Greater Des Moines (DSM) is experiencing tremendous momentum. DSM is the fastest-growing major Midwest metro in terms of percentage of population growth, and is outgrowing other Midwest metros in percentage of gross domestic product and employment growth. National and international publications have recognized DSM as a best place to live, work, buy a home and raise a family.

Key to maintaining this positive momentum in our region is assuring our local talent is thriving. Is our community investing wisely in you? We need to continue to ask our most important asset, our talent pool, if you believe DSM is a community where you can reach your full potential.

The Greater Des Moines Partnership, in collaboration with The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University and the Excellence with Integrity Institute, is again conducting a survey to determine how embedded our workforce is in the community and workplace, based on connectedness to people, place and purpose. The results of this survey will provide direction to community and business leaders in DSM on what more needs to be done to enhance our region’s quality of life.

Take the survey here.

–Amy Smit, Robert D. and Billie Ray Center

Please join Drake International and the College of Business and Public Administration at the Turner Jazz Center on Thursday, July 25 from 4:30–6:30 p.m. to say goodbye to the Mandela Washington Fellows. This group of 25 young professionals from sub-Saharan Africa has been on campus since June 19, partaking in an intensive program on business and entrepreneurship. Help us congratulate them on completing their program and wishing them well as they leave Des Moines!

–Stephanie Dana Ely, Center for International Programs and Services

Do you enjoy baking?  Is your pie the star attraction at family dinners?  We are looking for as many pie-loving cooks as possible to enter this summer’s pie baking contest. This event will be part of the State Fair-themed faculty & staff picnic on Tuesday, July 23 from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. in the Hubbell Dining Hall.

Contest Rules:

• The dessert pie must be made from scratch and entered in the name of the faculty or staff member who made it.
• One or two pie entries per person are allowed.
• Pies may have single or double crusts. Lace/lattice and crumb toppings may also be used.
• No pies allowed that require refrigeration (i.e. dairy or cream pies).
• Bring the pie in a disposable 8”, 9”, or 10” pie plate/pan with a cover.
• All pies must be brought to Hubbell Dining Hall (main cafeteria entrance) between 11:30 a.m.–noon on Tuesday, July 23.
• A copy of the pie recipe, with the list of ingredients must be provided. Make sure your name and the name of the pie entry are on the recipe and submit it at the time you bring your pie.
• Pies will be judged on overall appearance (crust and filling), and taste.
• All winners will be announced during the picnic. The first, second, and third place winners will receive a certificate, a prize, and “bragging rights.”
• At the conclusion of the event, the judged pies will be sliced for everyone to sample.

To register a pie for the contest, please send an email to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

–Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The Provost’s Council is still accepting proposals for break-out sessions for the 2019 Learning Symposium. This year’s theme is Drake Tomorrow: Why We Change, How We Change.

Please visit the Learning Symposium page for complete details and the proposal guidelines.

Proposals can be sent to drinda.williams@drake.edu .

–Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost

Starting in the fall, the Office of Equity and Inclusion will be sponsoring faculty and staff affinity groups. These groups will provide opportunities for faculty and staff from underrepresented identities to get to know each other, socialize, and provide support for one another. Each affinity group will host events twice a semester both on and off campus.

If you belong to one of the affinity group identities and are interested in joining, please contact the following champions.

Additionally, if you would like to start an affinity group for an underrepresented identity, please contact Erin Lain at erin.lain@drake.edu.

–Erin Lain, Office of the Provost

The finance office will be hosting a retirement open house to celebrate the retirement of Kathy Jefferson, payroll coordinator on Thursday, June 27 from 1–3 p.m in Levitt Hall. Kathy Jefferson will be retiring from Drake on June 30 after 41 years of serving faculty, staff, and students as the University’s payroll coordinator. Please join us in thanking KJ for her dedicated service and commitment to Drake’s mission, and congratulating her on this well-deserved retirement.

Korrine Jackson will be joining the finance team as our new payroll coordinator on Monday, June 10. Korrine brings a wealth of knowledge to Drake with over 13 years of accounting and payroll experience, including six years of experience in payroll for higher education. Korrine’s office will be located in the human resources office. Join us in extending a warm welcome to Korrine.

–Heather Travis, Office of Finance & Administration

The Office of the Provost will host a retirement open house for Nancy Geiger, student information analyst, on Thursday, June 20 from 2–4 p.m. in Levitt Hall. Nancy is retiring after 35 years of service to the university. Please join us for a celebration of her service and to wish her well.

Jenny Tran-Johnson, Office of the Registrar

Coping with the loss of a close friend or family member may be one of the hardest challenges that many of us face. Everyone reacts differently to death and employs personal coping mechanisms for grief.

Employee & Family Resources (EFR) offer a variety of Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits to full-time Drake employees and their family members, including phone-based support, an online chat feature (http://www.efr.org/chat/), and in-person counseling. You may call EFR 24/7 at 1-800-327-4692 or visit them at www.efr.org/myeap.

Drake also provides time off without loss of pay to attend a funeral, make funeral arrangements, or assist you in the grieving process for a member of your immediate family.  A copy of the Bereavement Leave Policy can be found on the Employee Home page of myDrake under the Human Resources icon at the top of the page.