Category Archives: Archive

Campus Announcements Archive

Support the Food Bank of Iowa and Burt Club

Each year on May 15, as part of 515 Day in Des Moines, members of the Drake Athletics department rally together to serve our greater Des Moines community.  This year, we are collecting items for the Food Bank of Iowa and the Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Boys & Girls Club.

A few socially-distanced staff members will be stationed out front of the Knapp Center on Friday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. collecting donations. Please consider making a contribution.

The Food Bank of Iowa has identified the following as items of significant need:

  • Protein (peanut butter, canned meats, canned fish)
  • Canned fruits
  • Canned vegetables
  • Canned soup
  • Pasta sauce
  • Breakfast items (including cereal)
  • 100 percent fruit juice
  • Personal care and paper items (soap, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.)
  • New or gently used washed t-shirts


The Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Boys & Girls Club is requesting donations of: 

  • Bubbles
  • Chalk
  • Markers
  • Crayons

These items are given to kids waiting in cars as their parents visit the food pantry.

Thank you, and Go Bulldogs!

— Shannon Saunders, Drake Athletics

Strategic Updates Archive

Reminder: Temperature self-monitoring and face mask requirements

As a reminder, Drake University is requiring temperature self-monitoring for faculty, staff, and students who come to campus. Additionally, those who come to campus, including visitors, are required to wear a mask inside University buildings, and also expected to do so on University grounds when they are within six (6) feet of others. 

The University provides essential employees in Facilities, Mail, Public Safety, and Student Life with masks; other Drake employees have the option to choose from a University-provided mask (as supplies last) or one they already own. In addition, residential students still residing in Drake residence halls are required to wear masks while in common areas on campus. The University has provided one reusable cloth face mask to each residential student.

The University will not provide non-residential students or visitors with face masks. These individuals are encouraged to acquire a face mask from another source. These masks can be purchased from various vendors, or be homemade following the CDC or Iowa Department of Public Health guidelines. A YouTube video of the Surgeon General making a version of the mask that does not require sewing can be found here.

This process is not because of any case or concern specific to the University, but rather is in accordance with directive from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Polk County Health Department (PCHD). Thank you for adhering to these requirements in an effort to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of the Drake community.

Read complete details of these guidelines.

For Students Archive

You did it, Class of 2020! Let’s celebrate.

There’s no doubt that your time spent at Drake University has been full of hard work, achievements, meaningful experiences, and lasting memories. Although we won’t be able to recognize you in person this May, we want to still commemorate you properly, and we’ve created a virtual experience to do just that.

The new Virtual Commencement website will serve as the hub for the virtual celebration on May 16, so bookmark the page and save the date!

Feel free to send the link to your friends and family so they can celebrate with you on this special day. Can’t celebrate on May 16? No problem, the commencement site can still be viewed by Bulldogs and their families through December.

For questions, visit the frequently asked questions section on the hub or visit the Drake University Virtual CommencementFacebook Event page.

We are bound together by our Drake experiences, and we can’t wait to celebrate all that the Class of 2020 has accomplished.

— John Smith, Virtual Commencement Committee Chair/Vice President, University Advancement

News & Achievements Archive

Drake Community Press launches new book

In a time when we could all use a dose of inspiration, Above and Beyond Cancer, a new book from the Drake Community Press, is just what the doctor ordered. The 171-page book is a collection of more than 100 voices accentuated by stunning photographs that illuminate the difficult journey of a cancer diagnosis and the opportunity it provides for profound personal transformation. The production of Above and Beyond Cancer was a two-year journey for more than 100 collaborators including several Drake classes, numerous student interns, faculty, staff, administrators, community partners, and campus partners from nearly every department on Drake’s campus. Together, with members of the central Iowa community, these collaborators came together as the Drake Community Press, an academic-community partnership.

The first launch event is Saturday, May 9, via Zoom. A special launch for the Drake community will occur on May 15 at 2 p.m. More information will be provided in the next OnCampus.

— Carlyn Crowe, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

HR Information Archive

Welcome new Bulldogs

Please join the Human Resources department in welcoming five new full-time Drake University employees for the month of April.

Leroy Douglas, Facilities Planning and Management, Facility Maintainer III
Alma Ortiz, Facilities Planning and Management, Facility Maintainer III
Terri Schlak, University Advancement, Assistant Data Specialist
Henry Becker, Public Safety, Public Safety Officer
Nathan Jacobson, Drake International, Education Abroad Coordinator

— Laura Schwarz, Human Resources

Campus Announcements Archive

Griff’s drive-through birthday party

Griff is getting ready to celebrate his eighth (golden) birthday! He is also retiring as our mascot on June 30. We are excited to invite you to join him for a celebration (social-distance style) on campus Friday, May 8, from 9–11 a.m. Griff and Griff II (aka George) will be stationed in the northwest corner of the Olmsted Lot ready to greet well-wishers from their cars as they drive by. Instead of gifts, Griff asks that you consider bringing donations of non-perishable food and/or personal care items to help him stock the Little Free Pantries to help neighbors in need. There will be a table for you to place the items on without getting out of your car. We also encourage you to wear Drake Blue in honor of Griff, and please feel free to make signs and/or decorate your cars!

— Erin Bell, University Communications & Marketing

News & Achievements Archive

Adams Leadership Award recipients

Congratulations to the winners of the 2020 Adams Leadership Awards! This year’s award recognition ceremony (the Adams Leadership Convocation) was canceled, but the recognition of student leadership has continued online with over 100 nominations submitted from faculty, staff, and students. Please see below and congratulate the following recipients:

  • Outstanding First Years: Kiley Kahler, Gabrielle Prill, Annie Peterson
  • Outstanding Sophomores: Rebecca Clair, Cora Holt, Madyson Sklar
  • Outstanding Juniors: Ian Klein, Kasey Springsteen, Raeann VanDrongelen
  • Outstanding Seniors: Nick Johnston, Josie Martin, Jack Richards
  • David Maxwell Outstanding Student Organization President/Chairperson: Meghan Kier (RHA)
  • Outstanding Student Organization Officer: Nate Wright
  • Outstanding Student Organization: Drake R;Se Up
  • Outstanding Organization Advisor: Keesha Ward (Coalition of Black Students)
  • Outstanding Service Award for Individual: Sydnei Washington
  • Outstanding Service Award for Student Group: Violence Intervention Partners
  • Ron & Jane Olson Outstanding Global Service Learning Award: Lizette Cruz, Keli Zemke, Brooke Krogman, Dana Stanek, Paige Wooldridge, Janna Johnson (OT2 students)
  • Outstanding Residence Hall Leader: Sophie Christensen
  • Wanda E. Everage Peer Mentor Award: Sophia Revord
  • Outstanding Social Program: 2019 Kissing Rock (Student Alumni Association)
  • Outstanding Educational Program: When a Good Case Falls Apart (Violence Intervention Partners)
  • Outstanding Equity and Inclusion Program: Coming Out with Guy Benson (College Republicans)
  • Outstanding Alcohol Alternative Program: Free Movie Friday (Student Activities Board)
  • Outstanding Collaboration Award: Free Speech Forum (Student Senate, Drake Democrats, College Republicans, Young Americans for Freedom)
  • Oreon E. Scott Outstanding Senior of the Year Award: Lauren Kennon

— Kristin Economos, Office of Student Involvement and Leadership

HR Information Archive

Microsoft Teams chat groups

In March, the All Staff Council (ASC) created a chat group in Microsoft Teams called “Staff—Remote Work Support Group.”  This group was formed to share remote work best practices, obtain crowd-sourced responses to remote work inquiries, and connect staff from across campus. If you’re not part of this group, here is a sample of what’s been shared. If you are a staff employee and interested in joining, please send an email to ascspecialinterest@drake.edu. 

Working from home. What seemed impossible has become the daily routine for many. Thanks to technology, including ITS remote best practices, we are creating a blueprint that will serve us well going forward.

Taking care of work and your children. One of the biggest challenges for parents is juggling work and parenting, while also taking on the role of teacher. Websites such as educateiowa.gov and National Geographic at Home offer online education tools. For those wishing to focus on this topic, the ASC recently created a Teams chat “Parents Group.” To join this chat group, please send an email to jenny.jones@drake.edu.

Wellness tips. Taking care of yourself can often be a challenge. Throw in a pandemic, closed gyms, and social distancing and your well-being can take a hit. But there are a multitude of resources to help, starting with Drake’s Group X virtual workouts. The ASC recently created a “Wellness Group” Teams chat for those who wish to focus on this topic. To join this group, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu.

Other resources. The “Staff—Remote Work Support Group” has become a repository of helpful, and sometimes just plain fun resources. Whether you want to use a video background in Teams, are looking for some free entertainment (online classes, games, movies, etc.), or are simply trying to find some 20-second songs to sing while washing your hands, this chat group has it.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources