In honor of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Week, join the Broadlawns Drake Student Counseling Center and office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for a mental health panel on March 22 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. focused on disrupting the harmful narratives given to marginalized communities, and an open discussion on ways to enhance worth and belonging in the face of social injustice. Participants will also receive free self-care prizes and free food, and admitted students will have the opportunity to be entered into a raffle to win additional self-care prizes, such as weighted blankets, self-help books, and MORE! This is a wonderful opportunity to experience a taste of the culture of inclusivity, belonging, and well-being at Drake! Register here. The event will take place in Parents Hall South.
BIPOC Women (+) Healing Circles are focused on cultivating a space of connection, healing, and belonging as we hold space for various shared experiences that impact wellness and mental health. All BIPOC students that self-identify as or have been socialized as women are encouraged to attend.
When: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 5–6 p.m.
The Global Citizen Forum is comprised of a series of events drawing on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a thematic lens taking place annually in the spring semester.
The Forum was established as the co-curricular arm of the Engaged Citizen Experience, part of the Drake Curriculum which aims to ensure students will learn to participate effectively in democratic processes through coursework and classroom and community activities. The ECE seeks to mobilize the entire campus community to discuss a critical theme or global issue.
The 2024 Global Citizen Forum will take place March 6-8.
When: Wednesday, March 6 at 4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Location: Upper Olmsted Center
Interested in traveling next J-Term? Come learn more about the J-Term travel seminars to be offered in 2025 from the program leaders themselves!
On a Drake travel seminar, students can explore the world alongside their fellow Bulldogs and professors. Travel seminars run during J-Term or summer and are typically between one to three weeks in length. Past program locations have included Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia and Oceania, Europe, and the Middle East. If you are finding it difficult to fit a semester study abroad experience into your program—due to time constraints, financial obstacles, or personal reasons—this may be an excellent option for you. With your Drake community by your side, you’ll develop new relationships with fellow Drake students and professors and create long-lasting memories that will serve you long after your time abroad.
When: Thursday, March 7, at 8:30 a.m.–10 a.m. Location: Cowles Library, Reading Room
Hosted by Drake’s Principal Center for Global Citizenship, please join us for a networking breakfast with Drake faculty and staff as well as Drake’s global partners, a special presentation by Robert Ludke, expert on Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) Strategies and Harkin Institute Senior Fellow, with moderated discussion but Dean Alejandro Hernandez, and the presentation of the 2024 Faculty Global Citizenship Award!
When: Thursday, March 7, at 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Location: Meredith Hall, 106
Hosted by Drake’s Principal Center for Global Citizenship, in partnership with the Politics/IR, International Business, and LPS departments, this event brings together an interdisciplinary panel of Drake faculty to talk about topics related to global ‘development’ and creating a more just, prosperous future for all the world’s inhabitants. This panel asks simply, “How do we make the world better?” This question opens the door for discussion along two main avenues: first, what sets of practical policies, social arrangements, and economic configurations might be worth looking at to make the world better; and second, what courses of international, coordinated action might be taken in order to achieve those goals? The panel will rely on the panelists’ expertise, as well as observations about existing international trends and institutions in their discussion.
Panelists include Dr. Kieran Williams, Dr. Jeffrey A. Kappen, Dr. Ali Malik, and Dr. Leanne Purdum.
When: Thursday, March 7, at 4:30 p.m.–5 p.m. Location: Upper Olmsted, CR 310
Are you interested in going abroad? Are you curious about opportunities to work, conduct research, or further your education abroad post-graduation? Are you unsure of exactly what you would like to do once you graduate? If yes, you may be interested in applying for a global post-graduate scholarship! Whether you are just starting out at Drake or graduating soon, it is never to early or late to consider applying for a scholarship to live, work, and/or study abroad.
To learn more about having your work, research, and/or studies post-Drake graduation sponsored, come to the Post-Graduate Global Scholarship Information Session. This session will include an overview of programs such as the Fulbright Scholarship, Marshall Scholarship, Mitchell Scholarship, Gates-Cambridge Scholarship, and more. The information session will be conducted by Doctor Shelley Fairbairn, Professor in the School of Education and Post-Graduate Scholarship Coordinator.
When: Thursday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Location: Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, Auditorium
Join us at the Harkin Institute auditorium for the special screening of the Iowa PBS documentary Citizen Diplomacy, with an introduction by the film’s producer, Dave Miller. Following the screening will be a commentative panel moderated by Dr. David Skidmore, including Iowans featured in the film such as World Food Prize President Emeritus and former U.S. Ambassador Ken Quinn, Roger Engstrom, and Sofia Fernandez.
**Registration for this event is encouraged but not required**
The purpose of the Nelson Student Research Symposia is to recognize and share high-quality undergraduate research related to international and global topics. Students presenting research are encouraged to have their topics align with one (or more!) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs provide a framework for tackling complex global pressing issues such as poverty, sustainable communities, climate action, and justice. Student presentations will be roughly 15 minutes each.
When: Mar 25, April 8, and May 5; 4–5 p.m. on each date Where: Olmsted Center, Rooms 310–311
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer: the three simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Register here for the QPR training.
Stop by the Olmsted breezeway on March 25 or April 22 from 9–10:30 a.m. for a chance to chat with counselors from the Broadlawns Drake Student Counseling Center. Get answers to questions related to mental health and receive free coffee from our local coffee shops.
When: March 25 and April 22 from 9–10:30 a.m. Where: Breezeway, Olmsted
The Constitutional Law Center’s Distinguished Lecture Series brings to campus the nation’s leading constitutional scholars to engage students and faculty on the important issues of the day. Speakers deliver a formal lecture, teach a class, and meet with students in informal settings.
The Adams Leadership Awards is an annual, campus-wide ceremony that celebrates the achievements of student leaders and organizations at Drake University. Each May, we honor students and organizations who have made valuable contributions to the campus community through their outstanding commitment to leadership.
Nominations are now open!
Please see this full list of award categories and criteria and consider nominating Drake students and student organizations who’ve exhibited strong leadership and excellence throughout the 2023-2024 academic year using the link below. Nominations can be submitted by any Drake student, faculty, and/or staff any time before Sunday, April 7, 2024:
Later this week the All In 24 Hour Giving Challenge will launch for its 11th year. Starting Thursday, March 7, at noon members of the Drake Community will come together to show their support and appreciation for this exceptional University.
All In is a beloved tradition full of fun content, connection, and pride for Drake. Visit https://all-in.drake.edu/ to follow along during the 24 hours and see how much we can accomplish together with this critically important philanthropic tradition!
Wellness isn’t just mental (emotional) health—it’s also about the physical, intellectual, occupational (financial), spiritual, and social dimensions.
Fresh Check Day is a campus-wide mental health fair held Feb. 29 from 12–2 p.m. in Olmsted. Fresh Check Day is unique from more traditional programs around mental health in that it combines a fun, fair-like atmosphere with constructive conversation around mental health and wellness and suicide prevention. It also helps students get connected with important campus resources. There will be interactive booths hosted by campus offices and student organizations combined with music, games, prizes, giveaways, and tacos. Some of the main goals are to help students understand that they are not alone in what they may be struggling with, that Drake cares about campus-wide mental health, and that there are resources available to help.
One staple booth at Fresh Check Day events is Nine out of Ten. The Jordan Porco Foundation (who coordinates Fresh Check Day nationally) explains, “One in ten college students contemplates suicide. That means that at any given time, nine out of ten students have the opportunity to help that one who is struggling (if they are aware of the warning signs and resources).
We’d love to see you in Olmsted on Feb. 29 (Leap Day) from 12 – 2 p.m. at Fresh Check Day, where you can find resources to support your own wellness and learn more about helping your fellow Bulldogs.
— Laura Shell, Academic Excellence and Student Success
Judo Have you ever wanted to master a martial art? Now’s your chance! Scott Law will be teaching a four-week session of Judo starting Feb. 21 and ending March 20.
Glow Up the Night HIIT and yoga party Do you want to glow up the night? We’ve got you covered. We’re breaking out the blacklights, glow paint, and glow sticks on March 1 for a Glow Up the Night HIIT and yoga party. You will also receive a Drake Wellness T-shirt. Sign up for these events and our regularly scheduled classes using the Drake Rec app and don’t forget to invite your friends.
