Employee Appreciation Day is observed on the first Friday of March.  This year it falls on Friday, March 6, and is part of Employee Appreciation Month.  Please take time to reflect and find ways to show gratitude to your team and colleagues for their hard work, dedication, and effort on this day, this month, and throughout the year.

During the month, also take a break and join in on one or more March activities listed below.  Details on these activities and other appreciation month resources can be found on the Employee Appreciation Month webpage.

Fun Team Trivia.  Join All Staff Council on Monday, March 23 from 2:30-4 p.m. in Parents Hall North (Upper level, Olmsted Center) for some friendly trivia competition. You are welcome to form your own team of 4-6 people or come as an individual and join a team. Everyone is welcome. Medals will be handed out and there will be a popcorn bar to curb those munchies. Then stick around for the March Drake Provost Social in the same location. It is sure to be an afternoon of fun! Register at  https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1IaKSUMYwhrbdps.

Photo Scavenger Hunt. Looking for a group activity you can do anytime in March? Recruit a colleague (or group), bring your cell phone, and have fun with this photo scavenger hunt.  Send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu to receive a list of locations around Drake’s campus. At each location, take a fun photo.  Once you complete the list, send an email with all your photos by March 31 to linda.feiden@drake.edu.  One entry will be randomly drawn from the submitted entries and a tasty prize awarded to the winning group!

Give a shout-out.  Shout outs are a wonderful way to recognize your fellow Drake faculty and staff. Simply write a sentence or two thanking a colleague or team for going the extra mile or showing support to others. Submit your shout-outs to linda.feiden@drake.edu between now and March 25, and they will be compiled and posted in OnCampus.

In addition, there will be three BUILD classes offered in March, including one on the employee assistance program services offered through Employee & Family Resources.  This is a great opportunity to learn something new and spend time with others across campus. Click HERE for a list of classes and registration link.

Please take some time this month to let others know you appreciate their efforts and know that YOUR efforts are appreciated.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

All Drake faculty and staff are invited and encouraged to nominate a colleague for the 2026 Madelyn M. Levitt Distinguished Community Service and Employee Excellence Awards.

The Employee Excellence Award is presented to a staff member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to excellence in the performance of their duties. The Distinguished Community Service Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of Drake faculty and staff to the Drake community. The criteria to be eligible for each of these awards can be found here.

To nominate a colleague, submit a letter of nomination to Human Resources. Nomination letters may be sent through campus mail or electronically to drakehr@drake.edu.  The subject line should read “Madelyn M. Levitt Award Nomination”.  The letter should detail specific examples of how the nominee exemplifies each of the applicable criteria. Additional letters of support are not necessary, but welcome. Nominations are due to Human Resources by Monday, March 2.

For additional information, please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Bulldogs United in Learning & Development (BUILD) provides faculty and staff learning opportunities throughout the academic year to enhance professional skills, improve wellbeing, and create conversation.  BUILD is a great platform for learning new ideas as well as an opportunity to collaborate with others from across campus.

The Spring 2026 schedule is available online and registration is open.  Please take a moment to check out the classes on the Drake HR BUILD Offerings webpage, including detailed descriptions.  There is an online registration link to a Qualtrics survey that makes signing up easy.

Most classes are only an hour in length, and many are facilitated by our own faculty and staff.  This is a great way to invest in yourself, support your colleagues, and take in the culture that Drake has to offer.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Managers, please encourage your new employees to attend the first available NEO after their employment. Either the manager or new employee can RSVP by emailing linda.feiden@drake.edu. Please put “NEO” in the subject line of the email.

The next available NEO session will be held Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 9-11:30 a.m. in the Scripps Meeting Room 301 (3^rd floor) in the Johansen Student Center.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

All Drake faculty and staff are invited and encouraged to nominate a colleague for the 2026 Madelyn M. Levitt Distinguished Community Service and Employee Excellence Awards.

The Employee Excellence Award is presented to a staff member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to excellence in the performance of their duties. The Distinguished Community Service Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of Drake faculty and staff to the Drake community. The criteria to be eligible for each of these awards can be found here.

To nominate a colleague, submit a letter of nomination to Human Resources. Nomination letters may be sent through campus mail or electronically to drakehr@drake.edu.  The subject line should read “Madelyn M. Levitt Award Nomination”.  The letter should detail specific examples of how the nominee exemplifies each of the applicable criteria. Additional letters of support are not necessary, but welcome. Nominations are due to Human Resources by Monday, March 2.

For additional information, please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Bulldogs United in Learning & Development (BUILD) provides faculty and staff learning opportunities throughout the academic year to enhance professional skills, improve wellbeing, and create conversation.  BUILD is a great platform for learning new ideas as well as an opportunity to collaborate with others from across campus.

The Spring 2026 schedule is available online and registration is open.  Please take a moment to check out the classes on the Drake HR BUILD Offerings webpage, including detailed descriptions.  There is an online registration link to a Qualtrics survey that makes signing up easy.

This semester’s class list includes everything from designing routines for success and finding ways to fit physical activity into a busy lifestyle, to a mental health first aid for higher education class, and a presentation on the services offered by our employee assistance program.  In addition to classes, take an architectural tour of Meredith Hall, go on a sustainability ‘walk and talk’, or join us for a full fledge tour of the Drake campus. And there’s more!

Most classes are only an hour in length, and many are facilitated by our own faculty and staff.  This is a great way to invest in yourself, support your colleagues, and take in the culture that Drake has to offer.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Many start the year out by getting their annual physical.  If that sounds like you and you are on Drake’s health plan, don’t forget to take a copy of the Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form to your appointment. This form can be found on the Drake HR Internal website.  Just look for Wellness Premium Discount under the DU Well – Wellness and Wellbeing tab.

Those on Drake’s health plan who complete a physical with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2025, and Nov. 30, 2026, and submit a completed form by Dec. 1, 2026, will qualify for the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2027, which is a savings of over $30 per month.  Don’t forget, this is an annual event, so make those appointments today.

—  Linda Feiden, Human Resources

If you like to be challenged but you don’t have time for a structured group program, these challenges may be for you.  Both the Bookworm Challenge and the 500 Strong Challenge are self-driven (do on your own).  There is no form to submit, and you can start either challenge any month that works best for you.

The idea behind this program is that some of you have resolutions, goals, or intentions for the new year.  If your goals include wanting to get more fit or spending more time reading, these challenges may help keep you on track. Just select a month to start and create or print off a blank calendar.  You can easily find them on Excel or online.

• 500 Strong Challenge. This challenge invites you to do 500 reps (repetitions) of any strength exercise (push-ups, pull-ups, squats, crunches, etc.) over the course of one month.  Start slow – maybe 5 reps a day for week one, 10 reps a day for week two and on up.  The rules are simple: 1) select just one exercise to challenge yourself, 2) make sure the exercise is difficult enough to challenge you over the course of the month but not too difficult to try, 3) complete 500 reps in a month.  Use your calendar (or any tracking form you create) to record your reps.
• Bookworm Challenge. This challenge invites you to read 500 minutes over the course of one month (audio books do NOT count).  Record the minutes you read each day on your own tracking form. The Bookworm Challenge is a good challenge to share with your children to get them in the habit of reading.  Share with other family members, friends, or colleagues, by all reading the same book.  If you need some book ideas – check out Cowles Library or the University Book Club! For more information on the University Book Club, send an email to chibnall@drake.edu, sara.heijerman@drake.edu, or erica.mcgowan@drake.edu.

Reward yourself if you successfully complete either challenge, and then come up with a new one-month challenge that fits with your goals or passions.

Give it a try and have fun!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Time is running out.  Employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026, need to complete a physical exam with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2024 and Nov. 30, 2025, and submit a completed Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form  by Dec. 1, 2025.

If you had a physical since Dec. 1, 2024, please fill out the form and turn it in now. If you cannot get an appointment with your doctor by the Dec. 1, 2025 deadline, or you do not have a primary care provider, you may contact the Broadlawns Community Clinic by Drake (2970 University Ave.) at 515-216-5100.  Let them know you are from Drake and need to make an appointment for a wellness exam.  Please do not wait until the last moment to contact them or they may not have available openings.

You can read more about the wellness premium discount program on the Wellness Premium Discount webpage.

Please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The holiday season can be difficult when it comes to taking care of your wellbeing.  Poor eating, lack of sleep, spending, and stress are potential obstacles to knock us off track. This year’s Dip Your Toe in the Snow challenge will provide you with some tools to navigate those obstacles.

From Monday, Nov. 24, through Sunday, Dec. 21, you will complete four challenges. Every week will focus on one aspect of wellbeing. If one of your personal goals this season is to maintain your weight, there is an optional weight management portion of the challenge that runs through Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

Send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu by Friday, Nov. 21, to register.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources