Girls outperform boys in digital literacy skills
Lindsay Woodward is the co-author of a Reading Research Quarterly article that has been gaining national attention in a couple different forums. Her co-author summarized their findings for Education Week and School Library Journal websites.

Student honored
Drake doctoral student Kim Wayne was selected to represent Iowa at the #NationofMaking event at the White House.

Professor quoted 
Todd Hodgkinson was interviewed and quoted by the Desert News in an article on summer learning.

Visitors from Venezuela 
On Thursday, June 30, the SOE hosted seven English teachers from Venezula and their hosts from the U.S. State Department and the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. SOE graduate Ana Cara Van Dyck and students Kelli Carter and Kate Brightwell joined Associate Professor Shelley Fairbairn in presenting to and talking with the teachers about how we prepare ESL at Drake, with Assistant Dean Catherine Gillespie as host. The teachers asked many questions about teacher training, supervision, and evaluation and learned a great deal from their brief visit.

Student Research Assistants
Madeleine Emrich and Sydney Staudt have been selected to assist Sally Beisser, recipient of the Ronald Troyer Research Endowment Fellowship for 2016–2017, to write a book on early childhood giftedness. Their efforts include writing and editing chapters on myths of the gifted learner, recognizing gifted behaviors in preschool and primary classrooms, and effective curriculum design for high-ability children. Research funds will support their attendance at the Iowa Talented and Gifted (ITAG) conference and travel to the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) in Orlando, to be a part of an accepted research presentation at this conference. Both Maddie and Sydney are completing the TAG endorsement at Drake and will graduate Spring 2017. Professor Beisser directs the online TAG endorsement program available for undergraduate and graduate students. Students in this program represent 27 states and 8 countries since 2007, when the endorsement was first offered.

—Catherine Gillespie, Associate Dean, Mary Collier Baker Endowed Professor

Central Iowa is embarking on its next five-year strategic plan, Capital Crossroads 2.0. A survey has been developed to gather public input to help identify key opportunities and challenges for our region. As Drake plays a crucial role in the community, your voice is important—click here to take the Capital Crossroads 2.0 survey.

Drake welcomes Mandela Fellows
Last weekend, Drake welcomed 25 young African professionals who will spend the next five weeks in Des Moines through a program called the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. The fellows, all of whom are between the ages of 25 and 35, will immerse themselves in business and entrepreneurship topics through a combination of academic study, cultural activities, professional networking opportunities, and visits to local corporate and community partners during their stay in Des Moines, June 17 to July 31.

“These are truly exceptional individuals—future African heads of state,” said Annique Kiel, interim executive director of global engagement and international programs at Drake University. “We look forward to facilitating valuable personal and professional connections that will strengthen internationalization efforts at Drake and in central Iowa.”

To learn more about the program and the fellows, visit www.drake.edu/yali or the Drake Newsroom. You can also follow their journey on social media with the hashtag #YALIatDrake

Executive director for The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement named
President Martin announced last week that Joseph Jones, a Drake alumnus and former legislative assistant to retired U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, has been hired as executive director of The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement.

Jones will serve as the Institute’s first full-time executive director beginning Aug. 1. He worked as legislative assistant for Harkin’s office in Washington, D.C., from 2010 to 2013, and currently serves as senior vice president for government relations and public policy at the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

To learn more about Joseph, visit the Drake Newsroom.

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August is fast approaching and the Office of the President is calling on all alumni, students, faculty, staff, and partners to help represent Drake at the Iowa State Fair, Aug. 11–21. For those new to the experience, the fair is the best opportunity for Drake to engage thousands of people from Iowa and beyond. If you have volunteered in the past, we thank you for your contributions and hope you will continue to keep our connection to the community strong and alive.

New this year, volunteers have a chance to win two free tickets to either Jason Derulo, Sunday Aug. 14, or Lady Antebellum, Sunday, Aug. 21, both at 8 p.m. on the Grand Stand stage. In exchange for working a shift each day, volunteers receive free admission and a parking pass to the north lot so you can enjoy the fair before or after your shift for the day.

Shifts are distributed in 4-hour blocks all 11 days in the Varied Industries (VI) building and outside in our tent on the concourse for Drake Day at the Fair, Friday, Aug. 12. An orientation for registered volunteers will be held Thursday, Aug. 4.

So join us at the Iowa State Fair and encourage others to help us to strengthen our engagement with the community. Sign up today via the ink below and receive free admission to the fair.

SIGN UP HERE

—Nick Valdez, Neighborhood and Community Relations Manager

The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program brings together young women from all over the state for an intense week of leadership, patriotism, and community. This year marks the first time the Girls State program has been on the Drake campus. Nearly 300 high school youth will participate beginning Sunday, June 12. Make sure to welcome these future leaders to our campus!

—Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer

Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice Wendy Mobley-Bukstein was elected to the the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management. Read more in the Drake Newsroom.

Drake to dedicate the William S.E. Coleman Studio Theatre on June 17

Drake University will hold a dedication ceremony for the William S.E. Coleman Studio Theatre, formerly known as Studio 55 (and before that, Studio Theatre), at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 18, as part of a weekend-long theatre alumni reunion. The theater is named for William S.E. “Doc” Coleman, one of the Drake Department of Theatre Arts’ most longstanding and beloved faculty members, serving from 1966 to 2002.

Donations to a memorial fund in Coleman’s honor will be used to renovate the theater space, which Coleman helped to design, and any remaining funds will lay the groundwork for a guest artist program. Read more about Doc Coleman’s impact in the Drake Newsroom.

Adult Literacy Center celebrates 40 years, seeks volunteers

More Greater Des Moines-area adults are seeking assistance in achieving basic literacy skills. But at Drake University’s Adult Literacy Center, which is celebrating its 40th year in operation, demand for services is outpacing the supply of volunteers who are available to tutor participants in reading, writing, and speaking.

The Center has worked with more than 140 adults this year, including 25 individuals who are on a waiting list. That represents a 21 percent increase in demand over last year. Meanwhile, there are currently about 70 tutors who are available to teach. Tutor training will be held Friday, June 17, and Saturday, June 18, at the Drake University School of Education. Learn more about getting involved in the Drake Newsroom.

New staff member
Please welcome Katie Rock as she assumes the administrative assistant position formerly held by Doris Brunette. Katie has degrees from Iowa State and the University of Iowa along with experience with office systems from her time at Dupont Pioneer. She lives in Des Moines with her husband, William, and two sons, Ronan and Malcolm.

Head Start grant funding renewals
Drake University has received notification that the continuation grants for both the Head Start/Early Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership are approved. Drake has held the  Head Start/Early Head Start grant for 39 years (currently totaling $6.8 million), providing services to 926 low-income, at-risk children and families across six counties.

The $1 million Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership is in its second full year of implementation. The grant funds quality enhancements for seven child care centers in the urban core of Des Moines. Drake University Head Start provides child care centers with quality materials (including curriculum/assessment), minor site alterations, instructional coaching, staff differential, and monitoring using research-based tools. All of the child care centers and Head Start classrooms must meet the strict requirements of Head Start Program Performance Standards. For more information on Drake Head Start, please visit the website at www.drakeheadstart.org.

—Catherine Gillespie, Associate Dean, Professor of Education, and Mary Collier Baker Endowed Professor

Welcome Drake’s newest employees:

Adrick Smith, ITS
Jerel Krueger, ITS
Monita Jackson, ITS
Kourtney Kirkpatrick, Alumni & Development
Andrew Verlengia, Alumni & Development
Selchia Cain, Office of Admission
Tracy Speck, Head Start
Julie Smith, Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Jessica Neal, Law Library
Anthony Leto, Student Accounts

Principal Charity Classic, June 3–5, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

The Principal Charity Classic is a vibrant community event in the Des Moines metro area that contributes greatly to the economic vitality and quality of life in central Iowa. The tournament is dedicated to providing contributions to local nonprofit organizations called“FORE Our Kids charities”—six Tournament Charity Partners and the more than 100 Birdies for Charity organizations that support children throughout the state of Iowa. Since 2007, the Principal Charity Classic has awarded more than $7.7 million to Iowa children’s charities.

Drake will have a tent at the event and is looking for volunteers to staff it. Sign up to volunteer online.

-Nick Valdez, Neighborhood & Community Relations Manager