Walter H. Warrick, former CBPA professor of 22 years, passed away peacefully at his home in Annapolis, Md., on Tuesday, Nov. 1, after 96 wonderful years filled with boundless curiosity. He was not only a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, but also a professional educator, talented craftsman, historian, and petroleum engineer. He enjoyed many valued friendships along the way.

Born in 1926, he was raised during the Great Depression in South Bend, Indiana. After more than two years at Purdue University, he was drafted into the Army in the midst of WW II. He rose to the rank of sergeant within a year, and was recommended for the Soldier’s Medal for rescuing one of his men from drowning.

After WW II, he completed his Bachelor’s at Purdue, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, and was hired into Venezuela to embark on a career in the “oil patch.”

During that time, he met his beloved wife. As his family grew, he returned to the U.S. to earn his Master’s and Ph.D. at his alma mater. He moved into academia, receiving recognition for excellence in teaching on the faculty of major universities. He ultimately held an endowed chair in the College of Business & Public Administration at Drake University.

Warrick relished the opportunity to teach undergraduate and graduate students from all over the world at Drake for 22 years. He took great pleasure engaging and enlightening students through his active, Socratic style in the classroom. He was similarly honored and inspired by the interactions he enjoyed with his professional colleagues. He won the University’s 1976–1977 and the College of Business & Public Administration’s 1991–1992 Outstanding Teaching Awards, and he was integrally involved in the original design of the teaching spaces at Aliber Hall.

Retirement and relocation to Annapolis gave him the opportunity to become a skilled Model Shipwright at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum’s Ship Model Shop and excelled in carving figures of sailors during the age of sail. He particularly appreciated the camaraderie of working with fellow craftsmen.

He is survived by his loving wife, Kathryn, of nearly 68 years, children Philip (wife Susan), Jane, and Peter, and grandchildren Thomas (wife Alexis), Robert, William, and Josephine. He was proud that they include six Drake graduates over three generations.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, any donations be made to the Dr. Walter H. & Mrs. Kathryn A. Warrick Scholarship Fund at Drake University. Checks should be sent to Drake University, 2507 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311.

Friends are invited to celebrate his life with a visitation on Wednesday, November 16 from 3 to 5 pm at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD. Also, a Celebration of Life service will be held on Thursday, November 17 at 10 am at Calvary United Methodist Church, 301 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis, MD. The interment will be private.

Smishing attacks use short message service (SMS), more commonly known as text messages, to manipulate people into turning over sensitive data. Like phishing emails, smishing texts are social-engineering scams pretending to come from a trusted source and urging action to secure a benefit, resolve a problem, or avert a threat.

This form of attack has become increasingly popular because people are more likely to trust a text message on their phone than from a message delivered via email. According to RoboKiller, a company that provides call-blocking and other phone security services, bad actors sent over 87.8 billion fraudulent texts in 2021 – up 58% from the previous year. The company estimates those phishy messages cost consumers nearly $10.1 billion.

Variations of smishing abound. A scam text might say you’ve won a gift card or promise a break on a student loan. Other texts may appear to be alerts from a government agency such as the IRS or link to a phony invoice or cancellation notice for a product or service you supposedly bought. Many smishing messages warn of package delivery issues from Amazon, FedEx, UPS or the United States Postal Service.

In more targeted attacks, a text message may appear to come from your boss, or a top-level executive within your organization. The text will report some type of action that needs to be taken immediately as a favor to them or to avoid some type of crisis at the company.

Warning Signs

• A text message requests personal information, such as your Social Security number or an online account password.
• The message asks you to click a link to resolve a problem, win a prize or access a service.
• The message claims to be from a government agency. Government bodies almost never initiate contact with someone by phone or text, according to the FCC.
• The text requires immediate action from someone in your company that has been sent from an unknown phone number.

How to protect yourself

• Contact the person, company, or organization that supposedly sent the text using a phone number or website you know to be legitimate
• Forward spam and scam texts to 7726 (SPAM), the spam reporting service run by the mobile industry. This sends the text to your carrier so it can investigate. Here is a guide to the process.
• Don’t provide personal or financial data in response to an unsolicited text or at a website the message links to.
• Don’t click on links in suspicious texts. They could install malware on your device or take you to a site that does the same.
• Don’t reply, even if the message says “text STOP” to avoid more messages. That simply confirms your number is active so it can be sold to other bad actors.
• Don’t assume a text is legitimate because it comes from a familiar phone number or area code. Spammers use caller ID spoofing to make it appear the text is from a trusted or local source.

Please be wary of any attempts to obtain sensitive data via text, email, messaging apps, or unsolicited phone calls. ITS will continue to simulate phishing and assign training to those most susceptible. If you believe you’ve been targeted by phishing, see Reporting a Phishing Message (How-to).

— Chris Mielke, ITS

Drake Theatre Arts proudly presents their final production of the fall semester, Silent Sky, by Lauren Gunderson, Nov. 17–20 in the Performing Arts Hall (PAH); Directed by Drake Senior Morgan Erwin. Silent Sky tells the story of 19^th century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt and her fellow female researchers—or “computers”—in the Harvard University observatory, who set the standard still used today for measuring distances in space while discovering thousands of stars. Tickets can be purchased through the following link: https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/drakefinearts/6865 or at the Fine Arts Box Office.

— Jacob Lemons, Fine Arts

Food insecurity is an issue both here at Drake and in the Des Moines community. Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) which oversees the food pantry network in Des Moines, recently experienced its busiest day in its history. In October of this year, the DMARC Food Pantry Network assisted 19,385 unique individuals, a 63% increase over October 2021. There is work to be done around the issue of food insecurity.

During Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Nov. 12-20, the Drake community has the opportunity to learn more about the issues facing our community, and ways to get engaged to make a difference. Whether it’s through direct service such as delivering food, philanthropic efforts of raising funds or donations, or advocacy and policy work by doing research and talking to policymakers, there’s many pathways to making a difference.

Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to a fireside chat on Wednesday, Nov. 16 from 6-7pm at Olmsted’s Pomerantz Stage. The Get Fed Up: Fight Hunger Fireside Chat will consist of student, faculty and community partner representatives to talk about the landscape of food insecurity in and around Drake, what’s being done about it, and how others can get involved in the efforts.

The chat will be moderated by Luke Elzinga, Communications and Advocacy Manager at DMARC, and panelists include EJ Wallace, State and Electoral Campaigns Advisor for Save the Children Action Network (SCAN); Erin E. Lee Schneider, Assistant Dean for Student Services at Drake University Law School, and Nachalah Gardiner, student representative of Next Course Food Recovery and Save the Children Action Network (SCAN).

Other events through the week include:

• Thursday, Nov. 17, 6-8pm in the Drake Room. Film viewing and discussion, Next Course Volunteer Open House. Open to all. Learn about issues of food insecurity and volunteer opportunities. Popcorn will be provided. Come and go as you are able.
• All Week – Canned Food Drive. Donation boxes will be setup around campus. Drop off non-perishable food items and personal hygiene items to be donated to the Little Free Food Pantries, the Law School Food Pantry, and DMARC.
• All Week – Volunteer with Next Course Food Recovery to rescue leftover food from the dining halls on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sign up on DUgood.

Learn more at https://www.drake.edu/community/learningservice/upcomingevents/ or contact Amanda Martin, assistant director of community engaged learning, at amanda.martin@drake.edu.

— Amanda Martin, Community Engaged Learning

The Office of Global Engagement is pleased to partner with The Harkin Institute to welcome visiting scholars to campus during International Education Week whose research focuses on topics related to disability rights and inclusive education. 

Zhou Xiaorong is a research scholar at St. Cloud State University. She holds a master’s degree in rehabilitation and languages. Xiaorong specializes in collaborating, cultivating, and utilizing her broad global network for the purpose of research and development of Deaf culture-based programs and sign languages for both Chinese and American Deaf academic communities. She also provided multicultural guidance regarding accessibility laws, cultural sensitivities, empowerment of Deaf identities, and facilitations & collaborations of American Sign Language/Chinese Sign Language/Korean Sign language for international Deaf communities.

Xiaorong will be joined by colleagues from the Center for International Disability Advocacy and Diplomacy at St. Cloud State University. While on Drake’s campus, they will visit an American Sign Language class with Professor Polly Brekke and share their expertise during the U.S.-China Symposium and International Education Week Forum.

Renci Xie is a Chinese woman with disabilities and a disability rights self-advocate. Her story about embracing her disability identity was broadly reported. In January 2022, Renci was featured in a National Public Radio All Things Considered interview, “China excels at the Paralympics, but its disabled citizens are fighting for access.” She is currently working on a Ph.D. in disability law at Syracuse University.

Meet these scholars and learn more about disability rights and inclusive education in China at the following events during International Education Week:

Interview with Zhou Xiaorong

• Moderated by Daniel Van Sant, Director of Disability Policy at the Harkin Institute
• Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 9:30-10:30 am
• Tom and Ruth Harkin Center
• ASL will be provided
• Register

U.S.-China Symposium Panel Discussion

• Thursday, Nov. 17, at 10:30-11:30 am
• Sussman Theater
• ASL will be provided
• Register

International Education Week Forum: China

• Collier Scripps Hall, 3^rd Floor Classrooms
• 8:00 am Research presentation by Dr. Amy Knopf, Harkin Fellow 2018-2019 and Director of the St. Cloud State University Center for International Disability Advocacy and Diplomacy (ASL will be provided)
• 8:00 am Research presentation by Renci Xie
• 9:15 am Research presentation by Zhou Xiaorong (ASL will be provided)
• Registration not required. Learn more

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

Come to the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center on Friday, Nov. 18, at 11 a.m. for free refreshments and supportive conversations.  

The Harkin Institute is hosting a safe space for all Drake University students, faculty, and staff with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Registrations is not required but you can let us know you’re coming here.

Coffee Conversations is a chance for students, faculty, and staff to come together and discuss experiences, successes, and struggles, build relationships, and form support systems on Drake’s campus. American Sign Language (ASL) and real time captioning (CART) will be provided. Contact harkininstitute@drake.edu with any questions and to request other accommodations. 

— Lila Johnson, Harkin Institute

Did you know you can use your Bulldog Bucks at awesome local businesses and on the GrubHub app? To show our appreciation to our Drake community, we’re partnering with GrubHub this week to give out $50 gift cards to five lucky winners that use their Bulldog Bucks during the week of Nov. 14–20.

Simply load funds into your Bulldog Bucks account, and either spend funds at some of our local participating businesses or on the GrubHub app.  You can also enter in the GrubHub App to win using this mobile link (no purchase necessary to enter).  We’ll pick 5 winners on Nov. 21, and winners will receive an email from studentservices@drake.edu.

As a reminder, Bulldog Bucks are different than Dining Dollars (Dining Dollars are just used for on campus dining).  Bulldog Bucks are an optional account, loaded by any Drake cardholder, and they carry forward from semester to semester as long as your card is active.  Bulldog Bucks can also be used for on campus dining, but have a variety of other uses.  They can be used for food (both on and off campus and in the GrubHub app), at the bookstore, at the mailroom, and for campus printing.

If you have any questions about this giveaway, or our Bulldog Bucks program, please feel free to email studentservices@drake.edu. 

— Sara Heijerman, Campus Card Office

A lights display will bring cheer to University Avenue just east of campus all winter long. For the second year, Invest DSM and neighborhood partners will decorate storefronts with an immersive, state-of-the-art lighting system. This year’s installation adds more lights at street level and on new murals in the area and expands lights another block to the west towards campus.

Dogtown Lights begins with a lighting block party on University Avenue, organized by the Des Moines Music Coalition. Local businesses will provide specials for attendees, and there will be live entertainment and warm refreshments.

The lights display will be up and illuminated at sundown every evening now through the end of the winter. Follow @dogtownlights on Instagram to see photos and videos of the display.

Event Details
What: Dogtown Lights Lighting and Block Party
When: Saturday, Nov. 12

Program:
6:00pm Event begins
6:15pm Official unveiling of this year’s light display
6:25p.m. Remarks
Rob Pressman, Platinum Kutz /Dogtown Business Owner
Angela Connolly, Polk County Supervisor & Invest DSM Board Member Marta Codina, Wells Fargo
6:40 p.m. Performance from Leradee and the Positives
7:30 p.m. DJ Performance
9:00 p.m. Event ends

Note: In conjunction with the event, University Avenue between 23rd and 24th Streets will be closed from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12.

— Ryan Arnold, Community Engagement