Category Archives: Archive

HR Information Archive

Get your flu shot and receive a free Drake sports bottle

As a reminder, the first 100 faculty and staff who stop by the Human Resources Office at 319 Old Main with proof they have received a flu vaccine will receive a Drake 24 oz. Tritan Sports Bottle.  We also have a limited supply of Drake 1 oz. hand sanitizers with a travel clip top.

Getting the flu vaccine is recommended every year. However, with the continuing threat of COVID-19 and all its variants happening at the same time as the flu season getting a flu shot and reducing your risk of contracting the flu is especially important this year.

Let’s roll up our sleeves and fight the FLU!

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Access and Success offers a variety of resources: Coaching, tutoring, workshops, and more

Access and Success is a resource that offers academic coaching, disability services, and tutoring. We also offer workshops and webinars on a variety of topics.

If you have a student who could benefit from coaching in areas such as developing more effective study habits, building a time management routine, or addressing motivation challenges, refer them to Access and Success, and we will help them out.

Our next workshop, Tests and Time, is coming up soon. Check out our website for more information: Access & Success Workshops.

— Michelle Laughlin, Access and Success

For Students Archive

Access and Success offers a variety of resources: Coaching, tutoring, workshops, and more

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you needing help getting organized?  Are you struggling in your classes?  Access and Success can help!

Access and Success is a resource that offers academic coaching, disability services, and tutoring. We also offer workshops and webinars on a variety of topics.

If you are interested in any of these resources, check out your Starfish Success Network to get connected quickly and easily. Our next workshop, Tests and Time, is coming up soon. Check out our website for more information: Access & Success Workshops.

— Michelle Laughlin, Access and Success

HR Information Archive

Reminder: Community service leave benefit

Drake University recognizes the importance of community involvement and encourages faculty and staff to participate in volunteer and service activities.  This benefit is an excellent reflection of Drake’s Core Value of Commitment to Mission, which encourages us to serve not just our students, but also our communities.

The Drake University Community Service Leave benefit allows non-bargaining, non-grant funded staff employees to voluntarily participate, with pay, in community service activities that occur during regularly- scheduled work hours, with manager approval.

Full-time staff may receive up to eight hours of paid time to engage in community service leave each fiscal year.  Part-time staff, working 20 or more hours per week, may receive up to four hours of paid community service leave each fiscal year.

If you are looking for a great way to get involved, a list of volunteer opportunities can be found at drake.edu/volunteer.

Please note that employees wishing to provide community service leave must complete a Community Service Leave Request Form.

For more information, please view the Community Service Leave Policy.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Update: Teams calling/phone disruptions

In January, ITS began upgrading the campus phone system and moving faculty and staff extensions to Microsoft Teams. Previously, our phone system consisted of a patchwork of four different systems connected by a hub that was more than 30 years old. 

Throughout the year, ITS staff have moved additional extensions in common areas to Teams calling and have continued to decommission older systems. The overall project, however, is still in progress.  

Throughout this transition, faculty and staff have notified us of issues with response delays and dropped calls. If you have already reported an issue to the IT service portal, thank you. Our staff continue to work through these requests. As we troubleshoot issues it is very helpful for us to know when calls are dropped or other issues occur. If this happens, please submit a Calling/Phone Issue at the IT service portal.  

Thank you for your patience and assistance as we work toward this project’s completion. We are dedicated to providing reliable services and expect disruptions to decrease as this work progresses.   

— Keren Fiorenza, acting CITO, Information Technology Services  

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Help spread the word about open positions at Drake

The pandemic has rocked the workforce in many ways. One of the struggles we are experiencing—along with many other employers—is getting quality candidates to apply for current openings.

“We have had some great jobs posted recently for entry-level and early-career professionals,” said Julia Gwebu, director of Student Account Services. We are not getting the same number or quality of applicants we have in the past—even for the same positions we’ve recruited for in recent years.”

HR will be examining its recruitment practices and developing more strategic approaches, but that will take time and we have openings now. We are calling on the Drake community to help spread the word about current opportunities.

“With so many jobs available in Des Moines, we could really use a boost from people who already work at and care about Drake,” said Anne Kremer, dean of Admissions.

If you know people who are job-hunting, fit with our core values, care about students, and would contribute to a positive work culture, please encourage them to check out the current opportunities available at Drake. If you have strong connections via LinkedIn, social media, or just connections via email, please share and help get the word out. Below are some sample communications you can modify for your use. Please feel free to include this flyer as well.

Sample Email

Subject Line: Job Opportunities at Drake University

Hello,

I know you have been considering a job change, so I wanted to let you know that Drake University has some positions posted right now that may interest you. You can search for current opening here: https://drake.hiretouch.com/.

We are looking for great people to join the Drake team. I think you would enjoy working here and relate to our core values and mission. If you have questions about working at Drake, I am happy to share my experiences here. If you have specific questions about any of the jobs posted, benefits, etc., feel free to reach out to drakehr@drake.edu.

Thank you,

[Name]

Sample Social Media Post

Hello, friends! If you or someone you know is looking for a new job, please check out the jobs posted at Drake University. You can search for current opening here: https://drake.hiretouch.com/. Right now, there are a variety of opportunities to explore. Please take a look or share with anyone you know who is job hunting. If you have specific questions about any of the jobs posted, benefits, etc., feel free to reach out to drakehr@drake.edu. Go Bulldogs!

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resouces

News & Achievements Archive

Flores among five applicants to receive competitive CVS Health Minority Scholarship

Gustavo Flores, a second-year student pharmacist in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, is one of five student pharmacists in the nation among 489 applicants to receive a 2021–2022 CVS Health Minority Scholarship. Flores will receive a $8,000 scholarship and national recognition. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and CVS Health partner to offer the annual scholarship program. The purpose of the scholarship is to reduce challenges and financial barriers that underrepresented minority students who are pursuing a PharmD degree face and to support them in caring for an increasingly diverse population of patients as part of a health care team.

Flores hit the ground running from his first day in Drake’s PharmD program in 2020 and asserted himself as a student leader and an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. He spent many days volunteering at Drake’s COVID-19 student testing clinic as students moved on campus and volunteered at vaccination clinics throughout the spring 2021 semester. Flores is also the president-elect of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists.

He is a member of the College’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workgroup and was a co-leader for the College’s virtual Spanish Medical Conversation Hours project during the 2020–2021 academic year. Flores is also recognized by his instructors for his passion in giving back to assist Spanish-speaking patients at clinical sites.

“I am honored and thankful to be one of the recipients of the CVS Health Minority Scholarship,” said Flores. “This award will lighten the financial burden of pharmacy school which will allow me to focus on my academics and volunteering within the community. As a first-generation Hispanic student, it is one of my goals to increase representation in the health care community and be an advocate for underrepresented and low-income communities. Once again, thank you CVS Health and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.”

Read more.

— Kaylyn Maher, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Campus Announcements Archive

Book signing event with Gary Porter author of ‘Griff: My Life as Drake’s Top Dog’

Gary Porter, Drake alumnus and biographer of Griff: My Life as Drake’s Top Dog, will host a book signing event, Friday, Sept. 24, at 4 p.m. at Drake University’s Helmick Commons. The campus community and public are invited to attend. 

The event will include a meet and greet with Porter and Griff I, who served as Drake University’s first official live mascot from 2015–2020. Porter will also speak at the event, sharing how the book came to life and the joys of telling this lovable bulldog’s story. 

In the biography, My Life as Drake’s Top Dog, Griff tells of his time as Drake University’s live mascot—from cheering on the sports teams to collecting donations for his pet food drive, working as a therapy dog, and even campaigning for President.  

Books will be available for purchase at the event. 

Strategic Updates Archive

Drake University and Broadlawns Medical Center to build new medical clinic

Drake hosted a press conference with Broadlawns Medical Center Sept. 20 to announce plans to construct a 12,000 sq. ft. medical clinic at 29th Street and University Avenue. Prior to the media event, President Martin sent the following message to faculty and staff. A press release with more information is posted in Drake’s newsroom. Project updates will be shared in OnCampus as they become available.

The Broadlawns Community Clinic at Drake will serve the public and Drake campus community. We are entering into a long-term lease agreement with Broadlawns on the property. Broadlawns will manage and fund the construction and operation of the clinic in coordination with the University. Construction will begin in May 2022 with a completion date scheduled for August 2023.

Broadlawns is the University’s student health provider and the official medical provider for Drake Athletics. Broadlawns also serves as an academic community partner, committed to high impact experiential learning in athletic training, pharmacy, health sciences, and occupational therapy. The new clinic with further strengthen this partnership and enhance student health services, replacing Drake’s current student health facility.

This is wonderful news for the Des Moines community, Drake neighborhood residents, and our campus. It is another example of how we are living our inspiration statement that “together we transform lives and strengthen communities.” Drake University is proud to play a role in bringing this trusted community health care provider to our diverse, vibrant neighborhood.

Services available at the clinic will include family medicine, urgent care, mental health, and a rotation of specialties. Students, faculty, and staff will be able to schedule routine visits such as wellness exams and vaccinations, as well as be seen for non-emergent, acute illnesses and injuries. Additionally, the Broadlawns partnership will allow our employees participating in Drake’s health plan to realize significant savings when they choose Broadlawns. Employees and their dependents on our health will experience lower co-pays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums for Broadlawns’ services. Coupled with the convenience of a clinic immediately adjacent to campus, this is a meaningful enhancement to the quality benefits already provided to Drake employees. Human resources will share more information on how we can all take advantage of this opportunity later this fall.

This is a great day for Drake University. I hope you all take pride in being part of an institution that continually works to address the needs of our community through education, research, and service.

— Marty Martin, President

Campus Announcements Archive

Alumni Relations welcomes new employees

The Office of Alumni Relations is pleased to welcome Courtney Conrad to the role of assistant director of regional engagement and Greg Lin to the role of assistant director of volunteer engagement. Courtney and Greg will begin their new positions Monday, Sept. 20.

Please take a moment to learn more about Courtney and Greg below and join me in warmly welcoming them to Drake.

Courtney Conrad
Courtney recently relocated to Des Moines from Colorado where she served as the Coordinator of Transition Programs at Colorado State University. Courtney brings with her a wealth of experience in program development and execution. While at CSU Courtney took a significant program idea that had been a concept for several years, refined it, and carried it through to execution.

Her references shared the following comments:

“Her ability to connect with others and serve as a mentor is unbeatable. She can engage with anyone, any age, any background. She asks the right questions (valued skill I admired in her) and seems to be the staff member that many of my teammates miss the most. She has an ability to leave that mark/impact on others through her first conversation.”

“Working with Courtney has been one of the greatest gifts of my professional career in Higher Ed.  She is hands down incredible.”

In her role, Courtney will be tasked with managing all aspects of our regional alumni outreach and engagement including volunteer management, event programming, and communication. Courtney will serve as the staff liaison to our eleven regional advisory boards (RABs) across the country. Additionally, she will also be responsible for developing and executing strategic virtual engagement programs including the Back to Class series.

Greg Lin
Greg has worked at Drake for the past five years serving as an Assessment Coordinator in Institutional Research. In his time at Drake Greg has built countless personal and professional relationships across campus. His experience working with data and assessment, coupled with his natural relationship building skills will serve the department well. 

Greg is currently the President of the Young Professionals Connection of Greater Des Moines and is also a 2021 Des Moines Business Record 40 under 40 recipient. 

His references shared the following comments: 

“Greg left for his position at Drake several years ago. He still frequently communicates with several of his former peers after all this time. We just finished preparing for our accreditation visit in March, and it was commented several times that we were very well prepared because of processes that Greg implemented during his time here. Greg Lin is someone that if you encounter him, you don’t forget him. You don’t forget his kindness, his selflessness, his dedication, his intellect, his contributions, or his work ethic. I know that he would be a valuable asset to any team that welcomed him.”

In his role, Greg will be tasked with establishing and growing a dynamic volunteer program through volunteer selection and management, communication, and event programming. Greg will also be responsible for supporting our LGBTQ+ and Black Alumni Association affinity groups, helping foster deep connections between alumni and with students.

—Andy Verlengia, Alumni Relations