We are pleased to announce that Drake now has an Institutional Membership to the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD). As part of Drake’s continued commitment to your professional success, your membership gives you access to a wide range of development resources that you can access at a time and pace of your choosing. The membership began on Aug. 1, 2024.

The NCFDD is an independent professional development, training, and mentoring community of faculty, postdocs, and graduate students from over 450 colleges and universities. In addition to the resources available to you as an Institutional Member, the Center also offers professional development training and intensive mentoring programs.

To claim your free Institutional Membership, complete the following steps:

1. Go to http://www.ncfdd.org/join
2. Choose your institution from the drop-down menu.
3. Select “Activate my Membership”
4. Complete the registration form using your institutional email address (i.e., John.Smith@drake.edu)
5. Check your email to find a confirmation/welcome email. Click “Activate Account” in the email.

NCFDD provides a variety of virtual programs and resources, including:

• The weekly Monday Motivator email
• Monthly Core Curriculum webinars
• Guest Expert Webinars and Multi-Week Skill-Building Courses
• Hidden Handbook series
• Dissertation Success Curriculum for advanced graduate students
• 14-Day Writing Challenges
• Discussion Forum for peer-mentoring and problem-solving
• Monthly accountability buddy matches, by request
• Complete library of previous webinars and multi-week course recordings

You are encouraged to learn more about each of the resources and put any events that interest you on your calendar. If you have questions about the membership, please contact Bret Sikkink, the Faculty Development Specialist, at Bret.Sikkink@drake.edu or feel free to talk to a member of the AAAC. If you have any technical questions, please email NCFDD at membership@ncfdd.org.

— Jimmy Senteza, Deputy Provost

There is a group of Young African Leaders (www.drake.edu/yali) on campus for a six-week Leadership experience through Drake International and the Zimpleman College of Business. These Fellows have been busy touring area businesses, doing community service, learning about leadership, and working with mentors as they’ve spent their time here in Iowa. It’s been an amazing five weeks so far!

As the final week of the Fellowship approaches, we invite you to our Farewell Celebration on Wednesday, July 24, at 4 p.m. at the Turner Jazz Center.  This will be an excellent event for final connections and to send off the Fellows before they travel to Washington D.C. We hope to see you there.

— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

Please join us for the 2024 Learning Symposium on Tuesday, Aug. 20. At this year’s Learning Symposium, we will explore the array of possibilities laid out by recent innovations in generative AI. 

A variety of breakout sessions will investigate potential uses for AI both in and out of the classroom, and give attendees the skills needed to start on the path toward building their own custom GPTs for personal or professional use. When registering for the event, please indicate which two breakout sessions you will attend.  

Lunch will be provided by two food trucks; Hotsy Totsy and the Big Red Food Truck A voucher for an entrée and beverage will be provided to all Symposium attendees. 

Please register for the Learning Symposium on Eventbrite. Those registered will receive a voucher for their lunch at the trucks. Participants will also receive a free 6-month trial license of Open AI. 

We are excited to offer this year’s Learning Symposium as a wonderful opportunity for building new skills and creating community. As with all campus events and activities, we ask managers to actively encourage their employees to consider attending!  

— Madison Bemus, Office of the Provost

As excitement builds for the Paris 2024 Olympics, so does the risk of consumer scams targeting eager spectators. Here are some common scams to watch out for: 

1. Fake Ticket Websites: Sophisticated websites mimic the official Olympic ticketing site and often use keywords like “Paris,” “Olympics,” or “2024” to appear legitimate. Victims pay for tickets that don’t exist, losing both money and the chance to attend events.
2. Phishing Scams: Emails appear to come from official Olympic sources and redirect recipients to fake websites designed to steal personal information, such as passwords and credit card details.
3. Fake Streaming Websites: Fraudulent websites claiming to stream the Olympic games may trick people into sharing their personal data. These websites use suspicious domain names and ask users to input their credit card information, claiming it won’t be charged. The scammers use this information to make fraudulent online purchases and potentially distribute or sell it on the dark web.
4. Unauthorized Streaming Services: NBCUniversal has announced all 2024 Olympics events will be officially streamed live on Peacock. Scammers may create unauthorized streaming services to mimic Peacock and offer unbelievable deals or claim to provide exclusive content to lure in victims. 

To protect yourself from these scams, only use trusted sources to stream or make purchases related to the Olympics. Be wary of any service asking for personal information or credit card details, and always check the legitimacy of a website before making purchases. 

Remain vigilant and use trusted sources to protect against scams. Stay tuned, stay safe, and enjoy the games! 

If you have questions, contact us by submitting a ticket though the ITS service portal (service.drake.edu/its) or by calling the Support Center at 515-271-3001. 

— Chris Mielke, ITS

Drake is getting ready to host Al Éxito University on campus in July and there is an opportunity for faculty and staff to engage in a volunteering opportunity during this college experience camp designed specifically for Latinx students from around Iowa. This program aims to empower students by equipping them with the tools and confidence they need to succeed in higher education.

The organization is seeking volunteers to assist students in a critical aspect of their journey—crafting a compelling first draft of their scholarship essays. To provide personalized one-on-one support, Al Éxito has a goal of securing 60 volunteers. Following are details about the opportunity:

Volunteer Role Details:

• Task: Assist students in drafting their first scholarship essay.
• Support: Provide personalized feedback and insights.
• Objective: Ensure every scholar leaves with a strong essay draft to kickstart their scholarship applications.

Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday, July 16
• Time: 3:15–6:30 p.m.
• Location: Drake University (More details as the dates gets closer)
• Additional Info: Training and dinner provided. Extensive writing expertise not required. Al Éxito will train volunteers to best support scholars during this event.

Interested faculty and staff are encouraged to sign up through this link:  https://bit.ly/VolunteerAEU24.

— Alejandro Hernandez, Dean, Zimpleman College of Business