Drake Blue spring 2009 by Casey Gradischnig

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DRAKE

Spring 2009

BREAKING the Mold DRAKE UNIVERSITY

STRIVES TO REDEFINE

LEADERSHIP IN THE 21ST CENTURY

From the President. . . As I talk with alumni, friends and colleagues around the country, the most frequent question — not surprisingly — is, “How is the economic crisis affecting Drake University? I suspect that question is on your minds as well. At the risk of sounding glib, the answer is perhaps best summarized by Charles Dickens’ opening line: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness …” As you well know, for Drake University, it has been, in many ways, the best of times, and we’d like to think we’re managing them wisely: financial stability and budgetary integrity; strong enrollment demand and retention; $70 million in physical plant improvements in the past six years; increasingly competitive faculty/staff salaries; growing recognition as one of the country’s premier master’s universities; and outstanding student, faculty and staff achievements. At the same time, in the world outside the campus, it is the worst of times (financially, at any rate). The current financial environment has necessitated a variety of responses from colleges and universities around the country, including debilitating budget cuts, hiring freezes, and elimination of positions, courses and programs. At Drake, we have been monitoring the situation with great attentiveness and care. Fortunately, to date we have not found it necessary to undertake any dramatic, short-term measures. As an enrollment-driven institution (75 percent of our operating revenues derive from tuition and room and board fees), with

endowment income accounting for only 6 percent of the operating budget, the key issues are retention of current students and meeting our enrollment goals for entering first-year students and transfers. Our retention rate in recent years has been extremely high, and we have significantly exceeded our first-year enrollment goals for the past two years. The critical question as we plan for next year (and the years following) is the impact that the economic downturn will have on our students’ (current and prospective) ability to afford Drake, even with our low cost (relative to our peers) and considerable ($44 million) commitment to financial aid.

different assumptions about net revenues and identified the indicators that we are tracking on a regular basis to maximize our ability to predict which scenario will ultimately be realized; • Third, we are finalizing a University-wide contingency plan (related to the scenarios) that will indicate precisely those steps to be taken, in sequence, should we fall short of our revenue targets. Thus, if our enrollments/revenues fall short of the target, we already know exactly what we will do to respond. The good news in all this is twofold: one of our strategic goals was to create a University that had the strength, flexibility, resiliency and agility to manage change and to respond to the unexpected. Our ability to ride out the storm thus far suggests that we achieved that goal. The other reason for cautious — very cautious — optimism is that the indicators that we are tracking continue to look strong. In addition we believe that our “likely” scenario, which looks very much like the past two years, continues to be likely. We will keep you informed of the situation as we continue to monitor the critical indicators.

The unusual financial environment requires,

of course, the ability to be flexible and responsive in the face of changing circumstances. We have been actively engaged in planning for next year’s budget (and beyond). The unusual financial environment requires, of course, the ability to be flexible and responsive in the face of changing circumstances. Given that we will not know for sure whether or not we have met (or exceeded) our enrollment goals until September 4 (when we do the “census” of enrolled students for the fall semester), we have taken a three-pronged, integrated approach to budget planning for next year: • First, we have implemented a set of precautionary measures, delaying or reducing certain types of expenditures until/if we are sure in the fall that we have the revenues to support them; • Second, we have developed four possible budget scenarios (best case, likely case, worse case, worst case) based on four

It would be foolish to expect, of course, that the economic crisis will not affect Drake University in some ways — it is already having an impact on endowment income and gifts to the annual fund. But if we continue to meet our enrollment goals, and if our alumni and friends renew their philanthropic commitment to the University, the “best of times” will continue at Drake, thanks to the energy, wisdom, commitment and generosity of everyone who has helped us get to this point.

Dr. David E. Maxwell, president

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President

Features

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Dr. David E. Maxwell

Director of Marketing & Communications

Brooke A. Benschoter

Director of Alumni & Parent Programs

HITTING THE HARD NOTES

Law professor tackles emotional subject matter, mounts successful opera.

Blake Campbell

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor Casey L. Gradischnig

Art Director

Courtney Hartman

Class Notes Editor Abbie Hansen, JO’01

WINDS OF CHANGE

A revolution is under way in the media world. And Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication is prepared.

Graphic Designers Amber Baker • Calee Himes

Writers/Copy Editors Abbie Hansen, JO’01 • Tim Schmitt, GR’08

Contributors

Lisa Lacher • Tory Thaemert Olson, JO’05

Interns Amy Benes • Nicole Freise Emilee Richardson • Michelle Thilges

IMPROV AND CHEESEBURGERS

Daring choices and lifelong inspiration define the life of this Drake alum and McDonald’s chairman.

Publication Support Andrea McDonough • Jaquie Summers

Departments CAMPUS To submit news or update your alumni file, contact Drake’s Office of Alumni and Parent Programs. Call: 1-800-44-DRAKE, x3152 E-mail: recordsinfo@drake.edu Surf: www.drake.edu/alumni Drake blue is published as a service to Drake alumni, parents and friends by the Drake University Office of Marketing and Communications. Views expressed in Drake blue do not necessarily reflect opinions of the editors or the University. We welcome articles by and story ideas from and about Drake alumni. Send correspondence to Editor Casey L. Gradischnig, Drake University, 2507 University Ave., Des Moines, IA 50311-4505. E-mail: casey.gradischnig@drake.edu.

SPORTS

Drake Track Star Sets His Eyes on a New Relays Record • Double-D Award Winners • Pulliam Honored

FACULTY

Drake Names New Provost • New Law Dean Announced • CBPA Faculty and Staff Connect Through Book Clubs to Discuss Leadership

Basketball Standout Selected as Rhodes Scholar • Law School Receives High Marks • Journalism Student Honored for Academic Success, Community Involvement • Drake and Qwest Partner to Enhance Grow Bulldogs Program • Music Fraternity, Student Win National Awards • Generous Gift Enhances Science Lab • Astronomy Students Receive Prestigious Appointments • Student Publication Honored with Pacemaker Award • Pharmacy Student Develops Program to Aid Clinic in Belize • Drake Law Review Ranked Nationally

ALUMNI

Love of the Profession and a Commitment to its Advancement Define this Pharmacy Grad • New Alumni Director Named • Alumni Award Winners Announced • Weaver Medal Winner Named • SJMC Grad Honored • Law Alumni Recognized

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campus buzz BASKETBALL STANDOUT SELECTED AS RHODES SCHOLAR Lindsay Whorton, a former Drake women’s basketball player with a perfect academic record, is one of 32 Americans selected as a Rhodes Scholar for 2009. She is Drake’s first Rhodes Scholar in 82 years. Whorton, who graduated in December with majors in English and secondary education, was a guard who used up her eligibility last season. In her senior season, she was named first-team academic All-American, First-Team AllMissouri Valley Conference and one of Drake’s team captains. A native of Independence, MO, Whorton received a two-year scholarship to study at Oxford University in Oxford, England. She plans to study social policy and evidence-based social intervention. This year’s 32 Rhodes Scholars were picked from 769 applicants endorsed by 207 colleges and universities nationwide. About

80 scholars throughout the world were chosen to become the 2009 class. Rhodes Scholars are selected on the basis of high academic achievement, integrity of character, a spirit of unselfishness, respect for others, potential for leadership and physical vigor.

The Law School also received high rankings once again by preLaw magazine. The winter 2009 edition of the magazine lists Drake as one of the top schools that offers intellectual property and advocacy and dispute resolution programs.

LAW SCHOOL RECEIVES HIGH MARKS Drake law school faculty, administrators, library and career services staff drew praise from students surveyed for The Princeton Review’s latest ranking of the nation’s best law schools. The rankings were released in Princeton Review’s “Best 174 Law Schools” with the 2009 editions of its annual law and business school guidebooks. To generate the rankings, The Princeton Review used school-reported data and surveyed 18,000 students from the 174 law schools from the 2007–08, 2006 – 07 and 2005–06 academic years.

JOURNALISM STUDENT HONORED FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Danielle Edwards, a senior creative advertising and graphic design major from Kansas City, MO, was named among 40 other college students nationwide as a Most Promising Minority Student by the American Advertising Federation. Edwards is the first winner to represent Drake in the program, which recognizes exceptional students for their academic achievement and community involvement. As part of her award, Edwards received a scholarship to attend an AAF conference in New York City in February where she was recognized for her award, participated in professional development seminars and met with recruiters from global advertising agencies. She was nominated by Drake Assistant Professor of Advertising Dorothy Pisarski, who selected Edwards for the competition because of her academic achievement, dedication to the Drake and Iowa communities and an essay expressing her desire to work in advertising.

DRAKE’S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED magazine program will grow even stronger thanks to a $1.5 million gift from alumna Peggy Fisher, JO’70, and her husband, Larry Stelter, to establish The Peggy Fisher and Larry Stelter Chair of Magazine Journalism. The couple also helped fund the Quad Creek and stadium renovation projects and support the Don Adams Leadership Institute, the Annual Fund and the Paul Morrison Legacy Fellowship.

the HOT list Music highlights included the Oasis Saxophone Quartet; a swing dance by the Drake Jazz I ensemble; and “To Be Certain of the Dawn,” a Holocaust oratorio by Stephen Paulus performed by Drake’s four choral ensembles, faculty soloists and a faculty/ student orchestra. Theater productions included Euripides’ The Bacchae, Habeas Corpus by Alan Bennett and “Carnage in the Corn” stage combat workshop. Drake Opera Theatre presented A Night of Italian Comic Opera. The Writers and Critics Series hosted poets Graham Foust, Natalie Diaz and Pablo Medina. The exhibit “Trauma, Trials and Triumph … As Evident Through Artistic Expression” was featured at the School of Education. Drake’s Humanities Colloquium Series featured faculty lectures “War, Poverty, Democracy or Conspiracy: Interpreting the

Origins of Terror in the French Revolution” and “Decentering Dickens: Collaboration and Anonymity in Victorian Periodicals.” World trade expert Lori Wallach presented “Alternatives to Economic Globalization.” Agricultural expert Florence Chenoweth presented a lecture on food as a human right. Drake’s Center for Global Citizenship lectures included “Assessing 30 Years of Reform in China” by Ren Junfeng, professor of political science at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and “The Puzzle of U.S.-Iranian Relations” by Robert Malley, program Director for the Middle East and North Africa for the International Crisis Group.

DRAKE AND QWEST PARTNER TO ENHANCE GROW BULLDOGS PROGRAM More students at Des Moines’ Phillips Traditional Elementary School will have the opportunity

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to learn from Drake students and athletes, thanks to a $15,000 grant from the Qwest Foundation. The grant to Drake’s School of Education will support the University’s Grow Bulldogs program at Phillips school. continued on page 6

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EXAMPLES OF STUDENT VOLUNTEERISM include (clockwise from top left) throwing a Halloween Hoops party for area kids, hosting Reggie's Sleepout — an event that raises awareness about homeless youth in Iowa, and planting trees at a local elementary school.

A Culture of Caring COLLEGE STUDENTS THINKING OF OTHERS AND GIVING UP THEIR FREE TIME? AT DRAKE, YES.

Stories about young slackers with little concern for anything other than their own entertainment are everywhere. But if we are expected to believe in this image of the narcissistic college student, it’s best to not take a close look at Drake’s student body. “We are working to make volunteerism a part of our culture, not just something to do because you feel like you should,” says Brittney Miller, student coordinator for volunteer service programs. “When you’re in a classroom learning about these things it’s important to go out there and see it first-hand and it creates empathy and makes you understand better.” Miller oversees the Feel Good Friday program, which began in 2006 to provide volunteer opportunities to students a couple of times each semester. Student participation has allowed the program to grow to a nearly weekly offering. PASSING THE TRADITION “Students realize there is more after college

and getting involved now and staying tied to the community is important,” says Chris Juhl, director of fraternity and sorority life. “This shows that this is what Drake is about and what we expect.” Ashton Hogan first participated in Feel Good Friday when his First Year Seminar mentor brought her entire group with her to volunteer. He’s since returned almost every week and has volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club of Iowa, Drake University Head Start, Iowa Homeless Youth Center, the Iowa State Fair and other organizations.

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“I remember my first volunteer experience at the Boys and Girls Club,” says Hogan, a first-year journalism student. “I realized someone is always going to look up to you, and that is when you can always make a difference.” GROWING A CULTURE “The kernels of a culture of volunteerism were certainly always present at Drake,” says Keith Summerville, associate professor of environmental science and associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences. “But it’s really grown in recent years. It is definitely being infused in the student experience at Drake.” The service-learning component in courses has tripled in the College of Arts and Sciences in recent years and Summerville is just one of many professors who require volunteer work of his students. “It’s a requirement in the sense that they have to design a project,” says Summerville. “But the projects that are successful require them to go beyond the academic requirements of the course. And we have a good success rate.” And success is apparent across the volunteer spectrum at Drake. An annual Volunteer Fair attracts more than 40 outside organizations each semester and continues to grow as companies come to recognize and appreciate the culture of volunteerism at Drake. “I talk to community organizations when I’m setting up Feel Good Fridays and they are always excited about our volunteers and say they’ll do anything to work with Drake students,” says Miller. — Tim Schmitt, GR’08

campus buzz continued from page 4 The nine-week program is designed to help teach urban elementary students lessons in math, reading, writing, social studies and health. The lessons are based on Drake sports concepts, such as using jersey numbers to teach addition and subtraction. With the additional support, program leaders hope to include athletes from other sports such as basketball and Drake Relays participants, and expand the program to include more students. The funding will also help Drake students and program teachers with curriculum development and materials. For Drake students, serving as an engaged citizen is an integral part of the Drake experience. The idea for the Grow Bulldogs program was introduced to the School of Education in 2006 by Shea Moroni, a student-athlete majoring in education who was looking for a way to gain additional hands-on classroom experience and for a unique opportunity for

his fellow football teammates to give back to the community. Drake School of Education students, with faculty guidance and in collaboration with Phillips teachers and administrators, created lessons with elements related to Drake football. MUSIC FRATERNITY, STUDENT WIN NATIONAL AWARDS Drake’s music fraternity for women, Sigma Alpha Iota, recently received the Katherine Becker National Collegiate Chapter Achievement Award. The group, which won the annual honor from a pool of 212 nominated chapters across the country, was honored for its work supporting the music program at Drake and promoting music throughout the Des Moines community. Sigma Alpha Iota organizes community concerts and music workshops on Drake’s campus for elementary students. The Drake students also have helped raise money for new instruments in the Des Moines public schools.

DRAKE’S HEALTH SCIENCES MAJOR is proving to be popular with 63 students enrolled in the program’s second year. Students in the major are interested in pursing careers as physical therapists, physician’s assistants, physicians and researchers or careers in health care insurance or administration.

In addition to the music fraternity’s award, Drake senior Micah Wright is one of 140 young artists selected nationally to participate in the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts youngARTS program.

admission update DRAKE MAINTAINS HIGH RETENTION RATE Not only are prospective students flocking to Drake in greater numbers (last fall’s entering first-year class of 902 was a near-record high), but students who come to Drake are choosing to stay. Drake’s current retention rate of 88.38 percent of first- to second-year students places the University as one of the top schools in the nation. “It is a remarkable accomplishment and is the consequence of superior efforts by faculty, staff and the students,” said Provost Ron Troyer. “Student retention at Drake has not been a ‘problem’ if you look at retention rates at all colleges and universities,” Troyer said. “Our first- to second-year retention rate the fall of 2001 (for the class that entered the fall of 2000) was 81 percent. That is above average.

We were not and never should be satisfied with being above average.” To reach the current number, the entire faculty and staff dedicated themselves to improving the first-year experience. First Year Seminars were improved, students were grouped together in residence halls according to their FYS and an improved Student Life and welcoming program was put into place. In U.S.News and World Reports’ 2009 best colleges listings Drake is ranked sixth for average freshmen retention rates among the 141 Midwest master’s universities. Drake ranked fifth in the overall rankings of 141 Midwest universities that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs, and maintained its No. 2 position in reputation for academic quality (peer assessment).

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Wright, one of 6,000 young artists who applied for the program and placed in the top 2 percent, received complimentary travel to Miami in January to participate in live auditions, interviews, master classes, performances, a series of enrichment and interdisciplinary activities. He will receive a final cash award of $1,000 to $10,000. The award is based on a standard of excellence for each participant’s age group and discipline. MOCK TRIAL TEAM TAKES FIRST PLACE AT HARVARD CRIMSON CLASSIC Drake’s undergraduate mock trial Team 488 recently won first place at one of the nation’s most competitive mock trial tournaments. The Drake team beat Ivy League institutions, Big Ten schools and colleges from both coasts to secure its win at the Harvard Crimson Classic tournament in Boston. “The field at Harvard had some of the best teams in the

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country. To be successful there was a tremendous accomplishment that I hope we’ll be able to build on for the rest of the season,” said co-president Tyler Buller, a senior politics major from Urbandale. Team 488 also placed third at Cornell’s invitational and went undefeated at the Macalester College Invitational. In addition, two Drake students won awards at the recent competition at Harvard. Kyair Butts, a sophomore news/Internet and psychology major from Des Moines, received an award for his portrayal of journalist Reagan Thomas. Van Everett, a senior law, politics and society, and rhetoric major from West Des Moines, IA, received an honorable mention for his performance as an attorney.

GENEROUS GIFT ENHANCES SCIENCE LAB Students and faculty in Drake’s biochemistry, cell and molecular biology program now have a place to call home, thanks to a $169,000 donation from Dr. Roger and Kimberly, BN’84, Ceilley. The funding supported the renovation of a space in Harvey Ingham Hall for the 10-year-old BCMB program, which has grown from its first graduating class of 12 students to 165 students. The Ceilley Resource Center for Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology will be used for undergraduate research and interactive, community-based learning. In addition, the donation

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helped transform and provide equipment for a lab across the hallway from the resource center. The center offers students a place to conduct lab work and make presentations. Students also have access to books, computers and specialized computer modeling programs for making and analyzing chemical and protein structures. STUDENT PUBLICATION HONORED WITH PACEMAKER AWARD Student-produced Drake Magazine received the prestigious Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press for general excellence in the feature magazine category. Think, a joint senior capstone project for magazine and news/ Internet majors produced in the spring semester, also was a top 10 finalist for the award. The awards are considered to be the highest national honors in student journalism. This year, a panel of judges from The New York Times Magazine selected the winners. PHARMACY STUDENT DEVELOPS PROGRAM TO AID CLINIC IN BELIZE Erin Frazee wasn’t traveling lightly when she journeyed to Belize in January as one of Drake’s first pharmacy students to do a clinical rotation at the Hillside Health Care International Clinic. Frazee, a fourth-year pharmacy student, launched the “Fill the Suitcase for Hillside!” program to collect medications and medical supplies for the clinic. “I jumped at the opportunity to participate in the Belize rotation because I wanted an international experience that focuses more on the basics of primary care and less on expensive procedures and fancy medicines,” Frazee said. Frazee, a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead, MN, presented a formal grant proposal for the “Fill the Suitcase”

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program to her church’s charitable foundation. In return, she received a $6,500 grant for medication and shipping expenses. In addition, Frazee secured donations from a variety of pharmacies and medical companies for supplies.

DRAKE LAW REVIEW RANKED NATIONALLY For the fourth consecutive year, the Drake Law Review ranks among the top 30 law reviews nationally for the number of times courts have cited its articles. The new rankings, compiled by John Doyle of the Washington and Lee Law School Library, show the Drake Law Review had 60 citations, according to the 2008 data. Drake is in the top group of more than 1,400 journals in the rankings. The Drake Law Review is published quarterly by Drake law students. “The editorial staff makes a conscious attempt to provide articles, notes and lectures that are practical in application, yet forward in thought and purpose,”

said Joshua Patrick, editor of the publication. The first issue of Volume 57 featured the remarks of the Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. when he delivered the Dwight D. Opperman Lecture in Constitutional Law at Drake in October. ASTRONOMY STUDENTS RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS APPOINTMENTS Junior Deanna Berget and senior Jordan Mirocha are representing Drake around the globe. Berget, an astronomy major from Montevideo, MN, recently was selected to be one of 52 student ambassadors for a year as part of NASA’s International Year of Astronomy. Mirocha, a physics and astronomy major from Minnetonka, MN, traveled to Chile in January to participate in a 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates Program in Astronomy at the mountaintop Cerro Tololo InterAmerican Observatory.

CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES John G. Roberts Jr. (far left) visited with students as part of his visit to Drake to deliver the 11th Dwight D. Opperman Lecture in Constitutional Law. Approximately 2,500 people attended the lecture.

sports sideline MEN’S BASKETBALL The Drake men’s basketball team continued to draw national attention despite losing a head coach and three starters from its magnificent 2007–08 season. The Bulldogs appeared on national TV eight times this season — more than any other team in the Missouri Valley Conference. Senior starters from last season’s school-record 28-5 mark and veteran leadership were the biggest key in Drake’s 17-14 regular-season record. Seniors Jacob Baryenbruch, Jonathan Cox, John Michael Hall, Brent Heemskerk and Alex White combined to appear in more than 400 Drake games during their careers. Drake juniors Bill Eaddy and Josh Young combined to appear in more than 120 games. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Stingy defense, balanced scoring and the emergence of young players earned the Drake women’s basketball team a 17-10 regularseason record. In the first 17 games of the 2008–09 season, seven players led Drake in scoring and six led in rebounding. Leading scorers were Ashleigh Brady, Kristin Turk (9 games), Jordann Plummer

(4), Rachael Hackbarth (2), Amber Wollschlager, Monique Jones and Kelsey Keizer. Top rebounders were Lauren Dybing (5), Plummer, Keizer (6), Turk, Jones (2) and Hackbarth (2). The Drake bench outscored opponents’ benches, 411-267, averaging 25.7-points per game to the opponents’ 16.7. The Bulldog bench outscored opponents in at least 13 games this season. The wins over Wichita State and Missouri State were two of the largest margins this season, with Drake holding a 28-point bench advantage in each game. MEN’S TENNIS For the fourth consecutive campaign, the 53rd-rated Drake men’s tennis team was selected as the preseason favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference men’s tennis crown in a poll of league head coaches. “It is nice to be picked to win the Valley again,” Drake head coach Chase Hodges said. “It will be extremely difficult to win our fourth title in a row, but our team looks forward to the challenge.” WOMEN’S TENNIS The future appears bright for the Drake women’s tennis team as a young Bulldog unit comprised of three seniors and five fresh-

Senior guard Ashleigh Brady moves in against her opponent during the Bulldogs’ game against Bradley. Drake women’s basketball team relied on a stifling defense to post its fifth straight Missouri Valley Conference victory with a 71-51 decision past Bradley.

The Double D Awards, the highest honor Drake bestows on its student-athletes, were presented during the Drake vs. Northern Iowa men’s basketball game by Athletic Director Sandy Hatfield Clubb to Jenni Fitzgerald, BN’90; Bob Holliday, LA’65, LW’68; and Steve Scullen, ED’72.

men took to the court this fall and posted a 63-45 combined singles/doubles ledger, including 43-29 in singles play. “Our fall season was very solid and I’m extremely happy with the way we performed,” Drake head coach Urska Juric said. “We are a very young team and there is always room for improvement, but I’m looking forward to the spring campaign.” MEN’S SOCCER On the heels of the most successful season in school history (13-5-1), the Drake men’s soccer team was honored for its work in the classroom as the Bulldogs were tabbed as a College Team Academic Award Winner for 2008 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Drake was honored for the third consecutive campaign for maintaining a team grade point average of 3.16 for the 2007–08 academic year. The Bulldogs were one of 103 men’s programs across all levels of collegiate soccer to be so recognized across the country. Drake concluded its campaign on the pitch with a school-record 13 wins en route to the first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in school history. Ten Bulldog players were rewarded for their efforts earning All-Missouri Valley Conference recognition.

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VOLLEYBALL First-year head coach Phil McDaniel led the Bulldogs to a 12-20 mark to post their highest victory output since 1998, while their five conference wins were Drake’s most since 2000. The 12 wins represented a new ceiling for victories among the Bulldogs, as the previous high for the current Drake roster was eight wins in 2006. Drake returns all six starters and 14 letterwinners next season. The Bulldogs seek to post their first winning season since 1996. FOOTBALL Drake senior linebacker Cole Douglas, senior kicker Logan Rees and junior fullback Steve Platek earned first-team All-Pioneer Football League honors for their efforts in the 2008 season. Senior free safety Andy Green, a two-time first-team all-league choice, headed four Drake players who were selected to the All-PFL second team. Junior defensive end Dain Taylor, junior offensive center Quinn McVey and junior punter Brandon Wubs also were tabbed second-team All-PFL recipients. Drake junior defensive tackle Andrew Asbell, junior offensive guard Eric Mora, junior safety Skye Buckner-Petty and junior defensive back Tim Harvey collected honorable mention All-PFL honors.

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Leaving His Mark DRAKE TRACK STAR SETS HIS EYES ON A NEW RELAYS RECORD

HAVING ALREADY COMPETED in three Drake Relays and set the record for the indoor long jump, Marcus Gaines has established himself as one of Drake’s top athletes. Gaines runs short sprints — the 100 and 200 — but his strength is in the long jump, an event in which he holds Drake’s indoor record with a distance of 25 feet 3 inches. “The Relays is a great experience. It’s a historic event and it’s really cool to be participating,” says the senior marketing and management major from Aurora, CO. Still, merely participating in the 100th anniversary of the Relays is not what Gaines has in mind. “My goal is to beat the Relays long jump record (27 feet, 1 inch), win the event and get on the podium and represent my team and Drake,” he says. “I just gotta go out there and make it my day.” BEYOND “WHAT IF?” Confidence may seem like one thing Gaines is not lacking, but his surety was learned through experiences that have at times left him rattled. “I came into track my senior year of high school with three goals: go undefeated, win state and get a full-ride scholarship,” he recalls. “I accomplished all but one. I got beat by one inch at the state meet on my very last jump.” And though he can acknowledge now that two out of three isn’t bad, the experience at the time troubled him. “It was a learning experience,” he says. “That other person can’t control what I do. You got to know you’re there because you’re good and you’ve got to give it all you’ve got. The key is to stop doubting yourself, stop saying ‘if only’ and take responsibility for yourself. That’s true of everything in life.” COUNTING HIS BLESSINGS The future, Gaines admits, is a mystery, but he hopes to keep track in his life as long as possible and is also working to make the Drake track team stronger, faster and better. “It’s about getting recruits here so the team is even better when I leave,” he says. “I’d like to go farther but if it doesn’t work out, so be it. My goal is to take advantage of now and do the best I can and leave my mark at Drake. I realize every day is a blessing and run every meet like it’s the last one.” — Tim Schmitt, GR’08

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faculty focus DRAKE NAMES NEW PROVOST

NEW LAW DEAN ANNOUNCED

Michael J. Renner, who previously served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, will become Drake University’s next provost on June 1. The provost is Drake’s chief academic officer. Renner will succeed Ronald Troyer, who will become Drake’s Michael J. Renner first senior counselor for international initiatives. Renner served as provost and vice president for academic affairs for three years at Mansfield, where he is also a professor of psychology. He also was the founding dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY. Renner previously spent 13 years at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where he was a professor of psychology and held numerous administrative positions. He served as interim associate vice president for sponsored research and faculty development, interim associate dean, institutional research fellow and laboratory director. An expert in animal behavior and neuroscience, Renner has published more than 70 scientific journal articles, chapters, books and abstracts and presented approximately 60 papers and symposia. In addition, Renner has taught at Memphis State University, the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, the University of Wyoming, California State University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Allan W. Vestal, professor of law and former dean of the University of Kentucky College of Law, has been named dean of Drake University Law School. Allan W. Vestal Vestal, a native of Iowa City, IA, will begin his new position on June 1. Vestal received both his bachelor’s degree and his law degree from Yale University and is a member of the American Law Institute. He is the author or co-author of more than 30 law review articles and several book chapters, primarily in the area of unincorporated business associations. He also is co-author of the Thomson West treatise on the Revised Uniform Partnership Act. He joined the University of Kentucky College of Law faculty in 2000 and served as dean for eight years. He returned to the faculty last July and is on sabbatical for the 2008–09 academic year. Vestal began his career by practicing law at Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee, WI, from 1979 to 1982. He went on to become an associate and partner in the Cedar Rapids, IA, law firm of Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, PC from 1982 to 1989. From 1989 to 2000, Vestal was on the faculty of the Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he taught in the areas of partnership and corporation law, commercial law, and real estate. He also served as associate dean at Washington and Lee in his last year there.

Vestal will succeed Benjamin B. Ullem, LA’66, LW’69, a senior partner at the Des Moines law firm of Whitfield & Eddy PLC, who took a leave of absence from the Drake University Board of Trustees to serve a one-year term as dean in 2008–09. PULLIAM HONORED Former Drake University basketball standout Dolph Pulliam was among 14 athletes inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in New Castle, IN, Dolph Pulliam March 25. Pulliam was a two-year starting forward at Roosevelt High School in Gary, IN, earning all-state honors while leading the team to the semifinal round of the 1965 Indiana State High School Tournament. He was a three-year forward at Drake from 1966–69, guiding the Bulldogs to the 1969 NCAA Final Four where the team finished third. FORMER DRAKE PRESIDENT DIES Paul F. Sharp, a nationally renowned historian and widely admired administrator who served as Drake University’s eighth president from 1966–1971, died after a Paul F. Sharp lengthy illness on February 18 in Norman, OK. He was 91. Sharp came to Drake after serving as chancellor of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and president of Hiram College in Ohio. DRAKE

During Sharp’s presidency, Drake’s enrollment increased by 20 percent and the faculty grew by 40 percent. Sharp saw opportunities for Drake in graduate education, leading to the introduction of several master’s programs and the first doctoral program. Sharp proved to be a highly successful fundraiser, enabling the University to increase faculty salaries, expand scholarship funds and improve facilities. Among the buildings constructed on his watch were the Dial Computer Center, the American Republic Student Health Center, the Point (student center) and an extensive addition that more than doubled the size of Cowles Library. Under Sharp’s leadership, Drake also began construction of the Harmon Fine Arts Center. CBPA FACULTY AND STAFF CONNECT THROUGH BOOK CLUBS TO DISCUSS LEADERSHIP Twenty-one faculty and staff members in the College of Business and Public Administration are teaming together in reading groups to explore leadership and new strategies for teaching students and demonstrating leadership in the workplace. “It’s a great environment where we can sit down and talk about a book and leadership,” said Lisa Gardner, associate professor of statistics, who developed the initiative and leads the groups. “The book gives us a framework for our conversations. It helps us better live our mission and improve as a college.” Gardner dreamed up the idea for these groups as part of a follow-up to a CBPA retreat. She designed the idea for the groups based on the college’s undergraduate learning outcome statement: “Each student can demonstrate the ability to lead and work with others effectively in a collaborative environment.”

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spotlight

Hitting the Hard Notes LAW PROFESSOR TACKLES EMOTIONAL SUBJECT MATTER, MOUNTS SUCCESSFUL OPERA

WHEN DRAKE LAW PROFESSOR Cathy Lesser Mansfield was a child, she had a nightmare in which German soldiers were chasing her through alleys. Fast-forward to Nov. 8, 2008 — the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht. Mansfield sits nervously in the back row of a sold-out theater where the curtain is about to rise on the world premier of her Holocaust opera The Sparks Fly Upward. AN ACTIVIST AND COMPOSER, Mansfield began working on the opera nearly

30 years ago. She studied at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music before shifting to pursue her interests in social justice and law. After a successful law career, Mansfield brought her consumer advocacy expertise to Drake in 1996. Taking a sabbatical from classes recently, Mansfield planted herself at the piano bench and began fine-tuning the stories and score for Sparks. “Perhaps because I view myself as a helper and a healer,” says Mansfield of her choice to bring such ominous subject matter to the stage. “I tell my students that lawyers are very powerful people and that, with that power, they have a responsibility to help people.” A METICULOUS RESEARCHER, Mansfield conducted interviews and gathered source material in Europe. She spent many long days at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and the Leo Baeck Institute in New York stooped over reading and photocopying manuscripts. The result: a powerful story following the lives of two Jewish families in Berlin who go into hiding with the help of a Christian family. Through their struggles, the families turn to the biblical story of Job for reassurance and enlightenment. As the story progresses the parallels between their lives and Job’s become apparent. “I decided that it was very important to create a historically accurate piece that had the power to both educate and inspire. When you think about it, the opera’s themes are very relevant today,” says Mansfield, citing the conflicts of Bosnia and Darfur. Mansfield’s labor of love premiered before a full house that included Holocaust survivors and theatrical producers. The production’s cast featured Drake music professors along with several Drake students and alumni. “Sparks disrupted my entire life and changed me in ways that only experiences like giving birth can,” says Mansfield. “Now there’s both theatrical and educational interest in the opera, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.” — Casey L. Gradischnig

Editor’s note: For more information or to order a recording of The Sparks Fly Upward visit www.TheSparksFlyUpward.org.

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t has been said that leaders are not born; they are made. At Drake, how they are made is being redefined. Drake is distinctive in believing that leadership can be taught at the undergraduate level, and the University is in the process of building outstanding academic and cocurricular programs on leadership open to all

students across college and school lines. Building on current offerings infused with leadership in graduate programs in Business and Public Administration and Educational Leadership and Communication Leadership, the leadership paradigm is being shifted at Drake in two ways: how leadership is taught and more important, what defines leadership. In 2007–08, Drake established the Council on Leadership Development chaired by Vice Provost for Academic Affairs John Burney, bringing together a unique blend of faculty members, students and administrators from across the University including Dean of Students Sentwali Bakari, Director of Leadership Programs Jan Wise, Athletic Director Sandy Hatfield Clubb, Director of Human Resources Venessa Macro, and former Vice President Don Adams to collaborate on defining leadership and creating new programs to deepen leadership development for students, faculty and staff. In that process, the council determined that leadership is less about position and more about building relationships and pursuing collaboration with a high degree of ethics and integrity.

DRAKE UNIVERSITY STRIVES TO REDEFINE LEADERSHIP IN THE 21ST CENTURY

“Leadership is something that is more encompassing than the position you hold, and for students to understand that, we need to do more to help them learn how to build relationships, to understand ethics and to give them the opportunity to practice leadership through experiential learning,” says Burney. Senior Adam Kaduce agrees. “I don’t just want to close a book and say, ‘That’s a great idea, I’ll use it someday when I get to be a leader.’ Drake gives students the opportunity to act as leaders now.”

BREAKING the Mold EMPOWERING STUDENTS The cornerstone of the University’s student leadership programming is Drake’s Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute. The Institute uses annual fund gifts to support well-attended seminars and programs including • The Adams Academy — an intensive yearlong leadership development program for upper division students • The Emerging Leaders Model — a six week program for first year students • The Fall and Spring Leadership Conferences, which are attended by more than 400 student leaders. The Adams Academy programs develop key skills in ethics, self-reflection, and teamwork and provide resources to connect the insights and experiences of Drake alumni and community leaders with the talents of current faculty, staff and students. The programs shape a high percentage of the leaders of student government, clubs and organizations. The Council on Leadership Development hopes to build on the foundation provided by the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute to build a Center on Leadership that includes student life programming, an academic concentration, and domestic and international service projects where students put to use the leadership skills they learn in the classrooms and through their roles in student organizations. “We’re looking at what’s best for students holistically,” says Wanda Everage, vice provost for student affairs and academic excellence. “Taking the student voice seriously is a hallmark of Drake; it always has been. But we’re now taking that to the next level. There’s a lot of work yet to be done, but to see where we’ve come over the past 40 years, the level of engagement of our students and the fact that the University wants the student voice heard is much more pervasive.” The result: nearly 90 percent of Drake students are active in some kind of campus activity such as student government, Greek life or athletics. And if students don’t find an organization they can relate to, they’re encouraged to create one on their own.

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Thus Drake offers a multitude of options that allow students to take on responsibility, to get involved and to push boundaries while broadening their understanding of the roots of leadership. Drake is working to make sure that students elected to leadership positions understand that leadership

AT DRAKE I AM ABLE TO GET INVOLVED IN

is not just about individual action, but about getting a whole group to perform to their best abilities.

ANY WAY I WISH. HAVING THE ABILITY TO

“Everyone — no matter what position they are in or what role they’ve taken — needs to take responsibility for positive change,” says Burney.

GET INVOLVED HAS HELPED ME GROW AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

THE RESPONSIBLITY OF LEADERSHIP At Drake, leadership is dependent upon developing a shared NATALIE SPELLMAN Sophomore, marketing management Student Activities Board, Campus Impact co-chair; Kappa Alpha Theta, sisterhood chair; Campus Advancement Committee member

vision, assuming leadership roles to bring the knowledge and skills of diverse individuals together to influence others, and, ultimately, ethically achieving a common goal. Drake’s vision includes both on-campus leadership opportunities, campus and community service, and regular interaction with Drake alumni who have exercised leadership in all fields, including business, non-profits, politics and education. The University’s Peer Mentor/Academic Consultant Program, designed to assist new students in their transition to Drake, illustrates this aspect of leadership. PMACs foster and establish peer-to-peer relationships, provide insight and resources, introduce first-year students to campus, and more important, instill the overall mission of the University through four days of Welcome

DRAKE IS A MELTING POT OF DIFFERING IDEAS

Weekend programming. Drake entrusts this — one of the most vital time periods for first-year

AND LIFESTYLES THAT ALL BLEND TOGETHER

students — to these 50 individuals.

NICELY, AIDING THE GROWTH AND

“It never ceases to amaze me what [PMACs] gain through the program. Part of that is intentional,

DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUALS.

it’s the purpose of the program, but the results we’ve seen have been beyond that,” says Everage. PMACs witness firsthand the impact they have on the lives of approximately 1,000 first-year students. The program reinforces how thoughtful and conscientious they have to be, the ability they have to make a difference beyond Drake. “The focus isn’t on the power they have as PMACs, but it’s the responsibility they have to make the life of someone else better, to ensure those students have a successful experience,” says Everage. But the experience gives students responsibility that is meaningful and teaches them thoughtful ways to become engaged. “That’s what they remember,” Everage says.

HEAD OF THE CLASS With more than 160 student organizations on campus, Drake provides a multitude of diverse

ERIC GUDMUNDSON Junior, public relations Student Senate, vice president of student life; FIJI member; Donald V. Adams Leadership Academy graduate; Peer Mentor/Academic Consultant; Peer Advisory Board

opportunities for students to become engaged. And according to survey data from the National Survey of Student Engagement, students are taking full advantage of the options. “Our students are involved in cocurricular programs at a higher rate than other institutions, peers as well as nationally,” says Melissa Sturm-Smith, assistant dean of students. “In addition, I think that Drake is a place that emphasizes cocurricular programs as an important aspect of the academic experience. Drake believes in a seamless learning environment where leadership opportunities outside the classroom provide important learning opportunities.”

ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT DRAKE IS THE PLETHORA OF LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS.

Grassroots efforts on campus, in particular, show how students are embracing the Drake approach to leadership. Take U.G.A.N.D.A. Youth, for example. Recently U.G.A.N.D.A. Youth, Drake’s Unified Group Against Neglected and Displaced African Youth student organization, was inspired by the film Invisible Children. After witnessing the daily struggles of the people of Uganda depicted in the film, Drake students took action; they hosted a Concert for Hope to raise awareness and funds that were donated to Gulu Secondary School in northern Uganda. Because of these Drake students, those at Gulu now have access to a new library — a tangible result of leadership at its best. “There are all kinds of ways in the course of life that students will be called to exercise both informal and formal leadership. In their professional lives and as responsible global citizens we want

TIBB SHIMABUKURO Senior, biochemistry and cell molecular biology Assistant Residence Hall Coordinator, Ross Hall; National Residence Hall Honorary Of the Month chair; Senior Experience Committee member

students who are prepared to take the lead in developing vision and acting to solve problems,” says Burney. “Drake is preparing students for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

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By Tim Schmitt, GR’08

When Bob Dylan wrote, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” he was referring to a very different time in American history. But for media practitioners (and students and educators), the environment in which they find themselves today is as volatile as that troubled period referenced in “Subterranean Homesick Blues” — and the warning is as apt today as ever.

housands of media professionals have faced layoffs in the past year while simultaneously witnessing the rise of “citizen journalists” who report and disseminate news for free. Blogs created by untrained and often unqualified reporters have not only become acceptable sources of news, but have gained respect and notoriety. Traditional media outlets have folded or been forced to adapt to the changing times. And the entire industry is struggling to keep pace with the changes and trying to stay afloat. “In the last 5 to 10 years the changes have been very significant,” says Tracy Baim, JO’84, publisher and managing editor of Chicago’s Windy City Media Group. “For someone going into school seeking a four-year journalism degree, by the time they graduate everything will have changed. The changes we’re seeing over four years now used to take place over a period of 20 years or more.” As a result, says Baim, journalists with decades of professional experience have been pushed aside to make room for younger, less experienced but more technology-savvy practitioners. ”It’s getting hard to find a professional journalist out there,” she says. “Content is no longer king. Having a diverse skill set is often more important.” Even when Baim was a student at Drake 25 years ago, the focus was on professional development and gaining realworld experience so that students could hit the ground running in their careers. “I got more out of Drake when I was doing things, not just sitting in a lecture,” she recalls. That hands-on experience was invaluable then, and remains so today. But now, she says, a lot of schools are going too far in that direction and not providing enough background on what it means to be a journalist and how to be a responsible journalist. “I think we need that now more than ever,” she says.

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THE MORE THINGS CHANGE ... Baim was one of several SJMC alumni to participate in a recent panel discussion hosted by the school to discuss the current and future state of the media. The consensus among participants seemed to be that gaining experience in as many areas as possible while continuing to focus on the basics of good communication is key to the success of future journalists. “The one thing that struck me in both the panel discussion and with alumni who were present that weekend is that

possible. Though nearly impossible, it’s a goal the SJMC takes seriously. “Especially in the journalism school we have to continually tinker with the curriculum and we are always asking, ‘How do we focus on the basics — good writing and critical thinking — while also introducing technology that is necessary to the success of students?’” says Richardson. Every major within the school is always reviewing its curriculum and the core classes have been updated every couple of years. But more important is

“IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE GOOD BASIC SKILLS NOT ONLY IN INFORMATION GATHERING AND WRITING, BUT COMMUNICATING IN OTHER MEDIA.” even though they started out in one field, many have careers that have branched out in many different and interesting ways,” says Kathleen Richardson, associate professor of journalism and director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The panelists included working journalists — both print and online — as well as public relations, marketing and advertising professionals. Like many media professionals, several of the panelists started their careers in a specialty far different from the one in which they find themselves working today. All agree that it has become more and more common to cross the line from journalism to marketing, from advertising to online journalism and otherwise jump from one area to another. “It’s important to have good basic skills not only in information gathering and writing, but communicating in other media,” says Richardson. “You have to be willing to explore other fields.” As an educational institution this means Drake must basically tackle the task of preparing students for everything

the culture of change the SJMC is creating for students that prepares them to be flexible in terms of career opportunities as well as job requirements and in which multimedia is addressed in every class students take. “Generally speaking the students who are here even now, who’ve grown up with technology, don’t see themselves working for a Web site,” says Richardson. “They don’t consider themselves computer geeks. And they have a certain fear of technology. Print is not going away and neither is traditional television, at least not in my lifetime, but the future is online and that means multimedia.”

And with an ever-adapting curriculum allowing more multimedia into coursework and with additions to the SJMC such as the Kragie-Newell Interactive Media Lab, the opportunities to prepare students for changes — both expected and unforeseen — have grown exponentially. “It’s a very difficult time in the industry, but the average Drake graduate is better positioned than those my age and with my experience,” says Joe Wiesenfelder, JO’89, another member of the panel discussion

“The media landscape is so much more colorful and vibrant today than it was in the ’50s and I think that’s good,” says Kevin Waetke, JO’86, a communications manager for Wells Fargo. “It presents a challenge for the media but it better represents the diversity of our country.” The difficulty for those in the media, says Waetke, lies in communicating with such diverse audiences and earning a piece of “the people’s mindshare” that

“I THINK THE TYPICAL DRAKE STUDENT NOW HAS A COMMITMENT TO SEEK OUT THE VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE.” and senior producer for cars.com. “They are trained to do what is going to be asked of them. In that sense today’s students are more prepared. “They are not just doing one thing,” he adds. “They are learning not just the mechanics of how things are done, but the mindset that allows them to adapt with the times and technology.”

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING Technology is the most often considered agent of change when it comes to the media. And while certainly a major consideration, other facets of society are driving the change as well. Shifts in the cultural, economical and ethnic makeup of the country are becoming more represented in the media as the industry continues to recognize the changes and evolve.

is being fought over by more and more players with increasingly focused messages and agendas.“The more diverse experiences the students have, the better,” says Waetke. “I think the typical student now has a commitment to seek out the various opportunities available.” But, he adds, a university can only do so much given the time a student spends in the classroom. Because a corporate or business environment has more variety and opportunity, students need to use their Drake education as a foundation from which to launch their education. “It’s an ironic time for people in our business,” says Wiesenfelder. “The field in some ways is shrinking and the role of journalists in it is shrinking even more.” It’s this shrinking field, says Wiesenfelder, that leads to the shift of focus so many media professionals complete during their careers — something he now sees as a natural process in the industry and one of which educators should be aware. “Good communicators will always find work, just maybe not where they expected to,” he says. “I think Drake is doing a good job of incorporating the mechanical aspects of getting

people comfortable with different aspects of media.” Richardson agrees, adding that this diversity of education is a natural extension of the curiosity she finds in students in this field. “We realize that although we have distinct majors, most students sample different areas while they are here,” she says. “Journalists always manage to find interesting things to do that they can be passionate about and that’s very heartening.”

ROLLING WITH THE PUNCHES When Baim graduated and left Drake University she was working at GayLife newspaper in Chicago within a month, helping capture the mindshare of a select, targeted audience that Waetke believes is now such a challenge. Within a year of graduation she founded the Windy City Times, and is now publisher of Windy City Media Group, which produces print, online and podcast media in the Chicago area. “Drake made my skin very thick,” she says. This thick skin and a willingness to accept and adapt to change helped her avoid a common problem that some in the profession face. “It’s easy to get a job and put your head down,” says Wiesenfelder. “Then you go to work and look up a few years later and realize you don’t have a good grasp on the world around you. “It seems it’s the people and the companies that adapt quickly that succeed,” he adds. “Drake is a forwardthinking institution and it has its size to its advantage. Because it is not an ocean liner, it can turn a little quicker than other schools when it needs to.” And that turn is always taking place as faculty, staff, students and administration track the ever-changing world around them. Says Richardson: “We’re all dancing as fast as we can over here.”

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“The changes we’re seeing over four years now used to take place over a period of 20 years or more.”

spotlight

The Music Man DRAKE PROFESSOR’S INCREDIBLE PASSION FOR MUSIC IS CONTAGIOUS

ASK DRAKE TRUMPET PROFESSOR

and Director of Jazz Studies Andy Classen to describe himself and his demeanor usually does the talking. Classen is “fired up” — about life, and more so about music. He first picked up the trumpet at age 10 and hasn’t put it down since. THE MUSICIAN’S LIFE Right out of college, Classen took a fourmonth gig touring with the 1940s Radio Hour. He then settled in the Twin Cities, offering his talents as a freelance trumpet player. “I was living the life of a professional musician — living from gig to gig,” says Classen. That is, until he received a call inviting him to apply for a teaching position at Southeast Missouri State. “I only had an undergraduate degree, but they took me anyway,” he says. “I thought it was great —

a salary, benefits and office. And it all came with something I hadn’t had as a musician: stability.” Though he was only offered a one-year contract, those 12 months were enough to convince Classen that he wanted to teach. Eager to enter the profession, he completed an assistantship at the University of Tennessee and earned his master’s degree. Classen then secured a position at Drake. “When I came to Drake in 1992, we didn’t have enough trumpets to fill one jazz band,” says Classen. “But Drake gave me the support I needed to build the program — one I believed would be the best for the students. Today, the program is humming.” UNDERSTATED SUCCESS The Drake program is more than “humming.” Under Classen’s

leadership there are currently enough talented students to fill two complete jazz ensembles and numerous jazz combos. The bands consistently draw large crowds at several concerts each year and receive top ratings in national contests. They have performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland and the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, and have recorded six CDs. In recognition of Classen’s talents along with his commitment to promote and preserve jazz at Drake and within the music industry, Classen recently became The Fred and Patty Turner Professor of Jazz Studies. The $1 million gift from Fred Turner will provide resources for Classen to continue to build on the University’s jazz legacy. —Abbie Hansen, JO’01

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Funding the Future A Look at University Endowments and Drake’s Financial Stewardship Strategy What is an endowment? An endowment is often a good gauge of the quality and health of an educational institution. Endowment funds are required by the donor(s) to be held in perpetuity. Unlike annual funds, which are intended to be spent in the short term, endowment funds are invested with a view toward the very long term. Another way to think of an endowment is as a perpetual savings account that provides flexibility in times of financial promise and stability when financial vulnerability is high. Endowments generate income throughout the life of the institution because only investment earnings are spent. Why are endowments important? Endowments have a transformational impact because these gifts must be held by the University forever. Endowments create stable funding for scholarships, faculty salaries and other vital programs. Endowed funds offer opportunities for innovation and creativity since they are often driven by donor interests.

What are the types of endowments? The most common endowments support scholarships, professorships and new academic programs.

What does it take to create an endowment? The minimum gift required to create an endowed scholarship at Drake is $25,000. With an annual spending rate around 5 percent of the endowment’s average market values, a $25,000 endowment would yield approximately $1,250 per year. One of the most prestigious endowed gifts is to support the academic community through an endowed professorship, which is funded with gifts of at least $1 million.

How do you start? Funding an endowed gift may be spread out over time, say five years. In the case of a $25,000 scholarship, we would not start spending earnings until the fund was fully endowed, i.e. the $25,000 was in hand. What does a gift of an endowed professorship mean to Drake? Endowing a professor is one of the most meaningful gifts one can make. An endowed professor position adds credibility, excitement and prestige to the institution. A gift of this magnitude — $1 million or more — generates income each year to support salary, fund research and open the way for travel. Beyond these benefits, endowed chairs are a critical factor in recruiting and retaining top faculty.

Who creates endowments? Endowment gifts are the ultimate statement of confidence in the future of the University. Many people establish endowments to honor a parent, friend, favorite professor or mentor. More individuals than corporations provide endowment support.

DRAKE’S ENDOWMENT plays an important role in recruitment by supporting scholarships that help the University to attract the best and the brightest students. Each year Drake awards 16 prestigious full-ride scholarships to top students. The scholarships, awarded through the National Alumni Scholarship program, include six National Alumni Scholarships, covering costs of tuition, room and board; and 10 George A. Carpenter Scholarships, which cover full tuition. Drake’s goal is to have all of these scholarships fully endowed. Learn how these scholarships have impacted students. See profiles on the following page.

Where does Drake’s endowment stand compared to its peers? An institution’s endowment is a measure of the institution’s vitality and strength. We’re incredibly proud of where we are as an institution. Drake has a balanced budget, a strong and sustained enrollment and we receive excellent third-party recognition. Internally, we know we provide a great education and our students learn values they take with them to build successful careers. In spite of our successes, Drake has a modest endowment compared to our peers. While we consistently outperform our resources, our financial situation is not a model that can be sustained if we are to meet our aspiration: “to be — and be recognized as — one of the best institutions in the nation.” To achieve our goals, we must have the confidence and sustaining support that a larger endowment provides.

“There’s a reason that I’ve been giving campus tours since I was a first-year student. I honestly cannot imagine my life without Drake, and I want every student who visits campus to fully understand what Drake has to offer. Drake has given so much to me that I want to give back in any way I can.” EMILY LENTZ

What are Drake’s endowment priorities? We are committed to access for students. The current economy may cause parents and students to question whether they can afford a quality private education. Endowed scholarships are a great way to ensure that students continue to receive a Drake education. Our second priority is to invest in our faculty. Endowed support for professorships allows us to recruit and retain the best faculty, adding to the prestige and stability of the institution.

Danny Akright CARPENTER SCHOLAR MAJOR: American history and news-

Internet HOMETOWN: Overland Park, KS INTERNSHIP/WORK EXPERIENCE:

Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms, London; National World War I Museum, Kansas City, MO NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS & ACTIVITIES: news-Internet faculty search panel member, managing editor of The Times-Delphic, Eagle scout, Global Citizenship House, Study Abroad Mentor (England), Webmaster for Drake ROTC

Katy Hayes MARY COLLIER BAKER SCHOLAR MAJOR: Elementary/special education

with endorsements in coaching and reading HOMETOWN: Oconomowoc, WI INTERNSHIP/WORK EXPERIENCE:

School coordinator for Everybody Wins Iowa; program assistant for ChildServe; preschool day camp counselor; fitness intern NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS & ACTIVITIES: MVC all-academic team 2005; World Cup team to La Coruna, Spain; World Junior Championship team to Beijing, China; track and field; Drake cross country; Student Activities Board-Relays; Best Buddies; Tutor for the I Have a Dream Foundation; racewalker for U.S. Track and Field

Emily Lentz CARPENTER SCHOLAR MAJOR: PharmD/JD HOMETOWN:

How has the current economy affected the Drake endowment?

Milbank, SD INTERNSHIP/WORK

During the 2008 fiscal year, Drake’s endowment experienced reasonably stable performance in spite of market volatility. Still, the University’s endowment has been negatively affected by the recent downturn in the market. Endowment value can’t be seen as a snapshot in time; rather we look at the long-term horizon. It’s important to know that our endowment is invested across multiple asset classes: equities, bonds and alternative investments. Over the long run, these investments should provide incremental return while reducing the overall risk of the Endowment portfolio. Over the short run, however, the portfolio is not immune from market volatility.

EXPERIENCE: Mercy West Pharmacy

How does the drop in endowment value affect Drake? Drake has an operating budget of $115 million. A little over $6 million of that is funded by endowment earnings. When the market drops as it has recently, the University must either increase its spending rate or rely on less financial support from the endowment. How does an endowment allow Drake to dream? We believe Drake is doing higher education the right way. We need our endowment size to reflect our aspirations and match our promise. Only then do we have the opportunity to bring to the landscape of higher education a greater awareness of the unique and distinct aspects of the Drake experience and education. The only thing that separates us from achieving that reality is resources. An endowment worthy of a Drake education will allow the University to strengthen its place among the most respected institutions in the country.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

ACTIVITIES:

Selected as Outstanding Junior at Drake; Delta Gamma Sorority, vice president of communications; Phi Delta Chi, co-pledge education; Student Senate, CPHS senator; student ambassador; Emerging Leaders Model mentor; Order of Omega Greek Honorary; CPHS Deans Student Advisory Council; Senior Experience Committee; volunteering with various organizations; judging high school speech and debate

Sean Edward Slaven NATIONAL ALUMNI SCHOLAR MAJOR: Biology/pre-med HOMETOWN:

Mason City, IA INTERNSHIP/WORK EXPERIENCE: Applying for summer undergraduate research work in the area of biological sciences at universities across the country NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS & ACTIVITIES: 2007 Pioneer Football League honor roll, Dean’s List, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity CAREER ASPIRATIONS: Become an MD and a surgical specialist

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Improv and Cheeseburgers DARING CHOICES AND LIFELONG INSPIRATION DEFINE THE LIFE OF THIS DRAKE ALUM AND MCDONALD’S CHAIRMAN

Fred Turner has a knack for making decisions with lifelong consequences and getting them right. In his professional life he chose to work in the corporate office of a young upstart company rather than owning a profitable franchise. In his personal life he chose to court a young woman in a hillbilly band with whom he was enamored.

“And I’m pleased by the opportunity to share with Drake, thanks to a little cheeseburger stock.” As a result, Turner became chairman of the McDonald’s Corporation, overseeing worldwide operations. And more importantly, the young hillbilly girl became the love of his life, mother to his three daughters and a continuous source of inspiration.

HILLBILLY LOVE “I first saw Patty on stage at

Drake playing the gutbucket and was immediately smitten,” he recalls. In his second year at Drake, Turner managed to win her over and gave her his fraternity pin. The two were later married and remained inseparable until Patty succumbed to cancer in 2000. “She was a stand-up comic and performer and played the piano and the ukulele,” Turner recalls fondly of his wife. “She was a performing arts student and had an all-girl hillbilly band called Patent Pending 13804.” To honor her memory, Turner recently made a $1 million gift to Drake’s College of Arts and Sciences to fund the Fred and Patty Turner Chair in Jazz Studies (see related story, page 18). “It has very personal meaning for me,” Turner says. “This is in her school and it’s where we first met.”

as one of the company’s first employees. Two years later, at age 25, he was a vice president. “I ran McDonald’s for 19 years,” he says. “I wouldn’t be a part of Ray [Kroc] giving up his chairmanship. Only when they decided to name him senior chairman would I accept the title of chairman.” During his tenure as chairman, Turner helped turn McDonald’s into a uniquely American institution that reaches people in every corner of the world — much like the jazz music he feels so passionate about. “Jazz is one of America’s greatest contributions to the world,” he says. “Patty loved music as much as I do, and I know she would be pleased by this gift because giving back is a value we shared. And I’m pleased by the opportunity to share with Drake, thanks to a little cheeseburger stock.” — Tim Schmitt, GR’08

ORCHESTRATED CAREER MOVES Turner left Drake before graduating and went to work with McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc in 1956

Fred and granddaughter, Lucy Hartman

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alumni update NEW ALUMNI DIRECTOR NAMED Blake Campbell, GR’05, was named director of alumni and parent programs for the University in January. Campbell began his career as senior programming director of the YMCA of Greater Des Moines. Campbell joined Drake in 2002 as assistant director of alumni and parent programs and was promoted to advancement officer for the School of Education and School of Fine Arts. After a stint at Iowa State University as

associate director of development, he returned to Drake as a senior advancement officer in 2006. Feel free to contact him at 1-800-44-DRAKE, x3077 or blake.campbell@drake.edu. WEAVER MEDAL WINNER NAMED Lon Larson, the Ellis and Nelle Levitt Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Administration, has been selected to receive the 2009 Lawrence C. and Delores M. Weaver Medal of Honor. The award is the highest honor

ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED Drake University will honor six alumni at the annual awards dinner Saturday, May 16, on the Drake campus. Jennifer Jacobs Henderson

Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, JO’90, will receive the Young Alumni Achievement Award. Henderson is an associate professor of communications at Trinity University in San Antonio. Henderson’s teaching and research have received multiple awards, including the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication’s Promising Professor’s Award and Trinity University’s Junior Faculty Distinguished Teaching and Research Award. In addition, she is the co-founder and chief creative officer of Elastic Collision, a virtual world development and consulting firm. In that capacity, Henderson has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, federal government agencies and universities around the world on ways to leverage the power of virtual worlds for education, collaboration and social change. Carrie Blumenfeld

The Young Alumni Loyalty Award will be presented to Carrie Blumenfeld, JO’00, account director of sales promotions for Office Depot and Sears at Wunderman. At the WPP marketing agency, she manages the development of national promotions, including integration across retail and external channels. As a member of Drake’s Chicago Advisory Board, Blumenfeld has helped coordinate several young alumni events in the Chicago area. She has also been an enthusiastic mentor to several Drake students and young alumni for the past several years. She is a leader in planning additional, structured career networking programs in the metro area for both alumni and current Drake students. Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson, LA’77, will receive the Alumni Achievement Award. Bryson’s books have sold some 10 million copies throughout the world and have been translated into more than 20 languages. Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything won both the Aventis Prize, which is administered by Britain’s Royal Society, and the European Union’s Descartes Prize. He is the chancellor

presented by Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Larson received a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from Drake in 1972 and went on to earn an MS and PhD from the University of Mississippi in health care (pharmacy) administration. He worked in regional health planning and health insurance before beginning his academic career at the University of Arizona. Larson joined the Drake University faculty in 1991. He is the only member of

Drake’s faculty and staff to have twice received the Madelyn M. Levitt Mentor of the Year Award. He was first honored with the award in 1997 and again in 2007. He has received alumni achievement awards from both Drake University and the University of Mississippi. His academic interests include cost-effectiveness analysis, the ethics and values of health policy, and the rationing of health care services. Larson has published more than 75 professional articles and book chapters.

of the University of Durham in England and has served for four years on the board of directors of English Heritage, the British government body responsible for England’s historic environment. In 2006, Bryson was awarded an honorary Order of the British Empire by the British government and the President’s Prize by Britain’s Royal Society of Chemistry. A year later he was presented with the highest honor of the Museum of Science in Boston, the annual Bradford Washburn Award. Joan E. Middleton

The Alumni Loyalty Award will be presented to Joan E. Middleton, ED’63, GR’77, who has supported the University both personally through her volunteer work and financially through generous donations. A passionate advocate for children, she and her late husband, Lyle, BN’61, LW’64, created the endowment for the Joan and Lyle Middleton Center for Children’s Rights at Drake. The center enables Drake law students to directly represent some of the community’s and society’s neediest citizens — children needing representation and resources to gain access to the legal system. The Middletons also endowed the School of Education’s Urban Education Program. Richard J. Hartig

Richard J. Hartig, PH’73, GR’81, CEO and owner of Hartig Drug Stores, will receive the Distinguished Service Award. He is the third-generation owner of one of the nation’s oldest family-owned drugstore chains. An entrepreneurial leader in pharmaceutical care, Hartig has emphasized active patient care by pharmacists throughout his career. He is the 2006 recipient of the Lawrence C. and Delores M. Weaver Medal of Honor, the highest honor bestowed upon alumni of Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Hartig also received the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Alumni Achievement Award in 1998. Along with his wife, Brenda, he established the Hartig Pharmacy Fund at the University to support faculty development and faculty achievement.

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King of the Road WITH MORE THAN 600 POWERED UNITS IN FOUR DIVISIONS, DECKER TRUCK LINE INC. KEEPS THIS DRAKE ALUMNUS MOVING

He is not a Cyclone. If there is one thing Don Decker, BN’70, wants people to know about him, it’s that he is a Bulldog. People often confuse the chairman of the board and president of Decker Truck Line Inc. for an Iowa State alumnus. And for good reason — his trucks haul equipment for Iowa State football. While ISU is one of his company’s high-profile clients, there’s much more to the truck line and to Decker himself than that. ON THE ROAD AGAIN The company was founded by Decker’s uncle during the Depression. The first truck was a Model B Ford, which was used to haul ashes. The second truck was purchased to haul concrete once construction on Highway 20 began. “Things took off from there,” says Decker. “The company started out of need. People needed my uncle’s knowledge and wherewithal to get things done.” Though he grew up in the family business, Decker didn’t necessarily aspire to work alongside his uncle and father. He started his professional career as a rate analyst with Illinois Power Company in Decatur. But in 1973, opportunity knocked. Decker started working for the truck line with the intention that he would eventually become owner. Three years later, Decker, along with his father and brother, bought out his uncle. Then in 1993, Decker purchased the company from his dad and brother, acquiring total ownership of the company. Since 1976 the company has grown from 18 trucks to more than 600; from one terminal located in Ft. Dodge to more than 10 nationwide; from 27 employees to 1,000; and from $1.5 million in revenue to $150 million. Decker has also acquired 14 companies in related industries under the name The Decker Companies. IN GOOD GRACES It should come as no surprise, then, that Decker describes

himself as “Type A” — like many other successful businessmen. Though what’s humbling is that Decker exudes generosity and compassion. “My father instilled in me a work ethic, and, hopefully, integrity and character,” says Decker. “There was a time when he said to me, ‘Use common sense. Wherever you are, evaluate the situation and do the right thing. If you do the right thing, no one can criticize you.’” That’s exactly what he has done. If you ask him about the past, there isn’t much he would change. “I’m proud to have accomplished what I have,” says Decker. “I’m happy. And I thank God I am where I am.” —Abbie Hansen, JO’01

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calendar

alumni update April

May

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 Weaver Medal of Honor Lecture Presented by 2009 Weaver recipient Lon Larson Des Moines

TUESDAY, MAY 5 Mentor Teacher Reception Levitt Hall, Old Main

FRIDAY, MAY 15– SATURDAY, MAY 16 Reunion Classes of ’59, ’49, ’39

THURSDAY, APRIL 23– SATURDAY, APRIL 25 100th Annual Drake Relays

FRIDAY, MAY 15 50-Year Club Dinner Des Moines

FRIDAY, APRIL 24 10-Year Cluster Reunion Classes of ’98, ’99, ’00

College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Hooding Ceremony

40-Year Cluster Reunion Classes of ’68, ’69, ’70

Law School Commencement

Parents Board Meeting

(From left) Nancy Sebring, GR’90, ’96, ’03, superintendent, Des Moines Public Schools; Scott Raecker, executive director, Institute for Character Development; and Judith

SATURDAY, MAY 16 Annual Alumni Awards Dinner Des Moines

SATURDAY, APRIL 25 Drake All-Greek Reunion Des Moines

Undergraduate and Graduate Commencements

Cunningham, GR’80, retired adminstrator, Des Moines Public Schools were honored at the School of Education’s Believers and Achievers Banquet in February.

SJMC GRAD HONORED WHO Radio personality Van Harden was named the School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year at the all-SJMC reunion in October. Harden has been one of Des Moines’ most listened to and best-loved broadcasters for more than 25 years. He was named program director of WHO Radio in 1987. Under Harden’s leadership WHO Radio has won seven national Marconi awards from the National Association of Broadcasters, two of which were awarded to him as medium market personality of the year in 1992 and 1997. LAW ALUMNI RECOGNIZED The Drake Law School recognized its Alumni of the Year recipients,

Stephen Rapp, LW’74, and Shelia Tipton, LW’80, at the annual Supreme Court Celebration Banquet in March. Rapp currently serves as prosecutor of the special court for Sierra Leone. Prior to joining the SCSL, he was chief of prosecutions at the United Nations-International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Tipton is a shareholder with the firm of Belin Lamson Zumbach McCormick Flynn, a professional corporation, practicing in the areas of corporate law, administrative law, employment and public utilities law, including energy, telecommunications and water law. She has been active in the Polk County Bar Association, the Iowa State Bar Association and the Federal Energy Bar Association.

☛ For more information and a full listing of all Drake events — including athletics and fine arts events — visit: www.drake.edu/calendar

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Behind the White Coat LOVE OF THE PROFESSION AND A COMMITMENT TO ITS ADVANCEMENT DEFINE THIS PHARMACY GRAD

AT THE AGE when most young boys still vacillate between jobs as firemen and cowboys, Brian Reisetter had already decided on a long-term career. “I came home one day when I was 7 or 8 years old and told my mom and dad I was going to be a pharmacist,” Reisetter recalls. “I just always knew that’s what I wanted to be.” After gaining experience as a paperboy at age 10, Reisetter decided to combine his pharmacy career with business, and he has remained committed to this goal ever since. After graduating from Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 1985 and earning a Drake MBA in 1987, Reisetter went on to a career filled with more opportunities than he ever could have anticipated as a wide-eyed 7-year-old dreaming of his first white lab coat. NAVIGATING CHANGE While completing work on his PhD at the University of Mississippi, Reisetter and a few colleagues formed Medical Marketing Economics (MME), a company focusing on pricing and consultant work for the pharmaceutical industry. “I don’t know what happened, but something we were doing struck a chord and the phone has been ringing off the hook since,” he says. He credits the group’s all-encompassing experience in research, marketing and academics for its success. The company has grown from an original staff of five to include six partners and 35 employees in two offices — with a third office to be added in Oxford, England, soon. “This market changes so fast you really need an expert to focus on this,” he says. “The biggest indication of our success is the growth we’ve seen and the fact that in the seven years MME has existed we’ve only lost one employee. Our employees love coming here and that’s our biggest success.” IN FOR THE LONG HAUL Reisetter is now so entrenched in his career

that his life and profession are almost inseparable. Besides an annual fishing trip to Canada every year, most of Reisetter’s off-duty activities are related to his professional work. He’s been a member of Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Science’s National Advisory Council for three years and has been active in the Kappa Psi Pharmacy Professionals fraternity since 1981, including stints on the national board and a term as president for two years. “After 25 years of going to conferences a couple times a year, Kappa Psi has become as much a family as anything,” Reisetter says. “If I had to leave this industry I don’t know what I’d do. I’ve been in it all my life and it’s scary to think about doing something else.” — Tim Schmitt, GR’08

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alumni update

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1 Picture 1: Former Drake athletes Willie Wise, ED’69, Gary Odom, FA’70, Dale Teeter, ED’70, and Jim O’Dea, ED’70, visited campus for the 40th anniversary celebration of the 1969 Final Four team. Picture 2: Drake’s Board of Trustees hosted an alumni gathering at Chicago’s Drake Hotel in January. Pictured are attendees Mary Kravenas, AS’01, and Ellen Johnson, AS’02. Picture 3: Pharmacy graduates Larry Mayhew, PH’67, Michael Case-Haub, PH’02, and Patty Kumbera, PH’89, were honored at the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences annual Pharmacy Day celebration in February.

Drake Readership Survey

“Get blue?” Periodically, we ask you, the members of the Drake family, to give us feedback so that we can provide you the kind of Drake information you’d like to read in the format you most prefer. The Drake readership survey takes only a few minutes to complete and individual survey comments will be kept confidential. Alumni who complete the survey by May 15, 2009, and who provide their name, e-mail address and phone number will be entered in a drawing for a Drake gift basket ($200+ value). So tell us what Drake publications and e-communications you receive and read by taking part in the readership survey today.

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SUPPORT DRAKE IN A CHALLENGING ECONOMY

During times of economic fluctuation, your gift to Drake can work hard for you and the University. Charitable contributions support essential programs, fund scholarships and change lives.

Drake University has staff available to offer objective advice on how to make the most of your charitable gift

Ways to Give

wealth management. For information or

Retirement plan assets • Bequests • Charitable gift annuities • Charitable remainder annuity trusts

with questions, call 1-800-44-DRAKE,

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and ways you can realize your personal financial goals. Amy Peters, director of gift planning, is a 1996 Drake Law graduate with experience working in banking and

x4069 or 515-271-4069, or e-mail

amy.peters@drake.edu.

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Life insurance policies • Stock gifts

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Office of Alumni and Development 2507 University Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50311-4505

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.

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Relays Rituals 100 YEARS OF CELEBRATING AMERICA’S ATHLETIC CLASSIC

Throughout its history, fans have found festive ways to participate in and celebrate the Drake Relays. The first Drake student to be crowned Relays Queen was Jean Moritz, LA’43, (pictured at right). Students have held bonfires and tent parties for the entire campus community. The Beautiful Bulldog Contest attracts contestants from around the country and national media attention. The annual Relays parade featuring local celebrities and floats constructed by student organizations has taken routes both through downtown and, in more recent years, campus town. And student organizations continue to colorize campus as they compete for the best design during the annual street painting contest. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS YEAR’S RELAYS, APRIL 23-25, VISIT WWW.DRAKERELAYS100.COM .