Category Archives: Archive

Campus Announcements Archive

Discount on internet service and devices for qualifying households

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a program that  helps low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices. Eligible households can receive up to a $30/month discount on internet service (or $75/month for households in Tribal lands), as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 for computer or tablet purchases.

Eligibility is based on household income or the receipt of certain government assistance programs, including the Federal Pell Grant, SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, Free and Reduced-Price Lunch, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and other programs. Visit acpbenefit.org for more information and to apply.

— Ryan Zantingh, Director of Financial Aid

Campus Announcements Archive

Name change to Financial Aid Office

Going forward, the office formerly known as Student Financial Planning will be called the Financial Aid Office.

This is a change in name but not in function—our office still desires to assist students with financial planning as it relates to financing their education and repaying student loans. In making this change we seek to increase our visibility with students and parents, who are more accustomed to searching for “the financial aid office”.

— Ryan Zantingh, Director of Financial Aid

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

SPARC spotlight: Nearly 20 grants awarded

The Office of Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Compliance (SPARC) congratulates the following individuals for receiving extramural funding. The awards mentioned below were received since July 1, 2022.  Each awarded grant supports valuable research or program development.  Many of the awarded grants include funding for scholarships and research assistantships. To learn more about any of the funded projects below, please feel free to reach out to the PI/PD. To learn more about grant support please reach out to any staff member in the SPARC office or go to the SPARC website.

PI/PDSponsor  Amount Awarded
Adam CaseNational Science Foundation (NSF)    16,344.00
Meredith MooreNational Science Foundation (NSF)      4,760.00
Keith SummervillePolk County Conservation Board      8,420.75
Keith SummervilleImpact7G      2,000.00
Lance NoeIREX  215,000.00
Kim HueyIowa Space Grant Consortium      9,000.00
Pramod MahajanIowa Space Grant Consortium – scholarships      20,000.00
John RoversIowa Public Health Association      2,500.00
John RoversIowa Care Givers Assoc.      1,000.00
Lisa ProctorPolk County Behavior Health and Disabilities Services  930,536.00
Neil HamiltonAmy P. Goldman Foundation    75,000.00
Suzie PritchettOffice of Refugee Resettlement  486,601.00
Dan ChibnallIowa Space Grant Consortium      5,153.00
Kim JonesCommunity Foundation of Greater Iowa    30,000.00
Hannah SappenfieldIREX  224,999.34
Renee Sedlacek LeeIowa Department of Natural Resources    31,461.00
Walton, RayMid Iowa Health Foundation  653,566.00
Kruse, JerridIowa Space Grant Consortium    10,000.00
   

— Mary P Wohlford, Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Compliance

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Principal Center for Global Engagement partnership grants application deadline

The deadline to apply for the Drake Principal Center for Global Engagement Partnership Grants for fiscal year 2024 is coming up, with all applications due on Jan. 20, 2023.

About the grants

Drake University has established formal partnerships with multiple institutions abroad. Joint faculty and staff projects with our global partner institutions may be eligible for financial support through the Global Partnership Grants. Full-time faculty and staff members are eligible to apply for these grants for activities taking place during FY24 (July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024). Preference will be given to proposals that:

  • Identify a specific set of activities with distinct outcomes with one or more of our partner institutions.
  • Demonstrate a specific impact on Drake curriculum, students, and current global partnerships.
  • Advance Drake’s global engagement with existing partners in new ways.
  • Support involvement by individuals who have not previously been globally engaged.
  • Are financially supported by the school, college, or department of the individual submitting the proposal.
  • Align with internationally or globally focused unit objects and/or the University’s Continuous Improvement Plan.

Application Process

  1. Discuss the proposed activity with your unit Director or Dean prior to submission to help determine its strategic value, and if it aligns with the unit’s global engagement priorities. The discussion will help determine the unit’s interest and ability to support the proposal with financial resources.
  2. Submit the online application via Qualtrics, which includes a description and budget (see Notes below) for the proposed activity.
  3. Deans/Directors will review all proposals for their unit with the Assistant Director of Global Partnerships and the Executive Director of Global Engagement for prioritization and to make collaborative funding decisions. Final award decisions will be announced in Spring 2023.

Notes

  • Global Engagement grant funds are not typically awarded for stipends for Drake faculty and staff; however, stipend requests may be considered for funding by your unit’s Dean/Director on a case-by-case basis. The College of Arts & Sciences will not fund stipends.
  • The College of Arts & Sciences will not fund multiple projects in a given grant cycle submitted by the same individual.
  • The College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences will not fund research through this grant.

To learn more about Drake University’s global partner institutions, please click here. For more information about this grant opportunity, and other funding opportunities by the Drake Principal CGC, please visit the official grant webpage. If you have any questions or would like further support with logistics, please don’t hesitate to contact grant program overseer Hannah Sappenfield.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

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