Visit this year’s Benefits and Wellness Fair Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 9–11:30 a.m. in Levitt Hall, Old Main.

Representatives from many of our benefits partners will be present to answer your questions.  In addition, we will have a variety of wellbeing resources:

• Employee & Family Resources (EFR) will be on-hand to share resources and answer questions. In addition to counseling, EFR offers financial and legal consulting, eldercare and childcare resources, life coaching and more.
• Samantha Matt, our on-campus dietitian, will answer your nutrition questions. She and Gail Witte will also be facilitating a Mindful Moves & Meals: Wellness for Busy Professionals class on Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 2–3 p.m. in the Paul Morrison Room in the Knapp Center. Click HERE to register.
• Representatives from the Drake Kinesiology department will offer free blood pressure checks. It is always good to know this number in tracking your health.
• We will have staff from Recreational Services ready to share information on upcoming Group X classes, and much more.

Fill out a BINGO card during the fair and you will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win a prize. Most importantly, this is an opportunity for you to be sure you understand and take advantage of the benefits and perks offered to you as an employee of Drake University and help prepare you to make benefit elections during open enrollment (from Oct. 31 to Dec. 1 this year), which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

This year’s Benefits and Wellness Fair will be held Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 9-11:30 a.m. in Levitt Hall, Old Main. Please mark your calendars for this “come and go” event.

Representatives from our benefits partners will be present to answer your questions, including: Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Broadlawns, Delta Dental and DeltaVision, TIAA, Long Term Care Strategies, The Hartford, Bank of America, and Employee & Family Resources. Stop by and chat with registered dietitian Samantha Matt and representatives from Drake Recreational Services and be sure to get your blood pressure checked by our wonderful kinesiology students.  Bonus! Griff II will be making an appearance!

There will be beverages, freebies, and a chance to win prizes.  Most importantly, this is an opportunity for you to be sure you understand and take advantage of the benefits and perks offered to you as an employee of Drake University and help prepare you to make benefit elections during open enrollment (from Oct. 31 to Dec. 1 this year), which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Don’t forget to pick up a bingo card when you arrive and have the vendors you visit mark their square.  If you secure a blackout (filling in all vendor spots), you will be entered in a drawing for prizes.

— Linda Feiden, HR

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.  This form must be filled out annually to continue to receive the premium discount.

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 to make an appointment.  Let them know you are from Drake and need to make an appointment for a wellness exam.  Most individuals can get in within two or three days, but please do not wait until the last week to contact them.

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.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

If you are looking for a way to motivate yourself to get up and move more, join this year’s Walktober step challenge.  Drake is competing with Des Moines University to see which site’s competitors can achieve the highest average step total during the month of October.  The winning site claims the Walktober traveling trophy for a year and bragging rights.

You are welcome to register as an individual or create a team (adding a little internal competition to our already external one).  If you would like to participate, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.  If you are putting together a team, please include your team’s name, team captain, and team members (4-8 people per team).  Registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 26.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

The Fall 2025 BUILD schedule is available for viewing and registration is open.  Please take a moment to check out the classes and tours on the Drake HR website under Learning & Development.  Click on BUILD – Upcoming Sessions for the full list, including detailed descriptions.  Are you ready to register?  There is an online registration link to a Qualtrics survey that makes signing up easy.  Our Greenhouse Tour is already full so don’t delay.

Bulldogs United in Learning & Development (BUILD) is a platform for learning new ideas as well as an opportunity to collaborate with others from across campus.  Most classes are only an hour in length, and many are facilitated by our own faculty and staff.

Take the time to invest in yourself, support your colleagues, and take in the culture that Drake has to offer.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

As a reminder, employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026 (a savings of over $30 per month), 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.  This form must be filled out annually to continue to receive the premium discount, so if you completed a physical last year, it is time to do it again.

If you have not yet scheduled your annual physical with your medical provider, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible to guarantee you make the Dec. 1, 2025 deadline.  If you cannot get an appointment with your doctor by Nov. 30, 2025, or you do not have a primary care provider, you may contact the Broadlawns Community Clinic by Drake (2970 University Ave.) to make an appointment.  Let them know you are from Drake and need to make an appointment for a wellness exam.  Most individuals can get an appointment within two or three days, but please do not wait until the last day to contact them.  They have copies of the physician forms in their office if you forget your form.  To make an appointment, call 515-216-5100.

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.

— Linda Feiden, HR

As a reminder, employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026 (a savings of over $30 per month), 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.  This form must be filled out annually to continue to receive the premium discount, so if you completed a physical last year, it is time to do it again.

The form can be found on the Drake HR website under the DU Well tab. Simply click on Wellness Premium Discount to find a link to the form. Please save a copy of the form on your own computer before filling it out.

If you have not yet scheduled your annual physical with your medical provider, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible to guarantee you make the Dec. 1, 2025 deadline.

Please contact linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, HR

Join us in July for HealthyU BINGO.  The goal is to fill up a blank BINGO card (or two), during the month, with healthy activities completed from a provided list, and then play some games of HealthyU BINGO for prizes.

To get started, send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu. Deadline to register is Friday, June 27.  All participants will receive a packet that includes a list of HealthyU BINGO activities and a blank BINGO card.  You are welcome to make copies for your family.  This is a fun activity for everyone!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

As a reminder, employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to continue receiving 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 Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form by Dec 1, 2025.  This is an annual event, so if you submitted one last year, you need to do it again this year.

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.

Those on Drake’s health plan who complete a physical with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2024, and Nov. 30, 2025, and submit a completed form by Dec. 1, 2025, will qualify for the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026, which is a savings of over $30 per month.

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.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Join Drake’s Corporate Games team!  This annual company-based competition for organizations in central Iowa runs from May 18 through July 31.  With over two dozen events to choose from, Des Moines Corporate Games (DMCG) is a great way to meet new people and have fun.

Events range from team-based to individual and competitive to recreational. Try everything from pickleball, ping pong and golf, to a fitness walk and 5K run. You may participate in as many events as you want.

All in-person activities will be held in the evenings and on weekends and are free (except golf cart rental). ALL Drake faculty and staff, student employees, interns, and retirees are invited and encouraged to join Drake’s team.

To participate in this year’s Des Moines Corporate Games, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu for registration instructions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources