As part of Employee Appreciation Month, Human Resources is encouraging everyone to submit a shout-out for a faculty, staff, or student employee. This is a great way to recognize others. Simply write a sentence of appreciation for an individual or team and submit it to linda.feiden@drake.edu between now and March 27. They will be compiled and posted in the next edition of OnCampus.

Read some of the shout-outs submitted so far!

“A shout-out to Nic Jacobson and Laure Fredenburg for their ongoing support throughout the Changemaker Scholars application process.  They were both so responsive, willing to help us try new things, and all with a positive and friendly attitude!  It’s much appreciated.” – Amanda Martin

“A shout-out to All Staff Council (ASC):  Thank you for all you have done to both support and recognize staff, as well as create opportunities for social connection and community awareness.  I have had the privilege to work closely with this group on numerous projects.   Although each event requires extra work for ASC members, in addition to their regular workload, they do it with a smile and always exhibit a ‘Generosity of Spirit’.  Thank you!” – Linda Feiden

“A shout-out to Christine Urish, Hannah Clayborne, Terrance Pendleton, Venessa Macro, Michelle Laughlin, and Daniel Van Sant: I would like to take a moment to send a shout out to my fellow team members on the President’s Committee on Supporting Persons with Disabilities, who, in addition to their seemingly one million commitments/to-dos across their day-to-day jobs, have joined this effort to lay the framework for an inclusive campus. Each of the six of you have been a joy to get to know and learn from over the past six months–each and every one of you teaching me something to better myself for the future. With a special round of applause to our Chair, Venessa, who I must say has been one of the most effective committee chairs that I’ve worked with for her calm and mission driven leadership style.  Thank you all!” – Matthew Williams

“A shout-out to Greg Lin for the superb communication and enthusiasm he has for recruiting volunteers.  Thanks Greg! – Matthew Williams

“A shout-out to Amy Guiter and Allison Bugg for your awesomeness in supporting the campus visit team in Cole Hall day in and day out, navigating quick pivots to be a superb first impression prospective students get. Your work truly moves this campus forward. Thank you!”– Matthew Williams

“A shout-out to Ed Walkwitz: Ed has been the duty engineer on call for a few calls I’ve placed and is always so helpful, kind, and patient in every interaction, all while providing prompt resolution to the concern. Thanks Ed!” – Matthew Williams

“A shout-out to Professor Talbert: She is such a wonderful professor, and her classes are so engaging. She is also a supportive and loving person; proud to call her my professor!” – Chloe Lepak

“A shout-out to Professor Dolinsek: He constantly works to make his students feel included and valued.  He is awesome!” – Chloe Lepak

“A shout-out to Austin Higgins, Mail Office Manager-Campus Mail Operations for his kindness while assisting our needs here at The Ray Center.  Austin always presents the Drake Core Values, and he demonstrates the Six Pillars–Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship, in his daily work.  We much appreciate all Austin does for us. – Deb Taylor

 “A shout-out to June Mitchell, Leadership and Counseling Support Specialist for her Generosity of Spirit and willingness to be All in This Together attitude.  On multiple occasions, June has gone above and beyond to assist with anything we seek out to accomplish.  June is always there for us at The Ray Center, and we are happy she is just two floors up from us.” – Deb Taylor

“A shout-out to Cody Dolinsek: Thank you for being one of the most influential professors I have had in college. Your kindness, intelligence, curiosity for the world around you, and comedic impressions have helped me navigate my time at Drake. I will truly miss being your student!” – Rachel Jalloway

“A shout-out to Dining Services: Thank you for cooking our food each and every day! Not only that, thank you for making sure that students are able to eat using clean dishes all around the clock. I appreciate seeing you all around the dining hall–I really like having little conversations when I can!” – Rachel Jalloway

“A shout-out to Cleaning/Facilities: Thank you for keeping Drake a clean campus! I see all the hard work you do, from cleaning each residence hall and campus building every day to fixing the broken things on campus. We really cannot survive without you all–please know that we see you all and appreciate you all!” – Rachel Jalloway

“A shout-out to Shelley Adams:  Shelley is such a wonderful addition to the CPHS Staff team. She is a shining example of hard work and dedication to excellence, and her talents were invaluable during the HOSA conference that just took place in March at Drake. She took the time necessary to make sure that this experience was top notch for the students who attended, and I know that she played a massive part in the conference’s success. She makes our office a better, brighter, and more welcoming place for all, and I couldn’t do what I do at Drake without her assistance. Thank you, Shelley!” – Shelby Nelson

“A shout-out to Diana Altamirano:  My nickname for Diana is “Dependable Diana.” I can always depend on her to take care of things and she always does so with the best attitude! Not only this, but she always goes above and beyond in whatever she does. Her positive energy and commitment to the College’s success in all aspects is truly so appreciated. She is a great collaborator, and I am so thankful to have her on our team. Thanks Diana!” – Shelby Nelson

“A shout-out to Gillian Mohn:  Thanks so much to Gillian, who just recently started assisting CPHS with some communications tasks. She has been great with tackling these new challenges and we greatly appreciate her can-do attitude and her assistance with all things communications!” – Shelby Nelson

“A shout-out to Rachel Penningroth:  She’s always willing to lend a helping hand.” – Melinda Headlee

“A shout-out to Suzanne Wisslead:  Thank you for being so available to help me with Slate projects. Your knowledge, attention to detail, and timeliness are appreciated!” – Lisa Kinkade

“A shout-out to Jeannie Nielsen, CPHS Experiential Office: Thank you for all you do for our students, faculty, and staff. You create a welcoming environment to ask questions and always greet us with a smile when we enter your office. I’m grateful for your hard work and dedication to the CPHS Experiential Office.” – Anisa Hansen

“A shout-out to Marina Verlengia, Director of New Student and Parent Programs:  Your dedication to our first-year students is exceptional. You are a creative leader during this opportunity for change. Your hard work does not go unnoticed!” – Anisa Hansen

“A shout-out to Kristi Longtin: Kristi is always willing to help and is a whiz with Qualtrics, Panopto and all Microsoft products, too!  This semester she’s doing even more covering for a vacant admin position supporting nearly all the faculty at the law school, including the adjuncts.  She’s cool under pressure and has a great sense of humor through it all!  Thank you, Kristi!” – Sara Hughes

“A shout-out to Dawn Brown: Dawn is new to our team at the law school, but you’d never know it!  She has jumped in and is doing a great job juggling the four areas that she supports!  She is quick to learn and has made a difference in all she’s taken on since starting in December 2023.  She is also helping pick up some duties for the admin support position that’s open too.  She has been a great addition!  Thank you, Dawn!” – Sara Hughes

“A shout-out to Kris Magill: In addition to her own duties, I know I can always count on Kris to help me out when needed.  She handles all things related to Commencement for the law school including regalia, program, music, composite picture.  She also coordinates faculty meetings, faculty presentations, class ranks, degree certifications and more.  Her positive attitude and smile shine through in all she does and makes every day a good one.  She has a sharp eye for proofreading and has saved me on multiple occasions by reading through an email or letter for me.  All these things and more help me realize how fortunate I am to work with her.  Thank you, Kris!” – Sara Hughes

“A shout-out to Terri Howard: There is one person at Drake Law that is always there to help alumni, faculty, staff, and students.  She does it all and does it all well!  She manages our marketing including our current rebranding project, resource for our Recent Alumni Engagement Board, coordinates our many events (including Cady Day & Supreme Court Celebration) and works with our alumni to set up receptions around the country or their reunions!  Recently she helped launch a new alumni management database while also helping to organize a new alumni group that will be kicked off in April.  Both projects were done while she continued to do her “normal” duties.  She has a great way of making each person feel like the most important person in the world when she’s working with them.  Thank you, Terri!” – Sara Hughes

“A shout-out to Julie Olinger:  Julie’s attitude is infectious! It is rare to see Julie without a smile and a friendly greeting. She is always willing to help, whether it is brainstorming new ways to engage students, hunting down tricky information, or helping move office furniture. Her kindness is one of her strongest qualities!” – Jenny Jones

“A shout-out to Ron Ackerman:  Ron does an amazing job of taking care of the MBA students. He advocates for the students, keeping their best interests at the center of his recommendations. He is a huge asset to our office – he is often able to find solutions that not only help serve our office but also our students. His years of knowledge in the MBA field are invaluable to our program.” – Jenny Jones

“A shout-out to Whitney Harris:  Here’s to our fearless Advising Council leader, who inspires us to reach new heights every day, guiding us through challenges with courage, humor, and grace. It’s such a pleasure working with and learning from you!” – Sydni Jennings

“A shout-out to Nicholas Kavanaugh: Your reliability and dedication makes every project smoother and every goal more achievable. The Cline Hall office is a better and brighter environment because of you!” – Sydni Jennings

“A shout-out to Allyssa Ruths: We couldn’t do what we do without your management of all the details! You are an invaluable asset to CPHS Student Affairs, and your gif humor is just an added bonus. Thanks for all you do!” – Sydni Jennings

“A shout-out to Jen Hinton: Jen exemplifies willingness to help prospective students, Drake colleagues, and community college partners.  She is eager to help, creates new ideas for implementation and is a positive Drake Bulldog!  She is a joy to work with in the Transfer Admission space – keep up the awesome work Jen!” – Rachelle Setsodi

“A shout-out to Valori Bross and Kristy Hilchen, Office of Admission, for reading, evaluating, and processing over 11,800 undergraduate applications since March 1, 2023 – which include Bright College applicants, Transfer applicants, Direct from High School applicants and applicants from all over the globe.” – Amy Nichols

Join All Staff Council and Human Resources on Wednesday, March 20, from 12–1 p.m. in Parents Hall South, Olmsted Center to enjoy some free pizza and play bingo. Prizes include gift certificates to Lucky Horse and Lachele’s, Drake Relays apparel, Bulldog Shop gift basket/goodies, and more.  And don’t forget to vote for your favorite “Build a Bulldog” picture.

As a reminder, employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to continue receiving the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2025 need to complete a physical exam with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2023, and Nov. 30, 2024, and submit a Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form by Nov. 30, 2024.  This is an annual event.

If you already had your physical since last December, please fill out the form and turn it in now.  If you have not scheduled your annual physical yet, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.  Some physician’s offices require a long lead time for appointments. Also note that our Wellmark health plan allows for one physical per calendar year, so you should not need to wait a year and a day between physicals.

Besides receiving a premium discount, an annual physical is a great way to receive important health information through age and gender specific examinations, schedule recommended preventative screenings, and create a doctor-patient relationship.

Please contact linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions on the wellness premium discount physical form and marlene.heuertz@drake.edu with additional benefits questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Since 1990, March has been celebrated as Employee Appreciation Month across the U.S. While we recognize that this March our campus faces both challenges and opportunities, we strongly believe that now, more than ever, it is important to take time to show appreciation. We are so grateful to have amazing faculty and staff at Drake University.

Human Resources and All Staff Council invite you to take some time to gather with others for any of the following Employee Appreciation Month events. Details on these events and other appreciation month resources can be found on this temporary Employee Appreciation Month webpage.

March 1-13: Build a Bulldog
You have all probably seen the colorful bulldog statues around campus.  Now it is your turn to get creative in decorating a bulldog.  Not a bulldog statue or an actual bulldog, but a PICTURE of a bulldog. Click HERE to print off an outline of Griff II for the contest. Decorate the picture using whatever artistic materials you wish and send your completed picture to Linda Feiden, HR, 3^rd floor Old Main, by Wednesday, March 13. Don’t forget to put your name on the back.  All entries will go through a preliminary screening and the finalists will be on display during

the BINGO event on March 20 for faculty and staff to vote on for prizes.

March 20: Pizza and BINGO!
Join All Staff Council and Human Resources on Wednesday, March 20, from 12-1 p.m. (note the NEW time) in Parents Hall South, Olmsted Center to enjoy some free pizza and play BINGO. Prizes include gift certificates to Lucky Horse and Lachele’s, Drake Relays apparel, Bulldog Shop gift basket/goodies and more.  And don’t forget to vote for your favorite “Build a Bulldog” picture.

March 28: Recess
As part of employee appreciation month, we invite faculty and staff to take a break from work on Thursday, March 28, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and join us in the Bell Center Courts 1 & 2 for recess! Play nine holes of miniature golf, try pickleball, or challenge a colleague to a game of cornhole (bags). All equipment will be provided.

In addition, we have brought back the popular Shout-Out program for Employee Appreciation Month. This is a great way to recognize your colleagues. Write a sentence or two thanking a colleague or team for going the extra mile or showing support to others and submit it to linda.feiden@drake.edu between now and March 27.  You are welcome to submit as many as you wish.  All shout-outs will be compiled and posted in OnCampus.

Finally, All Staff Council will be sending 50 lucky staff a magnet in March with a picture of Griff II ‘high-fiving’.  If you receive one, keep it for a few days, then pass it along to another colleague who also deserves a high-five.  The magnets can be handed off again and again with the hopes of reaching as many of Drake’s amazing staff members as possible.

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

All Drake faculty and staff are invited and encouraged to nominate a colleague for the 2024 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. Nominations are due to Human Resources by Friday, March 1.

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

— Linda Feiden, HR

March is Employee Appreciation Month and National Employee Appreciation Day is Friday, March 1, and we are celebrating YOU! While we value Drake employees all year, we like to set aside some time for special fun in March to recognize and celebrate our amazing employees.

To help show our appreciation, Human Resources and All Staff Council invite you to take a break and join us for the following Employee Appreciation Month events:

March 1–13: Build a Bulldog

You have all probably seen the colorful bulldog statues around campus.  Now it is your turn to get creative in decorating a bulldog.  Not a bulldog statue, but a PICTURE of a bulldog. Simply send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu to receive an outline of Griff–then decorate the picture using whatever artistic materials you wish.  Send your completed picture to Linda Feiden, HR, 3^rd floor Old Main, by Wednesday, March 13. All entries will go through a preliminary screening and the finalists will be on display during the BINGO event on March 20 for faculty and staff to vote on.  Prizes will be awarded to the winning entries!

March 20: BINGO!
Join All Staff Council and Human Resources on Wednesday, March 20, from 12–1 p.m. in Parents Hall South, Olmsted Center to play BINGO. This family-friendly event will include tasty treats for all, and an assortment of fun prizes for our winners.  And don’t forget to vote for your favorite “Build a Bulldog” picture.

March 28: Faculty/Staff Recess
When we were kids, recess was a part of our day, but as adults we often do not get nearly enough play time. As part of employee appreciation month, we invite faculty and staff to take a break from work on Thursday, March 28, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and join us in the Bell Center Courts 1 & 2 for recess! Play nine holes of miniature golf, try pickleball, or challenge a colleague to a game of cornhole (bags). All equipment will be provided.

All Month: Give a shout-out
In addition, we have brought back the popular Shout-Out program for Employee Appreciation Month. This is a great way to recognize your colleagues. 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 27, and they will be compiled and posted in OnCampus.

Be on the lookout for more Employee Appreciation Month information throughout March.

— Linda Feiden, HR

Did you work and were you paid by Drake University during 2023? If so, your W-2 is available online through myDrake’s Employee Dashboard. To access and print your W-2, look to the “Taxes” section of the Employee Dashboard.  Within this section, click “W-2 Wage and Tax Statement” and select the tax year for 2023. Instructions are available for your reference.  If you have questions, contact Human Resources at 271-3133.

— Debra Wiley, Human Resources

Bulldogs United in Learning & Development (BUILD) provides faculty and staff learning opportunities throughout the academic year that address technical, soft, philosophical, and very practical skills.  BUILD is a great platform for learning new ideas as well as an opportunity to collaborate with others from across campus.

The Spring 2024 schedule is available for viewing and registration is open.  Please take a moment to check out the classes on the Drake HR website under Learning & Development.  Click on BUILD – Upcoming Sessions for the full list, 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

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 under DU Well-Wellness and Wellbeing.

Those on Drake’s health plan who complete a physical with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2023, and Nov. 30, 2024, and submit a completed form by Nov. 30, 2024, will qualify for the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2025, which is a savings of approximately $34 per month. 

If you already had your physical since Dec. 1, 2023, please fill out the form and turn it in now. If you turned in a form last year—great! But don’t forget, this is an annual event.

— Linda Feiden Human Resources