A group of students from Palestinian and U.S. universities will spend two weeks in Des Moines for a federally-funded program designed to enhance civic engagement and cross-cultural understanding.

Sixteen students—eight Palestinian and eight American—will live and study on Drake’s campus as PAYCE Fellows. The workshop is part of an initiative called Palestinian-American Youth Civic Engagement (PAYCE). It is led by Drake Professor of Sociology Darcie Vandegrift.

The Palestinian students are from Al-Quds University and An-Najah National University, and the American students are from Drake, the University of Hartford, University of New Hampshire, and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

The students arrived Jan. 4 and will be on campus through Jan. 19, engaging in daily activities that explore the role of young adults as agents of political and social change. At the conclusion of the program, each participant will have produced two original podcasts—one about their own experiences and involvement with civic and political engagement, and the other derived from interviews with emerging young adult civic leaders in Des Moines.

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Read Griff’s Holiday Letter

Did you know that the original songwriter for “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” attended Drake? An Iowa native, John Rox (born John Herring) graduated from Winterset High School before jumping into student life at Drake, where he was a brother in the now inexistent Tau Psi fraternity in the early 1920s.

After leaving Drake he married Emmy-winning actress Alice Pearce, best known for her role as Gladys Kravitz in “Bewitched.” Rox mostly penned show tunes for Broadway, such as the classic “It’s a Big, Wide, Wonderful World,” until inspiration struck in the form of a hippopotamus. In 1953, he wrote the immortal lyrics to one of the catchiest and most enduring Christmas songs. Ten-year-old Gayla Peevey provided vocals, and, yes, she did get a hippopotamus for Christmas. With almost $3,000 in donations, she got a baby hippo named Matilda, which she promptly gifted to her hometown zoo.

Rox died of a heart attack in 1957, a few years after “Hippopotamus” made it onto Billboard’s pop chart. Peevey recorded a few more songs–but is best known for Rox’s song. She even sent Griff a signed headshot as a gift (right).

Associate Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Studies Akira Mori received the Immigrant Entrepreneur Leadership Award during the 10th annual Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit (IES) in Des Moines on Nov. 18.

The Immigrant Leadership Award is awarded to a first-generation immigrant who has demonstrated leadership and an entrepreneurial spirit in his/her professional and family life and on behalf of the immigrant and larger community.

Summit organizers honored Mori “for his commitment to infuse high expectations of rigor, respect, and care in his relationships with musicians as a teacher, mentor, and conductor, along with his distinctive ability to both challenge and support their aspirations and performances.”

Born and raised in Japan and educated in the United States, Mori has professionally conducted in countries such as Japan, the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Argentina, and has taught at multiple universities across the United States and Asia including Indiana University, University of Minnesota, Louisiana State University, and Tokyo College of Music. He has taught on the faculty at Drake since 2008.

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Students in SJMC courses have presented their work to class clients in recent weeks.

The Master of Communication Leadership students in the Applied Theory and Research class presented their assessment of the organization, brand recognition, and community needs to Best Buddies of Iowa, a nonprofit that serves children and adults with developmental disabilities. The MCL students will also conduct work for Best Buddies in courses in the spring and summer.

The advertising research class presented their report to the capstone client Des Moines Menace soccer organization, as did the public relations seniors to their client, Creative Visions, which serves low-income residents in the Drake neighborhood and beyond. Those courses will work with their clients in the spring as well.

The PR Planning class presented work to their clients, Tutus & Tennis Shoes and The Avenues of Ingersoll and Grand. Students in PR Writing and FYS-The Real Hunger Games presented their collaborative work to five representatives of the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) food pantry network for their new initiative, Food Pantry 2.0.

—Kathleen Richardson, SJMC

Two Drake public relations seniors were recognized at the recent PR News annual awards luncheon in Washington, D.C.

Maddy Gildersleeve was named PR News Student of the Year. The award recognizes “an outstanding student who has demonstrated leadership, talent and passion” for public relations and communications.

Sarah Mondello received honorable mention for PR News Intern of the Year for her work with Drake Community Press. The award recognizes a student who “established herself or himself quickly as a self-starting member and idea generator for a communications team and exhibited strong writing skills, professional demeanor [and] smart use of digital tactics.”

—Kathleen Richardson, SJMC

Martin Roth, Drake professor of philosophy, will release his book, Philosophical Foundations of Neurolaw, this month. It is a scholarly monograph published by Lexington Books. Neurolaw is a rapidly growing field that addresses several important issues at the intersection of neuroscience, law, and philosophy. The book addresses a number of public policy matters, such as criminal law, and showcases cross-disciplinary research.

—Martin Roth, Department of Philosophy and Religion

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication has nominated two public relations seniors for the annual PR News international PR People Awards, who have become finalists. Maddy Gildersleeve has been selected as a finalist for PR Student of the Year and Sarah Mondello has been selected as a finalist for PR Intern of the Year.

PR News‘ PR People Awards is an international competition that recognizes the top talent whose work is making an impact in the communications field. The recipients of this award represent the professionals who are responsible for outstanding PR achievements made in the past year. PR News wants to meet the best in PR and introduce them to the thousands of readers of PR News and their key stakeholders.

The winners of the PR People Awards will be profiled online and at an awards luncheon on Dec. 5 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.