View the Counseling Center’s October newsletter for news about upcoming events, mindfulness tips, and support groups.

— Kayla Bell-Consolver, Broadlawns Drake Student Counseling Center

Plan to attend the Pi Theta Epsilon lecture by Ms. Jennifer Kray entitled “Redemptive Suffering” at Levitt Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. Kray, author of the text “My Other Half,” will describe her experience as a graduate student who experienced an eating disorder, to a brainstem hemorrhage. The lecture will provide insights into the importance of patient connection and the impact of hope in healthcare. 1.0 CEU available for OT practitioners.

— Christine Urish, Professor of Occupational Therapy

Contemporary artists Duane Slick and Martin Smick will be on campus on October 27 and 28th for two events in conjunction with their site-specific installation What the Night Tells Us at the Anderson Gallery. The exhibition opening reception is on October 27 from 5-7 pm and the artists will lead an exhibition tour on October 28 from 1-2pm. Both of these events are free and open to the public.

Duane Slick is an artist of Native American descent, the Meskwaki Nation of Iowa and the Ho-Chunk Nation of Nebraska. His acrylic paintings blend the subjects of oral and visual Native American traditions with a focus on trickster strategies and modernist/post-modernist painting histories. Martin Smick is an artist who has been living and working in Rhode Island since 2007 and has taught in the Painting Department at Rhode Island School of Design since 2013. Both artists have exhibited nationally and have collaborated on two previous exhibitions. As collaborators, Slick and Smick are conscious of their respective cultural identities and have been able to create exhibitions that engage in issues surrounding Native culture.

The exhibition is supported by a National Endowment for the Arts grant. More details can be found on the Anderson Gallery webpage andersongallery.wp.drake.edu.

— Lilah Anderson, Anderson Gallery

Drake University Phi Beta Kappa is excited to welcome Dr. Anna Brickhouse, University of Virginia, to campus Oct. 26–27 as part of the National Visiting Scholars program. Her visit will include work with Bright College, English, Pharmacy & Health Sciences, and World Languages and Cultures. All are invited to her public lecture ““Curse and Doom:” Writing the Americas as Catastrophe on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium co-sponsored with the Susan Glaspell Writers and Critics Series.

— Jeff Kappen, Zimpleman College of Business

The fourth week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a reminder that you as an individual make all the difference in keeping yourself and Drake safe and secure. Everyone on campus is part of our security culture, and you play the most important role in keeping yourself safe.

Trust your gut and stay vigilant for phishing attempts, suspected ransomware, use of bots, and unsafe social media practices. Remember good cybersecurity practices, such as keeping your software updated, strengthening your passwords, and verifying information you find online. Make it a habit to report suspicious emails and contact ITS with questions, concerns, and for other tech assistance.

Your contributions and actions keep everyone at Drake safe. While Cybersecurity Awareness Month may be coming to an end, good cybersecurity practices apply year-round. Learn more about cybersecurity, watch videos, and become a part of Drake’s security culture at drake.edu/its/csam.

There’s still time to take the cybersecurity quiz! The first 150 people to complete the quiz will receive a coupon to use at the campus Starbucks, and all student participants will be entered into a random drawing for 1 of 10 Griff II t-shirts. Complete the quiz by October 31, 2023.

For ITS assistance, submit a ticket at service.drake.edu/its, visit the lower level of Carnegie Hall, or call 515-271-3001.

— Chris Mielke, ITS

The President’s Committee on Supporting Persons with Disabilities has begun its work, meeting several times this semester. The committee is developing a framework for integrating disability inclusion into campus initiatives and planning, while also identifying some concrete steps that will result in short-term progress. The committee has identified the following categories of focus: student support, campus culture, campus facilities, employment, and technology. These are categories the committee identified; however we recognize that other members of the campus community might have additional suggestions for areas of inquiry. The next steps include a comprehensive inventory of existing best practices and challenges faced by units across campus. In addition, the committee is engaging with  campus units, groups, and organizations to gather feedback and input. Any member of the campus community who wishes to provide feedback to the committee, offer ideas, or suggest topics of future discussion can e-mail the committee at disability.inclusion@drake.edu.

— Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

Join Drake facilities and Drake’s Environmental Action League Oct. 20 from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. to help plant native plants in a bioretention cell on Drake’s campus. Stop by as time allows. Register here on DUGood and receive verification for your hours.

A bioretention cell reduces flooding and improves the quality of water that runs off of our campus. Wear shoes and clothes you are comfortable getting planting native flowers in. Snacks and drinks will be provided by DEAL and SAA while supplies last.

Installation site is in front of Harvey Ingham Hall, across the Reflection Pond.

Stop by whenever works for you. Wear shoes and clothes you are comfortable planting in. Tools and gloves will be provided.

This project is a student led initiative and is funded by the generous support of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the City of Des Moines.

— Hannah Remke,  Sustainability Coordinator

Former U.S. Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, hosts a book club during the academic year to engage the Drake community on topics related to China and U.S.-China relations. This activity is part of the Ambassador-in-Residence initiative at Drake. Learn more at drake.edu/branstad.

The Ambassador’s book selection for the Fall 2023 semester is Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China’s Superpower Future by Chun Han Wong. The book was published in May 2023. You can find a description of the book from Amazon.com here. A limited number of free copies are still available for current students, faculty and staff who wish to participate in the book club. Sign up by emailing ambassador@drake.edu stating your intent to read the book and attend the discussion event on November 13th in the Cowles Library Reading Room, as well as to your request your free copy of the book (distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis). Dinner will be provided at the discussion event on November 13th — please state any dietary restrictions in your email to sign up.

For more information on this event, we encourage you to visit the event page on the Drake University Calendar.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

The J-Term and Spring 2024 schedule of classes and related registration information is available online. Registration begins Monday, October 30^th.

View registration information, including the registration time table that shows when you become eligible to register. View the schedule of classes.

Some courses will be temporarily reserved for students who have declared a certain field-of-study (major, minor, concentration, or endorsement). On Monday, November 13^th, those reservations will be removed. Note that some courses have restrictions that are permanent.

If you are an undergraduate or pharmacy student intending to make any changes to your field-of-study and have those changes take effect before registration begins, file your changes via the change of record request no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 23^rd. Requests submitted after this date may be delayed.

— Ryan Trump, Office of the Registrar

Join The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement on Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. in Sussman Theatre for our Sussman Lecture Series. This year Tim Shriver will be speaking on “The Dignity Index” and how it can help overcome toxic political divisions. Register for free.

This event is open to all Drake University students, faculty, and staff both in person and virtually. ASL and CART will be provided as well as accessible seating options.

The Sussman Lecture Series hosts a notable public policy figure to discuss topical current events with a small audience. The series was established by Richard Sussman, AS’51, and his late wife Lila. Tickets are required and seating is limited to provide an intimate experience for attendees.

— Alexandra Bates, senior