Drake University Blue Magazine Spring 2014 by Drake University

26 drake and des moines: better together 31 alumni lead: martha willits and gene meyer spring 2014

64 shannon coughlon, class of 2014, chooses des moines

Location, Location, Location A Des Moines Renaissance in Drakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Backyard

spring 2014

Now in her dream job, alumna Katy Lachky Michael, jo’03, looks back and shares why Drake holds a special place in her heart. Read more on page 60.

Features 20 metro moxie Iowa’s capital city is experiencing a renaissance. Vision,

55 larry eisenhauer, lw’74, and cynthia eisenhauer, gr’76

tenacity, and collaboration are driving progress that is distinctly Des Moines. By Tim Schmitt, gr’08, ‘10

26 toppling hedges, tapping synergy

There was a time that Drake and Des Moines weren’t quite as connected. Then the clippers came out. By Jill Brimeyer

31 ‘we’ll ‘we’ll do do itit together’ together’

Past and current leaders of the Greater Des Moines Partnership Martha Willits, fa’69, gr’72, ‘97, and Gene Meyer, gr’81, discuss Des Moines’ sweet spot, growing regionalism, and the next generation of leaders.

Profiles 8

matt bruinekool and robert stensrud

These School of Education professors are creating opportunities through Drake’s National Rehabilitation Institute.

kim askren, class of 2016

A Drake student uses her skills in math, science, and empathy to improve peoples’ lives.

60 katy lachky michael, jo’03

A young alumna fills a big pair of shoes—numerous pairs, in fact—as she helps steer a billion-dollar brand.

Departments 4 Welcome

From the editor and staff

5 Inbox

Our readers respond

6 Blue Notes The people and stories of the Drake experience 54 Alumni Connections

Drake Notes, Career Tips, and the Alumni Calendar

64 The Last Word

Welcome Home. By Shannon Coughlon, Class of 2014

65 Just for Fun

This Iowa couple embraces justice, public service, and helping others around the world.

Test your Bulldog knowledge

Welcome So when Des Moines lands itself at the top of numerous national rankings, the city merits a closer look. As Tim Schmitt explores in “Metro Moxie,” Iowa’s capital city got out ahead of the curve. While many urban areas in the United States are now restrategizing in reaction to an incapacitated federal model of development, Des Moines has been building its vision and driving its progress with a strong tradition of multisector collaboration. ILLUSTRATION BY DREW ALBINSON, AS’13

i’ve lived in several different cities ,

Collaboration is built on relationships, and Drake University’s relationship with its city has significantly evolved over the last

and I’ve visited many more. My memories are tinged with

decade and a half. Jill Brimeyer’s “Toppling Hedges, Tapping

architecture and skylines, traffic patterns and commute

Synergy” reveals a strong symbiosis that’s inspiring meaningful

times, climate and weather vagaries. Such elements tend

community service, providing powerful learning experiences,

to broadly identify a location, but even their summation

matching educational opportunities with workforce needs, and

doesn’t sufficiently depict place.

fueling a shared energy and collective future.

We work, play, learn, and build our lives in place. Our aspira-

Togetherness is the message emphasized by Martha Willits and

tions and opportunities, our relationships and commitments

Gene Meyer in “We’ll Do It Together.” Their combined

all derive from place. Our challenges and choices (both wise

experience with the Greater Des Moines Partnership provides

and poor), our successes and failures all contribute to place.

valuable insight into the character, challenges, and trends

Despite a world where technology reduces the significance of

shaping a metropolitan area that is itself changing shape.

locality, place continues to define us.

Matters of place are the touchstones of our lives, reminding

Drake is a place within a place. The University—with all its

us that place matters.

own history, possibilities, endeavors, accomplishments, events, traditions, and ethos—is encompassed by the pulse of the city

—Beth Wilson, Editor

of Des Moines. Our destinies are meaningfully intertwined.

Ask the staff ...

president

editorial

Everyone knows the Big Apple, the City of Angels, the Windy City, the Motor City. What’s your nickname for Des Moines?

Dr. David E. Maxwell

Danny Akright, jo’10, as’10; Jarad Bernstein; Jill Brimeyer; Aaron Jaco, jo’07, as’07; Tim Schmitt, gr’08, ’10 ; Theresa Sherwood; Alyssa Young

executive director, university communications Debra Lukehart, jo’89

Aaron Jaco: Miracle of the Midwest

editorial director

Jill Brimeyer: First-in-the-Nation City

creative director

Beth Wilson: The City of Silent S’s Kristin Dunn: Day Mwa: The Prairie Riviera

Beth Wilson Kristin Dunn, jo’92

project manager Abbie Hansen, jo’01

design Emma Akerly, as’09; Shelly Mootz; Micki Nelson

web communications Carl Olsen; Jeremy Sievers

student interns Nicole Dyar, Class of 2014; Cameron Johnson, Class of 2015; Claire Sedovic, Class of 2015

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rss feed: www.drake.edu/magazine

spring 2014

facebook: www.facebook.com/drakeuniversity

To submit news or update your alumni profile, contact Drake’s Office of Alumni Relations: t 1-800-44-drake, x3152 e alumni.update@drake.edu w www.alumni.drake.edu Views expressed in Drake Blue do not necessarily reflect opinions of the editors or the University. We welcome story ideas and submissions. Send correspondence to: Drake Blue University Communications Drake University 2507 University Ave. Des Moines, IA 50311-4505 e bluemag@drake.edu

Inbox reliving history

We find that we don’t know for sure which schools are

Thank you so much for featuring Professor Charles Nelson

represented by which set of initials.

(“Where Are They Now,” Fall 2013, p. 7). He was one of my favorite teachers. I struggled with history in high school, and he made it easy to understand. I took a few courses with him, and my favorite was one focusing on the Wild West. His wife came in dressed as a cowboy and taught class one day. Thanks for helping me relive some fond memories.

—Robbie Melton, la’78, Alexandria, Va.

—Al, bn’50, and Barbara (Housh) Kersbergen, la’51, Asheville, N.C. From the editor: In every issue of Drake Blue, readers can find a handy key for identifying Drake’s schools and colleges. Look for “Cracking the Class Code” at the end of “Drake Notes” (p. 56 in this current issue).

well-balanced, drake ! I applaud Aaron W. Jaco on his well-researched and wellwritten piece (“What Does It Mean to Win?” Spring 2013,

reliving history, part ii

p. 22). I also applaud Drake for keeping its athletics programs

Thanks for your article on Professor Charles Nelson (“Where

in balance with academics. I wish this balance were the rule,

Are They Now,” Fall 2013, p. 7), one of the outstanding teachers

not the exception (so it often seems).

I had while at Drake. I chose history as a minor during my years at the University, partly because of his inspirational

—Ron Read, jo’66, Carmel Valley, Calif.

teaching. My favorite course was his U.S. History of Westward

correction

Expansion, featuring the theories of Frederick Jackson Turner.

The Drake Blue staff was so focused on helping readers correctly

It was one of the most interesting, and most challenging,

pronounce the names of Drake’s new basketball coaches

courses for me at Drake. I also felt personally mentored, as

(“On the Spot,” Fall 2013, p. 6) that we unfortunately—and

I am sure other students did. And I continue to this day—

embarrassingly—misspelled them. Not once. Not twice.

due partly to his influence—a lifelong interest in how cultural

But three times. For the record, it’s Baranczyk and Giacoletti.

narratives influence historical thought.

—Mary Lee Morrison, la’69, Hartford, Conn.

decoder, please We just received our Fall 2013 issue and enjoy reading it and keeping up with what is going on at Drake. I graduated in ’50 and my wife in ’51, so we are always looking to see what is happening with graduates who share those graduation dates.

Drake Blue accepts all signed letters and reserves the right to edit those that are published. Please include your full name, address, and Drake affiliation. Send your comments to the email or address below:

Drake Blue, University Communications Drake University 2507 University Ave. Des Moines, IA 50311-4505

e bluemag@drake.edu

Virtually Speaking What’s the coolest thing about the city in which you live? We posed that question to our far-reaching social media community, and here’s what some of our friends had to say:

Amy Zynda, ph’01, Green Bay, Wis.

It’s the perfect-size city, with the mountains and coast just

Its name. Hannah Rebhorn, Class of 2017, Sandwich, Ill.

60 miles away and all the natural beauty one could ask for. Alison Donin, as’05, Portland, Ore. No matter what you do professionally, you will have the chance to interact with industry superstars. Erika Rae Owen, jo’13, New York

The smallest city with an NFL franchise. Lambeau Field dominates our skyline and our hearts.

Constantly discovering new things, especially as an outsider. Fantastic people here, too. Hasan Hujairi, bn’03, Seoul, South Korea Drake University is here! Collin Stephens, Class of 2017, Des Moines

The world’s tallest building adds charm to the already beautiful skyline. Firoz Ahmad, gr’00, Dubai, UAE

visit www.drake.edu/magazine to read more responses to our Virtually Speaking question.

spring 2014

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blue notes [ on the spot ]

His One Blue Love

There’s something truly special about the Drake experience— ask anyone. For Drake legend Paul Morrison, jo’39, also known as “Mr. Drake,” that experience has lasted nearly 70 years. The 96-year-old’s family ties to the University go back to 1902 when his parents were students; 14 members of the family have since earned degrees from Drake. With questions submitted online by alumni, we sat down with Mr. Drake—in his museum-like office on campus, where he still shows up every day to volunteer—to learn about his longtime love affair with Drake University. Jenna DeLong, jo’11: Dear Mr. Drake (aka DU’s MVP), how many different jobs have you held with the University over your tenure? I went on the payroll at Drake on Dec. 15, 1945. I was hired as the first full-time director of the news bureau. A few months later, I was appointed to the position of athletics business manager and later served as the sports information director. Now I’ve retired, but I’m a full-time volunteer. I like to say I’ve had a longtime love affair with Drake University. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t come to work every day. I feel good knowing that I get things done that wouldn’t get done otherwise. Terri Seibert Holmgren, ed’72, gr’96: Hey, Paul, what is the most exciting sports moment in your career? I suppose when we went to the Final Four. Had a great game with UCLA. I think that’s probably it. I’ve had a lot of them, so it’s hard. I used to say I refuse to answer that question, but you

don’t go to the Final Four very often. We actually went to three straight NCAA regionals during that time with Maury John, the coach.

Troy Sheets, bn’00: Who is your favorite Drake basketball player? That’s one of those questions I refuse to answer. There’s been too many. I answered that question for somebody else a few years ago, and when I came back to check what I had said, I forgot Dolph Pulliam! That’s what you do; you forget to mention people. We’ve had a lot of them. I really can’t name a favorite. Alissa Johnson Tripas, jo’91: Mr. Morrison, what is it about your Drake experience that continues to inspire you to support our great institution? Great student body and great faculty and staff. We’re large enough to have everything you need, small enough to allow students to know each other and their professors. We don’t have 400 kids sitting in a classroom or listening to a lecture. It’s the intimacy of the entire campus and student body.

Cody Austin, as’13: What’s the secret to a happy and meaningful life? I love people. That’s the best answer I know. I’ve been very lucky to have a lot of friendships over the years. I’m proud of that. And—I’m speaking egotistically now—a lot of the former players, coaches, and former staff come back to campus to stop in and say hello, and that makes me feel good. To know I have had a good relationship with them.

visit www.drake.edu/magazine for an interactive look at the office of “Mr. Drake,” Paul Morrison.

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[ where are they now ]

All Creations Great and Small STANLEY HESS Associate Professor of Art, 1951–1962; Professor of Art, 1962–1985; Professor Emeritus of Art

Climbing the stairs from the lower level of the Des Moines Art Center’s education wing, visitors first encounter the artist’s tools—palette, brushes, books. Ascending from the landing, they pass the artist himself at work on a canvas. But not until they’ve reached the main floor and stepped away from the 16x14-foot fresco do they discover the larger story—‘Fame,’ depicted with trumpet and laurel wreath in hand, heralding the artist’s feats. In the mid-1950s, a young Drake professor of art stood paintbrush in hand next to visiting artist Jean Charlot as the mural Inspiration of the Artist took form. The work that six decades later remains part of the Art Center’s permanent collection introduced Stanley Hess to the multiple experiences possible with scale and form. “A mural isn’t just a big painting,” says Hess, describing how large works are experienced from a distance and up close, from above and below. “It’s expressive of its surroundings.” In Tulsa, Oklahoma—his surroundings since retiring from Drake in 1985—the 90-year-old Hess recently finished carving his fifth wooden walking cane, another art form that applies proportion and representation. The 5-inch-long “mall court jester” that crowns the smooth 3-foot hard maple staff is Hess’ playful tribute—crafted in perfect ratio using an X-ACTO knife—to the food court visitors he encounters during walks at the local shopping mall. “I walk with a cane. People notice. They stop me and want to know about it,” says Hess, who describes the challenge of scale in artfully depicting a lion or a crane. “If I’m off one-eighth of an inch, it’s conspicuous.” Hess himself was being noticed soon after arriving at Drake. A November 1958 article in Drake Alumnus described the then associate professor of art as “possibly the busiest artist in the Midwest.” His introduction to mural painting with Charlot led to a 1957 opportunity to design two exterior brick murals and several interior murals for a new downtown Des Moines YMCA. More

Using an X-ACTO knife and propelled by practical need, Hess has thus far carved five different wooden canes, each topped with a unique figure.

metro area murals followed—for St. Theresa Church, the Child Guidance Center, Iowa Power and Light Co., Mercy Hospital, Blank Children’s Hospital, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, National Travelers Life Co., Valley View Village, and others. His large-scale mural works, and the diverse perspectives involved, later inspired Hess’ studio painting. He began translating that architectural effect for the canvas, creating works that some described as surreal or magic realism or “trompe l’œil” (“deceives the eye”). A 1972 one-man show in Drake’s Lobby Gallery (now the Weeks Gallery) called them Images Within Images, offering different experiences at different distances and angles. His art branched in new directions by the end of the 1970s. A woodworking hobby evolved into self-taught mastery of handcrafted musical instruments. Scale again entered Hess’ work, as he produced Renaissance-era replicas as small as six inches and as large as six feet. “As a young man, I wanted to be a musician,” recalls Hess, who in earlier years played the violin. “I wasn’t any good at playing them, but they couldn’t keep me from making the instruments.” Upon retiring from Drake, Hess and his wife sought a new home. “We used Drake as a model,” he remembers, and the couple explored communities in several different states. “We decided we wouldn’t live anywhere that didn’t have a university.” Tulsa, which became and remains their home, has two. Hess continued painting canvases and crafting instruments (playing some of them) in retirement. A tremor in his right hand now limits those pursuits, but Hess once again found a new creative path. He’s had offers to buy his finished walking canes and special requests for new ones, but this artist has something of greater proportions in mind. Hess says when he completes a dozen or so canes, he’ll plan his next exhibit.

Hess was a 1972 recipient of the University’s award for extraordinary undergraduate teaching.

visit our Stanley Hess gallery online at www.drake.edu/magazine. spring 2014

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Profile

Good Counsel school of education faculty connect abilities with workforce needs. Tucked away on the second floor of Drake’s School of Education, Matt Bruinekool and Robert Stensrud quietly rake in millions of dollars. That money, in the form of federal grants, funds the National Rehabilitation Institute (NRI), established at Drake in 1976. With a mission that differs from the common understanding of “rehabilitation,” the NRI—led by Bruinekool (far left), its director and an assistant professor of education—combines teaching, research, and consultation to develop professionals dedicated to securing employment for people with disabilities. The NRI’s work centers on a concept known as the “demand-side model,” which Stensrud (second from left), professor of education and a former NRI director, developed in the 1980s and 1990s with Dennis Gilbride, now professor and rehabilitation counseling program coordinator at Georgia State University. The demand-side model calls for counselors to work with business partners to determine employment needs before placing an individual with disabilities. The model is now a national standard, and Drake’s NRI is an industry leader. “People thought of placement as giving a person the want ads and saying, ‘Go look,’” says Stensrud. “There’s really no way to send them out unless the employer is ready to receive them. We’ve moved from an adversarial model to a collaborative model, so we consult with businesses because that’s where the jobs are.” Drake’s leadership in the field has made the NRI a go-to source of highly qualified professionals. A focus on both teaching and training means students graduate with not only a master’s degree but also the skills to work as placement counselors for people with disabilities. “Our counselors who go to work at state agencies and other organizations are leaders in terms of the people they’re able to find employment for, and they’ve received national awards,” says Bruinekool. “There are employers who, when they have openings, call us and ask if we have anyone for them.” The NRI has become so successful that it regularly secures major grants for the University—nearly $9.7 million since 1991. The funding goes primarily to scholarship support for rehabilitation counseling students, many of whom are people with disabilities. Bruinekool and Stensrud have become national experts in the field, establishing partnerships with major research institutions (including the University of Wisconsin and Syracuse University) and government agencies. Program graduates dominate the industry, holding top rehabilitation counseling spots throughout the nation. Those working professionals all need opportunities to remain current in the field, says Bruinekool, who looks to expand the NRI’s reach through recertification and other continuing education programs. “We’re optimistic about our future.” —Danny Akright, jo’10, as’10 spring 2014

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[ making a difference ]

Imagine Differently Sparked by the commitment of a visionary family, guided by a team of Drake faculty and staff and friends of the University, and increasingly fueled by community curiosity, the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series has introduced audiences to the ideas, accomplishments, and inspiration of an eclectic mix of thinkers and doers—ambassadors and athletes, musicians and historians, journalists and futurists, scientists and theologians. Neil Hamilton, professor of law, the Dwight D. Opperman

Because thousands of community members attend, the lectures—always free and open to the public and always concluded with a popular Q-and-A session—serve as a powerful tie between the University and the Des Moines region. The most rewarding part of the work that goes into making each event happen, says Hamilton, is witnessing the loyalty and excitement the lectures generate. “Iowans are a literate and engaged population. The University stood up and recognized that.”

Chair of Law, and director of the Agricultural Law Center, has

The endowment supporting the lecture series was established

been a part of the lectureship since its inception in 1996 and

with a generous gift from Melva and the late Martin Bucksbaum,

often handles logistics—meeting Jane Goodall’s flight at the

longtime member of Drake’s board of trustees, and honors his

airport, showing Garrison Keillor a bit of Des Moines, driving

memory. The initial aspiration was a once-a-year event, and

Nicholas Kristof to the President’s House, escorting Jimmy

the first half dozen guest speakers drew audiences that soon

Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, to a small group discussion in

filled the 700-seat Sheslow Auditorium to capacity. Since

Cowles Library, welcoming Vicente Fox to his agriculture law

moving to The Knapp Center and expanding to a biannual

classroom, introducing Bill Bryson to an overflowing audience

tradition, the Bucksbaum Lecture has never drawn fewer than

at The Knapp Center, and returning Ken Burns to his hotel

1,000 people and on several occasions has filled 5,000 seats or

room after the lecture.

more. Guests who came to hear Maya Angelou (October 2009)

While speakers bureaus can provide catalogs of options, the lectureship committee—chaired by Hamilton—is discerning,

and Neil deGrasse Tyson (October 2013) had to squeeze into the 7,152-seat arena.

issuing invitations to individuals who can bring name

Hamilton says thought-provoking themes being explored for

recognition, topics that attract a wide audience, and

future lectures include health care, privacy, technology, and the

opportunities for Drake students. The 10 members meet

role of the courts. “It’s never predictable, other than it will be

periodically to consider prospects and keep a short list in

predictably interesting.”

development based on experience (e.g., a committee member has heard the individual speak), professional contacts that can be leveraged, timely issues, and community input.

Making It Work 10

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visit www.drake.edu/bucksbaum to view a full list of previous lecturers and learn more about the upcoming Bucksbaum speaker, Tim Gunn.

The 33rd Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture Series welcomes maestro of style Tim Gunn to The Knapp Center on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014. spring 2014

The Drake Community Press team from left to right: Professor Carol Spaulding-Kruse, Kelsey Lepperd, Vaughn Powell, Morgan Cannata, and Madeline Matthews.

‘Una Historia Diferente’ (‘A Different Story’) The statistics are grim: The school dropout rate among Latinas aged 16–24 is 30 percent, the highest of any ethnic group in the United States. And only 10 percent of Hispanic women complete four or more years of college, according to the American Association of University Women.

sociology, graphic design, and public relations. The result is

A group of Drake students, professors, and community

will impact this state,” says Carol Spaulding-Kruse, professor

organizations wants to tell a different story—Latinas need not be just another statistic. They’re sharing that message through the Drake Community Press’ first publishing

a book—written in both English and Spanish—that not only informs but also inspires. “This text is for any Iowan who wants to find out more about the Latina experience and get an idea of how [young Latinas] of English, who led the project. “If you think you know who a Latina is, this book will break down all your stereotypes. These women are so different and face myriad issues.”

endeavor, The Ones I Bring with Me: Iowa’s Young Latinas on

Spaulding-Kruse credits much of the Press’ success to the

Identity, Education, and Success.

students involved with the project, particularly a trio of

The book focuses on a group of mentors (called “madrinas,” or “godmothers”) and teenage girls (“ahijadas,” or “goddaughters”)—connected through Marshalltown, Iowa-based nonprofit ¡al Éxito!—who share aspects of their lives via themes such as family and education. Through their stories, the book explores the Latina experience and how it affects girls’ perceptions of higher education and success. The multiyear process involved more than 100 students

senior writing majors—Kelsey Lepperd, Vaughn Powell, and Madeline Matthews—who served as editorial assistants throughout the process. “The highlight has been meeting people and having conversations that I would never have the opportunity to have otherwise,” says Lepperd. “Working on this project, I’ve found that Iowa has a much more diverse population and culture than I expected. I hope that versatility becomes evident when people read this book.”

and faculty from a variety of disciplines: Spanish, writing, spring 2014

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blue notes

The Diplomat Is In

Last summer, Drake’s first-ever diplomat-in-residence packed his bags and made the trek from the nation’s capital to Des Moines. Pulling into town with District of Columbia license plates, Jerry Gallucci instantly stood out. “I’ve been treated somewhat like an eccentric fish,” says Gallucci. “People are surprised that there is such a person in Des Moines and at Drake—also very interested in what this means.” Jerry Gallucci, a New Jersey native, is a retired U.S. Foreign Service officer and a former United Nations peacekeeper with more than 30 years of experience in foreign affairs. With support from the R.W. and Mary Nelson Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs, he’s now a part-time faculty member offering a breadth of international learning opportunities for Drake students and the Des Moines community. Gallucci hit the ground running last summer, quickly becoming a popular resource for local media and a sought-after presenter for schools and community organizations. Within the first few months of being on campus, he was invited to speak to classes at Iowa State University and Des Moines Area Community College, started attending meetings with the Pow Wow Club (a Des Moines dinner group), and began participating in the Des Moines Committee on Foreign Relations. “A lot of people have an interest in talking with me about issues of foreign affairs because they’ve never had the opportunity to meet with someone who’s actually lived it,” he explains. Because the diplomat-in-residence is a new position at Drake, the job description was loosely scripted and remains so. Gallucci has had the freedom to shape his role and pursue his personal interests and passions along the way.

“I’m enjoying getting to know the town, the city, the people. I feel already at home in Des Moines. And the students here—I’ve been really pleased with them. They are bright and motivated,” says Gallucci. “I taught a similar U.N. peacekeeping course at the graduate level at another university, and I always felt like those students were just going through the motions. But here the students are genuinely interested in doing something positive in the world.” During the spring semester, Gallucci is teaching a course on U.S. intelligence and national security, which is maxed out at 21 students. He’ll also be mentoring students in a Latin American independent study. “My courses help students develop the ability to make reasoned judgments and express those judgments about issues pertaining to national security and foreign policy,” shares Gallucci. “I enjoy working through the material with students. It’s given me the chance to learn and relearn how I think of peacekeeping and foreign relations.” Gallucci says his goals for the position are still evolving. Above all, he hopes his efforts can help Drake continue to be recognized as a leading institution in international education. “Drake is a great place, and I’m doing what I like to do—talking with folks who are interested in foreign affairs,” says Gallucci. “But I look forward to taking that further—creating more awareness of Drake, the Nelson Institute, and this diplomatin-residence position to an even wider audience. We’ve really only just begun.”

visit www.drake.edu/magazine for a video of Jerry Gallucci answering questions on foreign affairs.

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ILLUSTRATION BY DREW ALBINSON, AS’13

[ how to ] Contest judges—who are faculty, alumni, and friends of Drake— spend a lot of time observing (and petting) the furry contenders. What do they look for? A few provide a glimpse.

American Kennel Club standards? Not so much. “What the judging is not is basing the decision on Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show looks. It is making sure the winner looks like a bulldog, but beyond that, show standards are out the door.” —Tom Colvin, executive director, Animal Rescue League of Iowa; 2011 judge

Look beyond the cute wrinkles. “Big shoulders, a goodlooking face, and the dimensions of the dog coupled with personality make a dog really beautiful. You want a dog with a certain kind of poise.” —Sandy Hatfield Clubb, director of athletics, Drake University; annual judge Beautiful Bulldogs know how to work it. “The dogs that

Judge Drake’s Beautiful Bulldog Contest Each year, 50 four-legged contestants, chosen by lottery, waddle and strut in Drake jerseys, tutus and wigs, and superhero garb. (A pooch once paraded with a towering sandwich on his back—a tribute to Jethro’s Adam Emmenecker Challenge—that was a feat of engineering.) Accompanied by their hopeful owners, the bullies turn on the charm and work the runway.

exhibit the most swagger on the runway are sure to please the judges.” —Mary Lou Coady, media relations specialist, Prairie Meadows; 2012 judge

A bulldog’s peeps matter. “The engagement of the bulldog’s family certainly sways the vote. Creativity and capturing the bulldog’s personality are a must.” —Tom Colvin

Think Drake. “Bulldogs are the perfect mascot for Drake— the picture of toughness and tenacity, but so kind and gentle. You want a dog that embodies that.” —Sandy Hatfield Clubb watch this year’s contest live online—Drake will live stream from The Knapp Center at www.drake.edu/relays on Monday, April 21, at noon—and view contestant photos at www.drake.edu/magazine.

[ book club ]

Re-envisioning Education Fifty years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling desegregated schools, Provost Deneese Jones shares some thought-provoking books that expose an ongoing gap in equitable education opportunity.

“Multiplication Is for White People”: Raising Expectations for Other People’s Children By Lisa Delpit | The New Press, 2012

Delpit tackles the achievement gap in this discussion of the lack of realistic expectations for poor children of color. This text reminds us that we in education must reimagine the culture, politics, and practice of teaching our nation’s most vulnerable and marginalized students.

Uncle Jed’s Barbershop

Can We Talk About Race?: And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregration

By Margaree King Mitchell; illustrated by James E. Ransome

By Beverly Daniel Tatum | Beacon Press, 2008

This children’s book, based on a true story, is told from the voice of a young black girl whose uncle saves money and pursues his dream to open his own barbershop. The tale provides a positive historical view and counters the mentality of learned helplessness.

In this book, Tatum magnifies the role that race continues to play in determining who has access to what kind of education. She puts forth the challenge to prepare students of all races to live and work in our multiracial, multicultural democracy.

Aladdin, 1998

spring 2014

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blue notes [ the best place ]

To Pole Vault Success has taken Olympic gold medalist Renaud Lavillenie to Sweden, Russia, England, Istanbul, and countless other picturesque locales. But there’s one venue that undoubtedly sticks out in this pole vaulter’s mind—the shopping concourse just outside Victoria’s Secret. Pole Vault in the Mall is a one-of-a-kind Drake Relays tradition that pits the nation’s top vaulters against one another in West Des Moines’ Jordan Creek Town Center. Fans cheer as athletes sprint down the runway, barely beyond arm’s reach, and launch themselves over the bar—where they’re met by another set of spectators on the mall’s second level. Athletes rave about the intimacy and intensity of the mall vault experience. But the real winners are the fans. How often do you get to watch pole vaulting from above the bar? And pop into Williams-Sonoma between jumps? visit www.drake.edu/relays to learn more about Relays Week’s newest event—the High Jump at Hy-Vee.

[ top five ] Reasons This Is the Year to Return for Drake Relays. The athleticism. The pageantry. The spectacle. Here are five ways we’re raising the bar for the 105th annual Drake Relays, April 23–27.

All-Alumni Tent Party. We’re inviting everyone back to the ol’ alma mater this year, regardless of graduation year or degree. Reconnect with friends and make a few new ones. Revisit favorite campus hot spots, and check out the Alumni House, your new home-away-from-home on campus.

World-class rematches. Relays 2013 saw dozens of rematches among London Games medalists. This year’s meet will attract numerous medalists from last year’s International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Moscow. The heat is on.

Tougher collegiate competition. Teams from the nation’s top colleges are flocking to the Blue Oval to compete for the prestigious Hy-Vee Cup. The Fighting Illini claimed the men’s and women’s cups last year—can they hang on to the prize?

High Jump at Hy-Vee. You’ve heard of Pole Vault in the Mall. Now meet another game-changing event: High Jump at Hy-Vee pits top athletes against one another— inside a Hy-Vee grocery store. It’s sure to produce some memorable performances. Your own piece of the action. Relays 2014 is your chance to run on the famed Blue Oval. Whether you’re in for the 5k, 10k, or half marathon, you’ll be in good company. Organizers expect the Hy-Vee Road Races to draw more than 15,000 participants—up from 5,600 in 2013. visit www.drake.edu/relays for news, reunion information, schedules, tickets, and more.

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Profile

A Million Different Paths pharmacy student kim askren shares her passion for math and science, for des moines, and for making a difference.

Fourth-year pharmacy student Kim Askren (right) talks wtih a physician during her rotation at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

I’m a fourth-year pharmacy student from Des Moines. I’m currently nearing the end of eight rotations in different areas of pharmacy and applying for residencies. I’m studying pharmacy because I love math and science and am fascinated with how the human body works. When I was younger, I wanted to play a part in helping to find a cure for cancer. My dream job has been to work at St. Jude in Memphis, Tennessee, and I recently completed a rotation there; I worked with pediatric oncology patients. I have a soft spot in my heart for these kids because my mother’s younger brother died of cancer when he was in high school. Drake taught me how to deal with difficult situations. I’m a sympathetic crier, so sometimes it’s hard for me not to get emotional, especially when dealing with ill children. But my courses and rotation experiences emphasized patient interaction and strategies to focus on the patients’ needs. I’ll always remember the first time I experienced how my pharmacy studies can make a difference in someone’s life. On one of my rotations, I was asked to counsel a patient who had just been diagnosed with diabetes. I had practiced

these scenarios plenty of times with my classmates. But when I walked in, the patient was sobbing. Nothing fully prepares you for facing someone who is dealing with this lifelong disease for the first time. I was able to comfort her and explain that diabetes doesn’t necessarily have to impair her life. Pharmacists don’t just count pills. In the pharmaceutical industry, I can go down a million different paths. My rotations consist of counseling patients, providing consults for doctors, fine-tuning dosages, and serving as a resource for any questions individuals have about various drugs. I recently discovered my passion for blogging. My blog is on the Drake website and is meant to show potential students all the great things the University has to offer. While I write about anything and everything, the part I love most is exploring the local shops and restaurants in Des Moines. Drake is not an island, and Des Moines is awesome. keep up with Kim Askren via her blog: kimberlyaskrendrake.wordpress.com.

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students enjoy quad creek cafĂŠ, an eco-friendly dining hall.

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then cafeteria line shuffle In response to a huge uptick in enrollment following World

Renovations in 1966 and 1986 brought Hubbell from modernism

War II, the University undertook a $2.6-million Quads residence

to modern conveniences. Environmentally friendly design

hall project. Designed by cutting-edge modernist architect Eero

standards guided the dining hall’s Quad Creek Café component,

Saarinen—and replacing the legendary “Pregnant Acres” trailer

which replaced Spike’s Spot and Cool Beans and opened to

park—the construction included Herriott, Carpenter, Crawford,

students in the fall of 2010.

and Stalnaker halls, and a brand new Hubbell Dining Hall unveiled in 1953.

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Welcome to Des Moines Home of the first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses? Yes, we’ve heard. “Best Place for Business and Careers” and “Wealthiest City in America”? Sure. But what about kitschy brushes with fame and meat lore? Meet the surprising (and sometimes bizarre) side of the city we know and love.

HERE’S THE BEEF ... Though the origin is disputed, the city’s iconic Steak de Burgo—beef tenderloin topped with butter, Italian herbs, and garlic—is claimed by some to have originated at Johnny and Kay’s Restaurant in Des Moines in 1946.

... AND THE PORK Not one but two happily ever afters were wrapped in bacon earlier this year when two couples chose Des Moines’ seventh annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival as the setting for their nuptials. (One bride carried a bouquet of bacon roses. Isn’t that ... savory?)

WHAT’S IN A NAME? Capt. James Allen established a U.S. military post in 1843 at the point where the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers merge. The War Dept. nixed his chosen moniker—

FORT RACCOON —in favor of Fort Des Moines.

Herbert Buckingham Khaury arrived in Des Moines, where he lived and performed from 1992 to 1995. Despite a musical career spanning decades, Khaury remained best known for strumming his ukulele while singing “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” at an unusual octave. Yep,

TINY TIM used to shop at Hy-Vee.

ROCK LEGENDS TRUE FALSE

A century and a half later,

TRUE FALSE

Jan. 20, 1982 Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a real (dead) bat at Veterans

Sept. 17, 1969 Is Paul dead? Drake University student Tim Harper, jo’72, writer

Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines— by accident. A fan hurled it onstage, and the Black Sabbath front man thought it was rubber. Rabies shots at Broadlawns Medical Center ensued.

for The Times-Delphic student newspaper, is the first to put pen to paper in posing the question of whether Beatle Paul McCartney was dead. The conspiracy bloomed from there.

SIZE MATTERS ... Darling of the cycling world, Portland, Oregon, touts 152 miles of regional trails.

Des Moines’ miles of regional trails? More than 550.

... INDEED New York City’s world-famous Central Park encompasses 843 acres.

Des Moines’ Water Works Park? Nearly 1,500 acres.

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Metro Moxie Des Moines Gets Things Done By Tim Schmitt, gr’08, ‘10 Brain drain is a concept with which the city of Des Moines—and the entire state of Iowa—is all-too familiar. The population of Des Moines has grown by more than 10,000 residents since 1990, but the number of 25–34 year olds in the city continues to fall as young people leave central Iowa seeking more fertile creative, social, and professional grounds. Nearly 30,000 of them left Iowa between 1995 and 2000. Mike Draper was part of the exodus. Born and raised in Van Meter, he left central Iowa in 2000 to attend the University of Pennsylvania and planned to remain on the East Coast and start his own business. “Growing up, everyone went to Iowa City for cultural things,” recalls Draper. “And the kids who ‘made it’ left Des Moines for bigger cities.” 20

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After struggling to get his new T-shirt business off the ground in New York, Draper took another look at Des Moines in 2005 and saw a different city—one with new opportunities, one ripe with potential. He packed his bags and his entrepreneurial spirit and returned to open a shop in the burgeoning East Village—with little money and no business experience but plenty of big ideas. “Everyone thanked me for adding to the community, for moving back, and that kind of positive energy can be just as helpful in keeping yourself going in the early years of running a company,” says Draper, now 31. Beyond the encouraging words, Draper discovered very practical reasons to pursue business in Des Moines: commercial and residential space that was extremely affordable, a market need that he could fill, and a community that backed up their words of support with real spending power.

“When I was in New York, I was one of millions of people who said, ‘I’m going to do something cool and hip,’” recalls Draper. “The biggest difference here is that it’s not just talk. You can actually get things done in Des Moines.”

Business and Careers,” “Best City for Families,” “Wealthiest

Today Draper’s RAYGUN is one of the most successful small businesses in Des Moines, located in a mixed-use building that sits in the shadow of the state capitol among ethnic grocery stores, bike shops, restaurants, high-end boutiques, and music venues and just across the river from the city’s central business district. With a DIY attitude and strong work ethic, Draper and his crew have tapped into the pride that Des Moines residents hold for their city and coupled it with a self-deprecating humor that only those who call this frozen space between two rivers in the middle of a corn desert “home” can truly appreciate.

Balancing Act

Provincial wit aside, national media have taken note of Des Moines, dishing out accolades at an almost embarrassing rate: “Best City for Young Professionals,” “Best Place for

state—says successful cities in the United States recognize

City in America.” The recognition is welcome, but the significance is unclear. Are such rankings useful measures of success?

About half of the world’s population currently lives in urban areas. By some estimates that number is expected to increase to 75 percent—more than 6 billion people—by the year 2030. This forecast makes identifying the qualities that help create strong cities not only an interesting academic study but also an important consideration for the future of the world. Lance Noe, director of Drake’s Center for Professional Studies and lead facilitator for the Iowa Certified Public Manager Program—a joint venture between Drake University and the that responsibility for their own well-being is in their own hands. spring 2014

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BEYOND COMPARE Forbes, Kiplinger, U.S.News & World Report, The Business Journals, NBC’s TODAY, and other national media have had a lot to say about Des Moines. Find the most recent rankings and links to the articles on the Greater Des Moines Partnership website: www.desmoinesmetro.com.

For many decades following WWII, the federal government served as benefactor, providing dollars and direction for local and regional growth. The balance of power shifted in more recent years as metropolitan areas grew in size and population. The Great Recession, which began in December 2007, was the nail in the coffin for the old model, as Washington ceased to have the funds or functionality to grapple with municipal issues. “The federal government has for past generations served as the idea and funding center for metropolitan areas, including Des Moines,” explains Noe. “Now individual cities and communities are having to take up the slack.”

Stewards of Place Shortly after Christine Hensley took office as a city council member representing Des Moines’ 3rd Ward in 1994, she had a conversation with a longtime community activist that continues to define her activity on the council 20 years later. “He told me, ‘There is a real problem in the city: There are no cranes downtown. It is your job to get cranes down there.’” Between 1979 and 1990, says Hensley, Des Moines experienced a flurry of development. The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, Two Ruan Center, the Iowa Capitol Complex, the Polk County Convention Complex, The Principal Financial Group Tower, and the Embassy Suites Hotel all reshaped the downtown skyline. Then the progress stalled. “We looked around and said, ‘Good job,’ and patted ourselves on the back,” says Hensley. But there was no plan to build

This means not only creating new funding streams, he says, but also developing strategic plans for growth and collaborative management at the local level.

on downtown’s success.

Authors Bruce Katz and Jennifer Bradley (The Metropolitan Revolution: How Cities and Metros Are Fixing Our Broken Politics and Fragile Economy, 2013) express this shift as one in which the United States renews its fragile economy and begins to develop and manage its urban centers from the bottom up:

began to think more holistically about the city’s core. The

“Across the nation, cities and metros are taking control of their own destinies ... Power is devolving to the places and people closest to the ground and oriented toward collaborative action … The metropolitan revolution has only one logical conclusion: the inversion of the hierarchy of power in the United States.”

In an effort to regain momentum, a coalition of public officials, business leaders, and social and cultural advocates resulting Des Moines Vision Plan presented a creative framework for an interconnected downtown district and was ultimately responsible for many of the projects that help define today’s Des Moines: Gray’s Lake Park, Western Gateway Park, the East Village, Central Library, a new transit hub, and The Principal Riverwalk among them. “I think the main reason we are successful as a city today is the public/private partnerships we have in Des Moines,” says Hensley. “And when I say private, I mean not only businesses but nonprofits, neighborhood groups, and individuals who’ve come together.”

The cities most likely to succeed in this changing environment, according to Katz and Bradley, are those that embrace a model of participation, cooperation, and collaboration from the all-important trio of government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. “Des Moines has been largely successful at bringing these factions together,” says Noe of the critical balance. “Over the last 20 to 25 years, the city has been working hard and having a lot of success. The improvement to downtown is stark. It is a real renaissance for Des Moines.” 22

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Rick Clark, a 40-year city employee and Des Moines’ city manager from 2006 to February 2014 also credits Des Moines’ dynamic trio of government, business, and nonprofit groups with creating a climate of success for the city. “We do have that tripod in Des Moines, and it is quite strong,” he says. “There’s been an ability for these groups to come together and craft a vision for Des Moines that all parties have been able to come to consensus on.” Though initially a concept developed by Principal Financial Group to mark its 125th anniversary, The Riverwalk, according

National media have had a lot to say about Des Moines.

to Clark, came to serve as a prime example of cooperation among Des Moines’ various constituents. When first proposed in 2004, a two-year plan outlined a $15-million downtown public walking space along the Des Moines River. Ultimately the project stretched over eight years, cost more than $70 million, and expanded to include components proposed by residents and supported by nonprofit groups, businesses, and government. Now The Principal Riverwalk connects 300 miles of central Iowa trails in a system that includes public art, fountains, pedestrian bridges (including the Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge), a botanical garden, Brenton Skating Plaza, and The Hub Spot—a riverside gathering and concession area that provides gourmet food. “There was a lot of input from the public and volunteers who participated and worked on different aspects of the project,“ says Hensley. “This project would not have developed into what it is today if Principal and city government were not open to the suggestions and ideas that came from other people.” The Riverwalk, with all its accoutrements, is not only a valuable cultural asset but also an important investment for The Principal Financial Group and the city as a whole, explains Larry Zimpleman, chairman, president, and CEO of Principal and Chair of Drake’s board of trustees. A strong economy hinges on strong quality of life. Employers and workers have to want to build their lives here. By improving amenities in Des Moines, says Zimpleman, bn’73, gr’79,

the company—and the city—is better able to retain and attract quality employees. “We are fortunate to be a growing company, and as we grow, it is important for our continued success that Des Moines be a great place for families and children.”

Strengthening the Core Identifying opportunities and leveraging assets has propelled The Riverwalk and other downtown projects, providing community space, encouraging shared experiences, even creating identity. The strength of the government-businessnonprofit trio has also been instrumental in recognizing and managing challenges. The recent national recession brought economic struggle closer to more people. The pinch was felt here in Des Moines, too. Tony Timm, executive director of Central Iowa Shelter and Services (CISS), says the increase in homelessness made it difficult to meet service needs, especially in the shelter’s outdated and overcrowded home. Des Moines went into action. The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, a philanthropic public organization, worked with the CISS board to bring several groups to the table to devise a solution. Business leaders and elected officials came together with advocates and, working through numerous challenges, crafted a bold strategy that satisfied all stakeholders.

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“It was a real partnership when it came to how we did this,” says Timm. “From CISS and the Community Foundation on the nonprofit side of things, the business community on the planning and funding aspects of the project, and elected officials on the implementation of the project, it was really a collaborative effort.” The 42,000-square-foot building completed in 2012 holds more than 200 beds available in three dormitories and sits on the southern edge of downtown Des Moines’ Western Gateway—an area anchored by the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park and filling with artists’ lofts, restaurants, brewpubs, and other small businesses. In addition to shelter, the facility provides education programs and job training to transition people out of homelessness and into the job market—a common goal among social service providers, businesses, and government. “We’re just a part of the community,” says Timm of the shelter’s location announced by a large courtyard sculpture in an area that’s become one of Des Moines’ destinations. “When you drive by and look at the building, it’s obvious we belong here.”

Distinctly Des Moines With success in his Des Moines location, RAYGUN’s Draper set up a meeting to talk with business owners and others about expanding in Iowa City—the mecca of “cool” he remembered from his youth. The meeting was not what he expected. “One of the first things people asked me was how they could make Iowa City more like the East Village.” Draper says he realized then that Des Moines had truly reinvented itself. More important, he emphasizes, the capital city is now reaching a new level of self-confidence—no longer concerned that it is not L.A. or New York. “It has its own vibe,” he says of Des Moines. “We don’t need to look at other cities and try to mimic what they’ve done to succeed. We have our own strengths and abilities.” TALKING HEAD As part of a headlining act at the 80/35 Music Festival in July 2013, David Byrne visited Des Moines and took time to explore and experience the city. In his online journal he asks, “Des Moines, a good place to live?” Read his answer at www.drake.edu/magazine/davidbyrne.

“The success we are seeing now is not an accident,” stresses Principal’s Zimpleman. “Well-run organizations think about the future and influence the future. The same is true of cities.” Key to the success of Des Moines’ future, he says, is cultivation of the city’s young professionals. Emilee Richardson, jo’09, is current president of the Young Professionals Connection (YPC), an organization designed to nurture young professionals in Greater Des Moines through social, civic, charitable, and professional development endeavors. In what could be an indication of Des Moines’ brain drain slowing, membership in YPC has grown from a couple dozen to hundreds of dues-paying members today. “The Greater Des Moines Partnership formed YPC in 2000 because they realized there was a gap between young people and the established leaders of the city,” says Richardson, marketing and communications coordinator at the Science Center of Iowa. “Young professionals are the future of Des Moines. They are the people who will be leading the companies and forming the startups and organizing the events.”

“Des Moines, a good place to live?”

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As president-elect of YPC, Richardson recently joined nearly 200 business executives, nonprofit leaders, and government officials on a trip to Washington, D.C., organized by the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Richardson and the rest of the group served as central Iowa advocates in meetings, workshops, and seminars with Iowa’s congressional delegation, the Obama Administration, and their staffs. “This was a great example of how government, business, and nonprofits can work together toward common goals,” she says, recounting discussions on education, housing, health and wellness, immigration, and arts and culture. “Des Moines is one of very few places in the country that does such a thing, and we’re certainly one of the largest.” The opportunity to be involved at such a level in the city’s vision and development impresses Richardson. “The thing I love about Des Moines, and one of the major keys to its success, is that the people here really care about our community,” adds Richardson. “We want Des Moines to be successful, and we want the people who live here to be successful, too.”

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Toppling Hedges, Tapping Synergy How a Plan, a Chain Saw,

Re-engaging

and an Incredible City Made

Des Moines and Drake have been inextricably linked since the University put down roots here in 1881. Most Des Moinesians have visited campus at one time or another—to hear a former world leader deliver a free Bucksbaum lecture; attend a local high school commencement; enjoy jazz at the Patty and Fred Turner Jazz Center; watch basketball standouts steal and assist on The Knapp Center court, or cheer on locals and Olympians on Drake’s Blue Oval.

Drake Even Better By Jill Brimeyer

here have been many pivotal moments in the 133-year relationship between

Drake University and Des Moines but perhaps none quite as telling as the day the shrubbery came down.

“When I arrived at Drake in 1999, there was a row of hedges separating the institution from the outside world,” says Drake University President David Maxwell of the manicured line of yews that stretched along the campus perimeter. “They were only about four feet tall, but, driving by in a car, you couldn’t see over them. The Drake campus was separated

Upon Maxwell’s arrival, however, he began hearing rumblings from the Des Moines business community that the University was not sufficiently involved in the projects and progress of its home city. “Des Moines was not seeing Drake engaged in the community at a level that people thought was appropriate,” says Maxwell. At the turn of the millennium, Drake was emerging from a troubled era in which the institution’s attentions had been focused inward on operating deficits, declining enrollment, and deteriorating buildings. With the University’s strength on the upswing, Drake was poised to reinvigorate community involvement and relationships—for the betterment of Des Moines as well as the student experience. First steps came with Drake’s 2001 Strategic Plan, which sought, among other goals, to build community relationships. By the time the yews came down, Drake had also created a program for students that combined academics with meaningful community service; forged new partnerships in business, education, and the nonprofit sector; and spurred neighborhood revitalization. “Removing the hedges sent a message to the community: We are part of the Drake neighborhood. We are not isolated,” says Maxwell. “It catalyzed the conversation of what a strong Drake-community relationship could look like. That was powerful.”

from the rest of the community.” It took 10 years and a crew of strong-armed

Learning Experience

flowers, and tranquil groves of trees.

The student service-learning program that was formalized in 2011 has now become one of the cornerstones of the Drake experience. Before they graduate, some 80 percent of students in all fields learn by contributing professional services to nonprofits, schools, associations, or government in Des Moines and around the world.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

“Students are gaining real-life experiences—creating professional materials they can then put in their portfolios, engaging with the

groundskeepers, but by 2009 the wall of manicured plantings gave way to rolling lawns,

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community on issues of social justice and action, and having defining moments,” says Mandi McReynolds, director for community engagement and service. “Drake is really the perfect-size university for the perfect-size city. Our midsize, urban environment allows for enriching service-learning opportunities that may not exist in other communities.” Denise Soltis, assistant professor of pharmacy practice and assistant dean of community and global engagement, says that Drake has built the ideal clinical practice for students by funding Pharm.D. positions to serve with local health systems. “We get access to clinical environments, and these sites get not only the clinical skills of our student pharmacists but also the higher-level skills and patient care from seasoned professionals.”

Drake’s College of Business and Public Administration also relies on community connections to bring the world to students, and vice versa. Tom Swartwood, assistant professor of practice in entrepreneurship, is collaborating with Drake Law on a new Transactional Law and Nonprofit Legal Clinic offering to provide services to area startups and nonprofits. The effort will bring together students in marketing, communication, graphic design, and other disciplines to support clients in areas in which most startups struggle. “Entrepreneurship doesn’t happen in the classroom. It happens out in the world,” says Swartwood. “Nothing we do here makes sense unless it’s connected to the outside world.”

Pursuing Partnerships

Learning to Serve Each of Drake’s colleges and schools has service-learning offerings in the Des Moines metropolitan area. In fiscal 2013, students in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences provided more than 1,500 immunizations and cared for patients in general practice offices, hospitals, and free clinics. More than two dozen faculty members served as preceptors, caring for patients in the community while mentoring Drake students. Drake Law students spent 52,000 service hours in fiscal 2013 providing legal aid for community members in need in the areas of children’s rights, elder law, tax law, domestic violence, immigration, and more. Students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Master of Communication Leadership program conducted research, identified potential donors, and formulated a plan to grow a fledgling meal program for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa in 2013. More than 100 partnerships make it possible for every School of Education student to put his or her skills into practice. Students also reach at-risk preschoolers through Drake’s Head Start program, or teach adults to read through the Drake University Adult Literacy Center. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences worked with youth in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa in 2013, growing food and learning about the environment through the Des Moines Urban Youth Learning Garden on Drake’s campus. College of Business and Public Administration students lent their skills to help United Way of Central Iowa in 2011 standardize its accounting process for funded programs. M.P.A. students partnered with the Des Moines Bicycle Collective last fall to launch the city’s inaugural Open Streets event.

In the midst of Drake’s strategic plan development, members of the Drake University Board of Trustees suggested that Drake needed someone who woke up every morning and thought, “How am I going to better connect Drake to the community?” Shannon Cofield asks herself that every day. Her role as senior counsel to the president for strategic partnerships was created in 2012 to foster relationships with businesses and organizations in Des Moines. She’s currently building bridges to benefit both the community and the University’s bottom line—collaborating with faculty and staff to plan for certificate, continuing, and executive education. “We want to build unique relationships with area companies to help them develop talent,” she explains. “So instead of sending their people away to an executive development program, they can access a strong program locally at Drake.” Cofield began by convening an executive committee on community engagement—a working group of 13 human resources executives at top Des Moines companies—to solicit their input on educational needs and help shape curriculum. “Getting several HR executives together to discuss trends and issues was enlightening,” says Beth Nigut, vice president of human resources for EMC Insurance Companies. “In addition to being a great resource from which EMC will continue to recruit interns and employees, Drake may be able to provide additional resources on leadership and executive training.”

The Power of Place Great universities aren’t born in a vacuum. A vibrant home city attracts the best and brightest students, faculty, and staff to Drake, and also enables students to have the kind of rich, practical experiences they need to excel after graduation. “Drake has some wonderful partnerships with local businesses,” says James Wallace, bn’77, chairman, president, and CEO of

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GuideOne Insurance; outgoing chair of the Greater Des Moines Partnership; and Drake University trustee. Wallace hires many Drake interns each year, offering valuable work experience in marketing, actuarial science, information technology, human resources, and other areas. Nearly 80 percent of Drake students have one or more internships during their time at the University— conducting accounting audits for a multinational firm, teaching in a 32,000-student school district, helping produce a network broadcast of a presidential debate, producing national consumer magazines, and more.

The University begins guiding students at the k–12 level—Drake’s School

“Drake encourages real-world experience,” says Wallace of the opportunities Des Moines holds. “And that’s a fabulous complement to students’ academic studies.”

over the next 10 years.”

In addition to professional prospects, easy access to Des Moines’ cultural and recreational opportunities is also part of what makes Drake, Drake.

(four of the last five), Iowa Supreme Court justices, CEOs, and leaders

“I have always liked the eclectic vibe of Des Moines,” says junior secondary education major Alana Linde, who came to Drake from Ottawa, Illinois. “Many say that this place is a hidden treasure, and I would agree.”

“Any university of the quality of Drake raises the overall quality of life

Linde was so impressed with the array of offerings in Des Moines that she created her own bucket list of things in the city that students could—make that must—experience during their time at Drake, including sledding at Waveland Golf Course, the 80/35 Music Festival, the Gray’s Lake “moon float,” and the Iowa State Fair. While Linde is busy exploring the city, she’s also weighing her options after graduation. “It’s a great place to start a career,” she says. The power of association has transformed the Drake ethos, as the University embraces its remarkable home city. “Drake would be a different university if it wasn’t for Des Moines,” says Maxwell. “It’s a wonderful symbiotic relationship. We have a vibrant arts scene. It’s safe. It’s welcoming and friendly. So we’ve gone from being sort of apologetic to recognizing that Drake is Drake because of Des Moines.”

of Education prepares thousands of educators, many teaching across the region. And Drake’s 2012 designation as a regional hub for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education expands this influence by providing science resources for classrooms and hosting exploration events. “It’s really an economic development initiative,” says Sarah Derry, STEM regional advocate for Drake. “Iowa Workforce Development predicts that the need for STEM jobs statewide will grow 16 percent

The University benefits Des Moines on a strategic level, as well. Faculty and staff serve on key boards, and many Drake alumni—Iowa governors of the Greater Des Moines Partnership and other strategic bodies—are deeply involved in charting the course of the capital city.

in the community,” says Meyer.

Welcome Home Today Drake is part of a different environment than even five years ago when the hedges toppled, and the city was welcomed into its campus vista. The University has forged new community partnerships with paid community service leave for faculty and staff; centers for public policy and global citizenship that serve as hubs for research and outreach; and new and renovated facilities that welcome the community for concerts, films, and lectures. The planned STEM@DRAKE complex is also poised to serve as a magnet for scientific exploration in the region. Still, Maxwell is greeted with surprise when, during speeches at community events, he mentions that peer institutions rank Drake University as one of the top 10 master’s universities in the country. Here in Des Moines, it seems, Drake is like the familiar hometown

Shaping Its Surroundings According to a 2008 Strategic Economics Group study, the University’s presence generates 3,200 jobs and contributes more than $260 million annually to the Greater Des Moines economy. The Drake Relays draw about 40,000 spectators and 8,000 athletes, generating about $5 million to the city each year. Drake’s role in shaping the workforce is also significant. “Drake brings a student body from across the nation to Des Moines,” says Gene Meyer, gr’81, president of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. “A lot of those people end up living and working here.”

fixture that’s sometimes overlooked. The only way to change this, says Maxwell, is to do a better job of telling the Drake story. “My mark for having succeeded on this issue will be this,” says Maxwell, “I want to get off an airplane in Des Moines, walk into the terminal, and see a big sign that says, ‘Welcome to Des Moines, home of Drake University,’ and to have that sign put there by Des Moines, not by us.” “That’s where I want us to be, and we’re not there yet,” he says. “And that’s on us.”

visit www.drake.edu/magazine to view results of Drake’s recent survey on faculty and staff community service.

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‘We’ll Do It Together’ Iowa’s capital city has garnered much national attention in the past several years, ranking at or near the top in best-of lists. If Greater Des Moines has not quite yet arrived, it certainly seems to be well on its way. Martha Willits, fa’69, gr’72, gr’97, and Gene Meyer, gr’81, have two distinct vantage points from which to assess success and challenges in a metropolitan area that is increasingly spreading its arms wider. Focused on economic and community development, the Greater Des Moines Partnership has grown and transformed over the past 125 years. Today it serves more than 5,000 business members and partners with 21 affiliate chambers of commerce to recruit and assist businesses and strengthen a talented workforce. Drake Blue sat down with two of its leaders as they discussed the region’s distinctiveness, its changing landscape, and its future leadership needs. Gene Meyer spent the majority of his professional career working for the Iowa Department of Public Safety. He served as mayor of West Des Moines from 1997 to 2006. In 2011 he became senior vice president of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, taking over as president—alongside Jay Byers as CEO—in 2012.

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Martha Willits taught music first in the Des Moines Public Schools system, then privately before serving as a member of the Polk County Board of Supervisors from 1984 to 1996, as chief professional officer at United Way of Central Iowa from 1996 to 2004, and as president and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership from 2004 to 2012. spring 2014

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Relationships Are Big Business w Theorists will tell you: If a community is really strong—the political capital, the economic capital, and the social capital—it will be a vibrant community. That goes way back to de Tocqueville, who came to America and said, “This is what’s so great about America.” Well, this community really gets that. Social capital (relationships, networks, interaction) is the interesting one because a lot of communities aren’t as on top of their social capital work.

not be in their position for long—they quickly get the message. And even if they’re only in that role for, say, a decade, they’re going to take their decade very seriously.

Tomorrow’s Leaders w We baby boomers have hogged the leadership for a long time. And we 60 year olds have done great. But we’ve kind of blocked the 50 and 40 year olds out of leadership. And now it’s imperative that we really do help transition in the next generations. I love the model of Gene and Jay [Byers]. m The consequence of naming Jay CEO and me president is that I am very well connected with the senior leadership of this community—from my days on the school board in West Des Moines and as mayor of West Des Moines and as commissioner of public safety. I served on boards and committees at the Partnership. I had a great relationship with all of them, and they stayed connected to the Partnership.

What’s very unique to Des Moines, and something we use when we recruit people— especially young people—is access to the business leadership. When we tell people that you can get a meeting with the president of one of the big insurance companies or one of the banks or any one of our companies, they look at us funny. But, in fact, it’s true. m

Jay, on the other hand, knew those people, but he is more connected with people his own age, people that are up and coming in their careers. And we have seen a great influx of all of those young people becoming involved in the Partnership, becoming more engaged in the community. And that is really healthy.

w There’s a historical model here. The community leaders of the past—the Hubbells, the Ruans—they all knew and respected each other. So size matters. And Des Moines is at that sweet spot. I used to go to national chamber meetings, and they’d ask “As a chamber executive, do you know the head of the largest company in town?” And others would say, “Well, I met him once.” Well, we know him a phone call away. m There’s become an expectation. The people that led in the past—their successors have stayed in the game, very much involved. And all of these corporate leaders across the metropolitan area give of their time—to the Greater Des Moines Partnership and to their communities. And they don’t delegate that. They participate themselves. w Our leaders are willing to say, “We’ll do it for the good of growth,” or “We’ll do it for the good of the next generation. It doesn’t matter if I’m advocating for my insurance company or my bank. We’ll do it together.” You don’t see that everywhere. Even the corporate leaders—who may not be rooted in Iowa and may

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Gene and I built our careers on relationships. Jay does too, but Jay understands the technology side. He used to say to me, “Martha, Facebook is the next chamber. That is chamber work.” w

The next generation has already brought innovation and technology. Who knows where we’re headed? It changes daily. But they have a ready acceptance, an ease with which they adapt. m

locates in any one of those communities, the entire metropolitan region is a winner. Because those new employees that come here live in different communities, they shop in all of our communities, they purchase goods and services across the entire metropolitan area, and they take advantage of services across the entire metropolitan area. So everybody gets a piece of it.

Acting Locally, Thinking Regionally

Involvement comes naturally for lots of folks in Iowa. It does, however, lead to one of our biggest challenges: a proliferation of community involvement—elected officials, school boards, city councils, library boards. We like our systems. And they make us strong. Lots of involvement. They also make us redundant or duplicative sometimes. w

w My kids are moving from Minneapolis back to Des Moines, and they don’t care about those lines like you and I lived them. What they mainly care about—their No. 1 priority in some ways— is trails. They don’t know where they cross the line, and as long as every community has them hooked together, they’re happy. It’s a different mindset. m That’s got a lot to do with the new, young leadership evolving in the region. They think differently. w We’re already moving beyond what Gene and I have worked on forever, the broader Polk County region, to a statewide region. You’ve attracted Newton, Pella, and Grinnell. Next will be a Midwestern region.

m We could be more efficient. It’s like the old NIMBY thing—not in my backyard. You go to a community, and they say, “We ought to have regional government. But not our government” or “We ought to consolidate schools. Just not our school.” It does provide us with a lot of strength—more and more people engaged, more and more people involved in their local communities. That’s a plus. The minus is that the metropolitan region of some 17 cities sometimes gets a little complex—lots of different issues and lots of special interests. And while everybody talks about the region—and they mean it— they’re also protective of their own boundaries.

m Bringing in just those three cities alone gives all of us more to talk about, more things to market. We get to talk now about Grinnell College. We get to talk about the Newton racetrack. We get to talk about Vermeer and all the wonderful things that go on during the Tulip Festival. In the world in which we compete today, however, even that’s not big enough.” We belong to an organization now— and it’s Omaha, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Des Moines—and we talk all the time about how we can collaborate, how we can do more things together to attract business to the Midwest. So it’s bigger than just central Iowa.

w And then, of course, because we have so many governments, we’re really good at creating 28es (intergovernmental agreements), for instance. Then we have to create another little mini-government to bind them all together. A solid waste agency or a this or a that. And it works. And I am a strong believer in all of the involvement. We just have to get smarter and smarter in how to make the systems work.

w Theorists talk about how there will soon be only 10 megaregions in the country. And the Midwest has got to make one. Or we’ll be lost in the shuffle. One of the huge value constructs of our mini megaregion is higher education. With a bigger circle, we have three incredible state universities. We have an incredible cadre of private universities—Drake, Grinnell, Grand View. And then there are Central and Simpson. All incredible institutions that know their niche, and it’s a strong one. Then we have the nation’s strongest community college system. And we talk about this in our meetings with Kansas City—that this will be one of our big value points.

m The issue is regionalism. We’re beginning to recognize more and more, even as far out as Newton and Pella and Grinnell—it’s not just Ankeny and Urbandale and Altoona—that when a business

Leadership at the Greater Des Moines Partnership has a notable Drake quality. Paul Schickler, bn’74, gr’83, president, DuPont Pioneer, is chair of the 2014 board of directors. He was preceded in that role by James Wallace, bn’77, chairman, president, and CEO, GuideOne Insurance, in 2013; and Larry Zimpleman, bn’73, gr’79, chairman, president, and CEO, The Principal Financial Group, in 2012 and 2011. 33

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NIGHT SCHOOL Completed in October 2013, a gateway beautification project brings an updated look to the original southeast corner of campus. The architectural firm Confluence used recessed LED lighting to illuminate granite pathways both directly and indirectly (reflecting off two brick and limestone walls) and added complementing garden space for seasonal plantings. Passersby will recognize the iconic lettering.

Update

do something impactful It’s amazing what our alumni do. In just the past few months, Drake has celebrated the ground breaking for a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility, dedicated the resource-rich Drake University Archives, launched an innovative program to provide hands-on entrepreneurial opportunities, and created a unique interactive marketing event defined as much by partnership as competition. These exciting additions to the Drake experience demonstrate the impact our alumni’s financial support continues to

Loyalty takes many forms, and our alumni are doing remarkable things to enrich Drake’s impact in the classroom, in the University’s community, and beyond. Mentoring a student, providing a professional internship, participating in DU Good Day, refusing to let April weather dampen your Blue Oval enthusiasm: In so many ways our alumni stay connected, get involved, and make a difference. You can do something impactful. Together we can do something extraordinary. For more information, contact John Smith, as’92, gr’00, vice president for Alumni and Development, 515-271-2969, john.smith@drake.edu.

have as we enter the fifth year of distinctlyDrake. $200 million Of course the Drake experience wouldn’t even be possible without all you do to support the University’s annual operations. Gifts ranging from $1 to $50,000 fuel daily possibilities and add up—day after day—to an enormous impact on our future. Giving to The Drake Fund is one of the easiest ways to make an immediate difference in the lives of students.

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$100 million

Putting the Ball in Drake’s Court It all started with a sizable bag of loose change. While the coins collected by Tristan Clubb added up to $10, his donation to distinctlyDrake started something much bigger—the fundraising efforts for an $8-million basketball practice facility. More than a year after Director of Athletics Sandy Hatfield Clubb’s teenage son put the ball in play, construction is in full swing on the state-of-the-art building. Now taking shape on the northeast side of The Knapp Center, the completed facility will feature two 12,000-square-foot practice courts, men’s and women’s locker rooms, a hospitality suite, and top-notch team meeting and film study rooms. Supporters hope the newest digs in the Missouri Valley Conference will give the Bulldogs an added competitive edge. Those supporters are numerous: 145 gifts of all sizes were made to the project. The largest contributions came from Ron and Beverly Shivers and Suzie and Greg Burt. Both families have a strong connection to Drake. Suzie Burt’s family has a long history of involvement with the University—both her grandfather and father as well as her mother, Maddie Levitt, supported Drake with their time, talent, and treasure. “My mom felt it was truly a privilege to take a leadership role in elevating the University to another level of national prominence,” says Suzie Burt, who recently joined the Drake University Board of Trustees. “I look forward to carrying on her legacy and hope that our gift will contribute to elevating the national stature and reputation of Drake’s basketball program.”

learning for our student-athletes in the same way a classroom renovation improves the academic experience.”

The Shivers family has its own history with Drake. Beverly was a longtime receptionist at Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall, retiring in 2013 after 23 years of employment at the University. The couple’s leadership gift significantly propelled progress on the practice facility, which when completed will carry the Shivers’ name.

The practice facility won’t just benefit student-athletes. The extra space improves access to additional opportunities for every student: With basketball players drilling in their new space, the gym in the Bell Center will be more readily available for student activities and wellness efforts, and The Knapp Center will be open for more large-scale community events.

“Our mission is to provide an exceptional learning environment for our students, and this promise extends to our athletics programs,” President David Maxwell said at the ground breaking in November. “This facility will enhance

University officials hope the echoes of bouncing basketballs and squeaking athletic shoes soon fill the new facility; construction is tentatively scheduled to be complete in fall 2014.

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New Pathways to Learning It’s not every day you enter an elementary or middle school classroom and find students on the edge of their seats, much less tentatively reaching out to feel the fine bristles of a rather large tarantula. But on a fall afternoon at Studebaker Elementary, Insect Zoo—an event put on by Griffin Academy, a new program made possible with a gift from Nationwide Insurance to distinctlyDrake—put these Des Moines youths in touch with their wild side. Students at both Studebaker Elementary and McCombs Middle School are getting their hands on multilegged creatures, screen printing shirts, participating in an agriculture lab, taking nature walks, and storyboarding with a local artist. The ultimate goal for Griffin Academy—named for a symbol in the popular Harry Potter series that stands for strength and honor—is to help interested students advance their skills in fine arts, science, technology, engineering, and math. The $250,000 grant from Nationwide allows more than 100 students to attend the weekly labs and activities and has also provided 2,000 popular books to check out. Faculty, staff, and students in the School of Education; Drake alumni; community organizations and companies; and the 38

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Des Moines Public Schools have teamed up with Nationwide to create a unique constellation of partners supporting the Griffin Academy. One of the uncommon aspects of the grant and project is how it came to fruition. When approached by Drake, Nationwide pulled together a group of its employees—all Drake alumni ranging from senior executives to junior employees—to decide how a gift to the University should be allocated. “Their process really shows how transformational philanthropy is a part of Nationwide’s culture,” says Paul Secord, director of development at Drake. “We hope this is the beginning of something larger at Drake—that gifts to the University can also support the community and help educate the future workforce.” School of Education students work alongside faculty to help create the curriculum and serve as mentors to participants. While inspiring young students who might not otherwise have access to such an engaging learning environment, the academy is also enabling aspiring teachers to gain new skills. “I love working as part of Griffin Academy,” says Jordan Stahlecker, a graduate student pursuing her Master of Science in Elementary Education. “I have learned so much, and I’m gaining tools that I will be able to use someday in my own classroom. Plus, it’s great to see how excited the students get about the different topics.”

Archival Addition When CEOs, legislators, Iowa’s governor, and other dignitaries gathered in Drake University’s Cowles Library on Dec. 6, 2013, they were celebrating more than just the dedication of a new archive to preserve the past. They were ushering in a new era in which students, scholars, and the general community can freely access valuable collections of local and national significance for study and discourse on key issues. The 6,000-square-foot archive holds historic documents from Drake’s history dating back to 1881, as well as unique collections donated by Drake’s alumni and friends. These include papers, photos, and artifacts from former Iowa Gov. Robert Ray; Charles Preston Howard, the co-founder of the National Bar Association; the Cowles/Kruidenier family publishing empire; as well as collections ranging from silent movie sheet music to the editorial cartoons of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist J.N. “Ding” Darling. The archives will soon acquire papers and memorabilia from U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, covering 40 years of public service, upon the senator’s retirement in January 2015.

Construction began in summer 2013 thanks in part to a lead gift of $1.5 million to the distinctlyDrake campaign from Stine Seed Co. and its CEO, Harry Stine. Today the climatecontrolled, high-density, archival quality collection space on Cowles’ second floor includes glass walls, a public viewing space, work areas, and scanners to allow items to be converted to digital formats. “Like many Iowans, I’ve had a connection with Gov. Ray, Sen. Harkin, and Drake for the majority of my adult life,” says Stine. “The interesting and hopeful thing about this project is that everyone worldwide for years to come will be able to have that same kind of connection that I have. Stine Seed is very pleased to have a very small part in this project—and what it will do for the world and the country.” Additional funding came from the Polk County Board of Supervisors with a generous $450,000 grant. Tom Hockensmith, the board’s chair, says that the grant was the result of a unanimous vote by the five-member, bipartisan board. “Scholars, students, and the general public deserve to have access to our history. And this center will provide that access.” To access digitized portions of Drake’s historical collections, visit Drake Heritage Collections at www.lib.drake.edu/heritage and Drake Archives and Special Collections at www.collections.library.drake.edu/archives-sc.

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All in the Family

To date, 20 Gartner Scholars have benefited from the family’s generosity.

As accessibility and affordability continue to be hot topics in higher education, one Des Moines family is helping Drake students overcome unexpected financial barriers to attending the University.

“As a recipient of this scholarship, I am able to concentrate on academics while working a part-time job that relates to my field of study at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage,” says Zach Clement, a junior accounting and finance major and Gartner Scholar. “This scholarship has inspired me to pay it forward. It is my desire to help impact future students at Drake, just as the Gartner family has helped me in achieving my personal goals.”

In 2010 Michael Gartner (storied journalist, businessman, and principal owner of the Iowa Cubs), his wife, Barbara, and their family pledged a gift to distinctlyDrake to create the Gartner Family Scholarship. The fund aims to support current students from the central Iowa area who are suddenly facing difficulties paying for an education due to any number of financial problems, such as a death in the family or a job loss. “A lot can change over the course of a student’s four years, especially during a volatile economy,” says Tom Delahunt, vice president for admission and student financial planning. “This scholarship addresses a need we hadn’t addressed before. These students are already part of the Drake family, and we want to keep them here.” 40

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The Gartner family has a long history of supporting Drake. Gartner received an honorary doctor of law from the University in 2001 and is a member of the National Advisory Council to the Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement as well as the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lectureship Committee. His son, Mike, spoke at Drake’s annual scholarship luncheon in November.

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do something now

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Alumni • Devotion • Twitter • Tick Tock • Live Updates • Friends • Enthusiasm • Participate • Legacy • Ticktock • Students • Achieve • Do It • Together • Lead • Ticktock • Collective Strength • True Blue • Pay It Forward • Inspire • Opportunity • Fulfilling • Ticktock • Final Stretch • 6 More Hours! • Transform • Do Something • Teamwork • Anticipation • Grand Total • All In • Countdown Clock • Facebook • Giving Challenges • Marathon • Ticktock • Worldwide • Spirited • Continuous • Progress • Dynamic • 2 Hours To Go! • Ticktock • Act Now • All-Nighter • Alumni • Devotion • Twitter • Ticktock • Live Updates • Friends • Enthus iasm • Participate • Legacy • Ticktock • Students • Achieve • Do It • Together • Lead • Ticktock • WAKE UP! • Collective Strength • True Blue • Pay It Forward • Inspire • Opportunity • Fulfilling • Ticktock • Final Stretch • Transform • Last Hour! • Do Something • Teamwork • Anticipation • Grand Total • All In • Countdown Clock • Facebook • Giving Challenges • Marathon • BRRRRING! • Ticktock • Worldwide • Spirited • Continuous • Progress • Dyna mic • Ticktock • Act Now • All-Nighter • Alumni • Devotion • Twitter • Success! • Ticktock •

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THE BLUE SHEET

College of Arts & Sciences we belong to the city In previous issues of Drake Blue, I have highlighted the many places around the globe to which our students and faculty travel to learn, teach, research, and serve. Our global engagement, however, begins right here at home in Des Moines. Established in 1881, Drake has a long history of service to and engagement with the Des Moines metropolitan area. It should come as no surprise that the College of Arts and Sciences has continued that tradition.

we built this city on rock ‘n’ roll Okay, maybe not rock ’n’ roll but certainly on music. This past April the Des Moines Symphony—originally the Des Moines Civic Orchestra, a joint effort between Drake and community musicians—celebrated its 75th anniversary. Fittingly, the celebration itself honored the partnership that founded the symphony by featuring Drake faculty and students in the performance. The Drake Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Associate Professor of Music Akira Mori, performed side by side with the Des Moines Symphony—which is populated by current and former Drake music faculty, including Clarence Padilla, professor of music, department chair, and principal clarinetist. The concert also featured Drake’s four choruses: Drake Choir, Chamber Choir, Drake Chorale, and the Drake University/Community Chorus, all conducted by Aimee Beckmann-Collier, professor of conducting. The University/ Community Chorus, incidentally, is composed of Drake faculty, students, and staff and Des Moines-area residents.

Our history with the Des Moines Symphony illustrates just one of the ways in which Drake enriches the cultural climate of central Iowa. If you live in the Des Moines area and have a child who is taking music lessons, chances are good that he or she is learning through the Drake University Community School of Music (DUCSOM). For years DUCSOM has been offering noncredit, individual instruction to musicians of every level and age in the same studios and practice rooms as our (very talented) music majors. And I could fill up this entire issue of Drake Blue with examples of music faculty who visit area schools, giving clinics and judging competitions. As expected, the Patty and Fred Turner Jazz Center at Drake has become a hub for jazz performers in and passing through central Iowa. Additionally, Sheslow Auditorium hosts the Civic Music Association’s Des Moines concert series, drawing thousands of community members to campus each year.

hot town, summer in the city Last fall I wrote about the many ways our faculty are fostering an early appreciation of STEM by developing summer camps for area middle school students, giving lectures at the Drake Observatory (jointly operated by Drake and the City of Des Moines), conducting research with high school students, and visiting area schools to promote the study of science. This past summer the Drake service-learning program received a competitive grant from the State Farm Youth Advisory Board. Totaling $44,544, the grant funded the Des Moines Urban Youth Learning Garden, located on the corner of 25th Street and Forest Avenue. (I can see it from my office in Harmon Fine Arts Center.) Four Drake students from the Environmental Science and Policy practicum course wrote the grant application: Cara Pratt, as’12; Matthew Prather, as’12; April Hansen, as’12; and Rachael Stern, as’12. Mandi McReynolds, director of community engagement and service, and David CourardHauri, associate professor of environmental science and policy, helped with the grant process.

This past April the Des Moines Symphony, originally the Des Moines Civic Orchestra, celebrated its 75th anniversary.

THE BLUE SHEET

spring 2014

The garden is designed to create a holistic learning space for elementary- to college-aged students, encouraging engagement in environmental, health, and urban gardening education. Drake will share the garden with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa and other youth organizations to expand environmental awareness, food access, and educational opportunities to youth in the area. In addition to the many garden beds, the space features fruit trees, composting, a cold shed, raised garden beds, and multilingual signage. Students from every college and school on campus,

For alumni and friends of the Drake University College of Arts & Sciences

dean, college of arts & sciences

development staff

Joe Lenz

Doug Lampe

joseph.lenz@drake.edu

doug.lampe@drake.edu | 515-271-3055

The Des Moines Urban Youth Learning Garden—or Sprout for short—is designed to create a holistic learning space for elementary- to college-aged students. The service-learning project is sponsored by Drake, the State Farm Youth Advisory Board, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa.

along with area children, will have an opportunity to work in the garden in various capacities.

in the city With the World Food Prize headquarters located in downtown Des Moines and the Agricultural Law Center on campus, it is no surprise that our faculty and students have an appetite for food as a topic of thought and action. Indeed, the Des Moines Urban Youth Learning Garden germinated from a First Year Seminar class, Food History: From Local to the Global, taught by Amahia Mallea, assistant professor of history. Students in this class tour Des Moines neighborhoods during their very first semester, visiting the Drake and downtown farmers markets and engaging with the local chapter of Buy Fresh Buy Local. The students also participate in a “historic cook-off,” preparing a regional dish from the 1930s for themselves and an audience (kind of like Top Chef but without the cameras and high-end appliances). Students from this class have gone on to intern at the World Food Prize, Agricultural Law Center, and Living History Farms. Relatedly, Mallea, along with other Drake faculty, started the Drake Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group, a cohort “subscribing” to area

farms for produce to be delivered to and distributed from campus (Meredith Hall, to be exact). This past summer 20 households had organic produce grown in the Des Moines area delivered to them each week.

my kind of town These are just a few examples of the many ways in which our students, faculty, and staff engage with the community to make Des Moines our kind of town. Not included here are the hundreds of students who intern with organizations, companies, and agencies in and around Des Moines; the thousands of hours logged by students doing community service; the research and consulting done by faculty that impacts the area’s ecology and economy; or the clubs, Little League teams, churches, neighborhood associations, and schools to which our faculty and staff contribute their time, energy, and effort (e.g., read ‘Una Historia Diferente’ on page 11). But perhaps the most telling statistic to demonstrate the symbiotic relationship between Drake and Des Moines comes from an Iowa Workforce Development Study: 30 percent of Drake students come from Iowa; 60 percent of Drake graduates stay in Iowa. Location, location, location.

spring 2014

THE BLUE SHEET

College of Business & Public Administration The College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA) continues taking strides to provide greater opportunities and increase academic offerings for students.

Omaha, Nebraska, to present the challenge to the teams. The students were tasked with developing a plan to leverage Nike’s social media presence.

A recent collaborative program with a peer institution and a multinational corporation engaged marketing students and challenged them to apply their knowledge and skills in a real-world situation. It’s no surprise that our students excelled in this environment.

They had less than 24 hours to prepare recommendations.

And further cementing our reputation as a top college for actuarial science, the CBPA announced plans to expand the program by launching the School of Actuarial Science. The school will build upon the success of the program and provide increased opportunities for students. These developments, detailed below, represent only a portion of the great things happening at the CBPA. Check www.drake.edu/cbpa to keep up with current developments and news about the CBPA and make sure you don’t miss out on important happenings.

just doin’ it The CBPA joined forces with Creighton University’s Heider College of Business in February for the first annual Murphy Cup—a marketing student case competition. The brainchild of Chris Murphy, jo’79, and a member of Creighton’s board of trustees, this event was about collaboration as much as competition. Rather than universities pitted against each other, six teams comprised of senior marketing majors from both universities undertook the marketing challenge. “I can honestly say that all of the students were top notch,” says Andrew Norman, associate professor of marketing at Drake and one of the event’s organizers. “Their marketing knowledge, creativity, and presentation skills were stellar across the board.” About one week prior to the event, the teams were given two Harvard Business School case studies based on Nike, Inc., the event’s corporate sponsor.

On the following day, each team delivered a 20-minute presentation to the Nike executives, and Jayme Martin (vice president and general manager for global categories at Nike), Mary Ann O’Brien (founder and CEO of OBI Creative in Omaha), and John Marshall, bn’97, (principal of SilverStone Group of Omaha) who was one of the generous donors for the event. Awards for first place and runner-up were presented (with team members taking home cash), as well as four individual awards. Drake’s Stephanie Esker took home an individual award for “Most Knowledgeable Contributor.” Blake Miller and Mackenzie Russo from Drake, and Kelcy Perkins and Jacob Schwaegler from Creighton landed first place. Their team proposed an additional website called Nike Connect that would put more of an emphasis on connecting the company with the consumer. Members recommended launching with a competition called #SixSeconds, where consumers could upload Vine videos of themselves doing something athletics-related. The winning video would be featured on SportsCenter’s “Top 10.” “As a senior marketing major, I can honestly say this is my favorite extracurricular activity I’ve done at Drake,” says Miller. “Not only was the event a blast, but it directly related to what I hope to do in my career. I made some new friends and gained marketing knowledge from employees at a relevant and exciting company.” While Miller does not have any immediate plans following graduation, he hopes to work for an advertising agency or in a marketing department developing strategy. Miller says his experience at the Murphy Cup further developed his interest in working for a consumer-product company like Nike.

“It was Chris Murphy’s strong desire for the case competition to be based on a ‘live’ company and real-time information,” says Norman. “That led us to pursue Nike as the subject.”

Miller, Esker, Russo, and the other Drake participants— Sia Ekonomou, Keaton Hewitt, Chase Hoff, Chad Howard, April Ko, Sarah Murray, Melissa Roberts, Nicholas Rogers, and Claire Vandercar—were nominated by Drake marketing faculty to participate in the competition.

Nike jumped on board, sending Abby Bruning, global merchandising director of women’s sportswear; Laura Arneson, digital coordinator for emerging markets; and Macy Korver, global running merchandising associate, to

“Experiences like this in college are truly priceless,” says Miller. “I would strongly recommend participating in the Murphy Cup to any marketing major who has the opportunity.”

THE BLUE SHEET

spring 2014

For alumni and friends of the Drake University College of Business & Public Administration

dean, college of business & public administration

development staff

Charles Edwards

Michael Peterson

charles.edwards@drake.edu

do the math Building on its reputation as home to one of the top actuarial science programs in the nation, the CBPA is introducing the School of Actuarial Science, operative August 2015. The Drake University Board of Trustees approved the CBPA National Advisory Council’s (NAC) recommendation to create the School of Actuarial Science at a meeting in November. The board of trustees, Drake President David Maxwell, CBPA Dean Charlie Edwards, and Rahul Parsa, professor of actuarial science and statistics and director of the Center for Actuarial Excellence, were in attendance when the recommendation was approved. “The board supporting the recommendation to create the School of Actuarial Science shows the respect and appreciation that the trustees have for the long and proud tradition of the actuarial science program at Drake,” says Larry Zimpleman, bn’73, gr’79, chairman, president and CEO of Principal Financial Group, and chairman of the Drake Board of Trustees. “Being a School of Actuarial Science will allow Drake to continue to build on that legacy of success.” Parsa, who presented the recommendation to the board alongside Dean Edwards, will serve as director of the school. “In my view, the school is an acknowledgement of the great students of past and present who have made this program one of the best in the country,” says Parsa. “This program deserves special recognition, and that’s what we’re doing.”

michael.peterson@drake.edu | 515-271-2132

The School of Actuarial Science will continue to provide high-quality undergraduate-level preparation for students planning careers in the actuarial profession. Thousands of students have graduated from the program, continuing on to work across the globe as leaders in the actuarial science industry. The school’s faculty will continue to work on improving the already strong curriculum, helping ensure that students are thoroughly grounded in the technical skills required for actuarial work and prepared to be business leaders in the financial services industry. “The Drake actuarial science program has a long history of excellent faculty, curriculum, and students,” says Jim Noyce, bn’78, chair of the new school’s National Advisory Council and himself an alumnus of Drake’s actuarial science program. “With the recent significant growth, coupled with being named a Center of Actuarial Excellence, it was an easy decision for the NAC to recommend that we take the next step to becoming a School of Actuarial Science.” James Wallace—bn’77, Drake University trustee, and CBPA NAC chair—agreed that this was a natural next step for the growing program. “Establishing the School of Actuarial Science is further evidence of Drake’s leadership in this area of actuarial science,” says Wallace, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of GuideOne Insurance. “It also shows Drake’s deep commitment to building on this area of strength. The program is in for even brighter days ahead.”

Award-winning opportunity: “Experiences like this in college are truly priceless,” says senior marketing major and first-place winner Blake Miller.

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College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences community, collaboration, and care I was surprised and delighted when I arrived in Des Moines last year. The rolling terrain; welcoming, treelined neighborhoods; bike-friendly roads; and abundant waterways for canoeing made Iowa’s capital city a perfect place to settle with my 14-year-old son. A profoundly student-centered and collaborative culture combined with first-class curriculum and teaching made Drake a perfect academic home. According to the Institute of Medicine, a prerequisite for safe and cost-effective health care is an “interprofessional” environment that seamlessly integrates the education and services of all providers. Although educational programs for many of the health professions—physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and others—can be found in Des Moines, they are located in different institutions. This physical separation would be problematic in many cities, but the highly collaborative nature of local educators, higher education institutions, and health systems in our city makes our disjunction almost irrelevant. A good example of interprofessional cooperation is the emerging Des Moines Area Interprofessional Education Collaborative, a joint initiative of Drake University, Des Moines University, Des Moines Area Community College, and Grand View University. Established in 2009 by a small group of enterprising faculty members, the initial goals of the collaborative were to foster a common vision for team-based care, undertake initiatives to reform health care delivery and financing commensurate with that vision, develop leaders in interprofessional teaching and learning, and, ultimately, develop courses that could be taken simultaneously by students of all the health professions involved. College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS) students today have the opportunity to meet and learn with and from students in other health care professions and have become leaders themselves. Additional accomplishments include joint scholarship, the establishment of a global syllabus of interprofessional education activities, TeamSTEPPS training for interested faculty from all four institutions (designed to improve patient safety through improved communication and teamwork among health care professionals), and the beginnings of an interprofessional student association. The nascent partnership between The Iowa Clinic (TIC) and Drake CPHS Drug Information Center (DIC) is another excellent example of the kind of collaboration that happens

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New initiatives in the CPHS are aimed at ensuring students have the opportunity to work with their peers in other health care fields.

in Des Moines. In addition to providing drug information services for TIC practitioners, faculty members associated with the DIC will aid the clinic in developing protocols and programs designed to improve drug therapy, satisfy drug utilization or prescribing metrics and guidelines, and provide education and consultation to providers. Beginning this spring, CPHS students will have the opportunity to learn the drug information pharmacist role through Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences that are offered in the final year of the Doctor of Pharmacy program. As a major center for the health insurance industry, Des Moines offers a distinct advantage in focus areas, such as health informatics (optimizing the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in health and biomedicine) and regulatory science. The CPHS is currently investigating the possibility of offering one or more Professional Science Master’s (PSM) programs, with degrees designed to satisfy the need of technology-based companies, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations for individuals with advanced science training and business skills. These programs are naturally interdisciplinary, so it is indeed fortunate that the schools and colleges at Drake work well together. The PSM programs will require a broad range of courses that are taught by professors of law, science, health care, library science, and business. PSM programs also require an internship ranging in length from six months to a year. Discussions with local businesses have revealed their enthusiasm for collaborating with us to make these internships a reality.

For alumni and friends of the Drake University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

dean, college of pharmacy & health sciences

development staff

Wendy Duncan

Jackie Howard

wendy.duncan@drake.edu jackie.howard@drake.edu | 515-271-4050

learn and live Powerful partnerships and unique educational experiences are made possible by the larger community of which Drake is a part. CPHS faculty and staff are adamant about Des Moines’ greatness. Des Moines has many of the advantages of big-city living with comparatively few disadvantages: numerous opportunities for arts, culture, sporting, and other activities; a vibrant restaurant scene; plenty of shopping options; outstanding public and private schools; and an extensive parks-and-trail system … all this without high crime, traffic jams, and sky-high real estate prices. —Geoff Wall, professor of pharmacy practice Positive changes I have noticed include the revitalization of Court Avenue and the East Village. This has helped bring Des Moines “back from the dead.” I think the rivers and bridges make the city aesthetically pleasing as well … The city is quite multicultural. I am partial to the south side of town that has an Italian-American influence. Graziano’s—the 100-year-old Italian grocery store in that neighborhood—is culturally special to me. I also think the 80/35 Music Festival gives us our own great local music event, which a city of our size deserves. —Frank Caligiuri, assistant professor of pharmacy practice

Everywhere you go, you see people exemplifying Midwestern values: helping others, working hard, and promoting fairness and equality. Our economy is stable, good jobs are available, and the education system is excellent! I love how my husband and I can be successful in our careers and also spend quality time with our family at sporting events, the zoo, the science center, and in the outdoors. —Michelle Bottenberg, associate professor of pharmacy practice There are many opportunities for young people to be involved in the community and network with one another, including sand volleyball, softball, and corn hole leagues, and I have never lived in an area where bike riding is so big (more than 550 miles of bike trails)! —Erin Ulrich, assistant professor of social and administrative sciences Des Moines has a culture of dichotomies. Big, but refusing to feel big. Small, but refusing to act small. It balances a support for local business and artists with recognition of the economic vitality large corporations can bring. The city bets on itself and its citizens by investing in the revitalization of public spaces and infrastructure. Des Moines is a great city because it understands balance on economic, environmental, and social fronts. —Andy Miesner, assistant professor of pharmacy practice

The Des Moines Farmers Market—featuring more than 200 vendors—is considered one of the best farmers markets in the country.

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Drake Law As you read this, the Supreme Court Celebration has come and gone, we’ve hosted another round of scholars at the Constitutional Law Symposium, graduates have taken or are preparing to take the bar exam, Professor Martin Begleiter is still a Browns fan, and Dean Allan Vestal has once again stepped into the classroom to teach negotiations. And Drake Law continues to garner attention for the successes of its students and faculty. We bring you the stories below to make sure you don’t miss out on some of our more exciting developments.

While participation in the program does not guarantee acceptance to the Law School, students who successfully enter through these 3+3 programs will receive a renewable $5,000 scholarship for each of their three years of law school. “The combination of saving a year of undergraduate tuition, getting a $5,000 scholarship for each year of Law School, and getting into practice a year early will help students significantly reduce their overall student debt,” says Vestal. Both Drake and its partner institutions believe that this reduction in student debt will allow more Law School graduates to serve rural Iowa communities and other underserved areas. “We know that many of our law graduates find it difficult to practice in rural communities or in public service because of the amount of student debt they incur,” says Vestal. “If we can help lighten that debt through this partnership, graduates will have more opportunities, and we’ll help grow a new generation of lawyers for Iowa’s rural communities and public service positions.”

top 10 best value

New partnerships will allow more students to enter Drake Law School in their fourth year of studies.

partners reduce student debt For many years, Drake undergraduates have had access to the 3+3 program, allowing students to enter Drake Law School in their fourth year of studies and use the credits earned in their first year of Law School to fulfill their undergraduate requirements. Now, under innovative new partnerships among Drake Law, Iowa State University, and Simpson College, students at all three schools can now earn their undergraduate and law degrees in six, rather than seven, years. “We were pleased with the very positive response when we approached Iowa State and Simpson with this proposal,” says Miguel Schor, professor of law and Drake Law’s 3+3 program director. Introduction to American Law, a class taught at the Law School by Schor, will be open to Drake, Simpson, and Iowa State undergraduates for credit, and without cost, at their undergraduate schools.

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Drake Law was recently chosen as a “Top 10 Best Value Private Law School” by preLaw magazine, a National Jurist publication. The magazine analyzes tuition, cost-of-living expenses, bar passage rates, debt accumulation, and employment success to determine which schools rise to the top in overall value. Drake’s position can be attributed to the continued success of each graduating class as well as the University’s location in Des Moines. Iowa’s capital city was recently ranked a “Top 40 City in Buying Power for New Lawyers” by the National Association for Law Placement and was named No. 1 by Forbes on its “Best Places for Business and Careers” (2013) and “Best Cities for Young Professionals” (2011) lists. Year after year, bar examination passage rates for Drake Law graduates surpass 94 percent. Success in passing the bar translates to job placement. For the

For alumni and friends of Drake Law

dean, law school development staff

Allan Vestal Sarah Johnson allan.vestal@drake.edu sarah.a.johnson@drake.edu | 515-271-1877

Class of 2013, 91 percent were employed or pursuing further education within nine months of graduation.

Importantly, of those employed, 94 percent were in positions requiring bar passage or where a J.D. was preferred.

“We know that it’s important that we do everything possible to keep the price of a Drake legal education affordable,” says Vestal. “This confirms that our many efforts are meeting with success.”

“The opportunities that the Des Moines legal market offers to students definitely make a difference when it comes to ensuring that students are prepared to enter practice,” says Jennifer Zwagerman, director of the Drake Law School Career Development Office. “Just as importantly, students start to build a web of connections and contacts that they can use to find post-graduate employment and launch a career.”

Being able to get through law school with a manageable debt load is key to getting graduates started on the right foot in their legal careers. “Doing so opens up opportunities for them to practice in the ways that they wish,” says Vestal. According to preLaw magazine, the “best value” ranking is designed to “find the law schools where graduates have excellent chances of passing the bar and getting a legal job without taking on a ton of debt.”

launching careers Drake Law School’s focus on experiential learning not only gives students the tools to practice law, but it also produces results. In the most recent employment statistics published by the American Bar Association, Drake Law ranked 47th out of 201 schools thanks to its high career placement rate. That statistic places Drake in the 77th percentile, with employment numbers nearly 10 percent above the national average. When adjusted for employment by law schools (1,803 graduates were hired by their own law schools; none by Drake), the University’s long-term employment ranking rose to 23rd, placing Drake Law within the 87th percentile.

Career development services are vital to the success of Drake Law’s current students and graduates. “From getting my first legal clerkship to landing a postgraduate associate attorney position, the career development office has been there every step of the way,” says Maggie White, lw’13. “Law-related jobs have a unique application and interview process, and the career development office provided me the tools I needed to succeed. I am grateful for all the help and advice I received throughout my law school career from the wonderful career development office staff.” Combining an education grounded in practical experience, a great location, and a dedicated career development staff with students who are committed to being talented attorneys continues to produce results at Drake Law year after year. We’d love to know what’s happening with you. Keep Drake Law posted by emailing your updates and news to law-alumni@drake.edu. Visit www.law.drake.edu/newsEvents for more recent news.

More than 90 percent of 2013 Drake Law graduates were employed within nine months of graduation.

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School of Education the des moines advantage The Drake University School of Education (SOE) is proud to be situated in the heart of Des Moines—a location with tremendous benefits. Our faculty members have access to research opportunities that enrich the programs we offer our students, and more than 100 area partnerships provide field experiences that move our students from pedagogy to practice. Practicum and internship experiences often lead to expanded job opportunities after graduation.

practical education opportunities Metro area schools—recognized for their high quality and high per capita education rates—provide an ideal environment for hands-on learning experiences. The School of Education partners with these schools to provide practicum and teacher education opportunities that strengthen our students’ ties to the community and continue the area’s tradition of excellent educators. “My work with schools and school leaders in the metro area has convinced me that there is also a powerful commitment to being at the leading edge of sustainable school reform and true lifelong learning for our young people,” says Randal Peters, assistant professor of educational administration. “Increased efforts to work with the business community and higher education will serve as strong catalysts for improved college and career readiness.” The list of schools that place our practicum students and student teachers is exhaustive; we hold these schools in great esteem and are proud to benefit from the environment that we’ve helped create. When students graduate from our teacher education program, they have had four years of field experience with diverse populations (more than 80 languages are spoken in the households that make up the Des Moines Public Schools system) and a true head start in the job market. In fact, 98 percent of 2012 SOE graduates had a job or entered graduate school within six months of graduation. They also learn from mentor teachers in the community who share their experience and expertise with Drake students to further strengthen their skills as educators.

While at placements, our counseling students have the opportunity to perform nearly the full range of services provided by licensed, professional counselors at those schools and agencies. They provide individual and group counseling, conduct intakes, collect data to evaluate programs and interventions, collaborate with parents and family members, and evaluate clients for counseling services. Their Drake courses prepare them to provide large group trainings; conduct classroom guidance lessons; and connect students, clients, and consumers to available resources while building partnerships with service providers and employers. Many other partnerships have evolved, including the 3-D Collaboration—a union among Drake University, Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), and Des Moines Public Schools. Students start their degree at DMACC, finish their degree at Drake, and then are granted positions in the Des Moines Public Schools. The SOE strives to make its graduate and professional programs accessible to individuals in central Iowa. Our Master

clinical rehabilitation counseling partners • Candeo • Easter Seals Iowa • House of Mercy • Iowa Department for the Blind • Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services • Iowa Workforce Development • Passageway • Veterans Administration (sites across the country)

professional school counseling partners • Ankeny • Urbandale • Carlisle • Southeast Polk • Waukee • Johnston • Des Moines Public Schools

Drake counseling students also have extensive field experiences while preparing to be licensed as professional school, clinical rehabilitation, and clinical mental health counselors. In the Greater Des Moines area, these excellent partners work with our students and professors to create meaningful practical experiences. Through practicums and internships, Drake students provide counseling services— under the direction of on-site supervisors—to clients, consumers, and students in k–12 school systems.

clinical mental health counseling partners

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• Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center • Eyerly Ball Community Mental Health Services • Life-Line Resources, LLC • LifeWorks • United Community Services • UnityPoint Health

For alumni and friends of the Drake University School of Education

dean, school of education

development staff

Jan McMahill

Meaghan Tigges

janet.mcmahill@drake.edu

meaghan.tigges@drake.edu | 515-271-4843

of Science in Education in Teacher Effectiveness and Professional Development, for example, provides site-based professional development for teachers in the Ankeny Community School District. Another partnership with the Ankeny, Johnston, and North Polk school districts gives practicing teachers the chance to pursue an innovative, responsive, and rigorous degree program (the Master of Science in Educational Leadership), which prepares future school leaders while building on the leadership capacity in these districts. Our English as a Second Language endorsement program continues its relationship with Heartland Area Education Agency to provide partial scholarships to help area teachers pursue this program.

a lasting impact As the SOE continues to reap the benefits of Drake’s location, the school strives to better our community and support area school systems. Our faculty members work closely with community organizations, serving on committees and boards and partnering on research projects. Their commitment to these activities not only serves the community but also allows professors to gain additional expertise that is then passed on to our students. Bob Stensrud, professor of education, is currently conducting research with Iowa Workforce Development, the state’s employment security agency. The project involves studying an experimental approach to serving people with significant disabilities to help them move off Social Security disability insurance. They are testing a promising practice, which uses integrated resource teams headed by a disability resource coordinator. The SOE is proud that the $6-million federally funded Drake University Head Start program is serving more than 900 infants and toddlers in Des Moines and five surrounding communities. The Des Moines Schools’ early childhood programs are coordinated with Drake Head Start, and together we help to increase school readiness for children and families who need a little extra help. The SOE will continue to grow and strengthen our ties with the metropolitan region. “Des Moines continues to be a hidden gem,” says Peters. “Visiting friends and family are invariably surprised by what the area has to offer and by how significantly it has been transformed.” We are pleased to be part of that transformation.

Serving on boards, volunteering, and conducting research are just a few of the ways our excellent faculty give back to Greater Des Moines.

attracting top-notch faculty The transformation of the Des Moines community and the Drake campus has been instrumental in attracting and retaining highly qualified faculty and staff. When I was appointed dean eight years ago, we averaged 10 to 20 applicants for each job opening. This year, we received more than 50 applications for a faculty position and 110 for a full-time support staffer. Candidates who were once at Drake or from the Des Moines area want to come back. Randal Peters, assistant professor of educational administration, and an Iowa native and Drake alumnus who spent a majority of his adult life living in Des Moines, then out of state and overseas, returned to Des Moines upon accepting a faculty position in the School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and was impressed by what he discovered. “My wife and I have never observed or experienced elsewhere a transformation as dramatic and positive as what we’ve seen in the Des Moines area over the past 10 to 15 years. Given the efforts of area leaders and employers to increase attractive career and viable downtown living options, enhance the city’s aesthetics, and offer new and ongoing arts and entertainment possibilities, I suspect a case could be made that Des Moines has undertaken one of the most striking and visionary urban renewals in the nation during that time.” Job applicants find Drake and the Greater Des Moines area to be the place where they want to advance their careers, to educate themselves and their families, and to enjoy what the city has to offer.

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School of Journalism & Mass Communication I was a Drake journalism student in the 1970s. Bob Woodward was my adviser and reporting professor. Woodward, now retired, was new to teaching then, clean-shaven and babyfaced, fresh out of graduate school and the Washington Star newsroom. It was the era of Watergate, the endgame of the Vietnam War, and his students were busy, not only scouring Iowa’s Statehouse and farm fields for news stories but debating the merits of “New Journalism” and the role of news media in society. The college journalism assignment that I remember most clearly, and that in retrospect had the most impact upon me, was rooted in Woodward’s enthusiasm for Foxfire, an oral history project begun in the 1960s to record the life stories of Appalachian residents. Under his guidance, we headed out into the small towns of Iowa—most of us big-city kids from the ’burbs of Chicago, St. Louis, and Denver—to interview and photograph elderly farmers and coal miners and shopkeepers. The experience inspired in me a keen sense of place and a profound affection and respect for Iowa and its people.

• Magazine and news-Internet seniors in recent years have not only pushed the technological boundaries of multimedia storytelling by producing award-winning digital magazines, but they are traveling farther afield to do so: The staff of last fall’s Urban Plains produced five issues, reporting stories from St. Louis; Chicago; Milwaukee; Omaha, Nebraska; Minneapolis; Kansas City, Kansas; and Rockford, Illinois, among others (urbanplainsmag.com/2013). Each spring’s Think news magazine covers social, cultural, and political issues from throughout the Midwest as well. (You can download the app for last spring’s magazine from the iTunes Store.) • The electronic media seniors this spring will once again be scouring the Des Moines metro area to produce stories for the weekly cable and internet newscast DrakeLine, covering everything from breaking news and weather to sports, state and local government, and business (www.drakejournalism.com/DrakeLine). While the senior capstones are our most high-profile student projects, SJMC students produce work for community clients or do assignments around town in almost every class. For example: • Students in the media responsibility class, taught by Lori Blachford, associate professor of journalism and the Peggy Fisher and Larry Stelter Chair of Magazine Journalism, create multimedia projects while visiting diverse neighborhoods and organizations throughout Des Moines every semester. • Jill Van Wyke, assistant professor of journalism, takes her reporting students to the annual Harkin steak fry to interview national politicians.

Road trip! Public relations students/PRSSA members and faculty hit the road in October for a professional networking trip to Kansas City, Missouri.

I’m sure many of you have similar stories of how your School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) teachers pushed you off campus, out of your comfort zone, and into the world. And you’ll be happy to know that we are offering these same opportunities and challenges to our current students: • This year’s advertising seniors are working with a local client, the international spice company Tone’s, and the public relations seniors are creating a campaign for Paws and Effect, a local nonprofit that trains and provides service dogs for disabled children and veterans.

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• This fall, the PR Planning and Management class, taught by Jennifer Glover Konfrst, assistant professor of journalism, helped with the launch and promotion of a book documenting the lives of local Latina students and their mentors that was written and edited by Drake English majors. • The students in the First Year Seminar taught by Carlyn Crowe, Lethander adjunct professor and SJMC internship coordinator, this fall visited local food pantries, farms, and farmers markets to complement their study of hunger issues. They also saw the face of poverty firsthand by conducting a survey of the pantries’ clients and hearing their stories. SJMC teachers are continuing to empower their students with an appreciation of community and a sense of responsibility to their neighbors and to their profession.

For alumni and friends of the Drake University School of Journalism & Mass Communication

director, school of journalism & mass communication

development staff

Kathleen Richardson

Michael Peterson

kathleen.richardson@drake.edu

michael.peterson@drake.edu | 515-271-2132

say it ain’t so! lytle retiring John Lytle, the Ellis and Nelle Levitt Distinguished Professor of Broadcast News Journalism, has announced that he is retiring in May. Lytle joined the SJMC in 1977 after a career hosting and producing radio and TV programs in Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Germany. The SJMC is hosting a farewell for Lytle in conjunction with an alumni reception in Meredith Hall on the Saturday evening of Drake Relays, April 26, 4–6 p.m. See the SJMC website (www.drake.edu/sjmc) or Facebook page for details on how to RSVP.

student work recognized in local and national contests A team of SJMC students won a contest sponsored by the American Advertising Federation of Des Moines at its annual student conference this past November. The Drake students competed against teams from area institutions to create an extension for the Iowa Food Systems Council’s current advertising campaign. Drake Magazine and Periphery, the student literary magazine, each won Pacemaker Awards from the Associated Collegiate Press last October, placing them among the top college publications in the country. DrakeMagazine.com won the Pinnacle Award for best Web presence, and Think magazine won best mobile app at the College Media Association’s convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, the same month.

sjmc hosts high-profile guests Drake SJMC has welcomed an exciting and diverse lineup of visiting professionals to campus this academic year. National Public Radio reporter Michele Norris gave a public lecture to a packed Sheslow Auditorium in November and later visited the Communications Law and Ethics class to talk about her Race Card Project, which is attempting to jumpstart a national conversation about race by encouraging people to share their thoughts about ethnicity and cultural identity. Later that month, Patrick Merle, a French journalist and public relations professor at Florida State University, delivered the inaugural Drake University Public Relations Distinguished Lecture. Merle also visited classes across campus and critiqued student work. Valentina

Giagnoni, an internal communications specialist at Luxottica Group, S.p.A., in Milan, is scheduled to visit campus this spring to provide advice on the seniors' campaigns and deliver a public talk. Ann Millin, a historian with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, gave a riveting lecture on Nazi propaganda as part of October’s JMC Days events. The week also included a panel of professionals—including SJMC alumni Natalie Linville-Mass, jo’92, and Cory Kelly, jo’13—discussing what they look for in job applicants, mock interviews, and a networking event. The E.T. Meredith Center for Magazine Studies hosted Tanner Stransky, jo’05, senior editor at HBO Digital & Social Media, and Rachel DeSchepper, jo’06, director of digital content at AllYou.com, in February to talk about “Surviving in a Constantly Changing Media Environment.”

news reporting professor tapscott dies Richard Tapscott, a retired reporter and editor who taught SJMC beginning and advanced reporting classes since 2007, died in December of a fast-growing colon cancer. Tapscott came to Drake after a distinguished newspaper career that included managing editor jobs at The Des Moines Register and Wilmington, Delaware, News Journal and reporting and editing jobs at The Washington Post, Kansas City Times, and other papers. His Drake students and colleagues remember him for his kindness, good humor, integrity, and high standards. His family has directed memorial donations to the SJMC for the Richard Tapscott Memorial Scholarship.

public relations professors honored by professional community The Central Iowa Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America honored assistant professors Kelly Bruhn and David Remund at the chapter’s annual institute this fall. Bruhn was named outstanding chapter member and Remund was named outstanding PR professional. On a sad note, Remund, jo’91, gr’08, is leaving Drake this spring to join the faculty of the University of Oregon. Remund has taught in our undergraduate and Master of Communication Leadership programs since 2011. We are terribly sorry to see Remund go, but we are excited for him as he looks forward to professional challenges and personal adventures.

Michele Norris

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alumniconnections

Changed your career? Published a book? Earned an advanced degree? Let’s stay connected! Tell us about your accomplishments at www.alumni.drake.edu or by completing and mailing the form on page 63. We’ll share the news with your fellow Bulldogs. Drake Notes is published in each issue of Drake Blue. This issue includes all entries received by Jan. 16, 2014.

achievements 1940s Celda (McCormick) Locey, la’47, and Marvin Locey, bn’50, Gainesville, Ga., celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on June 2, 2013. The couple was also honored as longtime volunteers at the Northeast Georgia History Center.

1950s Elaine (Graham) Estes, bn’53, Des Moines, was inducted into the Springfield Public Schools Hall of Fame. She was also named one of the 2013 Inspirational African Americans at the African American Museum of Iowa’s History Makers Gala. Gerald Kinney, fa’53, gr’61, West Des Moines, Iowa, completed his 60th consecutive year as a band director and instrumental music instructor in schools in Iowa and Nebraska. Lacey Spriggs, la’53, gr’63, Des Moines, presided as one of two grand marshals for the sixth annual Iowa Classic Parade at Prairie Meadows. James Foster, la’55, Durango, Colo., was elected chairman of the board of Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Network, Inc. William Hood, la’55, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was inducted into the Iowa African American Hall of Fame.

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Robert Oberbillig, la’56, lw’58, Des Moines, was inducted into the Iowa Legal Aid Hall of Fame at Equal Justice After Hours, the foundation’s annual event. Dwaine Meyer, lw’57, Pella, Iowa, celebrated 100 years of his firm’s offices located on the east side of the square in Pella.

Sherry Doane, bn’69, Brewster, Mass., retired from TJX Companies after 42 years in retail. Mary (Spear) Eckerman, ed’69, Carroll, Iowa, along with Jerry Eckerman, earned the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Retail Jewelers Organization.

Donald Beste Jr., ph’59, Clovis, Calif., received the Rodney D. Shafer Award, which acknowledges a pharmacy professional who has made pioneering and sustaining contributions to the profession, from the Washington State Pharmacy Association.

Thomas D. Enloe, bn’69, Elkhorn, Wis., retired after more than 40 years in commercial banking.

June (Carlson) Bork, ed’59, Plymouth, Minn., celebrated her 95th birthday on June 22, 2013. She is also retired from her position as a third grade teacher for the Boone School District.

Ruth (Moore) Weatherly, la’71, lw’75, Urbandale, Iowa, is professor emeritus of management at Simpson College and has established a West Des Moines office for her arbitration and mediation practice.

1960s Michael Rapp, la’63, Blue Ash, Ohio, was appointed to the Ohio Historical Society Board of Trustees. William Myers, lw’64, Naples, Fla., was named a 2013 Florida Super Lawyer. Harriett (Graney) Harrow, la’65, Austin, Texas, was one of 14 commissioners who created a map delineating 10 new voting districts, each with a representative. This replaces the previous system of citywide representatives.

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1970s Bruce Thorsen, jo’70, Fairview, N.C., retired from his position as president and CEO of Mission Foundation.

John A. Mayberry, jo’72, Estero, Fla., is retired. Stephen Thomas, gr’72, Eveleth, Minn., retired from his position as associate professor at Flagler College. He is a past president of the Newell Rubbermaid Home Fashions Group, which is headquartered in Brussels.

The Rev. Msgr. Thomas D. Knopf-Bigelow, la’73, Brooklyn Park, Minn., was appointed pastor of the St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church. Jerry Niemeyer, la’73, Acworth, Ga., was named chairman of the board and CEO of the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, the nation’s largest local tennis organization with more than 65,000 members. Larry Zimpleman, bn’73, gr’79, Des Moines, was inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame. James Brusatte, la’74, Ottawa, Ill., retired from his position as an Illinois circuit judge. He is a pro bono volunteer coordinator for Prairie State Legal Services. Alvin Watson, gr’74, Tucson, Ariz., accepted the position of principal for Bostrom Alternative High School. Richard “Rick” Latta, bn’75, Hendersonville, N.C., accepted a position as an account executive at American Solutions for Business, a national supplier of printing and promotional products. Holly (Morrison) Dierks, la’76, Granger, Iowa, retired from her position as vice president of human resources at John Deere Financial. Peggy (Behrens) Person, bn’76, gr’96, Kansas City, Mo., was

promoted to senior development director for the KU Endowment for the Schools of Nursing and Health Professions and KU Integrative Medicine.

Profile

At Home in the World careers built near drake reach lives beyond borders. Anyone who questions the breadth of opportunities that characterize a lifetime in Iowa should talk to Larry, lw’74, and Cynthia Eisenhauer, gr’76. The couple moved in 1975 to an early 20th-century farmhouse in what is now a suburb of Des Moines. It’s been their home ever since, though their careers have taken them around the world. Larry’s 28-year judicial career culminated in a position as chief judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals. Cynthia served as director in no fewer than four state organizations and as chief of staff to former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack. Their professional experiences have touched others beyond Iowa. Cynthia, you helped the city of New Orleans prepare its 2008–2010 budgets, while the city continued to recover from Hurricane Katrina. What experience did you carry with you from Des Moines that was valuable in the project? After Katrina, revenues plummeted in New Orleans, and at least a third of the city staff was laid off. The mayor wanted a budgeting approach that started from scratch, identifying citizen priorities and making choices based on those priorities. Iowa has (thankfully) never experienced that level of devastation, but the Great Flood of 1993 caused considerable destruction. I was director of Iowa Workforce Development at that time—our offices were flooded, the city had a shortage of running water, and we had to establish makeshift offices to provide public services. The flood taught me about perseverance and flexibility. Those characteristics helped me encourage New Orleans’ city staff to have faith and creatively overcome adversity.

Larry, you served a six-month term as an international judge for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. Which Iowa judicial experiences were valuable in your work abroad, and how did your time in Kosovo influence the way you think about and approach justice back home? My first trial in Kosovo was with defendants charged with human trafficking and rape. The first day in court, one of the victims appeared in the company of one of the defendant’s family members. Drawing on my Iowa trial experience, I quickly separated the victim from the defendant’s family, questioned her, and determined she was being coerced. Although the justice system in Kosovo was much different from ours, the experience reminded me of the universal nature of the human desire for justice. The atmosphere in a courtroom, the tension, and the need for confidence and faith in the integrity of the system are all the same. The scope of your careers is extraordinary. What do you talk about at the dinner table? Current events, politics, popular culture, where we want to travel next, and the need to bring better balance to our lives by spending more time with friends and riding our bikes. Often we don’t talk much because we are reading our respective books. (Larry prefers nonfiction history and anything by John le Carré. Cynthia prefers historical fiction, legal thrillers, and anything by David McCullough.)

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1970s continued Mark Schuling, la’76, lw’80, Des Moines, was elected to serve as a member of the National Association of State Consumer Advocates Board of Directors and as a member of the Center for Public Utilities Advisory Council. Robert Eades, la’77, Doha, Qatar, began working for IBM Middle East and Africa as research advisor for executive education and high performance computing. Daniel Siegel, fa’79, gr’80, Mequon, Wis., designed a website, www.patriceprocopio.com, for artist Patrice Procopio. The website was named one of the 100 best websites by Graphic Design USA magazine.

1980s Michael Devine, lw’80, gr’80, Gateshead, England, is an associate tenant of Magdalen Barristers’ Chambers in Exeter, England. Jane Norman, jo’81, Silver Spring, Md., was named health and agriculture editor for CQ Roll Call, an Economist Group business, in Washington, D.C. William Gade, la’82, lw’85, Fairfax, Va., retired from the U.S. Army and was named senior legal counsel at the National Counterterrorism Center. Jill Johnson, bn’82, gr’83, Fridley, Minn., was one of the inaugural 25 women inducted into the newly established Minnesota Women Business Owners Hall of Fame. She was also recognized as one of the Top Women in Finance for 2013 by Finance & Commerce magazine.

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Mark Mandernach, jo’82, Arlington Heights, Ill. was named communications services director at the Zurich Insurance Group in Schaumburg, Ill. Dale Ray, la’83, Ada, Mich., joined the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education as a clinical learning environment field representative. Monica Ellen (Crain) Rizzo, jo’85, San Rafael, Calif., accepted a permanent position with the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department. Rizzo teaches high school aged to adult students who are on probation or incarcerated in the San Francisco County jail system. Cherie Richardson, fa’86, Chicago, is senior associate director of development for the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University. Kevin Waetke, jo’86, gr’93, Johnston, Iowa, was named vice president of strategic communications for the National Pork Board. Rick Hunsaker, as’88, gr’90, Carroll, Iowa, was elected to the board of directors of the National Association of Development Organizations, which represents 10 upper Midwestern states. Mary Ellen Kimball, gr’89, Osceola, Iowa, and Jim Kimball were invited to display their 1971 E-Type Jaguar at the Salisbury Concours d’Elegance Classic. They celebrated KSOI-91.9 FM’s first year on the air. The Kimballs also hosted the Red Carpet Preview of their second film, CoPay, at the historic Lyric Theatre in Osceola Square. The movie won Best Iowa Short Film, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay at the Wild Rose Independent Film Festival.

spring 2014

1990s Elizabeth “Beth” (Jarot) Hicks, as’90, gr’96, Des Moines, started a business, Urban Community Concepts. Brian Huffman, as’90, lw’93, Honolulu, accepted a position as the electronic resources librarian for the University of Hawaii at the William S. Richardson School of Law Library. Elizabeth (Dambouradjian) Stemac, as’90, Houston, accepted a position with Skanska USA as the business development manager for its Houston office. Laurel Rundle, jo’91, Chicago, started Aha Marketing, a marketing services company specializing in delivering branded messages to consumers through professionals. Kimberly (Olmsted) Bellew, as’92, Holly Springs, N.C., became president of the K.J. Middleton Foundation following the death of her mother Karen Joy (Roberts) Middleton, ed’68. Duane Magee, ed’92, gr’03, Waukee, Iowa, was appointed by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad to serve as the executive director of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. He was also appointed by Gov. Branstad as the interim director of the Iowa Department of Education for 10 weeks during July and August 2013. Melissa Reams, bn’92, Ankeny, Iowa, received the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women’s prestigious Emma Harper Turner Leadership Award. Kent Hammond, lw’93, Phoenix, was named Southwest Super Lawyer in Plaintiffs’ Personal Injury and was admitted into the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Cracking the Class Code Below is the “code” for identifying your fellow Drake alumni. The College of Arts and Sciences evolved during the reorganization of Drake’s colleges and schools in 1987, when “Liberal Arts” and “Fine Arts” were combined. Those pre-1987 alumni carry the acronym “la” or “fa,” while those post-1987 alumni are labeled “as.”

Arts and Sciences

Business and Public Administration

dv Divinity ed

Education

Fine Arts

Graduate Studies

Journalism and Mass Communication

Liberal Arts

Law

Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Katherine Gaines-Hammond, jo’94, Evanston, Ill., was promoted to senior vice president at Leo Burnett. John Knowles, as’94, Van Nuys, Calif., directed the horror-comedy feature film Chastity Bites, which recently secured distribution through Gravitas Ventures and Grand Entertainment. Mike Korsh, as’94, Minneapolis, was named vice president of Kraus-Anderson Realty. Kristiane (Keller) Ridgway, jo’95, Belmont, Calif., was named book review editor for the CATESOL Journal and was promoted to full professor at the College of San Mateo.

2000s Heather (Lander) Campbell, lw’01, Norwalk, Iowa, joined Belin McCormick as special counsel. Claire (Davis) Celsi, as’01, West Des Moines, Iowa, was appointed chair of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Commission. Anne Crocker, lw’01, Columbia, S.C., was the 2013 recipient of the American Agriculture Law Association Excellence in Agricultural Law Award. She also serves as an assistant general counsel at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. Michael Richards, lw’01, Des Moines, was elected shareholder at Davis Brown Law Firm.

Amanda Schmoldt, jo’95, San Antonio, was promoted to lead change management advisor at USAA in San Antonio.

William Miller, lw’02, Des Moines, was named to the 2014 Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 list.

Tawnie Cisneros, jo’96, New Lenox, Ill., president of Cisneros Communications, Ltd., received two 2013 Gold Quill Awards from the International Association of Business Communicators for her agency’s role in delivering a comprehensive internal communications program for Kellogg Co. during its 2012 acquisition of the Pringles brand from Procter & Gamble. The awards were in two categories: Special Events (Internal) and Digital Communications.

Asad Patanwala, ph’02, Tucson, Ariz., received the American Society of HealthSystem Pharmacists Research and Education Foundation’s 2013 Pharmacy Practice Research Literature Award.

Erica Herzog, as’96, Herndon, Va., was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves in September 2012 and completed her third deployment overseas in 2013. Darci Vetter, as’96, Washington, D.C., was nominated for chief agricultural negotiator, with the rank of ambassador, in the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Emily (Reis) Abbas, jo’97, gr’09, Des Moines, accepted a position as executive director of public relations at Strategic America.

Maria Elizabeth WalinskiPeterson, gr’02, Omaha, Neb., is a part-time adjunct instructor in the Geography/Geology Department at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Jason Giles, lw’03, gr’03, Urbandale, Iowa, was named to the 2014 Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 list. Juliana Meek, bn’03, lw’05, Naples, Fla., was named to Gulfshore Business’s 40 Under 40 list. Charley Campbell, lw’04, Waukee, Iowa, was named to the 2014 Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 list. Kay Hamada, jo’05, Honolulu, was awarded tenure at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Shelley (Bechler) Hurst, ed’05, Grimes, Iowa, was promoted to senior systems coordinator in the Office of Student Records at Drake University. Linda (Knoll) Bosacker, bn’06, Denver, was promoted to mountain region district sales manager at Kraft Foods, Foodservice Division. Thomas Diezi, ph’06, Minneapolis, was hired by Perrigo as senior scientist for the Pharmaceutical Product Development/ Formulation team. Christopher James, lw’06, Des Moines, was named to the 2014 Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 list. Marisa (Roby) Nelson, bn’06, Rosemount, Minn., was one of Direct Marketing News’s 40 Under 40 honorees.

Christopher Talcott, lw’08, Des Moines, was elected shareholder at Davis Brown Law Firm. Nicholas Barnard, as’09, started his residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. Adam Kaduce, bn’09, lw’12, Urbandale, Iowa, was named to the 2014 Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 list. Sweta Soni, as’09, Des Plaines, Ill., accepted a position as a speech (voice) pathologist with North Shore University Health System.

2010s Tyler De Haan, gr’10, Urbandale, Iowa, was named to the 2014 Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 list.

Krystle (Campa) Berry, lw’07, Des Moines, was elected shareholder at Davis Brown Law Firm.

Kathryn “Katie” Russell, as’10, Arlington, Va., was ordained to the Christian ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on Sept. 21, 2013. She is a pastor in the Washington, D.C., area.

Anson Bonte, as’07, ed’07, Des Moines, was selected to participate in a teacher leadership program.

Emily Draffen, as’11, Memphis, Tenn., works as an actor for ShoWagon, a division of Theatre Memphis.

Molly Scoles Olsasky, bn’07, Urbandale, Iowa, accepted a position as senior manager of marketing with Mediacom Communications in September 2013.

Maureen McKamey, jo’11, Mankato, Minn., is the 9 p.m. news anchor at FOX Mankato.

Emily (Knuth) Stork, lw’07, Des Moines, joined Davis Brown Law Firm as an associate attorney. Timothy Whipple, lw’07, Des Moines, was named to the 2014 Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 list. Jonathan Brendemuehl, jo’08, gr’10, Des Moines, was promoted to corporate communications manager at Bankers Trust. Allison Edwards, as’08, Lawrence Kan., began her residency in family practice at the University of Colorado Denver.

Clarissa Blaylock, bn’12, Des Moines, was promoted to operations analyst at Businessolver. Cynthia “Cindy” Hughes-Anliker, gr’12, Windsor Heights, Iowa, was

named to Des Moines Business Record’s 2014 Forty Under 40 list. Ashley Jared, gr’13, St. Charles, Iowa, was named to the 2014 Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 list. Nathan Verlinden, ph’13, Toledo, Ohio, began a one-year pharmacy residency in July 2013 at the University of Toledo Medical Center.

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alumniconnections

advanced degrees

births

Mary (Cornwell) Garza, la’82, Edinburg, Texas, received her Doctor of Education from the University of Texas-Pan American.

Alexander Stern, as’95, and Bridget, Glen Ellyn, Ill., a son, Ryerson Mitchell

Patrick Verdun, ph’84, Johnston, Iowa, received his Doctor of Pharmacy on Aug. 16, 2013, from the University of Colorado.

Sarah (Beckett) Ference, bn’97, and Eric, Chicago, a son, John Wilson

Monica Ellen (Crain) Rizzo, jo’85, San Rafael, Calif., earned a Master of Science in Education degree from Dominican University of California. Carla Campbell-Jackson, jo’87, Oshtemo, Mich., received her doctorate from the University of Phoenix. Kirsten (Lewis) Falcone, jo’90, gr’92, Orchard Park, N.Y., earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing from Trocaire College in Buffalo, New York, in May 2013. Chad Bissell, ph’02, Clive, Iowa, recently graduated summa cum laude from Grantham University with a Master of Business Administration degree. Lynn Palmgren, lw’05, Oak Park, Ill., earned a Master of Science degree in traditional Chinese medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in Chicago. Allison Edwards, as’08, Lawrence Kan., received her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Kansas. Phil Gill, as’08, St. Louis, earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in directing from Lindenwood University. Nicholas Barnard, as’09, Detroit, graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

Sara Kagay, jo’97, and John Gollwitzer, Long Grove, Ill., a daughter, Avery June Kaitlin (Maguire) Lochner, ed’97, and Jay, Chanhassen, Minn., a son, Reed Timothy Sarah (Doran) Mudd, as’97, and John, Louisville, Ky., a son, Ean Peter Suzanne (Huyser) Jensen, ph’98, and Patrick Jensen, ph’98, Waukee, Iowa, twins, a daughter, Lauren, and a son, Jonathon Ginger (Alley) Morrison, ph’98, and Will, Appleton, Wis., a daughter, Dagny Evelyn Jonathan Azu, bn’99, and Rosa, Brooklyn, N.Y., a son, Mateo Chinweike Jason Costa, jo’00, and Diana, DPO, AE, a daughter, Liliana Dainora Sarah (Stokes) Herzog, jo’00, and Chris, Eau Claire, Wis., a daughter, Kaydence Louise Lisa (Hunt) Soard, jo’01, and Ryan, Chicago, a daughter, Anna Marie Erin (Parmelee) Kozitza, lw’02, and Tim Kozitza, gr’12, Waukee, Iowa, twin sons, Micah Allan and Graham Everett Abby (Maiers) Loch, as’04, and Jaimie Loch, bn’02, Kansas City, Mo., a son, Drake Robert Toni (Zilka) Danielson, jo’03, and Greg, Lakeview, Minn., a daughter, Leighton Harper

authors

Ami (Thakkar) Gopalan, ph’03, gr’03, and Ilango, Chicago, a daughter, Sonia Asha

William “Bill” Hawkins, bn’69, Encinitas, Calif., wrote Bring Out the Best in Every Employee.

Deborah Kitch, ph’04, Antigo, Wis., a son, Wyatt

Mary Gordon, ed’70, gr’85, Des Moines, authored Bedtime Surprise.

Marika (Spurgeon) Taylor, jo’04, and Adam Taylor, bn’03, Hugo, Minn., a daughter, Ainsley Ella

Lawrence Schneider, la’73, Buffalo Grove, Ill., wrote 20 Tips for Getting Hired by a Futures Commission Merchant or Introducing Broker.

Amber (Wedmore) Wilson, ph’04, and James, Davie, Fla., a son, Jacob Alexander

Jim Graham, gr’78, ’79, Wilmette, Ill., authored Victura: The Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea, which will be published by the University Press of New England in April.

Brian Conway, bn’06, and Megan, West Des Moines, Iowa, a son, Vincent James

Marian Clark, gr’82, Iowa City, Iowa, wrote Sixty-Something and Flying Solo: A Retiree Sorts it Out in Iowa, a memoir. Rebecca Ryan, as’94, Madison, Wis., published her second book ReGENERATION: A Manifesto for America’s Next Leaders. Sean Parnell, as’96, Alexandria, Va., authored The Self-Pay Patient, a guide to affordable health care options for those who pay directly for their own care, including the uninsured and those with highdeductible plans. Rachel Aukes, gr’00, Des Moines, wrote 100 Days in Deadland.

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Ryan Horvath, as’06, and Emy, Lenexa, KS, a daughter, Sadie Brooke (Massmann) Wittrock, ph’07, and Brad, Primghar, Iowa, a daughter, Emerson Beth Valerie (Huls) Koch, ph’08, and Curtis, a son, John Kristie (Carlson) Sadowski, ed’08, and Dan Sadowski, as’08, Springfield, Ill., a son, Benjamin Scott

marriages Harley Catlow, la’80, to Anna Ruddell, April 27, 2013 Brian Philgreen, la’83, to Ann McMurtrie, July 13, 2013 Jessica Martinson, as’99, to Lisa Cossette, Jan. 26, 2013 Darnell Henderson, as’00, lw’03, to Joel Carlin, Dec. 4, 2013 Melinda Mills, as’02, to Samuel Skalland, Sept. 1, 2013 Linda Knoll, bn’06, to Peter Bosacker, Sept. 1, 2012 Ashley Anklam, as’07, to Robert “Bobby” Anderson, as’05, Oct. 19, 2013 Erin Blasi, as’07, ed’07, to William Bzdawka, ph’09, June 8, 2013 Aliona Hairetdinova, as’08, bn’08, to Dmitriy Pavlovskiy, May 25, 2013 Kayla Jacobsma, jo’08, to Scott Olson, July 27, 2013 Ashley Jarek, as’09, to Ben Mundt, ph’12, gr’12, May 11, 2013 Ellen Henderson, as’11, to James Reeves, May 26, 2012 Brittany “Britt” Provence, ph’11, to Benjamin Brady, July 6, 2013

deaths 1920s Marguerite (Sherriff) Purcell, ed’29, Wildomar, Calif.

1930s Alice (Clump) Kent, ed’32, ’59, Tama, Iowa Janet (Hoffman) Lockard, ed’35, Des Moines Ruth (Nellis) Stiles, la’35, Des Moines Gwendolyn (Kirk) Wells, fa’37, Des Moines

1940s Roberta (Chase) Fluharty, ed’41, Milwaukee George “Bob” Houser, la’43, Long Beach, Calif. Bettie (Hinton) Jespersen, ed’47, ’68, gr’78, Des Moines Margaret (Davis) Kew, fa’47, gr’48, Atchison, Kan. Mary Blythe (Cory) Penberthy, la’47, Scottsdale, Ariz. Clinton “Douglas” Bredt, fa’48, New York Robert Hernann, bn’48, gr’67, Johnston, Iowa Roberta “Bobbe” (Cavender) King, la’48, Phoenix Harry Kunkle, la’48, Altoona, Iowa Phyllis (Zike) Main, fa’48, Windsor Heights, Iowa Marie (Gant) Olgivie, fa’48, Gilmer, Texas Myron “Bill” Stearns, la’48, gr’52, Des Moines Mildred (Mim) Ballou, ed’49, gr’55, Marco Island, Fla.

Career Tips Q: A:

What advice do you have for someone who is considering a career change?

Start by thinking about why you are considering making a change. Do you want a new job within the same occupation (at a different organization) or a new career entirely? Your answer is key to knowing what steps to take next. If you have decided that a career shift is desired, think about what it will take to be successful in the new career. Do you need to build expertise through additional education and training? You may need to acquire a new or enhanced skill set to be successful and competitive. Consider how your network of associates is connected to the new career—or not. Building a network of individuals with knowledge and expertise in the new area can help provide a solid understanding of what it takes to be successful, how to gain the appropriate skills, and where to find available positions. It can also help clarify what the hiring environment is like and what a strong candidate looks like. Are there alternative associations, organizations, or networks that you should engage with in order to successfully transition to a new position? You should also consider and understand the trade-offs in making the career change. Are the demands on your time going to change? Will your schedule become more or less flexible? Does the new career compensate at the same level as your current one, a higher level, or a lower level? Will you need to make any lifestyle changes? Thinking about these and other questions can help in making a positive transition to a new career path. Whether within your current field or in a new one, always remember that challenging yourself to learn is key to successfully managing career transitions. By engaging in lifelong learning, professionals can effectively prepare for and manage the challenges of their environments to create both personally and professionally satisfying outcomes.

Robert Black, jo’49, gr’80, Des Moines Royce Coulson, ph’49, Hobart, Ind.

—Danette Kenne is the assistant dean in the College of Business and Public Administration.

alumniconnections

Profile

Walking a Mile in Her Comfy Shoes this alumna is exactly where she wants to be.

It’s been only 11 years since Katy Lachky Michael, jo’03, graduated from Drake, but she’s made those years count. Now living and working in Boulder, Colorado—which boasts 300 sunny days a year, a good match to her genial disposition—Lachky Michael has her dream job: vice president of global communications for Crocs, Inc. Yes, those Crocs. “I never wore a pair of Crocs before getting this job,” Lachky Michael confesses. “But now I probably have more than 100 pairs.” Lachky Michael became the youngest vice president ever at Crocs when she landed the job two years ago at age 31. She oversees public relations, internal communications, social media, and corporate social responsibility efforts for the billion-dollar brand that sells shoes in 90 countries. She is no stranger to working with globally known brands; her résumé includes work at retailer Build-A-Bear Workshop and FleishmanHillard, a public relations and marketing agency whose client list features big names, such as Procter & Gamble, General Motors, AT&T, and Barnes & Noble. “She is simply unflappable,” says Jill Van Wyke, assistant professor of journalism. “I think much of her success today is due to that resilience and ability to roll with life’s punches.”

While she credits much of her success to a Drake education, it was an experience beyond academics that cemented Drake’s place in Lachky Michael’s heart. “I was lucky to be at Drake during the sickest time of my life,” says Lachky Michael, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease during her sophomore year and subsequently had 75 percent of her small intestine removed. “My professors really cared about me; they visited me in the hospital, even took me to the hospital. They were my advocates and made sure I kept up with my courses. They treated me like I mattered. If I had gone anywhere else for college, who knows if I would’ve graduated?” But she did and is now exactly where she wants to be. While her high-profile position comes with its fair share of pressures, Lachky Michael loves the laid-back environment at Crocs headquarters. The company emphasizes fun—boasting a casual dress code, Crocs required—and community; Lachky Michael helps lead efforts to donate hundreds of thousands of the brightly colored shoes each year. But she insists her success is the rule, not the exception among Drake graduates. “Everybody at Drake has an amazing story,” she says. “I don’t know what the magic is, but it’s an education that will take you far in life.” —Alyssa Young

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1940s continued

Clarence (Bill) Spence Jr., jo’54, fa’56, gr’58, Aurora, Ill.

Sheldon Hodes, la’49, lw’51, Chicago

John “Jack” Vorhes, la’54, West Des Moines, Iowa

Thomas Kinney, la’49, Clive, Iowa

Paul Hitchcock, bn’55, Rexford, N.Y.

Paul Pace, la’49, gr’50, Des Moines

Thomas Jenk Sr., lw’55, Dyersville, Iowa

Milton Pearl, jo’49, Urbandale, Iowa

Donald Sloan, bn’55, Leawood, Kan.

Carl Schattauer, bn’49, Blair, Neb.

Rachel (Coxon) Gaines, fa’56, Burlington, Iowa

Dolores (Borcherding) Taylor, ed’49, Des Moines

James Peden, la’56, Raymore, Mo.

Alfred Thomas, fa’49, Urbandale, Iowa

Charles “Chuck” Brooks III, bn’57, Urbandale, Iowa

Robert Zeller, la’49, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Marvin Meloy, bn’57, gr’60, League City, Texas Dorothy Nelson, bn’57, Windsor Heights, Iowa

1950s James Gritton, bn’50, lw’53, Des Moines Lorraine (Koenigs) Heideman, ed’50, Watertown, Wis. Herndon Hippee, la’50, Des Moines Donald Jenkins, la’50, bn’50, Fort Collins, Colo. Marvin Van Cleave, gr’50, Madison, Wis. James Arpy, jo’51, Moline, Ill. Elvin Erdahl, bn’51, lw’53, Monticello, Iowa Kenneth Hansen, ph’51, Rock Valley, Iowa William David Lindsay, bn’51, Springstead, Wis. Doris (Beck) Milner, ed’51, Des Moines Dwight Opperman, lw’51, Beverly Hills, Calif. Kathleen (Cosgrove) Ridenour, fa’51, Clive, Iowa Ben Stearns, jo’51, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Aloysius Cerny, gr’52, Norfolk, Neb. David Dilley, bn’52, Bonita Springs, Fla. Richard Hansen, gr’52, West Union, Iowa Thomas Irwin, bn’52, Des Moines Donald Lenth, gr’52, Traer, Iowa Donald Lesser, jo’52, Naples, Fla. Ronald Orth, ph’52, Tucson, Ariz Dick Clemens, ed’53, Bemidji, Minn. Robert Rydell, lw’53, Des Moines Kenneth “Wayne” Bergstrom, ed’54, gr’63, Montgomery, Texas Joseph Kreisel Brown, la’54, San Antonio Freda Caviness, ed’54, gr’56, Indianola, Iowa Richard Dickey, la’54, Marion, Iowa John Duro, la’54, West Des Moines, Iowa Bernard “Wes” Frommack, ph’54, Lenexa, Kan. Howard Geddes, bn’54, Greenwood, S.C. Maxine (Smith) Kean, gr’54, West Des Moines, Iowa Nicholas Malett, fa’54, gr’61, Greenfield, Wis.

Janice “Jeannie” (Onthank) Snyder, ed’57, Clear Lake, Iowa Franklin Brunk, bn’58, La Crosse, Wis. Warren “Kent” Gaer, ed’58, gr’67, ’72, West Des Moines, Iowa Edwin McLuen, ph’58, Indianola, Iowa George Rezny, ph’58, Arlington Heights, Ill. Donald Beste Jr., ph’59, Clovis, Calif. David James, bn’59, Sun City West, Ariz. Mary Lucile (Cummins) Gross Ratcliffe, ed’59, Greensboro, N.C. Fred Schiek, bn’59, Des Moines Louise (Webb) Silver, ed’59, gr’70, Des Moines Patricia Van Cleave, fa’59, West Des Moines, Iowa

1960s Martha (Yates) Augspurger, ed’60, Ottumwa, Iowa Ernest (Ernie) Brown, la’60, Winterset, Iowa Orley (John) Mayfield Jr., bn’60, Fort Pierce, Fla. George Fred McDowell, bn’60, Johnston, Iowa Neville Clayton, dv’61, Osceola, Iowa Richard (Dick) Comito, ph’61, Waterloo, Iowa Genavene (Biser) Klinger, ed’61, Waterloo, Iowa Dean Hansen, la’62, Tallahassee, Fla. Loyd “Bud” Hornback Jr., gr’62, Council Bluffs, Iowa John Ropes, la’62, gr’66, Mason City, Iowa Ruth (Pulver) Gardner, ed’63, Des Moines Peter Greiner, la’63, Rockford, Ill. Leonard Rains, gr’63, Johnston, Iowa Patricia (O’Brien) Rehder, la’63, Windsor Heights, Iowa Jerry Triplett, la’63, gr’66, Winterset, Iowa Lloyd Huffer, bn’64, St. Charles, Iowa Patricia “Pat” (Day) Manahl, ed’64, Des Moines Agnes (Babcock) Radke, ed’64, Mason City, Iowa Hazel (Bricker) Harvey, ed’65, Waukee, Iowa spring 2014

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alumniconnections

Alumni Calendar Visit www.alumni.drake.edu/events for more information about upcoming events.

1960s continued Gerald McGlothlen, la’65, Hampton, Va. Pamela (Hinderks) Peter, ed’65, Fort Meyers, Fla. Robert Reiley, la’65, Great Falls, Mont. Rodney Losh, bn’66, Waukee, Iowa

april

may

Beautiful Bulldog Contest* April 21 The Knapp Center

Let’s DU Lunch Scott Siepker, Iowa Nice Guy May 7 Des Moines Club

Arlene Stevenson, ed’66, Arlington, Texas Roger Stover, bn’66, Norwalk, Iowa

105th Drake Relays Presented by Hy-Vee April 23–27 Drake Stadium and additional locations Downtown Street Painting April 23 Court Avenue Downtown Des Moines National Alumni Awards April 24 Reading Room, Cowles Library

Commencement Weekend May 17–18 Drake campus

june distinctlyDrake Des Moines June 13 The World Food Prize Hall of Laureates

september

The Rev. Verda Aegerter, gr’67, Rock Rapids, Iowa Mary (Waltemate) Cawiezell, ed’67, Davenport, Iowa Jeanette (Rislov) Etrheim, ed’67, gr’84, Sioux Falls, S.D. Stephen “Pat” Gipple, la’67, West Des Moines, Iowa Darlene (Phillips) Gleason, fa’67, White Bear Lake, Minn. Roger Marts, bn’68, Barrington, Ill. Doris Wright, ed’68, Stuart, Iowa Marno (Odom) Batterson, ed’69, Laurel, Iowa Mildred Christenson, ed’69, gr’88, Des Moines Clara (Duer) Hassel, ed’69, Ringsted, Iowa Karen (Woodman) Herlyn, la’69, Marion, S.D. Louann (Gibson) Hunt, la’69, Des Moines

1970s Merlene (Jackson) Flynn, ed’70, Bettendorf, Iowa

D-Club Reunion April 24–27 Drake campus

Parents and Family Weekend September 19–21 Drake campus

All-Alumni Tent Party April 25 Olmsted Center parking lot

DU Good Day September 27 In communities nationwide

Young Alumni Brunch and Alumni House Dedication April 26 Alumni House

october

Anita Oetzel, la’70, Prophetstown, Ill. Mary (Monroe) Pray, ed’70, Johnston, Iowa Marvin Skinner, gr’70, Bondurant, Iowa Sherri (Reese) Slack, ed’70, Madison, Wis. Ruby Smith, gr’70, Ankeny, Iowa Dwight Subbert, gr’70, Carlisle, Iowa Carl “Bruce” Wall, gr’70, Irving, Texas Charles Lenze, ph’71, Norwalk, Iowa

Golden Reunion Classes of 1954, 1955, 1964, 1965 October 23–25 Des Moines Homecoming October 25 Drake campus

Grace Swyter, ed’71, Madrid, Iowa Victor “Bob” Dow Jr., gr’72, Des Moines James Major, la’72, West Des Moines, Iowa Kathryn (Winchell) Molamphy, la’72, Lawrence, Kan. Robert Thompson, lw’72, Gladbrook, Iowa Thomas Daugherty, fa’73, gr’01, Adel, Iowa John Griffith, ed’73, gr’75, Lynden, Wash. Thomas Hildreth, ed’73, Norwalk, Iowa Michael Leo, ed’73, Ankeny, Iowa

* This year’s Beautiful Bulldog Contest kicks-off relays week! Watch the fun live online at www.drake.edu/relays.

John Patramanis, gr’73, Des Moines Paul Sanvik, gr’73, Aurora, Minn. Ronadel “Ronni” Clemens Davis, ed’74, Urbandale, Iowa Richard Divine, lw’74, Centerville, Ohio

1960s continued

Marvin Skinner, gr’70, Bondurant, Iowa

Gerald McGlothlen, la’65, Hampton, Va.

Sherri (Reese) Slack, ed’70, Madison, Wis.

Pamela (Hinderks) Peter, ed’65, Fort Meyers, Fla.

Ruby Smith, gr’70, Ankeny, Iowa

Robert Reiley, la’65, Great Falls, Mont.

Dwight Subbert, gr’70, Carlisle, Iowa

Rodney Losh, bn’66, Waukee, Iowa

Carl “Bruce” Wall, gr’70, Irving, Texas

Arlene Stevenson, ed’66, Arlington, Texas

Charles Lenze, ph’71, Norwalk, Iowa

Roger Stover, bn’66, Norwalk, Iowa

Grace Swyter, ed’71, Madrid, Iowa

The Rev. Verda Aegerter, gr’67, Rock Rapids, Iowa

Victor “Bob” Dow Jr., gr’72, Des Moines

Mary (Waltemate) Cawiezell, ed’67, Davenport, Iowa

James Major, la’72, West Des Moines, Iowa

Jeanette (Rislov) Etrheim, ed’67, gr’84, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Kathryn (Winchell) Molamphy, la’72, Lawrence, Kan.

Stephen “Pat” Gipple, la’67, West Des Moines, Iowa

Robert Thompson, lw’72, Gladbrook, Iowa

Darlene (Phillips) Gleason, fa’67, White Bear Lake, Minn.

Thomas Daugherty, fa’73, gr’01, Adel, Iowa

Roger Marts, bn’68, Barrington, Ill.

John Griffith, ed’73, gr’75, Lynden, Wash.

Doris Wright, ed’68, Stuart, Iowa

Thomas Hildreth, ed’73, Norwalk, Iowa

Marno (Odom) Batterson, ed’69, Laurel, Iowa

Michael Leo, ed’73, Ankeny, Iowa

Mildred Christenson, ed’69, gr’88, Des Moines

John Patramanis, gr’73, Des Moines

Clara (Duer) Hassel, ed’69, Ringsted, Iowa

Paul Sanvik, gr’73, Aurora, Minn.

Karen (Woodman) Herlyn, la’69, Marion, S.D.

Ronadel “Ronni” Clemens Davis, ed’74, Urbandale, Iowa

Louann (Gibson) Hunt, la’69, Des Moines

Richard Divine, lw’74, Centerville, Ohio

1970s

Katherine “Kae” (Braidwood) Drumheller, gr’74, Des Moines

Merlene (Jackson) Flynn, ed’70, Bettendorf, Iowa Anita Oetzel, la’70, Prophetstown, Ill. Mary (Monroe) Pray, ed’70, Johnston, Iowa

Michael Merlie, lw’74, Danville, Ill. Frank Tribble, fa’74, Des Moines Robert Zeller, ed’74, Ballwin, Mo. Alice Bodnar, fa’75, Clive, Iowa Lyle Hulke, bn’75, La Vista, Neb. Joseph Kohler, lw’75, Edina, Minn. James Quinn, ph’75, Milwaukee

CHANGED YOUR CAREER? YOUR ADDRESS?

Do you have family news or any career information you’d like to share with the Drake alumni network? Tell us so we can stay connected with you! Complete this form and mail to: Drake University, Office of Alumni Relations, 2507 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311, or update your information at www.alumni.drake.edu.

q Please check here if your current address is different from the attached mailing label.

And please attach the mailing label so we can correct our records—and stay connected with you.

Name (Mr./Ms.) College/school and year

Email address

Address City

State

Phone (home)

(business)

Employer

Title

ZIP

What’s new with you?

spring 2014

DRAKE

BLUE

welcome home Originally from Peoria, Illinois, I had never been in Des Moines before visiting Drake University. I knew nothing about the city except that it is the state capital of Iowa. By the end of my first visit, I knew I was headed there to pursue my educational goals (a degree in business) at Drake. One of the biggest factors in choosing a college was size— small enough to develop lasting relationships, large enough to expose me to new ideas and opportunities. Drake is the perfect size. I made great friends as soon as I arrived and felt more and more comfortable being myself in this new environment. It helped— and relieved some common stress—that I was doing surprisingly well academically my first year in college. I was able to relax, discover new things, and get involved while learning about myself along the way. I thought I would never want to leave college. What I didn’t realize then were the many opportunities awaiting me beyond campus. Last summer I secured an internship with KPMG, which was a great opportunity to have conversations with professionals in public accounting and, more specifically, the auditing practice. I took time to learn more about the profession and KPMG as a company and started to realize that this was exactly what I wanted to do. This is when I not only fell in love with the career path I was headed down but also the city of Des Moines. Both the city and the workplace allowed me to stay fast-paced— much like my personality. I took in new experiences, getting

acquainted with the city and exploring outside the “Drake bubble.” The farmers market, concerts, and other local events showed me the personality of Des Moines. The more I allowed myself to embrace the city and everything it had to offer, the more I fell in love with not just Drake but also Des Moines. I’ve found that a big part of learning and growing is to challenge yourself and try new things. And that’s exactly what I was able to do. Four years ago, one of my professors and then vice provost of the University, Wanda Everage, taught a class called Intellectual Maturity and Personal Development. The name was appropriate; my classmates and I learned about ourselves and about growing into mature adults through new experiences. Wanda never answered our questions directly but gave us the tools to find the answers on our own. One of the things she taught me was the idea of home—that home may not necessarily be a physical place but something more abstract and defined by each person in a unique way. My idea of home is the place where I feel comfortable and where I can fulfill my life goals while being surrounded by the people who can help make those aspirations a reality. As unreal as it seems, the month of May is just around the corner, and with it comes graduation. I’ve recognized the fact that I will not be a college student forever—and I’ve accepted a full-time position with KPMG. My life has expanded from Drake University to the city of Des Moines, a place I will call home for many years to come. —Shannon Coughlon, Class of 2014 Photo direction and design by Nicole Dyar, Class of 2014

DRAKE

BLUE

spring 2014

Just for Fun by nicole dyar, class of 2014 Recognize these familiar pieces of the Drake experience? Identify each correctly, and use the circled letters to unscramble the final answer!

l v

m i

2. HURDLES

3. DRAKE STADIUM

4. BLUE OVAL

spring 2014

ANSWERS: 1. PAINTED STREET

5. BRONZE BULLDOG

Final Answer

DRAKE

BLUE

6. STADIUM SEATING FINAL ANSWER: DRAKE RELAYS

2507 University Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50311-4505 4271

drake’s mission

is to provide an exceptional learning environment that prepares students

for meaningful personal lives, professional accomplishments, and responsible global citizenship. The Drake experience is distinguished by collaborative learning among students, faculty, and staff and by the integration of the liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation.

Beautiful bulldogs, a paint-splattered street, thrilling finishes on the Blue Oval—it’s Drake Relays time again. For its 105th year, the Relays and Hy-Vee are raising the bar. World champions will compete on the track and in field events, and the weekend will cap off with the Hy-Vee Road Races, offering $120,000 in prize money. Outside Drake Stadium, attend the All-Alumni Tent Party, watch athletes reach new heights at the Pole Vault in the Mall or the High Jump at Hy-Vee, and celebrate with live music on Court Avenue. Visit www.drake.edu/relays for information on reunion events, parking, tickets, race registration, and community celebrations.

DRAKE

BLUE

spring 2013