Category Archives: Campus Announcements Archive

WELLCON 2024

Join us on October 23rd from 3-5pm in Upper Olmsted for the second annual Drake Wellness Conference. There will be a variety of free experiences and activities, including massages, meditations and movement!

—Gail Witte, Recreational Services

Fall 2024 Sussman Lecture: Students Are Humans First with Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab

The Harkin Institute is thrilled to announce this Fall’s Sussman Lecture, “Students Are Humans First” with Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab. Dr. Goldrick-Rab will discuss the challenges students face in meeting their basic needs while earning a college education. She explored this topic in her award-winning book, Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream. The book documents the failures of policymakers and higher education institutions to make college affordable. Her scientific studies identifying and addressing college students’ basic needs for food, housing, childcare, transportation, and health supports sparked the internationally-known #RealCollege movement and inspired federal and state data collection and legislation, as well as countless privately-funded programs.

Dr. Goldrick-Rab is also senior fellow at Education Northwest, adjunct professor at the Community College of Philadelphia, and Founder of The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice.

Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Time: 7:00-8:00 p.m. CT

Location: Tom and Ruth Harkin Center Auditorium (2800 University Ave., Des Moines, IA 50311)

YouTube Live Stream on The Harkin Institute’s YouTube Channel

Registration: This event is free and open to the public but registration via Eventbrite is required.

Accommodations: American Sign Language (ASL) and live captioning (CART) will be provided for in-person and virtual attendees. Any additional accommodation requests can be made by emailing harkininstitute@drake.edu.

Click here to register.

—Kathryn Kuckelman, Harkin Institute

Campus Fire Drills Oct. 16th-18th and Oct. 21st

Drake University will hold fire drills on October 16th, 17th, 18th, and 21st in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act and in conjunction with National Fire Prevention month. All drills will be conducted at 10:45 a.m. except for the residence halls, which will be conducted from 6 to 9 p.m. on October 21st.

 

We have planned this to minimize disruption to classes and most academic buildings will be completed the week of Fall break. This also allows us to have more efficient utilization of our staff for these drills. The residence halls will be done from 6-9 p.m. to increase participation in the evacuations.

Fire alarms will be activated in all campus buildings to signal the start of the drill. When the alarm sounds:

  • Evacuate the building.
  • Buildings will be locked down and cannot be re-entered until the drill ends.
  • Remember to dress accordingly.

 

The fire drills will be coordinated through the Office of Public Safety (271-2222) working with the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (271-3804) and Facilities Services (271-2706). Please report any fire alarm malfunctions or evacuation problems to Facilities or Public Safety.  Your cooperation in this important campus safety exercise is greatly appreciated.  Please refer to the Drake Emergency Response Plan for additional information.

 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

 

Fire drill schedule:

October 16th @ 10:45 a.m.

Meredith Hall

Aliber Hall

Cowles Library

Opperman Hall

Cartwright Hall

Harmon Fine Arts Center

Howard Hall

Carnegie Hall

Medbury Hall

Collier-Scripps Hall

 

October 17th @ 10:45 a.m.

Olin Hall

Science Connector Building

Harvey Ingham Hall

Cline Hall

Fitch Hall

Studio Arts Hall

Occupational Therapy Building

 

October 18th @ 10:45 a.m.

Olmsted Center

Hubbell Dining Hall

Alumni House

ROTC

Bell Center

Knapp Center

Fieldhouse

Tennis Center

 

October 21st @ 10:45 a.m.

Cole Hall

Old Main

Ross Hall (Public Safety)

Vote Smart

Legal Clinic

Dial Center

Harkin Institute

Black Cultural Center

La Casa Cultural Center

CAYA House

FPM Buildings

 

All residence halls – October 21st @ 6–9 p.m.

Campus Suites

Carpenter Hall

Crawford Hall

Goodwin-Kirk Hall

Herriott Hall

Jewett Hall

Stalnaker Hall

—Jen Rasmussen, Finance and Administration

 

 

Planned Maintenance: Banner and Connected Systems

ITS staff will be performing maintenance on the Banner system beginning Saturday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. and lasting approximately 12 hours, with the system available around 7 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27. During this time, Self Service, Admin Pages, TouchNet, ProcessMaker, eTranscripts, and other systems connected to Banner will be unavailable. This downtime is necessary to keep University data more secure and apply mandatory patches from our vendors. 

If you experience issues after the maintenance is complete, contact the ITS Support Center for help by visiting service.drake.edu/its, calling 515-271-3001, or visiting the lower level of Carnegie Hall. 

To see the full 2024 maintenance schedule, visit drake.edu/its/maintenanceschedule. 

—Becky Klein, ITS

Registration for the 57th Annual Drake Road Races opens on Monday, October 21st with the lowest prices of the year! 

Get ready to be part of a historic tradition! The 57th Annual Drake Road Races are coming, and registration opens this Monday, October 21! This year, we’re offering our lowest prices of the year during a special flash sale—but hurry, the sale ends Tuesday night.

Choose from the 5k, 10k, or half marathon, and experience the thrill of crossing the finish line on the historic Blue Oval. Now’s your chance to lock in your spot at one of Iowa’s most iconic road races. Sign up early, save big, and join us in celebrating 57 years of running excellence.

Flash Sale Dates:
🗓️ Monday, October 21 – Tuesday, October 22
Event Date:
🏅 Sunday, April 19, 2025

Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer. Register now at drakeroadraces.org before prices go up!

—Ben Huftalin, Athletics 

Des Moines Marathon Coming Through Drake Campus – Sunday, October 20

Heads up, Bulldogs! The Des Moines Marathon will be making its way through Drake University’s campus on Sunday, October 20, and this exciting event will cause some temporary road closures in the area. Please plan accordingly if you’ll be around campus that morning.

In addition to the road closures, we’re inviting everyone to come out and cheer on the marathon runners as they arrive at Drake Stadium to run a lap around the historic Blue Oval! This is a great opportunity to support these athletes as they push through one of the most challenging points of the race. The first runners are expected to reach Drake Stadium around 8:40 AM.

Join us in showing your Bulldog pride and help create an unforgettable atmosphere for the athletes as they pass through this iconic part of their marathon journey. Let’s make some noise and give them a warm Drake welcome!

—Ben Huftalin, Athletics

Defeat the Villains: Spotting Social Engineering Attacks

Every superhero faces villains, and in the digital world, social engineering is a sneaky trick used to outsmart the unwary. But with the right knowledge, you can spot these villains from a mile away.

What is Social Engineering? It’s a technique used by cybercriminals to deceive you into revealing sensitive or personal information. It can take many different forms but usually uses tactics like creating a sense of urgency, preying on your fears, or impersonating others in hopes of tricking you into sharing information. 

Here are some examples:

  • Phishing, the Trojan Horse of Villains: Just like a fake distress call to lure heroes into a trap, phishing scams come disguised as urgent requests. Most technology situations don’t require you to act immediately.
  • Impersonation, the Master of Disguise: Cyber villains often pose as trusted figures. Learn to unmask their disguises by verifying who’s really contacting you – ask questions that don’t have obvious answers, such as experiences you’ve shared or memories only they’d know. 

Use these Superhero tips to protect yourself:

  • Trust your instincts—if it seems fishy, it probably is!
  • Double-check everything before responding or clicking.
  • Keep your secret lair (personal and work info) secure.
  • Plus, you have a super power: the report phishing button! When you’re using Outlook to check your email and you see a suspicious message, use the “report phishing” button to call for backup! The message will be shared with cybersecurity experts who will neutralize the threat and remove it from others’ inboxes. Look at you, embracing your inner superhero!

Ultimately, you’re the hero of your cybersecurity story—don’t let social engineering villains trick you. Now, take the CSAM 2024 quiz to sharpen your powers of detection!

—Becky Klein, ITS

Tune into Everclass with alumnus Carrie Muskat on Oct. 24 at 12 p.m.

Join us for a conversation with Carrie Muskat, JO’78, on October 24 at noon. Carrie is a veteran sportswriter with over three decades of experience, including 18 years as the MLB.com beat writer for the Chicago Cubs. From covering the Cubs’ historic 2016 World Series victory to witnessing two no-hitters, Carrie brings a wealth of knowledge and firsthand stories from the world of baseball. Her career highlights include writing for major outlets like USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, and the Associated Press, and covering iconic moments such as Michael Jordan’s switch to baseball and Sammy Sosa’s return to the Dominican Republic.

In this session, Carrie will share her personal journey, offering invaluable insights into the life of a sports journalist. You’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories from her time covering the Cubs 24/7, learn about reporting from the field during major events like the 2001 World Series, and gain tips for building a successful journalism career. Whether you’re an aspiring sportswriter, a fan of baseball, or someone who loves compelling storytelling, this session is a must-attend.

—Andy Verlengia, Alumni Relations

Iowa Architectural Foundation to host Meredith Hall celebration event

“Celebrating Meredith Hall: a Mies Masterpiece Renewed” will be presented by the Iowa Architectural Foundation and the Drake University School of Journalism and Mass Communication on October 12 at 7 p.m.

The Iowa Architectural Foundation and the Drake University School of Journalism and Mass Communication are proud to announce a special event, Celebrating Meredith Hall: A Mies Masterpiece Renewed, on October 12, 2024. This exciting evening will celebrate the restoration of Drake University’s Meredith Hall, a 1965 architectural landmark designed by modernist master Mies van der Rohe. Proceeds from the event will benefit the ongoing restoration efforts.

Event Highlights:

  • Social Hour & Docent Stations: Starting at 7 p.m., guests will enjoy a complimentary glass of wine or beer while exploring the beautifully restored interiors of Meredith Hall. Docents will be stationed to share insights about its design and history.
  • Knoll Furniture Display: Capture a selfie at the modern furniture display, sponsored by Pigott and MillerKnoll, specially curated as an homage to Mies and Saarinen furniture designs of the Modernist movement. Florence has always credited Mies as her most influential mentor, and, in 1948, Mies granted Knoll exclusive rights to produce his furniture.
  • Exhibit: Dive into the rich history of Meredith Hall with a digital exhibit showcasing original blueprints, photographs, and artifacts that reveal its architectural significance.
  • BNIM Architects Q&A: Learn from the experts at BNIM Architects about the intricate 2022-2023 restoration project. The revitalization included key infrastructure updates, sustainability improvements, and enhancements to the learning environment—all while preserving Mies’s original vision.
  • Special Access to Scott Chapel: Guests will also have the rare opportunity to visit the Oreon E. Scott Chapel, a modernist treasure designed by Eero Saarinen and dedicated in 1955.
  • Documentary Screening: At 8:00 PM, settle in for an exclusive screening of the 2023 documentary The Mies van der Rohes, offering an intimate look at Mies’s life and work through the eyes of his eldest daughter.
  • Plus, a Chance to Win!: Guests will have the opportunity to enter a drawing to win a Florence Knoll hairpin table—an elegant addition to any modernist interior.

This event is a unique opportunity to celebrate the vision of Mies van der Rohe, experience the renewal of one of Iowa’s most treasured architectural landmarks, and support its preservation for future generations.

Tickets:
Tickets are $40 and are available for purchase on Eventbrite here.

This event is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors: BNIM, MillerKnoll, Pigott, Story Construction, Modus, and The Waldinger Corp.

About Iowa Architectural Foundation: The Iowa Architectural Foundation is dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of architecture and design in Iowa through education and community engagement.

— John Krantz, University Communications & Marketing

Walk the Bulldog Mile Wednesday as part of the Healthiest State Walk

Grab your walking shoes and join the Healthiest State Walk on Wednesday, Oct. 2. All faculty, staff, and students are invited to meet at noon at the start of the Bulldog Mile, where you will receive a token/sticker. At the end of the 1-mile walk, turn in your token/sticker for a raffle ticket and chance to win a prize. If that’s not enough, you can earn additional raffle tickets with the lucky roll of some dice!

If it is raining, we will move the event to the indoor track at the Knapp Center. Come alone, bring a friend, or make it a team or department event. Let’s get moving!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources