Category Archives: Archive

Campus Announcements Archive

Nominations open for the Adams Leadership Awards

Nominations are open! The Adams Leadership Awards are an annual, campus-wide tradition to celebrate the achievements of all student leaders and organizations at Drake University. Each May, we honor students and organizations who have made valuable contributions to the campus community through their outstanding commitment to leadership.

Please consider nominating any Drake students and student organizations who have exhibited strong leadership and excellence throughout the fall 2022 semester. Nominations can be submitted by any Drake student, faculty, or staff member.

Award categories include:

  • Outstanding First Year Student
  • Outstanding Residence Hall Leader
  • Outstanding Equity & Inclusion Program
  • Oreon E. Scott Outstanding Senior of the Year
  • …and many more!

View a full list of awards and the nomination form. Nominations will be open throughout the spring semester, but don’t wait – nominate fall 2022 events and student leaders today!

— Kristin Economos, Office of Student Involvement and Leadership

Strategic Updates Archive

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service events

Drake students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in an educational or volunteer activity to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. MLK Day of Service is observed the third Monday in January as a “day on, not a day off,” and is one of two federally-recognized national days of service.  All events listed are on Jan. 16, unless otherwise noted.

10th Annual MLK Jr. Prayer Breakfast – 7:30–9:30 a.m., Drake University Knapp Center. Presented by John R. Grubb YMCA. The theme of the 10th Annual Prayer Breakfast is The Quest for Environmental and Climate Justice. This event will gather various community residents, leaders, and agencies to join in fellowship through a dialogue on environmental justice in Iowa. Keynote will be delivered by Dr. Robert D. Bullard, a distinguished professor and award-winning author known as “The Father of Environmental Justice.”  Register in advance.

MLK Day of Service at CYC – All are invited to join for service projects at King Elementary (1849 Forest Ave, Des Moines) from 1–4 p.m. Additionally, from 1:15-2:15pm, there will be a leadership workshop for middle school students, and from 2:45-3:45pm a leadership workshop for high school students.  Please RSVP using the link, CYC’s 2023 MLK Day Registration, or by emailing mollie@cyconcepts.org.

MLK Day Celebration: The Beloved Community: Hope + Elim will host an event from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. to include worship, musical performances by Bridges to Harmony and Genesis Youth Foundation, and an inspiring message from guest speaker Sam Acho, an ESPN football analyst, nine-year NFL veteran, author, and ambassador to International Justice Mission. Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable items to be shared with community members in need. To-go meals will be handed out as people leave. The event will be live-streamed. They will also host a Meals from the Heartland packaging event on Saturday, Jan. 14.

Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Multicultural Reception and West Des Moines MLK Day Celebration – 3:30–6 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy RecPlex. The Greater Des Moines Partnership will host a Multicultural Reception in partnership with the City of West Des Moines, the West Des Moines Human Rights Commission, West Des Moines Schools, West Des Moines Historical Society, Des Moines University, Polk County, Taste of the Junction, Meals from the Heartland and the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. The theme is “The Time is Always Right to Do Right,” in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.  The event will begin with a roundtable discussion from 3:30–4:15 p.m. where attendees will have the opportunity to discuss a variety of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)-related topics of importance to their organization and the community. A beverage and appetizer reception will begin at 4:15 p.m. with brief remarks around 4:30 p.m. and continue until 6 p.m. 

Forest Ave. Library MLK Day Celebration, 4–5 p.m. at the Forest Ave. Library. Keynote speaker is community leader Jacquie Easley McGhee, the division director for health equity, diversity, and inclusion for MercyOne. She is also the health chair for the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP, and in 1990 became the first Black woman to serve on the Des Moines School Board. Live ASL interpretation will be onsite for the speakers, funded by the Forest Avenue Library Brick Fund. After introductions by Des Moines Public Library Director Susan A. Woody, Jacquie Easley McGhee will speak, followed by a Q-and-A session. Refreshments will be provided courtesy of the Forest Avenue Library Brick Fund.

Free Tours of the Jordan House Museum, Sunday, Jan. 15, 1–3 p.m. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, free tours of the historic Jordan House will be available. The Jordan House is a member of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program.  There will be a book giveaway or “The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.” and “It Starts With Me.”

MLK Packaging event at Meals From the Heartland – Volunteer for a 90-minute shift between 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. to package meals for the hungry here in Iowa and around the world. Sign up in advance.

Undesign the Redline Exhibit – Take a virtual tour of this Polk County Housing Trust Fund exhibit, which provides background on federal policies started in the 1930s showing which neighborhoods were worthy of investment specifically due to the race, ethnicity, and class of residents. These policies had a profoundly negative social and economic impact on those living in “undesirable” neighborhoods, especially African American residents, that persist to this day.

Free Skating with Donations at Brenton Skating Rink, 12–9 p.m. Receive free admission to Brenton Skating Plaza with a food or clothing donation.  Donate non-perishable food items or adult-sized new socks. One item = one customer receives free admission. Two items = one customer receives free admission and free skate rental. Walk-up registration only. Donations will support Central Iowa Shelter and Services.

Take some time to educate yourself on a topic of racial justice. Read a book, listen to a podcast, watch a documentary, and dialogue with others on what you’ve learned. 

Learn about additional volunteer opportunities at www.drake.edu/dugood.

Strategic Updates Archive

Lightning round: Getting to know Tim Albers, Interim Dean of Admission

In addition to the welcome message from Provost Mattison below, we wanted to share a few fun facts and personal preferences about new Interim Dean of Admission Tim Albers that you won’t find on his LinkedIn page.

  1. Hometown? I was born in Pekin, Ill., but moved to Colorado when I was four years old and grew up in Salida, Colo.
  2. Coffee, tea, or juice?  COFFEE!!!
  3. Summer or winter?  Fall
  4. PC or Mac? Android or Apple?  PC and Android! (I have an iPhone because my family members are iPhone folks)
  5. Favorite food? Mexican food of any kind and Japanese hibachi
  6. Favorite vacation/place you’ve visited?  I loved Hawaii (north shore Oahu) but hated the flight there and back!
  7. Dog or cat person (keep in mind Griff II is reading this)? Bulldog, of course
  8. Favorite thing about Drake or Des Moines so far? The people! I am impressed by the staff and faculty I’ve met, and I had a chance to watch alums at the Drake Diner after the basketball game on Saturday. I really enjoyed “eavesdropping” on some nearby conversations. The love folks have for Drake is impressive.
  9. Early riser or night owl? Night Owl
  10. Favorite thing to do in your spare time? I enjoy working on my cars. I also like snowshoeing and going to sporting events
  11. Most admired person? Abraham Lincoln. Read the book “Lincoln on Leadership”
  12. Best concert or favorite band? Best concert was Willie Nelson; Favorite Band is Boston (am I allowed to admit that?)
  13. You have a degree in mining engineering. Why this major? I grew up in the mountains in Colorado and fell in love with the mega-sized equipment that mines use, and the complicated processes to process ores. 

A few words from Tim:

“I am thrilled to join Drake University! As the Interim Dean of Admission, I’m honored and excited to work with the great admissions, financial aid, and marketing teams already in place at Drake. I will work to make sure that the strategies and efforts already in place will continue successfully. I am also thrilled to be part of a university with a strong reputation and with so much to offer to its students, alumni, staff and faculty.”

A welcome message from Provost Mattison

I am writing to formally welcome Tim Albers as Interim Dean of Admission. Tim is filling the role of Annie Kremer who has decided to leave Drake after 6.5 years of dedicated and exemplary service. Tim officially began his duties yesterday and will serve in his role until a permanent Dean of Admission is in place.

Tim has more than 20 years of experience in undergraduate admissions and has a passion for developing and implementing strategic plans that increase enrollment and improve retention. Tim comes to Drake from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota—one of our peer institutions—where he served as Vice Provost for Enrollment Management. In this role, he supervised undergraduate and graduate admissions, financial aid, registrar, student central services, and enrollment operations.

He is no stranger to the enrollment challenges facing traditional campuses across the country. While at Saint Mary’s, Tim chaired the Presidential Enrollment Council to address current enrollment issues and spearheaded several new initiatives around transfer credit programming and retention.

Throughout his career, Tim has demonstrated his commitment to diversity, equity, and access for all. Prior to Saint Mary’s, Tim served at Missouri University of Science and Technology for six years as the Director of Recruitment Marketing and Enrollment Development and then later as the Dean for Enrollment Management. It was here that he focused on improving recruitment programs for diverse student populations. He also chaired the Access2Success Committee, a national organization devoted to increasing equity for underrepresented students.

During his time at Missouri S&T, the University achieved record enrollment institution-wide as well as within the College of Arts Sciences and Business. This included record enrollment of underrepresented student groups. S&T also yielded its largest first-year class in history under Tim’s leadership.

Tim holds a Master of Science in Education with a specialization in Enrollment Management from Capella University and a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

The search for Drake’s next Dean of Admission is underway. We are in the process of convening a search committee of deans, faculty members, senior administrators, staff, and students to partner with us on this critically important search. I will keep you updated as the search progresses.

In the meantime, I am grateful for Tim’s exceptional leadership abilities. He brings a wealth of expertise and experience to Drake and has jumped into the role with enthusiasm and energy. I’m very much looking forward to working with him.

— Sue Mattison, Provost

Campus Announcements Archive

In memoriam: Betty Gause

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Betty Gause, beloved alumna and former Drake staff member of 13 years. Betty began her career at Drake in 1986 as Cashier and Students Accounts Manager. In 1991, she assumed the role of Director of Student Organizations and Programming, and later became the Director of Student Activities, a position she held until she left Drake in 1999.

A 1986 issue of the Times Delphic highlights Betty’s “open-door policy for all.”

It’s hard to put into words how much Betty meant to the students, colleagues, and the entire Drake community. She served as a mentor and advisor to students and staff, and was a long-time champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on campus. She recognized the need for more Black representation in student government and worked as an adviser to increase diverse voices on the Student Activities Board (SAB) and in Greek life. She later helped head the Coalition of Black Students. She also served as a long-time adviser for the Drake and Des Moines chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

While Betty will be deeply missed by the many students and colleagues who had the privilege of calling her a friend, her legacy and commitment to diversify student programming and leadership at the University will live on and only continue to grow.

Betty’s full obituary can be read here.

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Campus closing Wednesday at 5 p.m. due to weather

Provost Mattison sent the following message to campus Tuesday, Dec. 20.

Due to anticipated blizzard conditions, and dangerously cold air temperatures combined with high winds, Drake University offices will be closed after 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, reopening at the conclusion of the winter break on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Only essential staff should report to work. This designation includes employees who are in operations such as public safety, food service, security, power plant, animal care, critical maintenance, and snow and ice removal. Supervisors should communicate with their employees regarding individual schedules. 

Dress appropriately if you need to go outside during this time of bitter cold. It is best to wear layers and properly cover all extremities, including hands and face, as frostbite can occur on exposed skin in as little as 15 minutes. 

Thank you to those who work so diligently to keep our campus safe and ensure continued operations. 

— Sue Mattison, Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Drake Databook 2022 updates

Are you curious about the historical trends of Drake’s undergraduate, graduate, and professional enrollment? Do you have questions about the demographic profile of our student body or faculty? The Drake Databook answers these questions and more. Find those answers at Databooks.

The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment publishes this information each year. As we wrap up the year and our work in the Databook, many of your questions can be answered now.

Any questions or issues, please contact Christine Marchand christine.marchand@drake.edu.

— Christine Marchand, Office of Institutional Research and Assessment

Campus Announcements Archive

Accommodating dietary and nutrition needs

Do you have food allergies or a particular dietary need? Our Drake Dining Services team will work to accommodate your special dietary requirements.  

Hubbell offers numerous options for those with dietary restrictions including Sprouts (vegan and vegetarian), Simple Servings (top 8 allergen-free), and Simple Zone (gluten-free pantry). Hubbell can also accommodate additional dietary restrictions such as halal or low carb upon request. If you have a particular dietary need, please reach out to Drake Dietitian Samantha Matt, MS, RDN, LDN, to discuss how Hubbell can accommodate you. Samantha is available for Hubbell tours and free consultations to help manage dietary restrictions and navigate Hubbell. Free nutrition counseling is available to all students on topics such as health and wellness, sports nutrition, and disease management. Samantha is available for virtual or in-person meetings year-round. 

 You can schedule an appointment directly by clicking here. Or, contact Samantha at one of the following emails: samantha.matt@drake.edu or samantha.matt@sodexo.com.

— Shaelyn Hankins, Drake Dining

 

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Bulldog Applause goes to Drake Head Start

The All Staff Council Recognition Committee recognized Drake Head Start with a Bulldog Applause for all they do for Drake and the surrounding community. This department is sincerely appreciated, and we want to share more about the important work they perform.

The US Department of Health and Human Services provides funding for the Head Start programs across the nation. Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide early childhood education to children ages birth to five. The majority of the families served by these programs face significant challenges such as poverty, homelessness, disability, or trauma. Since 1977, the outstanding members of the Drake Head Start team have provided classroom and home-based services to those in need, currently serving over 1,100 children and families annually. Additionally, they partner with other local recreational sites such as Blank Park Zoo and Living History Farms to offer families events they may not otherwise be able to attend.

We recognize, honor and applaud Drake Head Start for the tremendous work they perform and their incredible devotion to the community!

— Trevon Smith, On behalf of All Staff Council

News & Achievements Archive

Drake University Law School advances to National Moot Court Competition

Not one but two Drake Law National Moot Court teams rose to the top of their recent regional competition to compete against each other in the final round. Both teams demonstrated their hard work and excellence in written and oral advocacy but only one could win and move on to compete in the National competition in New York City early next year. The Drake Law team of Elizabeth Boyer, Ben Wolf, and Catherine Dukelow narrowly beat the second Drake team of Steffi Lee Dwyer, Caleb Piersma, and NaRayah Runyon in the finals to advance to nationals. Both teams are coached by Louis Sloven, LW’15.

The regional competition was held virtually and hosted by Drake Law School on Nov. 7. This event invites two competition teams from each participating law school, including Drake, the University of Iowa, the University of Minnesota, and the University of South Dakota.

The Drake Law teams excelled throughout the competition. During preliminary rounds, Piersma, Dwyer, and Boyer ranked in the top five best oralists. Elizabeth Boyer was recognized as best oralist in the final round and named best oralist of the overall competition. The team of Dwyer, Piersma, and Runyon won best brief honors for the competition.

When asked about the preparation process leading up to the team’s win, Catherine Dukelow said, “It has been stressful, but I can tell it has helped improve my persuasive writing and oral advocacy … Elizabeth has been an absolutely amazing team captain and it is wonderful to work with and learn from her.”

“It was a great opportunity to learn from experienced advocates and judges, including justices from the Iowa Supreme Court,” Ben Wolf said. “I’m truly grateful to all the people who invested their time and energy into our team.”

Drake Law School is recognized as a Top School for Trial Advocacy by preLaw magazine, due in part to the strength of our Moot Court programs. Drake Law offers numerous opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience and hone their trial and advocacy skills through moot court and mock trial team participation, in addition to intra-school competitions. These experiences help students learn to work well under pressure and think on their feet and gives them the self confidence they need to become successful advocates.

Please visit our website for more information.

— Taylor Johnson, Law School

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Deadline extended: Funding for faculty-student research

The Nelson Institute is seeking proposals for a two-year grant that will fund interdisciplinary faculty-student research addressing a global issue of broad public importance. Deadline: Jan. 27, 2023.

Background

The purpose of this initiative is to enhance Drake’s direct involvement in addressing pressing global issues, thus helping position Drake as a “global knowledge hub” in service to local, national, and international communities.

Over the last several years, the Nelson Institute has funded the following projects. Visit our website here to learn more about these projects:

  • Cross-cultural Community-based Strategies for Sustainable Urban Streams: Lessons from Des Moines and Jakarta.
  • Exploring complementary approaches to combat global non-communicable diseases in India.
  • Religions of Beijing book project with Minzu University of China in Beijing.
  • Assessing, Collaborating, and Empowering to Improve Water Quality in Rural Uganda.
  • Transnational Des Moines: Reframing Des Moines Immigrant and Refugee Narratives through Collaborative Research with Youth.
  • Drake University’s Presence in the Toledo District of Southern Belize: Maximizing Our Impact While Minimizing Our Footprint.

Call for Proposals

One project will be funded for the period from February 1, 2023 – January 31, 2025. The Nelson Institute will provide $20,000-$30,000 in support of the selected project, depending upon demonstrated need. Project leaders are encouraged, if necessary, to seek additional funding from on- and off-campus sources.

How to Submit a Proposal

Send your proposal to the Nelson Institute Faculty Director, Professor Jimmy Senteza, by January 27, 2023.

The review committee typically consists of the Director of the Nelson Institute, the Executive Director of Global Engagement, two additional faculty representatives from the Global Engagement Advisory Committee (GEAC), and a staff member from the Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Compliance office. Award notification will occur by January 31, 2023.

Teams are encouraged to consult with the Director of the Nelson Institute as they prepare their proposals. The successful grant team will be expected to submit a formal progress report by January 31, 2024, and a final grant report by January 31, 2025.

Successful proposals will feature the following elements/criteria:

Explication of Research Topic

  • A clear identification of the pressing global issue to be addressed and an explanation of its public significance.
  • An exposition of the research objectives and methods related to the project.
  • An explanation of how the project takes advantage of particular strengths Drake and the community bring to addressing the issue.

Identification of Interdisciplinary Research Team

  • Commitments from an interdisciplinary faculty research team consisting of three or more faculty members (at least two of whom must be Drake affiliated). One or more Principal Investigators must be identified.
  • Evidence that the team members possess the requisite qualifications to successfully carry out the project (please attach CVs).
  • The project must involve two or more paid student research assistants with appropriate qualifications.
  • The research may be joint or parallel (i.e., a single joint project or several individual projects that each address related aspects of a common theme).

Activities and Outcomes

  • The project timeline will allow for completion of the primary research products within a two-year period.
  • The project participants will engage in at least two team activities (e.g., summer campus workshop, international travel as a team, cooperative field work, etc.) during the grant period.
  • Team members will collaborate with other campus entities (e.g., Principal Center for Global Citizenship, Humanities Center, DUSCI, the Harkin Institute, Engaged Citizen, etc.) to schedule co-curricular events (e.g., speakers, films, panel discussions, etc.) related to the theme during the two-year grant period.
  • The project will plausibly lead to externalization in the form of publication, presentation(s) at a professional conference, submission as a report to relevant public or non-governmental bodies involved with policy-making, or other outputs of similar import.
  • The student members of the grant team are expected to participate in the annual Nelson Conference held on campus each Spring. Additionally, we encourage organizing an on-campus conference related to the theme to be held during (or soon following) year two of the grant involving Drake faculty and students and relevant off-campus experts from academia, government or the professions.

Preferences

  • Preference will be given to projects that draw upon connections with partners at the local, national, or international level (e.g., overseas university partner).
  • Preference will be given to new projects that have not been funded in prior years by the Nelson Institute.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement