All posts by Linda Feiden

Mark Your Calendar for this Year’s Holiday Cheer Event

All Staff Council and Human Resources invite faculty and staff to attend this year’s Holiday Cheer gathering on Tuesday, Dec. 16, by the Pomerantz stage in the Olmsted Center. You are welcome to come and go as you please from 9 to 11 a.m.

Relax and enjoy some tasty holiday treats and beverages with friends and colleagues. Griff II will make an appearance near the beginning of the event, so if you time it right, you may be able to get your picture taken with him in your favorite holiday attire.

If you bring at least one non-perishable food or other goods for Drake’s Free Little Food Pantries, you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a prize.  We would love to stock the pantry before the holiday break.

This event is a chance to give back to others in the Drake community, while mingling with coworkers.  Please take a moment to stop by, grab some cheer, and drop off a donation.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Drake Professors to Host Free Gen AI Update

Join Drake University professors Chris Porter and Chris Snider on Friday, Dec. 12, at 12 p.m. for a holiday-themed virtual overview to recent developments in generative artificial intelligence tools.

Whether you are new to generative AI or a seasoned veteran, this event is for you.

We will discuss LLM updates, legal rulings, upgrades for images (Nano Banana) and videos (Sora 2 and Veo 3.1), ChatGPT’s Atlas browser, Coca-Cola’s AI-created holiday commercial and more.

This virtual event is free and open to the public, so put on your holiday PJs and join the fun. Reserve your spot.

— Chris Snider, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Winter Break Campus Building Hours

As we approach the end of the semester, here are some building updates you should know:

End of the Fall semester:

Building schedules will change for the Winter Break and the start/end of the semesters.  Following finals (12/8-12/12), we will adopt “administrative hours” for most campus buildings while classes are not in session (buildings will be open on weekdays from 7:30 am – 4:30 pm 12/15-12/19, and will be closed on the weekends starting on 12/13).  Most extended hour student access plans will also be disabled for the break, but Faculty/Staff plans will continue to work.

Winter Break:

Most campus doors will be locked for the winter break from December 20th to January 4th.  Faculty and staff will still be able to utilize their authorized access plans (for example, 24/7 access to their office buildings), but extended hour student plans will continue to be shut off during this time. Please have your Drake credentials with you if you plan to access the buildings on the 22nd.

Start of J-Term:

“Administrative hours” (7:30am – 4:30pm) will resume starting on 1/5, and will continue through the J–Term time period (until 1/23).  Due to decreased weekend traffic during J-Term, we will lock buildings on the weekends through January, and will switch back to the Spring schedule on Saturday, 1/24.

If you have a scheduling conflict that will be affected by this door schedule, please speak to your building manager so they can put in a ticket to unlock the doors outside of our planned schedule.  Please note that not every building will follow this schedule exactly (Rec, Cowles, Law, and Olmsted often have some schedule variations), so feel free to check in at those buildings if you are unsure of their schedules.

Please contact Public Safety (515-271-2222) if you have a door access emergency during this time. Feel free to email studentservices@drake.edu if you have a general (non-emergent) card access question or concern.

— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

Apply to be a Resident Assistant (RA)

The Office of Residence Life is accepting Resident Assistant Applications for the 2026–2027 school year. RA’s must be leaders, role models, and resources for their residents; however, just as important, they must be team players that work with and support other staff in their own hall as well as other halls on campus.

The application can be found at: https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5pXxVd9fMFxpwGO

The application deadline is Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (during J-Term).

There are two RA Informational sessions:

  • Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, 6 p.m., CR 310, upper Olmsted
  • Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, 6 p.m., Pomerantz Stage, Olmsted (first floor by the bookstore)

For questions regarding the application or interview process, contact Randy E. McMullin, associate director of residence life, at randy.mcmullin@drake.edu. Consider reaching out to your own RA or another RA should you have questions about the position from a student perspective.

— Randy E. McMullin, Office of Residence Life

Dogtown Food Drive Happening Now

In partnership with Impact Community Action Partnership, bring non-perishable items for donation at any of the following Dogtown businesses for exclusive deals.

  • Lucky Horse
  • University Library Cafe
  • Mars Cafe
  • Dough Co.
  • Varsity Cinema
  • Nos Books

Donations are accepted now through Dec. 23.

 — Nate Reagen, Office of the President

Become a Bulldog Shop Content Creator

Do you love social media, building connections with fellow students, and Drake University?

Bulldog Shop is looking for a Content Creator—applications are open now!

What you’ll do:

  • Create engaging social media content
  • Champion the Bulldog Shop brand
  • Connect with fellow students
  • Gain real-world marketing experience for your resume

Why apply?

  • Expand your campus network
  • Flexible hours that fit your schedule
  • Paid opportunity—plus exclusive merch perks

Apply Today!

Link: https://forms.gle/qwoEQF4nXrBZ4Wdi7

— Bulldog Shop

Last Chance to Receive Your Wellness Health Insurance Premium Discount

Time is running out.  Employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026, need to complete a physical exam with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2024 and Nov. 30, 2025, and submit a completed Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form  by Dec. 1, 2025.

If you had a physical since Dec. 1, 2024, please fill out the form and turn it in now. If you cannot get an appointment with your doctor by the Dec. 1, 2025 deadline, or you do not have a primary care provider, you may contact the Broadlawns Community Clinic by Drake (2970 University Ave.) at 515-216-5100.  Let them know you are from Drake and need to make an appointment for a wellness exam.  Please do not wait until the last moment to contact them or they may not have available openings.

You can read more about the wellness premium discount program on the Wellness Premium Discount webpage.

Please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources