Terry Branstad, former U.S. Ambassador to China and Governor of Iowa, is the Ambassador-in-Residence at Drake University. Branstad is available to meet weekly with Drake students, faculty, staff, and clubs and participate in class lectures each semester. (Schedule a meeting by clicking here, or if the requested length, day, or time is not in the designated meeting times, email ambassador@drake.edu.)

Branstad is a partner at Branstad Churchill Group, LLC, an international consulting firm that provides advice, guidance and solutions to organizations, corporate leaders and investors seeking to navigate the complexities associated with conducting business in China and the United States. He was also recently named president of the World Food Prize Foundation.

Internships are available to Drake students at both Branstad Churchill Group and the World Food Prize. Check Handshake for openings.

Branstad holds the record for being the longest-serving governor in American history (1983-99, 2011-17) and was appointed ambassador to China (2017-20) in part due to his long-standing relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Formerly, Branstad served as president of Des Moines University (2003-09) and Lieutenant Governor of Iowa (1979-83). In 1972, while attending Drake Law School, he decided to run for the Iowa House of Representatives, where he served in from 1973-79. He is quick to point out that he selected blue and white for his campaign colors as a tribute to Drake University.

— Luke Clausen, JO, AS

Attend a career conference Friday, March 3, from 12–4 p.m. that celebrates being unstoppable and authentically you. Sessions will be available both in-person in Sheslow Auditorium and Levitt Hall, as well as live on Zoom.

Throughout the day, you will build your True Blue Skills (career competencies), network with alumni and employers, and experience nationally recognized speakers who will challenge you to be authentic in the pursuit of your goals.

Links to live Zoom sessions will be accessible on the conference website: https://www.drake.edu/careerconference/.

— Amanda Wroblewski, Academic Excellence and Student Success

Bulldog Bucks are funds you can load onto your Drake ID card that can be used both on campus and off campus at some of our local neighborhood businesses or in the GrubHub app.  You can load funds at your convenience, and these funds carry forward from semester to semester while you are an active cardholder at Drake.  Visit the website www.acceptinglocations.com/drake to see which neighborhood businesses, along with restaurants on the GrubHub app, can accept your Bulldog Bucks. Funds can also be added at that website, or in the myDrake portal.

Current participating local merchants are Gursha Ethiopian Grill, Dough Co Pizza, Fernando’s Mexican Grill, Hummus Mediterranean Grill, and Lucky Horse Beer and Burgers…along with the many other restaurants on the GrubHub platform.

Please note that this program (and the Bulldog Bucks account in general) are available for both student and employee use.  Also, Bulldog Bucks are not your meal plan funds – those funds are called “Dining Dollars” and can only be used on campus at Drake Dining locations.  Bulldog Bucks can be used for on and off campus food, Drake Bookstore purchases, and printing transactions.

If you have any questions about this program, or are having trouble using your Bulldog Bucks at a local merchant, feel free to email studentservices@drake.edu.  We’ll be happy to help you troubleshoot or answer questions. The most common issues are trying to spend Dining Dollars instead of Bulldog Bucks, or trying to spend more than is in your account.  Both of those options will result in a denied transaction, and you’ll either want to split your payment method or use another.

We hope you’ll take advantage of ordering food both on and off campus with our different dining options. 

—  Sara Heijerman, Manager, Campus Card Office

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to register for a Mental Health First Aid training led by professor of occupational therapy Dr. Christine Urish. This training will benefit Pi Theta Epsilon, the occupational therapy student academic honor society.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based training program administered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges.

The training will take place on March 25, 2023, from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm in the Occupational Therapy Building (Room #009) on campus located at 3003 Forest Ave across from McDonald’s.

Please email Dr. Urish christine.urish@drake.edu to register or ask questions. Space is limited.

The enrollment cost is $100 and that includes registration and a manual. Checks can be made out to Pi Theta Epsilon. Cash is also accepted.

— Kaylyn Maher, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

On Friday, Feb. 10, from 12–1:30 p.m. in the Cowles Library Reading Room, the Political Science department will  host an informal discussion on current events. President Biden’s State of the Union address and the approaching anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will probably feature among the topics, but many others can be covered. All are welcome to bring their lunch, questions, and civilly-expressed opinions.

— Kieran Williams, Assistant Professor of Politics

The Nelson Institute will again be hosting a student research symposium as part of the spring Global Citizen Forum to be held March 1–3, 2023. Proposals to present research as the symposium are due Friday, Feb. 10. The theme for the 2023 Global Citizen Forum is Social impact and responsibility.

The Nelson Student Research Symposium promotes a university-wide discourse on global intercultural tops. It is recommended that presentation topics for the 2023 symposium with one (or more!) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs provide a framework for tackling complex global issues such as poverty, sustainable communities, climate action, and justice.

While Research presentations that support the theme are encouraged, all global topics from any academic discipline are welcome. We anticipate that the presentations will be about 15 minutes each. Undergraduate and graduate students are both eligible to present at the symposium.

Below are a few reasons why students (including, potentially, you!) should be encouraged to consider submitting papers for the symposium.

• It is a great opportunity to practice presentation skills, and obtain useful feedback!
• It is a platform to share the outcomes of research on a global topic of interest.
• It is a great addition to resumes, especially for students who are considering going to graduate school.

Proposal Submission

Papers (or concepts) should be submitted via Qualtrics form. Deadline: Friday. February 10^th, 2023.

Questions?

Learn more by visiting the Nelson Institute website or by contacting Professor Jimmy Senteza at jimmy.senteza@drake.edu.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement