All posts by Stephanie Cardwell

Campus Announcements Archive

The 2022 Pappajohn Student Entrepreneurial Venture Competition is now open

Sponsored by John Pappajohn and Equity Dynamics, Inc., the Pappajohn Student Entrepreneurial Venture Competition is for Iowa university and college students with an interest in starting their own business. Plans are judged based on a) Content of Plan and b) Viability of business idea. Three (3) seed grants in the amount of $5,000 are awarded to the top three business plans submitted in the competition. In addition, all finalists receive $500 if not chosen for the top awards.

Any full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate registered for the 2021-2022 academic year is eligible. Plans must be for a start-up business only (not for an existing business). Visit https://tinyurl.com/drakestudentpappajohn to learn more and apply! Questions? Email jpec@drake.edu.

— Stephanie Cardwell, CBPA

Campus Announcements Archive

DART Express Route survey

DART’s Express Routes (92, 93, 95, 96, 98 and 99) have experienced decreased ridership due to new travel patterns and the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on local commuters. Because of this decrease in ridership, DART is proposing reducing the number of trips its Express Routes run. By surveying riders, DART hopes to find the times they need to arrive in, and leave, downtown Des Moines. DART is not planning to end service on any routes as part of this effort.

If you currently utilize any of DART’s Express Routes, they invite you to take a survey, sharing what time you want to see their routes run. You are welcome to share contact information when you complete the survey to receive information in the future including proposed schedules after the survey closes. DART expects to begin making changes to its Express Routes in June 2022.

If you prefer not to fill out the survey online, you may pick up and drop off a paper copy of the survey at the DART Customer Service window at DART Central Station (620 Cherry St.) or request a survey by calling DART Customer Service at 515-283-8100, option 0.

If you have questions about these survey efforts, please visit ridedart.com/June.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

For Students Archive

Free tool to improve your money management

Are you interested in improving your money management skills? Do you wish you knew more about investing and credit? Do you need to learn more about the benefits that employers offer?

Drake University has partnered with GradReady® to provide a FREE digital platform where you can learn about these topics at your own pace from any device. Visit drake.gradready.com to create your account and get started.

— Ryan Zantingh, Student Financial Planning

Campus Announcements Archive

Crisis in Ukraine panel discussion

Please join faculty from the Department of Political Science and the Department of History for a panel discussion about the unfolding crisis in Ukraine. This event will be held on Wednesday, March 2, from 12:30–1:45 p.m. in the Reading Room at Cowles Library.

Panelists include:

  • Amir Busnov (B.A. in International Relations from Drake University): Following his graduation from Drake, Mr. Busnov completed his Masters in International Affairs from the Fletcher School for Law and Diplomacy. He recently returned from Ukraine where he has been serving as a Monitoring Officer with the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Special Monitoring Mission.
  • Rob Collis (Visiting Assistant Professor of History): Professor Collis specializes in European and Russian history, and has published widely on Russian history.
  • Debra DeLaet (Professor of Political Science): Professor DeLaet has particular interest in the politics of international law and the role of the United Nations in global politics. Her scholarship focuses on human rights and global gender issues.
  • David Skidmore (Professor of Political Science) has a scholarly interest in U.S. foreign policy decision-making. His scholarship focuses on U.S. foreign policy and international political economy.
  • Kieran Williams (Assistant Professor of Political Science): Professor Williams has a special interest in the politics of Central and Eastern Europe. His publications include several works relating to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Panelists will share their regional expertise as well as perspectives related to international law and international security. There will be ample time for questions and discussion. Light refreshments will be served.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

Campus Announcements Archive

Join us for an out of this world conversation with Astronaut Raja Chari LIVE from the International Space Station

The Law School is hosting a Q&A with Astronaut Raja Chari live from the International Space Station this Thursday, March 3, at 2 p.m. The event will be held in Cartwright Hall, Room 213.

Doors will open at 2 p.m. The link to the ISS will go live promptly at 2:10 p.m. After a brief introduction, the line will be open for questions from the audience. Questions must be submitted and approved by Law School staff in advance. Individuals whose questions are selected will be notified on March 2.

Raja Chari, husband of Drake Law alumna Holly Schaffter Chari, LW’02, is the commander of the NASA SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The crew has been on the ISS since early November. Commander Chari is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He earned a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.

Space is limited. Please register in advance. The registration form includes a place for you to submit a question for consideration. Register here.

— Terri Howard, Law School

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Employee Appreciation Month is here

Friday, March 4, is Employee Appreciation Day. Believe it or not, this unofficial holiday has been around for 27 years—though it has only recently grown in popularity. In 1995, Bob Nelson, a founding board member of Recognition Professionals International, called for a holiday acknowledging all employees, not just administrative professionals. And, thus, Employee Appreciation Day was born.

The primary purpose of this day is to recognize employees for their hard work, dedication, and effort throughout the year. Hopefully, we can all agree that employers ought to regularly take time to show appreciation for their teams (i.e., certainly more than once a year!). However, it is meaningful to have dedicated time for deeper reflection and gestures of gratitude.

Drake will be celebrating Employee Appreciation the entire month of March, not just on March 4. We encourage you to read tomorrow’s HR Monthly email, which will provide a list of events and activities happening throughout the month of March. Please monitor your email for special messages from leaders. We also are excited to feature articles about employee appreciation in OnCampus every week during March.

It has been another year of challenge and tenacity, uncertainty and growth. Drake faculty, staff, and student workers have done amazing work, despite the roller-coaster ride COVID-19 forced upon us. Take time to feel pride in your ability to persevere. It is easy to forget that we are slogging our way through a historic event and—at least for some of us—it’s been exhausting and scary. Some of us have suffered sickness, loss, isolation, and many different forms of hardship. Yet, this community has sustained a focus on our students and kept its forward momentum going.

Although I am still new to Drake, I have picked up on a theme when speaking with managers and academic leaders—they are so terribly proud of their teams and departments. If you look back at all you’ve accomplished in the last year (or two), you should also be proud.

Thank you for caring about our students. Thank you for wanting this community to grow, improve, and evolve. Thank you for your agility, resilience, and dedication. Thank you staying on this roller coaster ride—even when the path forward has been murky. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources; Nate Reagen, President’s Office

Campus Announcements Archive

Summer 2022, Fall 2022, J-Term 2023 registration, schedule of classes

The Summer 2022, Fall 2022, J-Term 2023 schedule of classes and related registration information is available online. Registration begins Monday, April 11.

View registration information, including the registration time table that shows when you become eligible to register. View the schedule of classes.

Some courses will be temporarily reserved for students who have declared a certain field-of-study (major, minor, concentration, or endorsement). On Monday, April 25, those reservations will be removed. Note that some courses have restrictions that are permanent.

If you are an undergraduate or pharmacy student intending to make any changes to your field-of-study and have those changes take effect before registration begins, you must file your changes via the change of record request no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 4. Requests submitted after this date may not be accommodated until Wednesday, April 27.

— Ryan Trump, Office of the Registrar

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Provost’s Drake Socials resume this month

The Provost’s Drake Socials will resume in March. Dates and locations for the remainder of the semester are:

  • Wednesday, March 23, Cowles Reading Room
  • Monday, April 11, Shivers Hospitality Suite
  • Tuesday, May 3, with the annual Human Resources retirement and years of service recognition, Shivers Hospitality Suite

The Socials will begin at 4 p.m. and are family friendly. There will be snacks, beer, wine, soft drinks, and water.

We will have Drake Core Value recognitions in March and April. If you would like to recognize a colleague for demonstrating our Core Values, please go to this Qualtrics page to provide information. Everyone entered will be recognized via a scrolling PowerPoint and several will have their names drawn for prizes.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

For Staff Archive

High-five from Griff II now circulating

Drake staff have been receiving some special Griff II magnets this month as part of Staff Appreciation Month. One hundred magnets are being distributed through All Staff Council to circulate among staff throughout the month of March.

Here’s how it works:

  • The magnets will be given out as a high-five for a job well done—a way to say, “I see you, and I appreciate you.”
  • Once received, individuals are encouraged to keep the magnets for just a few days, but be watching for a colleague who also deserves a high-five.
  • The magnets can be handed off again and again, reaching as many of Drake’s amazing staff members as possible.

Feel free to add a note of appreciation, a treat, or a simple  smile—just keep those magnets circulating.

This is a joint project through the All Staff Council Recognition Committee and Human Resources.

— Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost