Do you want to join and lead campus conversations on violence prevention and intervention?  If so, the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) team is seeking new peer educators to work with students and other groups on campus.

The MVP program is a great opportunity for students to develop skills in presenting, networking, and community outreach. MVP inspires leadership and a sense of community by teaching individuals how to speak up and be an example for others when it comes to prevention and intervention. Peer educators receive 13 hours of training, serve on our full MVP team, and present the curriculum on campus.

The MVP team is hosting a train the trainer event on Friday, April 6, from 4 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, April 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to join the MVP program. Contact prevention@drake.edu to reserve your spot.

— Katie Overberg, Title IX Coordinator

Stop by the Innovation Studio on Wednesday, March 7, anytime between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to learn how to use the silhouette cameo to make custom vinyl stickers. It only takes a few minutes to learn and cut stickers.

— Stephanie Cardwell, Entrepreneurship Centers

The Office of Community Engaged Learning has several paid positions open for the 2018-2019 academic year. Positions include a community garden coordinator, campus and community engagement coordinator, communications and social media coordinator, and more. Applications are due March 5.  There is also an internship opportunity available this spring with the local non-profit agency Rebuilding Together. Visit the Community Engaged Learning and Service website for more information on these opportunities.

— Amanda Martin, Community Engaged Learning & Service

The Office of Community Engaged Learning & Service is looking for a creative student to design an image for a new volunteer campaign called #DrakeServes. The idea behind the campaign is to build awareness of Drake student involvement in the community and provide a unified image when students participate in Drake sponsored community engagement initiatives in Des Moines.

The design contest is open to the entire campus community. Design entries must be submitted by Friday, March 9, to servicelearning@drake.edu (include original file and PDF/JPG). Designers can submit more than one design! The artist whose design is selected will work with staff of Community Engaged Learning & Service and University Communications the week of March 19 to finalize their design. The selected designer will have their image printed on 1,000 t-shirts and receive a $50 gift card.
Design Requirements:

• Design must work on a solid blue background (T-shirt) as well as on white (for print)
• Include hashtag #DrakeServes
• Use any color combination of the following palette: Drake blue, cyan blue, white, or yellow
• Must have a Drake look and feel (use of bulldog, paw prints, etc. is encouraged)
• Include the Des Moines skyline or an image of a Des Moines bridge

For inspiration, view a collection of images.

Contact servicelearning@drake.edu for any questions.

— Renee Sedlacek, Community Engaged Learning & Service

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences recently launched a new partnership program with Mercy College that allows students to earn bachelor’s degrees from both colleges in four years. Under the new partnership, students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from Drake and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Mercy College in approximately the same time it would normally take to earn a degree from one institution.

Debbie Lively, admissions counselor at Mercy College, is hosting an information session for students interested in learning more about the program on Friday, March 2, at 2 p.m. in Cline Hall, Room 127.

Jill Batten, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

GroupX offers Tread N’ Shred in the Underground Fitness gym on Tuesdays from 7 to 7:45 p.m. Tread N’ Shred is designed to increase cardiovascular fitness through treadmill interval training and improve overall strength with super circuits. The class will both challenge you and improve your athletic performance. Sign up on the free IMLeagues app or online at imleagues.com.

— Drake Wellness

Steak dinner: Join Hubbell Dining for Stone Steakhouse tomorrow, Feb. 21, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Students can enjoy an amazing cooked-to-order steak dinner for a meal swipe plus flex, cash, or credit/debit card.

Convert meals to flex dollars: All students who have the 195 or 335 Block Meal Plan can complete meal plan conversions online. Students may convert a maximum of 100 meals per semester. One board meal equals $4 flex dollars.

There are two designated sessions per semester in which students can convert meals to flex dollars. This semester, meal plan conversion sessions are Feb. 19 through March 2 and March 26 through March 30.

— Jennifer Bowersox, Hubbell Dining

Drake’s Teach in China program offers recent graduates from any academic background the opportunity to live and work in China teaching English for a year. Since 2004, Teach in China has placed over 220 graduates in teaching positions in China. The program is designed to respond to each participant’s interests by offering unique placements. Whether you are interested in gaining teaching, international, or Chinese cultural experience, the Teach in China program will work to find the best setting to help you meet your goals.

Teachers are considered full-time employees and compensated accordingly. No teaching experience or Chinese language skills are required.

Upcoming information sessions:

• Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 4 p.m. in the Pomerantz Conference Room
• Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pomerantz Conference Room
• Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m. in Pomerantz Conference Room

Find out more by visiting the Teach in China website or by contacting Stephanie Dana Ely, program coordinator, at stephanie.dana@drake.edu.

— Stephanie Dana Ely, Drake International