Drake University is excited to announce the expansion of the Martin Bucksbaum Lectureship Series. Under the expansion, the University will now have two lectureship tracks—the original Bucksbaum Distinguished Lectureship and a newly launched Bucksbaum Lectureship in Business, which is made possible by an additional gift from Melva Bucksbaum and Mary Bucksbaum Scanlan. 

Managed through Drake’s Zimpleman College of Business, the new lecture track addresses topics at the intersection of business and society. Students and community members are invited to take part in an intellectual conversation with some of the nation’s foremost thought leaders to discuss how business and entrepreneurialism can make both an economic and societal impact.  

Inaugural Speaker: Heather McGhee 

Heather McGhee, the New York Times best-selling author and a champion of equality in America, will be giving the Inaugural Bucksbaum Lectureship in Business on Nov. 1 in Sheslow Auditorium on Drake’s campus. McGhee’s lecture will begin at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but attendees will need to register ahead of time at Drake.edu/Bucksbaum. The lecture will also be livestreamed at Live.Drake.edu. 

Throughout her career in public policy, McGhee has crafted legislation, testified before Congress, and helped shape presidential campaign platforms. Her book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Us and How We Can Prosper Together, spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was longlisted for the National Book Award and Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. She has most recently adapted her book for young readers with companion materials for classrooms. Her 2020 TED talk, “Racism Has a Cost for Everyone,” has been viewed more than 2.5 million times.    

“We couldn’t think of a better speaker to kickstart our inaugural lecture. This is an incredible opportunity to offer students, our campus community and anyone with a vested interest in the business field an important perspective to better enable business as a force for good,”​​ said Alejandro Hernandez, Dean of the Zimpleman College of Business. “I want to recognize and thank the late Melva and her daughter Mary for their continued generous support of Drake as we work to honor Martin’s memory with this second track of the lectureship series.” 

Carrying on the Legacy 

Nearly 30 years ago, Martin and Melva Bucksbaum launched their vision for sparking community discussion about the most poignant issues of our time through a generous gift to the University that helped establish the Martin Bucksbaum Lectureship Series. The late Martin Bucksbaum was a local business leader who served as chairman and CEO of General Growth Properties. He was also a member of the University’s governing board. Over the years, the Lectureship has included world-renowned speakers including Maya Angelou, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, Bob Woodward, and many others—historically attracting more than 1,000 guests to the Knapp Center. 

The Zimpleman College of Business is proud to announce the inaugural Bucksbaum Lectureship in Business. Thanks to an additional gift from Melva Bucksbaum and Mary Bucksbaum, the well-established Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series has expanded for 2023.

This new lecture series addresses topics at the intersection of business and society. Students and community members are invited to take part in an intellectual conversation with some of the nation’s foremost thought leaders to discuss how business and entrepreneurialism can make both an economic and societal impact.

We are proud to announce Heather McGhee as the inaugural lecturer on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at Sheslow Auditorium.

Heather designs and promotes solutions to inequality in America. Throughout her career in public policy, Heather has crafted legislation, testified before Congress, and helped shape presidential campaign platforms.

Her book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was longlisted for the National Book Award and Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. She has most recently adapted her book for young readers with companion materials for classrooms. Her 2020 TED talk, “Racism Has a Cost for Everyone,” has been viewed more than 2.5 million times.

There will be limited seating for the lecture. While free and open to the public, tickets are required.

Prior to the public announcement of the lecture, a set of early-bird tickets will be available for students, faculty, and staff, from Tuesday, Oct. 3, through Thursday, Oct 5.

You will only be able to get individual tickets for early access through the link below.

Don’t wait. On Friday, Oct. 6, remaining tickets will be added to the general invitation and available to the public on Monday, Oct. 9, at drake.edu/bucksbaum.

For more information please contact Erica Hartchen at erica.hartchen@drake.edu.

Join the Drake community for a panel discussion Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 6–7:30 p.m. in Sussman Theater as we come together to advocate for the preservation of intellectual freedom.

Registration is required

Our communities thrive on diversity and free expression, and it is essential that we amplify the importance of access to a wide range of literary works, even those that may be challenging or controversial. Drake University supports the right to explore different perspectives and defends the freedom of thought and expression. 

Panelists will range from legislators, educators, librarians, and activists who will share their experiences and perspectives on book banning. Topics discussed will include:

• The history and impact of book banning on literature and society. 
• The importance of diverse voices and viewpoints in literature. 
• Strategies to protect intellectual freedom and combat censorship. 

Audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panelists. The event is free and open to all individuals who value the freedom to read, think, and explore new ideas. Whether you’re an avid reader, a concerned parent, an educator, or simply someone who believes in the power of literature to challenge and expand our understanding of the world, this panel discussion is an opportunity to stand up for the right to access diverse literary content. 

Also, check out Cowles Library’s featured collection this month that showcases some of the books currently being challenged in Iowa.

Celebrate the legacy of Governor Robert D. Ray with an ice cream social on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 2:30-4 p.m. on the Ray Promenade outside of Collier-Scripps Hall. Ice cream novelties will be served. The rain location will be inside Collier-Scripps Hall on the lower level.

Governor Robert D. Ray, the 11^th President of Drake University and 38^th Governor of Iowa, had an impact that extended beyond the state of Iowa and positively impacted people around the world. Best known for his humanitarian efforts and transformation of state government, Governor Ray’s legacy lives on through the work of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University.

The Ray Center invites the entire Drake campus community to celebrate Tuesday, Sept. 26, as Governor Ray Day in the state of Iowa.

Learn more about Governor Robert D. Ray’s life and legacy.

— Megan Wesselink, Robert D. & Billie Ray Center

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to celebrate the opening of Mediacom Stadium, the new home for Drake Soccer and new venue for Des Moines Public Schools athletics and activities on Thursday, Oct. 12. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. A program and ribbon cutting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. The Des Moines Roosevelt football team will play Waukee at 7:30 p.m. on new the field, marking the first-ever contest in the stadium.

— Ryan Arnold, Community Engagement

Ambassador Branstad will host the second annual U.S.-China Symposium at Drake University on Friday, Sept. 22, in Levitt Hall. This event is free and open to the public.

This annual symposium is an initiative of the Ambassador-in-Residence program at Drake, convening experienced professionals, academics, and other experts to speak on various topics related to China and U.S.-China relations, with the aim to provide a platform for multiple viewpoints and opportunities for candid discussion.

The 2023 symposium will include sessions on national security and defense with Lieutenant General Larry Nicholson (Retired), advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff; trade and business with Greyson Mann, Government Affairs Manager at the U.S.-China Business Council; and international relations with Bobby Richey, former Deputy Chief of Mission and Agriculture Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

Learn more and register for the symposium at drake.edu/branstad.

— Hannah Sappenfield, Global Engagement

Faculty and staff are invited to join us for the next Provost’s Drake Social, on Wednesday, Sept. 27, in the Cowles Library Reading Room, beginning at 4 p.m.

Refreshments will include wine, beer, soft drinks, and light snacks. This is a family friendly event. Feel free to bring your children and partner.

— Madison Bemus, Office of the Provost

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to celebrate the grand opening of the Broadlawns Community Clinic at Drake on Thursday, Sept. 7, from 4:30–7:30 p.m. The clinic is located at 2970 University Avenue. The official ribbon cutting will occur at 5:30 p.m. and no RSVP is required. The celebration event will include food and drinks, music, and offer tours of the clinic.

The clinic will open its doors to patients for the first time on Monday, Sept. 11. Members of the community and Drake students, faculty, and staff will have a convenient location to receive primary care, urgent care, mental health services, and access to a rotation of specialty services.  

Find more information and a list of services the clinic will provide.

Currently, Drake students receive medical treatment and mental health services through Broadlawns Medical Center at the American Republic Student Health Center on the Drake campus. The Broadlawns clinic will replace this facility.

Drake students will receive more information this week regarding scheduling for counseling and student health appointments at this new location.  All student appointments for this upcoming week (Sept. 5–8) will remain at the American Republic Student Health Center (3116 Carpenter Avenue).

— Jerry Parker, Chief Student Affairs Officer

Meredith Hall, home to Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC), Bright College, and many College of Arts and Sciences programs, is wrapping up renovation work and will be ready to serve students for the fall semester. Faculty and staff with offices in the building started moving back into their spaces last week.

The renovation work began in December 2022 with the intent to preserve the building’s historically significant architecture, while making the facility more environmentally friendly and better suited to the teaching and learning styles of today.

Throughout the planning and renovation process, Drake Facilities Planning and Management worked in close coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to ensure the building remains eligible to be on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The completed project includes improvements to the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, new LED light fixtures, a solar array installed on the roof, new ceiling systems, new bottle-filler drinking fountains, and technology upgrades throughout the building. Areas within the building were also reimagined to include a new student collaboration space and zip spaces. A new film viewing room was created in the lower level that includes salvaged seating from Varsity Theater.

Another notable aspect of the renovation included returning the signature metal exterior to its original shade of black, as it was when it was first constructed in 1965 and received international attention for its Mid-Century Modern architectural appeal.

Meredith Hall was designed by world-renowned architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and part of the renovation project includes restoring the building’s courtyard, which is distinct among Mies’ designs.

The Drake Facilities Planning and Management team also worked closely with SHPO to add padded cushioning to the original wooden seats in both of Meredith Hall’s auditoriums. To maintain the original design and aesthetics of the seats, Drake worked with the original manufacturer, Carroll Seating Company, on the renovations in which the original seat backs and bases will be used. In fact, the same person who designed the seats in 1965 worked to help renovate those same seats now.

Read about all the infrastructure updates, new sustainable features, and enriched teaching and learning opportunities on the Meredith Hall Revitalization web page.

“Our ultimate goal of updating this historic facility was to create learning spaces that meet the needs of today’s students while retaining the building’s key historic features,” said Michelle Huggins, planning and design manager, Facilities Planning and Management. “We want to ensure that people another 50 or 100 years from now will walk into this space and be just as impressed as they were in 1965 when the building first opened.”

— Heather Winslow, Facilities Planning and Management