DRAKE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI INSIDER
FALL 2021
THE POWER OF ONES
THE ONES WHO T OUR UNIVE Since our founding in 1881, transforming lives and strengthening communities has been at the heart of Drake’s mission, vision, and values.
It was this innate desire to be a part of something bigger than oneself that drew me to Drake in the first place. And since my tenure began in 2015, we have embarked on several transformational projects—new academic buildings as part of the STEM@Drake initiative, the revitalization of University Avenue, the creation of new online and advanced degree programs, and the development of the Burt Boys and Girls Club on campus—but we can do more. Our campus, nation, and world, are calling on us to continue pushing ourselves from what a University has been, to what a University can and should be.
That’s why we have launched the most ambitious comprehensive campaign in Drake’s history—The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave & Bold. The campaign title was inspired by our fight song, and the power of the collective. The Ones recognizes that a single individual cannot overcome the challenges we face today. It will take Bulldogs from all backgrounds and generations to work together—to be the ones capable of unleashing the full power of our University. With a historic fundraising goal of $225 million, The Ones will leverage and empower the transformational work happening at Drake to build a stronger University, community, and world.
LETTER FROM PRESIDENT MARTIN
The campaign has been three years in the making. In late 2018, Drake challenged its faculty, staff, and students to share their most bold and transformational ideas that have the potential to make a meaningful impact on society and advance Drake. The University received more than 50 transformative, big ideas. After thoroughly vetting the ideas multiple times with submitters, faculty leaders, deans, the Board of Trustees, community partners, and alumni like yourselves, seven ideas were selected to serve as the foundation of The Ones campaign.
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Leading With Purpose—EVERY BULLDOG A CHANGEMAKER Revitalizing Democracy—CENTER FOR PUBLIC DEMOCRACY Educating for a Digital World—DIGITAL PROFICIENCY PLATFORM Enhancing Student Experience—UNIVERSITY CENTER Strengthening the Heartland—JAY N. DARLING INSTITUTE Creating Access to Opportunity—UNIVERSITY FOR ALL Transforming Every Day—PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE BLUE | FALL 2021
TRANSFORM ERSITY These big ideas have the potential to find solutions to some of society’s most pressing issues: democracy, environmental sustainability, access to education, technology, fostering equitable societal change, and more. More details about these ideas are shared in this issue, and will be celebrated in detail in future issues.
At a time when our world has changed profoundly and continues to face daunting challenges, it is time to unleash our full potential. The Drake alumni network is 80,000 strong, spanning all corners of the globe; the University has more than 300 faculty members, 92 percent holding the highest degrees in their field; and we’re consistently named a top school by U.S. News and World Report. We have the capacity to move Drake and our world forward. Now is our time.
Today, I’m calling on you to lead. The blueprint for this historic campaign is drawn, and with your help, advocacy, and support we can bring these exciting ideas to life and elevate Drake in a momentous way. As this historic campaign unfolds, I hope you will consider how you might be part of the ones who propel Drake into our next great era.
I look forward to traveling on this game-changing journey with you.
Marty Martin President, Drake University
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This is a new era for Drake University. Since Drake University opened its doors in 1881, we’ve established a reputation as exceptional thinkers and doers—dedicated to transforming lives and strengthening communities. Now we stand at the crossroads of our past and our potential. One person cannot overcome all the challenges we face as a community, nation, and world. But when we move the focus from singular to plural—from looking for the one to becoming the ones— everything changes. As Bulldogs from many backgrounds and generations, it’s up to us to come together to be the ones who unleash the full power of what a university is capable of, at a time when our country and world need us most.
The Ones is a $225 million comprehensive campaign—the most important in our history. In October 2021, we officially launched The
Ones campaign to raise the funds needed to reimagine Drake University’s commitment to students and society—and create a more vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous future for all. The Ones campaign empowers us to preserve Drake’s most cherished traditions while transforming our campus, our community, and higher education for an evolving world. By supporting our remarkable faculty and expanding opportunities for students of all ages to learn and lead, we will elevate Drake together to secure a more vibrant future for those who follow our footsteps.
Our vision and goals are audacious. T O G E T H E R,
we can achieve them.
The Ones campaign focuses on seven distinct priorities. Over our next six issues, we will highlight each initiative in more detail. We’ll introduce you to fellow brave and bold Drake alumni—the ones who are transforming Drake’s vision into reality— and share how you can come along beside them. In this issue, we are excited to celebrate our campaign priority, University for All.
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This Is Our Moment— And We Are Learn more about the different ways you can give to The Ones campaign. BE BRAVE & BOLD
Leading With Purpose EVERY BULLDOG A CHANGEMAKER We will use higher education to build knowledge and talents that make a positive difference in the world.
Revitalizing Democracy CENTER FOR PUBLIC DEMOCRACY We will reclaim the American project of forming a more perfect union.
Educating for a Digital World DIGITAL PROFICIENCY PLATFORM We will become the premier institution of higher education in integrating the liberal arts with analytics and technology.
Enhancing Student Experience UNIVERSITY CENTER We will build a dynamic facility that captures the spirit and energy of our great University.
Strengthening the Heartland JAY N. DARLING INSTITUTE We will partner with rural communities to bolster their economic, social, and cultural vibrancy.
Creating Access to Opportunity UNIVERSITY FOR ALL We will empower individuals of all ages and from all backgrounds to enhance their lives through education.
Transforming Every Day PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE We will fuel our colleges and schools and athletic programs to foster an education and experience that shapes, engages, and inspires students for a lifetime.
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UNIVERSITY FOR ALL: Creating Access to Opportunity
The Campaign for the Brave & Bold. That is the rallying cry of The Ones capital campaign. As a University for All, Drake is making inclusion a priority. We will enhance programs and partnerships that connect every generation within our campus and sphere of influence— empowering individuals of all ages and from all backgrounds to enhance their lives and the lives of others through education. We want to introduce you to three specific Drake initiatives that are transforming and strengthening communities—here in Central Iowa and around the world.
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Drake Students & Alumni STRENGTHEN Boys & Girls Club Relationship
The convenient location has made it easier for Drake students like Anne Marie Ross to work at the club.
The partnership between Drake University and the Boys & Girls Club of Central Iowa has continued to grow since the opening of the Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Club on the Drake campus in 2019. “I’ve never had a car on campus,” Ross said. “So getting a job that’s right on the corner of campus has been perfect.” The convenient location is a logistical advantage, but Ross is finding there are many more positives, including hands-on professional development experience. Ross is an elementary education major, and has been hired as a youth development professional at the club. She says the job is complementing her career development.
“It’s done a lot for me,” Ross said. “I’m connecting what I’m learning in classes to how I’m running my groups at the club and interacting with my kids.” As Ross builds out her undergraduate experience gaining experience and community, the club is also drawing the talents and contributions of alumni. During his undergraduate education, Drake alumnus Nathan Paulsen, BN’19, volunteered with the Frank J. Ross Club at Moore Elementary. Today, he continues to be involved with the Boys & Girls Club as a member of its Great Futures Society, a program that connects club members with young professional mentors. He said the opening of the Burt Club gave him a sense of pride as a Drake alumnus and spurred him to get involved with the organization. “When I heard they were building the Burt Club, I was ecstatic,” Paulsen said. “So much of my time volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club was spent helping club members visualize what their futures could be like and teaching them how to use their skills to be successful. What better place to build a club that focuses on development than on the campus of Drake University?”
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OLLI MAKES DRAKE MULTIGENERATIONAL LEARNING A REALITY Learn more
SINCE J U LY 2021,
community members who embrace lifelong learning have a friend named OLLI on their side.
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OLLI, short for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Drake University, is the new name for Drake’s institution that was formerly known as RaySociety. Established in 2004, the RaySociety was named for Governor Robert D. Ray and his wife, Bille Ray. Robert D. Ray served as Iowa’s 38th governor, and later, as the 11th president of Drake University. Billie Ray is a former teacher and first lady of Iowa. The Rays were strong advocates for the power of education at every stage of life.
It’s important to be a lifelong learner and be able to live that out. For Drake, it’s important to make that visible to students and give them something to aspire to. For the University in general, it’s an honor to be recognized by Osher Lifelong Learning to become a part of the OLLI umbrella. CARL JOHNSON Retired educator | OLLI program chair
Over the years, the organization continued to evolve and grow. It was that success that led to Drake receiving a $100,000 grant from The Bernard Osher Foundation to strengthen and expand its programming, and the name change to Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Drake University. The name change also signifies Drake’s inclusion as one of 125 lifelong learning institutes supported by the Osher Foundation on university and college campuses across the country. This is an exciting growth opportunity for lifelong learning at Drake,” said Drake University President Marty Martin. “As we transition from the RaySociety to an Osher Institute, we will always honor Governor and Mrs. Ray for their instrumental support and involvement. With Mrs. Ray’s enthusiastic support, we will continue to build upon their legacy as we expand course opportunities, grow membership, and better serve our community.”
I’m not a Drake alumnus, but I am a big Drake fan, and OLLI at Drake University is the reason I now have season tickets to women’s basketball and attend quite a few functions at Drake. I think Drake’s outreach to the seniors and retired people develops loyalty in return. DENNY DAVIS
Retired salesman | Former OLLI programing chair current OLLI nominating chair
COMPLETING THE CONTINUUM THAT MAKES DRAKE A UNIVERSITY FOR ALL Drake’s concept of creating a University for All includes a commitment to serving multiple generations of students. OLLI at Drake University focuses on learners aged 50 and older. It rounds out the continuum of students that Drake serves, starting with preschoolers and including members of the Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Boys & Girls Club. “Life doesn’t stop when students graduate from college or anywhere else,” said Carl Johnson, a retired teacher who is a volunteer serving as program chair for OLLI at Drake University. “There are still things to learn, and it’s fun to be curious, to have opportunities to satisfy your curiosity, even find out about things that you hadn’t realized you were curious about until you took a look at them.”
Creating a Legacy of Lifelong Learning & Friendships OLLI at Drake University is a respected lifelong learning program offering more than 60 non-credit courses and 10 lectures each year taught by Drake faculty and community leaders. The bulk of the programming of OLLI at Drake University and class presentations is done by a diverse group of volunteers. All instructors are also volunteers. Carl Johnson, a former educator and current OLLI programming chair, said instructors are eager to participate. “As an instructor, you get to teach whatever your passion is,” Johnson said. “Doing the research required to teach a class is a lot of fun just in itself. And the students are all well-read. They’re all curious. They ask great, probing questions, and we have great back-and-forth discussions.”
Gloria Morris, current president of the OLLI at Drake University Council, says, “We are an organization that brings another generational aspect to the campus. It is so good for us to see young people being active and interacting and the life and the energy they bring to campus, and hopefully for them to see us toddling along into our classes and activities.”
Not only does OLLI at Drake University offer courses on topics ranging from Tai Chi to economics, but it also accomplishes another function of a great university—helping students create personal relationships.
We really focus as part of our mission and part of our value system on that interaction and that social aspect. One of our values is respect. We seek to create a welcoming environment where people feel safe to express their ideas and opinions. That is very important to us.
“RaySociety and later OLLI at Drake University gave me social connections locally that I’ve built on,” said Denny Davis, a longtime participant and former programming chair who moved to Des Moines in retirement. “The appeal for me was twofold: it was being exposed to new learning, and it was also social.”
GLORIA MORRIS
Retired IT manager President of OLLI at Drake University Council FALL 2021 | BLUE
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C H A R A C T E R COUNTS!
Gives Drake Global Reach
When Drake University talks about being a University for All and transforming lives and strengthening communities around the world, it already has a template for success.
An independent, third-party evaluation of twenty-two schools in Buffalo, N.Y., found:
10.4% 5.8% 7.7% 10
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INCREASE IN ...
High school graduation rates,
which is 8.7% more than schools without CC!
INCREASE IN ... Elementary math proficiency rates
INCREASE IN ... Elementary English proficiency rates
CHARACTER COUNTS! (CC!) is a community-based character development framework that includes a comprehensive, integrated, values-based school improvement and student development system. CC! uses its Six Pillars of Character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship) as a foundational strategy while sharing best practices and methodologies. Besides emphasizing positive school climate, other defining elements of CC! include intensive decision-making strategies, mindfulness, growth mindset, and behavioral change theories. The Ray Center assumed the global rights and responsibilities for CHARACTER COUNTS! when founder, Michael Josephson, retired in 2019. Today, CC! reaches more than eight million people across the U.S. and in countries as diverse as Bolivia, Colombia, Liberia, Lebanon, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore, China, and the United Kingdom. The Downey, Calif., school system illustrates the power of CHARACTER COUNTS! In the 2005–2006 school year, Downey students served more than 6,000 days of suspensions. A decade after the implementation of
CC!, suspension days were down more than 75% to 1,600 days in the 2014–2015 school year.
“Each year, students are getting better,” Tom Houts, principal of Downey High School, told California PBS station KVIE. “Each year, discipline is getting better. Expulsions are almost to zero now. Suspensions are way, way down. It’s not the same school as 12 years ago. The kids are not the same.” The CC! initiative has demonstrated success as a stand-alone initiative, as well as in alignment with other programs to foster positive change to produce exceptional results in academics, social and emotional skills, and character education.
The quantifiable success of Downey’s program has been repeated across the country and around the world.
Hamlin Park is now a school to be proud of, a school that is helping to embrace students of character! None of this would have been possible without the CC! program— thank you, CHARACTER COUNTS! — Lauren Hackett, Hamlin Park Academy, Buffalo, N.Y.
CC! has thousands of practical and relevant lessons, discussion topics, videos, and other resources for educators to use. These resources are right at our fingertips and they are highly engaging for kids. CC! isn’t just something we do on the side. It’s the center of everything we do! — Trevor Urich, principal, Broadway Elementary, Denison, IA
We appreciate the common vocabulary and understanding that CHARACTER COUNTS! gives us in the learning community. The CC! Framework gives teachers, students, parents, and administrators a way to talk to and discuss issues related to academics, social emotional learning, and discipline. — Will Pulgarin, middle school principal, The Columbus School, Medellin, Colombia
There was a shared need to work and talk about values, and CC! gave us the opportunity to clarify it with our plans. Students started loving the values class, and felt safe to live in a school that honors values and good behaviors and actions. — Annie Palenque, director of wellness, St. Andrews School, La Paz, Bolivia
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“When I heard that it was a campaign for the brave & bold, I thought, ‘Yep,
TH AT’ S BRIGHT C O L L E G E .’”
BRIGHT COLLEGE ATTRACTS THE BRAVE & BOLD 12
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When Abena Sankofa Imhotep heard about Drake’s The Ones campaign, she immediately understood how Bright College connected with creating a University for All. Bright College provides another access point to higher education for those who find college too costly or face barriers to traditional, full-time college attendance. It creates the opportunity for older students to pick up their college dreams later in life. Bright also appeals to students who seek an innovative, highimpact, and interdisciplinary alternative to the traditional college experience. “When I heard that it was a campaign for the brave and bold, I thought, ‘Yep, that’s Bright College.’ I thought of everyone in my cohort because those people, myself included, have overcome so much life stuff. But we’re here now, and we’re Bulldogs.” Imhotep’s journey is a case study in how Drake is a University for All.
“Going to grade school in Des Moines, our bus passed by Drake University every day,” said Imhotep, who is now 44. “But I didn’t think I would ever have access to a place like that. Right after high school, life happened, and I dealt with it and made my decisions work. College was not something I thought I’d be able to do.”
IN 2 0 2 1 , Imhotep’s lack of a college degree didn’t keep her from success. She worked as a freelance writer and is the director of the Sankofa Literary & Empowerment Group. Imhotep has her own Ted Talk, in which she shares Iowa from an African American perspective.
Drake launched an entirely new college. The first class of Bright College at Drake University, a two-year program, finished its first semester this fall.
But she had bigger dreams. “My goals are to change the world,” she said. “So I’m changing for the better. Why? Because I have grandkids now. My kids are out here moving around in the world. I want this to be a better place, and I can’t make the kind of impact I want to make without a college education.”
Bright College senior ambassadors Dwana Bradley (GR’08, ‘11, ‘14) and Wayne Ford (ED’74, Hon.DH’18), helped recruit students and make the first class a success. Bradley is editor-in-chief of The Urban Experience magazine, and Ford is a former state representative and the founder of Des Moines nonprofit Urban Dreams.
Her renewed desire to attend college ran into a familiar barrier—cost. All of that changed with the creation of Bright College at Drake University and a Bright College scholarship through Urban Dreams. The combination puts Imhotep on her path to a Ph.D. Not only did Bright College offer Imhotep a chance to start working toward her college education, but she immediately connected with the college’s unique format. “When I got to the first day of class, it was a cohort situation where we are learning together and moving through all of our classes together. We all have in-depth conversations on human rights and racial justice, and communication and representation and all of these things,” she said. “And it was like, ‘Oh my goodness, I was built for this.’” Imhotep describes her 28-person cohort as ranging in age from 17 to 70. “The people are so different from one another, but that’s what makes it so enriching. Everyone is bringing their perspective to the table. And we have these amazing discussions on whatever topics we might be on. “Everything about Bright College is unique. From the curriculum to the deep-diving conversations to the classroom layout,” she said. “Drake University thought about each detail and did everything possible to set us up for success.”
As senior ambassadors, Bradley and Ford work with local businesses and organizations, central Iowa schools, fellow Drake alumni, and prospective students and their families, to help ensure that communities often underserved by higher education can take advantage of the opportunities Bright College offers. “This college was designed from the start to put fewer barriers in place for students from low-income families,” Ford said. “Drake’s leaders are trying to recruit more lower-income and minority students, and I am eager to help them do it because I believe their efforts are sincere.” Ford also noted that a primary reason he chose to learn and play football at Drake was the story of Johnny Bright. Drake has also partnered with Urban Dreams to create The Urban Dreams Bright College Scholarship. The scholarship will provide tuition assistance to five students who are enrolled in Bright College and are connected with the Urban Dreams Network. “I’m delighted that Wayne and Dwana have joined our efforts,” said Craig Owens, dean of Bright College. “Their lifelong commitment to equity and access in every area of life, and their energy and passion, perfectly capture the College’s mission to provide affordable access to excellent, highly supportive post-secondary education.” Bright College is named in honor of John Dee Bright (1930–1983), known to the Drake community as “Johnny Bright”; a celebrated 1952 Drake graduate who starred on the football field for the Bulldogs and built a successful career as a committed educator and beloved principal in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Sadly, a vicious play in Stillwater, Oklahoma, robbed Bright of a certain Heisman Trophy in 1951. Two years previously, Bright had been the first Black football player to play a game at Oklahoma A&M College (now Oklahoma State University). On an early Drake offensive play in the 1951 game, an Oklahoma A&M lineman charged Bright—who did not have the ball—and hit him in the face, breaking Bright’s jaw. After the Missouri Valley Conference refused to take any action against Oklahoma A&M, Drake withdrew from the conference. To honor his athletic accomplishments, Drake University named the football field at Drake Stadium the Johnny Bright Field in 2006. FALL 2021 | BLUE
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Bringing For decades, Drake has stood out for being a place where students’ unique talents are nurtured, passions are encouraged, and opinions are heard.
The deep commitment to being a University for All is anything but new to the Drake experience.
UNIVERSITY FOR ALL
SAM FATHALLAH JO’18
A Film Maker Writes His Own Story at Drake Sam Fathallah, JO’18, is an award-winning director, cinematographer, and editor who specializes in telling stories of real people and real places for clients nationwide. Sam entered Drake as a biochemistry major. But after his first semester, he wasn’t sure science was the right fit. Sam had been interested in film and photography ever since he’d made home videos with his sisters growing up, so he spoke with Todd Evans, professor of digital media production at the time, who encouraged him to investigate the school’s advertising program—and Sam knew right away it was where he belonged. “That’s why Drake is a University For All,” he said. “Drake helps all students find their passion, their niche, and provides the support they need to be successful.” 14
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to Life
Here’s what that means to three of our successful alumni—and how the concept of University for All has transformed their lives.
The small class sizes allowed Sam to really connect with his professors and form tight relationships. Sam’s friends attending larger state schools were amazed that he could just reach out to his professors anytime he needed to. These mentors guided him toward exceptional opportunities to grow his skills. He became the photo editor for Drake Magazine, did campus video production, and participated in improv. Drake’s connections in the business community landed him two internships with marketing firms—experiences that proved valuable when Sam needed to promote his directing work commercially after graduation. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in advertising, Sam had an instant network of Drake alumni who helped him launch his freelance career and achieve his goal of providing full-service video production to companies all over the country. Now based in Madison, Wis., Sam works with major brands such as Etsy, Land O’ Lakes, and Box Tops for Education. His success is proof that Drake offers an exceptional college experience for everyone. “Even though Drake didn’t have a film program, there was still a path for me and people along the way who helped me pursue my dreams. Drake connections and good friends got me to where I am. I wouldn’t change a thing,” he said.
Visit Sam’s website to learn more about him and see his work.
Belonging and Balance
Sharing Drake’s University For All Message Every Day Marisa Morris enjoys telling everyone about her Drake experience so much, she does it for a living as a Drake Admission counselor.
Layne Burdette lives in Portland, Ore., and is the associate editor and production manager for Molly My Mag, a lifestyle magazine.
MARISA MORRIS AS’21
Marisa feels that Drake’s priority of being a University for All is especially important to students right now. “Along with serving all ages, races, and demographics, Drake seeks out new ideas. We welcome and accept all different points of view.” Marisa visits with potential students on a daily basis, and said she hears from many that they aren’t sure what they want to major in— and she can assure them, Drake is still an idea fit. “What they want to do will change, and that’s why Drake is the place to be.” Marisa says Drake students have the freedom to be openminded about what they study and pursue because Drake gives them the support they need to succeed. “Through Drake’s curriculum, class experience, and connections students make, Drake excels at being the right place for anyone.” Marisa speaks from experience. As a freshman, Marisa intended to major in biology and psychology. Once she was exposed to new ideas and perspectives at Drake, she found herself being drawn to a different area of study. “My friends at Drake were taking Law, Politics, and Society classes. We’d have these deep, meaningful conversations about things like politics and Supreme Court cases—and I loved it. I was really big into debate in high school, and my Drake experience took my interest to a whole new level.” Marisa decided to go straight to an expert for guidance. She reached out to a professor of Law, Politics, and Society and asked to meet with him. “Part of the Drake experience is being able to access leading experts in their fields anytime. Students don’t realize how amazing that is. That kind of caring and support at Drake is commonplace,” she says. After that conversation, Marisa knew that a major in Law, Politics, and Society was the right path for her. Drake alumni offered her the opportunity for three internships, where she made valuable professional connections in the fields of law and public policy. Her undergrad experience as a Drake Campus Ambassador along with her interest in higher education policy prepared Marisa for her position in Drake’s admission office—and she loves it. “Pursuing higher education is a pivotal time in all students’ lives,” she says. “Now is a great time for everyone to be at Drake. Drake is growing in the right ways. We’re not just putting a facelift on the old; we’re creating new programs and new buildings that push forward Drake’s mission with real, meaningful changes.”
Layne says it was clear that Drake is making an effort to be a University For All the first time she stepped on campus. “Drake does a great job reaching out and making people feel included. Attending a university that encourages all students to be happy, be balanced, and enjoy life is important to me,” she explains. Advocating for students’ mental health and well-being is one of her passions. In fact, she started a mental health non-profit in her high school called H.E.A.R.T.: Helping Every At Risk Teen. Layne wanted to attend a school that also valued mental health and had awareness of the challenges students might face. This passion only increased during her time on campus. “Drake invites people to be whole people,” she says. Another thing that made Layne feel she belonged at Drake is the fact that she didn’t feel pressured to have life figured out as a freshman. “During my first year, I changed my major six times,” she says. Her professors encouraged and guided her as she explored which major and career path best fit her interests. Layne says she had close relationships with her professors and Drake alumni throughout college. “From freshman year, we were encouraged to reach out to alumni on LinkedIn to find helpful connections and explore different job functions and different industries.” With all the resources she had to tap into, Layne was able to identify her strengths and find her niche—choosing a double major in marketing and international business and a minor in data analytics. Thanks to a connection she made while studying abroad, an internship at Molly My Mag magazine prepared Layne to land her dream job with the magazine after graduation. Layne cites another example of why Drake is a University For All—the campus community is continually improving and prioritizing hearing all voices. She was one of many women in her computer science classes. “I had heard there were a lot of gender biases in the tech space,” she says. “But at Drake, I never felt like computer science was a ‘guys’ major’. My professors made me feel that I had a place at the table, even in a traditionally male-dominated field. From both an academic and mental health perspective, all students are recognized and supported so they can give their best back to the community and achieve their goals.”
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Drake students can soon receive primary care, urgent care, and mental health services just across campus on University Avenue.
NEW CLINIC INCREASES ACCESS TO CARE NEAR CAMPUS
Broadlawns Medical Center is opening the 12,000 sq. ft. Broadlawns Community Clinic at Drake at the corner of 29th St. and University Avenue. Construction will begin May 2022 with a planned completion date of August 2023. Drake chose Broadlawns as a partner after a competitive bidding process. The clinic will replace the current American Republic Student Health Center on the Drake campus, which is also staffed with Broadlawns providers. The new facility will be larger and will deliver a wider array of services. Importantly, the new Broadlawns Community Clinic at Drake will also be open to neighborhood residents, filling a need in a medically underserved area. The clinic will accept patients with Medicaid and Medicare health coverage as well as those with commercial insurance. “Residents of the Drake neighborhood need improved access to medical and mental healthcare,” said Wayne Ford, ED’74, Drake neighborhood resident, former Iowa legislator, Broadlawns community consultant, and founder of the nonprofit Urban Dreams. “I applaud the leaders of both Broadlawns Medical and Drake University as they have forged a visionary partnership between a private university and a public healthcare organization to provide access to healthcare in the core of our great city. This is yet another example of how much can be accomplished when we all work together to address the needs of our community.”
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Dean’s Updates Alejandro Hernandez COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION I often reflect on something the noted systems thinker Peter Senge said: “It’s not what the vision is, it’s what the vision does.” Earlier this year we shared our North Star—the belief that a College of Business and Public Administration education can be a force for good, contributing to the global economy and to society— and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Importantly, this vision has generated concrete action on the part of our students, faculty, staff, and supporters. At the start of the fall semester, we rolled out the Dean’s Honor Roll for Social Impact to recognize students who take the initiative to make their communities a priority through service. Business and public administration students who perform and record at least 20 hours of community service, and submit a reflection paper or attend a reflection session at the end of the semester, will be placed on this honor roll in recognition of their commitment to making a positive societal impact. This semester also saw the introduction of a new program to reward faculty and staff who tackle pressing issues facing society through their scholarship and work in the community. The CBPA Social Impact Research and Outreach Awards will be given annually to up to five individual faculty and staff, or teams of faculty and/or staff, who address one or more of a range of social and environmental topics. As we wrapped up the year, we were heartened by the news of a $1 million grant from the David J. Noble Foundation to ensure that the business school continues to be a state-of-the-art learning space and to provide new resources that will open more doors to opportunity for deserving students. An important aspect of this significant investment by the David J. Noble Foundation are scholarships for first-generation business school students.
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As I have met with prospective and current students this fall, it has been encouraging to witness how the discussion of the role CBPA’s North Star can play in making Drake a University for All lights up people’s eyes and sparks thoughts about how a degree from our school can make a difference for not only them but for their communities and society as a whole.
Kathleen Richardson SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM & MASS COMMUNICATION This year has been celebratory but bittersweet as I plan to retire in June after 21 years at Drake! But I leave the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) in good hands: Dr. Catherine M. Staub has been named to succeed me and will become the eighth dean of the School. Staub, ED’90, JO’97, ED’00, ED’03, has served in the SJMC as the Peggy Fisher and Larry Stelter Chair of Magazine and Brand Media and also has directed the E.T. Meredith Center for Magazine Studies. Prior to academia, Staub owned a content-marketing agency and worked for Wells Fargo and Meredith Corporation. She brings a wealth of professional experience, leadership skills and community connections to help SJMC navigate the evolving needs of our students, our community and our industry. We see our mission as a School as providing people the tools to build their best lives and best communities through education, no matter what their age or where they are. For years we have sought to expand the constituencies we serve to embrace everyone from K-12 youngsters to emerging professionals, mid-career reinventors and even retirees. For example, we host a Media Now summer camp that has engaged hundreds of high school students from
around the world both virtually and in person. Last year, we created our first media camp for the Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Boys & Girls Club on Drake’s campus. Our online bachelor’s and master’s programs allow a diverse group of individuals to experience the same hands-on, professionally oriented education that our on-campus students have enjoyed for over 100 years. Last spring’s graduate students completed strategic communications, marketing and advocacy plans for businesses, communities and nonprofits across the nation (and in the Bahamas)! The impact of a Drake SJMC education continues to grow.
We are planning to host our delayed SJMC centennial celebration during Drake Relays 2022 (Saturday, April 30, 5-8 p.m.). It will be the last event in our iconic home, Meredith Hall, before the building is closed for renovation. It’s not too late to contribute to the fundraising campaign and see your name on the donor wall when the building reopens in spring 2023. Contact me (Kathleen.Richardson@ drake.edu) for more information about the project. And please join us in April to raise a toast to our distinguished history and our next exciting chapter!
Stay tuned for ways in which you can help us celebrate Dean Richardson's contributions to our campus and community. FALL 2021 | BLUE
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Renae Chesnut COLLEGE OF PHARMACY & HEALTH SCIENCES Amongst the ongoing work due to the pandemic, the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences programs, faculty, and students continue to achieve great things as we work to fulfill our mission of ‘preparing today’s learners to be tomorrow’s healthcare leaders.’ As evidence, we reflect on some of our recent accomplishments: • The Master’s in Athletic Training program achieved full accreditation, the Health Sciences faculty developed a public health major, and we welcomed 118 new pharmacy, occupational therapy, and athletic training professional program students. • Early results indicate that our recent graduates continue to outperform national averages on their licensure exams. A high percentage are employed or are completing post-graduate experiences such as graduate school, professional programs, residencies, and fellowships. • Gustavo Flores, second-year student pharmacist, was one of five students in the nation to receive a 2021-2022 CVS Health Minority Scholarship. This is the second year in a row that a Drake student pharmacist has received this highly competitive scholarship. • Isabelle Tharp, fourth year student pharmacist, was selected as one of three finalists in the Parata-Pharmacy Times Next Generation Future Pharmacist Award and was the recipient of the Iowa Pharmacy Association’s Jerry M. Karbeling Leadership Award.
• We celebrated Boyd Granberg’s 100th Birthday with a virtual gala. To view a recording of the event and find out how you can support the Granberg Student Excellence fund, visit https://www.drake.edu/cphs/granberg/. • New student scholarships were celebrated this fall, including the Thomas M. Pursel Sr. Family Pharmacy Scholarship, the Anna (Filippelli) and James Purdum Family Pharmacy Scholarship, the Joe and Gordon Alexander Pharmacy Scholarship, and the John R. Ellis Scholarship. • Tim Welty, professor of pharmacy practice, received a $1.6 million, three-year federal HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) grant to fund a new telehealth initiative at Drake, improving health outcomes for underserved, rural residents. The telehealth initiative is a partnership of Drake University, Certintell, a telehealth company based in Des Moines and founded by Drake alumnus Ben Lefever, and Tabula Rasa HealthCare, Inc., the College’s clinical intelligence center partner. • Erik Maki, clinical sciences department chair and associate professor, was appointed to the Iowa Board of Pharmacy; Leslie Jackson, associate professor, became the department chair and director of occupational therapy; and Lynn Kassel, associate professor, was named the University’s most recent Troyer Fellow.
I am so proud of these accomplishments and look forward to sharing future successes as we pursue several initiatives within the University’s The Ones campaign.
Ryan Wise SCHOOL OF EDUCATION The School of Education is embracing the spirit of a University For All by empowering individuals of all ages and from all backgrounds to enhance their lives and the lives of others through education. Our work reaches all ages of learners, from toddlers through working professionals. At the youngest end of the age spectrum are our Head Start and Early Head Start programs, which serve more than 900 preschool children and children ages birth to three in six central Iowa counties. In September, Drake Head Start welcomed 570 program participants and family members for a special day of fun and learning at Living History Farms. The School of Education is also proud to be the home of the South Central Region of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, which promotes science, technology, engineering and math education across 62 Iowa school districts. This summer and fall, the South Central STEM hub sponsored STEM festivals for students in Lucas County and in the Oakridge Community in Des Moines, which undoubtedly inspired a new generation of STEM leaders (check out a video here).
This summer the School of Education partnered with Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency to provide Iowa teachers access to courses in computer science instruction as schools prepare to meet a new state mandate to provide computer science instruction at all grade levels. We also extended our efforts to support our alumni. Professors Randy Peters and Doug Stilwell are providing free monthly coaching sessions this year to 11 graduates during their first year as school leaders. Speaking of alumni, they continue to shine in their efforts to enhance lives through education. Noreen Bush, Cedar Rapids Community School District superintendent, was named the 2021-22 superintendent of the year by the School Administrators of Iowa. Sarah Hamilton earned the 2021 High School Teacher of Excellence Award from the Iowa Council of Teachers of English. And Kayla Bell-Consolver was elected president of the Iowa Mental Health Counselor’s Association. This fall we welcomed two new faculty members who will strengthen our commitment to being a University for All. Dr. Leah Shepard-Carey’s research focuses on incorporating bilingual children’s first languages into the classroom and culturally sustaining approaches to literacy instruction. Dr. Casey Holmes’ research centers on critical citizenship and media literacy. Finally, on January 22, the School of Education will host the 7th annual Emerging Educators Academy. This conference is designed for pre-service and first- through third-year teachers and their mentors. This year’s conference is “filling the gaps,” and will help educators who are early in their career build the classroom culture that will help all students succeed.
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Jerry Anderson LAW SCHOOL “Law in Action” has been a hallmark of a Drake Law education since our founding in 1865. In addition to an outstanding foundation in legal theory, Drake Law students gain real-world experience through clinical programs, internships, and clerkships—setting them on a course for success in their future careers. That focus is paying off: U.S. News and World Report ranked our legal writing program 9th in the nation, tied with the University of Michigan for best in the Midwest. Drake Law Review ranked in the Top 30 law journals nationwide for influence on the courts. A national pre-law magazine recognized Drake Law as a top school for practical training and for providing outstanding programs in public service, government, family and child law, and criminal law. At Drake Law, we are creating access to opportunity in the legal profession through several recent alumni donations that reduce the financial barriers to law school for a wide variety of students. Sheldon (LW’75) and Terry (PH’74) Fleck established an endowment to provide a full-tuition scholarship to an incoming student based on academic qualifications and need. “Fleck Scholars” will also receive a stipend to help offset living expenses while attending law school. The Melanie Eastman-Thwing Public Service Scholarship, with a lead gift from Jeffrey Lamberti (LA’85, GR’89, LW’89), will provide financial assistance to students who wish to pursue a career in public service. The Crookham Family Scholarship and Cady Law Opportunity Fellow program offer financial support and guaranteed paid work experiences to students from underrepresented backgrounds, as do recent scholarship funds created by Gerald (LW’92) and Colleen Patterson, Dean Powell (LW’71, GR’74, LW’74) and Elizabeth Moffett-Powell, and Dick Davidson (BN’81, LW’84). Diane CrookhamJohnson’s (LW’10) scholarship fund aids students who are “non-traditional” to help them meet the challenge of going back to school. In addition, major gifts from Rose Vasquez (LW’85), and Steven Jayne (LW’78) and Karen Shaff (LW’79) provide sponsorship of some of Drake Law’s Clinic programs. Their sponsorship allows us to offer additional opportunities for students to experience the Law in Action, while providing essential access to justice for members of the Des Moines community.
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Gesine Gerhard COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES We made it through a year marked by the pandemic and major changes in how we deliver education to our students—and we came out strong! Our number of new students in the Arts & Sciences fall 2021 cohort was at a record high, as students signed up eager to return to in-person classes and looking for a renewed sense of community. Their last year in high school had been affected by the pandemic in many ways, and so had their search for a college. We have seen more students struggle with mental health issues and in great need of support. We increased our retention efforts, added more touch points with academic, career and health advisors, and added events that increase the sense of belonging. We kept some of the online office hours, but also relished the energy and infectious curiosity that comes with a classroom filled with young people, eager to learn. Our students took advantage of our new programs in American politics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. They added minors in medical Spanish or African American and African diaspora studies, and they chose pre-law or pre-med pathways. They signed up to travel again with our popular travel seminars, they joined concerts and performances with live audiences, and they engaged in hands-on experiences and undergraduate research in art studios and science labs. The joy and excitement felt palpable most recently in the performance of the musical 9 to 5 by our Theatre department or the Keys to Excellence concert. The year gave us the
Craig Owens BRIGHT COLLEGE On August 31st, we officially welcomed twenty-seven students to their first day of class as members of the inaugural cohort of the John Dee Bright College, Drake’s trailblazing two-year associate’s degree program. The weeks since then have proven true what our interactions with them during the months-long recruitment and admissions process, a week-long summer bridge program, and welcome weekend had already begun to suggest: That their energy, determination, and commitment to their own and their classmates’ success exceed even our most optimistic expectations when we launched the College over a year ago. opportunity to purchase livestreaming equipment and update major instrumentation in our science labs. Thanks to the generosity of our alumni and supporters we were able to update frequently used instruments, from microscopes used by hundreds of students in a year to autoclaves, a machine that sterilizes lab equipment. We were also able to send students again to undergraduate research conferences, place them at internship sites, and connect them with local community partners. We could not have done that without the support of our alumni—thank you! These experiences will help our students make connections and enter the workforce or graduate school equipped for success. The end of the academic year saw the retirement of some of our long-term faculty members: Daniel Alexander (math), Ramesh Dhussa (geography), William Dougherty (music), Michael Reick (computer sciences), Nancy Reincke (English), Arthur Sanders (political science), Brian Sanders (psychology), and Joseph Schneider (sociology). We also hired new faculty in some of our most thriving departments such as math and computer science, music, psychology, political science, and law, politics & society. We are thrilled that these new hires will help us reach our goal to increase the diversity of our faculty. The return to campus and to in-person classes has been exhilarating and challenging at the same time. We strive to reach our next generation of students, wherever they are and wherever they are coming from. Embracing opportunities and providing access for students—that’s what the arts & sciences are all about!
These attributes of our first cohort emerge in part from the unique individuals who have joined us this year: The recently graduated student who committed herself to positive change-making in her small-town Iowa high school, and who brings that passion with her into the Bright College classroom every day; the accomplished community organizer who feels that now is the time to pursue a lifelong dream of a college education; the retiree who sees Bright College as a way of staying engaged and active in the years to come; and the mother of a two-year old who, in her midtwenties, has enrolled in Bright College as a pathway to a future in music journalism at Drake and beyond. The Bright College classroom represents twenty-seven inspiring stories like these—stories of people who have committed and re-committed themselves to the challenges of a college education. But the dynamism and energy are bigger than the sum of these individual parts: Something is happening in that room, under the guidance of expert instructors like English professor Megan Brown and political science professor Debra DeLaet, that only rarely happens in any classroom at any university: A vibrant sense of community has taken hold. Our learners support one another, rely on one another, and challenge one another with real generosity of spirit and a genuine dedication to enabling each and every person who attends Bright College to become the best possible version of themselves. That’s what happens when we commit ourselves to access for all to excellent higher education: Five decades of life; a range of cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds; and a diversity of life experiences, ethnic, racial, and gender identities, and points of view come together to create a learning environment richer and more dynamic than anything we could have implemented through programming and planning alone. Of course, I’m confident in the Bright College curriculum, our programs, our policies, and our pedagogy. And, of course, I’m grateful to alumni and donors whose gifts have helped secure access to those programs for these wonderful individuals. But in the end, I’m most proud of our people: of the faculty and staff who have reached out helping hands from every corner of the institution, certainly; but, above all, of our students, whose daily presence at Bright College has convinced me more than ever that we are laying the groundwork for Drake’s best future by providing affordable access and excellent educational opportunity to all. FALL 2021 | BLUE
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A Different Breed of Service Dog Drake is proud of its Des Moines heritage, and one way we show our love is by giving back to the community that is such a key element in our culture. No one embodies this spirit quite like Des Moines’ Hometown Dog. From barbecues to basketball, Griff II has been hard at work helping our community and spreading the Drake spirit.
THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS? KEEPING DES MOINES FED & FRESH. As part of his Griff Gives Back pet food drive, Griff II collected more than 30,000 pounds of food for The Pet Project Midwest, a local pet food pantry. In partnership with Drake’s Parent Advisory Council, Griff II also hosted a food drive over Parents and Family Weekend, September 24-26. In exchange for a photo and some pets, Griff II encouraged families to donate nonperishable food items and personal hygiene products to restock the Little Free Pantries located around Des Moines. Little Free Pantry is a “take what you need, give what you can” mini pantry movement. Griff II has since made his rounds in the Volkswagen of Des Moines Griffmobile restocking the pantries.
Griff II jumped at this chance to help his neighbors—not only do these donations provide very real help to those living nearby, but he’s able to promote the Little Free Pantries initiative repeatedly through his social media accounts. This effort was one of many this year to gather donations for the Little Free Pantries.
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CHEERING UP & CHEERING ON A Hometown Dog’s work is never done. Throughout October, Griff II took a walk on the wild side visiting seven area elementary schools. He read Where the Wild Things Are with the students (in his elaborate custom-made Wild Things costume, of course). Not only was this a great opportunity to cuddle up and show off his swag, but it’s also been shown that reading with dogs can improve students’ literacy confidence and provide positive reinforcement.
His “Wild Rumpus Tour” was a smashing success, visiting more than 50 Des Moines classrooms. No tricks, all treats. On November 4, the Bulldogs faced off against the Drury Panthers for the first game of the season. Griff II was especially excited, as it was the first basketball game he attended in person. After taking over the mascot position from Griff I on July 1, 2020, he cheered on the basketball teams from home rather than the Knapp Center to play it safe during the pandemic. His first appearance was more than worth it—the Bulldogs handily beat the Panthers 96-49.
A DOGGED DOCKET Griff II has partnered with the Student Alumni Association to represent at a handful of events, including Paul Morrison Spruce Up Day, Kissing Rock, a scavenger hunt for Welcome Week, the activities fair, I “heart” Drake Week, Halloween Hoops, a barbecue with Bright College, and a Sprout Garden event. But the events don’t stop there. Griff II has made appearances at soccer games, basketball games, volleyball matches, the Rainbow Welcome at the Alumni House, tailgates, and home football games. He also had a therapy visit at New Horizons Adult Day Center in Ankeny, and a book event with author Gary Porter and Griff I.
A schedule this packed would run anyone ragged, but Griff II’s passion for Drake and the community that surrounds it makes it a blast. That and the love he receives from his fellow Bulldogs.
Support the Live Mascot Program here FALL 2021 | BLUE
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The EVOLUTION of Dogtown as a cultural hearth, charitable conduit, and community epicenter. Dogtown is established with the opening of a grocery store, its first business.
1883
1896 Dogtown grows to around 20 businesses. Early Dogtown’s role was to provide necessities rather than entertainment.
1884 The owner of that store sold it to attend Drake University.
1892 The first map of Dogtown is drawn. 26
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1950 1942 Dogtown grows to 74 businesses, including a city branch library, a bowling alley, a hat shop, beauty parlors, barber shops, and cafes.
1937 The Varsity Theatre moves to its present location on 25th Street.
The “Golden Age of Dogtown” begins. It offers a wide variety of unique businesses and attractions marketed toward the demand of Drake University students.
1947 Dogtown businesses are virtually void of racial discrimination nearly two decades before racist business discrimination was declared illegal. This is showcased in a Times-Delphic article on the role of Dogtown in encouraging social justice.
MID1950s Dogtown barbers begin hosting a beard-growing contest for Drake University students. The winner usually receives razors and other hair-themed accessories. Dogtown also hosts its first “Open Air Art Fair,” displaying student artwork.
1959 Shopping declines in Dogtown as outside competition increases, including the opening of Merle Hay Plaza, Iowa’s first shopping center.
1981 1979 1960 Dogtown’s golden age ends, marking the beginning of a couple decade’s worth of decline.
The Drake Neighborhood Association is established, partially because of decreased interaction between Drake and the community. Its first president had a vision for a more integrated downtown environment.
1980 Discourse around revitalizing Dogtown begins to gain traction.
Dogtown officially becomes an issue on the Drake Student Government’s radar. Candidates running for Student Senate are encouraged to address their vision for Dogtown as an intersection between Des Moines and Drake.
Drake Diner Established
1987
Information gathered by current student Dawson Urquidez.
2000s INTO
2020s Conditions allow for the resurgence of “The Golden Age of Dogtown.” Old traditions and interactions are revived in a new light, breathing new life into the historic neighborhood.
1995 An initiative to build a new Dogtown is introduced. The Drake Student Senate hopes to rebuild it toward the northwest side of campus, replacing the historic Dogtown (by then University Square).
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Achievements 1970s Elizabeth Kirschner, LA’76, Kittery Point, Maine, released debut collection of short stories Because the Sky is a Thousand Soft Hurts. Robert Layton, LA’77, Witchita, Kan., received the 2021 Board of Trustees Award from Wichita State University. Richard L. Taylor, LW’79, Bella Vista, Ark., was appointed Justice of the Peace for District 10 on the Benton County Quorum Court.
1990s
1980s David Harms, ED’80, Middlebury, Ind., retired as the athletic director of Northridge High School. Jorge Alvarado. LW’82, Moreno Valley, Calif., was named the Canyon Children’s Legal Service executive director. Lee B. Brumitt, LW’84, Stillwell, Mo., was named partner at Dysart, Taylor, Cotter, McMonigle & Brumitt PC. Mary Ellen Kimball, JO’89, GR’89, Osceola, Iowa, received the Governors Arts Legacy Award. Melia (Carter) Franklin, AS’89, Ozark, Mo., was named superintendent of the Sturgeon, Mo., school district. Mary Hunter, BN’89, Clive, Iowa, has been named Goodwill of Central Iowa’s president/CEO.
Mark E. Stanley, GR’90, Glenwood, Iowa, retired as the vice president of Economic and Workforce Development after 27 years at Iowa Western Community College. Thomas Leahy, BN’90, LW’02, Urbandale, Iowa, named Interim president of Mercy College of Health Sciences. Cassandra Potthoff, AS’90, Urbandale, Iowa, named senior life underwriter with Principal Financial. Johnny C. Taylor, GR’91, LW’92, Washington, District of Columbia, appointed to the board of directors of talent cloud company ICIMS, Inc. Theresa Wells, Ph’92, Arlington Heights, Ill., promoted to associate director, safety science program management at AbbVie.
EZRA HENDRICKSON, BN’94 was named the new head coach of Chicago Fire FC a Major League Soccer Team
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2FORTHEWEEKEND
Let’s Go #Drake @drakeuniversity #Alums #Bulldogs #MarchMadness #drakeuniversity #2fortheweekend #KingAG
Tracie Porter, LW’90, Chicago, Ill., appointed Circuit Judge of Cook County at Large by the Illinois Supreme Court. Amy Higgins, AS’94, Glendale, Calif., promoted to Apple Entertainment’s executive producer—show creator. Emily Abbas, JO’97, GR’09, Des Moines, Iowa, named a 2021 woman of influence by The Des Moines Business Record. Kristin Hansen, GR’97,’02, West Des Moines, Iowa, promoted to vice president, human resources at Hearst Television. Jessica Hopper, AS’98, Milwaukee, Wis., named director of program operations with Camp One Step by Children Oncology Services, Inc. Hijinio Carreon, AS’99, Ankeny, Iowa, named system-wide chief medical executive at MercyOne. David W. Nelmark, AS’99, JO’99, Urbandale, Iowa, appointed Business Specialty Court Judge by the Iowa Supreme Court.
2000s Tiffany Tauscheck, JO’01, Clive, Iowa, named a 2021 woman of influence by The Des Moines Business Record Justin Ohl, BN’01, GR’06, Waukee, Iowa, coached the Waukee Warriors to the Class 4A state basketball championship. Zach Dillavou, GR’02, Forest City, Iowa, named the 2021 Iowa middle level principal of the year by the School Administrators of Iowa.
EVENTS MAR 3-4
All In
——————— APR 6
Bucksbaum ——————— APR 28-30
50th Reunion
Robert D. Boley, GR’02,’07, has been named the new Bettendorf, Iowa high school principal.
———————
Jennifer Bures, BN’02, Chicago, Ill., named COO of Wealth and Retirement Plan Services Divisions at Alera Group.
Drake Relays
Molly Nelson, JO’03, Fort Dodge, Iowa, named TV host and content strategist with Merkle Retirement Planning.
APR 27-30
——————— MAY 14-15
Commencement
Pooja Rahman, LW’05, New Providence, N.J., named chief risk officer for Protective Life. FALL 2021 | BLUE
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REUNION APRIL 29-30, 2022 All-Pharmacy Reunion
Achievements 2000s Ricki King, AS’05, JO’05, Windsor Heights, Iowa, presented Iowa’s Black Migration, Into, Around, Out of, and Back Again as part of the State Historical Society of Iowa’s Iowa History 101 Series. Bridget (Nelson) Monroe, JO’06, Stillwater, Minn., named partner at Bellmont Partners. Dawn Campbell, JO’06, Des Moines, Iowa, appointed executive director of the Des Moines West Side Chamber of Commerce. Liz Tesar, BN’07, GR’14, Norwalk, Iowa, promoted to director of development & communications at UnityPoint Health, Des Moines Foundation. Steve Schappaugh, ED’07, West Des Moines, Iowa, named principal at Roosevelt High School. Steven Amos, AS’09, Winter Garden, Fla., promoted to vice president at Give Kids The World and named to the 2021 Forty Under 40 class by the Orlando Business Journal. 30
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(CONTINUED)
2010s Sara Kurovski, GR’10, Pleasant Hill, Iowa, named president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Iowa. Tyler Coe, AS’11, Des Moines, Iowa, named to the Business Record Forty Under 40 Class of 2021. Christine Her, AS’12, Des Moines, Iowa, named the 2021 winner of the emerging leader award from the Americans for the Arts nonprofit organization. Thomas Florian, BN’14, GR’16, West Des Moines, Iowa, named director of membership and growth with West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce.
Blaise Rothwell, AS’16, Dallas, Texas, completed a professional performance certificate at the Lynn University Conservatory of Music, and began post-graduate studies at Southern Methodist University. Jene Jess, BN’18, West Des Moines, Iowa, named 2021 GFOA Hero Award recipient in recognition of finance officers who have demonstrated extraordinary actions during a time of health, financial, natural, or human-made crisis.
Births Britt Brady PH’11 and Ben Brady, a son, Lincoln Bradley Brady
Amelia (Mieth) Boggess, ED’11, and Tyler Boggess, JO’10, a son, Cohen Douglas Boggess
In Memoriam 1940s Ida F. (Robertson) Miles, LA’42, Boone, NC Bertan “Bert” Schaller, ’47, West Des Moines, IA LaVerne (Sedrel) Briggs, FA’47, Carlsbad, CA John F. Laudel, LA’49, Trinidad, CO
1950s James E. Wise, ED’50, GR’51, Des Moines, IA Lewis “Buzz” Levick, ED’51, GR’61, Waverly, IA Edward R. (Dick) Steere, ED’51, Dyer, IN Gerald “Jerry” Livingston, BN’51, Omaha, NE DR. J.H. Gardner, LA’51, Pleasantville, IA
Marilyn Morrison, ’54, Rock Island, IL Ramon “Ray” Horton, PH’54, Sioux City, IA Patricia Sue (Romans) Cummings, ED’55, Des Moines, IA Jon S. Fitch, ’55, Green Valley, AZ William G. Bogataj, ED’56 Mountlake Terrace, WA Barbara Smith, FA’56, Paso Robles, CA John F. Hammes, PH’57, Naperville, IL Gary N. Hessel, BN’57, Monroe, WI Leonard “Jim” Witte, ED’57, GR’61, Waukee, IA Richard B. “Dick” Starr, ED’57, GR’62, Indianola, IA Doris L. (Schroeder) Carter, ED’58, Belle Plaine, MN
Janice Peebler, ED’58, Waukee, IA
Thomas L. Pierick, PH’60, Canyon Lake, CA
John W. Sutton, BN’58, Urbandale, IA
Janet Rustemier, ED’60, Houston, TX
Ronald “Ron” Spillers, LA’59, Anthem, AZ
Victor “Vic” Tilotta, ED’61, Des Moines, IA
Marshall D. Krolick, LA’59, Weston, FL
Carl H. Jens, LA’61, GR’61, Iowa City, IA
Robert Shafto, BN’59, Naples, FL
Edward W. Hammant, BN’62, Indianapolis, IN
Gary Marple, BN’59, Sarasota, FL
Theodore Tormey, ED’62, Lakewood, CO Mary C. (Skidmore) Buckton, ED’63, Urbandale, IA
1960s Damon Rockett, BN’60, Matteson, IL Clark R. Keller, LA’60, Port Orange, FL Richard “Dick” Hatfield, JO’60, GR’82, Burlington, IA Robert Havens, BN’60, Ogdensburg, NY Mary J. Howe-Odron, LA’60, Stockton, CA
Jeanine C. (Comer) Gazzo, LA’63, Des Moines, IA George W. Roland, LA’64, Glendale, AZ Martha Jean Crow, ED’64, Marshalltown, IA Janice “Jan” (Pender) Mattern, ED’64, Newport News, VA Melvin G. Wilson, ED’65, Lakewood, CO
Alice Fintel, FA’51, Paulina, IA Marga Breckenfelder, ED’51, Elmhurst, IL William Lee “Bill” Rank, FA’52, Meridian, ID Gale Howard Holmes, LW’53, West Des Moines, IA John Koopman, FA’53, FA’56, GR’56, Appleton, WI Eleanor (Handford) Berney, LA’53, Rochester, NH
MILLENNIAL_POTPOURRI
Hey @drakeugriff Gabby wants to know if she’s cheering on @drakeuniversity ok. GO BULLDOGS!
#drakebulldogs #marchmadness
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MAUREENMCKAMEY
“This is my March Madness face!” -Gabi
#drakeallin #drakeuniversity #drakebulldogs #drakemensbasketball #dsmhometownteam #drake #marchmadness
1970s Carol (Wagaman) Davis, ED’70, Clive, IA Teresa A. Hora, LA’71, Houston, TX Thomas Spero, BN’71, Mequon, WI
In Memoriam 1960s B. Gerald Reynolds, BN’65, LW’68, Estero, FL Charles “Chuck” Brodersen, PH’65, Des Moines, IA
Robert J. Trusty, GR’71, Des Moines, IA
(CONTINUED)
Ronald Courson Jr., LA’67, GR’67, Arvada, CO Richard “Dick” Buyniski, LA’67, Worster, MA Constance Washburn, ED’68, Fort Lauderdale, FL George W. Long, ED’68, GR’68, Urbandale, IA
Loren “Tom” Hora, LA’69, LW’71, Marble Falls, TX Susan Diehl, ED’69, LW’75, Burlington, IA Shirley M. (Stanley) Hall, ED’69, Windsor Heights, IA
Vincent J. DeAngelis, ED’66, GR’75, Des Moines, IA
Paul A. Romans, LA’68, Lake Elmo, MN
Leigh A. Lussie, ED’69, GR’76, Windsor Heights, IA
Victor L Anderson, FA’66, GR’66, Des Moines, IA
Anna Louise Woods, LA’68, GR’76, Ankeny, IA
Martha Mae Hargrave, ED’69, Webster City, IA
Ruby Brue, ED’66, Audubon, IA
Jon R. Schneider, JO’68, Urbandale, IA
Thomas D. Enloe, BN’69, Siminole, FL
Eugene “Gene” Bogash, FA’67, Bondurant, IA
Nance (Laster) Burke, LA’68, Urbandale, IA
Lawrence Sommer, LA’69, Woodstock, CT
Ruth Blair Greenwood, ED’67, GR’77, Richland, WA
Glenafa R. Vrchota, ED’68, Monticello, MN
Marcellus “Marc” Sprenger, GR’71, Waukee, IA Andrew Teitelman, LA’72, Oak Park, IL Thomas (Tom) James Broadbent, BN’72, Evergreen, CO Thomas L. Rempp, FA’72, Grinnell, IA Gerald R. Davis, BN’73, Richardson, TX Richard “Rick” Kotz, LA’73, Des Moines, IA Mark T. Doherty, PH’74, Ottawa, IL Karen L. Silverberg, GR’74, Newton, IA Bruce D. Kingsbury, BN’74, Chariton, IA Harold Grimes, LA’74, Des Moines, IA Bradley T. Waller, LA’75, Boston, MA
CELEBRATION APRIL 30, 5-8 PM School of Journalism and Mass Communications (SJMC) Centennial + 2 Celebration
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David C. Johnson, PH’77, Cambridge, MN Cecilia Tomlonovic, BN’77, GR’77, Colfax, IA Mildred Seltz, ED’78, Clive, IA
1980s Catherine M. Volz, LW’80, Arlington, VA Jay W. Mennenga, BN’80, GR’80, Urbandale, IA Emily Webster Kyle, LA’81, Des Moines, IA Kirk D. Simmons, BN’83, Henderson, NV Anne L. Broderick, GR’85, West Des Moines, IA Sheryl (Frey) Roth Dahm, LA’85, Booneville, IA.
BRIANA HAWKINS
John Robert McEwing, LW’76, Stoughton, WI
ABC News and Good Morning America were two of several media outlets that covered the recent graduation of Briana Hawkins, GR’21. Her daughter Reagan’s preschool graduation was canceled. To make up for it, Briana, a single mother, had Reagan join her on the Drake commencement stage as she received a master’s degree in Brand Communications and Leadership Communications. Drake President Marty Martin even presented Reagan with a Drake diploma cover. “I wanted her to see the experience of what completing a degree looks like,” Briana said. “I wanted her to feel accomplished. I wanted a graduation and master’s to be a norm for her. So growing up, she always has a memory of walking at a college graduation and a goal to get there.” Commencement was the first time Briana, who lives in Tennessee, stepped foot on the Drake campus. She achieved her master’s degree completely through Drake’s online program. “I was working full-time while being a student and a mother,” Briana said. “It was very flexible. I was able to go after my career and not hold myself back, while also expanding my education and knowledge.”
Carrie S. Bankes, FA’86, Oak Park, IL Douglas Livingston, BN’89, Wayzata, MN Michael “Mike” Hunter, LW’89, Clive, IA
1990s Robinzina Bryant-Felton, LW’94, Homewood, IL James Hornbeck, ED’94, Logan, IA Michael L. Oppegaard, AS’95, Excelsior, MN Jonathan A. “Bubba” Degner, AS’97, Washington, DC
2010s Brianna “Bri” Stevens, AS’17, New Virginia, IA
Seven Drake University online graduate programs are currently available. Visit drake.edu to learn more. FALL 2021 | BLUE
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Q&A WITH DRAKE MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH DARIAN DEVRIES Drake Men’s Basketball Coach Darian DeVries’ team secured an NCAA tournament bid last season and won the program’s first NCAA tournament game in 50 years. This year, the Missouri Valley Conference coaches, media, and sports information directors voted the Bulldogs as the pre-season favorites to win the conference. The Bulldogs have eight returning seniors on the roster, including last season’s all-Missouri Valley performers Roman Penn and ShanQuan Hemphill. Tucker DeVries, Darian’s son, joins the team as a true freshman after his Waukee High School team won the high school state basketball championship last season. The Des Moines Register named Tucker the top high school basketball recruit in Iowa last season and he chose to play for Drake over scholarship offers from basketball programs in the Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, PAC-12, and SEC. We spoke with Darian and Tucker DeVries on November 12, 2021.
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& HIS SON, DRAKE BASKETBALL PLAYER TUCKER DEVRIES
Darian, your team is the favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference. You’re not going to be surprising people. Does that change your approach at all this season? Darian DeVries: The approach doesn’t change at all. We told our guys that the formula remains the same. Coming off a disappointing season or a good season, it doesn’t change what you need to do to be successful. We can’t just assume it’s going to happen. The guys we have back play together, are unselfish, compete hard, and play the right way.
How do you approach coaching your son? Darian DeVries: When he messes up, I’ll make sure he knows just like anyone else. When he does something good, I’ll pat him on the back and tell him good job, as well. He’s used to being coached and respects that side of it.
Tucker, you had scholarship offers from schools in conferences like the Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Why did you choose Drake? Tucker DeVries: I was comfortable here. Both with playing for my dad but also because I’ve been going to all the games and gotten to know guys on the team in the past three years. I felt like it was something I wanted to be a part of. They’ve won a lot of games and I want to keep the winning ways going and make more NCAA tournaments.
How has it been joining a veteran team as a freshman? Tucker DeVries: Going against a lot of veterans makes the transition easier. They’re pushing me. It makes the practices and workouts competitive.
Coach, why did you think there was an opportunity to build something at Drake? Darian DeVries: The opportunity for me, being from Iowa and having a lot of family and friends in the area, was really appealing to me. Creighton, over the 20 years that I was there, had built their
program up in a similar city. There are a lot of similarities between Creighton and Drake. The city of Des Moines is taking off, and we want to build a program here that’s sustainable for a long time.
Last year COVID-19 limitations prevented Drake fans from filling the Knapp Center. What would a full Knapp Center this season mean for your program? Darian DeVries: There are so many ways having a full arena and passionate fans affects Drake. For our program, it impacts the outcomes of games and our ability to recruit players. For the University, it builds school spirit and helps admissions. When potential students come to games and have a good time, it makes a positive impression. It also helps how alumni feel about the school.
There are plans to renovate the Knapp Center and add to the fan experience. How would that benefit your program? Darian DeVries: There are things we can do to increase the entertainment value of the experience in addition to providing excellent basketball on the court. Renovating the Knapp Center will help bring more fans to the arena and create future generations of Bulldogs. Games are a way for everybody to come together for a night to share an experience and feel really good about not only the basketball program, but the University as a whole. FALL 2021 | BLUE
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GET TO KNOW FIRST-YEAR SUZIE GLAZER BURT HEAD WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
COACH ALLISON POHLMAN Allison Pohlman is not new to Drake women’s basketball. She has been on the staff since 2007 and has been associate head coach since 2014.
However, with the departure of Jennie Baranczyk to the University of Oklahoma, this is Pohlman’s first season leading the Bulldogs.
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We interviewed Pohlman on November 11, 2021, the day after her first official win as head coach: an 82-79 victory over Creighton University. Her Bulldogs have entered the season with high public expectations, after the Missouri Valley Conference coaches, media, and sports information directors picked them to finish second in the conference in a preseason poll.
It must feel good to get your first official win under your belt. Playing in the Knapp Center creates constant goosebumps. In coaching, sometimes we have a tendency to focus on the things you didn’t quite do up to par, or the things that didn’t go perfectly—the laundry list of things you have to get better. But that one, you know, I just took a moment to really relish. It was such a joyful experience, and so amazing for our team to have the performances we had throughout the evening. To cap it off with a big win was a lot of fun.
Can you tell us a bit about your life before basketball? I’m a small town Iowa girl. My town that I grew up in has about 825 people. I have two older brothers. I got thrown into sports I didn’t necessarily get to choose. Whether it was wiffle ball, kickball, basketball, football—you name it, we played it. That competitive nature, my roots, is a driving factor in where I am today.
You’ve been at Drake for a long time, but now you’re the head coach. What would you say are the characteristics of a team coached by you? I just hope when you watch, you’re like, “That team has a lot of fun and they like each other.” And then the second thing is, “They’re tough and they don’t back down to anybody.”
After playing at Northern Iowa, how did you get into coaching? My bachelor’s degree is in dietetics. I fully intended to get into that and help people learn how to eat and live healthier lives. Then, while studying for my master’s [in health education at the University of Northern Iowa], I was
a graduate assistant on the basketball team. Stepping into a coaching role and getting to be around women at an influential time in their lives was something I found rewarding, so I decided to stay in coaching.
What was the experience like coming from Northern Iowa to Drake? I’ve always held Drake in such high regard. The women’s basketball program, the tradition and excellence, just how their women carry themselves. It was something I saw while competing against them and then coaching against them. I knew the caliber of people Drake attracts. When the door opened up to join the staff at Drake, it was a relatively difficult decision for our family. My husband and I have triplet daughters who were 10 months old at the time. Luckily we got to stay in the state of Iowa. Now they’re 15 years old, and 14 years later I still get the same feeling when I walk through the Knapp Center. I still have the same affinity for this place. I just absolutely love being a part of it.
How do you pitch athletes on coming to Drake? It’s all about our culture. It’s centered around love. You’ve got to love basketball and you have to love Drake. When you love Drake, you love your team and you want to strive with them. You want to have success with them.
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Q&A WITH EIAN O’BRIEN WE SPOKE WITH O’BRIEN BEFORE THE END OF HIS FINAL SEASON WITH DRAKE FOOTBALL Eian O’Brien is a senior Drake football player and second-year pharmacy student from Des Moines. O’Brien was about to enter the Drake College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences when COVID-19 created a global pandemic.
Did your teammates come to you with questions?
During the fall 2021 semester, O’Brien completed his immunization program and began administering vaccines—including COVID-19 vaccines—at two pharmacies in Des Moines, one of which was the Walgreens on University Avenue across from the Drake campus.
In the classroom, are they teaching you how to have those conversations?
What was it like entering pharmacy school right as COVID-19 became a major story in the U.S.? From being an undergrad, not being super involved, to all of a sudden having this bigger role and trying to help out was an interesting spot. I had a better understanding from my schooling on what COVID was, and so I was trying to educate my friends and family.
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[Fellow Drake senior football player and pharmacy student] Braeden Hartwig, some pharmacy school professors, and I gave a presentation. We didn’t necessarily push the vaccine, but we tried to educate and clear up misconceptions people might have so they could make an informed decision. I’ve had people come up to me with questions, and it’s nice to know they trust me enough to ask me those types of questions.
Yeah, we do a lot of that. It’s called motivational counseling. We talk about not pushing people, but trying to see where they’re coming from; and not necessarily change their mind but to at least give another side some thought.
You’re from Des Moines and a Roosevelt High School graduate, so you’re working in your home neighborhood. What’s that like? Helping the community I grew up in is very rewarding. Volunteering is one of the principles of the football team, but the pandemic severely limited our opportunities to do outreach work in the community. Using pharmacy as a different way to be involved has been a great experience.
A CASE STUDY
Although you’d never hear it from Jon Ericson, his students will tell you that he embodies the Drake goals of transforming lives and strengthening communities.
Ericson is the 2021 recipient of the Drake Medal, which “recognizes significant, long-term service to the Drake University community, reflecting personal commitment to the University’s quality and character.” “He has inspired countless numbers of Drake students (including both of us) throughout careers in education, medicine, business, community service, and law,” said Timothy J. Ley, MD, and Robert E. Luxen, JD, in their letter of nomination for Ericson. “Many former Drake students continue to see him as a mentor and role model for analytical thinking, taking action to address unfair or inappropriate conduct, and personal accountability.” Ericson’s career at Drake spanned decades. He joined the University in 1967 as an assistant professor. He became a professor in 1975, and served as vice president for academic affairs and provost from 1986 until 1989. He retired in 2000. Ericson, however, gives full credit for his success to the faculty, staff, and students he came into contact with while at Drake.
One of the benefits of teaching is you’re going to end up with relationships that extend far beyond your years at the University. Having former students as friends is a wonderful personal reward,” he said. “Drake produces extraordinary students. Tim (Ley) and Bob (Luxen) are extraordinary. We keep in touch and they keep me on my toes. They are a gift to me and have become my teachers. JON L. ERICSON
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES
IN TRANSFORMING LIVES,
2021 Drake Medal recipient
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THREE CLASSES. ONE SPECIAL REUNION. 1970
1971
1972
Celebrate your college days with a 50th reunion like no other. We’ll recognize the classes of 1970, 1971, and 1972 with a weekend of events April 28–30, 2022. Reconnect with classmates and join your fellow Bulldogs in making new Drake memories.
RSVP BY APRIL 8 Online
alumni.drake.edu/50th-reunion
alumni.drake.edu/50th-reunion By Email
alumni.rsvp@drake.edu
QUESTIONS
Contact Cathy Williams at 515-271-2769 or cathy.williams@drake.edu
Memory Book
Go to alumni.drake.edu/50th-reunion to create your memory book page and connect with your classmates before the reunion weekend. All are encouraged to make a memory book page even if not attending the reunion.
Photo Submission
Submit photos for a slideshow to be shown at the 50-Year-Club Dinner. Email photos to cathy.williams@drake.edu