Category Archives: Archive

News & Achievements Archive, Strategic Updates Archive

A Guide to Drake University’s 159th Commencement Ceremonies: May 16–17

Drake University will award 1,319 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees at its 2026 spring commencement ceremonies. Drake will host the undergraduate ceremony at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 17, and the graduate and doctoral ceremony will follow at 2 p.m. Both ceremonies will take place in the Knapp Center at 2601 Forest Avenue, Des Moines, and be presided over by Drake University President Marty Martin.

Griff II ‘Graduates’

A special guest at this year’s undergraduate ceremony will be Griff II, who will “graduate” from his official live mascot duties and cross the stage with the Class of 2026. Griff III officially accepted the live mascot responsibilities at a ceremony on May 8, 2026, at Old Main and will serve the University in the years to come, accompanied by his caretaker, Erin Bell.

Commencement Speakers

Kristopher (Kris) Covi, alumnus speaker

The Drake University undergraduate ceremony will include remarks from alumnus Kristopher (Kris) Covi, AS’95, welcoming new Drake graduates into a community of more than 75,000 Bulldogs. Covi is a shareholder at Dvorak Law Group in Omaha, Neb., and currently serves on the Drake University National Alumni Board of Directors. He earned his law degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1998. In his spare time, Covi is a comedian and does stand-up comedy shows in the Omaha area.

Katelyn Jetelina, Ph.D., honorary degree recipient, Doctor of Humane Letters

Katelyn Jetelina, Ph.D., is a distinguished epidemiologist and the founder of Your Local Epidemiologist, a newsletter that has reached more than 500 million readers globally. A TIME100 Most Influential People in Health honoree, she has served as a as a senior advisor to three former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) directors. She is a co-founder of The Evidence Collective and an adjunct professor at the Yale School of Public Health, dedicated to translating complex data into actionable public health insights. Jetelina earned her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in 2016 in epidemiology and biostatistics and her master’s degree in public health in 2014 from the University of Texas Health Science Center. She completed a bachelor’s degree in physiology from the University of Arizona in 2011. Jetelina also holds an honorary doctorate from The State University of New York (SUNY).

Emerson Whittemore, Oreon E. Scott Senior Legacy Award, Fulbright scholar, and undergraduate ceremony speaker

Each year, Drake presents the Oreon E. Scott Senior Legacy Award to an undergraduate student leader who embodies scholarship, leadership, service, and involvement. This year’s honoree is Emerson Whittemore. Whittemore is from Brooklyn Park, Minn. She is graduating from Drake with majors in sociology and Spanish and a minor in leadership education and development.

While attending Drake University, she has been part of the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute, Student Alumni Association, Violence Intervention Partners, Student Senate, a peer mentor/academic consultant, Alpha Kappa Delta, Phi Beta Kappa, and Kappa Kappa Gamma. She is a leadership selection committee member for the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Council and District Directors. During the summer of 2025, Whittemore served as a social and human rights intern at El Instituto Educativo San Gregorio El Iluminador and El Instituto Superior Daguerre in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Upon graduation, Whittemore will be working as a traveling leadership consultant for the Kappa Kappa Gamma fraternity headquarters until March of 2027, when she will move to Uruguay on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship grant through November of 2027.

Alicia Chilton, graduate ceremony speaker

Alicia Chilton will address graduate students and guests at the commencement ceremony for graduate and doctoral degree recipients. Chilton is graduating from Drake University with her Master of Business Administration degree. She currently works at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, where she is the vice president of marketing. Before joining the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Chilton worked at Drake for more than two years as the assistant director of marketing. While employed at Drake, she collaborated with the annual giving team to help fundraise during the “All In” program. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Iowa State University, with minors in design studies and apparel merchandising.

Commencement Schedule, Parking, and Livestream

Saturday, May 16

  • 3 p.m.: The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Doctoral Hooding and Commencement Ceremony
  • 7 p.m.: The Drake Law School Commencement

Sunday, May 17

  • 10 a.m.: The 159th Commencement Ceremony for Undergraduate Degree Recipients
  • 2 p.m.: The 159th Commencement Ceremony for Graduate and Doctoral Degree Recipients

Drake will stream all four ceremonies at live.drake.edu. Free parking is available in campus lots during the ceremonies. For more details, visit the Registrar’s website.

Campus Announcements Archive

Gear Up for Graduation: Gifts, Alumni Apparel, and More

Graduation is a time to celebrate years of hard work, dedication, and achievement. Bulldog Shop is here to help the entire community mark the occasion with thoughtful grad gifts, alumni gear, and any last-minute graduation essentials.

Whether you’re honoring a graduate, cheering on a loved one, or celebrating your own milestone, visit us for meaningful gifts and new alumni apparel to commemorate this special moment. Our store will be open throughout commencement weekend for any last-minute regalia needs.

Bulldog Shop Special Hours (May 11–17)

Mon–Thursday: 9 a.m. –5 p.m.

Friday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

— The Bulldog Shop

Campus Announcements Archive

Cowles Library Survey Findings

As part of Cowles Library’s ongoing commitment to assessing our effectiveness and improving how we serve Drake University, the Library Assessment, Data, and Retention Working Group invited the campus community to share feedback in Fall 2025 about our spaces, services, resources, website, and teaching and research support. Hundreds of students, faculty, and staff responded. Thank you! Linked here is a brief summary of what we heard and how the results will help inform our planning.

— Teri Koch, Cowles Library

Campus Announcements Archive

New in Dogtown: Lifestyle Juices Expands and True Blue Opens

As some of you may have seen, Lifestyle Juices has moved next door and now has a larger, upgraded space at the corner of 25th and University (the former Ancient Ways location). Along with their signature fruit smoothies, be on the lookout for an expanded lunch menu coming soon.

Entirely new to Dogtown is True Blue Shake & Energy Bar, a wellness-focused nutrition club offering delicious meal replacement protein shakes, energizing herbal teas, and 24g protein iced coffees. Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast, a healthy lunch option, an afternoon energy boost, or post-workout fuel, True Blue provides convenient, feel-good options designed to fit busy lifestyles. With a welcoming atmosphere and a focus on community, True Blue Shake & Energy Bar is excited to serve students, staff, athletes, and the greater Des Moines community.

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Retirement Celebration for Dean Teri Koch May 14

You’re invited to a retirement celebration for Dean Teri Koch in the Cowles Library Reading Room on Thursday, May 14, from 1–3 p.m.

Throughout four decades of commitment, Teri has been instrumental in shaping our library into the academic hub of the University. Her leadership and vision have left a lasting mark on Cowles Library and the Iowa library community.

Please join us as we gather to honor her legacy, share memories, and wish her the very best in her next chapter. Light refreshments will be served.

— Hope Bibens, Cowles Library

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Fair-ly Good News: Join Drake at the Fair

Drake University is heading back to the Iowa State Fair this summer! Thanks to the vision of Kyle in the Bulldog Shop and in partnership with many—we’ll have a 20′ x 10′ booth in the Varied Industries building.

As Des Moines’ hometown team, this is our chance to showcase the incredible work we do, connect with our growing Iowa student base, and flood the fairgrounds with Drake Blue!

Want to get involved?
If you are interested (in any way) in helping out with the fair, we’re looking for volunteers!  Please contact Nate Reagen for more details.  We’ll try to make it worth your while. Even if you aren’t volunteering at Drake’s booth, be sure to stop by and see the display while you’re enjoying the fair!

— Nate Reagen, Office of the President

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Provost’s Drake Social Tomorrow to Highlight Milestone Service Anniversary Recipients and Retirees

Please join us tomorrow, Wednesday, May 13, for the Provost’s Drake Social at the Schickler Club (adjacent to the Knapp Center) from 4–5:30 p.m.

During the social, we will honor faculty and staff celebrating retirements or milestone service anniversaries occurring during the 2025–2026 fiscal year. Honorees’ names will be featured on video screens throughout the room

Refreshments will include an assortment of snacks and beverages. The Provost’s Social is a family-friendly event. Feel free to bring your children or partner.

Please take a moment to stop by and congratulate your co-workers.

— Anne Marie Greenwood, Office of the Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Workday Project Update: Where We Are and What’s Next

Drake’s implementation of Workday continues to move forward on schedule. We have just reached a significant milestone in the project – completion of the design and configuration stage of Drake’s Workday system. From both a schedule and configuration perspective, we are exactly where we expected to be at this point in the work. Importantly, testing to date has exceeded expectations, giving us confidence as we move into the more complex end‑to‑end and payroll parallel testing phases ahead.

Where We Are on the Timeline

The current focus is on completing the Platform phase of the project, which includes Workday Human Resources, Payroll, and Financials. This phase runs through 2026, with time entry beginning September 21, and go‑live scheduled for October 1. Planning and early preparedness work for Workday Student is beginning now, with detailed student planning activities ramping up over the coming months.

What Workday Will Improve for Campus

Our project teams are configuring Workday to bring significant value to campus through:

  • Greater self‑service and transparency, with tasks, approvals, and status visible in one system
  • Earlier approvals and validations, reducing errors, payroll issues, and budget overruns before they occur
  • Modern financial and HR business processes, replacing inefficient, manual processes and paper forms with automated, digital workflows
  • Real‑time reporting and insight into people, budgets, and operations with integrated data
  • Mobile access for common actions like time entry, absence requests, and expense documentation

What’s Coming Next

Over the next several months, the project will move through end‑to‑end testing, payroll parallel testing, and end‑user training. Training will begin in late August/early September, and non-exempt employees will begin using Workday on September 21 for timesheet entry. The full Platform system will go live on October 1.

As go‑live approaches, we will be providing more information, with more detail, on how Workday will impact the campus and what you need to know to be prepared. Stay tuned!

— Chris Gill, ITS

Campus Announcements Archive

Fake CAPTCHA Scam Targets Windows Users

Fake “I’m not a robot” checks are being used to trick Windows users into installing password-stealing malware, and we’ve recently heard reports of this scam on campus.

You’ve probably seen CAPTCHA prompts online – those little boxes or picture puzzles that help websites verify you’re a human. The prompt looks routine, but instead of a normal image puzzle, it claims there’s an “error” and gives you “simple steps” to verify.

Here’s the catch: the fake page tells you to press Windows Key + R, then Ctrl + V, then Enter. That opens the Windows Run box, pastes a hidden command from your clipboard, and runs it, potentially downloading an information-stealer (reported as StealC) that can grab things like saved passwords, browser cookies, and login details for your accounts.

What to do: If a CAPTCHA asks you to use keyboard shortcuts, close the tab – don’t do it! If you already did, disconnect from the internet, run a full malware scan, and change your Drake password using a different trusted device. You may also need to change personal passwords, such as email, banking, social media, and others.

If you need help, contact the ITS Support Center by submitting a ticket through the ITS service portal at service.drake.edu/its, calling 515-271-3001, or bringing your device to the lower level of Carnegie Hall.

— Becky Klein, ITS

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Copilot in Microsoft 365: What Changed

Microsoft has changed how Copilot is licensed. As a result, the button that previously appeared inside some Office apps is no longer available for most campus accounts.

What’s changing:

  • Beginning April 15, Microsoft stopped offering the embedded Copilot experience within Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for users who do not have a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot (Premium) license.
  • You may notice the Copilot icon is no longer available on the ribbon in those apps.

What’s staying the same:

  • Copilot Chat (web-based chat experience) is still available.
  • You can continue to access Copilot Chat through the Microsoft 365 Copilot app and on the web (for example, via the Microsoft 365 portal).
  • Copilot Chat also remains available in Outlook (mail and calendar) and in Teams.

More information:

This is a Microsoft-wide licensing change (not a Drake-specific decision). Microsoft may adjust how and where Copilot features appear across Microsoft 365 apps over time as licensing and product experiences evolve.

Do I need to do anything?

No action is required. If you were using Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or OneNote, you can continue using Copilot via Copilot Chat instead. If you have questions or need help finding Copilot Chat, contact the IT Support Center by submitting a Software Request ticket on the service portal, calling 515-271-3001, or bringing your device to the lower level of Carnegie Hall.

— Becky Klein, ITS