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

Come out to Ron Buel Field on Tuesday, March 31, for a Drake softball doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. for Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day.

Enjoy $2 hot dogs and popcorn throughout the doubleheader!

— Colin Salig, Assistant Director of Athletics Marketing

During the academic year, faculty and staff who exemplify Drake’s Four Core Values (Joyful Accountability, Generosity of Spirit, All In This Together, and Commitment to Mission) are recognized by their peers during select Provost Socials. If you missed out on any of the past socials, view the complete list of 2025–2026 Core Values Nominations.

If you would like to nominate a colleague to be recognized in the future, watch future editions of OnCampus for articles and links to the nomination form or contact Anne Marie Greenwood in the Provost’s Office.

— Anne Marie Greenwood, Office of the Provost

As we plan breakout sessions for the Learning Symposium this fall, we would like to hear your perspectives on the future of higher education. The Learning Symposium is a day with ample opportunitiesto reflect and reconnect, to socialize with colleagues, to focus on our community, and to center ourselves for the year ahead. Please share your thoughts in this brief survey by April 10 so we can design breakout sessions that reflect what matters most to our community. We appreciate your feedback.

— Anne Marie Greenwood, Office of the Provost

Mark your calendars for the Sapphire Awards and Provost’s Social April 14 in the Cowles Library Reading Room.

The Sapphire Awards, hosted by All Staff Council, will begin at 3:30 p.m. The Provost’s Social will begin immediately following the awards presentation at 4 p.m.

An assortment of snacks and beverages will be available. As a reminder, the Provost’s Social is a family friendly event. Feel free to bring your children or partner. 

— Anne Marie Greenwood, Office of the Provost

Are you ready for a friendly competition to celebrate the end of the academic year?

Join the All-Staff Council Event’s and Community Service Committee in our bag’s tournament. Grab a partner or two and enter into our Corn Hole vs. Pie Hole bracket to see who will win, salty or sweet? This family friendly event will take place on Tuesday, May 19, starting at 1 p.m., on the Aliber lawn; snacks and drinks will be provided. Sign up here!

— Tiffany Hach, On Behalf of All Staff Council

The Division of Global Affairs is calling for proposals for a two-year grant that will fund an interdisciplinary faculty-student research project that addresses a global issue of broad public importance. The deadline for proposals is April 8, 2026.

The purpose of this initiative is to enhance Drake’s direct involvement in addressing pressing global issues, in direct support of its mission of responsible global citizenship.  Over the last several years, the following projects have received funding for pressing issues grants:

• Increasing interest in and access to STEM careers for marginalized students in Kosovo
• Cross-cultural Community-based Strategies for Sustainable Urban Streams: Lessons from Des Moines and Jakarta
• Exploring complementary approaches to combat global non-communicable diseases in India
• Religions of Beijing book project with Minzu University of China in Beijing
• Assessing, collaborating, and empowering to improve water quality in rural Uganda
• Transnational Des Moines: Reframing Des Moines Immigrant and Refugee Narratives through Collaborative Research with Youth
• Drake University’s Presence in the Toledo District of Southern Belize: Maximizing Our Impact While Minimizing Our Footprint

One project will be funded for the period from July 1, 2026–June 30, 2028. The Olson Global Service Endowment will provide $20,000-$30,000 over the two-year period in support of the selected project, depending upon demonstrated need. Project leaders are encouraged, if necessary, to seek additional funding from on- and off-campus sources.

Send your proposals to Erin McSween, Global Affairs Administrative Assistant (erin.mcsween@drake.edu).  Submissions will be reviewed by an internal committee with representatives from Global Affairs, the faculty, and the Grants Office. Award notification will occur before the end of spring term.

Successful proposals will present a cohesive, interdisciplinary research initiative that addresses a pressing global issue through rigorous scholarship, meaningful student engagement, and public-facing impact and should contain the following elements/criteria:

1. Explication of Research Topic

• A clear identification of the pressing global issue to be addressed and an explanation of its public significance.
• An exposition of the research objectives and methods related to the project.
• An explanation of how the project takes advantage of the strengths Drake and the community bring to addressing the issue.

2. Identification of Interdisciplinary Research Team

• Commitments from an interdisciplinary faculty research team consisting of three or more faculty members (at least two of whom must be Drake affiliated). One or more Principal Investigators must be identified.
• Evidence that the team members possess the requisite qualifications to successfully carry out the project (please attach CVs).
• The project must involve two or more paid student research assistants with appropriate qualifications.
• The research may be joint or parallel (i.e., a single joint project or several individual projects that each address related aspects of a common theme).

3. Activities and Outcomes

• The project timeline will allow for completion of the primary research products within a two-year period.
• The project participants will engage in at least two team activities (e.g., summer campus workshop, international travel as a team, cooperative field work, etc.) during the grant period.
• Team members will collaborate with other campus entities (e.g., Global Affairs, Humanities Center, the Harkin Institute, Community Engaged Learning, etc.) to schedule co-curricular events (e.g., speakers, films, panel discussions, etc.) related to the theme during the two-year grant period.
• The project will plausibly lead to externalization in the form of publication, presentation(s) at a professional conference, submission as a report to relevant public or non-governmental bodies involved with policy-making, or other outputs of similar import.

4. Preferences

• Preference will be given to projects that draw upon existing Drake connections with partners at the local, national, or international level.
• Preference will be given to new initiatives not previously supported by a Pressing Issues grant.

Teams may consult with Annique Kiel, Chief Global Affairs Officer and Dean of Global Programs, as they prepare their proposals. The successful grant team will be expected to submit a formal progress report by June 30, 2027, and a final grant report by June 30, 2028.

Please direct inquiries regarding the pressing issues grant process to Annique Kiel (annique.kiel@drake.edu), and all grant submissions to Erin McSween (erin.mcsween@drake.edu).