All posts by Marina Verlengia

For Students Archive

Become an orientation leader

Orientation leaders are dedicated to providing incoming students and their families with all of the information and resources necessary to ensure their transition to Drake is a smooth and enjoyable one.

We need you to help make this happen. Each year we recruit current Drake students to become part of the orientation leader staff. Orientation leaders play a vital role in this exciting process, working closely with new students and their families on a wide variety of topics including academics, student involvement, housing options, and more.

We highly encourage you to attend one of the information sessions being offered. Click here to sign up for a session.

  • Wednesday, Nov. 16, from 4–5 p.m. in Olmsted, Room 310
  • Thursday, Dec. 1, from 6–7 p.m. on Zoom
  • Friday, Jan. 27, from 12–1 p.m. in Olmsted, Room 310

You will be compensated for your time and effort and gain valuable skills in this position.

Learn more about the position. For questions, contact Marina Verlengia at marina.verlengia@drake.edu.

— Marina Verlengia, New Student and Parent Programs

For Students Archive

Financial aid policies and information

Financial aid information and policies can be found at drake.edu/finaid. Here you will find: 

  • instructions for submitting a financial aid appeal for special circumstances,  
  • terms and renewal information for most of the financial aid that Drake offers 
  • Helpful resources, including scholarship search sites and free personal finance education 

 Please take time to familiarize yourself with the information available on our website! The Office of Student Financial Planning is here to serve you (in person, over the phone, or virtually)! If you have questions about your financial aid please contact us to schedule an appointment or stop by Carnegie Hall. 

— Ryan Zantingh, Director of Financial Aid

For Students Archive

Apply to be the Residence Hall Association treasurer

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) is currently accepting applications for the treasurer position for the 2023–2024 academic year. The selected applicant will train/shadow the current treasurer during the Spring 2023 semester, prior to fully assuming the position in April 2023. Apply here.

This is a great opportunity for students studying accounting/finance/other business disciplines and have a passion for providing opportunities to make our residence halls “a home away from home.”  The RHA Treasurer develops and manages one of the largest student organization budgets on campus.

Any student who will live in a residence hall or Campus Suites at Dogtown for the entirety of the 2023–2024 academic year is strongly encouraged to apply by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27.

Feel free to direct any questions to current RHA Treasurer Matthew Williams at matthew.williams@drake.edu.

— Matthew Williams, BN, Senior

 

Campus Announcements Archive

Drake Theatre Arts presents Silent Sky

Drake Theatre Arts proudly presents their final production of the fall semester, Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson, Nov. 17–20 in the Performing Arts Hall (PAH); Directed by Drake Senior Morgan Erwin. Silent Sky tells the story of 19th century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt and her fellow female researchers – or “computers” – in the Harvard University observatory, who set the standard still used today for measuring distances in space while discovering thousands of stars. Tickets can be purchased through the following link: https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/drakefinearts/6865 or at the Fine Arts Box Office.

— Jacob Lemons, Fine Arts

For Staff Archive

Bulldog Applause goes to Drake Online

The ASC Recognition Committee would like to Celebrate Drake Online and Continuing Education with a Bulldog Applause.

The team that creates programming and opportunities to serve new populations of students with the same rigor for which Drake University is known! From their newest member, Dianna Gray, the Director of Graduate Admission and Engagement who just started last month, to their oldest member, Shannon Hilscher, the Instructional Designer who has been here for over 5 years, we are thankful to have each and every one of you on the Drake University campus!

It is awesome to see a team that works mostly remote together in this office space, working on keeping that retention for online students over 85%! It has remained over that 85% mark for the last 5 years, what an accomplishment! You all serve over 40 faculty members with your Ultra Office Hours, successfully converted Leading Others and Supervisory Leadership to fully online during a pandemic, and have overall been spectacular assets to the success of Drake University.

3rd for overall quality among universities in the Midwest for 8 years running – you all didn’t think we saw that, we did!

5th in the nation among the 653 universities in Drake’s ranking category! We saw that too!

Drake University is honored to have people like each of you, doing great and tremendous things around campus. Thank you, each of you, for everything you do!

Team Members:

  • Christina Trombley
  • Shannon Hilscher
  • Nichole Stabile
  • Kara Wendelin Carnahan
  • Bret Sikkink
  • Bill Klein
  • Suzanne Wisslead
  • Sarah Ramsey
  • Pamela Moore
  • Dianna Gray

— Trevon Smith, On behalf of All Staff Council

HR Information Archive

New: Delta Dental CheckUp Plus

No more excuses for not seeing a dentist! Starting Jan. 1, 2023, our dental benefits through Delta Dental will now include CheckUp Plus.

CheckUp Plus encourages you to use preventive services while allowing you to get the most out of your annual benefit maximum. That’s because, with Check Up Plus, diagnostic and preventive services will no longer count toward the annual maximum $1300 benefit in 2023.  Participants will have access to two preventive exams at no cost throughout the plan year (January 1 – December 31, 2023).

CheckUp Plus helps:

  • Promote regular visits to the dentist for exams, X-rays and cleanings — which can improve your overall health.
  • Save on costs over the long-term because preventive care can help reduce the need for more expensive dental services.

Preventive Services included in CheckUp Plus
  • Examinations
  •  Routine X-rays
  • Cleanings
  • Sealants
  • Fluoride applications

In other dental news: Dental contribution rates will remain unchanged for the 2023 Plan Year. You and your eligible dependents continue to have access to Delta Dental’s PPO and Premier networks, as well as services from out-of-network providers. Your current dental participation will automatically be continued during the 2023 Plan Year. If you wish to make a change, you must do so in the Benefits Portal via myDrake. A summary of Drake’s Dental Plan is available here.

— Marlene Heuertz and Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

University Benefits Committee: Overview of our work this fall

Due to the timing of the academic year, the University Benefits Committee (UBC) does not meet in the summer. Instead, the UBC performs the bulk of its annual work in the fall. This year was no different. However, we did welcome several new UBC members. Presently, the UBC consists of:

Mike Daly, who serves as the UBC Chair, along with (in alphabetical order): Maureen De Armond, Linda Feiden, Jennifer Harvey, Marlene Heuertz, Nate Holdren, Elissa Johnson, Lee Jolliffe, Karl Kaiser, Jeremy Kidd, Venessa Macro, Andy Verlengia, Adam Voigts, and Andrew Welch.

UBC is an advising (not decision-making) committee on matters relating to employee health benefits. Drake’s guiding principles regarding benefits is to provide quality benefits that are responsive to the needs of employees and their families. We strive to offer benefits that are competitive with peers and other Iowa employers. Consistent with our fiduciary duties, we also strive to provide straightforward and efficient benefits, while maximizing our limited resources.

Drake University is advised by wonderful outside consultants who have worked with Drake for years and know our institution (and the market) quite well. Last year, Mark J. Becker & Associates joined Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. Drake continues to be advised by Mark Becker, Nick Brown, and now also Madison Pavlich.

Based on feedback from campus, we explored, among other topics, the addition of a new stand-alone optional vision plan and enhancements to dental coverage. The UBC also assessed responses to a Request for Proposals (RFP) regarding Drake’s Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM).

You can review UBC meeting minutes on the Benefits page.

— Marlene Heuertz and Maureen De Armond, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Teaching opportunities in John Dee Bright College

Curious about teaching opportunities in the John Dee Bright College? Attend a teaching Q&A panel next week.

 Instructor Q&A Panel Session:

Nov. 10 from 10–11 a.m. CST – virtual, Zoom
Link to register: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4EA5AD28A4FDCF8-bright1

 If you are interested in learning more about teaching for Bright College, please join us for an informal Q&A panel session where Megan Brown, Stacy Gnacinski, and Craig Owens will share their lived experiences teaching in the college as well as outline potential opportunities for future instructors. This is a prime opportunity to ask any/all questions you may have about teaching in the college. As these sessions are merely informational, please know that your attendance in no way implies commitment to involvement in the college.

Thank you in advance for your interest and attendance.

— Stacy Gnacinski and Megan Brown, John Dee Bright College Associate Deans

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Volunteers needed for CHARACTER COUNTS! Day at Drake Women’s Basketball

The Ray Center and the Drake Women’s Basketball team are excited to be bringing back the CHARACTER COUNTS! Drake Women’s Basketball Game for the first time since 2019! Thousands of K-8 students will join us on December 1 for a morning full of fun, character education, and basketball! The Ray Center is looking for volunteers from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. to help thousands of students on and off buses, find their assigned seats, carry in coolers with sack lunches, assist teachers, help with concessions, etc. If you are interested in volunteering for this fun event, please email Megan Wesselink at Megan.Wesselink@drake.edu by November 18. Go Bulldogs!

— Megan Wesselink, The Ray Center

Campus Announcements Archive

First Generation Student Day celebrations

Nov. 8 is National First Generation Student Day. Drake defines a first-generation student is a college student whose parents/legal guardians have not received a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university. At Drake, about 20% of our incoming students are first generation students. The Office of New Student and Family Programs and Drake First Gen Student Organization are partnering to celebrate Drake first generation students, staff, and faculty.

On Nov. 8, we will be tabling on Helmick Commons or Olmsted Breezeway (depending on weather) from 1–4 p.m. passing out snacks and First Gen Bulldog stickers. We hope you can stop by for a sticker and some snacks!

We will cap off the week with a Brunch and Learn on Friday, Nov. 10, from 10 a.m.–11:30 a.m. in the Courtside Club at the Shivers Basketball Practice Facility. The Brunch and Learn will feature a session on “From Community to Career.” Renee Sedlacek Lee, director of Community Engaged Learning, will share her story as a first-generation college student and how students too can use community engagement opportunities to prepare for life after college.  Click here to rsvp for the Brunch and Learn!

We encourage First Generation students, staff and faculty to join our Facebook group and follow on Instagram.

We look forward to seeing you at some of the First-Generation Student Day events!

— Marina Verlengia, New Student and Parent Programs