Drake welcomes Samantha Nordstrom to the position of Title IX Coordinator. Samantha brings to the role both experience and enthusiasm for civil rights law and the work of the Title IX office. Samantha earned her law degree from Drake Law School in 2018 and went on to clerk for the Iowa Court of Appeals before serving as a Civil Rights Specialist for the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Please join us in welcoming Samantha back to Drake. For information about the Title IX office, the role of the Title IX Coordinator, and resources available to the campus community on issues of sex discrimination and misconduct, contact Samantha at samantha.nordstrom@drake.edu or visit the Title IX resource page. 

— Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

A roundtable discussion on race will be held Thursday, March 24, from 1–3:30 p.m. at the Hearst Center for the Arts located at 304 W Seerley Blvd, Cedar Falls, Iowa. The discussion is part of the traveling exhibition Our Town: Reclaiming the Narrative that goes to different places throughout Iowa and invites discussion of local and national issues and visions on race. The roundtable will be hosted by Joy Briscoe, executive director of Black Leadership; Cheryl Dong, assistant professor of history, UNI; Matthew Gilbert, Esq., chair economic development, NAACP; and Rocki (Joshalyn) Johnson, administrator and host of North Side Updated. The event will be moderated by Lenore Metrick-Chen, associate professor, Drake University.

— Lenore Metrick-Chen, Associate Professor of Art History

Drake University’s Ambassador-in-Residence, Terry Branstad, will be hosting the Ambassador’s Book Club on Friday, May 6. The Ambassador has chosen China’s Leaders: From Mao to Now by David Shambaugh as the book to be discussed. All Drake students, faculty, and staff are welcome. Alumni are encouraged to attend as well. To register, please email ambassador@drake.edu expressing your intention to attend. Please direct any questions, comments, or concerns to luke.clausen@drake.edu.

Below is a description of the book. To make a one-on-one appointment with the Ambassador or request him to attend or speak at a Drake event, class, or meeting, visit: drake.edu/branstad/.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China over 70 years ago, five paramount leaders have shaped the fates and fortunes of the nation and the ruling Chinese Communist Party: Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping. Under their leaderships, China has undergone an extraordinary transformation from an undeveloped and insular country to a comprehensive world power.

In this definitive study, renowned Sinologist David Shambaugh offers a refreshing account of China’s dramatic post-revolutionary history through the prism of those who ruled it. Exploring the persona, formative socialization, psychology, and professional experiences of each leader, Shambaugh shows how their differing leadership styles and tactics of rule shaped China domestically and internationally: Mao was a populist tyrant, Deng a pragmatic Leninist, Jiang a bureaucratic politician, Hu a technocratic apparatchik, and Xi a modern emperor. Covering the full scope of these leaders’ personalities and power, this is an illuminating guide to China’s modern history and understanding how China has become the superpower of today.

— Luke Clausen, JO, AS

The Iowa statewide tornado drill will take place on Wednesday, March 23, at 10 a.m. The statewide drill allows us to test our planning and readiness and practice seeking appropriate shelter in case of a real tornado. Faculty, staff, and students should participate in the drill by following campus severe weather plans and going to the lowest level of their building, away from doorways and windows. 

March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month in the State of Iowa. Every year on the fourth Wednesday of March, the State of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department in conjunction with the Governor’s office run a statewide tornado drill. In years past Drake participates in this drill while testing our own procedures and protocols. The University will test its campus notification system, consisting of the sirens located in the blue light phones at the same time the City of Des Moines and Polk County test emergency sirens.

Tornado Facts:

• Tornadoes may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
• Funnel clouds usually last less than 10 minutes before dissipating, and many only last several seconds. On rare occasion, cyclones can last for more than an hour.
• Tornadoes may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
• The average tornado moves southwest to northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
• The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 mph, but may vary from stationary to 70 mph.
• Damage paths of tornadoes can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long.
• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., but can occur at any time.

Know the Terms:

Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify a tornado hazard:

Tornado Watch: Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.

Tornado Warning: A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately! Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so remember to protect your head.

— Chris Nickell, Environmental Health & Safety

If you need funding for your student business, the 2022 Pappajohn Student Entrepreneurial Venture Competition is now open.

Sponsored by John Pappajohn and Equity Dynamics, Inc., the Pappajohn Student Entrepreneurial Venture Competition is for Iowa university and college students with an interest in starting their own business. Plans are judged based on content of plan and viability of business idea. Three seed grants in the amount of $5,000 are awarded to the top three business plans submitted in the competition. In addition, all finalists receive $500 if not chosen for the top awards.

Any full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate registered for the 2021–2022 academic year is eligible. Plans must be for a start-up business only (not for an existing business).

Visit https://tinyurl.com/drakestudentpappajohn to learn more and apply. For questions, email jpec@drake.edu.

— Stephanie Cardwell, CBPA

Drake’s Global Engagement office has several upcoming study abroad deadlines. Today, March 15, is the deadline to apply for Fall 2022 or Academic Year 2022–2023 study abroad programs.

J-Term 2023 study abroad programs will open on April 14 during the J-Term Fair, and May 1 will be the priority application deadline for all travel seminar courses. May 1 will also be the deadline for the first study abroad scholarship review for J-Term 2023. We will do a second scholarship review in September for those who apply for J-Term 2023 after May 1.

Spring 2023 study abroad applications will also open mid-April, and the application deadline has moved to Sept. 1. We will also have two scholarship reviews for Spring 2023: An early scholarship review on May 1 and a regular scholarship review after the Sept. 1 deadline.

Students can apply for study abroad programs through our website: https://drake-sa.terradotta.com/

If you have any questions about studying abroad while at Drake, please email: studyabroad@drake.edu.

— Karen Williams, Education Abroad Advisor

The 2022 Constitutional Law Symposium: The Constitution and Democratic Erosion will be held virtually on Saturday, April 9.

Speakers include:

• Edward B. Foley, Charles W. Ebersold and Florence Whitcomb Ebersold Chair in Constitutional Law; Director, Election Law at Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law
• Andrea Katz, Associate Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
• David Landau, Mason Ladd Professor and Associate Dean for International Programs, Florida State University School of Law
• James R. Stoner, Jr., Hermann Moyse, Jr., Professor of Political Science and Director of the Eric Voegelin Institute, Louisiana State University
• Jeffrey Tulis, Professor of Government and Professor of Law, The University of Texas at Austin

More information about the event can be found on the Constitutional Law Center’s website.

Register at 2022-constitutional-law-symposium.eventbrite.com.

— Sara Hughes, Law School

The week of March 14 is National AmeriCorps Week, and we would like to recognize the Drake students and alums who are or have participated in AmeriCorps to better themselves and their communities. Currently there are 10 Drake first-year students serving in AmeriCorps as a part of the Engaged Citizen Corps program. They are serving 300 hours of service over the course of this year! Check out the Office of Community Engaged Learning’s Instagram account this week @drakeservice to learn more about their experiences.

If you are interested in knowing more about national service, join a virtual panel discussion Tuesday, March 8, at 4 p.m. on Zoom to hear from current members and alums of AmeriCorps and Peace Corps. Register on Handshake. Contact amanda.martin@drake.edu for more information.

The Office of Community Engaged Learning is a department within the Academic Excellence & Student Success unit.

— Amanda Martin, Community Engaged Learning