All Staff Council is holding a fall bake-off competition and costume contest on Thursday, Oct. 31, from 12–1:30 p.m. by the Pomerantz Stage in the Olmsted Center. You are welcome to participate in one or both contests, or just come for the event and cheer on your colleagues. And for just $5 you can also get a chili lunch.
Bake-Off: Calling all bakers to another sweet bake-off competition. Bring your “A” game with your most delicious and decadent fall inspired dessert baked goods to be judged in this spirited competition. Judging will start at 11:45 a.m. with the goal to have samples of the desserts ready (while they last) for those enjoying the chili lunch. The top three winners will receive prizes. Click HERE to register.
Costume Contest: Do you like to get spooky for Halloween? Do your kids always have the best costumes on the block? Do your pets love/hate you for dressing them up? To enter the costume contest, simply take a picture of yourself, your kids, and/or your pets and send it to Tiffany Hach at tiffany.hach@drake.edu no later than 9 a.m. on Friday, November 1. Pictures will be displayed in a slide show during the bake-off contest/chili luncheon for all to enjoy. Winners will be announced in OnCampus, and prizes awarded in two categories: 1) Adults and 2) Kids/Pets. Recent pictures only, and they must be appropriate, but have fun with it!
Chili Lunch: In addition to the contest, please come enjoy community building and a chili lunch (plus dessert samples while they last) for $5. If you’re not interested in the lunch, but want to attend and support your competing colleagues, please feel free to join us at no charge.
The Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Compliance (SPARC) office has developed a new podcast entitled SPARC’ing a Conversation. This grants-based podcast allows you to hear from your colleagues across the campus as they discuss their research topics and grant interests.
In our first episode, we host Jerrid Kruse and Lindsay Woodward from the School of Education. They join us to discuss their recently awarded National Science Foundation grant and their experience with grant work.
The Office of Equity and Inclusion is partnering up with The Seven Times production company to bring “The Negro Artist” to campus and we hope to see you there!
The documentary follows the story of Caleb Rainey, a spoken word poet with artistic roots in eastern Iowa. His poetry and community service efforts are bolstering the arts across the state of Iowa and the greater Midwest.
Amidst the often-overlooked spaces of the Midwest, lives a Black voice that demands to be heard. This documentary is a journey into the world of Rainey, a Black spoken word poet whose poetry is a profound exploration of race, identity, and the lived realities of systemic inequality.
Nik Heftman’s documentary seeks to capture the essence of Rainey not just as an artist, but as a vital voice in the ongoing dialogue about race in America. His work challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths and inspires us to envision a more equitable future.
Come join Interfaith on October 28th at 5:30pm to learn about how religion, culture, and working a career intersect. This event will take place in Meredith 106.
Interfaith is a student organization for individuals of all faith backgrounds or no faith at all. Interfaith discusses religious topics, hosts guest speakers, celebrates each others’ faith holidays, and visits religious sites. Interfaith is a safe community that listens and celebrates both similarities and differences.
If you are on Drake’s health plan and have not turned in your Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form – time is running out! This is an annual requirement to receive the discount.
Employees on Drake’s health plan need to complete a physical with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2023, and Nov. 30, 2024, and submit a Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form by Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 (please note the revised due date), to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2025. This is a savings of approximately $34 per month.
If you had your physical since Dec. 1, 2023, please fill out the form and turn it in now. If you haven’t scheduled your annual physical yet with in-network provider, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. If you cannot get into your provider, you are welcome to contact Broadlawns Medical Center on University – across the street from the Drake campus – to inquire about their availability prior to Nov. 30. Be sure to let them know you are from Drake and bring a copy of the physician form with you.
You can read more about the discount program and download the physician form for 2025 on the Wellness Premium Discount webpage.
Besides receiving a premium discount, an annual physical is an important way to receive health information through age and gender specific examinations, schedule recommended preventative screenings, and create a doctor-patient relationship.
Drake Real Estate student housing offers apartments and houses, owned by Drake University, for rent to students enrolled at the University. All of the properties within walking distance to campus and Dogtown businesses.
Drake Real Estate offers 1 or 2 bedroom apartments and 2, 3, 4, and 5 bedroom houses. Each unit is equipped with a stove, refrigerator, blinds, and parking. All other furnishings are the responsibility of the tenant. Lawn care and snow removal of driveway are provided by Drake University. All homes are patrolled by campus security and maintained by Drake Property Management and Drake Facilities. Contact Brandi Wright today for more information.
Drake University Real Estate 2507 University Ave. Old Main, Room 307 Phone: 515-271-1982 Email: brandi.wright@drake.edu
Please join the ASC Recognition Committee in congratulating our most recent recipients of the True Blue Award. Here is a little information about our honorees with excerpts from their nominations.
“Nicolas Castro embodies Drake’s values of All in this Together and Joyful Accountability through his role in managing all hauling and moving requests on campus. Despite juggling multiple urgent tasks and last-minute requests, he consistently completes what would typically require an entire moving crew, all while maintaining a cheerful attitude and effective communication. Nic’s flexibility and team spirit, especially during recent office shuffles, make him an invaluable asset to the FPM team and the entire campus, positively impacting everyone he encounters. His dedication and approachability make him truly deserving of this award.”
Joe Quiles-Ortiz, Karl Kaiser, Francisco Sierra, Lilli Santiago, Octavio Alvarado Alvidrez – Facilities Planning & Management Staff
Nominated by Nate Reagen
“Joe, Karl, Francisco, Octavio, & Lilli, exemplified striving each day to be their best. Their paint job in Levitt Hall was above and beyond and the team took such care to make sure the job was done professionally and thoroughly. They each took the time to meticulously ensure the walls and trim were restored back to a ‘new’ condition. This included dealing with project challenges along the way. Their work is a gift to all the students, families, alumni, donors, board members, community members, faculty, and staff that will use that room for years to come! Thank you, team!”
Betsy Wilson – Coordinator of Field Placement – School of Education
Nominated by Amber Welsh
“Betsy exemplifies “Joyful Accountability” by embracing both successes and setbacks with positivity, turning challenges into team-building opportunities. Her “Generosity of Spirit” shines through as she consistently offers support to colleagues and students during busy times, creating a collaborative environment. Betsy fosters unity within the SOE by promoting open communication and collaboration, particularly during critical processes like graduation reviews. She also demonstrates “Commitment to Mission” by nurturing relationships with partner schools, delivering tokens of appreciation to strengthen connections. Overall, Betsy’s kindness and optimism make her an invaluable presence in both professional and personal realms.”
Austin Higgins – Mail Office Manager – Campus Mail Operations
Nominated by Lisa Cooper
“Austin demonstrates all of the qualities to be “Called to be True Blue”. He is responsive, considerate, reliable, and goes above and beyond to assist with any and all mail operations and questions, but also he helps people who may have had their mail inadvertently delivered to Drake to ensure they also have a positive impression of Drake because of his cheerful disposition and helpfulness. He is an asset to Drake University.”
“The Drake Online & Continuing Education Team, particularly Kara Wendelin-Carnahan and Suzanne Wisslead, exemplifies all four of Drake’s Core Values. They demonstrate Joyful Accountability by continuously seeking process improvements and always greeting each other with positivity. Their Generosity of Spirit shines through in their collaborative brainstorming sessions, where everyone’s expertise is valued. The team embodies All In This Together by maintaining open communication and stepping up to help each other, especially during busy times. Lastly, their Commitment to Mission is evident in their dedication to enhancing the student experience.”
Nicholas Kavanaugh – Director of Student Affairs – CPHS
Nominated by Sydni Jennings & Michael Nelson
“Nicholas Kavanaugh, CPHS Assistant Director of Student Affairs, plays a crucial role in the annual CPHS Student Orientation, helping pre-professional students transition smoothly into their programs. Since joining Drake in 2022, he has demonstrated exceptional creativity, particularly through initiatives like the Meals from the Heartland event, where he secured funding and managed logistics to package 20,000 meals for an international community. His efforts have garnered positive feedback and exemplify the spirit of the “Called to be True Blue” award, making him a deserving candidate for this recognition.”
Shelby Nelson – Office and External Relations Manager – CPHS
Nominated by Christine Urish
“Shelby is EVERYTHING to EVERYONE in the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. We’ve experienced significant admin asst turn over in the college, but Shelby has always been there. She is pleasant, helpful and never upset about anything even if she has to fix things that she had no involvement with. She is the BEST of the college each and every day. She communicates in an effective and transparent manner, managing multiple responsibilities with ease. She serves our Dean and countless faculty and demonstrates commitment to mission in a consistent way. Certainly she does not shy away from difficult tasks or challenging issues. She is ready and willing to assist with a smile all the time. Certainly some will find fault and criticize, but she does not allow this to negatively impact her work, she moves forward, conducting the work of the college in the best way she can for all.”
Ashley Rasmussen – Budget Manager – College of Arts & Sciences
Nominated by Jill Allen
“Ashley shows up for all constituents – faculty, staff, and leaders. She is a true team player and brings knowledge, expertise, and creativity to every situation without any need for recognition. So grateful to have her as a colleague!”
Nikki Krabbe – Student Support Coordinator – Access & Success
Nominated by Laura Shell & Michelle Laughlin
“Nikki joined the Access & Success team at the start of classes and has quickly exemplified collaboration and commitment. With her K-12 teaching background, she brings valuable insights that honor past accomplishments while introducing innovative ideas for improvement. In just one month, her proactive attitude and teamwork have already led to meaningful procedural changes. Nikki embodies our values and inspires those around her, making her a deserving candidate for the True Blue award.”
Amy Nichols – Associate Director, Admission
Nominated by Kristy Hilchen
“Amy is an exceptional communicator to solve complex problems in the area processing student applications and records; as a team leader she helps her colleagues to learn new ways of researching and solving technical issues within Slate processing. She helps us to collaborate to use technology tools and work together as a team to streamline processes in our area. she also helps us to use our resources effectively to recruit exceptional student employees. And she is an open communicator in making sure we get the most out of our employee benefits and use our work schedules effectively to work as one unit. She is a great manager and colleague.”
Do you know of a staff member or department that has gone above and beyond to exemplify True Blue spirit? Nominate them today!
Are you looking for more mental health resources? Would you like to find ways to eat healthier and be more active? How about getting your blood pressure and/or blood glucose checked?
This is all included in the “wellness” portion of the Benefits & Wellness Fair, held this Friday, Nov. 1 from 9-11:30 a.m. in Levitt Hall, in Old Main.
Employee & Family Resources (EFR) will be on-hand to share their mental health resources. In addition to counseling, EFR offers financial and legal consulting, eldercare/childcare resources, and life coaching.
Samantha Matt, our on-campus dietitian, is ready to answer your nutrition questions. She will also be facilitating an Added Sugars in our Diet class on Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 2-3 p.m. via Microsoft Teams (register HERE). Take advantage of both opportunities.
Students from the Drake Athletic Training Club and Kinesiology capstone class will be offering free blood pressure checks and blood glucose (sugar) screenings. There will be additional Kinesiology students on hand to discuss the benefits of physical activity as it relates to the immune system, reducing occupational stress, and aging.
And don’t forget to stop by the Recreational Services table to get information on upcoming classes and events.
In addition to the wellness resources, there will be representatives from our benefits partners present to answer your questions, including: Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Broadlawns, Delta Dental of Iowa, TIAA, Long Term Care Strategies, The Hartford, HealthEquity, and Avesis Vision.
This is an opportunity for you to be sure you understand and take advantage of the benefits and perks offered to you as an employee of Drake University and help prepare you to make benefit elections during the month of November, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
Lastly, don’t forget to pick up a bingo card when you arrive and have the vendors you visit stamp/mark it. If you secure a blackout (filling in all vendor spots), we’ll enter your name in a drawing for prizes.
Facilities Planning and Management (FPM) Grounds and Support staff have completed an assessment of campus trees. With the additional expertise of Mindy Charron, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist with Perficut Companies, a detailed visual inspection of the trees and surrounding conditions identified several trees with health concerns or hazardous safety issues that are a priority for pruning or removal this winter. Pruning will improve the aesthetics, safety, and overall health of the tree’s canopy. Tree removals are necessary due to structural problems, disease or insect infestation, storm damage, or health condition of the tree and the proximity to walkways or buildings for the safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors. The trees and their locations are identified below:
Tree Common Name
Location
Work
White Oak tree
Crawford Hall
Removal – dead tree
Linden tree
Herriot Fire Land
Removal – dead tree
White Oak tree
Lot 13 – Ray Promenade
Removal – dead tree
White Oak tree
Jewett/Painted Street
Removal – dead tree
Honey Locust tree
SW of Hubbell
Removal – dead tree
The pruning and tree removals will be scheduled over the next couple months. Signage and detours around work areas will be in place during these operations. FPM will be planting trees on campus this spring to continue improving the aesthetics of the campus and increase tree canopy. An Arbor Day event is being planned for April, stay tuned to OnCampus for more information.
—Patrick Williams, Facilities Planning and Management
It’s been your time to shine as a cybersecurity superhero as we’ve observed Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSAM) this October! Have you taken the 2025 quiz yet?
Every superhero needs to keep their gear in top shape to fight off villains. The same goes for your devices (computers, phones, tablets)—keeping your operating system (OS) and applications updated gives you the latest tools to fend off cyberattacks.
Did you know about these security risks of outdated software?
Vulnerabilities Are a Weakness in Your Armor: Running outdated software is like having cracks in your armor that villains (hackers) can exploit.
A Hero’s Tale of Warning: You may recall hearing about these news stories from recent years, which are all notable cybersecurity breaches resulting from delayed software updates: Marriott International data breach (2018), Equifax data breach (2017), “WannaCry” ransomware attack (2017), Target data breach (2013). There are many more similar examples, and scary stories aren’t limited to the spooky season.
Why are updates so important?
New Gadgets and Upgraded Powers: Updates patch those cracks in your defenses. Sometimes they also give you new tools or improved performance, just like a hero upgrading their gear.
How can you make updates easier to apply?
First, enable automatic updates to keep your systems battle-ready without having to think about it.
Second, make sure to check all your devices for updates—don’t leave any hero gear behind!
Stay powered up and don’t give the bad guys a chance! Make sure your gear is always up to date.
When facing tech troubles, don’t hesitate to visit our Tech Hero Hub (aka the ITS Support Center)—your team of tech heroes is here to help you defeat any digital villains that come your way!
Finally, don’t miss your chance to take the CSAM quiz and see how well you can defend your digital world!
