All posts by Madison Bemus

April Provost Social and Sapphire Awards

Please join us Tuesday, April 18, in the Cowles Library Reading Room for the Provost’s Social. This month’s Social will follow All Staff Council’s Sapphire Awards, where the Sapphire awards and the Madelyn M. Levitt Distinguished Community Service award will be presented.

The Sapphire Awards will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the Cowles Library Reading Room and will be immediately followed by the regular social at 4 p.m. Please join us to enjoy some refreshments and celebrate our colleagues.

Refreshments will include light snacks, beer, wine, soft drinks, and cake. This is a family-friendly event, so please feel free to bring your children or partner!

— Madison Bemus, Provost’s Office

Rec facility closure

All rec facilities will be closed Thursday, April 20, from 5–10 p.m. Regular hours will resume Friday, April 21.

Bell Center squat racks will be closed Wednesday, April 19, through Sunday, April 23.  Faculty and staff may use the Underground Fitness during this time.

— Lisa Murphy, Recreational Services

Summer screenwriting intensive

Aspiring screenwriters (film & TV) can register for a unique one-week summer experience with Drake alum and Hollywood TV writer (’02) Eric Ziobrowski. ENG 198 is open to all majors who have taken at least one previous writing course. No instructor permission required.

— Carol Spaulding-Kruse, Professor of English

Drake Cheer tryouts May 6

Drake Cheer tryouts for the 2023–2024 year will be held May 6 at 8 a.m. in the Knapp Center. The Drake Cheerleading Team consists of men and women whose primary purpose is to support Drake athletics and Drake University. The purpose of the squad is to boost school spirit, promote good sportsmanship, develop positive crowd involvement, and help student participants and spectators enjoy the athletic event. Cheer squad activities should center on leading and directing the cheering of fans. Find more information about Drake Cheer and tryouts.

— Megan Franklin, Athletics

Drake Wellness: Be mindful, not mind full. Take a study break

Show your mind, body, and soul some love by taking a well-deserved break from studying. Join the Drake Wellness Team in mindful meditation and practicing breath work on May 5 (day free for study)! A few sessions will be offered throughout the day to work around being “Drake Busy.” We will start off with a morning yoga session to calm our minds and prepare ourselves for the beginning of the end. Stay Bulldog Strong!

— Gail Witte, Recreational Services

Environmental Health & Safety contact information

Recruitment is currently underway for the Director of Environmental Health & Safety.  To ensure coverage during this interim period, a coverage plan has been developed as outlined below.

First, all non-emergency questions can be e-mailed to ehs@drake.edu; we will continuously monitor this email. Please be sure to include your name, title, department and phone number so we can refer you to the appropriate individual.

For lab related questions or questions about chemical or hazardous waste pick up, you may also reach out to Nick Crumpton at nick.crumpton@drake.edu. Nick is a Chemistry Lab Assistant and is well equipped to answer lab safety questions, facilitate chemical pick up or connect you to other resources, as needed.

For general health and safety questions, reach out Public Safety at 271–2222. For COVID-19 related questions, please contact Scott Law at Scott.Law@drake.edu

Workers Compensation and occupational health related questions can be referred to ehs.@drake.edu. If you need to report a workplace injury, please complete a first report of injury form here.

Thank you for your patience during this time of transition.

— Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

Students selected as finalists in the OpenAir Carbon Removal Challenge

Drake University students from the College of Arts and Sciences were selected as finalists in the 2023 OpenAir Carbon Removal Challenge. This worldwide competition tasked team to create new processes, approaches, and prototypes to remove carbon from the land, water, or air. The Drake team will present their design to judges at New York University on April 21.  The students’ design called SPARCC: Semi-Passive Algae Rooted Carbon Capture device collects carbon through photosynthesis while also cleaning local rivers of nitrate pollution due to agricultural runoff.

Congratulations to Tyler Bartolome, Bryan Coronado, Anna Miller, and Betsy Richardson and faculty advisor Prof. Edward Kelley.

Virtual tickets to the event can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/carbon-removal-challenge-finalist-showcase-tickets-586069348197

— Edward Kelley, College of Arts & Sciences

Walk this May team step challenge

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 six will record their weekly step counts.  Totals and how teams rank will be shared weekly to keep the competitive juices flowing. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the month.

To register, send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu by April 26 with your team members and team name.  Grab your shoes and let’s get going!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Earth week events: speaker, tree planting, live music

The future is in our hands, so get engaged with the environment this Earth Week! Join us each day this week for an event, including a movie at Sussman Theater today (April 18), and don’t miss Earth Jam, live music in the Olmsted Pit, on Friday, April 21.

Check out the photo below for a list of challenges.

Tuesday, April 18: Movie night from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sussman Theater. Join us for The Lorax and snacks.

Wednesday, April 19: Zoo! Learn about zoo conservation and meet animals from the Blank Park Zoo on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Science Connector Building, Room 201.

Thursday, April 20: Hear climate activist Jeff Biggers speak about climate change and environmental issues on Drake’s campus from 6 to 8 p.m. at Pom Stage. Snacks included.

Friday, April 21: Help plant limber pine trees with Drake Grounds from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the GK Courtyard and get an exclusive sticker.

Friday, April 21: Earth Jam! Enjoy live music from Andre Davis, Charlotte Blu, and Annalibera plus crafts, plants, snacks, Veggie Thumper, prizes, and more from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Olmsted Pit.

Learn here about our speaker, Jeff Biggers:

“Founder of the Climate Narrative Project, an arts and advocacy project, Biggers has given lectures, readings and performances at over 100 universities and schools across the country, from the University of California in Berkeley, the University of Mississippi, Yale University to the University of Rome (La Sapienza). Biggers has served as the Climate Narrative Playwright-in-Residence at Indiana University Northwest, the Sustainability Writer-in-Residence at the University of Iowa, the Campbell-Stripling Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at Wesleyan College in Georgia, and delivered the keynote address at numerous literary, urban planning and environmental conferences.”

— Andrew Kennard, JO, AS