All posts by Ryan Zantingh

Campus Announcements Archive

The federal loan payment pause has ended

The federal student loan payment pause and zero percent interest rate that had been in place since March 2023 ended Aug. 29.

Borrowers who are currently enrolled at least half-time in a degree program will remain in an in-school deferment (no payments required), but interest will begin accruing on Federal Direct Unsubsidized and PLUS loans, effective Sept. 1st.

Borrowers who are not enrolled half-time will enter/re-enter repayment with first payments due in October. Below are resources that can help with the transition to repayment:

Drake’s Financial Aid Office is available to assist with questions related to federal student loans. Contact us if we can be of service.

— Ryan Zantingh, Financial Aid

Campus Announcements Archive

Harvest Party at the Sprout Garden and Food Forest

The Sprout Garden and Food Forest, located on Drake’s campus at 30th Street and Carpenter Avenue, has received a facelift. Over the summer, educational signage was installed, allowing for a self-paced interpretive experience. Signs inform visitors about permaculture, efforts to save water, the importance of native plants, and information about hundreds of fruit trees and ground cover plants. All are welcome to take a stroll in the food forest to experience this themselves! The sign project was funded by grants from Prairie Meadows and the Iowa DNR.

New seating options were added at the end of the Spring semester. Enjoy a walk and then take a break in the chairs, take a moment for rest and relaxation, or feel free to study, have a meeting, or just catch up with a friend. If you see any fruits or nuts you’d like to try, help yourself!

A donation from Suzie Glazer Burt has allowed us to install irrigation, purchase a rain barrel, and a soon-to-be-installed shade sail that will provide shade in the classroom area. Thank you to all of our donors and supporters!

All are welcome to celebrate these new amenities and a bountiful harvest at the annual Harvest Party, sponsored by the Student Alumni Association, on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 4:30–6 p.m. at the garden and food forest. SAA and Sodexo will prepare appetizers using food from the garden, and there will be activities and giveaways. Ever heard of a blender bike? You don’t want to miss it! Please stop by as your schedule allows.

For more information about the Sprout Garden & Food Forest, visit www.drake.edu/sproutgarden. This space is made possible by the collaboration of many on and off campus, really too many to name, but thank you to all of you! Volunteers are always needed to help with tasks such as weeding, mulching, watering, and harvesting. Sign up to volunteer at https://drake.givepulse.com/event/308806-sprout-garden-volunteer.

Be creative with how to use the space!

  • Faculty can use it as an outdoor classroom
  • Staff can use it for a staff meeting
  • Student organizations can hold a student org meeting there

E-mail sprout@drake.edu to reserve the space.

— Amanda Martin, Community Engaged Learning 

Campus Announcements Archive

Neighborhood Playwright Series: PROLOG

Drake University Department of Theatre Arts presents PROLOG, the 2023 Neighborhood Playwright Series selection on Sept. 15 and Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Turner Jazz Center. This is a staged reading of the Karen and Alex Schaeffer original piece telling a story of how AI (Artificial Intelligence) might present itself to us in the not-too-distant future. Following each performance, join the playwrights for a talkback discussing the creative journey of their new piece.

— Jude Thurman, senior, College of Arts & Science

Campus Announcements Archive

Ambassador-in-Residence Terry Branstad available for office hours, guest lectures

Former Ambassador to China and Governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad, is currently serving as the Ambassador-in-Residence at Drake. He is available throughout the academic year to meet with faculty, staff, and students during regular office hours, and to speak to classes and student organizations. This is an exceptional opportunity to hear the first-hand experiences of someone who has helped shape Iowa and U.S. history.

Students, faculty, and staff with an interest in politics, U.S. foreign affairs, international relations, and China/East Asia are encouraged to attend the Ambassador’s office hours on Friday mornings throughout the Fall semester.

Sign up for office hours or make a speaker request by emailing: ambassador@drake.edu.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

Campus Announcements Archive

Park(ing) Day: Food truck on campus

Come to the Olmsted lot on Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to celebrate Park(ing) Day. Park(ing) Day is a global event where parking spaces are transformed into public parks and social spaces to advocate for safer, greener, and more equitable streets. It is a great opportunity to engage in the dialog around how cities are designed and built.

The students in the Sustainable Transportation class will be hosting the event. Stop on by to interact with them and learn about sustainable transportation and initiatives on campus. Bring a book or bag for the book swap and participate in a house plant raffle.

The Bearded Jackal food truck will also be in attendance, so stop by and grab something to eat!

— Hannah Remke, Sustainability Coordinator

For Students Archive

DU Spain Spring 2024 deadline extended

If you’ve been considering the idea of studying abroad next Spring, the deadline for the DU Spain program in Seville has been extended until Sept. 15. This unique semester program includes a cohort of Drake students with Faculty-in-Residence: Prof. Matthew Hayden. He will be teaching Cultural Diffusion: Values in Art and Architecture.

INFORMATION SESSION: To meet Professor Matthew Hayden and to learn more from the Global Engagement Office, attend one of two information sessions on Wednesday, Sept. 13, from 12-1 p.m. or 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Cowles Library, Room 201.

In addition, students will learn alongside peers from Spain and other countries at a local university. Take coursework in English, Spanish, or a combination, depending on the program you select. You can earn credit toward your major(s), minor(s) and AOI(s)! Students will have the opportunity to live with a Spanish family at their Seville home or live in a Residencia (similar to an apartment). Learn more here or start an application in Terra Dotta.

— Chelsea Funk, Global Engagement

Campus Announcements Archive

Join Drake’s Walktober step challenge with DMU and Wesley Life

If you are looking for a way to motivate yourself to get up and move more, join this year’s Walktober step challenge.  Drake is competing with Des Moines University and Wesley Life to see which site’s competitors can achieve the highest average step total during the month of October.  The winning site claims the Walktober traveling trophy for a year and bragging rights.  Drake won the trophy last year and we want to keep it here!

You are welcome to register as an individual, or create a team (adding a little internal competition to our already external one).  If you would like participate, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.  If you are putting together a team, please include your team’s name, team captain, and team members (4-6 people per team).  This event is open to all faculty, staff, and students.  Registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 29.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive

Cowles Library OER grant stipend opportunity

Cowles Library is excited to announce an opportunity for full-time Drake faculty interested in learning more about using open educational resources (OER) in their courses. After successfully offering these grants last fall, the Provost’s Office is generously supporting them again this fall. These open resources replace costly textbooks and are beneficial to students in your courses in so many ways.  The Drake Faculty Open Education Grant Program is offering $500 stipends to participants who complete the program, which comprises a workshop, self-paced learning modules, and peer discussion.

This program will be limited to six (6) participants in fall 2023, and participants must complete all required components to receive their stipend. We expect the time commitment for the program to be ten to twelve (10-12) hours, which includes the virtual kickoff workshop on Friday, October 6, 3:30-5:00 p.m.

Apply now: Drake Faculty Open Education Grant Program Application

Deadline: Applications are due by Wednesday, Sept. 27. Individuals will be notified of the status of their application by Monday, Oct. 2. Grants will be awarded based on representation of a wide range of disciplines and the alignment of application responses to the proposed content of this program.

Questions? Contact the project leads: Teri Koch, at teri.koch@drake.edu or Andrew Welch at andrew.welch@drake.edu.

— Teri Koch, Cowles Library

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Celebration of Life for Maddy Maxwell Oct. 5

Please join President Marty Martin, Emeritus President David Maxwell, and the Board of Trustees in celebrating the life and leadership of Madeleine “Maddy” Maxwell on Thursday, Oct. 5, from 4:30–6 p.m. at the Patty and Fred Turner Jazz Center.

Maddy passed away June 14. Emeritus President David and Maddy Maxwell led the University from 1999–2015. As the University’s first lady for 16 years, Maddy worked tirelessly to bring the campus and community together. She was a true servant-leader, and she lived a life devoted to transforming lives and strengthening communities. Maddy’s joyful spirit, boundless energy, and deep commitment to students will serve as inspiration for generations of graduates and community friends.

Please RSVP by Sept. 29 to Erica Hartschen at erica.hartschen@drake.edu or 515-271-4990.  
Parking for the celebration can be found off Forest Ave across from the Knapp Center.

— Erica Hartschen, University Advancement

Campus Announcements Archive

Diverse student/alumni welcome receptions

The Office of Alumni Relations reaffirms Drake’s commitment to diversity by recognizing and nurturing different identities. In 2020, we committed to fostering community between our diverse students and alumni. Starting this week, Alumni Relations will host two receptions to welcome our LGBTQ+ and BIPOC students to campus for another great year! These welcome receptions serve to create community among diverse students, alumni, faculty, and staff. For students, this is an opportunity to meet individuals like you who have been where you are. And of course, there will also be refreshments (and Griff…shhh)!

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, from 7–8:30 p.m., we welcome all LGBTQ+ students, alumni, faculty/staff, and allies to the Reading Room in Cowles Library for Rainbow Welcome. And then, next week on Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 6:30–8 p.m., we welcome all BIPOC students, alumni, faculty/staff, and allies to the Alumni House for the BIPOC Student/Alumni Welcome.

— Gregory Lin, Alumni Relations