Category Archives: Archive

Winter Break Campus Building Hours

As we approach the end of the semester, here are some building updates you should know:

End of the Fall semester:

Building schedules will change for the Winter Break and the start/end of the semesters.  Following finals (12/8-12/12), we will adopt “administrative hours” for most campus buildings while classes are not in session (buildings will be open on weekdays from 7:30 am – 4:30 pm 12/15-12/19, and will be closed on the weekends starting on 12/13).  Most extended hour student access plans will also be disabled for the break, but Faculty/Staff plans will continue to work.

Winter Break:

Most campus doors will be locked for the winter break from December 20th to January 4th.  Faculty and staff will still be able to utilize their authorized access plans (for example, 24/7 access to their office buildings), but extended hour student plans will continue to be shut off during this time. Please have your Drake credentials with you if you plan to access the buildings on the 22nd.

Start of J-Term:

“Administrative hours” (7:30am – 4:30pm) will resume starting on 1/5, and will continue through the J–Term time period (until 1/23).  Due to decreased weekend traffic during J-Term, we will lock buildings on the weekends through January, and will switch back to the Spring schedule on Saturday, 1/24.

If you have a scheduling conflict that will be affected by this door schedule, please speak to your building manager so they can put in a ticket to unlock the doors outside of our planned schedule.  Please note that not every building will follow this schedule exactly (Rec, Cowles, Law, and Olmsted often have some schedule variations), so feel free to check in at those buildings if you are unsure of their schedules.

Please contact Public Safety (515-271-2222) if you have a door access emergency during this time. Feel free to email studentservices@drake.edu if you have a general (non-emergent) card access question or concern.

— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program

Drake University students interested in a career in mathematics, the physical sciences, natural sciences, or engineering are invited to apply for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program.

Established by Congress in 1986, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation operates an educational scholarship program designed to provide opportunities for outstanding U.S. students with excellent academic records and demonstrated interest in, and potential for, careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, the physical sciences, and engineering.

In April 2026, the Foundation will award scholarships to students who will be college juniors or seniors during the 2025-2026 academic year.  To be considered for an award, students must be nominated by their institution. The national DEADLINE for RECEIPT of all nominations is January 30th, 2026. There are earlier on-campus deadlines, however.  Please note them below.

The scholarship award covers eligible expenses up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Sophomore scholarship recipients can expect to receive a maximum of two years of support. Junior scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of one year of support.

Who is eligible to apply?

1) Any Drake University student pursuing a career in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering is eligible if he or she majors in mathematics, physical sciences, or natural sciences.

2) Students must currently be full-time sophomores or juniors pursuing a baccalaureate degree.

3) Students must have a cumulative Drake G.P.A. of 3.75 or better.

4) Students must be a U.S. citizen, resident alien, or U.S. national.

5) Students who plan to study medicine are eligible only if they plan a research career rather than a career as a medical doctor in a private practice.

6) Strong candidates may have had the opportunity to participate in research or held internships in research facilities, either industrial or academic.

The application consists of 2 to 3 pages student essay on a research problem in science, three letters of recommendation, most likely from Drake University faculty, transcripts, and a nomination from the Goldwater Scholarship Faculty Representative (Dr. Gholam Mirafzal). In the case of students with research experience, one of the three letters of recommendation must come from the research advisor.

Apply at: https://goldwater.scholarsapply.org/

Drake University can nominate up to four individuals. Qualified individuals will submit their essay to Dr. Mirafzal.  They will then be read by the Drake Goldwater Scholarship Committee. From this pool of essays, four will be chosen and will be forwarded to the national scholarship committee. The internal review of essays will begin on January 12, 2026.

To be considered, interested sophomores and juniors should contact: Dr. Mirafzal, (Department of Chemistry, 213 Morgan E. Cline Hall of Pharmacy and Science, gholam.mirafzal@drake.edu) no later than December 12th. I would encourage you to speak to me earlier than that, however, to get a start on the essay and on the other application material.

Several Drake students have received this scholarship in recent years and our hope is for that to continue. The scholarships are prestigious and the students that have received them have gone on to well-known institutions for graduate studies.

Thank you and I hope you consider applying!

— Gholam Mirafzal, Windsor Professor of Chemistry

Apply to be a Resident Assistant (RA)

The Office of Residence Life is accepting Resident Assistant Applications for the 2026–2027 school year. RA’s must be leaders, role models, and resources for their residents; however, just as important, they must be team players that work with and support other staff in their own hall as well as other halls on campus.

The application can be found at: https://drake.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5pXxVd9fMFxpwGO

The application deadline is Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (during J-Term).

There are two RA Informational sessions:

  • Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, 6 p.m., CR 310, upper Olmsted
  • Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, 6 p.m., Pomerantz Stage, Olmsted (first floor by the bookstore)

For questions regarding the application or interview process, contact Randy E. McMullin, associate director of residence life, at randy.mcmullin@drake.edu. Consider reaching out to your own RA or another RA should you have questions about the position from a student perspective.

— Randy E. McMullin, Office of Residence Life

Dogtown Food Drive Happening Now

In partnership with Impact Community Action Partnership, bring non-perishable items for donation at any of the following Dogtown businesses for exclusive deals.

  • Lucky Horse
  • University Library Cafe
  • Mars Cafe
  • Dough Co.
  • Varsity Cinema
  • Nos Books

Donations are accepted now through Dec. 23.

 — Nate Reagen, Office of the President

Become a Bulldog Shop Content Creator

Do you love social media, building connections with fellow students, and Drake University?

Bulldog Shop is looking for a Content Creator—applications are open now!

What you’ll do:

  • Create engaging social media content
  • Champion the Bulldog Shop brand
  • Connect with fellow students
  • Gain real-world marketing experience for your resume

Why apply?

  • Expand your campus network
  • Flexible hours that fit your schedule
  • Paid opportunity—plus exclusive merch perks

Apply Today!

Link: https://forms.gle/qwoEQF4nXrBZ4Wdi7

— Bulldog Shop

Last Chance to Receive Your Wellness Health Insurance Premium Discount

Time is running out.  Employees on Drake’s health plan who wish to receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2026, need to complete a physical exam with an in-network provider between Dec. 1, 2024 and Nov. 30, 2025, and submit a completed Premium Discount-Annual Physical Form  by Dec. 1, 2025.

If you had a physical since Dec. 1, 2024, please fill out the form and turn it in now. If you cannot get an appointment with your doctor by the Dec. 1, 2025 deadline, or you do not have a primary care provider, you may contact the Broadlawns Community Clinic by Drake (2970 University Ave.) at 515-216-5100.  Let them know you are from Drake and need to make an appointment for a wellness exam.  Please do not wait until the last moment to contact them or they may not have available openings.

You can read more about the wellness premium discount program on the Wellness Premium Discount webpage.

Please contact Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources