Category Archives: For Students Archive

Foreign languages can take you places

From interning at a hospital in Peru to singing in Mandarin in China to aiding immigrants in Des Moines, foreign language at Drake can take you places. Drake’s Department of World Languages and Cultures (WLC) is adding new programs and courses, with more to come. Offerings are available for students at all levels, from absolute beginner to ready-to-be-fluent.

Effective this fall, Drake offers both a Spanish minor and a Latin American Studies Concentration. And if you’re pursuing a health care field, a new course, Spanish for Healthcare Providers (SPAN 196), will be offered in Spring 2016.

Additional courses in Chinese will be available as well. WLC has begun collaborating with Minzu University in Beijing and will receive one instructor each year to offer expanded offerings in the language.

At Drake, you can study American Sign Language (ASL), Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish, with Certificates of Competence available in all but ASL. For more information, visit www.drake.edu/wlc/languagestudy.

—Submitted by Marc Pinheiro-Cadd, Department Chair, Associate Professor of German

Take the first step in exploring the world

Did you know you can study abroad in more than 70 countries through Drake, and that you don’t need to speak a foreign language? Study abroad is a great option for any major, the cost is often comparable to a semester at Drake, and, in most cases, you can still graduate on time. So what are you waiting for? Start exploring your options and get your questions answered at the annual Global Opportunities Expo on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2–5 p.m., at Helmick Commons South.

Representatives from Drake’s exchange partners, affiliate program providers, and short-term faculty programs will be available to inform students about study, volunteer, service-learning, intern, and work opportunities abroad. Additionally, faculty and students with international experiences will be on hand to answer questions and provide insights.

—Submitted by Drake International

Can I Kiss You? program comes to Drake

We are proud to bring to campus a renowned anti-violence program, “Can I Kiss You?”,  a sustainable approach to prevention. We intend to use the Can I Kiss You? (CIKY) program to spark interest in sexual assault(SA)/gender violence awareness, increase the dialogue surrounding healthy relationships on campus, and to create ambassadors to this cause.

CIKY helps students answer their personal questions they and provides them with the knowledge to take positive actions on campus and in the community helping others. This program helps students develop solutions in contexts of SA/gender violence through leadership.

The CIKY program will be held on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 7–9 p.m., in Meredith 101, in which the first hour is a large lecture with the CIKY founder/programmer, Mike Domitrz, open to our campus community.

Mike will also conduct talk-back session with selected student leaders from various organizations with the hope that they will commit to becoming ‘healthy relationship advisers’ to the CIYK program. As advisers, these leaders would conduct forums and internally lead student organization meetings/check-ins throughout the year.

If you want to also join a talk-back session and become an adviser, please email Alysa Mozak at alysa.mozak@drake.edu; We will provide the materials for selected student leaders to be successful at being their group’s designated adviser.

More information about Mike and his project can be found here.

—Submitted by Alysa Mozak, Coordinator for Sexual Violence Response and Healthy Relationship Promotion

From the desk of the Student Body President

Last Thursday, the Drake University Student Senate approved its Vision Statement for the 2015-2016 academic year, which will guide actions of the Student Senate and better student life at Drake. The Vision Statement is as follows:

In an effort to create meaningful and relevant change at Drake University, we, as student advocates and allies, strive to build a campus and a Student Senate that is more:

  • Personally, politically, and culturally engaged
  • Proactive in creating a healthier climate for mind and body
  • Transparent and responsive in its actions
  • Representative of all Drake University students

Each member of the Student Senate will work throughout the year to make significant and tangible improvements to campus and student life based on this statement. If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out at kevin.maisto@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Kevin Maisto, Student Body President

Interested in studying abroad?

Are you interested in studying abroad, participating in global service-learning or experiential learning abroad? Seven named scholarships are available for eligible students:

  • Thibodeau Travel Scholarship for Global Citizenship
  • Zimpleman Scholarship for Global Experiential Learning
  • Olson Global Service-Learning Scholarship
  • Allen Service-Learning Travel Scholarship
  • International Relations Experiential Learning Scholarship
  • Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences Scholarship
  • Johansen Global Experiential Learning Scholarship

Priority will be given to students planning to study abroad in 2016. The deadline for your application is Oct. 15.

You may find that a conversation with your adviser will help you determine your eligibility for one of these scholarships. Complete eligibility requirements, expectations, and the application are available here.

Direct your questions to Maria Rohach, global learning program coordinator, at maria.rohach@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Drake International

Drake men’s basketball walk-on tryout meeting

The Drake men’s basketball program invites all male students enrolled full time at Drake who are interested in walking on to the 2015–2016 men’s basketball team to The Shivers Practice Facility on Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. for an informational meeting. If interested, please RSVP to Chris McMahon at chris.mcmahon@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Tom Florian, Assistant Director, Ticket Operations and Donor Management

Homecoming 2015

The theme of this year’s Homecoming: Red, White, and Blue, We Love DU!

Homecoming Week Schedule:

 

Monday Milkshakes
Monday, Oct. 5
2–4 p.m.
Pomerantz Stage

Homecoming Carnival
Tuesday, Oct 6
4–7 p.m.
Helmick Commons (moved to Parent’s Hall if raining)
Featuring performances by: Fermata the Blue, D+ Improv, and the Brocal Chords
Inflatables, food, caricature artists, and more!

The Chicago Boys
Wednesday, Oct. 7
7 p.m.
Performing Arts Hall in Fine Arts Center (FAC)

Nearly Naked Mile
Thursday, Oct. 8
5 p.m.
Helmick Commons

Matt Beilis
Friday, Oct. 9
7 p.m.
Performing Arts Hall in FAC

Tailgating
Saturday, Oct. 10
11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Drake Plaza (parking lot behind the football stadium)

—Submitted by Kevin Maisto, Student Body President

Become an MVP

The Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program is looking for passionate students to become certified trainers through the MVP Peer Ambassador Program on campus for the 2015–2016 year. As an ambassador, you will conduct mini trainings across campus to student and/or staff groups throughout the year. If interested, email Alysa Mozak, coordinator for sexual violence response and healthy relationship promotion, at alysa.mozak@drake.edu or 515-271-4141. Training dates are Oct. 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. (location TBD). More information can be found through the Office for Sexual Violence Response website under the ‘Programs’ tab.

—Submitted by Alysa Mozak

Attention first years: Apply for ELM

The Emerging Leaders Model (ELM) is a program sponsored by the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute. ELM is a six-week program designed to provide first-year students the opportunity to develop their personal vision of leadership, learn about leadership at Drake, and connect with current student leaders and other first-year students. The program involves attending staff-led, weekly workshops that will help you develop leadership skills through interactive activities and discussions. The completion of the ELM program will serve as a foundation for future leadership positions on campus, in the community, and beyond.

This fall, ELM will take place weekly from Sept. 29 through Nov. 11. If you are interested in participating, please attend one of our informational sessions this week. All info sessions take place in Olmsted 132 (across from Underground Fitness):

Tuesday, Sept. 22
4–5 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 23
4–5 p.m.

You can register for the program prior to the information sessions (though you are encouraged to attend a session for specific program details). Register by Sept. 25.

If you have any questions, please email Student Leadership Coordinator Shelby Derrick at shelby.derrick@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Meghan Blancas, Director for Student Leadership Programs