On May 2, students in Professor Carol Spaulding-Kruse’s Community Writing class, a community-engaged learning course offered by Drake in collaboration with HCI Care Services and Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, will facilitate and host a Death Café.

A Death Cafe is an open, respectful get-together for the purpose of talking about death over food and drink, usually tea and cake. There is no set agenda, objectives, or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session and intended to be a pleasant way to converse with others, often strangers, about a subject we don’t often discuss openly. The goal is to increase awareness of death in order to help people make the most of their (finite) lives.

Thousands of Death Cafes have been held around the world held since their conception in 2011, including previously in Des Moines. The café will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Medbury Honors Lounge.

— Carol Spaulding-Kruse, English Department

On May 1 at 4 p.m. in lower Olmsted, TMR 132, Next Course will host a food recovery training. Come learn about Next Course, how to volunteer through food recoveries, and why food recoveries are so important for our community. For questions, contact Catie Mullen at catie.mullen@drake.edu.

— Catie Mullen, Class of 2021

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication will host a retirement reception for Associate Professor David Wright on Thursday, May 10, at 3 p.m. in Meredith Hall, Room 104. Wright is retiring at the end of this academic year after 31 years at Drake.

— Kathleen Richardson, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Please join the College of Arts & Sciences on Tuesday, May 8, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Shivers Hospitality Suite to recognize and celebrate the careers of these distinguished colleagues:

Bill Lewis, Professor of Rhetoric
Larry Naylor, Associate Professor and Chair of Mathematics
LaRhee Henderson, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Eleanor Zeff, Associate Professor of Political Science
Christine Schneider, Director, Drake University Community School of Music

Lewis, Naylor, Henderson, Zeff, and Schneider have served the University for a combined total of 164 years. We welcome colleagues, students, and friends to join us in the Shivers Suite to celebrate the many valued connections and contributions these five individuals, and to extend well wishes for their futures. Each attendee will receive a ticket for a free beverage of his or her choice. Unfortunately, LaRhee Henderson and Christine Schneider will not be able to join us, so please extend your gratitude and congratulations to them when you have the opportunity.

— Kayla Jenkins, College of Arts & Sciences

The final documentary film in the Engaged Citizen Experience Documentary Film Series, “The Harvest,” will be shown on Tuesday, May 1, at 6 p.m. in Sussman Theater in Olmsted. There will be a post-film discussion led by Professors Lourdes Gutierrez Najera and Michael Haedicke. Pizza will be served. Read more information about the film.

— Art Sanders, Associate Provost

Stammtisch, Drake’s German conversation group, will meet this Thursday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Drake Diner. The group is open to faculty, staff, and students of all language levels.

— Sarah Baldi, World Languages and Cultures

The final film of the East Asian Film Series, “Spirit’s Homecoming” (South Korea, 2016) will air Wednesday, May 2, at 4 p.m., in Olin Hall, Room 101. The drama follows the lives of two teenage girls who were kidnapped by the Japanese Imperial Army to serve as sexual slaves at “comfort stations” in China. The film has graphic scenes, including those depicting sexual violence. The film is co-sponsored by the East Asian Studies Minor and Women and Gender Studies. A post-film discussion will be led by Professor Godfried Asante. Refreshments will be provided.

For questions, contact Mary McCarthy at mary.mccarthy@drake.edu.

— Mary McCarthy, Department of Political Science

The first year seminar, Talking With the Enemy: Dialogue in a Polarized Age, will facilitate a dialogue called “Impeach Trump?” on May 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Medbury Honors Lounge. The discussion is for people of all positions of the political spectrum.

Throughout the semester, the first-year seminar class has been learning and practicing dialogue techniques, which is different from debate. Dialogue is a way of communicating with the goal of understanding others’ point of view, not changing their mind.

In our current political climate, Americans are more divided over partisan politics than ever before. We have to work hard in order to have constructive conversations that don’t end in shouting matches. The goal of the dialogue is for attendees to leave with a better understanding of where the other side is coming from.

In this format, everyone’s voice is heard and respected regardless of where they fall politically. The dialogue will include some small and large group sharing, and participants will be provided with information relevant to the topic itself.

Prior to attending the discussion, please take a short survey and RSVP.

— Carol Spaulding-Kruse, English Department