefit and can be used for: 

  • Volunteer or service work for non-profit community service organizations 
  • Volunteer work at a school, including the school your children or grandchildren attend (including field trips, events and school-related projects) 
  • Participation in a Drake-sponsored community service activity 
  • Blood, bone marrow, and organ donation 
  • Disaster relief and emergency volunteer activities 

Why volunteer? 

Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for the volunteer.  The right match can help you find friends, connect with the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career. You do not need to make a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day to reap the benefits of volunteering. Giving in even simple ways can: 

  • Improve physical and mental health – research shows that volunteering leads to lower rates of depression and anxiety, reduces stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine. 
  • Connect you to others – volunteering allows you to connect with your community and make it a better place. 
  • Teach valuable skills – the training and hands-on experience you gain while volunteering can help you learn new skills, as well as build upon ones you already have. 
  • Boost your resume – potential employers are often impressed by applicants who have taken the time to volunteer as it shows that you’re dedicated and have a strong work ethic. 
  • Expands your perspective – whether local or abroad, when you volunteer, you work with different age groups, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Where can I find volunteer opportunities? 

Drake’s online community engagement platform, DUgood, connects students, faculty, and staff across campus with partners in Des Moines and beyond. Use the DUgood platform to find opportunities to get involved in our community, track your impact, and explore what your fellow Bulldogs are doing to make a difference. 

How can I request Community Service Leave? 

Employees wishing to use their community service leave must complete a Community Service Leave Request. 

Opportunity Spotlight – Meals on Wheels Hydroponic Farm 

The Meals on Wheels Hydroponic Farm is a 3,000 square foot indoor farm capable of producing approximately 20,000 pounds of leafy greens a year. The farm provides some of our most at-risk populations in the metro with a source of fresh, healthy greens year-round. They also provide greens to other WesleyLife and local communities. Training is provided for every task, and there is no gardening or farming experience necessary, simply an open mind and drive to help feed others. 

The Meals on Wheels Hydroponic Farm has shifts available through August 29, 2025, and is conveniently located right across from Drake at 3206 University Avenue. Each shift can support up to 10 volunteers, so make it a team-building event with your department and sign up here today! 

For Faculty, For Staff

Provost’s Social to Highlight Milestone Service Anniversary Recipients and Retirees, May 12

You are invited to join us at the next Provost’s Drake Social on Monday, May 12, in Schickler Club, adjacent to the Knapp Center, beginning at 4 p.m.

During this event, faculty and staff who celebrated (or will be celebrating) a milestone service anniversary or retirement between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, will have their names scrolled on video screens around the room.  There will be assorted beverages and light snacks.

Please take a moment to stop by and congratulate your co-workers!

— Linda Feiden, HR

HR Information

Walk this May step challenge starts soon

Now that spring has sprung, it is time to go outdoors and get moving.  If you need a little nudge, we are bringing back the Walk this May team step challenge.  During the month of May, teams of four to eight will record their weekly step counts.  Totals and how teams rank will be shared weekly with the teams to keep the competitive juices flowing. Winners will be announced at the end of the month.

To register, send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu by Wednesday, April 30 with your team members, team captain, and team name.  Grab your shoes and let’s get going!

— Linda Feiden, HR

HR Information

Congratulations to This Year’s Sapphire and Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence Award Recipients

Nineteen staff members were recognized during the annual Sapphire Awards ceremony on April 15, for having received either an individual or team Called to Be True Blue Award during the academic year.

In addition, during this event, the recipients of two special Sapphire Awards and this year’s coveted Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence Award were also announced.

  • Individual Sapphire Award Winner: Nicholas Kavanaugh, assistant director of student affairs, CPHS
  • Team Sapphire Award Winners: Kara Wendelin Carnahan, manager, online student services and Suzanne Wisslead, CRM specialist – both in Online and Continuing Education
  • Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence Award Winner: Sara Hughes, assistant to the Dean in the Law School

Congratulations to them all! We encourage everyone to take time to congratulate these amazing Drake staff, and to find ways to recognize others.

It’s never too early to start thinking about True Blue awards. Presentations will start up again at the beginning of the Fall 2025 academic term.  All Staff Council’s Recognition Committee invites everyone to fill out an online Called to be True Blue nomination form at that time, if they know of someone deserving of this honor.

— Linda Feiden, HR