All posts by Kristin Economos

Adams Leadership Convocation award winners

Congratulations to the winners of the 2019 Adams Leadership Convocation Awards. This ceremony, held on April 19, recognized student leadership and achievement across Drake’s campus through a variety of award categories. Please see below and congratulate the following Drake student, staff, and organization winners:

  • Top First Years: Morgan Coleman, Sarah Hutchison, Meghan Kier,
  • Top Sophomores: Ian Klein, Courtney Guein, Runal Patel
  • Top Juniors: Giada Morresi, Abbie Gartland, Lauren Kennon
  • Top Seniors: Bakari Caldwell, Ashley Blazek, Deshauna Carter
  • Outstanding Student Organization President/Chairperson: Giada Morresi
  • Outstanding Student Organization Officer: Nick Johnston & Carissa Bowie
  • Outstanding Residence Hall Leader: Abbie Gartland & Valerie Meyer
  • Wanda E. Everage Peer Mentor Award: Maia Determan & Mark Elliott
  • Outstanding Organization Advisor: Lilianna and Jarad Bernstein (Hillel)
  • Ron & Jane Olson Outstanding Global Service Learning Award: PHAR 150: Global Health Class
  • Drake Service Award for Student Organization: Halloween Hoops 2018 (SAA)
  • Drake Service Award for Individual (Undergraduate): Carissa Bowie
  • Drake Service Award for Individual (Graduate): Zach Goodrich
  • Outstanding Student Organization: D+ Improv
  • Outstanding Social Program: Olmsted Halloween Spooktacular (SAB & RHA)
  • Outstanding Equity and Inclusion Program: The #PaintItBlack Project
  • Outstanding Weekend Alcohol Alternative Program: Passport Around Carpenter
  • Outstanding Collaboration Award: Commitment to Victims
  • Oreon E. Scott Outstanding Senior of the Year Award: Carissa Bowie

Kristin Economos, Director, Student Leadership Programs

April’s digital faculty member: Kelley Ellis

Each month a faculty member, nominated by their dean, is recognized for their efforts to integrate innovative technology into their classroom. April’s digital faculty member of the month is Kelley Ellis, assistant professor of practice, school of Accounting, College of Business and Public Administration. Read an interview with Kelley below:

Which course(s) do you use this technology in? I would like to share a variety of technology tools that I use in my courses. I am continually looking for ways to make my life easier, make my courses easier to navigate, and make the content more interactive for the students. I probably use the most technology in my Accounting Systems course.

What type of technology do you use?

  1. I have set up this course in Blackboard using Modules and Module Pages so that I could create “pages of content” that included my written context comments, documents, and videos.
  2. I use Panopto recordings to tape lecture content for the students. I have also embedded quiz questions into the Panopto lecture to test the student’s understanding of the content and to ensure the students actually viewed the lecture. The quiz scores from Panopto are automatically transferred into Blackboard.
  3. I have used Blackboard Collaborate on a limited basis to video chat with students and be able to share computer screens to talk through technology issues and project questions with students. This particular tool in Blackboard has a lot of potential, especially for online courses
  4. I use test pools that I download from the textbook publishers to create quizzes for students that generate unique quizzes for each student.
  5. I use grading schemes so that Blackboard grades can be electronically transferred into MyDUSIS. I also use grading color codes so that I quickly and visually see how students are doing on each assignment, project, quiz, and exam.
  6. I also integrate the textbook assignment software into Blackboard so that the students can access everything that they need from one source—Blackboard. The grades for the homework assignments from the textbook software system are then automatically recorded into Blackboard.
  7. The other major technology that I will use next year is Citrix. The students have traditionally had to buy and install QuickBooks general ledger software onto their laptop computers. The IT department worked with QuickBooks to get the software and allow the students to access the software for class via the Citrix server so that they no longer have to install the software on their personal computers.

How does this type of technology align with your teaching pedagogy? I think demonstrating the use of lots of different technologies within the course is good for the students to see for this system course. In their professional careers after graduation, they will have to learn many new software packages and tools. This course gets them used to learning new technologies—and me too.

Where did you get the inspiration to make a change?
Some changes were required out of necessity, others were based on attending training sessions at Drake by ITS or webinars offered by Blackboard.

How long did it take for you to implement this technology?
None of the technologies that I have implemented took very long to master. I have just added new things each year and tried to continually improve the course.

Did Drake ITS assist you in implementing this technology?
I have set up consultation meetings with ITS to talk about objectives I wanted to accomplish. ITS gave me options to choose from and pointed me toward resources to help me learn the skills needed. Once I started implementing a new technology, I developed very specific questions, and ITS was always very responsive in answering my queries.

Are you interested in trying out new technology in your classroom? Want help from ITS? Schedule a technology adoption consultation.

Jon Hurdelbrink, CPHS, and Carla Herling, ITS

Spring 2019 edition of DUSSJ now available

The spring 2019 edition of the Drake Undergraduate Social Science Journal (DUSSJ) is now available. Check out the DUSSJ website for online versions of the papers. Also, consider browsing past editions for interesting research previously published in DUSSJ.

Congratulations to all authors for their fantastic research, and a special thanks to the editorial board for all of their hard work.

Heath Henderson, Assistant Professor of Economics

All Staff Council election results

Please congratulate the newly elected members of All Staff Council. Their willingness to serve for the next three years in this capacity is appreciated.

Governance Committee
Kelly Read

Recognition Committee
Drinda Williams
Dani Peters
Dianna Gray

Special Events Committee
Tyler Spoon
Kim Jones

Special Interest Committee
Jenny Reitano
Laura Bjurstrom

ASC Chair-Elect
Sara Heijerman

Chuck Sengstock, School of Education

Drake Innovation hosting T-shirt screen printing with the Side Garage

The Innovation Studio is happy to bring the Side Garage back to campus on Friday, April 26. Stop by Meredith Hall between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to print your own limited-time-only, specially-themed shirt. There is a limited number of T-shirts available, so it is first come, first served. The event is free, but students are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food or personal hygiene item for the campus Little Pantries project. For questions, email innovation@drake.edu.

Stephanie Cardwell, Buchanan Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership

Free Mango languages training

As our world becomes more and more connected through technological advances, learning another language is a skill that gives you the opportunity to engage with the world in a more immediate way.  If you would like to expand your boundaries, Drake offers online Mango Languages.

From Spanish to Swahili and Shakespeare to Ancient Greek, Mango has virtually everyone’s language and culture curiosities covered. Whether studying abroad or strengthening a particular language skill, Drake employees can achieve their language-learning goals with Mango in over 70 languages.

For more information, go to myDrake and click on Mango Languages under Learning Resources.

A full list of Drake Employee Perks & Discounts can be found in myDrake by clicking on the Human Resources App (top of page). Next click Benefits, and then Additional Benefits, and finally Perks & Discounts for Drake Employees.

Linda Feiden, Wellness & Recognition Specialist, Human Resources

Retirement party for Donna Blunck

Please join us for a retirement reception in honor of Donna Blunck, risk and insurance director, on April 24 from 9–10:30 a.m. in Old Main, Suite 316. If you are unable to make it, you are invited to stop by at another time prior to April 24 to wish Donna well. We are grateful for Donna’s incredible service to the University.

Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

Chris Ditter recognized for lifetime achievement

Chris Ditter, associate director, Student Financial Planning, has been recognized by the Iowa Student Financial Aid Association with the John Heisner Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, its highest honor.

This award requires significant contributions over an extended period of time. The recipient of this award exemplifies the ideals of service to the profession, support of colleagues and advocacy for students. Please join us in congratulating Chris for this honor and in thanking her for many years of faithful service to Drake.

Ryan Zantingh, Director of Financial Aid