Drake students: Build your personal habits and leadership skills this year through the Adams Leadership Institute!

What is it?
The Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute (DVALI) is a leadership training program offered to undergraduate students at Drake University. Students admitted to the Institute are given access to personalized leadership training, co-curricular skill development, and career preparation that enhance their personal, academic, and professional lives. All students admitted to the Institute complete a three-part leadership training series, designed to equip students with self-awareness, communication, and perspective-taking skills that are immediately applicable to their personal relationships, academic coursework, campus activities, and professional goals. This co-curricular leadership opportunity is available to students from all academic disciplines and majors at no additional cost thanks to the generous support of Drake alumni and friends of Dr. Donald V. Adams, Professor Emeritus. A full description of the DVALI leadership training series can be found at drake.edu/leadershipinstitute. All three trainings meet weekly each semester and are offered every fall and spring.

How do I apply?
First and second year students are eligible to apply online at bit.ly/DVALI20 by Sept. 4. Students accepted into the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute will be notified by Sept. 15, 2020, with the opportunity to start the DVALI training series as early as the fall 2020 semester.

Want to learn more?
Visit drake.edu/leadershipinstitute, or register here to attend a virtual information session to learn more:

• Friday, Aug. 28 (1 or 1:30 p.m.)
• Monday, Aug. 31(4 or 4:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, Sept. 1 (11 or 11:30 a.m.)
• Wednesday, Sept. 2 (3 or 3:30 p.m.)
• Thursday, Sept. 3 (10 or 10:30 a.m.)

All info sessions will be located on Zoom (online log-in instructions will be emailed to you).

Questions?
Contact Kristin Economos, director of student leadership programs, at kristin.economos@drake.edu.

— Kristin Economos, Office of Student Involvement and Leadership

President Martin sent a message to all students Thursday, Aug. 6, introducing the Drake Together Compact — an agreement all students must sign to ensure compliance with Drake’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Beginning move-in week, students will be prompted to review and electronically accept the terms of the Drake Together Compact when they sign into MyDUSIS. Every student must complete the process by no later than Aug. 28.

Visit Drake’s COVID-19 website to familiarize yourself with all of Drake’s COVID-19 policies and protocols.

The Offices of the Registrar and Student Accounts (including cashier), previously located in the lower level of Old Main, have joined the Office of Student Financial Planning in the main level of Carnegie Hall to create a “one-stop” student experience for all matters related to student finance and registration. Because billing and financial aid are closely related to course registration, this restructuring will provide a more seamless service for Drake students.

However, this change also increases the potential for foot traffic to Carnegie Hall. For your safety, we strongly encourage you to make an appointment prior to visiting the Offices of Student Accounts, Registrar, or Student Financial Planning (see details below):

• Office of Student Financial Planning: Visit the Student Financial Planning profile in Starfish to schedule appointments, view contact information, and more.
• Registrar: Visit the Registrar webpage to view our services, common FAQ’s, how-to instructions, and more. Contact registrar@drake.edu for virtual assistance, questions, or to schedule a virtual or in-person appointment.
• Student Accounts: Visit the Student Accounts webpage to access contact information for our office, as well as other helpful billing information.

Whenever possible, virtual meeting options such as video or audio calls will be encouraged. Microsoft Teams is available to all Drake students and provides a great platform for screen sharing, file transmission, and other powerful features.

If you visit Carnegie Hall, please be aware that the north doors (facing Carpenter Avenue) are designated as entrance-only. The south door (facing Cole Hall) will be designated exit-only. To access ITS Support in the lower level of Carnegie, use the ramp on the east side of the building (facing Old Main).

Welcome back, and we look forward to serving you!

— Offices of the Registrar, Student Accounts, and Student Financial Planning

The following message was sent from Erin Lain, associate provost for campus equity and inclusion; Tony Tyler, associate dean of students; and Danielle Green, director of the counseling center, to the campus community on Monday, June 1.

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

We write you today in a very serious time in our nation. Not only are each of us determining how to stay safe in a worldwide pandemic, but we are faced with continual reminders of violence Black communities face.

The death of George Floyd has struck a chord with many people. For many it resonates deeply in a long string of extra-judicial killings from Ahmaud Arbury to Breonna Taylor and highlights long standing violence against marginalized communities in our country. We have seen violence even in the Des Moines community in the past few weeks with the attack on DarQuan Jones. 

It seems like every week we hear about a Black person being killed, a Jewish grocery store being attacked, refugees being mistreated, LGBTQ folks facing homophobia and transphobia, or Asian communities facing xenophobia. The list goes on and on. The reports of violence and inequity can be overwhelming. 

It is important that at this time we not only take care of ourselves as we are bombarded with violent images, but also that we reaffirm our commitment to equity and inclusion. We must take action to show those from marginalized groups that their lives matter.  

The added stress and ambiguity of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic adds additional challenges right now. Below are some suggestions and guides for staying well and engaging your community.

Educate yourself  
If you are looking for a way to take action and respond, often the best place to start is educating yourself. The Office of Equity and Inclusion has developed a series of Social Justice Toolkits, located here. There is an Anti-Racist Toolkit listed after the list of other toolkits.

Protest and Social Unrest
Protests are a form of social and political discourse. You may feel compelled to join a local safe, organized protest or travel to join one. If you do, we suggest you review your rights as a protester. Please also see guidance on safe and healthy public demonstrations.

A Time to Come Together
On Wednesday, June 3, at noon, faculty, staff, and students are invited to come together virtually to share, grieve, and organize. In order to join this session please register here.

Prioritizing Mental Health 
Mental health challenges may creep up in ways we do not anticipate. When we are alone, or quiet, or without distraction is often when challenging mental health concerns can arise. The answer is not to avoid being alone or quiet or without distraction, rather, it is notice what you are thinking and feeling and take action to care for yourself. Some simple ways to do this are to eat well, sleep well, check in with others, and visit with the counseling center. This website provides additional tips and tools you can use to cope.

If you are a student, the Counseling Center is offering a Zoom Call with Sharaine Conner, (LMSW, IADC), a therapist at Thriving Family Counseling Services  in Des Moines to discuss mental health during this time of social unrest. We will share on Drake Student Central on Facebook opportunities to register for this Zoom Call.

If you are a faculty or staff member, the Drake Counselling Center has guidance for supporting students, and at the bottom of the page, information on contacting Employee Family Resources if you need support.  

In solidarity,

Erin Lain, PhD, JD
Associate Provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion
Professor of Law
She/Her/Hers

Tony Tyler, M.Ed.
Associate Dean of Students
He/Him/His

Danielle Green, MSW, LISW, CADC
Director of the Counseling Center
She/Her/Hers