Category Archives: News & Achievements Archive

Suicide Prevention Week at Drake

Suicide Prevention Week is Sept. 14–18, and the Counseling Center has planned a variety of activities to promote suicide prevention:

Wall of Remembrance—Post a photo or other tribute to your loved one lost to suicide. The wall will be up Monday through Friday in the walkway of Olmsted.

Chalking—Use sidewalk chalk to write messages of hope and encouragement to your classmates on Friday, 10 a.m.–noon.

“Help a Friend, Save a Life ”—View The Truth About Suicide Video, learn to recognize the warning signs of depression, and how you can help a friend, family member, or even a stranger when they are in need—Friday, 10 a.m.–noon., Olmsted Center

Out of the Darkness Walk—Sept. 20, DMACC Ankeny Campus

—Submitted by Diane Eischeid, Therapist, Drake University Counseling Center

Volleyball season tickets—just $30!

The Bulldogs continue their home season on Friday, Oct. 9 against Missouri State. With 7 home matches remaining, you can take advantage of discounted pricing this season for just $30 per person. All seating is general admission. To purchase your season tickets, click here or contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or by emailing tickets@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Tom Florian, Assistant Director, Ticket Operations and Donor Management

Get your caucus fix

A new website provides comprehensive information and analysis of presidential campaigns in Iowa leading into the state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses. The Iowa Caucus Project, www.iowacaucusproject.org, is one of the most comprehensive interactive resources ever created for caucus and campaign information, including event listings, candidate bios, voter demographics, original campaign analysis, and multimedia.

Drake University’s Iowa Caucus Project and The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement created the website, which is updated daily by a team of faculty members and students and will continue to expand in the coming months.

—Submitted by Rachel Paine Caufield, Associate Professor of Politics

School of Journalism & Mass Communication news: Week of Sept. 14

  • Students in advertising professor Dorothy Pisarski’s Concepts in Consumer Awareness class met with Oakridge Neighborhood Chief Executive Officer Teree Caldwell-Johnson during a visit to the Oakridge Neighborhood on Sept. 8. Students will be crafting a strategy and executing tactics for supporting fundraising initiatives for preschool and afterschool programs at Oakridge. The Oakridge Neighborhood is celebrating its 45th year in Des Moines, providing affordable housing to the most vulnerable populations.
  • SJMC faculty counted 21 Drake alumni among the nominees in the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ 2015 Midwest Regional Emmy Awards. Winners will be announced at a gala in Minneapolis in October.
  • Drake SJMC students and recent graduates are finalists in two major national contests that honor the best of collegiate journalism. The Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) and College Media Association (CMA) contests recognize reporting and writing, multimedia, design, photography, and video. Winners of both contests will be announced at the joint ACP/CMA student media convention in Austin, Texas, in late October. For more information, see the SJMC website.

—Submitted by Kathleen Richardson, Dean, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

College of Arts & Sciences news: Week of Sept. 14

Maria Bohorquez, chair and professor of chemistry, started her two-year term as president of the Iowa Network for Women in Higher Education.

Mahmoud Hamad, associate professor of political science, had a truly international summer. During May 17-21, Mahmoud traveled to Cairo, Egypt, to work on organizing the fourth annual conference of the Arab Constitutional Law Association—he chairs its scientific committee. Mahmoud also attended the Brandeis University’s Summer Institute of Israel Studies with a select group of U.S. and foreign faculty. Mahmoud was then invited to attend the 2015 Central European University’s Summer University program on Constitution-building in Africa in Budapest, Hungary. Finally, Mahmoud traveled to Tunisia to work with the Libyan Constitutional Drafting Assembly (CDA) in finalizing the first democratic constitution for Libya. The CDA is expected to approve the final draft of the constitution in late October, before being put to a referendum later in 2015.

Debra DeLaet, professor of politics and international relations and department chair, is presenting a paper at a conference on Transnational and Transborder Familial and Gender Relations: Comparing the Influence of Blurred and Brittle Borders at the University of Oxford. Her paper is titled, “Female Genital Cutting and the Family as a Site of Cultural Contestation and Change in Transnational Migration Contexts.”

Office of Community Engagement and Service-Learning welcomes Amanda Martin

The Office of Community Engagement and Service-Learning is excited to welcome Amanda Martin to campus. She will serve as the new AmeriCorps and service-learning programs coordinator. In her role, Amanda will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Iowa Community Health AmeriCorps Program and student-led service-learning programming.

Amanda is a graduate of Iowa State University with a master’s degree in education, student affairs and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Clarke University. Over the past three years Amanda has worked for the Corporation for National & Community Service NCCC Vinton Campus as the member development associate. In her role with NCCC, Amanda trained and advised 25 Service Learning Initiators and supported approximately 400 AmeriCorps NCCC members in preparing for their life after the AmeriCorps experience. Previous to NCCC Amanda served as the associate director of the Volunteer Center of Story County. She has worked with young adults in a number of service and leadership settings, and we are excited to welcome her to the Bulldog family! Amanda’s office will be in Old Main 319—please feel free to stop by to say hello!

—Submitted by Renee Sedlacek, Interim Director of Community Engagement & Service-Learning

Get your discounted season tickets to men’s and women’s basketball!

Faculty and staff can take advantage of discounted season tickets for men’s and women’s basketball. Get them before they’re gone!

Men’s Basketball
Premium Center (C,D,E,N,O,P)—$124 per seat + $250 Bulldog Club Donation
Premium Outer (A,B,F,G,M,Q,R)—$124 per seat + $150 Bulldog Club Donation
Reserved Center (3,4,5)—$124 per seat + $250 Bulldog Club Donation
Reserved Outer (1,2,6,7)—$124 per seat + $150 Bulldog Club Donation
General Admission (8-25)—$75 per seat + No Bulldog Club Donation

Women’s Basketball
Reserved Sideline (A-G, M-R)—$50 per seat
Reserved Baseline (S-T)—$40 per seat

All Drake University faculty and staff can take advantage of discounted pricing with a valid Drake Card (ID). To purchase your season tickets, contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or email tickets@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Tom Florian, Assistant Director, Ticket Operations and Donor Management

Jen Hogan receives honor

Jen Hogan, associate director, international programs and services, has been named a Mentor for the Institute of International Education’s program, “Connecting with the World: International Relations for Higher Education Institutions.” Working virtually with professionals from around the globe, Jen will provide mentorship to participants from Myanmar. Included in the topics Jen will cover are:

  • International office roles, responsibilities, and tasks
  • Academic partnerships
  • Developing a university mission statement
  • University marketing/branding and social media

—Submitted by Drake International

Drake news: Week of Sept. 7

The most recent edition of eBlue, Drake’s alumni newsletter, highlights three recent pharmacy alumni’s research on the effects of medical marijuana on post traumatic stress disorder, as well as the unique stories behind memorabilia in the Alumni House.

The Des Moines Register recently featured Drake student Roy Ju, who earned the designation as a Fellow of Society of Actuaries; he is the youngest person ever to receive this credential, the top awarded by the Society of Actuaries.

Drake welcomes 53 new employees

Welcome the following new employees at Drake!

Beth Diehl, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (started in July)
Valerie Thacker, School of Education (SOE)
Lindsay Woodward, SOE
Douglas Stilwell, SOE
Shannon Saunders, Athletics
Christopher McMahon, Athletics
Dalton Moberly, Athletics
Nathan Bollhorst, Athletics
Katelyn Sobotka, Athletics
Markisha Wright, Athletics
Zachary Elsbecker, Athletics
Sean Giza, Arts & Sciences
Carter Roberts, Arts & Sciences
Lauren Beal, Arts & Sciences
Tiffany Roby, Arts & Sciences
Lauren Breman, Arts & Sciences
Emily Kruse, Arts & Sciences
Kayla Jenkins, Arts & Sciences
Inbal Mazar, Arts & Sciences
Patricia Storlie, Arts & Sciences
Jill Allen, Arts & Sciences
Nate Holdren, Arts & Sciences
Paul Brizzi, Arts & Sciences
Bryan Hall, Arts & Sciences
Emily Newman, Arts & Sciences
Anne Peterson, Arts & Sciences
Deirdre Caputo-Levine, Arts & Sciences
Ann Skallerup, Public Safety
Matthew Main, Public Safety
Rick Welch, Public Safety
Kayla Choate, Law School
Christopher Gill, DTS
Cassie Paterson, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (CPHS)
Katie Shields, CPHS
James Kolnik, Residence Life
Luis Cordoba, Residence Life
Victoria Smith, Head Start
Lori Archer, Head Start
Stephanie Charron, Head Start
Stephanie Young, Head Start
Brenna DeGan, Alumni & Development
Grace Provenzano, School of Journalism & Mass Communication (SJMC)
Catherine Staub, SJMC
Matthew Thornton, SJMC
Petros Tesfazion, College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA)
Carl Vieregger, CBPA
Alanah Mitchell, CBPA
Heath Henderson, CBPA
Jamie Grandstaff, CBPA
Cameron Tuai, Cowles Library
Christopher Nickell, Environmental and Health Safety
William Kirby, I Have a Dream Foundation
Roberto Macedo-Davila, Facility Services
Saul Leon-Ortiz, Facility Services

—Submitted by Human Resources