Drake will soon be home to one of the world’s leading sources of non-partisan political information, Vote Smart. Learn more about what this means for the University in the Drake Newsroom.

Nearly 3,000 elementary and middle school students attended the Drake women’s basketball game on Dec. 8 to Pack the Knapp for CHARACTER COUNTS! Griff made a special appearance and debuted a new video showing how he demonstrates the Six Pillars of Character. The Ray Center provided every student with an activity booklet for the game plus educational materials so that teachers could continue lessons on sportsmanship and character back at school.

—Amy Smit, Robert D. and Billie Ray Center

Google has announced an initiative that partners the tech giant with journalism programs around the world, and Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) is part of the initial cohort of 48 institutions. The Google News Lab University network aims to “provide journalism educators with the same level of training and support that we’ve provided to journalists in newsrooms for years.” The partnership will provide SJMC students and faculty with on-campus and online training “on topics ranging from Google tool fundamentals, trust and verification, immersive storytelling, data journalism, advanced search and Google Trends, data visualization, mapping, and more,” according to the news release. The first on-campus training session is scheduled for early February.

—Kathleen Richardson, Dean, SJMC

Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) recently released the DART Forward 2035 draft plan after receiving considerable public input. Drake employees and students are encouraged to visit dsm2.dartforward2035.com to complete DART’s online survey and weigh in on what you would like to see Des Moines’ public transportation system look like. Your feedback is critical to helping shape the future of public transportation offerings in the region. Feedback is due by Dec. 20.

Teresa Koch, professor of librarianship and collection development coordinator, and Andrew Welch, associate professor of librarianship and librarian for discovery services and technology, recently published “Monograph Validation Strategies in Shared Print Programs: Variations and Value,” in Collaborative Librarianship.

Natalie Adkins, associate professor of marketing, was also recently published. She co-authored “The Stigma Turbine: A Theoretical Framework for Conceptualizing and Contextualizing Marketplace Stigma,” which appeared in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing.

On Nov. 29, from 8 to 8:45 p.m., ramp up your usual Group X Hip Hop routine with our special glow-in-the-dark event! Grab a group of friends and head to the Bell Center Gym where you will spend your time dancing with the beat of the music. Make sure to register using the Rec*it Fitness app or www.imleagues.com. Questions? Email wellness@drake.edu.

Drake’s Executive Education Center celebrated the completion of its inaugural Leading Others Cohort on Nov. 10. Twenty executives from 14 companies in central Iowa completed the 18-month experience with great success:

• Sarah Battani, Bankers Trust
• Rona Berinobis, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• Amy Blahnik, DuPont Pioneer
• Ben Bruns, The Weitz Company
• Bill Connolly, John Deere Financial
• Sandy Cox, Nationwide Insurance Co
• Dan Crew, EMC Insurance Companies
• Jim Dougherty, MidAmerican Energy Company
• Michael Geringer, MidAmerican Energy Company
• Lisa Heagle, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• Amela Imsirovic, John Deere Financial
• Dr. Charlie Keller, Mercy Clinics
• Tracey Knudtson, Principal Financial Group
• Doug Kouma, Meredith Corporation
• Dr. Steven Langdon, Mercy College of Health Sciences
• Beth Nigut, EMC Insurance Companies
• Michael Scholten, Principal Financial Group
• David McKenzie, ChildServe
• Ryan Vanyo, Kum and Go
• Courtney Yuskis, Meredith Corporation

The program was created as a result of Drake asking local corporations how their relationship with Drake could be enhanced; the business community responded that they needed Drake’s help to accelerate leadership faster in their organizations. The experience is aimed at executives who are leaders of teams who want to learn the what and the how of leadership in a hands-on, experiential environment. Based upon 120 hours of instruction, executive coaching throughout the 18 months, and guidance in implementing a leader development and business plan back at their office, these leaders can expect to see a leadership shift from being “ready later” to being “ready now.”

The unique experience with Leading Others includes the following highlights:

• Foundational business model: This model establishes a causal relationship between what a leader does and how he or she does it and team member engagement and business outcomes
• Proprietary leadership success profile: Along with a subsequent assessment report, the profile—produced from multiple perspectives—establishes a leadership readiness baseline and measures leadership readiness gains throughout the program.
• Leader Development Plan and a Business Plan: Based upon the participant’s leadership success profile and business planning process, the participant will create both a leader’s development plan and a business plan.
• Executive delivery team: Participants are instructed and coached by deeply experienced facilitators and executive coaches and national and global panel members for maximum return on investment.

The Executive Education Center is running two cohorts per year and is currently recruiting for its fourth cohort. Applications for the program are due Jan. 27, 2017. Please contact Sarah Ramsey, director of the Executive Education Center, for more information at sarah.ramsey@drake.edu.

—Sarah Ramsey