Full-time faculty and staff received an email yesterday from ModernThink with an invitation to participate in this year’s Great Colleges to Work For survey. Thank you to those of you who have completed the survey already. If you haven’t, please take time to complete it. It is easy, quick, anonymous, and the primary tool used by the University to gather feedback on our workplace culture.

Instructions on how to access the survey are included in the email.  The survey period ends Friday, April 2. For further questions, contact Nate Reagen.

— Nate Reagen, President’s Office

As part of Staff Appreciation Month, Human Resources is encouraging everyone to submit a shout-out for a staff member this week.  Deadline to send in your final shout out is this Thursday, March 25.  Simply submit a sentence of appreciation to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

Read the shout-outs submitted this week!

“A shout-out to Jarad Bernstein: From the very beginning of the pandemic, Jarad has provided critical expertise and assistance on the University-wide communication effort.  Jarad continues to offer good suggestions and bring up questions or issues that the rest of the Emergency Operations team may not otherwise be thinking about.  Jarad has stayed resilient and engaged bringing new ideas and thoughts to the table when it would otherwise be easy to succumb to the fatigue of a year-long emergency response effort. Jarad’s insights and expertise, as well as all the work crafting communications, has been key to the overall work of the EOC.” — Venessa Macro

“A shout-out to Jessica Morgan-Tate: Throughout the pandemic response, we have had to quickly draft policy updates as well as updates to the FAQ section of the COVID-response web page. Jessica Morgan-Tate has provided key assistance in this effort, stepping up to contribute to ensure clarity around pandemic response decisions and policy. Offering this expertise has taken the burden off others with pandemic response responsibilities, so that they can concentrate their efforts on decision making and response. Jessica took on this work while the U.S. Department of Education issued comprehensive (and voluminous) new Title IX regulations. Not only did Jessica provide help to the EOC with important policy updates, but she did also so at a time when her role as Title IX Coordinator was particularly busy because of these new regulations.” — Venessa Macro

“A shout-out to Karen Pomeroy: Always embodying a student-first mentality, Karen’s commitment and service to Drake and the CBPA is unwavering. She has earned the trust, admiration, and respect among colleagues with her honesty, sincerity and commitment towards the important work she does!” — Kailee Springer

“A shout-out to Sophie Tibbals: Making work her passion is the reason she succeeds! Her enthusiasm and the positivity she brings to our work culture is something that cannot be taught or developed! She brings life to our team, and her presence, whether virtual or in-person, motivates each of us every day!” — Kailee Springer

“A shout-out to Charitie Schaer: “We are the best at what we do because we have the best employees” Charitie’s dedication to the CBPA and undergraduate students never waivers. Her ability to accept challenges and overcome them with efficiency and excellence is outstanding!” — Kailee Springer

“A shout-out to all CBPA faculty: Despite the current environment, the exceptionally high-quality education you deliver is inspiring and motivating. Your colleagues in the undergraduate office hold you in high regard and are truly honored to work alongside you supporting our business students!” — Kailee Springer

“A shout-out to Alicia Chilton: Alicia graciously went the extra mile to help me on a project that was beyond her realm of responsibilities. Thank you, Alicia, for your support! Your hard work and willingness to help without hesitation is very much appreciated!” — Ashton Hockman

“A shout-out to my colleagues in University Communications and Marketing: A BIG thank you to my UCM colleagues whose resilience, attentiveness, and hard work inspires me every day. Thank you for your unwavering support, for rallying and evolving in a time of crisis, and for supporting University-wide communications and marketing on a scale that is awe inspiring in normal times, let alone a pandemic. I couldn’t ask for better colleagues.” — Ashton Hockman

“A shout-out to Jon Walker: Thank you for helping me with my recent ITS requests! You always address my inquiries in a quick and timely manner. Thank you for your support, guidance, and joyful accountability.” — Ashton Hockman

“A shout-out to Nathan Jacobson: Nathan has been great to work with on getting the J-Term information fair up and running online this year. He is so easy to work with and I can’t say enough about his collaborative efforts. It is obvious to me that he is invested in giving students the best experience available. Thanks Nathan!” — Sandra Harris

“A shout out-to Drinda Williams: For those of you who do not know Drinda, you are truly missing out. Her spirit is infectious and working with her is always a joy because I come away from every meeting excited about what is next on our list. Thank you for all you do to keep things moving forward.” — Sandra Harris

“A shout-out to Chris Nickell:  He has helped us to navigate the pandemic over the past year, answering tireless questions, providing information and resources, and advocating for our staff to get vaccinated. He has supported the entire campus and has worked long days and even longer weeks to help keep us all safe and healthy. Thank you!” — Lisa Proctor

“A shout-out to the custodial teams: Thanks so much to our custodial teams that have continued to do work through a tough COVID year. Managing family and work has been tough for all but WE DID IT!!! It did not go unnoticed. Thanks again!” — Marla Johnson

“A shout-out to the School of Journalism and Mass Communication staff (Denise, Ray, Mallory and Carlyn) and the Meredith Hall facilities crew (Sammie, Sanda and Enisa), who do everything they can to support SJMC students and faculty. The pandemic has proven how important all of them are to our success as a School and an institution. We couldn’t do it without you!” — Kathleen Richardson

“A shout-out to Teresa Downs & Wendy Borst for processing and reviewing an all-time RECORD number of Fall 2021 undergraduate applications, including direct from high school, transfer, domestic and international applications. Not only did they efficiently address this historic volume, but did so while adjusting and splitting time between WFH and working from campus. Their combined attention to detail and sincere concern for timely information for prospective Drake students truly make them the Premier Admission Operations Dream Team!“ — Amy Nichols

“A shout-out to Grace Baumgartner: Grace has been a fantastic collaborator on a number of admission projects this year as we moved programs like National Alumni Scholarship to a virtual format. I’ve been especially impressed with her continued work on the Drake Physics Prize, which has helped promote a phenomenal opportunity to more prospective students.” — Evan Favreau

“A shout-out to Megan Rush: Megan’s creative work with our presentations has been invaluable as our office has had to dive into virtual recruitment like never before. We’ve found success with virtual visit days, college fairs and other virtual events thanks to Megan’s skills. It hasn’t been the kind of recruitment we were used to, but Megan helped us transition as easily as possible.” — Evan Favreau

“A shout-out to Grace Wenzel: I’ve been so impressed with Grace’s willingness to “embrace the awkward,” as she would put it, when trying new things and finding the best ways to engage high school students in the virtual setting. The warmth and authenticity she has when working with students, virtually or not, is a big reason for her continued success on our team.” — Evan Favreau

“A shout-out to Lauren Sharp: Lauren was new to our team and only on campus for a week before we all moved to working virtually, yet she has still learned the ins-and-outs of Drake and successfully taken on a large recruitment territory with ease. I appreciate how naturally she is able to connect with students on an individual level while at the same time managing hundreds of applications and admitted students.” — Evan Favreau

“A shout-out to Tyler Koehler: Over the course of a year Tyler has quickly become a skilled admission counselor on our team, even though he had to learn the job and Drake itself while being mostly off campus. Besides getting to know his own territory, he brings unique ideas and creativity to our entire team that allows us to connect with prospective Drake students in new ways. (His TikTok lessons have been especially valuable.)” — Evan Favreau

“A shout-out to Lauren Selfridge: Lauren is our newest admission counselor and has been doing a great job working with our future students. I’m especially impressed that she successfully transitioned from being a Drake student to a Drake staff member, all in the middle of a pandemic. She has quickly become an essential member of the admission team.” — Evan Favreau

“A shout-out to Kailee Springer, Karen Pomeroy, Charitie Schaer, and Nic Jacobson: All are my colleagues in the CBPA Undergraduate Office, and I am so grateful to be working with such a great team during a challenging year. I’m appreciative of the strong communication in our office, everyone’s ability to step up to the plate and help each other out, and most importantly, the grace and compassion they have all shown to myself and one-another. Special thanks to Nic, our Undergraduate Assistant, who will be graduating from the College of Business and Public Administration this spring, and while finishing up his undergraduate degree, still manages to be a top-notch member of the team!” — Sophie Tibbals

“A shout-out to Amelia Klatt and the rest of the All Staff Council Recognition Committee (Erin Bell, Teresa Downs, Drinda Williams, Dianna Gray, Cathy Williams): Amelia has done a terrific job leading the ASC Recognition Committee as they administer Bulldog Applause, present Called to be True Blue awards, write welcome notes to new staff, and organize the annual Sapphire Awards.” — Linda Feiden

“A shout-out to Tyler Spoon, Kevin Saunders and the rest of the All Staff Council Events & Community Service Committee (Lynne Cornelius, Sydni Jennings, Kim Jones, Sara Hughes, Aimee Lane, Mariah Mohler):  This committee has been instrumental in organizing our team trivia, and other water cooler events this past academic year.  They have done a wonderful job finding creative ways to keep employees connected despite the difficult challenges related to COVID.” — Linda Feiden

“A shout-out to Kevin Moran, Sophia Siegel, Annie Spadt, and Jeremy Sievers for their collaborative efforts with Human Resources wellness to create the Bulldog Mile. Their resources and hard work helped make this walking path a great addition to the Drake campus.” — Linda Feiden

“A shout-out to Carla Herling: Carla is always quick to respond when help is needed with a Microsoft Teams question, both individually as well as inquiries on the Microsoft Remote Workers Chat Group.  It is great to know that she is there to help!  Carla has also been a valuable collaborator in adding Microsoft classes to BUILD.” — Linda Feiden

As part of Staff Appreciation Month, Human Resources is encouraging every staff member to submit a shout-out for a fellow colleague. Simply submit a sentence of appreciation to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

Read the shout-outs submitted this week!

“A shout-out to the Mail Team: Thanks so much to the mail team for your hard work during this past year. You came into the office every day, when many other departments were able to work from home, and kept deliveries flowing to campus. We appreciate your hard work during this strange and isolating year!”

“A shout-out to the Accounting Team: Thanks so much to the accounting team for finding ways for us to submit accounting paperwork from home during the pandemic—you are always so pleasant to work with, and are always patient and understanding when we have questions or issues. Thanks for being so awesome!”

“A shout-out to Jeni Baugher: You always brighten my day whenever I talk to you—you are not only so helpful and great at your job, you go the extra mile to help with questions and make sure nothing falls through the cracks.”

“A shout-out to Scott Law: Thank you for all your hard work during the pandemic, and basically every day around here. You wear a million hats, and somehow manage to juggle your workload, and remain an awesome manager. Keep up the great work.”

“A shout-out to the HR Team: I can’t even imagine all the new struggles and hoops that come with dealing with COVID. Thank you for soldiering on during this very difficult year, and for helping the rest of Drake’s employees soldier on as well. You are all doing a great job in the midst of a very difficult season. Thank you for all you do!”

“A shout-out to Alice Fynaardt: Thank you for your hard work, both this year and always! You juggle many duties and responsibilities, and are so thorough and always pay great attention to detail. You are a great asset to Olin and SCB, and Drake is lucky to have you on staff!”

“A shout-out to Aaron Knutson: Aaron is incredibly hard working, and is a pleasure to work with on campus. I’m sure managing the Drake Sodexo branch is no easy task, but he is always level headed, chips in when needed, and is always available for questions or help with a project. He is a great partner to the campus, thanks for all you do!”

“A shout-out to Skyler Hayden: Skyler always has your back with a great coffee recommendation—he is always kind and provides great customer service at the Olmsted Starbucks.”

“A shout-out to Marietta Jackson: Marietta is well loved by everyone at Hubbell, I have no doubt. She learns your name, and makes you feel so welcome when you come in for a meal. Thank you for your positive attitude, and welcoming smile! We are so lucky to have you at Drake!”

“A shout-out to Erin Bell: I don’t know Erin well, but I am always impressed by her whenever I get the privilege to work with her. Not only is she (and her family) a huge asset to the University for her work with the mascot program, she is also just a rock star human being and it’s always so fun to watch her work. She answers the same questions about her family and Griff over and over and over and over again…and you’d never know it from her answers. She’s just a wonderful person and employee—Drake is so lucky to have her on staff!”

“A shout-out to Kevin Moenkhaus: I don’t work with Kevin often, but am always happy when I get the privilege to do so. He is so knowledgeable about his work, and I can tell he cares a lot about his department and co-workers. Drake is lucky to have him as a loyal employee.”

“A shout-out to Sara Sommerlot: Sara is a wonderful employee. She seems to wear a lot of hats over in the University Communications and Marketing department, and is always a pleasure to work with. She is so upbeat, and always has a great attitude. I don’t work with her often, but am always excited when I get the chance to see or email her. Drake is so lucky to have you, and I so enjoy your sparkly personality.”

“A shout-out to Miss Pam Stewart: Miss Pam is always a pleasure to see around campus. She always takes the time to ask how you are doing, and seems to care deeply for both the students she works with, and her co-workers on campus. Thank you for all you do!”

“A shout-out to the Admissions Team: I don’t get to work with the admissions team much, but I imagine that this year is a particularly difficult year to recruit students. Please know that we all appreciate your hard work and innovative strategies to recruit future Bulldogs, and we are so appreciative of all your hard work this year!”

“A shout-out to Group Fitness Team: Thank you to the Group Fitness team and all of the instructors that have continued to put out great content throughout the pandemic. You worked hard to pivot your programming to still be effective virtually, and have been working to resume in person programming safely, while also still providing online programming for those that were not able/comfortable to work out in person. A quick Group X class is always good for my mental health, even in the best of times, so it was particularly welcome and appreciated this year, when I was stuck at home.”

“A shout-out to Linda Feiden: I’m so thankful to have Linda on staff. She is not only coming up with great programming using very limited resources throughout the year, she also is always willing to collaborate and team up with other groups on campus, and truly has a passion for Drake employees and their wellness. I particularly appreciate her partnership with All Staff Council, as she is a most welcome and valuable resource to this group. Thank you for all you do—Drake is SO lucky to have you!”

“A shout-out to Nancy Crittenden and Heather Travis: Thank you for helping me to create a process to allow Bulldog Bucks payments from Drake ID cards in the community this fall.  You helped facilitate a program that students and parents have been asking for years, and have been accommodating to the process that Campus Cash needed to function, even though it wasn’t your preferred method.  I greatly appreciate your partnership!” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Anthony Leto: Thank you for your partnership and patience with the SSC as we work together on Student Employment paperwork.  You are always a pleasure to work with, and are always patient and kind if we have a paperwork hiccup – I appreciate your prompt communication and guidance with questions and issues.  Keep up the awesome work.” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Andy Verlengia: Thank you so much for being a wonderful All Staff Council co-chair this year—I know that you will rock the chair position next year! You are such a positive, enthusiastic employee, and Drake is SO lucky to have you on staff.” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Ryan Arnold and Jazlin Coley: Ryan and Jazlin were an amazing help this year as we began a new off-campus Bulldog Bucks program. Ryan helped connect existing projects/proposals from multiple departments, which led to increased impact and expedited our project. Jazlin and Ryan were both incredibly helpful in brainstorming and getting the off-campus Bulldog Bucks and Dogtown Dash programs off the ground, and I know they will be excellent partners on campus moving forward. Thank you!” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Becky Klein and Carla Herling: Becky and Carla were great partners this year as we built a new troubleshooting system for Card/Key access requests through the Team Dynamix platform for the SSC. Both Becky and Carla paid great attention to detail, were excellent at executing my vision into a reality, and have continued to be wonderful resources for updates and changes that we didn’t foresee in planning.  Thank you both for your time and expertise in my project!” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Joey Bedwell: Joey is always a pleasure to work with. While his whole team has been super busy/helpful this spring with phone changes (thanks to all of ITS that has helped with this project!), he in particular has always been super helpful with many of my tickets in the past, and I really appreciate that he doesn’t make me feel dumb when my problem was 100% user error. Thank you for all you do for Drake, we are glad you are here!” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Don Severs: Don has been an incredibly helpful and welcome addition to the card access team this year. He is extremely prompt in assisting with card access ticket requests, and has made my job considerably easier this year. He was willing to join an established team that had been working together for 5 years (never an easy thing…), and has learned a tricky (and not always user friendly) system. He has been a great help to me this year—thanks, Don!” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Steve Blaylock: I have a lot of favorite people on campus, and Steve always floats to the top of my list. Steve is incredibly hard working, cares deeply for both the campus and the students we serve, and is a pleasure to work with. He has great attention to detail, and works hard to provide great customer service. He has rolled with many changes to his position and the SSC’s involvement in some of his key duties in recent years without complaint, and I’m so glad I get to work with him!” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Tricia McKinney: Tricia is always a pleasure to work with, but I was particularly thankful to have her on my team this year when she offered to assist with Parking Tag registration data entry without me even asking. This is a HUGE task that I was worried I would not be able to complete with staff working from home, but she jumped in and offered to complete the task. This was so helpful, and eased a huge burden on my department during our busiest time of the year.  Everything went so smoothly because of this kind offer, and I am so grateful that she was willing to take it on this year. Thank you, Tricia!” —  — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Annie Spadt: Thank you so much to Annie and her team with her help with the Off-Campus Bulldog Bucks/Dogtown Dash program artwork. You and your intern created so many useful and beautiful pieces that were WAY better than what the vendor sent us, and I’m so thankful for both your talent and how easy it was to work with you!” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to Dan Chibnall and Kris Mogle: A huge shout out to Dan and Kris for your help this year (and always) in running the Drake Book Club! I so appreciate this partnership between All Staff Council and the library—I know this is an “extra” program, that takes up both time and funds, but I think it is so appreciated. It is a welcome opportunity for employees to get together with people from other departments, and I’ve had such a great time at our book discussions. Thank you for taking care of all the “logistics” to make this vision a reality, and for continuing the partnership between Cowles and ASC! You’re the best!” — Sara Heijerman

“A shout-out to all of the faculty and staff with young children at home during the pandemic. What a challenge to navigate at home care, home schooling, etc. all the while trying to be productive. And what a challenge that is! It does not go unnoticed.” — Nate Reagen

“A shout-out to Drake Athletics for somehow navigating running all sports at once! Unprecedented for the athletic trainers, staff, and coaches—yet our student-athletes continue their high performance academically and in competition.” — Nate Reagen

“A shout-out to University Advancement: In times of a pandemic, you’ve really risen to the challenge. Where would the University be without you?  (don’t make me think of that!) You’ve all done so much: CARES Act management, contact tracing, COVID-19 hotline and inbox, and more! And you’ve done it all with a smile and generous enthusiasm.  Wow! So grateful.” — Nate Reagen

“A shout-out to Erica McGowan, Nancy Crittenden, Shelly Biondi, Jeni Baugher, and Suzanne Stewart for always being so patient and helpful with accounting questions.” — Cheri McDaniel

“A shout-out to Mary Cecil and Christian Law for meeting my mailing requests.” — Cheri McDaniel

“A shout-out to Linda Feiden for organizing BUILD classes.” — Cheri McDaniel

“A shout-out to Matt Miller and Kathrine Coady for always being willing to help with event scheduling.” — Cheri McDaniel

“A shout-out to Pam Pepper, Lori Flaws, and Jodi Hofer for their helpful support to The Ray Center.” — Cheri McDaniel

“A shout-out to Scott Law and Security for always being helpful with parking and security questions.” — Cheri McDaniel

“A shout-out to Rachelle Setsodi: Thank you for your tireless and student-centered efforts to recruit and admit new Drake transfer students! You are a terrific and supportive colleague, and I appreciate what you do for our students!” — Lauren McCarthy

“A shout-out to my Office of Undergraduate Admission colleagues: The amount of creativity, hard-work, innovation, limit-less effort demonstrated by this team in the past pandemic year is truly amazing! I look forward to when we can be together in person again as Cole Hall Family!  I’m so proud of you all! — Rachelle Setsodi

“A shout-out to Linda Feiden: She always has a smile on her face despite the world that we are all suffering through. She is a friend to all on this campus and she should be cherished.” — Mary Cecil

“A shout-out to Annette Watson: Thank you for pivoting so quickly and successfully to a virtual environment for career events. You paved the way nicely for the rest of us!” — Chrystal Stanley

“A shout-out to Leah Berte: Thank you for your creativity in initiating and managing the PCDS Instagram account so successfully, and for maintaining a sense of humor through our virtual year!” — Chrystal Stanley

“A shout-out to Carlyn Crowe: Thank you for adding your expertise to the PCDS team this year!  We have loved having you!” — Chrystal Stanley

“A shout-out to Melissa Sturm-Smith: Thank you for keeping our unit connected throughout this challenging year!” — Chrystal Stanley

“A shout-out to Community Engaged Learning: The PCDS staff have enjoyed collaborating with you this year to bring so many virtual opportunities to our students!” — Chrystal Stanley

“A shout-out to Alumni Relations: The PCDS staff have appreciated our collaboration to bring the alumni voice to our current students. The LinkedIn hashtag campaign and panels have been a hit with students!” — Chrystal Stanley

“A shout-out to Jenny Jones: A true Bulldog through and through! As the director of graduate student programs, she provides personalized advising to our graduate student population in the CBPA. Consistently going above and beyond, Jenny is always available to students and guides them throughout their entire program. She is a great team member and colleague!” — Madeline Mongar-Brodie

Giving a shout-out is a great way to recognize your colleagues for their hard work, talent, support, and creativity during a very challenging year, and it can simply brighten their day. 

As part of Staff Appreciation Month, Human Resources is encouraging every staff member to submit a shout-out (formerly called Spotlight Stories) for a fellow colleague. Simply post a message on Twitter and Instagram using #DrakeBulldogs or submit a sentence of appreciation to Linda Feiden at linda.feiden@drake.edu.

Shout-outs will be compiled and shared in OnCampus at the end of the month as well as on the University’s social media pages. Giving a shout-out is quick and easy—simply write a sentence or two thanking a co-worker or team for a job well-done, going the extra mile, or showing support during an ever-changing year.

To help you get started, here are a few shout-outs I would like to give:

• Facilities Planning and Management team: Thank you for the wonderful job you have done this past year maintaining our campus and buildings during the pandemic. We appreciate everything you do!
• All Staff Council:  Thank you for your hard work this past year finding ways to support staff both on campus and remotely.  From coordinating water cooler events to organizing the Called to be True Blue program, you are the best!

As an added bonus, everyone who sends in a shout-out will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win prizes. 

Please take a few minutes to post or send in a shout-out to show your gratitude for our amazing colleagues!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Over the last year, we collectively have been challenged to change everything we do—from educating students and maintaining campus operations, to how we go about our lives at home and in the community. One consequence of not gathering as a campus community, is fewer opportunities to recognize and celebrate the work of our colleagues.

Human Resources and the All Staff Council are encouraging everyone to join us in showing our appreciation for the contributions of Drake staff during the month of March (and beyond!). This is a good time to nominate an individual or team through the All Staff Council’s Called to Be True Blue program. This award recognizes those who go above and beyond expectations to serve students, colleagues, and the Drake community.

We are working on additional ways to spotlight some of our employees who have made extraordinary efforts during this past year’s pandemic.

Human Resources will provide additional recognition tips and resources throughout the month of March. Take some time to let others know you appreciate their efforts.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

As our inspiration statement declares, our University strives to transform lives and strengthen communities. This inspiration is often embodied in the work and accomplishments of our graduates. One such graduate, was Ms. Catherine Gayle Williams who passed away last spring at the age of 105.

While working as an assistant stenographer for Polk County, Ms. Williams decided to pursue a Drake degree in sociology part-time. Following her graduation in 1961, she joined the Iowa Department of Human Services where she embarked on a 30-year career of firsts. Ms. Williams established the first foster parent group for children with developmental disabilities, provided the first statewide training program for foster parents, developed the first subsidized adoption program, and implemented Iowa’s first child abuse registry. Her efforts resonated on a national level with the creation of uniform standards for the delivery of foster care services.

When she retired in 1981 as deputy commissioner of the Iowa Department of Human Services, she was the highest ranking African American in the Iowa State government. Ms. Williams received many accolades for her incredible service including membership in the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame and the Iowa African Americans Hall of Fame. In 2019, she was inducted into the National Association of Social Workers Foundation Pioneers Program.

I met Ms. Williams in 2018 when she received Drake’s Alumni Community Service Award, having previously received Drake’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

When it was Ms. Williams turn to accept her award and address the crowd, she rose from her seat in Sheslow Auditorium. Instead of taking the stage, she spoke from the auditorium floor. Despite not taking center-stage, the audience listened with rapt attention. With few notes, Ms. Williams passionately advocated for the value of community service and the impact we can each have on one another. The insight in her words and spirt of her delivery were electric. In these polarizing times, Ms. Williams’ message of shared humanity coupled with her exemplary life lived in service to others continues to resonate with me and all who shared in that special moment.

Following Ms. Williams’ passing, Drake learned of her continuing commitment to others and her alma mater. Ms. Williams made an estate gift to Drake of nearly $600,000. This gift will further advance her legacy while providing countless opportunities for generations of students to attend Drake. While the scale of Ms. William’s gift is significant, her legacy looms even larger, inspiring each of us to live a life of purpose and in support of our communities.

— Marty Martin, President

It’s been my practice to share some thoughts with you at the start of each term typically focused on what ITS is working on, or projects that will be visible to the campus community. I’d like to take a slightly different approach for this message and focus on the actions and strategies of others outside the University and how they affect us, rather than on the activities of ITS.

Enterprise software is changing. We’ve all heard about “the cloud” and possibly even Software as a Service (SaaS), but what do these terms mean for Drake? Even five years ago, when I arrived on campus, new enterprise software was installed on physical servers in the Drake data center in Dial. Drake ITS was responsible for the physical computers, storage, power, cooling, emergency response, software updates, security, and everything else needed to ensure that the software was available to our users.

Today, we are more likely to license enterprise software that runs “in the cloud”. For cloud-based enterprise services, we no longer purchase or manage the physical devices, facilities, utilities, emergency response, or the software itself, but instead purchase a service that can be turned on or off as needed and is managed somewhere else.

Integrated, multi-purpose systems are giving way to purpose-built SaaS applications that are designed to meet the needs of a specific function or operation on campus, but that have no relationship or integration with other enterprise systems. Today, Drake ITS manages or supports more than 30 cloud-based enterprise applications including Blackboard Learn, Slate, Zoom, StarRez, Raiser’s Edge, Starfish, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, HireTouch, Principal eBenefits, and many others. We also manage complex data exchanges with more than 50 applications to ensure that the right data is available and current wherever it is needed. This rapid and massive shift from local to cloud-based enterprise systems forces ITS to change itself rapidly and we are working hard to ensure that the University is well-prepared.

You may only notice some of these changes if you regularly use one of these cloud systems, but in some ways the rapid shift to Software as a Service is affecting us all, in particular the move to continuous delivery.

Continuous delivery simply means that vendors update their software on a regular basis in a way that is beyond the control of the end user. You may have noticed that the Microsoft Teams and Zoom clients update automatically, or prompt you to download and install the latest version of their application. Even Microsoft Office is moving to a continuous delivery model to resolve issues and make changes rather than releasing major updates every year or two. Going forward, I expect to see even more vendors moving to continuous delivery models for updates and automatically installing updates on their schedule rather than at the convenience of the end user.

So, bottom line, what does this mean for all of us? In a word – change. Our applications will continue to evolve with smaller changes happening more frequently and without warning. In many ways this trend will benefit us, but it will also require us to adapt to ongoing changes in the systems we use. Continuous change is coming to nearly every software application we rely on and the pace of that change will keep increasing.

I am focusing on continuous delivery because I believe that recognizing and understanding what is happening in enterprise information systems as a whole, and on our campus, will prepare Drake to more effectively adapt to these changes. ITS will continue to play a leadership role in navigating and charting a course through change for our faculty, students, and staff. Please feel free to reach out to me or any member of the ITS team and let us know how we can help.

— Chris Gill, ITS

This Q&A is part of the story series Voices of Drake that highlights the diversity, ambition, and passion of the incredible people who make up our campus community. In honor of Black History Month, we will be sharing a collection of interviews to spotlight Black voices in our community. This week’s story introduces Brandi Miller, assistant director of new student programs.

Tell us about yourself.
I am a native of Des Moines and a proud east-sider. I graduated from North High School. I am married to Kenan Miller. Together we have five adult children and eight grandchildren.

Tell us about your education. Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I attended Grand View College (now University) on the east side of Des Moines. My undergraduate degree is in human services. I have a minor in psychology. I also earned my MPA with an emphasis in executive development from Drake.

How long have you been in the Drake campus community?
I am assistant director of new student programs in the Office of Student Financial Planning. I work with new and prospective students. I have been at Drake for 19 years and Student Financial Planning for all of those years. Before hired full-time at Drake, I completed an internship with the director of student activities during my senior year at Grand View.

You are the organizer for Drake’s African American Faculty/Staff Affinity Group. How has the organization been important to you during your time at Drake?
Being the Black Faculty and Staff Affinity Group Champion is one of my favorite things about working at Drake. I love meeting and connecting with new faculty and staff of color and learning about them and where they come from.

These aren’t normal times, but in normal times, what kinds of things does the African American Affinity Group do?
We had one normal semester that included two small gatherings and a few regular meetings at the Black Cultural Center/House. We kicked off the fall semester with an ice cream social and ended with a holiday party. Then COVID-19 hit. We took Spring 2020 off. We resumed meeting in Fall 2020. We began having monthly virtual brown bag meetings, which allow us to check in with one another. This is a time of self-care for many of us. I leave energized.  

How long have you been at Drake? What is your favorite thing about working at Drake?
I have worked at Drake for 19 years. Nov. 1 will be 20 years for me. In addition to supporting Black faculty and staff, my favorite things about working at Drake have been the flexibility, opportunities for professional development—working in an environment where you are encouraged to learn and grow—and of course the students. 

I have had some amazing opportunities that include serving our professional organization IASFAA (Iowa Association Student Financial Aid Administrators) and going on a study abroad site visit in 2003. I also really enjoy working with the students. Seeing students years later still in the Des Moines area, serving now their community, and showing love and respect toward me makes working at Drake special. Oh, and I can’t forget, my son graduated from Drake in Spring 2020. I am a Bulldog, and now I have a Bulldog. 

What is your favorite thing about the Drake neighborhood?
I don’t have just one favorite thing about the neighborhood, but our campus is beautiful year-round.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life and what lessons did that person teach you?
There are too many to mention. One that I think of often is Evelyn K Davis. She was my aunt and an activist in Des Moines. There is a park and building named after her. I remember her for the love she showed me and the words of wisdom that anchored me while going through college. I wish I could tell her I’m doing great. She probably wouldn’t be surprised. She seemed to see something in me when I couldn’t.

How do you like to spend your free-time? Tell us about your hobbies and interests.
I love cycling in my free time. I enjoy running and hiking. I enjoy spending time with my family. I enjoy time with my grandchildren—we have eight and one on the way. In my spare time, I am Co-founder and President of Black Women 4 Healthy Living. We are a nonprofit that focuses on the wellness of Black women in the Greater Des Moines area. We work to see Black women well in mind, healthy in body, and strong in spirit. I am also a Girl Scout Troop Leader in the metro. If you need some Girl Scout cookies, we got you. I am the Troops Cookie manager.

This year is a year like no other. What advice would you like to give to a first-year student at Drake?
Create a healthy routine and stick with it. This may take some adjusting, but work it out. Take control of your time. Don’t let time control you. Have a quiet time to refresh yourself daily. Take breaks to sharpen your ax. You will be able to cut down more trees and be more productive. Don’t push through. It is okay to take a break. Then get back at it. Take care of your spiritual and mental health. I am a person of faith and without God, I am nothing, could do nothing, and would be nothing. So, I make time with Him each day. Scheduled time for physical activity, self-care, and rest. Try to get some veggies and fruits in. Drink water. I cannot say it enough, rest. Last but not least, you can do anything, but you can’t do everything.