As a new semester is starting, we wanted to provide some helpful information regarding campus card access. If you read the information below and feel you do not have the correct access on your Drake Card, please email studentservices@drake.edu or submit an ITS Help Ticket so we can research your card issue. Please be aware that some access is based on a specific approval process and may not be granted.

All Drake faculty and staff should have automated 24/7 exterior door access to the building that their office is in and have extended exterior access to other academic buildings for meetings/classes.

Students from certain majors are granted extended access to buildings relating to their field of study – this is automated and based off of either your major or specific classes in your schedule that may require access to a building. Students living in the residence halls also receive automated access to their hall, and ability to access other halls during the day.

Additional card access is available when needed and includes an approval process and manual update. Most manual access updates are tied to specific campus jobs or research. If you think you are missing a plan, speak with your manager, main building contact, or use one of the contact methods mentioned above for additional information. Once approved, it will take an additional business day for access to be updated.

Lost cards are generally turned in at the Student Services Center, and cardholders are notified via email when they are found and available to pick up. If your card has been lost, and you would like to freeze all activity until found, you can either contact the Student Services Center or freeze the card yourself in the eAccounts portal.  You can also add Bulldog Bucks and check card balances in this portal. Frozen cards need to be turned back on by SSC staff if found.

If your card is lost and needs to be replaced, you may purchase a new card for $25.00 in the Student Services Center. The lost card will be deactivated automatically upon printing of new card. If your card is no longer working (but has worked in the past), make sure that you are registered for your Fall classes – cards will not function if you are not a current student or employee. Also make sure there are no cracks in the card – cracked cards cannot communicate with door readers and will need to be replaced at the Student Services Center.

Have a great semester, and feel free to reach out with questions or card issues.

–Sara Heijerman, Finance and Administration

The Drake University Social Media Directory displays the URLs for every Drake University-affiliated social media page. Take a look around to see which departments have pages, follow them, and invite your friends to follow along.

While you’re looking around, let us know if your department page has changed. Maybe you have a department name change, you want a new cover photo, or you don’t see your URL on the directory at all. Either way, let us know how we can help by emailing Niki Smith at niki.smith@drake.edu.

Also, there is a student social media directory for all student organizations. Explore the accounts for virtual student activities fair. Niki Smith is also the contact for that directory if you see anything to add or update within the URLs linked.

–Niki Smith, University Communications and Marketing

We’re kicking off another year of reading with the University Book Club! Our book selections (and tentative meeting times/locations) are listed below.  We’d love to have you join us!

Fall Break –  The Good Neighbor – The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King (planning to meet up on 10/22 at Freedom Blend Coffee)

November – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Movie Night at Flix Brewhouse (exact date/time TBD)

Winter Break – Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini (planning to meet 1/15 at the Ingersoll Cheese Shop)

Spring Break – There There by Tommy Orange (planning to meet on 3/26 at the Drake Fong’s)

Summer Break – The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore (planning to meet on 6/23 at Louie’s Wine Dive)

If you would like to be on our mailing list, please let Sara Heijerman or Dan Chibnall know.  Also, feel free to join our new Facebook group for updates and additional information throughout the year!

—Sara Heijerman, Finance and Administration;  Dan Chibnall, Cowles Library

Building hours will switch to their normal Fall schedules for first-year move in – tomorrow, Aug. 21. All extended hours access plans will also be usable at this time.

If your building or card access is not working as expected, please feel free to email sara.heijerman@drake.edu or studentservices@drake.edu for assistance.

–Sara Heijerman, Finance and Administration

Get an additional 30% off clearance items at the University Book Store. Now–Sept. 11.

–Donna Hallstrom, University Bookstore

Welcome Week this year will include a new activity for the Class of 2023 – Vision Boards for Campus Success! We are in need of magazines in order to make this event happen. If you have any old magazines you are willing to part with, you can drop donations off at or interoffice to the mail room in lower level Olmsted. The magazines will be cut up and glued to a collage of goals, inspiration, and motivation for the new college students to look at and use throughout their future. We will be collecting magazines until Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Thank you for your contributions to this new program!

–Marina Verlengia, New Student Programs

On Aug. 21 and 28, join fellow students from the Lorentzen Student Hatchery at 8 a.m. at the Science Center of Iowa for 1 Million Cups Des Moines where they will share information about their businesses.

On Aug. 21, Adam Heater Media (Adam Heater) and CNFDNT (Tyrek Washington) will be presenting, and on Aug. 28, Milk Chocolate Productions (Luc Pham) and Picto (Sohil Brahmbhatt and Case Martin) will be presenting.

1MCDSM meets every Wednesday from 8–9:30 a.m. at the Science Center in downtown Des Moines. Iowa entrepreneurs are caffeinated with free coffee, complimentary parking and an innovative energy generated by an interactive community-driven networking experience unlike any other. Visit the 1 Million Cups website here.

–Stephanie Cardwell, Buchanan Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership

You can still apply for the following travel seminars:

England: British Identity in England

England: Theatre History in London

India: International Health Topics

Israel and Jordan: Religions of the Middle East

Italy: Place-Based Integrated Science

Japan: Understanding Diverse Populations

Mexico: The Other Side of the Wall: The Americanization of Mexico

New Zealand: Communication and Tourism Analysis

Rwanda: Ecotourism, Conservation, and Development in Post-Genocide Rwanda

Thailand: Research, Exploration, and Reflection

Washington DC/Boston: Congress Up Close: Preparing to be a Congressional Staffer

Some programs only have a few spots left!

To apply or learn more about the courses, click here.

–Maria Rohach, Center for International Programs and Services

Please join us for the third year of our Welcome Weekend opening program, This is how we DU it, that is open to the entire University community. This is how we DU it will be held Thursday, Aug. 22 from 10–11 a.m. in the Knapp Center. The event will feature student speakers Ian Klien and Genesis Buckhalton, who will share their Drake stories, and it will showcase the talents of Fermata the Blue, the Brocal Chords, and D+ Comedy Improv. Please join in welcoming the 2019–2020 student body by attending this special event.

–Marina Verlengia, New Student Programs