The Anderson Gallery will host the premiere of a new composition by Nathan Felix for 16 pianos performed in an immersive environment by the Drake University Piano Program. This is a historic performance, the first of its kind, not only in Iowa, but in the country. With 16 pianos, it will be one of the largest “original” piano compositions to be performed live—ever! This immersive composition will be performed in and around the Anderson Gallery allowing the audience to walk amongst the pianos and performers. The soundscape installation will also incorporate the experimental videos of Felix.

Felix, who premiered his immersive opera, The Cadence of Life, with the Drake Opera Program last fall, is known for his guerilla-style approach in presenting classical music in unconventional spaces including work with multiple pianos. 16 Pianos in Surround Sound will be performed by Dr. Nicholas Roth and Drake University students from his piano studio. The ensemble is rounded out with Drake music professors Susan Ihnen, Ling-Yu Hsiao and Rika Uchida. This unique concert that blurs the bounds of music, installation and performance art is made possible by the Friends of Drake Arts. The piece will be performed on March 20 and 21 at 7:30 pm. Performances are free and open to all. More information can be found here.

— Lilah Anderson, Anderson Gallery

The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) is the largest public transit agency in Iowa. Their services connect thousands of people every day to jobs, school, medical appointments, and more. Drake has been a long-time supporter of public transportation.

With your Drake ID, you can ride DART for free—whether you are traveling to campus during the weekday or running errands on the weekend. Last fall (September – November) Drake students and employees averaged 3,300 individual trips per month.

However, as stated from DART: “Like many public entities, DART is experiencing a funding shortfall due to local revenue not keeping pace with the cost of providing services.”

Due to budget pressures, DART route impacts with a proposed 20-25% service cut are:

1. Route 3 would go from running every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes during peak times
2. Route 5 would go from running every 50 minutes to every 60 minutes during peak times
3. Route 60 would go from running every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes during peak times.
4. DART would end service one hour earlier on weekdays and make all weekend service hourly frequency.

DART plans to present this scenario for public input in late April and May with more details and then changes could be implemented in November 2024, unless alternative funding is approved.

You are encouraged to participate in these public sessions and learn more about the specifics on DART’s website: https://www.ridedart.com/funding-our-future.

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President

Join The Harkin Institute and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy for the 2024 Harkin on Wellness Symposium on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. The theme of this year’s Symposium is “Wellbeing in Schools”. The prevalence of mental health issues has increased dramatically in recent years, particularly in the wake of massive social disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This led the nation’s leading child health organizations and the U.S. Surgeon General to declare a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. As the location where children spend the largest portion of their time outside of the home, we believe the K–12 school system can be a key vehicle for changes that can positively impact children’s wellbeing across the United States.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy will be one of the event’s keynote speakers and will discuss the youth mental health crisis and how his office is addressing this challenge. The event will also bring together policymakers, education leaders, teachers, pediatricians, and practice innovators from around the country to address whole child wellbeing approaches, to review the scientifically supported best practices, and to consider the case for placing health and wellbeing squarely at the heart of our education system’s mission to prepare students for successful lives.

Click here to register!

— Kathryn Kuckelman, Harkin Institute

The Office of Campus Equity and Inclusion would like to invite you all to celebrate National Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Week (March 18-22) with a dynamic series of events designed to foster understanding, dialogue, and engagement. From enlightening panel discussions to cultural showcases and workshops, our campus will be abuzz with opportunities to explore the rich tapestry of human experience and advance our commitment to creating a more inclusive Drake community. Please join us as we celebrate our differences, embrace our shared humanity, and champion the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Drake University and beyond.

Please use this link to see a description of the event sessions for the week. We hope to see you at some of these events.

— Terrance Pendleton, Associate Provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion

Keep an eye out for the new stickers the Office of Sustainability is placing throughout campus. The stickers will serve as friendly reminders to practice energy-saving behaviors. The goal is to ensure lights are turned off when occupants leave a room, and the Temperature Set Point Policy is being adhered to when there is local thermostat control. It is also important to turn off and unplug all appliances when not in use!

The FPM team is constantly working to upgrade building and appliance efficiency, but action on the user’s end is needed to maximize the energy and monetary savings, especially with rising utility rates.

Small actions on a campus wide scale add up. It is vital for Drake to maximize our behavioral related savings so we can achieve our 2050 goal of carbon neutrality and our 2033 goal of a 65% reduction in scope one and two emissions.

Stickers are being strategically placed in buildings that will have the highest impact first. If there is a location you think would benefit from having a sticker, reach out to hannah.remke@drake.edu.

— Hannah Remke, Sustainability Coordinator 

Whether you’re budgeting for the present or planning for your retirement, managing your finances can be an overwhelming task. That’s why The Harkin Institute chose “Navigating the Journey to Financial Wellness” as the theme for this year’s Harkin Retirement Security Symposium. The event will bring together advocacy and community organizations, government agencies, and private companies and their foundations that work on financial wellness and retirement security. The symposium will provide a forum to discuss the most pressing challenges and find collaborative opportunities to address documented financial wellness needs and their relationship to retirement security, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations.

WHAT: 2024 Harkin Retirement Security Symposium: Navigating the Journey to Financial Wellness

WHEN: Tuesday, April 30, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.

WHERE: Olmstead Center at Drake University (2875 University Ave., Des Moines, IA 5031)

RSVP: Registration is free for Drake students, staff, and faculty. The event will also be live streamed on The Harkin Institute’s YouTube channel.

For more information on the 2024 Harkin Retirement Security Symposium, click here.

— Kathryn Kuckelman, The Harkin Institute

Everyone is Welcome! Regardless of if you are diagnosed with OCD or not. Join if you would like to learn more about OCD or ways to support yourself or someone else.

When: 5–6 p.m. on March 26 and April 16

Where: Counseling Center