All posts by Linda Feiden

HR Information Archive

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 Archive

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

HR Information Archive

Join Drake’s Team for This Year’s Des Moines Corporate Games

Join Drake’s Corporate Games team.  This annual company-based competition for organizations in central Iowa runs from May 18 through July 31.  With over two dozen events to choose from, Des Moines Corporate Games (DMCG) is a great way to meet new people and have fun.

Events range from team-based to individual and competitive to recreational. Try everything from pickleball and golf, to a fitness walk and yoga. You may participate in as many events as you want.

All in-person activities will be held in the evenings and on weekends and are free (except golf cart rental). ALL Drake faculty and staff, student employees, interns, and retirees are invited and encouraged to join Drake’s team.

To participate in this year’s Des Moines Corporate Games, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu for registration instructions.

— Linda Feiden, HR

Campus Announcements Archive

Olmsted Services Relocating for Summer

Looking ahead to Olmsted’s summer refresh, we wanted to alert you of the change in location for some of the Olmsted services for summer. After finals week, all staff and offices normally housed in Olmsted will be moving to other locations during construction.  Additional information about the summer schedules and locations for each office are listed below – feel free to contact the office directly if you have questions about availability or location during the summer, as there may be adjustments to their normal hours or availability due to construction or staffing.

  • Olmsted Starbucks will be closed for summer.
  • Underground Fitness will be closed for the summer.
  • Campus Print Operations will be closed for the summer.
  • The Bulldog Shop will move to Lower Hubbell.
  • Student Services will move to Johansen Student Center.
  • Campus Mail Operations will move to Johansen Student Center.
  • Conferences and Events will move to Jewett Hall.
  • Residence Life will move to Johansen Student Center.
  • Sodexo Food Services will work out of Hubbell Dining Hall.

Construction is planned to be completed before the start of the fall academic semester, so many of the offices will be returning to Olmsted in August.  Student Services plans to remain in Johansen through the start of the Fall semester, and will move back in September.

— Sara Heijerman

Campus Announcements Archive

Drake Theatre Presents: A Doll’s House, part 2

Drake Theatre invites you to the final production of the 2024-2025 season, A Doll’s House, part 2 on May 1–4.

Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 play A DOLL’S HOUSE famously ends with the sound of a closing door as Nora Helmer decides to leave her husband and children behind to find her own place in the world.  That closing door was the sound that ushered in the modern era of play writing.  Lucas Hnath’s A DOLL’S HOUSE (part 2) picks up 15 years after Ibsen’s classic.  Nora has returned to her former home.  Where has she been?  Why is she back? How will her family react?  

Tickets are $8/students, $10/adults and can be purchased online at drake.edu/fineartsboxoffice or in person at the box office.

— Amber Hussain

For Students Archive

Student Funding Available to Co-Host Second Saturdays

Are you part of a student organization looking to bring exciting, community-focused events to campus? The Holistic Wellness fund, in collaboration with Campus Recreation, Counseling, Student Life, and Access & Success, is launching a brand-new initiative—Second Saturday Social.

We are inviting student organizations to apply for funding to host a social event on the second Saturday of select months: September, October, November, and February. Each event will take place between 7–11 p.m. at either Johansen or Olmsted and will receive $500 in event support from the Holistic Wellness fund.

This is a great opportunity to create fun, engaging, and inclusive experiences for students while fostering wellness, connection, and campus spirit. Whether you envision a game night, open mic, cultural celebration, wellness workshop, or something completely unique—your organization can help shape these dynamic Saturday nights!

Proposal Details:

  • Who Can Apply? Any registered student organization
  • Funding Available: $500 per event
  • Event Timing: Second Saturday of September, October, November, and February (7:00 – 11:00 PM)
  • Location: Johansen or Olmsted
  • Application Deadline: Friday, May 9

Interested in hosting? Submit your proposal today and bring your vision to life!

For more information and to apply by May 9 at  https://forms.office.com/r/QGpMZr4L2f. Don’t miss this chance to make your mark on campus.

— Laura Shell

News & Achievements Archive

Drake Law School Launches New Artificial Intelligence Law Certificate Program

Drake University Law School is proud to announce its new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Law Certificate Program.

From day one at Drake, Dean Jones has made AI a top priority, starting with his AI Task Force. “Thanks to Dean Jones’ leadership, we are able to offer this unique opportunity to Drake Law students,” according to AI Law Certificate Program Director, Associate Professor and Sease Faculty Research Scholar Sayoko Blodgett-Ford.

“The AI Law Certificate empowers students to lead at the intersection of law and technology–whether in private practice, government, nonprofit, policymaking or academia,” said Dean Roscoe Jones, Jr.  “Artificial Intelligence is not just changing industries; it’s reshaping governance, ethics, and the very framework of legal systems.  At Drake Law, we prepare our students with the insight, rigor, and forward-thinking vision needed to meet this moment–and shape what comes next.”

The AI Law Certificate Program is uniquely interdisciplinary, drawing on expertise from across the Drake campus and beyond, including the Institute for Justice Reform & Innovation founded by Judge Mark W. Bennett (ret.), Drake University’s pioneering Artificial Intelligence undergraduate degree, led by Dr. Christopher Porter, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Director of Artificial Intelligence and Co-Chair of the Math & Computer Science Departments, and research at the intersection of the arts, sciences and law.

Designed to be completed by J.D. students during their second and third year at Drake Law, the AI Law Certificate Program is deeply collaborative. “From exploring color and object theory, under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Studio Art Jamey Hart, in the context of machine vision and trademark law, to considering quantum computing data exfiltration detection in cybersecurity, we train law students to go beyond the headlines and critically examine AI’s promises and risks,” said Professor Blodgett-Ford.

Nicholas Romano, a second-year law student in Drake Law’s AI Policy and Governance class, shared, “The new AI Law Certificate at Drake is an amazing opportunity. By working on real-world scenarios that create directly transferable skills, I feel much more prepared to address and advocate for AI-related legal issues and concerns. I’m so happy that Drake is leading the charge.”

Learn more about the new AI Law Certificate program here.

Campus Announcements Archive

Food Truck for Finals Week

Come one, come all for Lachele’s Food truck!

In preparation for finals week, the All-Staff Council, partnered with the Office of the Provost, is hosting the delectable food from Lachele’s Fine Foods.

Come find them in the Olmsted parking lot on Tuesday, May 6, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and be sure to get there early. The first 75 guests get 50% off their meal.

Should rain be on the forecast, we are ready to party in Fischer-Stelter Hall in Johansen.

— Tiffany Hach

For Students Archive

Grads: Are You Prepared for Commencement?

Commencement is just around the corner! Don’t forget to purchase your regalia at the Bulldog Shop—available in-store or online—now through graduation day, May 17th. Shop graduation gear online.

Grab a diploma frame so you can proudly display your hard-earned degree to commemorate your great accomplishment!

You’re about to be a Bulldog Alum! Celebrate your time at Drake with official alumni gear, and take that Bulldog spirit with you wherever you go. Shop Alumni Products.

Congrats, Class of 2025!

— The Bulldog Shop