Category Archives: Archive

News & Achievements Archive

Faculty accomplishments: May 1

Heidi Sleister, professor of biology, recently received the 2017 Iowa Distinguished Science Teaching Award from the Iowa Academy of Science. The award is given to educators for their innovative teaching practices at the university level.

Sleister was nominated for the award by current and former Drake students, as well as on-campus faculty. Excerpts from Sleister’s nomination letters were read aloud at the awards ceremony during the Iowa Academy of Science’s Annual Meeting in Cedar Falls on April 21. Sleister was praised for her innovative and creative teaching strategies, and dedicated mentoring of students in classroom and advising contexts. She has mentored over 50 students in research contexts; student nominators credited her with preparing them for graduate school by helping them understand the content behind the science, developing independent and critical thinking skills, and fostering confidence.

The Iowa Academy of Science’s mission is to foster interest in the sciences, scientific research, and science education, and to recognize high achievement in fulfilling this mission in the state of Iowa.

—David Senchina, Department of Biology

Featured Events Archive

Meet My Religious Neighbor

A new monthly series, Meet My Religious Neighbor, starts on May 6 with a multi-ethnic mosque, Masjid an-Noor. The mosque is located 1117 42nd St in Des Moines. Feel free to drop in any time from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and tour a sacred space, learn how religion is practiced in it, and meet the congregation who worships there.

—Kayla Jenkins, College of Arts & Sciences

HR Information Archive

Welcome new Bulldogs!

Several staff members joined the Drake family in April.

Katherine Coady, Administrative Assistant 2, Events Management
Thomas Smith, Major Gift Officer, Law School
Wendy Borst, Application Operations Facilitator, Office of Admission
Mark Reiter, Assistant Director, Alumni Relations
David Thorson, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, Athletics
Susan Sandeen, Accounts Payable Clerk, Accounting
Ana Espinoza, Administrative Assistant 1, Head Start
Ali Farokhmanesh, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, Athletics

—Diana Lei-Butters, Human Resources

HR Information Archive

Healthy4U BINGO

Healthy4U BINGO is a great way to have fun and win prizes, all in the name of better wellbeing! The goal is to fill up a blank BINGO card (or two) with healthy activities you complete from a list and then play a game of Healthy4U BINGO for prizes.

How does it work?
Participants will receive a packet which includes directions, a list of Healthy4U BINGO activities, and a blank BINGO card. During the month of June simply complete various activities from the list and record them on the blank BINGO card. There’s a broad range of activities to choose from and you can complete them from home or work so everyone can participate.

On Friday, June 30, at 12 p.m., bring your completed BINGO card to the Olmsted Center, Conference Room 310/311, and join us for a fun game of Healthy4U BINGO for prizes! If interested in participating, send an email to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu with the subject line “BINGO.” Deadline to register is noon on Wednesday, May 31.

—Linda Feiden, Human Resources

For Staff Archive

Join us for a margarita, vanilla, or pina colada mini-cupcake!

Now that we have your attention, we’d like to remind you to register for the upcoming All Staff Council kickball tournament!  We’ll be giving away (first come/first serve) mini-cupcakes from Crème Cupcakes (flavors include margarita, Bailey’s, pina colada, and vanilla).

Cupcakes not of interest? How about a kickball trophy for your department to brag about all year long? Yes, we have upgraded to include our own Drake ASC Kickball traveling trophy! Don’t forget to register your team or as a free agent by May 12 at www.drake.edu/asc and join us at Helmick Commons on May 17, 2–4 p.m.!

—All Staff Council

For Staff Archive

True Blue: Katie Overberg

Katie Overberg, Drake’s Title IX coordinator, was honored last week with a Called to Be True Blue Award from All Staff Council. Said her nominator, colleague Brett Niederhauser, assistant director of public safety, “Ever since Katie has started at Drake, I’ve asked myself countless times, ‘How did we ever survive before her?’”

Niederhauser highlighted Overberg’s professionalism in working with students, staff, faculty, and the community; successful coordination of numerous policy changes; and her skills in creating clear communications to help people understand Title IX and navigate through reporting procedures.

“Although Katie is technically a 10-month position, she’s always on campus doing training for Title IX issues,” he wrote. “The multitude of responsibilities in her position are generally handled by an entire department, but Katie is not only managing that well, but succeeding in real positive change that is impactful for the whole Drake community.”

Join Overberg and the other True Blue nominees from this academic year who are in the running for Sapphire Awards at our year-end event, May 4 at 2 p.m. in Levitt Hall.

—All Staff Council Recognition Committee