All posts by Maria Valdovinos

News & Achievements Archive

Valdovinos appointed to NIH study section

Maria Valdovinos, professor of psychology, has been appointed to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Child Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities Study Section, Center for Scientific Review, for the term beginning July 1, 2020, and ending June 30, 2026.

Members are selected on the basis of their demonstrated competence and achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals, and other significant scientific activities, achievements, and honors. Service
on a study section also requires mature judgment and objectivity as well as the ability to work effectively in a group—all qualities Professor Valdovinos will bring to this important task.

Study sections review grant applications submitted to the NIH, make recommendations on these applications to the appropriate NIH national advisory council or board, and survey the status of research in their fields of science. These functions are of great value to medical and allied research in this country.

Congratulations to Professor Valdovinos on this unique opportunity.

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Masterclass Live Pie Baking with Provost Mattison

Take a break and clear your mind during this stressful time and learn how to make a delicious apple pie with Provost Sue Mattison. Provost Mattison will make her famous apple pie live on Teams while the audience has the opportunity to ask her questions—preferably about baking and to get to know her a little more (no work-related questions please). 

The event is Monday, June 22, from 3–4 p.m. and the link to the event can be found here. 

All attendees will be entered into a raffle for a parking pass for next year. Attendees who ask a question in the Q&A box will be eligible to win Bulldog Bucks. Participants who bake along and send in pictures of their apple pie to ascspecialevents@drake.edu will have the opportunity to win Bulldog Bucks and Griff socks!

However you want to participate is up to you—just watch, ask questions, or bake along—but we hope you will participate in this fun, virtual, family-friendly event.

Apple Pie Ingredients:
3-ish cups all purpose flour
A bit of salt
A little milk or an egg white
1.5-ish cups sugar—I like the grainy “sugar in the raw”
2.5-ish sticks unsalted butter
1/4-1/3 cup vegetable shortening
4 Granny Smith apples
Cinnamon
Ground Ginger
Ground Cloves
Ground nutmeg

— Sponsored by the All Staff Council Events & Community Service Committee

For Students Archive

Spain and Morocco Zoom info session

The “Spain & Morocco: Exploring the Intersections of Ethics and Culture” J-Term 2021 travel seminar will have a Zoom information session on Wednesday, June 10, at 5:30 p.m. CT. Attend to learn from instructors Professors Cris Wildermuth and Amy Pfeifer more about the course, the excursions and activities included in the program, and ask any questions you may have about the travel seminar.

Access the Zoom meeting on Wednesday, June 10, at 5:30 p.m. using the password “adventure.”

Learn more about all of Drake’s 2021 travel seminars, including how to apply.

— Nathan Jacobson, Drake International

HR Information Archive

Employee and Family Resources June webinars

To help us navigate these stressful times, Employee & Family Resources is offering a weekly webinar series. Join EFR on June 10 at 10 a.m. for Back to the Workplace: Managing the “New Normal” with Skill & Grace and on June 24 at 2 p.m. for Peaceful Mind in the Midst of Uncertainty.

Register here. All webinars are live, but will be recorded and available for later viewing if these dates and times do not work with your schedule.

EFR has also created a series of podcasts called Emotion Well Podcast.  The podcasts are available on their website, as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

If life is weighing you down, EFR offers a variety of Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) resources to help you now, or anytime. You can reach EAP by phone (800-327-4692) or visit their website at https://www.efr.org/login/. All EAP benefits are confidential and available 24/7/365.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Call for applications: Pressing Global Issues Grant

The Nelson Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs invites proposals for a two-year grant that will fund interdisciplinary faculty-student research projects that address a global issue of broad public importance. This is a unique experience for faculty and staff to work collaboratively on a global initiative, and support’s the University’s objective of infusing global and intercultural learning throughout the Drake experience.

Over the past five years, the Nelson Institute has funded the following Pressing Global Issues grant projects:

  • Exploring complementary approaches to combat global non-communicable diseases in India
  • Comparative religion project in partnership with Minzu University in Beijing, China, culminating in a photo narrative-style book
  • Assessing, Collaborating, and Empowering to Improve Water Quality in Rural Uganda
  • Transnational Des Moines: Reframing Des Moines Immigrant and Refugee Narratives through Collaborative Research with Youth
  • Drake University’s Presence in the Toledo District of Southern Belize: Maximizing Our Impact While Minimizing Our Footprint

One project will be funded for the period from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022*. Depending upon resource availability, the Nelson Institute may award similar grants in future years according to a similar two-year cycle. The Nelson Institute will provide $20,000 to $30,000 in support of selected projects, depending upon demonstrated need. Project leaders are encouraged, if necessary, to seek additional funding from on- and off-campus sources.

Send your proposals to the Director of the Nelson Institute for Diplomacy & International Affairs Dr. Jimmy Senteza at Jimmy.Senteza@drake.edu. The deadline for proposals is June 26, 2020. The proposals will be reviewed by a committee comprised of faculty and staff. Award notification will occur by July 6, 2020.

*Funds may not be expended during the period that University travel restrictions and correlating budget restrictions are in place.

Successful proposals will feature the following elements/criteria:

  1. Explication of Research Topic
  • A clear identification of the pressing global issue to be addressed and an explanation of its public significance.
  • An exposition of the research objectives and methods related to the project.
  • An explanation of how the project takes advantage of particular strengths Drake and the community bring to addressing the issue.

2. Identification of Interdisciplinary Research Team

  • Commitments from an interdisciplinary faculty research team consisting of three or more faculty members (at least two of whom must be Drake affiliated). One or more Principal Investigators must be identified.
  • Evidence that the team members possess the requisite qualifications to successfully carry out the project (please attach CVs).
  • The project must involve two or more paid student research assistants with appropriate qualifications.
  • The research may be joint or parallel (i.e., a single joint project or several individual projects that each address related aspects of a common theme).

3. Activities and Outcomes

  • The project timeline will allow for completion of the primary research products within a two-year period.
  • The project participants will engage in at least two team activities (e.g., summer campus workshop, international travel as a team, cooperative field work, etc.) during the grant period.
  • Team members will collaborate with other campus entities (e.g., Principal Center for Global Citizenship, Humanities Center, DUSCI, the Harkin Institute, Engaged Citizen, etc.) to schedule co-curricular events (e.g., speakers, films, panel discussions, etc.) related to the theme during the two-year grant period.
  • The project will plausibly lead to externalization in the form of publication, presentation(s) at a professional conference, submission as a report to relevant public or non-governmental bodies involved with policy-making, or other outputs of similar import.
  • The student members of the grant team are expected to participate in the annual Global Citizen Forum held on campus each Spring.

4. Preferences

  • Preference will be given to projects that draw upon connections with partners at the local, national or international level (e.g., overseas university partner).
  • Preference will be given to new projects that have not been funded in prior years by the Nelson Institute.

Teams are encouraged to consult with the director as they prepare their proposals. The successful grant team will be expected to submit a formal progress report by June 30, 2021, and a final grant report by June 30, 2022.

— Annique Kiel, Drake International

News & Achievements Archive

CPHS students honored at 2020 Virtual Recognition and Pinning Ceremony

Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences held its annual Recognition and Pinning Ceremony virtually on Thursday, May 7, 2020. The ceremony marks the transition to final year internships, fieldwork, and rotations for undergraduate health sciences students, athletic training students, occupational therapy doctoral students, and doctor of pharmacy students.

During the ceremony, Dean Chesnut announced the recipients of a number of prestigious awards.

Health Sciences Awards:
Corey Elliott – Outstanding Health Sciences Student Award
Jason Grady – Health Sciences Student Leadership Award

Athletic Training Award:
Madi Sehmer – Emerging Clinician Award

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Awards:
Chelsea Steffens – Scholastic Achievement Award
Keli Zemke – Leadership and Professional Development Award

PharmD Awards:
Michelle Lin – Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award
David Wood – Lon N. Larson Engaged Practitioner Award

Students receiving pins included the following:

Health Sciences Students: Jaclyn Andersen, Madyson Anglim, Keith Barnett, Alexis Cosatino, Mitchel DeKeyrel, Meghan Dixon, Jenevi Doan, Corey Elliott, Alexander Fischer, Jason Grady, Amy Helseth, Steph Jarecki, John A. Jenson, Alex Klosterman, Swapna Kowkuntla, Noah Linder, Josie Lowe, Jake Midby, Matalyn Perry, Emily Plock, Morgan Robinson, Abby Rye, Joy Schnoebelen, Gwen Soliz, Nicole Timmons, Sabrina Uddin, Annika Weisjahn, Faith Wilson, Haley Wood

Master of Athletic Training Students: Drew Orr, Frankie Porter, Madi Sehmer

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Students: Audrey Baker, Laura Brady, Lizette Cruz, Sabrina DeHerrera, Hanna Denkler, Corinne Drummond, Cheyanne Ellis, Kelsey Finn, Angelica Gacek, Andrew Galvez, Lindsey Gidel, Sydney Ginkens, Sarah Gronau, Haylee Huedepohl, Kelsey Huss, Jessi Jacobs, Janna Johnson, Brooke Krogman, Danae Lane, Maranda Metz, Hailey Mills, Cassidy Mullins, Jessica Neff, Regan Odegard, Ewa Pawelko, Carly Perryman, Taylor Pirillo, Jessica Pottebaum, Jessica Reynalds, Rachel Rose, Myranda Runneberg, Richie Serrano, Lacie Sleezer, Katelyn Smith, Dana Stanek, Chelsea Steffens, Baylee Stoll, Whitney Valasek, Kaitlyn Williams, Madison Wood, Paige Wooldridge, Lauren Wyllie, Keli Zemke

Doctor of Pharmacy Students: Natalie Ake, Ali Altaie, Jason Anderson, R. Annemiek Arkema, William Augspurger, Alexandrea Bennett, Erika Bethhauser, Andrew Bjorlin, Leah Blader, Dani Boone, Taylor Boorn, Tessa Buehrer, Matthew Burton, Nicholas Cao, Vivi Cao, Jillian Chambers, Miranda Christenson, Kevin Clough, Lydia Code, Micahel Coleman, Layne Davis, Brayden Dawson, Maia Determan, Jacob Drettwan, Emma Fervoy, Noah Fletcher, Emily Freier, Hanna Friedrich, Abby Frommelt, Rita Hammer, Sedie Harms, Sean Harnois, Morgan Hawkins, Rebecca Heinert, Lindsay Hillmer, Katarine Hockey, Sydney Holte, Brooke Huegli, Aldin Karic, Riley Karpen, Josh Kim, Justin Klein, Celyna Koopmann, Jane Laubengayer, Paige Mall, Husein Mehmedovic, Nicole Melby, Kennedy Merical, Dinka Miljkovic, Johnny Mills, Claire Monzel, Carolyn Morrissey, Katelyn Mouser, Areeb Nagamiyan, Phuong Ngo, Sonia Ngo, Monica Nikseresht, Tom Noll, Alix Noteboom, Andrew Olson, Elizabeth Orput, Austin Park, Vidhi Patel, Rachel Paulmann, Kenzie Pfeffer, Vy Pham, Michaela Phelps, Katelynn Phillips, David Poidomani, Nevin Radechel, Andrew Ramdhani, Jacey Redman, Kayla Reuter, Morgan Ridout, Renee Rivera, Robert Schroeder, Kristine Schwietz, Jacob Sepka, Emily Skjeveland, Rachel Soppe, Steven Strong, Kimberly Tang, Erica Thacker, Courtney Toth, Brittany Taut, Jesse Upton, Taylor Volesky, Katie Vollmer, Rachel Wedemeyer, Abby Wedoff, Olivia Welter, David Wood, Will Wright, Katie Yeo

— Kaylyn Maher, CPHS

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Global Partnerships Survey due June 8

If you’ve participated in activities with Drake’s global partner institutions within the past year, please complete a brief survey by Monday, June 8.

The survey is designed to paint a more robust picture of faculty and staff activities with global partners. Some examples of activities include guest teaching, leading a travel seminar, participating in joint research, or hosting an international delegation.

Complete the Global Partnerships Activity survey.

The survey should take no more than 5–10 minutes to complete. You may submit multiple separate activities in the same survey, and there is an optional testimonial section at the end.

For questions, contact Hannah Sappenfield, global partnerships coordinator, at hannah.sappenfield@drake.edu.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Drake International