Category Archives: Campus Announcements Archive

You’re Invited: Welcome Reception for Mandela Washington Fellows June 24

Drake is proud to host 25 Mandela Washington Fellows for six weeks this summer as part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Join us to welcome the Fellows at a reception on Tuesday, June 24, at 5 p.m. in Fischer Stelter Hall, Johansen Center (Ballroom). The Drake community, along with the community partners who are interacting with the Fellows, are welcome to attend. Appetizers will be served. For questions regarding the reception of YALI, contact yali@drake.edu.

— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

You’re Invited: Drake and Ray Center to Celebrate Donations, Expanded Character Counts! Resources for Polk County Early Childhood Education Classrooms

Drake and The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center will host an event to celebrate the expansion of no-cost Character Counts! early childhood resources to nearly 1,700 classrooms in Polk County.

WHO: Students, Faculty, and Staff
WHEN:
Thursday, May 15, from 9 to 9:30 a.m.
WHERE:
The Gregory & Suzie Burt Boys & Girls Club.

The initiative is made possible by generous grant funding from four major community partners: the Lauridsen Family Foundation, Prairie Meadows Legacy Grant Program, Polk County Community Development and Community Betterment program, and the Gartner Family Foundation.

The campus community is invited to attend the event and hear from Walter Lauridsen who will speak on behalf of the four organizations responsible for the grants and from Cassidy LeCroy, director of The Bob & Billie Ray Child Development Center. Scott Raecker, executive director of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University, and Marty Martin, Drake University president, will also deliver remarks.

— Amy Smit, The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center

Long-Term Care Policy Options Webinar

The cost of long-term care has nearly doubled from the early 2000s to 2024, both for at home care and nursing home care. These costs are out of reach for everyone except the wealthiest households. Long-term care costs are internalized by caregiver families in some combination of the following: diminished or lost earned income, early retirement, direct caregiving expenditures, and mental and physical health issues.  There are a variety of policy options to address this economic burden on families across the income distribution. Join us for a free webinar featuring a panel of leading experts on LTC policies to learn more about current state, national, and international policies addressing long-term care needs.

Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025

Time: 2:00–3:00 p.m. CT

Location: Zoom Webinar (link will be sent to attendees closer to the event)

Cost: Free, but registration is required.

Accommodations: Live-captioning in English will be provided for attendees. American Sign Language interpretation is only available upon request due to interpreter shortages throughout Iowa. ASL and other accommodation requests can be made by emailing harkininstitute@drake.edu.

Click here to register!

— Kathryn Kuckelman, Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement

Congratulations to the 2025 Drake Student Leadership Award Winners

The 2025 Adams Leadership Awards Ceremony, held on May 3, recognized exceptional student leadership, service, and engagement across the Drake University campus. Please join us in celebrating the following students, staff, and organizations for their remarkable impact on our community:

  • Outstanding First-Year Students: Allie Koenigsfeld & Sean Groh
  • Outstanding Sophomore Students: Emerson Whittemore & Audrey Martin
  • Outstanding Junior/P1 Students: Eli Benson & Olivia (Liv) Swaney
  • Outstanding Senior/P2 Students: Josie Hildreth & Skylar Lathrop
  • Oreon E. Scott Legacy Award: Ashley Dyson
  • Outstanding Bright College Student: Princess Winters
  • Outstanding Transfer Student: Brooklynn Grooms
  • David Maxwell Outstanding Student Organization President: Eli Benson
  • Outstanding Student Organization Officer: Chloe Isbell
  • Outstanding Residence Hall Leaders: Valerie Vera & Sean Groh
  • Wanda E. Everage Outstanding Peer Mentor Award: Elliot Nelson & Mia Stefani
  • Drake Outstanding Individual Service Award: Beth Posey
  • Outstanding Student Organization Advisor of the Year: Mary Edrington
  • Outstanding Student Organization: NAMI on Campus
  • Outstanding Group Service Award: American Pharmacist Association (APhA)
  • Outstanding Educational Program: AOE Club: Alpha Phi
  • Outstanding Social Program: Ramen Noodle Night at Herriott Hall
  • Outstanding Equity & Inclusion Program: Alpha Phi’s DEI Committee
  • Outstanding Alcohol Alternative Program: Dogtown After Hours
  • Outstanding Collaboration Award: SAA’s 2024 Halloween Hoops

We are proud to recognize these students and organizations for their dedication to leadership, service, inclusion, and community-building. Their contributions continue to shape a stronger and more connected Drake University.

—Kristin Economos, Senior Director, Adams Leadership Institute

Cowles Library May Featured Collections

Stop by Cowles Library to explore our featured collections. Find something new, engage with fresh perspectives, and discover resources that support you through the end of term.

As the end of the term approaches, take a moment for yourself with our Mental Health Awareness Month collection. Whether you’re seeking a good book to unwind, tools for focus, or ways to relax, we’ve got you covered. Check out our Sensory Collection for sensory regulation resources, grab a self-measure blood pressure device to keep track of your heart health, or take a moment to relax with our community puzzle or records at the record player station. Stop by, take a break, and discover something new to recharge at Cowles Library.

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with books that spotlight the rich diversity, culture, and history of AAPI communities. From memoirs and fiction to stories of activism and resilience, these works give voice to a wide array of experiences. Learn about the trailblazers and everyday heroes who’ve shaped the AAPI community and explore fresh perspectives that continue to influence our world today.

— Joanna Stankiewicz, Cowles Library

Drake University Social Science Journal

The 2025 edition of the Drake University Social Science Journal is now available at: https://www.drake.edu/dussj/currentedition/.

The Journal publishes exceptional social science research conducted by Drake University students. Any current Drake undergraduate (or recent graduate) is eligible to submit a paper on a topic in the social sciences (political science, international relations, anthropology, sociology, economics, history, and social psychology).The first edition of the Journal appeared in 1999 (back editions are available at: https://www.drake.edu/dussj/). 

The 2025 edition features articles by Lauren Buchanan, Stell Depuydt, Mitchell P. Davis, Catalina Samaniego, and Chloe Q. Slater. 

The Journal’s student editorial board consisted of Berkeley Coyne, Anna Knueve, Lizzy O’Neel, Carson Smith, Reid Stevens, and Madison Tarr. 

Congratulations to the above students for their hard work and dedication to high-quality social science research.

— David Skidmore, Professor of Political Science/Global Citizenship Director

Rec Services Finals Week Hours

Rec Services will have modified hours during finals week, May 12–18.

Bell Center
May 12–13: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
May 14–15: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May 16: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
May 17–18: Closed

Underground Fitness
May 12: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
May 13–summer: Closed

Roger Knapp Tennis Center
May 12–13: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
May 14: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
May 15–18: Closed

Bell Center Pool
Check rec.drake.edu for reservations

“From Promise to Progress: Black Voices Who Compelled Drake University to Fulfill Its Founding Ideals”

Now on display in the Collier Heritage Room adjacent to the Cowles Library Reading Room, this new exhibit showcases the contributions of Black voices who shaped Drake University’s journey toward fulfilling its founding principles. The exhibit opened during Drake Relays weekend and will continue through September 30. It is presented through the collaborative efforts of Drake University Archives & Special Collections, Drake University Black Alumni Association, and Drake University Alumni Relations.  Visit during regular library hours.

Can’t make it to the physical exhibit? Explore the companion digital exhibit available at https://bit.ly/promisetoprogress, offering accessibility to these historical narratives from anywhere.

— Hope Bibens, University Archives and Special Collections

Bulldog Shop Temporarily Moving to Hubbell Beginning May 27

The Olmsted Center and Bulldog Shop will be undergoing exciting renovations this summer to refresh and upgrade the space for the fall semester.

To prepare for the refresh, the Bulldog Shop will close May 17 following graduation and reopen on May 27 in a temporary space in the lower level of Hubbell Dining Hall. If you’ll be around campus this summer, stop by the temporary store and say hello to Kyle (the best campus store manager)! Or you can shop online 24/7 at drake.ecampus.com for all your Bulldog essentials.

Thanks for your patience while we renovate. We can’t wait to welcome you back to our updated space this fall.

— Bulldog Shop

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.