All posts by Jorona Johnson

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship: Focus Project Coaches and Home Hosts Needed

Drake is excited and honored to be an Institute Partner for the 2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Beginning in mid-June, Drake will host twenty-five of Africa’s bright, emerging business leaders for a six-week program on our campus. One of the highlights for Fellows during the Institute are the Home-Hosted Meals and 1-on-1 time with Focus Project Coaches to develop action plans to identify and address a need in their business, organization, or community.

 Applications for both Home Hosts and Focus Coaches are now officially open!

Focus Coaches: https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aVKHA5rXh50vkkS

Home Hosts: https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3QnqjY00ymWxagC

To learn more about the YALI program, visit https://www.drake.edu/yali/.If you have any specific questions about the YALI program and how to get involved, please contact Jorona Johnson (jorona.johnson@drake.edu) or Lance Noe (lance.noe@drake.edu).

— Jorona Johnson, Global Engagement

For Students Archive

Affordable Summer Study Abroad Opportunity in Kosovo

We are excited to share a summer study abroad opportunity through the University of Pristina in Kosovo. This is an extremely affordable opportunity to study abroad, but does have a tight turnaround. If you have availability this summer and are interested in traveling, why not spend the summer in one of the safest and most affordable capital cities in Europe? Earn academic credit and complete an AOI for mostly the cost of a flight and international health insurance. It’s important you already have a valid passport as it’s too late to apply for a new one. Learn more and start your application by visiting Via Global!

— Emily Erschen, Global Engagement

For Students Archive

Move-Out Donation Drive

Next Course Food Recovery Network will sponsor a donation drive for students moving out of the residence halls. Unopened food, hygeine products, and school supplies can be placed in marked bins near the entrance of each hall from May 12–16. If bins are full, please bring items to the Olmsted Center, Rooms 310–311, between 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. each day. Members of the campus community are also invited to browse our free table during these times. Volunteers are needed to help sort, track, and distribute daily. Sign up at DUGood.

For questions, contact Next Course Coordinator Caroline Schultz.

— Mallary Allen, Community Engaged Learning

HR Information Archive

Student Timesheets End May 17

Student Jobs End May 17: All student timesheets will end May 17, 2025. If students will continue working on campus after May 17, supervisors must re-register them for the summer so they will have a summer timesheet.  If students graduate and will continue working after they graduate, they will be treated as part-time temporary employees and will need to visit HR to complete employment paperwork.

Returning Student Workers for Summer and Fall: If you have returning students for summer 2025 and fall 2025, please submit these positions as soon as possible via the Student Employment Registration Form.   If you have a long list of students to add, you may use the Student Employment Registration Spreadsheet in lieu of the Qualtrics form.  This will ensure a smooth transition for the upcoming semesters for you and your student workers.  Questions?  Email student.employment@drake.edu.

— Teresa Downs, HR

Campus Announcements Archive

Decolonizing Mental Health: Feeling What the System Tries to Silence

The Broadlawns Drake Student Counseling Center is excited to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month with a virtual workshop centered on accessing and healing sacred rage and grief impacted by historical and present systems of power. We recognize that our mental health is influenced by our ability to feel and respond to the environment and experiences around and within us. This free virtual workshop with be facilitated by Dr. Jennifer Mullan, the founder of Decolonizing Therapy TM and best-selling author of “Decolonizing Therapy”, on May 2nd from 10-12pm. This event is co-sponsored by the Slay Fund for Social Justice, Office of Equity and inclusion, and Broadlawns Drake Student Counseling Center. Drake and local attendees will also be entered into a raffle to win up to 20 Decolonizing Therapy books.  Register today!

When: May 2, 10-12 p.m.

Where: Virtual, Register here.

For Students Archive

How to Treat Your Friends and Colleagues with Disabilities

Join Rec Services for an engaging seminar on etiquette when interacting with people with disabilities, designed to help Drake University students foster inclusivity and respectful communication. The seminar will be held Wednesday, April 30, from 1-2 p.m. in the Bell Center, Group Fitness Studio. Gain practical skills to navigate social and professional settings with confidence, ensuring that all individuals feel valued and understood. This interactive session will provide real-world examples and essential guidelines to help create a more inclusive campus community.

Read more 

— Gail Witte, Rec Services

For Students Archive

J-Term 2026 Uganda Travel Seminar

Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (BUS 067) is a three-credit, two-week course that will run during J-term 2026. The course will take place in and around Kampala, Uganda and will introduce students to a host of development-related topics through daily excursions, including a safari and a boat trip along the Nile River. Interested students can email any questions to Prof. Henderson (heath.henderson@drake.edu) or Prof. Mannetter (heidi.mannetter@drake.edu). Applications can be submitted through Via.

— Heath Henderson

For Students Archive

Apply for the DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville

Apply for the DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville program through Via Global. Priority deadline and scholarship deadline: Monday, September 15.

Drake is currently accepting applications for DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville, where you can study abroad in spring 2026 in the vibrant capital of the Andalusia region of southern Spain.

This upcoming spring, a cohort of Drake students will study at the University of Seville with Drake Professor of Environmental Science and Sustainability, Dr. David Courard-Hauri. Students enroll in one Drake course and round out their semester credits taking a variety of courses taught by Spanish and international faculty. University of Seville courses can be pre-approved to count towards your major(s), minor(s), concentration, and/or AOIs.

Drake course offered:

ENS 050: Sustainable Food Systems in Southern Spain (AOIs: Engaged Citizen or Scientific Literacy)

When studying abroad on DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville, students are charged Drake tuition and keep their financial aid package, making your experience abroad comparable in cost to staying right here in Des Moines. In addition, we award over $100,000 in global learning scholarships every year!

To learn more, attend one of our upcoming info sessions.

INFORMATION SESSIONS:

Wednesday, April 30 at 3 pm

Thursday, May 1 at 10 am

Monday, May 5 at 10 am

Tuesday, May 6 at 3 pm

Johansen Student Center room 301

If you have any questions, please reach out to studyabroad@drake.edu or schedule a study abroad advising meeting through Starfish.

— Emily Erschen, Education Abroad Coordinator

For Staff Archive

Community Service Leave Benefit Spotlight

Have you used your Community Service Leave benefit for this fiscal year? 

Let’s make the most of this benefit, which strengthens ourselves and our communities! 

What is Community Service Leave? 

Drake University recognizes the importance of community involvement and encourages employees to participate in volunteer and service activities. Community Service Leave (policy) allows staff the opportunity to participate in community service activities that occur during regularly scheduled work hours, without using vacation or personal time. Full-time, regular employees can request paid leave for up to 8 hours per fiscal year to spend time supporting your favorite not-for-profit. 

Community service leave is a paid time off benefit and can be used for: 

  • Volunteer or service work for non-profit community service organizations 
  • Volunteer work at a school, including the school your children or grandchildren attend (including field trips, events and school-related projects) 
  • Participation in a Drake-sponsored community service activity 
  • Blood, bone marrow, and organ donation 
  • Disaster relief and emergency volunteer activities 

Why volunteer? 

Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for the volunteer.  The right match can help you find friends, connect with the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career. You do not need to make a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day to reap the benefits of volunteering. Giving in even simple ways can: 

  • Improve physical and mental health – research shows that volunteering leads to lower rates of depression and anxiety, reduces stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine. 
  • Connect you to others – volunteering allows you to connect with your community and make it a better place. 
  • Teach valuable skills – the training and hands-on experience you gain while volunteering can help you learn new skills, as well as build upon ones you already have. 
  • Boost your resume – potential employers are often impressed by applicants who have taken the time to volunteer as it shows that you’re dedicated and have a strong work ethic. 
  • Expands your perspective – whether local or abroad, when you volunteer, you work with different age groups, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Where can I find volunteer opportunities? 

Drake’s online community engagement platform, DUgood, connects students, faculty, and staff across campus with partners in Des Moines and beyond. Use the DUgood platform to find opportunities to get involved in our community, track your impact, and explore what your fellow Bulldogs are doing to make a difference. 

How can I request Community Service Leave? 

Employees wishing to use their community service leave must complete a Community Service Leave Request. 

Opportunity Spotlight – Meals on Wheels Hydroponic Farm 

The Meals on Wheels Hydroponic Farm is a 3,000 square foot indoor farm capable of producing approximately 20,000 pounds of leafy greens a year. The farm provides some of our most at-risk populations in the metro with a source of fresh, healthy greens year-round. They also provide greens to other WesleyLife and local communities. Training is provided for every task, and there is no gardening or farming experience necessary, simply an open mind and drive to help feed others. 

The Meals on Wheels Hydroponic Farm has shifts available through August 29, 2025, and is conveniently located right across from Drake at 3206 University Avenue. Each shift can support up to 10 volunteers, so make it a team-building event with your department and sign up here today!