Beginning Feb. 23, 2026, automatic emails regarding billing, account updates, and other important tuition billing information will come from a new email address: campuspayments@touchnet.com, no longer ebill@drake.edu. Access to the billing portal has not changed; just the email address sending updates. Please do not mark emails from campuspayments@touchnet.com as spam or junk. If you have any questions, please reach out at stuacct@drake.edu or (515) 271–4777.
—Office of Student Accounts
Drake University Head Start is proud to share that three individuals have received annual award recognition from the Iowa Head Start Association:
Dean Ryan Wise, Dean of the Drake School of Education and Executive Director of the Drake University Head Start program, is being honored as Administrator of the Year.
Heather Stemsrud, Ankeny Toddler Teacher and 23-year Drake University Head Start employee, is being honored as Teacher of the Year.
Tanya Heringer, with the Every Step Program and a valued community partner supporting dental health, education, and family connections for Drake University Head Start students and families, is being honored with the Excellence in Community Service Award.
Congratulations to all three honorees, and thank you for your fierce service and steadfast commitment to the students, families, and staff of Drake University Head Start.
— Lisa Proctor, Head Start Director
Please join us for the Drake Provost’s Social on Monday, March 23, in Parents Hall North in the Olmsted Center at 4 p.m. The social will be immediately following Trivia hosted by All Staff Council, which begins at 2:30 p.m. in the same location.
Refreshments will include an assortment of snacks and beverages. This is a family friendly event. Feel free to bring your children or partner.
— Anne Marie Greenwood, Office of the Provost
A celebration of faculty research and scholarship, showcasing the incredible contributions made by the Drake academic community will be held on April 9 from 4–5:30 p.m. in the Cowles Reading Room. This event will provide an opportunity for us to recognize and honor the achievements of our faculty in advancing knowledge across a variety of fields.
Please help us to prepare by submitting this form with information about books you have authored, co-authored, or edited since January 1, 2025, as well as peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, and notable papers.
Your contributions are an essential part of our academic success, and we look forward to sharing them with our colleagues!
— Anne Marie Greenwood, Office of the Provost
Are you interested in keeping up to date with sustainability on campus? Sign up to receive the monthly Sustainability Newsletter!
Here you can see February’s newsletter.
Email sustainability@drake.edu if you have any questions or have an event you want to spotlight in the newsletter!
— Sydney Dvorak, Sustainability Coordinator
Employee Appreciation Day is observed on the first Friday of March. This year it falls on Friday, March 6, and is part of Employee Appreciation Month. Please take time to reflect and find ways to show gratitude to your team and colleagues for their hard work, dedication, and effort on this day, this month, and throughout the year.
During the month, also take a break and join in on one or more March activities listed below. Details on these activities and other appreciation month resources can be found on the Employee Appreciation Month webpage.
Fun Team Trivia. Join All Staff Council on Monday, March 23 from 2:30-4 p.m. in Parents Hall North (Upper level, Olmsted Center) for some friendly trivia competition. You are welcome to form your own team of 4-6 people or come as an individual and join a team. Everyone is welcome. Medals will be handed out and there will be a popcorn bar to curb those munchies. Then stick around for the March Drake Provost Social in the same location. It is sure to be an afternoon of fun! Register at https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1IaKSUMYwhrbdps.
Photo Scavenger Hunt. Looking for a group activity you can do anytime in March? Recruit a colleague (or group), bring your cell phone, and have fun with this photo scavenger hunt. Send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu to receive a list of locations around Drake’s campus. At each location, take a fun photo. Once you complete the list, send an email with all your photos by March 31 to linda.feiden@drake.edu. One entry will be randomly drawn from the submitted entries and a tasty prize awarded to the winning group!
Give a shout-out. Shout outs are a wonderful way to recognize your fellow Drake faculty and staff. Simply write a sentence or two thanking a colleague or team for going the extra mile or showing support to others. Submit your shout-outs to linda.feiden@drake.edu between now and March 25, and they will be compiled and posted in OnCampus.
In addition, there will be three BUILD classes offered in March, including one on the employee assistance program services offered through Employee & Family Resources. This is a great opportunity to learn something new and spend time with others across campus. Click HERE for a list of classes and registration link.
Please take some time this month to let others know you appreciate their efforts and know that YOUR efforts are appreciated.
— Linda Feiden, Human Resources
The Financial Aid Office will have adjusted hours for the remainder of the Spring 2026 semester for student appointments and walk-ins. Please keep these adjustments in mind when scheduling appointments or visiting the office in Carnegie Hall.
Monday, Tuesday and Friday the office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday the office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Thursday the office is open from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
— Kristi Fuller, Financial Aid Office
Are you unsure what the difference is between your Dining Dollars and Bulldog Bucks? Let me explain.
Dining Dollars are funds that are a part of your meal plan. They are intended for on-campus dining. You can use these funds at the Olmsted Starbucks, Hubbell Dining Hall, OnTheGo Convenience Store, the Library Cafe, or at Concessions in the Knapp Center.
Dining Dollars are loaded at the start of the semester, and will carry forward to the end of the Spring semester. You’ll want to use these funds before you leave for home in the summer.
Bulldog Bucks are an optional account, also on your ID, that you (or your family) load as desired. These funds carry forward from year to year until you leave Drake, and can be used both on and off campus.
Bulldog Bucks can be used for any on campus dining location (listed above), and can also be used at the Drake Bookstore, at campus printers, at participating off campus locations, and on the GrubHub app.
GrubHub is providing an afternoon snack and some fun giveaways in the Olmsted Breezeway tomorrow, February 18, over the lunch hour, so feel free to swing by to grab a treat, and enter for a chance to win prizes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Funds can be added online in the myDrake portal, or at www.acceptinglocations.com/drake. You can also see the participating off campus merchants at this link. Please note that the off campus merchants cannot take your Dining Dollars, they can only take Bulldog Bucks.
If you have any questions about your Dining Dollars or meal plan, feel free to contact dining@drake.edu. If you have any questions about your Bulldog Bucks account, feel free to contact studentservices@drake.edu.
— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center
ITS is pleased to announce an upcoming upgrade to the Self Service application on all Drake-owned Mac computers. In March, the current Self Service app will transition to the new Self Service+ platform, providing an improved experience while maintaining familiar features.
The shift to Self Service+ won’t require you to install a new app manually or restart your computer. When the upgrade is officially released by our vendor partner, Jamf, the old Self Service app will automatically disappear and be replaced by Self Service+. The icon and overall look and feel of the app will remain similar, ensuring a seamless transition for all users.
If you have any questions or concerns about this transition, contact us through the ITS support portal at service.drake.edu/its or by calling the ITS Support Center at 515-271-3001. We’re here to ensure this upgrade is as smooth as possible for everyone on campus.
— Becky Klein, ITS
Discover the real story behind a rising literary career with bestselling author and Drake graduate Ellen Won Steil, JO’07. In this Everclass session, Ellen reflects on her path from Iowa to the bookshelves, sharing the quiet persistence, reinventions, and even failures that fueled The Lives of Others, Becoming Marlow Fin, and Fortune. She will also discuss what it is like to have one of her books optioned for development as a series on Peacock and how her background in journalism and law sharpened her voice as a storyteller. Perfect for creators seeking motivation, insight, and a candid look at the publishing world.
This is a free event open to all and will be held virtually via Zoom on Thursday, February 26, at 8 p.m.