Tag Archives: events

News & Achievements Archive

Drake news: Week of Feb. 15

Bill! Bill! Bill!

Bill Nye, renowned scientist, inventor, and host of Bill Nye the Science Guy, will deliver the 36th installment of the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series at Drake University. “An Evening with Bill Nye the Science Guy” is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, April 14, in Drake’s Knapp Center. The lecture is free and open to the public. All seating is general admission and no tickets are required. For more information, click here.


Drake to host Mandela Washington Fellowship Institute for Young African Leaders

Drake University will host 25 of Africa’s brightest emerging leaders this summer for a six-week academic and leadership institute sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Beginning in June, Drake will host young professionals between the ages 25 to 35 who were selected to participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, the flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative. Learn more about this exciting opportunity in the Drake Newsroom.


National Alumni Association announces 2016 Alumni Award winners

The Drake University National Alumni Association Board of Directors will recognize seven alumni with an award reception Thursday, April 28. The 2016 Alumni Award recipients represent six graduating classes and four colleges. The reception begins at 4:30 p.m., and program begins at 5:30 p.m., in the Cowles Library Reading Room.

“We are proud to honor these alumni for their loyalty, service and achievement” said Blake Campbell, director of alumni relations. “Their dedicated commitment of their time, talents and resources to Drake University and its students ensures the continued success of this great institution. See the full list of recipients here.


Forty Under 40
Thirteen Drake University degree-holders were named to the Des Moines Business Record’s “Forty Under 40” class for 2016.

The Business Record issues its annual list to honor Greater Des Moines area professionals under the age of 40 who have “demonstrated impressive career achievements and unparalleled community involvement,” according to the publication.

“We are tremendously proud of the accomplishments of these young professionals,” said John Smith, vice president of alumni and development. “Drake alumni have a meaningful impact across the globe, but perhaps nowhere more so than in our hometown. The accomplishments of this year’s Forty Under 40 class speaks volumes about Drake’s contribution to Des Moines.”

To see the full list of alumni, visit the Drake Newsroom.

News & Achievements Archive

Youth Sports Clinic—Feb. 28

Join us for a youth sports clinic prior to the women’s basketball game on Sunday, Feb. 28, 12–1:30 p.m. All clinic participants will receive complimentary admission to the women’s basketball game vs. Bradley at 2 p.m. Additional tickets can be purchased at $10 for adults and $5 for youth (age 3–18). Information on how to purchase additional tickets will be provided via email within 24 hours of registration.

To register, visit www.draketix.com/clinic

Questions? Please contact Jackson Dahlquist, assistant director of athletics marketing, at 515-271-1946 or jackson.dahlquist@drake.edu.

—Tom Florian, Assistant Director of Ticket Operations

News & Achievements Archive

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week campus events

Drake University Counseling Center is thrilled to bring Tom and Doris Smeltzer, authors of Andrea’s Voice: Silenced by Bulimia, to Drake for NEDAW 2016. Tom and Doris lost their daughter, Andrea, to bulimia at the age of 19, and have since dedicated their lives to eating disorder prevention. The Smeltzers will speak on Thursday, Feb. 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium. Faculty and coaches can consider swapping a class, assignment, or practice to encourage students to attend the event, and the event is free and open to the public.

In addition to hosting the speakers, the Counseling Center will lead other events the week of Feb. 22–26. These events include a resource table in Olmsted, online eating disorder screenings, a mindful eating experience, and a yoga exercise. Eating Disorder Coalition of Iowa is also hosting community events in Des Moines on Feb. 26–27 as well.

In the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life. Out of all mental health struggles, including schizophrenia, eating disorders continue to have the highest mortality rate. The goal of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW) is to put the spotlight on the seriousness of eating disorders and to improve public understanding of their causes, triggers, and treatments. By increasing awareness and access to resources, we can encourage early detection and intervention, which can improve the likelihood of full recovery for millions. Help is available and recovery is possible.

Please let me know if you have any questions about these events.

—Melissa Nord, Counseling Center

Featured Events Archive

Visiting documentary filmmaker

Hosted by the E.T. Meredith Center for Magazine Studies, Ibarra will showcase his documentary series “Run Carlos Run” on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. in Cowles Reading Room. The event is free and open to the public. “Run Carlos Run” follows Ibarra’s cross-country run from Brooklyn to California and the stories of the people he meets along the way, seeking to understand the modern American Dream.

—Kathleen Richardson, Dean, SJMC

For Students Archive

Support an end to domestic and sexual violence

Want to engage in social justice and civic engagement? The Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) and the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault (IowaCASA) are proud to host Lobby Day 2016. Students—please join victim advocates from across Iowa at the State Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. to educate legislators about domestic and sexual violence.

Our message is simple: Invest in programs to support victims and support policies to end domestic and sexual violence.

You can register online at http://bit.ly/1PbT3SK (put ‘Drake University’ in ‘organization’ line). If you have questions you can contact Laura Hessburg at laurah@icadv.org.

For logistics and meeting location at the capitol for all Drake students, contact the Drake Lobby Day liaison, Alysa Mozak, at alysa.mozak@drake.edu

—Submitted by Alysa Mozak, Coordinator for Sexual Violence Response and Healthy Relationship Promotion

Featured Events Archive

Department of Music’s alumni weekend offers 3 performances

Patty’s Place Presents: Jason Klobnak and Friends on Saturday, Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m., at the Patty and Fred Turner Jazz Center 
Come hear Jason Klobnak, FA’04, and fellow Drake music alumnus and faculty Mark Grimm, drums, perform originals written by Jason. They will be joined by local musicians Tanner Taylor, piano, and Eric Kreiger, bass. Cost is $20 for general admission. For tickets and more information, click here.


Drake Choir Benefit Concert on Saturday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at Sheslow Auditorium 
Come support the Drake Choir’s fundraising efforts for their 2016 tour to Latvia, Estonia, and Finland and enjoy the multi-talented members of the choir as they individually and collectively sing jazz, Broadway tunes, popular music, opera, and choral music. You’ll also hear 70 Drake Choir alumni from 1990 through 2015 join the present members to sing the choir’s signature pieces.

Cost is $25 for general admission, and $5 for Drake students. For tickets and more information, visit www.drake.edu/choralperformances


Alumni Recital Series presents: David Crabbs, guitar on Sunday, Feb. 21, at 4:30 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium 
We are honored to have alumnus and faculty member David Crabbs, FA’03, be the first of our music alumni to perform a full recital for this series. David will have fellow faculty members Patricia Silva, double bass, and Christian Schrock, cello, perform with him, along with alumnus Reuben Kebede, violin, and local musicians Ben Hagen, piano, and Norman Sue, bandoneon. They will be performing works by Boccherini, Pujol, and Piazzolla.

The Alumni Recital Series concerts have free admission, and no ticket is required. A reception will follow the performance.

—Submitted by Alina Grimm, Fine Arts Coordinator

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

Stand Up, Speak Up

Save the date for “Stand Up, Speak Up: A Drake University Women & Leadership Symposium.” This unique, all-day event will take place on March 8 in the Olmsted Center’s Parents Hall. The symposium will feature some of Des Moines’ most accomplished female leaders as they share information on forging your leadership presence, building your network, and creating a concrete action plan.

As an added bonus, attendees will receive credit toward the Excellence in Learning & Development Certificate. Faculty and staff are welcome to join for all or part of the day, and lunch will be provided for registered attendees.

RSVP for the event at www.drake.edu/womenleaders by this Friday, Feb. 19. For questions, please email any of the event organizers listed below.

Drake University Women and Leadership Committee:
Cris Wildermuth
Annique Kiel
Eliza Dy-Boarman
Stephanie Cardwell
Bengu Erguner-Tekinalp
Shelley Hurst
Debra Wiley
Alyssa Young

—Submitted by Eliza Dy-Boarman, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice

For Students Archive

Student org events

Alpha Kappa Psi recruitment

Alpha Kappa Psi is the oldest and largest coeducational professional business fraternity open to all majors, minors, and concentrations. Come check out our events Feb. 8–13: Recruitment Events

Student Activities Board Bingo Night

Come to SAB’s Bingo Night on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. on Pomerantz Stage. Grab some friends and a bingo card for the chance to win some really sweet prizes, including a Fitbit, Drake gear, gift cards, a Beats Pill, and much more. Get there before they’re gone.

Featured Events Archive

Polygamy and the constitution

What: Drake Constitutional Law Center Distinguished Lecture Series:
“Scrutinizing Polygamy after Hobby Lobby and Obergefell”
Featuring Maura Strassberg, Drake Law School professor
When: Thursday, Feb. 4, 4 p.m.
Where: Cartwright Hall, Room 213

Maura Strassberg, professor of law at Drake Law School, will present “Scrutinizing Polygamy after Hobby Lobby and Obergefell” as part of the Drake Constitutional Law Center’s Distinguished Lecture Series.

Now that the Supreme Court has determined same-sex marriage is constitutionally protected under the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses, many have wondered whether polygamy should also receive constitutional protection. In addition, recent developments in the protection of religious freedom under the 1st Amendment as well as federal and state Religious Freedom Restoration Acts also provide the basis for a re-evaluation of bans on religious polygamy.

Strassberg will discuss whether existing laws distinguishing polygamy from same-sex marriage are the result of prejudice or if they stem from good reasons. She will point to modern social science research on the harms of polygamy from a global perspective that may answer this question as well as justifications for state prohibitions on polygamy that could survive even stricter scrutiny.

The event is free and open to the public.

—Submitted by Kayla Choate, Law School Alumni Affairs & Communications Coordinator