After three incredible decades of dedication to the Drake University community, Karen Pomeroy is retiring! Please join us as we honor her remarkable career, share memories, and wish her the very best in her next chapter.

When: May 15
Time: 9–11 a.m.
Where: Aliber Hall, Room 204

We look forward to seeing you there!

— Sydney Sattre, Dean’s Office Zimpleman College of Business

If you know a junior who is interested in going abroad after graduation, invite them to consider the Fulbright program. Awardees teach English, study, or conduct research outside of the U.S., serving as cultural ambassadors. This is just one of many funded opportunities for graduates to experience life in another country.

Exemplary juniors with plans for graduate school might consider scholarships such as the Marshall or Rhodes for study in the U.K. There are also numerous scholarships available to research and/or study in other countries and in the U.S.

Interested students are encouraged to contact Drake’s Coordinator of Global Post-Graduate Scholarships, shelley.fairbairn@drake.edu, before the end of this semester.

— Shelley Fairbairn, Professor of Education

Don’t forget to vote for All Staff Council! Use the All Staff Council ballot to vote for your new committee members. Voting closes at midnight on Friday, May 1.

— All Staff Council Governance Committee

You are invited to the Provost’s next Drake Social on Wednesday, May 13, from 4–5:30 p.m. in the Schickler Club, adjacent to the Knapp Center.

During this event, faculty and staff who celebrated (or will be celebrating) a milestone service anniversary or retirement between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, will be highlighted.  Their names will be scrolled on video screens around the room.

Refreshments will include an assortment of snacks and beverages. The Provost’s Social is a family friendly event. Feel free to bring your children or partner.

Please take a moment to stop by and congratulate your co-workers.

— Anne Marie Greenwood, Office of the Provost

Stipend-Supported Fellowship for Fall Instructors through OLLI at Drake and CEL

Building upon the success of recent intergenerational collaborations within the Drake curriculum, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and the Office of Community Engaged Learning (CEL) invite instructors of Fall 2026 courses to convene 3-4 combined class meetings with OLLI members.

Selected instructors, known as OLLI at Drake Fellows for Intergenerational Learning, will receive a $1,000 stipend. Additional funding is available for project implementation or catering of a meal or social hour with students and OLLI members.

Drake instructors interested in the OLLI at Drake Fellowship for Intergenerational Learning can find more information andapply by Wednesday, April 15 at https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_czRxTYHUHeKHprw.

Please contact OLLI Director Tracy Beck or CEL Director Mallary Allen with any questions or to discuss ideas.

April 13–17 is National Student Employment Week! Student employees perform invaluable services to the campus community.

Supervisors, would you like to recognize your student employees? Here are a few low- to no-cost ideas:

• Bring in treats for your student workers or put together a goodie bag
• Write a hand-written note expressing your appreciation
• Help students with their career preparation – offer to review their resume or write a letter of recommendation
• Decorate office doors, desks, or bulletin boards with signs expressing your appreciation
• Highlight students on your social media pages, or submit a student/group spotlight to Career Services to be highlighted on Instagram – just send a photo and quote to Amanda Martin, amanda.martin@drake.edu

We are also thankful to the many on-campus supervisors who support the development of Drake students every day!

— Amanda Martin, Academic Excellence and Student Success

The Sapphire Awards will take place today, April 14, at 3:30 p.m. in the Cowles Library Reading Room. This annual event, hosted by the All Staff Council, will honor this year’s Called to be True Blue recipients with one individual and one team receiving the coveted Sapphire award.

The April Provost’s Social will immediately follow the Sapphire Awards and begin at 4 p.m. in the same location. Refreshments will include an assortment of snacks and beverages. The Provost’s Social is a family friendly event. Feel free to bring your children or partner.

All faculty and staff are invited to attend both the Sapphire Awards and social. We hope to see you there!

Join the All-Staff Council on Tuesday, May 19, for a bag’s tournament to celebrate the end of the academic year. Grab a partner or two and enter into the Corn Hole vs. Pie Hole bracket to see who will win, salty or sweet? This family-friendly event will take place at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, on the Aliber lawn. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

Sign up here!

— Tiffany Hach, On behalf of All Staff Council