All posts by Bonnie Ehler

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

International Scholar Reception

Drake University is delighted to be hosting six international scholars from around the world this fall—the most we have hosted at once in more than a decade.  The international scholars are serving in various capacities, including teaching, research, and mentorship, and bring a unique global perspective to our community.

The Office of Global Engagement is hosting a welcome reception for the international scholars in Levitt Hall on Thursday, Sept. 28, from 4–6 p.m. Please come and meet the scholars, help welcome them to campus, and expand your global network!

The scholars include:

  • Ines Rojas – Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish and Communication & Cultural Literacy
    College of Arts & Sciences and Bright College
  • Zahir Cerkini – Fulbright Scholar
    Law School
  • Suryani Wijaya – Fulbright Scholar
    College of Arts & Sciences
  • Yajuan Jiang – Research Scholar
    Law School
  • Hua Zhang – Research Scholar
    Law School
  • Juan Del Valle Rosales – Research Scholar
    College of Arts & Sciences

Please join us as we celebrate these scholars and their contributions to our campus community.

— Bonnie Ehler, Global Engagement

For Faculty Archive

Call for proposals: J-Term travel seminars 2025

Interested in leading a J-Term 2025 travel seminar? Submit your travel seminar proposal by Sunday, Oct. 15, at 11:59 p.m. through Qualtrics. If you are new to leading travel seminars, please reach out to Global Engagement to set up a meeting to discuss your ideas and learn more about the process.

A travel seminar is a short-term, faculty-led study abroad (or domestic) program. This is an opportunity to teach a course that integrates an academic experience with intercultural and experiential learning while traveling.  To learn more about the travel seminar process, please contact Chelsea Funk, assistant director of Education Abroad, at chelsea.funk@drake.edu.

— Chelsea Funk, Global Engagement

Campus Announcements Archive

Yoga, Self Defense, and Hip Hop, oh my!

Wind down your weekend with a Yoga 101 class designed for beginners on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 2 p.m. in the Bell Center Studio. Need a kickstart to your week? Join us for a Self Defense workshop from 5–6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 25, in the Bell Center Studio. Or, dance the night away with our Hip Hop Dance Night on Friday, Sept. 29, at 6:30 p.m. Don’t forget to sign up for these and our weekly classes below using the Drake Rec app.

Please email wellness@drake.edu with any questions. If you are unable to attend for any reason, no worries. You can cancel your slot in the Drake Rec app, and we will see you next time.

Sunday:
Yoga Restore – 5:00 PM

Monday:
Spin – 12:15 PM
Power Yoga – 5:00 PM

Tuesday:
Pilates – 12:15 PM
Yoga Restore – 5:00 PM
Karate – 6:00 PM

Wednesday:
Yoga Flow – 7:45 AM
Barre Fusion – 12:15 PM

Thursday:
Muscle Mix – 12:15 PM
Zumba – 4:30 PM
Cycle and Stretch – 5:30 PM

Friday:
Yoga Flow – 12:15 PM

Campus Announcements Archive

The federal loan payment pause has ended

The federal student loan payment pause and zero percent interest rate that had been in place since March 2023 ended Aug. 29.

Borrowers who are currently enrolled at least half-time in a degree program will remain in an in-school deferment (no payments required), but interest will begin accruing on Federal Direct Unsubsidized and PLUS loans, effective Sept. 1st.

Borrowers who are not enrolled half-time will enter/re-enter repayment with first payments due in October. Below are resources that can help with the transition to repayment:

Drake’s Financial Aid Office is available to assist with questions related to federal student loans. Contact us if we can be of service.

— Ryan Zantingh, Financial Aid

Campus Announcements Archive

Harvest Party at the Sprout Garden and Food Forest

The Sprout Garden and Food Forest, located on Drake’s campus at 30th Street and Carpenter Avenue, has received a facelift. Over the summer, educational signage was installed, allowing for a self-paced interpretive experience. Signs inform visitors about permaculture, efforts to save water, the importance of native plants, and information about hundreds of fruit trees and ground cover plants. All are welcome to take a stroll in the food forest to experience this themselves! The sign project was funded by grants from Prairie Meadows and the Iowa DNR.

New seating options were added at the end of the Spring semester. Enjoy a walk and then take a break in the chairs, take a moment for rest and relaxation, or feel free to study, have a meeting, or just catch up with a friend. If you see any fruits or nuts you’d like to try, help yourself!

A donation from Suzie Glazer Burt has allowed us to install irrigation, purchase a rain barrel, and a soon-to-be-installed shade sail that will provide shade in the classroom area. Thank you to all of our donors and supporters!

All are welcome to celebrate these new amenities and a bountiful harvest at the annual Harvest Party, sponsored by the Student Alumni Association, on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 4:30–6 p.m. at the garden and food forest. SAA and Sodexo will prepare appetizers using food from the garden, and there will be activities and giveaways. Ever heard of a blender bike? You don’t want to miss it! Please stop by as your schedule allows.

For more information about the Sprout Garden & Food Forest, visit www.drake.edu/sproutgarden. This space is made possible by the collaboration of many on and off campus, really too many to name, but thank you to all of you! Volunteers are always needed to help with tasks such as weeding, mulching, watering, and harvesting. Sign up to volunteer at https://drake.givepulse.com/event/308806-sprout-garden-volunteer.

Be creative with how to use the space!

  • Faculty can use it as an outdoor classroom
  • Staff can use it for a staff meeting
  • Student organizations can hold a student org meeting there

E-mail sprout@drake.edu to reserve the space.

— Amanda Martin, Community Engaged Learning 

Campus Announcements Archive

Neighborhood Playwright Series: PROLOG

Drake University Department of Theatre Arts presents PROLOG, the 2023 Neighborhood Playwright Series selection on Sept. 15 and Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Turner Jazz Center. This is a staged reading of the Karen and Alex Schaeffer original piece telling a story of how AI (Artificial Intelligence) might present itself to us in the not-too-distant future. Following each performance, join the playwrights for a talkback discussing the creative journey of their new piece.

— Jude Thurman, senior, College of Arts & Science

Campus Announcements Archive

Ambassador-in-Residence Terry Branstad available for office hours, guest lectures

Former Ambassador to China and Governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad, is currently serving as the Ambassador-in-Residence at Drake. He is available throughout the academic year to meet with faculty, staff, and students during regular office hours, and to speak to classes and student organizations. This is an exceptional opportunity to hear the first-hand experiences of someone who has helped shape Iowa and U.S. history.

Students, faculty, and staff with an interest in politics, U.S. foreign affairs, international relations, and China/East Asia are encouraged to attend the Ambassador’s office hours on Friday mornings throughout the Fall semester.

Sign up for office hours or make a speaker request by emailing: ambassador@drake.edu.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

Campus Announcements Archive

Park(ing) Day: Food truck on campus

Come to the Olmsted lot on Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to celebrate Park(ing) Day. Park(ing) Day is a global event where parking spaces are transformed into public parks and social spaces to advocate for safer, greener, and more equitable streets. It is a great opportunity to engage in the dialog around how cities are designed and built.

The students in the Sustainable Transportation class will be hosting the event. Stop on by to interact with them and learn about sustainable transportation and initiatives on campus. Bring a book or bag for the book swap and participate in a house plant raffle.

The Bearded Jackal food truck will also be in attendance, so stop by and grab something to eat!

— Hannah Remke, Sustainability Coordinator