Category Archives: Campus Announcements Archive

You’re Invited to Celebrate Griff II’s 7th Birthday

Griff II will be celebrating his 7th birthday at the NEW Black Cat location in Valley Junction (134 5th Street, West Des Moines) from 1–3 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. All are welcome—please join us! There will be a special birthday-themed ice cream flavor in honor of the occasion, and, instead of gifts, we invite you to bring donations (non-perishable food and personal hygiene items) for the Little Free Pantries in the Drake Neighborhood. There is no better way for Griff to celebrate his special day than to help the community in his honor. We’ll see you there!

— Erin Bell, University Communications and Marketing

Expended Mental Health Support for Students

Drake University is now partnering with TimelyCare to deliver a new virtual health and well-being platform for students. Through either a mobile app or your desktop, TimelyCare provides 24/7 access to virtual care from anywhere in the United States at no cost.

As part of our commitment to providing a wide breadth of services that meets the needs of every student on campus, Drake University has partnered with TimelyCare to offer students free and equitable access to mental health support. TimelyCare replaces our previous provider, UWill, and will serve as an extension of our campus health and counseling center resources. This partnership aims to enhance student well-being, engagement, and retention by ensuring timely and comprehensive support for all students.

Whether you’re feeling under the weather, anxious, or overwhelmed, you can talk to a licensed provider to get the care you need via phone or secure video visits.

How can I access TimelyCare?
Visit TimelyCare or download the TimelyCare app from your app store and register with your Drake email address. You can then start visits from any web-enabled device  smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop anywhere in the United States.

Who can use TimelyCare?
Any enrolled student.

What services are available?

  • TalkNow: 24/7, on-demand emotional support.
  • Self-Care Content: 24/7 access to self-care tools and resources, such as meditation
    and yoga sessions, helpful videos, and short articles from experts.
  • Peer Community: An anonymous and judgment-free space where you can connect with, react to, and support other students going through similar situations.

How much does a visit cost?
TimelyCare services are available at no cost to Drake University students.

The need for 24/7 access to high-quality care has never been more important. According to a report by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation, 69% of students in bachelor’s degree programs who considered dropping out cited emotional stress as their reason.

Through TimelyCare on a phone or other device, Drake University students can now select from a wide-ranging menu of virtual care options from licensed counselors in all 50 states (at no cost and without the barrier of traditional insurance) including:

  • On-demand mental health and emotional support (TalkNow)
  • Care navigation
  • Peer support community
  • Digital self-care content

The partnership with TimelyCare allows Drake University to deliver a hybrid model of care in collaboration with on-campus resources. Benefits to students include:

  • Convenient 24/7 care: Physical and mental health issues often present themselves outside regular business hours, and TimelyCare makes seeking support or treatment easy and convenient as making a video or phone call.
  • Diverse provider network: TimelyCare’s diverse and culturally responsive provider network reflects and is proud to serve students who embody diversity in race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, age, religion and worldview, language, health, ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic and immigration status, and more. More than half of mental health providers identify as people of color. The platform also offers professionals who identify as LGBTQIA+, speak multiple languages, and translation services to support more than 240 languages. Students scheduling services can choose to meet with a specific provider or select the first available.
  • Peace of mind: TimelyCare is a safe, secure, URAC-accredited and HIPAA-compliant platform that follows campus-specific protocols to facilitate care coordination and follow-up to ensure continuity of care.

TimelyCare licensed providers are available to offer emotional support via phone or secure video visits. If you have questions, visit TimelyCare or email your campus representative – lynne.cornelius@drake.edu.

— Lynne Cornelius, Associate Dean of Students

Tune into Everclass on June 24 at Noon with Professors Ina Purvanova and Alanah Mitchell

Tune into Everclass on Tuesday, June 24, at 12 p.m. via Zoom as Zimpleman College of Business Professors Ina Purvanova and Alanah Mitchell share insights on how to align organizational strategy with employee needs to create a more effective, balanced workplace.

The COVID pandemic forced many workers from office desks to home setups, prompting organizations to rethink how and where work gets done. As companies weigh office-forward, remote-first, or hybrid strategies, employees have developed strong preferences of their own. The challenge? Finding a workplace model that works for both sides.

In their new book, The New Workplace: Employee Alignment in Remote-First, Office-Forward, and Hybrid Work Organizations, Professors Purvanova and Mitchell reveal that success lies in alignment—not in choosing a one-size-fits-all model. There’s no single “right” way to build a workplace. Choice and flexibility are essential for navigating the evolving landscape of work.

Everclass is a virtual discussion series designed to inspire Drake alumni and community members. All sessions feature a keynote speaker, a panel discussion, or a Q&A style with a moderator. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend. 

— Andy Verlengia, Director, Alumni Relations

Parking Passes for Sale for Upcoming Academic Year

Parking permit sales for the upcoming academic year will begin on Tuesday, July 1.  Please visit Public Safety’s parking page and select “Online Parking Registration” to register for your pass. Please make sure to have your license plate number available at the time of registration.

Permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and we ask that all permit sales be done online.  An email confirmation will be sent to you when your pass is ready to be picked up at the Student Services Desk in the JOHANSEN CENTER (temporary space for summer/early fall). Please bring an ID for verification.

  • Resident passes: $400 (blue, 24/7 parking)
  • Premium passes: $290 (yellow, Olmsted lot; red, Ray Promenade lots)
  • Perimeter passes: $130 (all orange and purple lots)
  • Evening/Weekend passes: $100 (valid from 4:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., Monday through Friday, and all day on weekends)

Passes are valid from August to August and will be available to pick up in the Student Services Center (Johansen) in August.

Please visit drake.edu/map to see where the lots are located, and contact studentservices@drake.edu for questions.

Sara Heijerman, Finance & Administration

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