The next film in the East Asian Film Series, “The Host,” airs tomorrow, April 4, at 6 p.m. in Meredith Hall, Room 106. In The Host (South Korea, 2006), a man must save his daughter from a deadly monster that was created through the illegal dumping of formaldehyde. This film is co-sponsored by the East Asian Studies Minor and the Korean Cultural Club. The post-film discussion will be led by Professor Deb DeLaet, Department of Political Science, and Professor Dina Smith, Department of English. For questions, contact Professor Mary McCarthy at mary.mccarthy@drake.edu.

— Mary McCarthy, Department of Political Science

April 5: German conversation hours

Practice your German Thursday, April 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Drake Diner. The German conversation group is open to anyone interested in the German language and culture, regardless of language level. All students, faculty, staff, and community members are welcome to attend. For questions, email sarah.baldi@drake.edu.

April 6: New medical themed Spanish conversation hour

World Languages and Cultures is pleased to introduce a new Spanish language hour for people interested in medical and health words and phrases. This new themed hour is offered on Fridays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Meredith Hall, Room 202.

The medical conversation hour is designed for students, faculty, and staff who volunteer in health or medical settings, or work with populations who have health concerns, or are interested in adding depth to their language skills. Facilitated by a Spanish native speaker, conversations will be guided to topics related to health and well-being.

As with all Spanish conversation hours, all levels of Spanish speakers are welcome. The group supports all participants with an opportunity to practice Spanish and no long-term commitment is required to attend. For more information, contact Assistant Professor Inbal Mazar at Inbal.Mazar@drake.edu.

The north lobby of Meredith Hall will host “Fresh Perspectives,” a photo exhibit featuring the photos and thoughts of local high school students, through the end of April. The show is a product of CultureALL, a Des Moines non-profit that encourages communication across difference through cultural programming.

— Kathleen Richardson, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

One of the strategies that undocumented students have employed to “earn” citizenship is to academically achieve. On Wednesday, April 4, at 7 p.m. in Olin Hall, Room 101, Aurora Chang, assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago, shares the lessons she has learned on her journey/transition from a once-undocumented immigrant from Guatemala to a hyperdocumented academic in the US. Through the telling of counter-stories from her own life and those of her students, she reveals how undocumented intelligence and hyperdocumentation, both terms she developed and theorized, are the foundation upon which undocumented students’ critical hope is built and their powerful narratives are told.

– Kevin Lam, School of Education

Drake alumna Kaylen Jelinske, a fashion expert at Amazon, will speak about Amazon, its culture, and tips for applying for a job with the company on Wednesday, April 4, at 7 p.m. in Meredith Hall, Room 104. She will also discuss her career path, including her current role as leader of a team of 60 stylists, programmers, and data scientists working on the Echo Look—Amazon’s personal styling assistant—to examine how technology is modernizing fashion. The Echo Look uses a hands-free camera optimized to capture your outfits that, with its dedicated app, allows users to see themselves from every angle and build their personal lookbook. Jelinske’s team is building algorithms and using machine learning to help create an all-digital stylist that will help users look their best. Jelinske graduated from Drake in 2012 with degrees in graphic design and magazines.

— Katie Bandurski, Senior

Rebecca Moore, emerita professor of religious studies at San Diego State University, will discuss the mass murder-suicides that occurred in Jonestown, Guyana in 1978. as part of the Hawley Foundation Lecture series on April 5 at 7 p.m. in the Sussman Theater.

Moore examines competing narratives about what led members of the Peoples Temple to their tragic demise, in order to understand voices that have been erased from popular media accounts: those of women, African Americans, and citizens of Guyana. Sponsored by the Drake University Honors Program Student Council and the Hawley Foundation.

— Charlene Skidmore, Honors Program

Two Drake student organizations—the Student Activities Board and UNITY Roundtable organizations—are kicking off Bystander Intervention Week with a free lecture by the father of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager who was shot and killed in 2014 by a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo. Tomorrow, April 4, at 7 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium, Brown will discuss the importance of bystander intervention and encourage students to stand up in situations of injustice. Learn more.

— Giada Morresi