The Times Delphic

relive.remember.relays. //INSIDE 21:THE DEBATE, DEAL ON DRAKE’S GREEN MOVEMENT & MORE THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

THE TIMES-DELPHIC DES MOINES, IOWA | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | VOL. 130, NO. 42 | WWW.TIMESDELPHIC.COM

‘We are not an institution in crisis’

by Ann Schnoebelen

News Editor ann.schnoebelen@drake.edu

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

DAVID MAXWELL AND MICHAEL RENNER were present at last Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting.

In the wake of the theft of university funds and the resignation of the provost, Drake President David Maxwell has sought to reassure the campus that the university “is not an institution in crisis.”

In an email sent out to students, faculty and staff last Wednesday, Vice President for Business and Finance Vicky Payseur disclosed information about the misappropriation of funds by a university employee. The email also revealed that “this individual is no longer employed by the University,” and that a police investigation had begun. The suspect, Robert Harlan, 49, was charged in connection

with the embezzlement of $470,000 from the university.

As the director of student accounts services, one of Harlan’s most familiar connections to students comes from the billing statement emails he sent. He also collected tuition payments, student fines and student fees.

Six days after news of the missing funds was disclosed, Provost Michael Renner notified university faculty and staff via email of his resignation. In the email, he cited differences in his and Maxwell’s “leadership philosophies.” University officials said the two events are unrelated.

At a faculty Senate meeting April 20, Maxwell said he wanted to stress that the incidents were being handled appropriately and effectively.

“I know from talking to a number of people that two pieces of news like

this over a three-week period can be somewhat unsettling,” Maxwell said.

“And I do want to assure that we are not an institution in crisis. We are on top of these issues and will manage them as we always do, with transparency and the full engagement of the campus.”

Sophomore and student senatorelect Amanda Laurent said that it is Maxwell’s duty to emphasize positive elements of Drake’s future, even as local headlines have been less than optimistic and sometimes confusing for students.

“President Maxwell is that PR for Drake,” Laurent said. “He’s the face of Drake and he obviously has to say that we’re standing strong.

SEE CRISIS, PAGE A7

Task force revamps policy

by Lizzie Pine

Editor-in-Chief elizabeth.pine@drake.edu

four-year undergrad degrees

21 students for one year, or

Sodexo meal plans loads of laundry for every undergraduate student.

Peggy’s mugs on mug night enough to fill of Drake Stadium.

all-access tickets to the Drake Relays

A revamped alcohol policy from the Alcohol Task Force aims to increase fines, provide more information to students and require student leaders to relinquish their positions if they receive an alcohol or drug violation.

The Alcohol Task Force was created at the request of President Maxwell in spring 2010, after a series of disturbing events at Drake University.

The events included sexual assaults, hospitalizations and a student death due to a tragic incident that occurred under the influence of alcohol.

The committee includes students, staff, faculty, law enforcement and representatives from Employee and Family Resources in Des Moines.

Dean of Students Sentwali Bakari is chair.

Task Force members were charged with the challenge “To achieve a cultural change in which alcohol consumption is no longer viewed as a necessary component for social interaction and success,” according to the Drake University Task Force report.

“Our goal is to see a reduction of all these things and not see a repeat of it,” Bakari said. He said he wants students to know drinking isn’t a prerequisite to having fun.

Operational dollars were allocated to the group, and other funding came from Student Senate, the Residence Hall Association and other student organizations.

Campus Care Team Alcohol Task Force’s purpose is to decrease alcohol-related incidents, such as hospital visits, public intoxication, fights and property damage.

“Our mission promises that we prepare Drake students for meaningful personal lives; part of that preparation has to be how to have fun without hurting yourself or somebody else,” said Provost Michael Renner in an email interview.

One of the provisions in the plan is the Student Leadership Role-Model Clause. This requires student leaders to relinquish their positions if they receive an alcohol or drug violation.

Leigh Thiedeman, director of fraternity and sorority life, said she thinks this clause will affect Greek communities more than the other changes.

“I always tell my students in the Greek community, ‘I want you to have an awesome time in college, and I want you to take advantage of it.

But I want you to have the resources to do it safely,’” Thiedeman said.

In fall 2009, a first-year student was hospitalized with a blood alcohol content of nearly .500 following a hazing incident related to a Drake fraternity.

“Those are the ones I really worry about and think they need to drink to have fun,” Bakari said. “They drink too much and put themselves in the danger zone. Sometimes it takes that frightening experience to alert them.”

Another change gave all first-year students a subscription to Student Health 101, an online magazine that features information about alcohol, nutrition, fitness, sexual health, smoking and more. The magazine creates the articles, but it also allows Drake students to contribute content.

“The intent was to provide first-

SEE TASK FORCE, PAGE A7

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

Ex-employee charged with theft

by Lauren Horsch

Copy Editor lauren.horsch@drake.edu

Former Drake University employee Robert Harlan, 49, was charged last week with five counts of first-degree theft in connection with the embezzlement of more than $470,000 from the university.

Des Moines police Sgt. Chris Scott said that on March 28, officials from the university contacted the police suspecting that somebody on their staff was misusing funds for personal use. Seventeen days later, Vicky Payseur, vice president for business and finance, announced the misappropriation of funds in a campuswide email.

“A recent internal investigation in the Cashier’s Office suggested certain University accounting records had been manipulated to allow institutional funds to be converted to an employee’s personal use,” Payseur said in the email. “This individual is no longer employed by the University.

The matter has been turned over to law enforcement.”

Scott said he did not know what specific accounts were compromised in this case.

Drake President David Maxwell said that no confidential information was accessed and that the money taken was “petty cash.” Payseur said that petty cash would be used for transactions involving cashing checks, sporting events, ticket sales and student events and activities.

Maxwell and Scott said the university conducted internal and external audits before involving the police department. Payseur said the internal audits were conducted by KPMG and the external audits by Deloitte.

After a preliminary investigation, the police department pinpointed Harlan as the suspect, Scott said. Police believe the misuse of funds dates to 2004 and continued until March of this year.

The total amount of money embezzled from the university is over $600,000, but Harlan is being charged in the theft of $470,000. and with five counts of first-degree theft, one count for each of the last five years. Each count is punishable up to 10 years in prison and a maximum

$10,000 fine.

Harlan had been at the university for over 20 years and was the director of student accounts for the past 10.

Carolyn Nelson, the budget director at the university, declined to comment on the situation and said to contact the police department with any further concerns.

On April 21, Harlan turned himself into authorities just before 9 a.m.

That same day, Payseur held a press conference.

“I don’t want to make any personal comments but I will tell you that there is a strong sense of betrayal when this happens,” she said during the press conference. “I think there is a sense of betrayal and then there’s also a sense ‘We’ve got to get through this’ and we’ve got to develop a control so that this can’t happen again.”

Scott said that Harlan was cooperating with the investigation.

It is unclear where the money went, but Scott said he suspects that some of the money is recoverable.

The police also believe that Harlan

SEE HARLAN, PAGE A7

//weather Relays weather forecast Thursday Friday o o H: 67 H: 74 o o L: 45 L: 54

Saturday Sunday o H: 67 H: 64o o o L: 49 L: 49

Mostly sunny Isolated T-storms

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Read more about historic Relays weather records at www.timesdelphic.com

NEWS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE A2

New Senate warming up for next year

Leaders set sights on off-campus issues, cooperation with student organizations

by Sean Walsh

Staff Writer sean.walsh@drake.edu

When the 25th session of Student Senate gathers next year, the student body should expect the group to focus part of its attention on issues reaching outside Drake’s campus.

Student Body President-elect Greg Larson wants to focus part of Senate’s work on state and local issues, as well as national issues. Larson spoke about getting Senate involved outside of Drake’s campus when he was campaigning, and he has started to get a head start on it this year. Senate recently passed a resolution in support of a high-speed rail system that would connect Omaha with Chicago, with a stop in Des Moines.

Larson has also been in contact with United States Sen. Tom Harkin’s office and plans on meeting regularly with his staff. Harkin chairs the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in Washington, D.C., and Larson sees this as a great opportunity to get involved with issues that will affect Drake students, especially relating to education.

“I really think many students feel strongly about going beyond Drake and beyond campus issues and reaching out to the community by addressing issues that affect them,” he said.

Sen. Amanda Laurent, who will be returning for a second term next year, agrees with Larson’s initiative.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea to get Drake involved in outside issues. It brings more legitimacy to Drake and its student body,” she said.

Larson hopes to have senators bring issues they care about to the table for discussion.

“Regardless of what it is, we’re realizing that there are a lot of issues that lie outside of the four corners of our campus, and they’re important to address,” he said.

In addition to being involved in community issues, the president-elect hopes to create more resources for newly created campus organizations.

“I want to bring some type of workshop at the beginning of the semester that is offered to all organizations that gives them the utilities to be successful as an organization, especially reaching out to smaller organizations,” he said.

Vice President of Student Activities-elect Jessica Hamilton will lead Drake’s largest-funded organization, the Student Activities Board. She agrees that working with organizations will be key to a successful year.

“I think the Organizational Council is a committee that can really make a huge difference in the relationship between the student body and Senate,” Hamilton said.

Senate went through several structural changes last year, including the addition of a First-Year Senator. Senators do not expect any such changes for next year, but Larson said there might be some minor adjustments.

“Just like every change, there might be changes we need to review and adjust to make sure it makes sense,” he said.

Vice President of Student Life-elect Matthew Van Hoeck also hopes to improve on Senate’s outreach to the student body. He said he hopes to let academic senators choose where they have their required office hours and wants senators-at-large to meet outside of the Senate office to be more accessible to constituents.

Other plans include having a public affairs officer who will work on communicating to students what Senate is doing through the “Bulldog Brief ” publication, revitalizing the website and using social media more to inform students.

While there will not be large structural changes coming to Senate next year, students can be prepared to see the body address important issues on and off Drake’s campus.

“I’m really excited to relook at the way Senate is organized and ways it can be improved,” Laurent said.

“I’m looking forward to expanding Senate’s influence around the community.”

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

JESSICA HAMILTON, GREG LARSON AND MATT VAN HOECK are next year’s Student Senate executive team as Vice President of Student Activities, Student Body President and Vice President of Student Life, respectively.

Samantha Haas looks back on her time as president

by Erin Hogan

Staff Writer erin.hogan@drake.edu

Whether one considers Student Senate an official forum for campus drama or a valuable tool for student input, what’s not usually debated is the way it is reinvented each year under new leadership. Student Body President Samantha Haas shared her reflections on its 24th session.

TYLER O’NEIL | staff photographer

SENATE EFFECTIVENESS “This is a year where I’ve had more people coming up to me and saying, ‘Good job with Senate,’ than people having complaints and questions,” Haas said. She added that there were fewer issues creating cause for concern.

“Some of it has been work management on our part, and some of it has been a little bit of luck.”

FEES AND FUNDING Senate has been busy debating control of student fees. Sen. Rachel Kauffold proposed a motion to separate the Board of Student Communications budget from the student activities fee and create a campus media fee. The move would not raise the Student Activities Fee, and Haas is in favor of the change.

“They should be governed differently, and the student activity fee should be completely run by students,” she said.

After extensive debate, the motion failed. It is still being revised.

THE J-TERM Senate and Haas organized a town hall meeting in March to facilitate student-faculty discussion on the idea of a January Term at Drake. Strong disapproval from some faculty members surfaced, but it led to a more engaged student body.

“I think a lot of students see value in adding a January Term, and they need a body who’s officially there to say that, and we’re trying to provide that,” Haas said.

THE FIRST-YEAR SENATOR David Karaz was elected in November to the position approved by the previous Senate.

“Having a first-year senator has really been a breath of fresh air,” Haas said. “David will ask questions in Senate that really clarify what we’ve been trying to say for years,” Haas said.

WHY SENATE MATTERS “Change doesn’t happen by complaining to your roommate about something you don’t like.

Change doesn’t happen by ignoring the survey that’s sitting in your inbox. Change happens when you take those things, look at them and express your opinion in a useful way to express solutions,”

Student Senate endorses high speeds

by Christine Setsodi

Staff Writer christine.setsodi@drake.edu

If a resolution passed by Student Senate during its March 31 meeting has the power to persuade the state government, Drake students could have a new way to make the journey to and from home within the next few years.

The resolution was in support of Iowa’s $310 million Amtrak high-speed rail service project, something Senate said would be good for students and the state overall.

The project is set to begin travel from Iowa City to Chicago in 2015 and will eventually take passengers from Des Moines to Iowa City, Chicago and Omaha. The state government has budgeted $6.5 million for the project this year, but Gov. Terry Branstad is considering cutting the funds.

Student Body President-elect Greg Larson and the student senators said the project, which would potentially offer Drake students more convenient travel around the Midwest, is threatened even if funding is cut for just one year.

Along with passing the resolution, they sent a petition to Branstad with 600 student and faculty signatures.

Larson said the railway would be beneficial to everyone involved and could prove useful in recruiting new Drake students.

“We’d have one less barrier in place, attracting young professionals and students not only to come here, but to stay here,” Larson said.

Community advocates of the project said it would boost the economy, create jobs and reduce carbon dioxide emissions and traveling costs.

But Branstad has expressed his skepticism of the railway’s benefits, especially compared to its costs. The $310 million price tag for the Chicago-Iowa City passenger rail is split between Illinois and Iowa. The federal government will cover up to 80 percent of each state’s tab, and the Illinois and Iowa governments will supply the remaining funds over the next five years.

The average Amtrak ticket price in 2010 was $63, according to the Research and Innovative Technology Administration Bureau of Transportation Statistics. It said the train’s top speeds of 79 mph in Iowa and 90 mph in Illinois can avoid traffic congestion to allow for convenient, affordable travel.

There would be several ways Drake students could use the rail system to their advantage.

“I just studied abroad in Australia and flew out of Chicago,” sophomore Janelle Behnke said. “This would have made traveling a lot easier.”

Along with convenience, the rail system is also expected to boost the Iowa economy and be beneficial to the environment. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, every dollar invested in the rail service would lead to $2.77 in transportation economic benefits. The DOT also said the average Amtrak passenger uses 30 percent less energy per mile than a passenger car.

However, the DOT said some of the benefits

THE TIMES-DELPHIC THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884 LIZZIE PINE, Editor-in-Chief elizabeth.pine@drake.edu

MATT NELSON, Relays Editor matthew.nelson@drake.edu

SARAH ANDREWS, Asst. Relays Editor JACKIE WALLENTIN, Asst. Relays Editor jaclyn.wallentin@drake.edu sarah.andrews@drake.edu MARY BESS BOLLING, Asst. Relays Editor mary.bolling@drake.edu JESSICA MATTES, Managing Editor jessica.mattes@drake.edu MATT MORAN, Sports Editor matthew.moran@drake.edu CONNOR MCCOURTNEY, Photo Editor connor.mccourtney@drake.edu

JILL VAN WYKE, Faculty Advisor jill.vanwyke@drake.edu ANN SCHNOEBELEN, News Editor ann.schnoebelen@drake.edu KATIE MINNICK, Sports Design Editor katherine.minnick@drake.edu KAILA SWAIN, Digital Editor kaila.swain@drake.edu

KRISTEN SMITH, Copy Editor kristen.smith@drake.edu

LAUREN HORSCH, Copy Editor lauren.horsch@drake.edu

REED ALLEN, Business Manager reed.allen@drake.edu

MARY HONEYMAN, Ads Manager mary.honeyman@drake.edu

could take up to 30 years to set in. According to analysis by Pew’s Subsidyscope, 41 of Amtrak’s 44 routes lost money in 2008 with losses ranging from $5 to $462 per passenger, depending on the line.

Sophomore Kevin Betthauser said the rail service would still be a great addition.

“This would probably help a lot of Drake students who travel between all of those areas,” he said. “Not to mention it would probably cut down on pollution.”

Larson said Senate’s support for this railway aligns with his goal for next year to get involved in the community outside of Drake.

“In the past, we have focused on campus activities and not necessarily on the big picture, the big things we should be worrying about,” Larson said. “We’re really excited to reach out to other people and businesses in the community. This will directly affect students in a big way.”

Who’s on board?

Projected ridership for the rail system in 2015 is 246,800, including passengers diverted from other modes of transportation. Over half of the projected passengers would have taken cars. Seven percent wouldn’t have made it at all.

AUTOMOBILES

60%

AIR TRAVEL

NEW TRAVELERS

BUSES

24%

*data from the Iowa Dept. of Transportation

9%

7%

Illustrations by Drew Albinson Staff Illustrator

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PAGE A3 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Be on the lookout 4 things to watch for in the coming months

by Lauren Horsch, Elizabeth Robinson

Copy Editor, Staff Writer lauren.horsch@drake.edu, elizabeth.robinson@drake.edu

Illustrations by Drew Albinson Staff Illustrator

Experiential learning: learn by doing

January term: swap your schedule

In November 2010, a motion appeared on Faculty Senate’s agenda to create an experiential learning course requirement in the Drake curriculum.

“Experiential learning in a nutshell allows students to have some sort of internship or significant experience in their field of interest or study,” said Ben Cooper, head of academic affairs in conjunction with Student Senate. “It encourages students to get hands-on experience related to their major.”

While most students at Drake graduate with at least one internship under their belts, this addition would make it official.

There was an initial concern brought on by the faculty for this motion, Cooper said. When the motion did arrive on the table in November, it was originally voted down because of miscommunications between committees on Faculty Senate. The voting process was very close with a 9-10 margin.

“There is no reason not to pass it,” Cooper said. “There is a lot of reward for minimal risk.”

Student Senate voted unanimously on April 14 to support the initiative. The logistics are still being hashed out on how experiential learning will count for credit hours.

“It is somewhat unclear what it will look like,” Cooper said. He believes that the passing of experiential learning would be a “win” for Drake.

Find focus: academic concentrations Beginning next fall, Drake will add to its curriculum by offering new academic concentrations for students, including leadership and global and comparative public health.

Associate Provost Art Sanders said that with changes in the world today, offering these two concentrations would be beneficial for students. Both are interdisciplinary, meaning they can tie in several different courses.

“The study of leadership and engaging students in both studies and actions that allow them to be effective leaders now and in the future is becoming more and more important,” Sanders said.

Referring to the global and comparative public health concentration, he said, “Public health is a growing field and this concentration will draw on the strengths of the university such as pharmacy, BCMB and policy analysis.”

Faculty and staff members interested in furthering education in these concentration areas primarily initiated their creation. Planning has been in the works for nearly three years for the leadership focus, said education professor Tom Westbrook. Specific leadership courses had to be approved through Drake’s University Curriculum Committee, and the Center for Global Citizenship provided help with planning the health concentration.

“What this is really all about is helping people grow, become so much more aware of their strengths, develop their strengths and use them,” Westbrook said.

Those behind the concentrations anticipate their success and the benefits to students in the future. The biggest challenge now is publicizing the new concentrations and encouraging students to sign up for them.

“Hopefully they will be engaging, challenging and exciting fields of study for students and will leave students better prepared for life after Drake,” Sanders said. “I think these two concentrations will have pretty long life cycles.”

J-Term has been a topic of conversation in various university committees for three years and it moved to the forefront of the discussion this year. Between Faculty and Student Senates, there were little more than rumors floating around about whether the term would pass and be implemented on Drake’s campus.

Cooper said he believes J-Term will not only be beneficial for the students, but also for Drake as a whole.

“This is going to be a great recruiting tool,” Cooper said. He thinks it will be a great choice for students to have.

The motion gained more attention over the duration of the semester, and it had been debated and tabled by Faculty Senate since January 2011. On Feb. 10, Student Senate voted unanimously to support any initiatives revolving around J-Term.

“They (faculty senate) were grateful that we voted on it and happy that we did,” Cooper said.

After that, a town hall-esque meeting was set up between the Faculty and Student Senates to hear and answer questions about the J-Term. The meeting was open to all students, faculty and Des Moines community members.

The next step for Faculty Senate during its April meeting was to have administration determine a plan for how to implement a J-Term.

On April 20 Faculty Senate passed the J-Term motion with a 13-7 vote.

“It looks promising,” Cooper said.

Sunny forecast: new blueSky email Zimbra is out, and blueSky is in — for Drake email accounts at least. Ann Kovalchick, the chief information officer at Drake has been working on changing the email system at Drake since fall 2010.

There have been three stages so far, Kovalchick said: choosing the email client, which is Microsoft’s Live@edu, implementing the move in January 2011. The migration of mailboxes began March.

Kovalchick said there would be certain changes in the email clients that students will notice.

“Your log-in username will change,” she said. “Your email address will remain the same, when you log in, you will be asked to enter your Drake ID@drake.edu rather than email ID@drake. edu.”

She added that this would not affect how students’ email addresses look to those receiving emails from them. Other changes students will notice are an increased storage size and the ability to send larger files.

Kovalchick said that there were several reasons why a switch was necessary. One was that Zimbra wasn’t suited for Drake’s needs.

“The present system, Zimbra, is not well-suited for our campus environment because of the broad range of user needs,” she said. “To gain the most advantage out of Zimbra, we would have had to require that everyone use the web interface and the web interface does not have the full set of functions needed.”

Everyone with a Drake email address will need to change his or her password before the switch happens. Currently, the change is scheduled for May 21.

“This is a one-time only special password change request and is necessary to ensure that each mailbox that is migrated to blueSky has a correctly synced password,” Kovalchick said.

Aiming for $200 million by 2014 for professorships, capital improvements

by Sean Walsh

Staff Writer sean.walsh@drake.edu

Can a love story really change the world?

The Drake University Alumni and Development Office thinks so, and it has made this the central question to the university’s distinctlyDrake campaign that was launched in October last year.

“The goal of the campaign is to fulfill the needs of the university,” said Blake Campbell, director of alumni and parent relations for the Alumni Office.

The initial goal of the distinctlyDrake campaign was to raise $200 million by 2014. As of April 2011, over $88 million has been raised.

The campaign has several elements to it, including adding 26 endowed professors, strengthening programs that are already in place (like the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute) and creating academic centers in the areas of global citizenship, leadership, speaking and writing, creative learning and teaching and intellectual property law. Another key priority of the campaign is several capital projects that will add additional buildings to campus or bring improvements and renovations to existing ones.

The Alumni Office is using the distinctly-

Drake campaign as a way to build up support from alumni. The department has given several presentations across the country, including events in Des Moines, Kansas City, Chicago and Phoenix. It will host an event in the Twin Cities on June 2.

Drake senior Amelia Mieth works for the Alumni Office as a student alumni ambassador and has given presentations about the campaign to alumni in Chicago and Des Moines.

“I like the idea of the Drake love story changing the world because it’s a positive aspect that digs deep into the alumni and asks them what they really love about Drake and what keeps them coming back to Drake,” Mieth said.

She added that at the presentations alumni have been very receptive to the campaign because they remember their experiences at Drake.

Sophomore Ryan Price, also a student alumni ambassador, agrees adding that by asking alumni about their Drake experiences it makes the campaign very unique.

“This campaign is different than a normal capital campaign exactly for that reason, it is all about relationships,” Price said. “With the relationship that many alumni have with the university, almost anything is possible.”

Mieth said the connection the campaign makes with alumni is a great part of its success.

“I think the campaign is going well because it hits home for alumni. It’s not just about the money, but a vision for Drake and what we hope to become,” Mieth said.

Campbell said that among the list of capital projects, a new School of Education building located on campus is one priority. The site of the new building would be at the intersection of 25th Street and Forest Avenue, next to the Knapp Center. The new facility would include nine classrooms, a library, a lecture hall, conference rooms, a technology lab and offices. Construction for the new School of Education building has not yet started.

“Some institutions will start building before they have all the money. We wait until we have the dollars in the door,” Campbell said.

Sophomore Nate Erickson, a secondary education major, thinks the current building is outdated and a hassle for students because it is off campus.

“I think the new building will help attract even more qualified students to Drake, and it will be nice not having to leave campus,” Erickson said.

The Alumni Office runs on a “donor-centered” philanthropy system, meaning that the donors can select which project they want to give their money to, Campbell said. One example of this would be the Fred and Patty Turner

Jazz Center that opened earlier this year.

“We really focus on the interest and passion of the donor and align those passions with what the institution needs,” Campbell said.

The distinctlyDrake campaign also aims to build two new science facilities and renovate the three existing ones — Cline, Fitch and Harvey Ingham. Money raised will also be used to expand Cartwright Hall and Cowles Library, and renovate the Drake Fieldhouse.

Besides hosting events for alumni, the Alumni Office sponsored a fireworks display over Helmick Commons during homecoming in October to promote the campaign to current students. The department also encouraged students to submit pictures and videos to the distinctlyDrake website that show their Drake love stories. Students, alumni and visitors to the Drake Relays can expect to see the distinclyDrake video booth, where people can record their love stories, in Olmsted Center during Drake Relays. “(distinctlyDrake) doesn’t seek to maintain the status quo or improve upon the status quo,” Price said. “It seeks to shatter it so that future generations of Drake students can enjoy an even more world-class education.”

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THE TIMES-DELPHIC

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MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE A4

PAGE A5 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

NEWS

The fine arts of Relays

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

by Becca Mataloni

Staff Writer rebecca.mataloni@drake.edu

Three chances this week to enjoy Drake musicians TUESDAY

Drake Wind Symphony 8 p.m. at the Performing Arts Hall Drake University’s Wind Symphony will perform a concert titled “From Light to Dark and Back Again” at 8 p.m. tomorrow.

Director of Bands Robert Meunier gave the concert the name because the pieces the band plays take the audience and students on a journey from very light music to very dark music to uplifting sounds at the end.

The Chamber Ensemble will perform “Little Symphony For Winds,” composed by Franz Schubert, and “Winds on the Steppes,” composed by Dana Wilson.

The Wind Symphony’s performance will include “Ride,” by Sam Hazo, and “The Echo of God’s Laugh-

ter,” composed by Kenneth Lampl.

When picking the repertoire for the premiere winds and percussion group, Meunier said he expects excellence in the group.

“The song choices are designed to help with their growth in musical understanding and to challenge them,” Meunier said. “The experience helps develop the musicianship of all the students within the group.”

In April, the Wind Symphony took part in a recording session for an untitled CD scheduled to be released in December 2011.

Meunier also considered that when choosing pieces for the last performance.

“Some of this music was chosen because it’s literature of really good quality, and we wanted to showcase our talents on the CD,” Meunier said.

WEDNESDAY Drake Concert Band 8 p.m. at the Performing Arts Hall Under the direction of Grady McGrannahan, assistant director of bands, the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble will perform Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Hall.

“I ramped up the difficulty of the music, because I knew we had the right personnel for the pieces,” McGrannahan said. “Both groups are playing a lot of exciting music, so people will not be falling asleep at this concert.”

The Concert Band will perform pieces including “With Quiet Courage,” composed by Larry Daehn and the Norwegian March “Valdres,” composed by Johannes Hanssen and arranged by Glenn C. Bainum.

The Wind Ensemble’s performance will include Eric Rath’s “Ora-

cle” and “Cantique de Jean Racine,” composed by Gabriel Fauré and arranged by Monty R. Musgrave.

McGrannahan said that Eric Rath wants a faster recording of his piece, so the band plans to send him a copy after the concert.

“This is something that can motivate the band to really perform well,” McGrannahan said.

Although McGrannahan said he doesn’t think the band has enough rehearsal time during the week, he feels the students step up to the plate and aim to be the best. The band’s performance level has been on a steady incline throughout the entire year.

“The band this year is the best that we’ve ever had,” McGrannahan said.

THURSDAY Drake Jazz Ensemble II 8 p.m. at the Turner Jazz Center Drake Jazz Ensemble II, under the direction of Associate Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies James Romain, will perform Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Turner Jazz Center.

This is the last performance of the semester for the 23-member band. It will include pieces the group has been working on this semester as well as works they’ve been practicing throughout the year.

The band will perform about a dozen different pieces.

Members of the event’s audience will be able to enjoy music that will vary by style and composers. The program includes the songs “Big Dipper,” composed by Thad Jones, “You and the Night and the Music,” arranged by Matt Olson and

“Moanin’” composed by Charles Mingus and arranged by Sy Johnson.

“I usually pick songs based on trying to create a variety for both the students playing and the audience,” Romain said. “I pick something that’s an interesting challenge for students to stretch them a little bit in a good way.”

In preparation for its last performance, the Jazz Ensemble will perform with the Des Moines Big Band at the Adventureland Inn in Altoona, today at 8 p.m.

“This is a neat opportunity for students to hear a band of players with 10-25 years of playing together,” Romain said. “It’s a great learning experience for the students.”

The FAC Box Office HOURS: Monday - Friday 12 - 6 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday 12 - 4 p.m.

PHONE: 515-271-3841 All three of these performances are free and open to the public

Performance majors take the stage

by Paige Zidek

Staff Writer paige.zidek@drake.edu

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

MEMBERS OF THE DRAKE ORCHESTRA, under the direction of Akira Mori, rehearse in Studio 55 in the Harmon Fine Arts Center.

For Drake students, the arrival of spring means many things: Street Painting, Relays, weather that ­— usually — doesn’t involve several inches of snow. But for performance majors, with spring comes one additional aspect: recital season.

Drake’s various performance spaces have hosted many different types of student recitals throughout the spring semester, ranging from clarinet players to soprano singers.

These performances allow for vocal and instrumental performance majors to show off the skills they have honed all year.

The student recital program is, first and foremost, a learning experience.

“Recitals are an important component of a music student’s growth, as every aspect of the process contributes to their scholarly and artistic approach to music,” said Leanne Freeman-Miller, associate professor of voice.

However, the desire to take the stage doesn’t have to be entirely academic.

“I want all the performance experience I can get while in school,” said Ian Copland, a senior trombone performance major. “Recitals are a great way to force myself to learn the important repertoire of my instrument.”

All performance majors are encouraged to give a recital during some point in their time at Drake. Sophomore voice majors are able to hold a joint recital with another singer, while junior and senior performers hold full recitals with more complex pieces.

Vocal and instrumental studio professors must determine if a student is ready to perform a half or a full recital.

From there, students must choose their repertoire — the pieces they intend to perform at the recital. Pieces span across various genres, languages and difficulty levels. Students generally choose pieces they think fit their level of performance.

“It’s always interesting to learn what repertoire students are attracted to and inspired by,” Freeman-Miller said.

Once a repertoire is chosen, it’s time for practice. Performers work closely with their studio professors and accompanists to learn the material and make it performance-ready.

This process can last anywhere from a couple months to the entire semester.

For Freeman-Miller, this part of the process is very hands-on.

“I coach (students) on virtually every aspect of the recital process, from vocal technique, to language, artistry, style and performance technique.”

Students must also perform a recital hearing for their departmental faculty at least one month before the recital to determine if they are ready to present the full repertoire in front of an audience.

The process is a bit different for seniors. Instead of writing a thesis or completing a project, senior performance majors are required to give a recital during their senior year as their capstone experience. These performances have more specific requirements than the underclassmen recitals. For vocal performance majors, this involves at least four sets of music in two European languages (in addition to English).

While the mere thought of performing onstage may cause some students to experience rapid heart palpitations and break out in a nervous sweat, performance majors view it as an opportunity to grow accustomed to being on stage.

“A recital allows the student to

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

BRAD SPARKS played a total of seven songs both by himself and with other musicians during his recital on April 17. As an education major, Sparks isn’t required to do a recital but said he liked the idea. “I like to perform and I wanted a challenge of trying to work up that much music for a performance,” he said.

become at ease with performing,” Freeman-Miller said. “One can actually observe this throughout a performance. It’s exciting.”

Copland, whose recital was April 12, agrees. “Performing in front of an audience is stressful, but the most gratifying part of recitals is being able to interpret a piece and make it your

own. Overall, it was a great experience.”

For the people who are interested in attending a student recital to hear for themselves, upcoming performances include junior Kevin Ohrlund’s violin recital May 4 in Sheslow Auditorium at 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Drake theatre BFA exhibit depicts varying interpretations of “Connection” will present “The Glory of Living”

by Katherine Kalmes

Staff Writer katherine.kalmes@drake.edu

by Asmita Gauchan

Staff Writer asmita.gauchan@drake.edu

After successful runs of “The Cherry Orchard,” “Standing On My Knees” and “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You,” the Drake University Theatre Arts Department will soon be presenting “The Glory of Living” as its last production of the spring semester.

“Glory” was written by celebrated playwright Rebecca Gilman and is being directed by Deena Conley, Drake associate professor of acting, directing and history. The play follows the exploits of a couple as they abuse and murder a series of individuals they pick up on the road.

The word ‘glory’ in the title is starkly ironic because unlike many other works of crime fiction, this play deliberately avoids glorifying the idea of violence.

“I found the characters in this play to be very interesting. I think the idea of people living, off-the-grid is fascinating and one we as society don’t think about until it’s a story on the nightly news,” Conley said.

“The Glory of Living” was a 2002 finalist for Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It has impressed many critics for its matter-of-fact take on the workings of a criminal mind, and is definitely a must-see for those who are interested in a more naturalistic take on the serial killer genre.

“The Glory of Living” opens Thursday and will run until May 1 in the basement Studio 55 Theatre in the Harmon Fine Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased at the FAC box office or can be reserved by calling 515-271-3841.

All reserved tickets must be picked up before 7:30 p.m. the night of the performance

Four senior art students are showcasing their work as part of their senior theses during the second annual Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibit.

Titled “Connection,” the show will begin its run Friday in the Anderson Gallery in the Harmon Fine Arts Center.

Graphic design majors Matthew Farrier, Vanessa McDonough and Weiwei Zhang, along with Ashley Miller, a graphic design and painting double major, will showcase numerous pieces from their four years at Drake.

McDonough is showing six paintings and two graphic designs.

“My paintings are about personal connections. The pieces I will be showing all use bugs to represent the relationship between two people,” McDonough said.

On the other hand, Zhang’s pieces deal with ambiguous meanings of objects.

“I try to direct the viewer to understand it in a different way,” Zhang said. “The theme derives from my interest in cross-culture communication.”

McDonough said she is nervous for the exhibit. She’s anxious, not only about people’s reactions to her own pieces, but also about their

reactions to the entire exhibit, she said.

“All four of us have such different styles and connections to our work, I’m worried about the flow of the show and if it will make sense to the audience,” McDonough said.

Visitors can assess the exhibit for themselves starting Friday until the closing reception on May 13. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

THE ANDERSON GALLERY will feature the art of four senior art students beginning Friday until May 13.

Jazz Center’s Dedication ‘only the beginning’

by Becca Mataloni

Staff Writer rebecca.mataloni@drake.edu

As the music of Sammy Nestico and Gordon Goodwin made its way through the walls of Drake’s Patty and Fred Turner Center on April 16, Des Moines’ jazz scene crescendoed into a vibrant harmony. The songs arose from the dedication night held to honor the donation from Fred Turner that financed the building.

Turner provided all the funds to build the new center, and as a result of the donation, Drake University and Des Moines hope to become a focal point of jazz in Iowa.

Turner Jazz Center Manager and Drake sophomore Devin van Holsteijn said the jazz center will be a new way to reach out to the community.

“People see Drake as its own unit,” van Holsteijn said. “It does its own thing and isn’t entirely part of the community. The center will bring people in, get big names and expand the music scene in the community.”

Drake University President David Maxwell said the school has a terrific program, making it all the more exciting to have the new space. The jazz

band previously practiced in a worndown building called the Mainstay, which Maxwell said should have been demolished years ago.

“What is so exciting about this is that the talent of the students can finally be showcased efficiently,” Maxwell said. “They deserve this.”

Maxwell, son of jazz artist Jimmy Maxwell, has been surrounded by jazz much of his life, so constructing the Jazz Center meant more to him than just another building on campus.

“It’s a dream come true,” Maxwell said. “This will not only enrich Drake’s life and students’, but also Fred’s life as well.”

Turner and his wife Patty give back to the university because it’s where the two of them met. Patty, who passed away in 2000, was known for being a humanitarian. Turner wanted to continue her efforts, so he donates generous amounts to the Drake music department.

Turner’s daughter, Paula Grasso, attended the dedication night in her father’s place because he was ill. She said the whole family could not be more proud or more thrilled to have the center at Drake, a place so important to her parents. Her favorite part is the “Patty’s Place” illuminated sign

on the wall to commemorate Patty’s contributions to Drake’s fine arts program.

“My mom would be so humbled and stunned,” Grasso said. “She never did anything to draw attention to herself.”

Many alumni came back for the dedication night, including those who were friends of the Turners during college. The alumni formed a band under the direction of Andrew Classen, the Patty and Fred Turner professor of jazz. The band played a few tunes to kick off the event, and the Drake Jazz Ensemble I entertained the guests throughout the night to show its appreciation of the donations.

“We’ve had so many great generations of students, and we’ve never been able to get them all together,” Classen said.

With over 140 people in attendance, and 50 years of musicians in the same building, Classen said that he wants to have a dedication night every year to honor the Turners and let the graduates see the progression of the jazz program.

Addressing the crowd, Classen said, “Please come again. This is only the beginning.”

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

DRAKE JAZZ ENSEMBLE I DIRECTED BY ANDY CLASSEN performs during the dedication of the Patty and Fred Turner Jazz Center on April 16. Among the 140 people at the event were Turner’s daughter, Paula Grasso and University President David Maxwell.

NEWS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE A6

Teaching to learn

Student teaching gives education majors another view of the classrom

Feeling accomplished Alumni report high post-grad satisfaction

by Trygve Jensen and Kristen Smith Staff Writer, Copy Editor trygve.jensen@drake.edu kristen.smith@drake.edu

Drake University is one of the premier schools of education in the Midwest.

One of the greatest aspects of the school is the student teaching process. It is an important aspect of classroom experience to be able to see what truly happens in a classroom before students commit to their career.

“The principal at a local middle school used to tell me he thought his best teachers came from UNI. Recently though, he’s been hiring all Drake grads,” said Tom Drake, Drake’s clinical assistant professor and director of student teaching.

He believes the experience students gain in the classroom is vital to their education and ability to some day handle their own class.

“Drake (University) tries to teach students how to handle certain situations they may come across before their practicum even starts,” Drake said.

Although students are prepared, there are some situations that cannot be anticipated. Just like any elementary, junior high or high school teacher, student teachers will come across students with unique personalities.

“I had a kid in my class that was completely normal until Miley Cyrus came to Des Moines,” said Jenn Field, a junior secondary education major. “He went to the concert and decided he wanted to be just like her.”

She said the 14-year-old male student began to grow his hair out, wear girls clothing and even wear makeup.

“I didn’t even know what to say to him,” she said.

Billy Battistone, a senior secondary education and history double major is student teaching at Dowling Catholic High School. He said getting to know each individual student is one of the most rewarding parts about student teaching.

“Working with the students and getting to experiment as a teacher and trying different lessons to see which ones they respond to is fun,” Battistone said. “Really seeing how they learn and seeing them succeed as a teacher, that’s why you do it; you don’t choose to go into teaching if you don’t get excited about seeing students succeed.”

While Battistone’s passion is teaching, he said there were a few adjustments he had to make in his life to accommodate for the teacher lifestyle.

“People underestimate how exhausting it is,” he said. “Having to stand up and teach and really work with students is draining. They are challenging you academically every day, so you always have to be on your toes.”

Student teaching is an interesting transition, Battistone said. Throughout the experience, students assume all the responsibilities of their mentor teachers — the teachers whose classrooms they take over for the semester — yet they are often not much older than the students they are teaching.

“That’s one difficult thing about being a teacher right out of college,” Battistone said.

by Becca Mataloni

Staff Writer rebecca.mataloni@drake.edu

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

BILLY BATTISTONE, a Drake senior secondary education major and this year’s Relays Host, was a student teacher at Dowling Catholic High School this semester.

“I’m not that far removed. It’s just kind of an awkward feeling because I remember being in their seats not that long ago.”

For junior Lisa Myers, even the students in her third grade classroom felt they were near the same age range as her.

“I walked in and was talking to the teacher while the students were working. This tiny little pipsqueak came up and stood next to the teacher as we talked,” Myers said. “She looked at me, then at her teacher, then at me again and turned to her teacher and said matter-of-factly, ‘She looks like she’s 10.’”

Student teachers are lectured about inappropriate relationships with students. It is important to keep teacher-pupil relationships professional.

There should never be any exchanging of Facebook names or phone numbers.

This information doesn’t stop students from trying however. Field had an interesting experience with a male student, Jamal, in a ninth grade math class at Roosevelt High School.

“I’m always asked about my personal life,” Field said. “I always get asked if I have a boyfriend. I’ve even been asked to prom before.”

Field said that whenever Jamal was in class, he would try to talk to her and be “really flirty.”

One day the teacher stepped out of the room early for class, and Jamal stood up.

“He said, ‘Ms. Field, I wrote you a song.’ So I said ‘Oh yeah? Let’s hear it then,’ and he just

started rapping this crazy rap. It was actually really good, but it was him asking me to prom. I declined.”

Although students come across strange situations now and again, they said that overall the Drake School of Education prepares them well for the real world. Drake agrees and feels the students do a great job. He specifically remembers one student who had to confront a thirdgrade student who fell asleep in class.

“She (the student teacher) just kept talking, went over and put her hand on his shoulder.

She never missed a beat, never embarrassed him. That’s something a student teacher really did well as far as non-verbal communication,” Drake said.

Drake University must be doing something right. Even with all the crazy classroom experiences, students have a 90-percent placement rate. Students are teaching all over the world, including Egypt and Costa Rica.

Battistone recently signed a contract with Dowling Catholic to teach world religion and U.S. history. He said he is excited to begin the next stage in his teaching career, but that he won’t forget what he learned during his student teaching experience.

“The best advice I ever got was: If you enjoy what you’re doing, you never work a day in your life,” Battistone said.

Local business bargains

DSMDaily.com social media intern promotes supporting and saving at area businesses

by Jeff Nelson

Staff Writer jeffrey.nelson@drake.edu

One Drake student is doing worthwhile work with new Des Moines-based bargain site DSM Daily, a company everyone can cash in on.

Junior Joshua Poindexter, 21, from Kansas City, Mo., started interning at the local website development business Webspec Design in October. Last winter, he was asked to join DSMDaily, a company owned by the same man behind Webspec. The site officially launched on April 18 and plans to cater to the local market by pro-

viding services similar to sites like Groupon.

In a sluggish economy where professional couponing is quickly catching on, the site’s start-up is timely. Dsmdaily.com will post new deals every day. To get in on the action, users simply register by providing general information — email address, zip code, age — and listing interests. The site will then sends emails with bargains matching users’ wants and needs.

More than 10,000 people from the Des Moines area have signed up for DSMDaily so far, Director of Business Development Kate Altmaier said.

Social media has played a big part in bringing in those numbers. The site has gained over

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

JOSHUA POINTDEXTER is an intern at the newly launched website DSMDaily.com.

The site offers deals similar to companies like Groupon, but focuses on Des Moines area goods and services.

700 Twitter followers and garnered nearly 1,500 “likes” on Facebook. As the director of social media, Poindexter, plays an important role. He directs the social media channels that DSMDaily uses to interact with its customer base and implements creative strategies to build brand awareness to get customers involved on a more personal level, he said.

“Joshua helped create a brand that focuses on businesses and consumers,” Altmaier said.

“He has proactively sought to build our (social media) following with some incredibly creative approaches…Joshua has the perfect personality to do our social networking campaigns and is incredibly diligent and hard-working.”

Poindexter, a marketing and entrepreneurial management double major, is relishing his experience with the company. Although his post-graduate plans are yet to be determined, he said getting this experience ties in with his career goals.

“Any marketing experience is a stepping stone to greater opportunities,” Poindexter said. “I love the environment that small businesses have to offer.”

Every digital coupon will save consumers at least 50 percent off a good or service out of Des Moines. Other advantages include promoted by the site include convenience and portability.

But these savings aren’t the same as Grandma’s coupon-clipping, users need only show the electronic coupon via smart phone at one of the local attractions, restaurants, salons or other participating companies to reap the site-offered savings.

The company’s aim is to not only help consumers but businesses, too. It provides free advertising to area businesses, and there are no outright charges — profits come from sales made.

“DSMDaily wants to provide the local market with what companies like Groupon do and to support local businesses,” Poindexter said.

Kate Altmaier, director of business development, pointed out that the company is an affordable alternative to similar sites and said she expects it to be as successful as competitors.

As Lydia Metzger, 22, talks about her unsuccessful search for advertising jobs, she tries to hide her frustration about how she hasn’t received any interviews or job offers — especially with graduation in three weeks.

“It’s different for journalism, because the industry is changing so fast,” Metzger said. “Employers don’t know what they’ll want or need.”

While many students may be faced with this same dilemma, Metzger and her peers in the journalism school have more reasons than others to stay optimistic.

Drake University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication recently received a 95 percent accomplishment rate, according to the 2009 Annual Survey of Journalism and Mass Communication graduates. The number reflects the percentage of graduates employed, enrolled in graduate/professional school, involved in an activity related to their professional goals or have elected not to pursue those goals at this time. The survey compiled information from 86 schools with graduates who received jobs within six months of graduation.

Kathleen Richardson, director and associate professor of the journalism school, said the accomplishment rate is one of Drake’s best selling points for prospective students.

“We have made more efforts to increase internships and job placement by adding workshops for students, specifically those related to technology,” Richardson said.

The SJMC prides itself on having the highest amount of voluntary internships on campus at 91 percent, an illustration of the many opportunities the Iowa capital has to offer.

“Des Moines is a media-rich city,” Richardson said. “There are more opportunities than we have students, but it is their responsibility to make an effort to pursue an internship or job.”

Internship Coordinator Carlyn Crowe said the SJMC is doing its part in keeping students up-to-date on what opportunities are out there for them.

“I think faculty work really well with students to help them see options about what’s in the community,” Crowe said. “They are committed to helping students find those opportunities.”

During the accreditation process the school underwent earlier this year, accreditors noted in their report that the journalism school had an “unwavering commitment to instruction in the fundamentals and evolving media.”

First-year student Lauren Horsch, majoring in news/Internet journalism, said she came to Drake after talking to Richardson about the accomplishment rate and accreditation.

“Many schools that I applied to weren’t even accredited,” Horsch said. “Drake offers a variety of courses to expand our knowledge and make us more well-rounded, which is part of the reason for the school’s success.”

Many students in the national survey said professors did not prepare them for real world experiences, and the students lacked certain skills to succeed in the journalism industry.

“Drake is organized well enough that I am free to explore,” Horsch said. “I can take a photojournalism course or other media classes, which makes me more applicable to suit a company’s needs.”

Students in Drake’s SJMC said they feel privileged to have professors who are active in social media, whether they are tweeting about new local and national jobs or posting a link on Facebook to a list on “How to score your dream internship.”

“I’m constantly being challenged at Drake,” Horsch said. “You’re not aiming to be subpar; you’re aiming to be excellent.”

Are you where you want to be?

Drake bachelor degree recipients reported the following accomplishment rates: College of Arts & Sciences

94.6% College of Business & Public Administration

97.9% College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

100% School of Education

95.5% School of Journalism & Mass Communication

95%

NEWS

PAGE A7 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC FROM MID-AMERICA PUBLIC SAFETY POLICE/FIRE

BEST OF SECURITY REPORTS HE DIDN’T START THE FIRE 5:55 p.m. Jan. 17 Security and the fire department responded to a vehicle fire in the 1200 block of 30th Street. The driver opened his hood and observed the fire. The driver stated he took three strong breaths and tried to blow out the fire to no avail. A security officer put the fire out with an extinguisher.

8:51 p.m. Aug. 13 Security and police responded to an area near Old Main based on a report of a domestic assault. A 37-year-old female who had just gotten out of the hospital said her boyfriend was throwing doughballs at her near 50th Street and Kingman Boulevard. She did not appear to have been running.

A friend was called and arrived shortly after, stating she could stay at her house for the night.

12:40 p.m. Aug. 16 A male student reported a male of about 50 years of age with gray hair and a blue shirt, riding a gray mountain bicycle in the 1200 block of 30th Street. The man on the bike became upset as to how he perceived the male student was driving his motor vehicle. He flipped off the student and started screaming about how he was going to kick his rear end and how there was going to be a fire.

The cyclist then fled northbound.

7:29 p.m. Sept. 7 Security responded to the Bell Center based on report of an injured person. It was determined a male student was struck in the face by a racket ball. He called his mother to see if he needed to go to a hospital.

7:57 p.m. Sept. 17 Security was made aware of several students stealing food and having a food fight in Hubbell South around closing time.

9:44 p.m. Oct 2 Security responded to Jewett Residence Hall based on a report of a burning odor. It was determined a male student had burnt his macaroni.

7:40 p.m. Oct. 19 Security responded to 1245 34th St. based on report of a small nocturnal marsupial in the kitchen. When the officer arrived he found three females defending themselves from the mammal with dense fur, long snout, and hairless tail, using kitchen armaments including a broom.

The creature later identified as an opossum was eating from a bag of apples and seemed very content but was not in the mood to be disturbed.

The security officer was able to trap Mr. Opossum and called for animal control who released him in the neighbor’s backyard. Cheers could be heard from the damsels in distress.

2:33 a.m. Oct. 14 Security responded to GoodwinKirk Residence Hall based on report of an intoxicated female who was singing. After several attempts to get the female to answer her door with no results, the room was entered and the female student was lying on her back singing away. She advised she had enough to drink to cause her to sing. She promised not to sing anymore or bother her neighbors.

1:58 a.m. Nov. 14 Security responded to Ross

Residence Hall based on report of loud noise of a fight. It was determined an underage-fordrinking male student and a female student were having an argument because the female spoke to other guys while they were at a bar located in the 3000 block of Forest Avenue where they had entered with a fake driver’s license. The male stated he had given the fake driver’s license away and didn’t have it anymore.

They stated they would be quiet for the remainder of the evening.

11:09 p.m. Nov. 18 Security responded to Carpenter Residence Hall based on a report of a strange smell. A residence hall room was entered with five males occupying the room. A quantity of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a throwing star, a knife, a box cutter, several lighters, two 1/4 inch plastic hosing and three bottles of liquor were found. Police were called and all items were confiscated. Residence hall staff was present.

8:48 a.m. Nov. 20 A security officer observed a vehicle in a Drake parking lot located in the 1300 block of 31st Street that seemed suspicious in nature as the windows were fogged over and the vehicle appeared to be moving, but not out of its location. It was determined a female and male were participating in sexual behavior and both were willing parties. They were asked to take their desires elsewhere.

12:44 p.m. Dec. 2 A female student reported one check was stolen from her unlocked room at 1325 31st St. on Nov. 5 while she was moving out. The check was cashed for $375. A male suspect in the case has been identified.

4:44 p.m. Feb. 12 A male adult was advised on trespass when he was observed drinking alcohol from a paper sack in a Drake parking lot located in the 2800 block of University Avenue. The male had no justifiable reason for being on the campus.

IT’S OK, MY SISTER LIVES IN THE FINE ARTS CENTER

2:06 a.m. Feb. 26

A security officer observed a male and female walking near the Harmon Fine Arts Center and the male was trying to open doors. When stopped, the male stated it was OK because the female’s sister lived there. It was determined that both were not students but the female was the sister of a student who lives in Jewett Residence Hall. Both stated they had been to a bar in the 2300 block of University Avenue and that no one asked them for ID to enter. The female was hooked up with her sister at Jewett and the male called a friend who was not intoxicated to give him a ride.

‘Did I really owe $20?’

FROM CRISIS, PAGE A1 Newspapers and journalists are going to make it out to be more dramatic than it actually is. I think they’re polar opposites in a way, and in the middle are the students.”

Two pieces of news like this over a threeweek period can be somewhat unsettling.

—President David Maxwell Associate Professor of History Matthew Esposito, however, questioned the transparency of the administration’s dealings in the incidents.

Speaking at the Faculty Senate meeting, Esposito called the email notifications “somewhat brash and impetuous.”

Senior Victor Cedeño said he is curious about the events happening in such close proximity, but that he is not concerned about the uni-

versity hiding any information.

“It’d be nice to know more, I suppose,” Cedeño said. “But other than that, I’m going about my life.”

Despite the fact that students were never notified by email of Renner’s resignation, Laurent said she didn’t think students were expressing any anti-administration sentiments.

“In all honesty, I don’t think students are engaged that much to really care about it,” she said. “I think they’ll be more affected when we start to get a new one (provost).”

Cedeño said students were surprised to learn about the misappropriated funds, but it hasn’t affected daily life or overall campus morale.

“Everybody expressed shock,” he said. “But I think everybody also expects that now and then, someone’s going to screw up.”

Meredith Gallivan, 2010 Drake alumna and Des Moines resident, is a communications project manager at Marsh and McLennan Companies, Inc. She saw the news about Harlan on Facebook. Gallivan said she was familiar with the billing statement emails from Harlan.

“My first thought was, this guy was emailing me every semester saying I still owed $20,” she said. “I just wonder now, did I really owe $20?”

‘Strong sense of betrayal’ POLK COUNTY JAIL

ROBERT ALEX HARLAN has been charged with five counts of first-degree theft. He turned himself in Thursday morning.

FROM HARLAN, PAGE A1 acted alone.

On April 20, Maxwell spoke at the university’s Faculty Senate meeting.

“Charges have been brought, and a criminal case is under way,” he said.

Scott said he didn’t think Drake was in crisis.

“I’m confident that Drake will work hard to make sure it (embezzlement) will not happen again,” Scott said.

7:41 p.m. Feb. 24 Security responded to Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall based on report of a solicitor. The magazine salesman was not located but it was determined he made a sale of $45 to a female student and then played her a nice song on his ukulele.

2:16 p.m. Feb. 24 Security responded to Jewett Residence Hall based on report of an unconscious female locked in a women’s restroom. An underage for

2:34 a.m. March 11 A security officer found an underagefor-drinking female student and a male student in Olmsted Center. They were making out and in the process of removing clothing. Both had been drinking and the male stated it was at a bar located in the 2300 block of University Avenue. They were seen outside of the building. The dean of students was advised.

1:43 a.m. April 2 A male was observed on CCTV removing his shirt in the 2900 block

DADDY’S LITTLE BOY 1:58 a.m. April 9 A 21-year-old male student was found in what appeared to be an intoxicated state. He was stumbling and unable to walk straight. He had slurred speech and stated he had no one to call to come and pick him up. He let the officers know on several occasions that his father was a judge and his uncle was in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Police were called and the student was given the alternative of calling a cab or getting a free trip to jail, and he chose the cab.

The dean of students was advised. drinking female student was found fully clothed and slumped over on the porcelain throne. She admitted to drinking alcohol and evidence of the beverage was found on the floor. Her equilibrium was not at its best and she had to be helped out of the restroom.

Fire/rescue was called and she signed a refusal wavier. She was seen to her room where she was going to spend the night and she would be looked after by another student. Residence Hall staff was present.

3:11 a.m. March 9 A security officer observed a male pulling on doors to Aliber Hall. The male student stated he was merely walking around and trying to clear his head of decisions he had to make and wanting to make peace. The matter was coordinated with the assistant dean of student affairs in the College of Business and Public Administration.

2:30 p.m. March 9 A female student reported she received an attempted fraud letter on her Facebook concerning a friend who was a victim of a crime. Money was asked for to help the friend out.

The student was a little wiser than the sender of message and checked with her friend, who was OK.

of University Avenue and displaying his physique to anyone passing by.

He appeared to be having difficulty walking. He approached a fire hydrant, appeared to embrace it and began licking it. He then walked behind an evergreen tree and appeared to be unfastening his trousers. He was stopped and questioned about his curious behavior. The 22-yearold male student didn’t seem to have a reason and denied urinating behind the tree. He did state that he commonly experiences a glitch that causes his zipper to lower itself out of the blue. He could not give a reason for his affection toward the fire hydrant. He was escorted off campus.

5:50 a.m. April 9 A security officer found a male lying face down in the mud on the west side of Medbury Hall. The student was awakened and stated he was merely chilling and waiting for the officers so they all could party. The underage male student stated he had called security earlier to party, but they would not answer the phone.

The student could not provide much information and said that he knew no one to call. Police were called and a fake driver’s license was confiscated from the student. He was then arrested for public intoxication and taken to jail.

‘We need students to step up, bring their A game’ FROM TASK FORCE, PAGE A1 year students with a lot of information about wellness,” Bakari said. He said he anticipates the magazine will be available to all students next fall.

The Task Force also had first-years take an online course called AlcoholEdu, which included tutorials and quizzes designed to educate students about the dangers of drinking.

First-year Taryn Triveline said she thought the programming was a waste of time. She kept the videos open and running, then came back later. She said she doesn’t think the course will change anyone’s mind about drinking.

“I think it’s normal for any college experience,” Triveline said. “I don’t think any test or videos are going to change it. It’s just a part of college, and trying to pretend it isn’t is kind of naive.”

Among other changes, fines will be doubled if students are caught drinking underage.

“When examining peer institutions, we found that Drake’s fines were substantially lower, and an increase in fines would also increase funding for alcohol-alternative and alcohol education events,” said Lorissa Lieurance, director of residence life.

Recommendations for Drake included partnering with and increasing involvement with the Des Moines community, special programming for first-year students, changes in the alcohol and student conduct policies, adjustments in the campus environment, alcohol-free events, academic integration, promotion of these modifications, assessing the impact and reaching out to resources such as Student Health 101.

“If we just did half of this stuff, I think it

could be quite an impact,” Bakari said.

In planning the changes, the committee met with students, used existing research and practices pertaining to student drinking and surveyed Drake students using an online American Collegiate Health Assessment.

The committee will continue next year. Thiedeman says the changes will be made over the next two or three years. She said she wants the

If the law’s not going to stop them, why would the dean telling you what to do make a difference?

—Taryn Triveline students’ input on what they missed or didn’t address in the report.

“We need to have good partnerships where students take ownership,” Bakari said. “We need students to step up, bring their A game and say, ‘We’re going to be accountable and responsible, to the point where we’re not going to drink and put our health at risk and academic career at risk and academic experience at risk.’”

It’s up to the students to change the drinking culture, Bakari said. While he and the Task Force remain optimistic, it’s clear that there’s still a lot to be done.

“I think people are going to do what they want to do,” first-year Triveline said. “If the law’s not going to stop them, why would the dean telling you what to do make a difference?”

NEWS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE A8

Postponed painting still a colorful success

by Nicole Mittelbrun

Staff Writer nicole.mittelbrun@drake.edu

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

STUDENTS WERE COVERED IN PAINT during Street Painting on April 17. The annual event was originally planned for April 15, but was rescheduled because of the weather.

Storms all day April 15 caused Street Painting to be moved to the following Sunday afternoon. While a few students decided against going to the rescheduled event, others couldn’t wait to get there.

Senior Jacqueline Blank said she was surprised at the turnout because of the date change.

“I was impressed with the turnout,” Blank said. “I was glad so many people decided to participate. It’s always fun, and I love seeing everyone paint and have a good time.”

First-year Maria Opatz described Street Painting as being “crazy.”

“Everyone says it’s a lot of fun,” Opatz said. “I had high expectations. It definitely lived up to them.”

Not everyone was enthusiastic about the date change.

“I had a ton of homework, and it was cold out,” first-year Erin Cella said. “I really didn’t feel like getting a ton of paint in my hair and

Carnival on Wednesday

2011

by Nicole Mittelbrun

Staff Writer nicole.mittelbrun@drake.edu

More than 20 hours of live coverage over the three days.

DBStv presents: THE

all over my body.”

Blank said Street Painting has only gotten better since she’s been a first-year, a feeling that seemed to be shared among Drake seniors.

“This year was my favorite, even though it was freezing and my fingers were numb by the time we were done,” Lindsay Miller said.

“This was my last Street Painting, so I made sure to soak it all in.”

Cold or warm weather, Friday or Sunday, the tradition of Street Painting brings Drake students together.

“Street Painting is unique to Drake,” sophomore Erin Skahill said. “We are a small liberal arts college that prides itself on being a close-knit community, and this is when you get to see it. I think it’s a good representation of our campus, each square represents a different organization, and this is all of them coming together.”

“Plus,” she added, “my friends from other universities are jealous of it.”

DRAKE RELAYS BROADCAST.

Tune in to The College Channel (Mediacom 16 & 83) or online at drakebroadcasting.com/relays

Thursday: 4:30 p.m. | Friday: 10 a.m. | Saturday 9 a.m.

While athletes are gearing up for the races, students will have an opportunity to attend the Relays Carnival Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. in Helmick Commons. There will be photo booths, cotton candy, popcorn, snow cones and inflatable games. Items such as totes and water bottles with the Relays logo on them will be given out until the novelties are gone and all food and entertainment is free.

The carnival won’t be much different than last year’s.

“We wanted to keep it pretty much the same, people seem to enjoy it,” said Cortney White, Student Activities Board Relays co-chair.

“I loved the carnival last year,” sophomore

Molly Broghammer said. “The cotton candy is delicious.”

Sophomore Lindsay Dressen said she likes the additional chance to enjoy the week’s festivities.

“I like the carnival because it was another way we get to celebrate Relays all week long,” she said.

“We treat Relays as a time to kick back and hang with your friends, and the carnival is just another time to do that,” she said. “Come for the races, stay for the carnival.”

This year the event will coincide with “Relays for the Rest of Us,” an event consisting of different activities for students similar to what the Relays athletes will be participating in during the actual Relays. Relays for the Rest of Us will be at the Agora will start 30 minutes after the carnival and will end at 7 p.m.

Learning Mobile: live coverage of Beautiful Bulldog Contest The SJMC’s J102 multimedia class will report live from the Drake Fieldhouse with iPod touches purchased through an educational grant. See The Times-Delphic website for their up-to-theminute updates with photos, video and more.

For this story and other special coverage check out timesdelphic.com

//INSIDE 21:THE DEBATE, DEAL ON DRAKE’S GREEN MOVEMENT & MORE

Keeping the faith Jewish, Atheist, Christian, Bahá’í, Deist or Muslim — Drake students don’t leave their beliefs at home

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

OPINIONS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE B2

Living the LGBT lifestyle at Drake

Bryn Goldberg battles stereotypes When I first arrived at Drake, I was not openly gay. Actually, I kept it pretty secret from everyone I knew until this past fall.

Without telling people my sexuality, they typically assume that it is straight. However, that is very wrong.

I consider myself bisexual and am very proud of this.

Walking through campus, most students and staff are unaware of my sexual orientation. Yes, most people’s orientations are unknown but, according to society, there is a “gay look” that gays and lesbians have. I think that because I do not look like a stereotypical lesbian, even though I’m actually bisexual, people are just unaware of the fact that I “lean both ways.”

In fact, peers have questioned me about my sexuality because they do not believe that I’m gay. This has always interested me, considering I did not realize I needed to look like a dyke in order to be one.

I am a part of the student organization Rainbow Union here at Drake. I think that having a group like that on campus helps the campus become more accepting of the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender community, but it also makes people question why someone would be a part of it. I am the organizational committee representative for the group and while attending one of the bimonthly meetings, I was asked why I was in Rainbow Union. I was surprised by this question because, at least

to me, it does not matter why I’m in the group. But I told the person it’s because I’m gay and interested in being involved. Stunned by this answer, I was reminded that not everyone is tolerant of the choices I make in life.

While moments such as that happen, there are also times when I’m reminded of Drake’s acceptance of gays.

The other night, I was at an establishment that had a dance floor and about 50 other Drake students. I was dancing with a girl who is a lesbian and actually looks the part. To my surprise, I was not approached by anyone nor did I receive any comments or looks. This was the first time I actually felt comfortable enough with my peers to be myself and dance with someone whom I wanted to dance with, regardless of her gender.

A few months ago, I heard a story of a friend of mine who was beat up by some students at her school in Wisconsin. I was stunned and terrified. I realize that these things happen and that they occur every day, but then I started to think about the campus I live on. I was, for a few days, terrified to walk outside alone or even be seen alone anywhere on campus.

I expressed this fear to my roommate who reminded me that Drake isn’t like that, there aren’t groups walking around campus looking for members of the LGBT community to beat up or even ways that people would know that I’m one of those members.

While I have had my fears about being an openly bisexual student on this campus, I have never thought that this wasn’t a safe place to be. I know that there are places and people who may not agree with my lifestyle, but it has never been a major issue at Drake.

The fact that I can be an openly bisexual student at this school is one of the reasons why I absolutely love Drake and am so happy that I made the decision to come here.

Goldberg is a sophomore public relations major and can be contacted at bryn.goldberg@drake.edu

American Acceptance of LGBT Rises National support for the moral acceptability of LGBT relations rose to 52 percent in May 2010, crossing the 50-percent line for the first time.

Another milestone was reached as well. The Gallup Poll saw the lowest number for the percentage of people calling LGBT relations morally wrong at 43 percent. The numbers have risen steadily since 2004 when morally acceptable numbers were at 42 percent. source: gallup.com

FORMER SEX COLUMNIST BARES ALL The secret life of a former sex columnist JANE HOE I can’t remember what, exactly, motivated me to pitch the idea of a sex column to The Times-Delphic in the first place. It may have been boredom, or maybe it was a realization that I had no clips…or a not-so-secret desire to be the Carrie Bradshaw of Dogtown (which, as it turns out, is exactly as unglamorous as it sounds). As I sit here writing under this puny pen name yet again, the whole concept seems far more ridiculous now than it did at the time.

With the D-Spot, the boundaries of normal writing (outside of basic grammatical rules and the obvious necessary factual ones) took the nearest exit and left me with the freedom to write however I saw fit. Anonymity left me with the freedom to pick and choose which questions I wanted to answer and what angle I wanted to

take. It was journalism, except with a side of lingerie.

Yeah, being a sex columnist is fun. Being a secret sex columnist, however, is a whole other story.

You know the really awkward kids who seem to creep into every class? The kind of kid whose names you know usually by accident, or from when you denied their Facebook friend requests a few weeks ago? You never sit next to them.

You avoid eye contact with them. You may or may not occasionally write down in your planner the ridiculous things they say in class. You’d fake the flu, an allergy or pretend to be mute just to get out of doing a group project with them.

Now imagine knowing that the one who smells and never brushes his unnecessarily long hair also wants to know whether or not his girlfriend’s excessive masturbating will put a strain on their relationship. Or that the most beautiful girl in class wants to know where she can find a list of sex positions for men who have had knee replacements. Um…eww.

That was certainly the most awkward part of the job. It amazed me the questions that

people would send on a daily basis…and from their Drake email addresses. Apparently their anonymity was far less important to them than mine was to me.

The most fulfilling part of the job (if you can call anything relating to Jane Hoe or the D-Spot fulfilling) was overhearing comments about the D-Spot as I walked to and from class or waited for a lecture to start. I got a kick out of people being excited about a topic that I had chosen to write about (and just excited about a column in the TD, period). I found it especially entertaining when a few of my best friends, who were not fortunate enough to be in on the secret, would read the articles out loud in Olmsted. And laugh. A lot. Let’s just say that affirmation of that sort never, ever gets old.

The highlight of my D-Spot career came when we had to make a website in one of my favorite journalism classes. The website had to have our clips on it.

My only clips were the D-Spot.

I was an anonymous columnist who really wanted to stay anonymous for at least the rest of my life and then some. But when push came to

shove, it was fail the course or reveal my identity to my intimate class of 13 students.

I chose to fail.

Just kidding. I posted my site, D-Spot and all, and luckily happened to be gone during the class in which we presented our sites to the class.

You can decide whether or not that stomach flu was a coincidence.

Over time, more and more people have come to know about my stint as Jane Hoe, and I’ve been asked to write similar stories for other publications. As ridiculous as the entire experience was, I wouldn’t take any of it back. I’ll never forget staying up till 2 a.m. researching “alternative types of pornography” with a deadline at the crack of dawn, or the person who wanted to know if I’d meet them “on Friday in Cowles Library at 8:45 in the last study room on the left…”

Unfortunately, this is the last time this Jane Hoe will be gracing the pages of The TimesDelphic. So the question is… who’s next?

Hoe is an anonymous Drake student and can be contacted at the.dspot@yahoo.com

Learn & let live: adjusting to dorm life BECCA LEONARD Part of everyone’s college experience is learning how to live with a new person; for me, it was learning how to live with four.

After both of my roommates didn’t come back for the second semester, I was living in a triple on my own. It wasn’t until I was told that I would be getting two new roommates that I re-

ally became aware of how much of a challenge it can be to learn to live with someone new.

During my first semester I had already gone through not getting along with a roommate.

We struggled with communication, got on each other’s nerves and drove each other to the brink of insanity, all without making eye contact. This was definitely something that I didn’t want to go through again, so when I found out I would be receiving two new roommates, I was devastated.

I started planning ways that I could get these girls to move out in my head, but as the days inched closer to move-in day, I was too exhausted with finals to actually do anything. All I knew to do was mentally prepare myself for the

Becca Leonard’s guide to

roommate

survival 1 communicate If you can’t communicate, you can’t do anything. Learning how to handle different personalities starts with expressing what you need and want. You may not always agree, but it’s the first step to finding common ground.

2 find common ground No one-sided relationship ever works out. If you share things in the room, make sure everyone is contributing. If someone brings dish soap with them and everyone is using it, rotate who is going to buy it next; if one person vacuums the whole room, make sure the chore is getting rotated as well. When trying to decide on something, find a level that everyone is comfortable with. By keeping a balanced relationship, no one feels superior or inferior, which will lessen the tension.

worst. Screaming, yelling, freak accidents, being woken up in the middle of the night, the whole shebang, but it never came. My new roommate was as quiet as a mouse and as polite as can be; I suddenly felt bad for all of my vicious thoughts.

By the time last semester ended and the second roommate was starting to move in, I had cooled off enough to handle another person in the room. We had all previously lived in bad roommate situations and none of us wanted a repeat situation.

The night before the first day of classes, we talked about talking through our problems and being open to each other, immediately laying out ground rules. This can be challenging,

frustrating and uncomfortable, but the less effort you put into it, the less likely you’re going to get along.

After living with four different people plus dealing with everyone else on my floor, this is my established list of guidelines for making it through the year; it has yet to fail me. Remember to smile, be as positive as possible, people will want to be your friend rather than your enemy.

Leonard is a sophomore magazine journalism and graphic design major and can be contacted at rebecca.leonard@drake.edu

3 talk it out Whether you’re best friends or distant strangers, sitting on something that is bothering you rather than saying something will only create resentment toward the person you’re living with. This is going to be the hardest thing to do, but once you do it, you’ll feel loads better.

4 don’t judge The moment you start judging is the moment you put your wall up. If you’re making harsh judgments against someone, you’re not going to want to get to know that person any more than you have to, and even then it will be challenging for you to do so.

5 be open-minded If you walk into anything with a bad attitude, your results are going to be less than positive. Keeping yourself open to things allows you to learn and understand things that you may not have known about; it also helps to build a foundation of respect. Being closed-minded to someone’s way of life is a sign of disrespect and shows your unwillingness to change. College is about growing and developing. Being open-minded is key.

OPINIONS

PAGE B3 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

STATISTICS CAN’T SPEAK FOR VICTIMS Resources for victims of sexual assault limited JENNIFER HENRY I know all of the statistics: One in six women and one in 33 men have been the victims of rape or attempted rape. One in four women will be sexually assaulted during her college years.

As my final year at Drake draws to a close, I think of the many times that I have cited these statistics. I have spent nearly four years making rational, statistic-based arguments for the necessity of better resources for victims of sexual assault and better education for the Drake campus on the issue.

After four years, I am done citing statistics.

The statistics are staggering, and the widely reported cases of sexual assault at Drake in the last two years force us to confront the troubling reality that sexual assault happens in our small cocoon of a community.

Statistics cannot tell the stories of victims.

Statistics cannot express the pain that sexual assault brings. Only humans can do that.

The statistics are true for Drake. I could explain how those statistics numerically project on the Drake student body, but I’m not going to.

Statistics are powerful tools for measuring a problem and tracking progress toward fixing a problem. They alert us to the dimensions of the monster, but they do not identify the monster. Statistics obscure the fact that sexual assault happens to real people. Real people feel pain from this violent invasion of their bodies. Statistics cannot put a human face on the problem of sexual assault. Statistics cannot tell the stories of victims. Statistics cannot express the pain that sexual assault brings.

Only humans can do that.

Victims of sexual assault often live in silence.

They feel humiliation and guilt. They may try to separate themselves from their bodies. Their bodies are sites of conflict for them, sources of terror from which they cannot escape. The assault haunts them in their dreams. The most mundane elements of daily life may be triggering. Unable to escape from the memory of the attack, many victims relive their sexual assault repeatedly. Their pain may consume them; however, their guilt prevents them from reaching out to others. Victims often blame themselves for being sexually assaulted. They batter themselves, convinced that if they had done

something differently, they would not have been sexually assaulted.

I have witnessed many women confidently and publicly declare that sexual assault is never the victim’s fault, then later abuse themselves in the private domains of their minds for not stopping the attack. Intellectually, the victims know they are not responsible for the terrible crime that other people committed against them. But, emotionally and spiritually, the pain and guilt remain. Ashamed, many victims live in isolation, cut off from the comforts of people they love. The burden of being a victim is nothing short of suffocating.

The resources available to victims at Drake are severely lacking. Some campuses have sexual assault response advocates, trained peers or professionals who respond to the needs of victims through the healing process.

Polk County provides advocates for people who request them, but to use of this service requires already vulnerable victims to reach outside of the insular Drake community.

My experience with Drake’s counseling center is that the counselors are overbooked. The student body has outgrown their available resources. We need more counselors.

My experience with the student body is that the campus supports a culture of victimblaming. I have sat in many classrooms in which discussions of sexual assault have evolved into speculation about the victim’s actions: “What she was wearing?” “How much did she have to drink?” “What were the decisions she made on the night of the attack?”

We must work together to correct this cultural problem. Victims cannot prevent sexual assault. Only perpetrators have that power. We as a community have to stop living in silence. We have to confront this reality and correct the way we think about sexual assault. We as a campus need to definitively announce that sexual assault will not happen on our campus, and we must live by that announcement.

Unquestionably, Drake is getting better at meeting the needs of victims. The administration is in the process of hiring a professional who will coordinate services for sexual assault victims and education services to change campus culture. When filled, this position will be a tremendous step forward.

Drake also now provides concise guidelines for what students can do if they have been sexually assaulted, and these guidelines are available all over campus.

Still, I think the most important step forward for the campus is the cultural acknowledgement that sexual assault matters. When I started at Drake nearly four year ago, only a select group talked about sexual assault. Today, these conversations are everywhere. Slowly, the culture of silence is beginning to change.

Henry is a senior law, politics and society and history major and can be contacted at jennifer.henry@drake.edu

WHO TO CALL Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline: 1.800.284.7821 Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault: 515.244.7424 Drake Counseling & Health Services: 515.271.3864

DRAKE ADDRESSING LACK OF COUNSELORS Drake invites applications for the full-time position of Coordinator for Sexual Violence Response & Healthy Relationship Promotion. The successful candidate will assist the Dean of Students in responding to incidents of sexual assault and serve as an advocate and resource for students who have experienced sexual assault and make appropriate referrals to campus and community agencies; collaborate with Campus Security and the Dean of Students Office to develop and improve processes for investigation and handling of reports of relationship violence and sexual assault. Collaborate with university officials to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to prevent and address sexual assault and relationship violence for the entire campus community. Develop educational programming and learning opportunities which promote healthy relationships and understanding of the complexities of gender roles. Develop educational programming and learning opportunities which promote student personal health and well-being; topics should include but are not limited to, eating disorders, body image, predatory drugs, sexual health, stress and anxiety, emotional health, healthy relationships, and personal safety. Coordinate campus communications by working with Marketing and Communications regarding sexual assault response and prevention including the development of website, electronic and printed materials. Facilitate the reinstatement of a 24-hour hotline and coordinate its operation. Serve on administrative on-call rotation.

Rock it out: summer 2011’s hottest music

PAIGE ZIDEK This summer’s going to be scorching — and not just because of the temperature. It’s a well-known fact in the music biz that summer is home to the hottest singles in pop music. Just last year Katy Perry sang about “sun-kissed California Gurls” while the Black Eyed Peas made us wish every night was a “good good night.” Taio Cruz told us to “put our hands up in the air,” and Ke$ha made getting crazy cool. Expect this summer to be just as big (maybe even bigger). Like phoenixes from the ashes, some familiar faces have been re-emerging on the scene, and they’re taking no prisoners. Here’s who’s set to take 2011.

THE BATTLE FOR RAP ROYALTY July 2010 marked the fourth month of rapper Lil’ Wayne’s stint in jail and his fourth month away from the throne at the top of the pop music charts. Though his absence from the airwaves disappointed millions of Weezy fans, the old saying held true: “While the cat’s away, the mice will play.” And play they did.

Summer 2010 saw a variety of old and new MCs vying for Weezy’s title as reigning rapper. Ontario newbie Drake crooned about “finding your love” while Eminem blazed up the charts with his Grammy-nominated album “Recovery.”

But this summer, the tables will turn as the battle for rap royalty becomes an all-out war.

Eminem’s “Recovery” marked his successful return to the

game after a two-year hiatus and a flopped release (“Relapse”).

Its militant first single, “Not Afraid” became the go-to anthem for anyone looking to make a comeback in 2010. And we couldn’t escape the wailing chorus of “Love the Way you Lie,” which was played everywhere, from shopping malls to your mother’s car. By summer 2011, the real Slim Shady will be showing no signs of slowing down. Em is set to perform at the Nashville Bonnaroo Music and Arts festival in June and is also a rumored headliner for Chicago’s Lollapalooza. With these two huge gigs under his belt (and possibly more tour dates to come), expect to be hearing a lot more about Slim in 2011.

Rap music’s favorite loud mouth, Kanye West, was silenced for a while after the backlash surrounding the now infamous Taylor-Swift-interruption at the ’09 VMAs. But in 2010, he came back with a vengeance, releasing “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” a critically acclaimed hodgepodge of jams that were indeed beautiful, dark, and twisted. If that wasn’t enough, the MC plans to release a collaborative album with another of rap’s finest, Jay-Z. And there’s still more. West has tweeted that he plans to release his newest solo album in the summer; and if he has anything to say about it, it will probably be the “best album of all time. All time.”

Let’s not forget about Lil’ Wayne. After being released from Rikers prison in 2010 with a fresh crop of beats, the New Orleans MC remained fairly quiet, appearing only on a duet with Birdman and releasing the explosive “6 Foot 7 Foot.” But expect all that to change, as Weezy plans to release “Tha Carter IV,” the highly anticipated follow-up to 2008’s “Tha Carter III,” on May 16th. While the album title lacks in creativity, don’t expect that to carry over to the rhymes. Expect more of Weezy’s usual wordplay and aggressive beats.

Though Lil’ Wayne is a regular rap Midas, turning every sin-

gle he touches to gold, I’m pulling for Kan yeezy to win this rap battle. With two highly anticipated albums in the works for summer (and of course, his controversial statements), it’s a safe bet he’ll be in the tabloids for a while.

GAGA, OOH-LA-LA It’s no secret that Lady Gaga was one of the biggest pop stars of 2010. After releasing her Billboard-smash debut, “The Fame,” Gaga added two more number one singles to her repertoire with the follow up to “The Fame, The Fame Monster.” Add two multimillion dollar legs of her extravagant Monster Ball Tour, heightened comparisons to Madonna, all those crazy outfits (meat dress, anyone?) and you’ve got a pop phenomenon who keeps all eyes on her. 2011 should be no different — at the beginning of this year, Gaga announced plans to release her next album, “Born this Way,” on May 23. Expect this album to cause as much controversy as its first single of the same name. According to Rolling Stone, several of the tracks sound very different from what Gaga has previously released. “Edge of Glory” is a “massive power ballad with heavy club beats” that even features a saxophone solo; “You and I” is a piano crooner sounding similar to Billy Joel; there’s even a song that proudly declares (in true Gaga fashion) “I am my hair!” Whether you love or hate Gaga, expect her to rule the charts this summer.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for these artists this summer — and for new faces to emerge on the scene. As we emerge from the dead of “sprinter,” the weather (and the music) can only get hotter. Happy listening!

Zidek is a first-year public relations and psychology major and can be contacted at paige.zidek@drake.edu

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

OPINIONS

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE B4

VOICESofReligion

PAGE B5 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

OPINIONS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Drake students come from diverse religious backgrounds. For some, college might mean freedom from parent’s religious obligations. But for these students, Drake has been a major part of their spiritual experience.

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

Bahá’í

Atheism

One Human Family AFSANEH ZAERI I feel pretty lucky. I was raised to know that all people are part of one human family, regardless of their race, background, gender, social class, or religion.

I answered the question “What is the Bahá’í Faith?” so many times during my first year at Drake that my roommate could give an explanation better than myself. It is hard to be concise about what gives my life a sense of purpose, but I will try my best.

From before recorded history God has sent divine Messengers including Abraham, Buddha, Christ, Mohammad — and many more — to educate humanity relative to the capacity of the people at the time. The concept is called progressive revelation and the belief is that there is essentially one religion that has been revealed overtime by God through various Messengers.

The latest of these Messengers is Bahá’u’lláh who, a little over a century and a half ago, brought new social and spiritual teachings including the harmony of science and religion, equality of men and women and the importance of each person’s independent investigation of truth (that is, stop the blind imitation and follow what you believe). The central belief is that humanity has finally reached a stage of maturity in which the oneness of mankind can be realized.

It is these teachings that, when translated into concrete action, serve as a pattern for the

betterment of the world. Bahá’í s work together with neighbors, friends, co-workers from whatever faith or non-faith to build community based on the recognition of the inherent nobility of every individual. It is fun! And it is in many ways a bit challenging. Our society feeds us countless opportunities to entertain ourselves that do not go beyond the surface. Needless to say, it is all too easy to live passively and ignore the development of our soul.

I am grateful to be able to fill the space between classes at Drake playing a small part in developing a new culture by working to empower youth and also for the chance to have meaningful conversations with all people (like the friendly man with the long beard who is often in Cowles library). Ultimately I believe that religion should serve as a platform for tearing down the illusion of otherness — if it creates divisiveness it is better to do without.

Zaeri is a senior International Relations and magazines major and can be contacted at afsaneh.zaeri@drake.edu

symbol the ninepointed star

of the world’s .12% population is Bahá’í

Judaism

Better Off Left Alone AMANDA BELLIS In reality, I’m probably better described as an agnostic. I have no absolute knowledge or beliefs regarding a higher power, but I would like to believe that there is something out there. I like to think everything isn’t random, and there is a being to which everything makes sense.

As far as most people know, however, I’m an atheist, and that’s the result of a few experiences at Drake. I know of plenty of people who define themselves by their religions, but there are just as many people who define themselves in other ways. I am one of them.

Although the topic doesn’t come up often, I become uncomfortable whenever the question of religion is asked because I never know how people will react to me. I never like the conversation that happens after I explain my true beliefs to someone.

A lot of the reasons why I call myself an atheist stems from these conversations. I have explained to people that I would like to believe in a god of some sort, but I have too many qualms with organized religions and too many doubts based on the state of the world to have any beliefs set in stone.

The people I’m talking to always follow this explanation with a persuasive speech. They tell me how different their particular church or religion is, how accepting of everyone it is and how I should come with them to a meeting or bible

study sometime to see what it’s like. Though it’s never said, it’s always implied that I should discover how great that church is and convert right then.

This places me in an awkward position, because I don’t want to join them, and I’m always quite certain that their church is the same as any other. I never really know how to tell someone that I’m just not interested, without hurting their feelings, or losing whatever friendship we had in a non-religious setting.

After a while, I stopped trying to explain my complicated view to people. I have found it’s easier to tell everyone I’m an atheist. I’ve noticed that people are far less likely to try to convert someone who strictly doesn’t believe in a higher power than they are to convert someone whose beliefs seem to be up in the air.

Bellis is a junior English major and can be contacted at amanda.bellis@drake.edu

symbol the atomic symbol

of the world’s 2.3% population is Atheist

Islam

Finding a Community CAITLIN FEUER Being Jewish at Drake means being part of a community. Since my senior year in high school, the Jewish community at Drake has welcomed me. As an admitted student visiting for a weekend, I met Aliza Rosenthal, who was also Jewish. We connected instantly and corresponded throughout the summer. She answered all my questions about what it was like to be a first-year student at Drake, as a Jew and otherwise.

Having this Jewish connection before I even showed up on campus for Welcome Weekend helped immensely. I planned to get involved with Hillel, Drake’s Jewish organization. Aliza had made it clear; I had no choice but to join Hillel and to become a first-year representative.

It launched me into a prolific involvement with campus activities and introduced me to the loving and supportive community Drake Hillel has to offer. The then-president and vice president of Hillel became my closest upperclassman friends, my role models as students, leaders and Jews.

Sometimes, it is hard to be a Jew at Drake.

During Passover, the holiday that celebrates Moses leading the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, Jews cannot eat anything that has wheat, yeast, flour, corn or beans in it for a week. For any Jew, let alone one that has a meal plan, this holiday can be tough to get through.

During my first year at Drake, my predecessors had finally worked it out with Sodexo to or-

der kosher frozen dinners for Passover. Drake’s Jewish community was really excited to have more options for meals during Passover besides crossing our fingers for baked potatoes in Hubbell and fresh lettuce at the salad bar. On the first afternoon after Passover began (all Jewish holidays start at sundown), I was handed a frozen dinner in exchange for one meal. When I looked at the box, I realized it contained chicken enchiladas with beans. Tortillas contain corn and wheat, of course, and beans are not allowed during Passover. Sodexo had ordered us kosher meals, but not kosher for Passover.

With the entire shipment being no good, the students who had kitchens invited the first-years and sophomores over for meals and those with cars took the car-less to the Hy-Vee that has a Passover section. The Jewish community really comes together during the springtime each year for this celebration.

Those in apartments or houses annually invite regular attendees of Hillel events to come over and make kosher food for Passover meals together. As Jews on a campus with a relatively small Jewish population, we have to stick together.

The Jewish Community of Greater Des Moines also opens its homes to Drake students.

Several Jewish families, particularly local Drake alumni, have a history of inviting Drake students to their houses for Friday night dinners.

The rabbis at the reform temple and conservative synagogue do events with Hillel, invite us to services and make a point to say hello and welcome us whenever we attend events within the Des Moines Jewish Community. The places of worship allow students free admittance to events that they normally charge for.

I also work as a religious schoolteacher for

Tolerance the Jewish Federation Community School on Wednesdays and Sundays. In addition, two firstyear students tutor people in Hebrew and assist teachers. A sophomore also serves as a regular substitute teacher.

There seems to be a theme to being Jewish at Drake — other Jews care. There is a common understanding and friendliness that comes with Hillel. We have a history of naturally mentoring other younger Jewish Drake students. During the process of self-reflection necessary to write this article, I realized I have begun to pay it forward within the Drake Hillel community. I have become particularly close to a first-year Jew and would like to consider myself a mentor to her.

While it can be hard to be a minority at a school as small as Drake, it can also be comforting. Celebrating Passover instead of Easter or Hanukkah instead of Christmas brings us together to love, to learn, to live and to pray as a happy little Jewish community.

Feuer is a junior rhetoric and writing major and can be contacted at caitlin.feuer@drake.edu

symbol the star of david

of the world’s .23% population is Jewish

Deism

Raising Awareness

Christianity

United for Christ JACKIE WALLENTIN More than 100 students gather at Campus Fellowship’s Alive on Thursday nights to spend time in fellowship and praise. I’m included in that number. Those students are my friends.

They’re some of the best people I’ve ever met.

They’re fellow Christians. I know we’re living for the same purpose: to glorify and live for God. I was raised in the church, but my faith didn’t become tangible and meaningful until I came to Drake. Some people from C.F. invited me to church and Bible study the first week of school.

I went and have been going ever since. I’d never been around people like them before, people who talked about God in normal conversation, read their Bibles in public and looked forward to waking up early on Sunday morning.

In October of last year, I got it. I bought a Bible and actually read it, delving deeper and slowly exploring. I asked questions and prayed genuinely for the first time. I saw how my life and God’s word didn’t match up. I saw how the lies I believed about religion were shattered once I read and experienced for myself. I saw how loving, merciful and beautiful a relationship with Jesus Christ was. I made the most vital

decision: I gave my life to Christ last October. I didn’t understand everything, but I knew God was the greatest relationship in my life.

To some, the act of surrendering one’s life to God may seem like a weak move, or an oppressive way to live. The key to Christianity isn’t based on rules or rigid formality, but on the person of Jesus: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6). We need Jesus because none of us are perfect; we all fall short of God’s perfection, holiness and righteousness. Our sin separates us from God. God loves each person the same and desires for all to be saved. God sent his son to die on the cross for the sins of humanity, past and future.

Jesus, as our substitute, willingly suffered the punishment we deserved. God wanted to be reunited with his people so badly he sacrificed his own son for the hearts of mankind. Jesus died and rose again to allow all people the chance to know him. But, God won’t force anyone to love him. I needed to realize that I was a sinner, ask God for forgiveness and allow him to enter my heart. Since then, I’ve been forever changed.

Many people see college as a time to have no boundaries and to experiment. In C.F. our desire is to honor God with our lives: actions, speech, work, relationships and time. We see the Bible as the perfect guide, and we want to follow it. Being a Christian in today’s world isn’t easy, but God gives us the strength to live for him in a world where not everyone is. Talking openly

about our faith in classes, with professors, or even in the dining hall can be intimidating. We know that many people have different beliefs, and that our lifestyle may seem weird. When people ask me what I’m involved in at Drake, C.F. is the first thing I say. I’ve gotten a lot of questions from people about what C.F. is about, and I love when I do. I want to explain why I love the fellowship and answer any questions

I didn’t understand everything, but I knew God was the greatest relationship in my life. because I think it’s easy to write something off without giving it a try. I’ve for sure done it. But, I hope that the Drake community would see C.F. as a loving group of students. I hope anyone would feel welcome to ask about the fellowship or hangout with us sometime. Our desire is to love people as God has loved us. We want to serve and welcome others. Our actions aren’t motivated by greed or a need for recognition; our lives are an outpouring of God within us.

I’ve been loved deeply by my brothers and sisters in C.F. They’ve formed relationships with my family and friends from home. They’ve prayed for me, given me a place to stay, and driven me home. They’ve opened up their hous-

es to 40 people for a game night on a weekend or heated up the grill for an impromptu barbeque. I know that I could call any of them and they would gladly help me out or talk with me about something. C.F. is a real family of people who deeply care about one another. When I’m having a rough time, they’re right alongside me by being encouraging and comforting. We have a connection, not because we’re all in college or around the same age or like the same things, but because we each know God personally. He brought us all together. He formed the friendships. He is the one we praise and love and adore.

Wallentin is a sophomore news/Internet and English major and can be contacted at jaclyn.wallentin@drake.edu

symbol the cross of the world’s 33% population is Christian

QUOTES OF INSPIRATION The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens. — Bahá’u’lláh The ink of the scholar is more holy than the blood of the martyr. — Muhammad Say little and do much, and receive all men with a cheerful face. — The Torah Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. — Jesus Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind. — Einstein The legitimate powers of government extend to only such acts as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say that there are twenty gods, or no God. — Thomas Jefferson

KEVIN PROTZMANN Whenever I tell people that I am a Deist, most give me a confused look. This is understandable. Deism has never tried to imitate organized religion. It has no sacred texts, worship centers or institutionalized rituals. Public awareness of this doctrine is quite low, limiting the number of people who profess Deism.

I employ the word “god” quite often, but I am not referring to the Judeo-Christian God. Many belief systems use “Supreme Being,” “Higher Power,” “Grand Architect of the Universe,” “Prime Mover” or simply “the Creator” to avoid confusion with other religions. This is one of our fundamental beliefs. The God we believe in is not at all similar to the God of the Abrahamic religions.

Unlike the theistic religions of Christianity, Islam or Judaism, Deists believe the existence of God is known through reason. Observations of the natural world, inductive and deductive reasoning, and philosophical argumentation are the primary methods with which the Deist concludes that God must necessarily exist.

I accept the metaphysical necessity of God’s existence through the philosophical arguments

proposed by René Descartes and Thomas Paine. Other Deists, such as scientists, may believe that God exists by concluding that the complexity and perfection of the universe are best explained by a supreme architect of some kind. In the end, we all conclude that there was something behind the existence of the universe rather than nothing, divorcing us from Atheism.

We reject the notion of divine intervention

by God on the grounds that such actions would defy both reason and natural law. We do not believe in a God that watches our lives or takes part in the universe, merely a power that put the universe in motion, akin to a flicking of the first domino of a series.

In keeping with our shared belief of skepticism and individual reason, there are various divisions within Deism. For instance, some believe that God created the universe with the natural laws designed so mankind would have the capacity to understand God’s creation.

Others believe mankind is merely the byproduct of natural laws rather than the intent of them. Some believe one’s mind lives on past physical death, whereas others reject immortality. Some believe acting morally is in line with some higher virtue the natural law commands, while others reject divinely inspired morals.

In the end, it is up to the individual to decide with his or her own reason. We are not without a form of spirituality; however, we can partake in spiritual joy by studying the movements of the cosmos or the complexities of the biological world without losing our ability to reason.

Though there are few who openly profess Deism, I have no trouble believing it while living in a faith-based majority population. I have never felt discriminated against or prejudged by anyone, though this is probably because most people do not realize that Deism exists.

People should be aware of the religion. It is a set of beliefs that define the worldview of select individuals, such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, who all professed Deism.

Many people’s beliefs parallel those of a Deist, they simply aren’t aware there is a name for it. Anyone is more than free to investigate further into this philosophy and join us in our beliefs.

Protzmann is a first-year philosophy major and can be contacted at kevin.protzmann@drake.edu

symbol the mobius strip

of the world’s 12% population is Deist

the Drake University

InterFaithDialogue

The Drake InterFaith Dialogue (DID) provides an open forum for respectful, civil and diverse religious discussion.

DID’s intention is to decrease religious fear, ignorance, and contention by increasing the knowledge and awareness of the religious groups represented at Drake University and the surrounding World Culture with the goal of building religious harmony and religious collaboration toward the betterment of people.

To join in the dialogue, contact the 2009-2010 co-presidents, Afsaneh Zaeri or Luke Holman.

INTISAR NASIR Islam is obviously not among the unheard religions of the world; in fact, it is the second largest. The followers of Islam, Muslims, believe in the oneness of God. That God is incomparable; He created the world within which human beings live. His prophet Muhammad brought this religion into the world through the Quran, the religious text of Islam.

Muslims also believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed at many times and places before, including through the prophets Abraham, Moses and Jesus. While there are many sects within Islam with varying beliefs over various aspects, this is the fundamental belief of all Muslims.

Being a Muslim and growing up in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, my exposure to how people from different faiths would react to me being a Muslim was fairly minimal. Almost every person I ever encountered in my life was a Muslim. The ideology of many was basically that one had to be a Muslim. Coming to the United States, a country with diverse religious beliefs, was an exciting prospect.

However, I had my fair share of fears coming to the United States as a Muslim. This was largely due to the recent animosity between America and the Muslim world. I feared I would face discrimination from American people if I mentioned that I was a Muslim, and that it would be an issue I would have to deal with quite often. I feared socializing with people would be a problem as well. I was afraid that Americans wouldn’t welcome a Muslim into their lives, and that I wouldn’t make many American friends.

From what I have experienced living at Drake, I can conclude that religion is not an issue for most people. I have come across Christians, Jews, Hindus, Atheists, Deists and fellow Muslims. So far, I haven’t been bothered by their beliefs, and mine haven’t bothered them.

In the beginning, when I had conversations with people from my floor about my beliefs, it was nerve-wracking. But once I decided to open up and be straightforward, I found out there was nothing to worry about. In fact, conversations became longer than ever. On one occasion, I spent over an hour with my resident assistant in the dining hall discussing our beliefs.

Nobody has been offensive, and everyone has respected each other’s views. Even if one’s belief contradicts the others, no one becomes upset. At least this is what I feel. The atmosphere is more than accepting — frankly, no one cares what you believe!

The religious tolerance I have experienced after coming to Drake has been very appealing.

As a doctrine, I would hope it would spread to the rest of the world.

Freedom of religion is a right of every human being. Differentiating amongst each other on the basis of belief is unnecessary and unacceptable. I hope I can pass on this enlightening experience to the people elsewhere where religious tolerance is limited.

Nasir is a first-year actuarial science major and can be contacted at initsar.nasir@drake.edu

symbol the star and crescent

of the world’s 21% population is Muslim

OPINIONS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE B6

the

OBAMA’S DECLINING

OBAMA

APPROVAL RATE

DEBATE

2009

61%

2010

50%

2011

46% source: usatoday.com

photo from Frontline

Leaving unfinished business JOSH STRIEF As Des Moines commuters know, cruising on Interstate 235 at 5 p.m. on a weekday is near impossible as scores of frustrated drivers attempt to return home at the lightning speed of 30-40 mph. One Tuesday afternoon, I absentmindedly joined these commuters for what could have been the longest, most agitating Walmart run of my life.

Fortunately, in the last fleeting moments of my sanity I turned on the radio. Low and behold, Bachman-Turner Overdrive came to the rescue with their hit single, “Takin’ Care of Business.”

Though I immediately engaged in the most epic of jam sessions, the song’s title resonated with my subconscious so strongly that later in the evening I found myself pondering it in general context. Suddenly, a story about President Barack Obama appeared on the 10 o’clock news. I couldn’t help but wonder, since coming to office, has President Obama been “takin’ care of business”?

You get up every morning from your alarm clock’s warning, only to find out delivering campaign promises is anything but easy. Some readers may claim this as a reason for avoiding comparisons between Obama’s pledges and his actions thus far, and it is true he has only been in office for about 60 percent of his term.

However, several key areas of differentiation between campaign pledges and actions should be highlighted. Perhaps one of the most glaring examples of lacking follow-through comes from Obama’s initiative to close the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. Despite campaign trail promises, an official announcement during his first week in office and multiple inquiries since the announcement, the facility remains operational.

Another issue worth mentioning is the Afghanistan military surge conducted under President Obama’s orders. During his presidential campaign, Obama attacked former-President George W. Bush’s Iraq surge multiple times, but once in office, he has relied upon Bush’s playbook for his Afghan military strategy.

Scott Stanzel, former deputy press secretary for President Bush, may have summarized Obama’s situation best: “Once in office, President Obama has clearly found that the commitments he made on the campaign trail aren’t as easily implemented as he thought… Despite his instincts to institute liberal policies, there are many more examples of President Obama find-

ing that his campaign rhetoric didn’t match an achievable reality.”

The reality is that the position of the U.S. president is one of the most intensive and hardto-anticipate jobs in the world. Despite discrepancies, we cannot solely base our evaluation of Obama’s performance on his campaign promises, especially since every presidential candidate has encountered similar follow-through problems once in office. Let us move to a second tier of analysis: major policy initiatives and foreign policy.

President Obama has failed to adequately address several key issues facing our nation, despite promises at the beginning of his presidency to address these issues. Education reform and illegal immigration are some of the most glaring issues.

On the other hand, Obama has also had policy success stories. The most obvious example is the Health Care Reform Act, in which almost every citizen can find some positive benefit (though there are imperfections). At the same time, other major policy efforts by Obama again follow those of his predecessor, with the stimulus aid package and Bush Tax Cuts continuation as examples.

In the realm of foreign policy, the Obama administration has a mixed record of success.

The Free-Trade Agreement with South Korea, ratification of the new START Treaty with Russia and the formation of an Iraqi government all constitute major successes in foreign policy.

On the other hand, Obama has had his share of blunders, such as the failure to manage Israeli-Pakistani peace and the cryptic, constantly changing position of the White House in regards to Egypt’s recent revolution.

Taking care of business every day. Taking care of business every way, is what Obama better focus on in the remaining year and a half.

President Obama’s policy stances and actions may qualify him as a centrist Democrat, as he’s granted some consensus to the right. However, this does not mean the administration has been effective, regardless of how centrist it appears.

President Obama clearly has a large amount of room for improvement in policy formation and execution. At the end of the day, though, President Obama has only finished 60 percent of his term. The time necessary for him to do more as president still remains.

For our nation’s sake, I hope that he’ll use that 40 percent of time left in office wisely.

Then, maybe the next time I’m stuck in my car on Interstate 235 with Bachman-Turner Overdrive on the airwaves, I’ll know he’s “taking care of business and working overtime.”

Strief is a senior political science major and can be contacted at joshua.strief@drake.edu

On track for continued success CASEY ERIXON 2012 is approaching, and before our world comes to a screeching halt in the assuredly bloody and violent chaos that will erupt Dec. 21, our country is scheduled to conduct a comparatively organized presidential election. I can’t wait.

While the Republicans will likely spend the next two years playing chicken with deficits in Congress and arguing over who believes in science less on the campaign trail, President Barack Obama has all the time in the world to convince people that he is a far more qualified leader than Michele Bachmann or Haley Barbour. I think I like his chances.

Obama took office in January 2009, a little

Above all, President Barack Obama needs to stand up and, once again, declare, ‘Yes, we can.’ over four months after the greatest economic collapse America had seen in almost a century.

Things were getting bad and fast, and there was little hope left. His efforts to pass The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act early in 2009 represented one of the largest investments in education, infrastructure, energy and scientific research this country had seen in a long time and it helped us get our economy moving again, and moving in the right direction.

The Recovery Act was an impressive accomplishment in its own right, but he wasn’t done yet. Obama also passed sweeping health care reform, repealed the discriminatory “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and signed an arms control treaty with Russia. He also passed new regulations, consumer protections and reform for the financial industries that caused the economic crisis in the first place.

What did Republicans do during this time?

They disregarded their elected responsibilities by acting as if government was a zero-sum game in which Obama’s loss was their win.

Unfortunately for them, things don’t work like that. Their destructive and obstructive actions weakened our options in responding to the economic crisis. Their poisonous rhetoric has created an increasingly hostile political environment. These “culture warriors” and “tea party

patriots” fail to see even the possibility that government can be used as a vehicle for good and seek only to tear it down and keep America from accomplishing anything.

If there is anything we can take away from the democratic losses in 2010, it should be that just because the opposition lacks a coherent, sensible vision, that doesn’t mean they will be easy to beat. Despite the tea party’s shortcomings, it is an undeniably powerful political force.

The tea party will make several states Obama won in 2008 much more difficult in 2012. States such as Indiana, Virginia and North Carolina are going to be very competitive in two years.

Also, states the Democrats might have considered safe two years ago are now back in play. For Obama to get re-elected, he is going to need to shore up his support among middle-class moderates and independents in states like Ohio, Wisconsin and Colorado.

Fortunately, this is not an impossible proposition. The recent activity in Wisconsin has shown how fragile the tea party truly is. It was pretty easy for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to campaign on cutting spending and balancing budgets, but when people saw exactly how he planned on doing it, they revolted.

This is Obama’s moment. He needs to take a stand against these irresponsible budgetary policies that cut spending in important areas like education and infrastructure to pay for corporate tax cuts. Publicly supporting the public employees will restore any credibility with the base he may have lost with his lame-duck session tax deal. Not only is it a politically astute move, it is the right thing to do.

In his State of the Union address, Obama made a strong argument for American innovation and “winning the future.” Is there a better way to illustrate these ideals than standing up for the rights of public school teachers?

Right now in states across the country, education is under attack. Walker and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are picking fights with teachers while right here in Iowa, Gov. Terry Branstad is eliminating universal pre-school access and proposing zero percent allowable growth for school budgets. While all of these Republicans are trying to say “No” to any policy that isn’t exclusively helpful to corporations, Obama should try to be the one politician to stand up and say “Yes.” Yes, we do want to teach our children well.

Yes, we do want high-speed railways, highspeed Internet and a national smart grid. Yes, this is America and we do big things. Above all, President Barack Obama needs to stand up and, once again, declare, “Yes, we can.”

Erixon is a sophomore political science and rhetoric major and can be contacted at william.erixon@drake.edu

TIMELINE OF EVENTS 1803

1823 John O’Sullivan coins “Manifest Destiny”

Lewis & Clark Expedition

Louisiana Purchase

1893

Monroe Doctrine

1804

1947 U.S. adopts Open Door Policy

Fredrick Jackson publishes his Frontier Thesis

1845

Truman Doctrine

1899

Operation Iraqi Freedom Update TOM LEHN Some may see Operation Iraqi Freedom as being an anomaly, yet the 2003 invasion has a direct link to a 200-year-old American policy. A look back upon U.S. foreign affairs shows the roots of the conflict lie in the tenure of the nation’s fifth president.

It was during the administration of President James Monroe that America began to lay the foundation to become the world’s next great power. In 1823, the president declared to the world that any colonization within the western hemisphere by a foreign nation would be considered an act of aggression against the U.S. Although there was no way for Americans to enforce such a policy, no European power attempted to defy Monroe’s claim.

Left alone, Americans began to pursue expansion in the West at a rapid pace. As the push towards the Pacific coast grew, so did the ideology of manifest destiny: the belief that a group is destined to conquer the frontier to advance the nation’s economic interests. By creating new towns, states and industries, those who settled the West also became pioneers in commerce. Yet, once the explorers reached the Pacific Ocean and the frontier had been exhausted in this country, American leaders then looked for new

trading markets overseas, as the U.S. was dependent on the idea markets and maintain world peace. Although the Soviet Union was in a state of complete disrepair after World War II, Truman of maintaining a frontier to continue its growth.

By the beginning of the 19th century, the United States had laid out a policy initiative that framed the devastated socialists as become a formidable economic power, but had run out of room the largest threat to the American way of life and world peace.

Despite being designed to contain the influence of the Soviet to expand. China was the last major undeveloped market in the world and was constantly bombarded by foreigners trying to es- Union, Truman’s policies continued to play a large part of the tablish new trading markets. In an effort to preserve American United States’ foreign policy. Since its inception, armed conflict economic interests in China, the United States established the in Korea, Lebanon, Vietnam, Iran, Beirut, Panama, Afghanistan and Iraq were all conducted under the banner of fulfilling the Open Door Policy at the turn of the century.

After witnessing the aftermath of the partitioning of the Af- Truman Doctrine and protecting the economic interests of the rican continent in the 1880s, America tried to prevent a second United States. American forces did not spend exorbitant amounts mass colonization in the name of free trade. Because the United of money and blood in countries like Korea and Vietnam solely States had not established a significant sphere of influence within to quell a Communist uprising. Instead, these conflicts were conAsia, the Open Door Policy was a way to keep the hopes of an ducted to protect American investments and to keep the frontier American — Chinese market alive while preventing damaging of the free market economy open.

Although Saddam Hussein was not a communist leader, his European borders from being carved out on a map.

Following the initial success of the Open Door Policy in Chi- attempts to cut off America’s access to oil markets pushed the na, this new policy became the Monroe Doctrine of the future. United States to fight to keep those major investments open.

Because the frontier had died on the U.S. mainland, international Sure, Iraq may have had weapons of mass destruction, and yes, markets evolved to fill the gap in trade that was vital to American Saddam may have been a threat to world peace, but had he not interfered with America’s oil investments, and thus the Monroe prosperity.

Two years after World War II, President Harry Truman fused Doctrine, he would still be in power today. the main points of the Monroe Doctrine and the Open Door Policy to create his own agenda designed to combat a new threat to the American frontier: communism. According to Truman, the U.S. as the lone superpower would police the world to make it Lehn is a junior law, politics and society and history major and can safe for other countries to be self-determinate, preserve global free be contacted at thomas.lehn@drake.edu

OPINIONS

PAGE B7 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC photo by CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | Photo Editor

THE AGE-OLD DEBATE

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

Why 21 isn’t working DREW KAUFMAN In 1984, President Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. The act was passed to help reduce alcohol-related traffic accidents. The bill reduced highway funding for states that did not establish a drinking age of 21, effectively creating a national drinking age.

Whether the establishment of a national drinking age has been successful is highly ques-

tionable. Mothers Against Drunk Driving claims the action was a success, and alcohol fatalities for those aged 18 to 20 have gone down since the implementation of the 21 drinking age.

The problem with the drinking age is largely the same problem with Prohibition in the 1920s and early 1930s — it doesn’t work. If people want something enough, they will find access to it, regardless of legality.

Who can really blame youth for wanting to consume alcohol? Our culture glamorizes and idolizes those who consume alcohol. Nearly every alcohol commercial contains similar messages: You will have fun; you will be sexy and suave; you will probably have lots of sex, because everyone on the planet will want to have sex with you. With alcohol you can do anything — or so the commercials would have you believe.

The messages relating to alcohol don’t stop when the commercials end. MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” one of many examples of alcohol consumption idolatry, is about the lives of a bunch of drunks partying in New Jersey. One of the most popular cast members of the show is Ni-

cole “Snooki” Polizzi.

Snooki gets paid $30,000 per episode to get drunk and to act stupid. Snooki also can earn as much as $10,000 to make appearances. Instead of showing kids they can be successful by working hard, our culture instead promotes the idea that if you drink and act stupid enough, you can get a TV show.

This is the message our society sends young people today, and the drinking age doesn’t provide reasonable guidance to young people against it. However, if we lower the drinking age and combat how we deal with alcohol in society, we can help foster healthy interaction with alcohol.

We can more closely match the age of consent in this country by returning the drinking age to 18 or even 16. Young people are told they are adults when they are 18, but are not quite adult enough for alcohol. This sends a mixed message to young people.

Also, by reducing the drinking age, we can return power to parents to teach responsible drinking habits. With the drinking age at 21,

safe alcohol consumption is too far from adolescence; parents are largely left out of educating their children about safe consumption. The drinking age means high school students are left to drink in secret, and college students have problems with binge drinking. Lowering the drinking age allows parents to take more control over a young adult’s first forays into alcohol consumption by bringing high school-aged consumption out of the shadows.

We also need to work on how alcohol is viewed in our society. Instead of being honest about alcohol consumption, our culture labors under a delusion that alcohol will solve all problems and make life wonderful, and we combine this with forbidden mystique that a 21-year-old drinking age adds.

We need to be honest that alcohol consumption can be enjoyable, but also remember that it should be done safely, in moderation.

the back of a Starbucks card. I feel that with the enforcement strategy the way it is around local bars, either would suffice.

Because of my opinions, I feel isolated, as I assume others on campus do. Friends argue, “Just go, we won’t get caught. If you aren’t even drinking, no one would care anyway.”

Do students drink because it’s the only way they can have fun? Don’t tell them that — you’ll get an extremely defensive counter-argument.

So if there are other ways to have fun, why run the risk of partaking in an illegal activity? Let’s look at the repercussions: Possessing someone else’s ID is not illegal.

Apparent intent to use another’s ID is a small fine, no jail time and a 30-day suspension of the license.

Misuse of a driver’s license (belonging to another) carries similar fines, but the suspension is increased to six months.

Possession of a fake ID (using it or not) has a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,875, though the actual penalty would likely be closer to $315, plus court costs, resulting in a total of roughly $500.

You could do a lot of things with $500.

Logic dictates that this is an uncalculated risk, however small the odds of getting busted.

Why are these students compelled to go out then?

Is it because of the excitement of the risk?

Yes, let’s reinforce that stereotype. I like to think we aren’t all drunken hooligans shouting from the sidewalks.

When someone says they drink to protest the law, I chuckle a bit. By protesting through drinking, you mock the democratic process. Intelligent, educated people who were elected to their positions put this law in place.

Partaking in an illegal activity is not a way to change the law. The participants of the Boston Tea Party would have loved to consume the tea instead of throwing it in the river, but that wouldn’t have proven anything. Granted, they were willing to go to war over it.

Students should write their state representatives and senators to lobby for change. Students should peacefully protest. No one can convince me that by getting his drink on, he is protesting the 21-year-old age law. Those arguments just

fuel the fire in favor of the law.

Do I think this drinking law is unreasonable? Maybe. Do I believe in upholding the law?

Yes. It’s something I encourage Drake students to consider and take real action about. Lobby to get the law changed. Move to enforce an 18-year-old rule in the campus bars with X’s on the hands so we can still hang out late at night.

Push to open more student-friendly late-night hangout spots, whether it’s jazz clubs or pool lounges. But don’t risk a ticket, don’t make everybody look bad, and don’t trick yourself into thinking you’re being an engaged citizen by going out to the bars on a Friday night.

Maybe I wouldn’t get caught, but I still have respect for the law. Regardless of whether or not the bouncer or cop busting the bar cares that I’m in there, drinking or not, I still feel a need to adhere to the fact that it is a 21-or-older establishment, which means I can’t yet dance with my girlfriend.

Smashing Stereotypes ETHAN CLEVENGER

The first time I went to the bars, my goal wasn’t to drink. I wanted to dance with my girlfriend, because that’s what she wanted to do.

Walking to a nearby bar, there were people shouting from the sidewalks and their cars — behavior reminiscent of a midnight “Harry Potter” film release or a crowd gathering for a big concert. But no, these people were shouting because they were in the process of getting their drink on. I left.

I have always been one who upheld the law.

However, not all Drake students share those standards. Neither do the owners of the campus bars, as there is a horde of students who every week enter the bars despite being underage.

They get in using fake IDs ranging from professionally made to being drawn with a crayon on

Weed it out STEVEN SCHAAF

REEFERMADNESS

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | Photo Editor

Reaping the benefits of marijuana HILARY HAMILTON The possibility of legalizing marijuana has been of interest to the public for quite a few years now. This is because the public is starting to realize the many benefits it really has. I, in no way, advocate using illegal substances, but I do believe that there are many overlooked benefits of marijuana.

First, let’s get some facts straight. Marijuana is not physically addictive like cigarettes are. It lacks the chemicals that make it physically addictive. Some people could claim that it is emotionally addictive, but so are things like soda, the Internet, shopping and eating. It’s not the fault of the substance; it’s the fault of the user. Another common misconception is that marijuana causes damage to the lungs. Again, this is not true. The American Thoracic Society studied the drug and concluded that even heavy users of smoked marijuana did not have any evidence of increased risk to lung cancer or problems.

Legalizing marijuana would also stimulate

the economy. Because this substance is illegal in the United States, millions of people go to other countries to get it. This means that money normally flowing through the U.S. is going to drug cartels in different countries. If marijuana were to be legalized it would be grown, processed and produced in the United States. This would give a boost to the economy and also make marijuana safer and more regulated because there would be concrete standards as to how it must be produced. Additionally, the United States government would be able to decrease its spending. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy the federal government spent $25 billion on the War on Drugs in 2010. Since many of these drug cartels would be put out of business due to legalization in the United States, the government would have to spend considerably less on this part of its budget.

Another well-known advantage of marijuana is its wide use for medical reasons. I know you skeptics out there are thinking that this is the worst excuse in the book. How could a drug possibly do anything good for you? Well, the U.S. Government Accountability Office provided a list of numerous illnesses and diseases that could be helped with the use of marijuana.

A few of these included arthritis, epilepsy, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease.

Marijuana has been used for centuries by ancient cultures because of its powerful medicinal abilities. It’s about time we get in touch with our ancestors and reap the benefits of marijuana.

Hamilton is a first-year creative advertising major and can be contacted at hilary.hamilton@drake.edu

Not everything that Mother Nature gives us should be smoked: tobacco, cyanide, puffer fish — the list goes on. Some stoners may contend they don’t inhale their bud, but ingest it in the form of a brownie. To these aspiring chefs, I implore you, stop defiling our food. If I wanted my brownies to taste like gym socks, I wouldn’t have bought Betty Crocker’s new double-chocolate fudge mix.

And I hear there is this hip and groovy idea that is currently being puff-puff-passed around universities throughout America — if you watch the movie “Jaws” backwards, it totally looks like a shark is vomiting people all over the beach.

Do you know why such an absurd thought has become so prominent among college students?

They’re all super high. Marijuana is corrupting the minds of our youth and this is only one way that it is slowly, but surely, destroying America.

The revival of the longhairs does not bode well for Drake students. If you want to see just how far marijuana has permeated our academic safe haven, just look to the correlation between college students and the purchase of Ramen noodles — the statistics are terrifying. How high will we allow higher education to get?

We must take action against marijuana to protect our student body. Drake has a signifi-

Kaufman is a first-year politics and history major and can be contacted at drew.kaufman@drake.edu

Clevenger is a first-year broadcast news major and can be contacted at ethan.clevenger@drake.edu

cant Greek community, and it is only a matter of time before some sort of “purple hazing” begins. Fortunately, our intra-fraternal solidarity has warded off this phenomenon for the time being, but the violent spread of hipsters (a.k.a. hippies with good hygiene) will surely put this anti-weed camaraderie to the test.

I’ve tried discoursing with burnouts about why they want to destroy everything we know and love, but they’ve been too busy noticing their hands are oddly disproportionate to their bodies.

Some dope-fiends may contend that everything is just better when you’re high. I will agree that marijuana does increase sensation, but only toward things that are initially appalling.

For example, how many of you like the music of Animal Collective? How many of you want to eat macaroni and cheese with tuna and jalapenos? How many of you are inclined to watch “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, I can only assume that you are high right now.

Weed is breeding a society of hippies, bums and conspiracy theorists. It is time that we do what stoners can never do — something. We must rise up against all joints, blunts, spliffs, hitters, bowls, bongs, vaporizers and GB’s. We must strive to emulate Bill Clinton and not inhale the fumes of complacency. Marijuana is a social cancer that must be eradicated; we must fight against the degradation of society by picking out the seeds and stems of oppression and igniting a grass-roots ganja revolution seeking to weed out the Rastafarian menace.

Schaaf is a sophomore law, politics and society major and can be contacted at steven.schaaf@drake.edu

16.7 17% 630 1in5

18- to 25-year-olds have smoked marijuana

source: whitehousedrugpolicy.gov

million Americans of US population Drake students

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

OPINIONS

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE B8

IS DRAKE REALLY GREEN?

FILE PHOTO

No one can deny that Drake University is making a point to come across as green, but is it really enough? DEAL discusses how Drake can be more sustainable.

PAPER USAGE Paper consumption on campus is out of control. Members of the Drake Environmental Action League take personal offense to the amount of trees dying for our higher education.

The paper usage on campus is one that is mixed.

Positively, Drake took a very critical step in making sure that the paper we use is more sustainable. Backed by Student Senate, Drake students asked the administration to support a paper standard that mandated all of our future paper purchases contain 30 percent post-consumer waste (that is, it’s recycled and recovered paper) and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). With the FSC seal, Drake can be assured that our paper comes from sustainable harvesting practices while also contributing to the welfare and livelihoods of rural communities worldwide. This step showed Drake’s commitment to creating an institution that fosters responsible global citizenship.

Despite these advances, there are several ways that Drake can improve its paper usage, primarily to decrease overall consumption.

While the paper Drake plans to purchase comes from sustainable sources, we are still using a lot of paper. As is often the case, just switching to a product that is “less bad” doesn’t necessarily make it “good.” For Drake to truly show its commitment to forest protection, it should begin taking the necessary steps to become a paperless campus.

In classrooms there are professors that put most of their assigned readings and lectures online, yet there are those that assign lengthy course packets and print off every PowerPoint slide they present. This is wasteful and unnecessary. Drake has access to eReserves and Blackboard for the purpose of saving paper. While

some professors properly use these sites, many do not. Also, why do professors feel the need for paper copies of assignments to be turned in?

Most (if not all) students use computers to type up their essays and create their projects, so why not allow us to email the finished product?

Administration also uses a large amount of paper, although to their credit, many forms are making the transition online. Despite this, once an online form is filled out, it is often printed off. Paper is still used. Putting a form online is used only as a way to easily reach students, not to cut back on paper usage. All of Drake’s forms should not only be online, but they should also stay there. Searching through a well-organized computer data base is much easier than manually scouring folders with paper leaves falling out of them.

Another major source of paper waste comes from students. We cover the sidewalks and buildings with posters that eventually wash off or are blown away, just littering our local environment.

Posters should be eliminated from events and replaced with online advertising (we do live in the era of Facebook and Twitter). This not only cuts down on litter, but also saves precious student fees from being wasted.

Despite Drake’s growing concern with excessive paper usage as an institution, the university is also poised to expand printing. Plans are underway to give every student a certain amount of copies each semester. This plan is not only responsible for an increase in tuition, but will also encourage people to print out tons of paper.

Think of your friends in the pharmacy school and how many times they print off documents rarely thinking about the consequences of it.

The mentality of “Well, I paid for all of these copies so I should use them,” just fuels waste.

This policy was an unwise decision.

While the paper we do use is largely sustain-

sodexo what it did right Everyone on campus seems to hate on the food provider, Sodexo, even though it seems to be making a real effort to increase its sustainability. In the past three years, Sodexo transitioned from Styrofoam to paper cups, and eliminated the use of trays in Hubbell.

Paper decomposes in landfills in about four weeks, whereas Styrofoam virtually stays in the ground forever. The elimination of trays reduces the amount of water and chemicals needed during cleaning, and also reduces food waste by encouraging students to take only what they can carry in their hands.

Sodexo works to reduce food waste by constantly tracking the number of students in dining facilities to see which stations are the most popular. This allows them to make less food during slower times and more food at more popular stations.

able, we do not use it wisely. Instead, we are encouraging paper consumption and allowing faculty, staff and students to use as much paper as they want. This situation is one that requires a serious discussion if Drake is actually committed to becoming a paperless university.

RECYCLING Rooms in the residence halls come stocked with a recycling bin that gets emptied once a week. But what happens when you are strolling around campus and finish your bottle of pop?

Are you going to hold that bottle until you get back to your room or are you going to throw it in the trash, or worse — on the ground?

As DEAL members roamed campus to discover the truth about Drake recycling, we realized there is a lot more our university could be doing to lessen overall trash consumption.

Though Drake has done a lot in the area of recycling, including establishing single-stream recycling, there is still tons of room for improvement. At some areas around campus it is easy to utilize our recycling potential, such as in Cowles Library and the Dial Center, where there are approximately the same amount of recycling and trash bins, 12 and four respectively.

However, at other places around campus it can be seemingly impossible to find recycling bins. Old Main and Medbury Hall have over twice the amount of trash cans than recycling bins, whereas Olin has 50 recycling bins (mostly located in offices) and nearly 100 trash cans.

DEALers could only manage to locate four blue bins in the labyrinth that is the Fine Arts Center, while simultaneously failing to keep track of the amount of trash cans, and Olmsted has 22 trash bins and only five recycling bins.

But even worse is the recycling situation outdoors; Drake has absolutely no recycling bins

As of fall 2009, Sodexo has been providing reusable eco-totes to all incoming first-year students. This is a partnership between Sodexo and Drake University with the goal of increasing student participation in sustainability initiatives and to eventually eliminate the use of plastic bags on campus. Sodexo attempts to get students involved by selling reusable coffee mugs at both coffee shops, coupled with a $0.10 discount with each use.

Other sustainability initiatives of Sodexo include the use of 100 percent recycled napkins, post-consumer recycled paper fiber coffee cups and sleeves, and the purchasing of local and organic products.

The local products include Wells’ Blue Bunny ice cream, which is the largest family-owned ice cream manufacturer in the USA and is located in Le Mars, Iowa. Other local products include a partnership with Loffredo’s Produce Company which partners with local farmers. Sodexo can purchase local produce, such as corn and tomatoes, whenever they are in season or available. Sodexo has developed a partnership with farmers in northeast Iowa to purchase grass-fed, antibiotic-free beef for hamburgers (this meat is avail-

out around campus. Drake has already done most of the work by establishing single-stream recycling, making it easier for students to recycle without having to worry about separating different materials. By increasing the number of recycling bins, both in buildings and around campus, students would have a much greater opportunity to utilize Drake’s already impressive recycling system and really make a difference in the amount of trash we produce.

WATER CONSUMPTION On a planet covered in water, we seem to forget how much of a limited supply of fresh, drinkable water we actually have available to us.

Drake, too, seems to forget this at times.

Water use on campus leaves something to be desired. That’s not to say that there are not some decent elements of the way Drake waters campus. Sprinklers only run between dawn and dusk, which prevents water from evaporating before it has a chance to sink in.

However, probably everyone on campus has seen the sprinklers working during the rain or attempting to make the sidewalk grow. This is a blatant waste of water. It is our understanding that the sprinklers have manual shut-off valves, just for those cases. Nevertheless, the grass (and sometimes the buildings) continues being watered needlessly during storms and rain. Steps need to be taken in a way to use water sustainably.

It is understandable to want campus grass to be green and flowers to be alive, but it is possible that the sprinklers could be run less often and the grass stay equally as green. After all, plants and grass survived fine before running water existed, so there is no reason to believe that they would die if they received a little less water from the sprinklers.

able upon request at the Grill Line in Hubbell).

Sodexo has participated in “Caught Green Handed,” which is a positive-reinforcement program with DEAL to give students a token for participating in environmentally friendly actions that can then be exchanged for a cookie at the Olmsted coffee shop.

Sodexo has also participated in researching, developing and establishing the single-stream recycling program on campus.

Finally, Sodexo is currently researching more sustainable initiatives. These include composting and other reusable options. Composting is difficult to implement due to city regulations and restrictions, which limit what our facilities staff would be capable of doing in an urban setting.

Other reusable options possible for campus include providing to-go cups and food containers to students.

To-go cups, such as Nalgene-type bottles, are challenging because of health code regulations in terms of cleanliness and cross-contamination. Clam Shells are being researched as to-go food containers, but this program would also need the approval of the state health department.

56 pages not enough?

Access even more content online.

Consequences of drinking: Staying in for the night isn’t so bad, and it can save you money and keep you out of trouble.

First-year experience: One student’s story about sharing space, dealing with roommates and stepping out of her comfort zone.

In defense of Hubbell: A student defends the dining halls and points to other issues that students should be focusing on.

Shuddering at Sodexo: Low quality food, unhealthy ingredients and a lack of choices causes one student to speak out.

Too much Greek love? As a student in the Greek system, sometimes it’s hard to step out of the Greek bubble and develop other relationships.

timesdelphic.com

//INSIDE TECHNOLOGY PROMOTES CHEATING & TOM HARVEY’S IMPACT

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

SHIV MORJARIA earned a 4.0 his first semester at Drake, held two jobs and was diagnosed with Stage II non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His fraternity brothers helped carry the load by driving him to and from doctors’ appointments, sitting beside him during chemotherapy treatments and becoming some of his best friends.

Shiv Morjaria moved from Mombasa to Des Moines.

Freshman year brought success and suffering.

by Jackie Wallentin

Assistant Relays Editor jaclyn.wallentin@drake.edu

S

itting alone in the emergency ward at Mercy Medical Center, Drake University first-year student Shiv Morjaria wanted answers.

The nurse led him to the X-ray room for a chest scan. He waited, and still nothing. The doctor couldn’t tell him why his armpit felt enlarged and painful. She couldn’t tell him whether everything would be OK. In the next weeks, more scans followed, as did a biopsy that left a large scar. The doctor found the answer: cancer. The lump in Morjaria’s right shoulder area was Stage II non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“I noticed pain in early September, but I kept ignoring it,” Morjaria said.

Morjaria waited until late October to be checked out at the Drake Student Health Center. He was sent immediately to Mercy the same night.

Surrounded by 15 friends and brothers from the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, Morjaria received the diagnosis. It was two weeks after the

initial checkup he thought would be routine.

“The doctor was pretty angry when she saw all the people, but the news was bad, so she let me have that one,” Morjaria said.

Beginning in November, he returned to Mercy every two weeks for chemotherapy treatments — the worst experience of his life.

Morjaria’s muscle mass quickly diminished, leaving his already lean frame even thinner.

Constantly tired and nauseous, his appetite disappeared, and mouth sores made eating painful.

During the week between treatments, Morjaria followed his doctor’s advice to eat whatever would go down. He ate pizza, hamburgers and other foods to ward off more weight loss.

“Before, I was always sympathetic about cancer. I’d feel sad for like 10 minutes and then think it couldn’t happen to me,” Morjaria said.

“When it does, your eyes open completely.”

LIKE SUPERMAN Welcome Weekend in August was Morjaria’s first American adventure. Born and raised in

SEE SHIV, PAGE 2

CBS focuses new direction on education and outreach

by Ankita Dhussa

Staff Writer ankita.dhussa@drake.edu

“You don’t have to be them to befriend them.”

That’s the slogan of the Coalition of Black Students, an organization established by a group of black students on campus in 1968 as a response to the then-recent assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the decades since, Drake’s CBS has seen plenty of changes.

This year specifically, CBS has made great strides, and its name is well-known throughout Drake.

Junior Matt Martin said he feels this year’s executive council has greatly influenced CBS. “[Senior] Lawrence Crawford at the helm as president really challenged us to not only program for social purposes, but focus on education and outreach,” Martin said.

Crawford, on the other hand, said he feels CBS has maintained a strong position throughout its time on campus.

“I’ve often viewed CBS as the ‘parent organization’ to other multicultural

organizations on campus, largely because of how long it’s been around at Drake. Forty-three years represents a longer history than many of Drake’s tenured professors,” Crawford said.

“

Forty-three years represents a longer history than many of Drake’s tenured professors.

-Lawrence Crawford

”

The amount of financial support CBS receives from Student Senate and SFAC often ranges from $17,000 to $21,000 annually.

Crawford said that money and the amount of programming produced annually have helped contribute to CBS’s growing presence on campus.

SEE CBS, PAGE 2

courtesy of LANON BACCAM

LANON BACCAM enlisted at the age of 17 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2004.

Veteran enlisted young, returns a changed man

by Lillian Schrock

Staff Writer lillian.schrock@drake.edu

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

CBS members were challenged by this year’s executive board to grow more.

Lanon Baccam grew up in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, with his parents and older sisters. His family immigrated to the United States from Laos in 1979. His family members risked their lives to escape the repressive communist movement in Laos at the time, giving Baccam a profound sense of patriotism for his family’s new country.

To ensure that his family’s emigration from Laos was not in vain, Baccam joined the Iowa Army National Guard when he was 17.

“I joined the military because my parents always instilled in me how great this country is. I wanted to protect those freedoms and

opportunities,” Baccam said.

Baccam was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, on May 26, 2004. He was stationed with the 834th Engineering Company, a small group of only 40 men.

His title was “combat engineer,” which included the primary task of discovering unexploded bombs and detonating them in the desert. His duties also included managing local laborers and Afghan nationals, managing construction on the base and constructing buildings and roads within the Afghan community.

Baccam’s most vivid memory from his time in Kandahar included searching for an improvised explosive device in a local school.

SEE VETERAN, PAGE 2

FEATURES

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE C2

War’s work ethics effective in out-of-war performance FROM VETERAN, PAGE 1

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

CBS changed its pace this year with a new slogan: “You don’t have to be us to befriend us.” The organization has seen many changes throughout its 43 years at Drake.

FROM CBS, PAGE 1 This year, CBS unveiled its new slogan: ‘You don’t have to be us to befriend us.’ Members said the motto helped focus programming this year.

“Almost all programming was approached with an attitude of ‘How can we educate the campus?’ That meaning both the education of CBS members and the education of other nonblack or African-American students,” Martin said.

The organization has put on 15 events this year; attendance at each of them has been great.

“I work a lot in the Office of Admissions and when I’m showing a prospective student and their family around campus, I can just feel that the foremost question in that student’s head is, ‘How is the student life at Drake and will I have fun?’” Crawford said. “Throughout most of CBS’s events this year, I think we’ve managed to answer that question in a way that has either challenged, intrigued or entertained those in attendance, and in some sense, left them wanting more.”

As Crawford prepares to graduate, the future of CBS rests in the hands of a new president.

“It’s just my hope that CBS continues to

permeate its presence throughout the Drake community until its mission statement is fulfilled and its vision is realized,” Crawford said. “And if that takes another 43 years to achieve, then so be it. Our work won’t be done at Drake until our environment begins to operate at the best levels possible and appropriate for providing ‘an exceptional learning environment.’”

Crawford said he feels that his educational experience has been enhanced significantly by participating in CBS. “I’ve been able to interact with many different people representing various personalities, ethnicities, socioeconomic environments, as well as demographic and geographic identities.”

For Martin, joining CBS his first year at Drake was a necessity.

“I was completely culture-shocked when I first arrived on campus and had a need to socialize with others who looked like me, talked like me and had similar experiences growing up in mostly black or urban environments,” he said.

Crawford hopes to see more black faculty members at Drake to help provide relatable academic mentors for students and perhaps help other students who feel the way Martin did when he first arrived.

“Our programming has to fill many different areas of the college experience,” said Crawford.

Baccam’s boss sent him on a mission to find and diffuse the explosive. The bomb was ultimately discovered in a small computer monitor inside the school. After discovering the device, Baccam was instructed to dismantle and diffuse it.

“These memories become images implanted on the brain because they’re so intense,” he said.

Because of the environment soldiers are in, Baccam says it made him grow up really quickly.

“There’s no time to worry about the social ins and outs of relationships. There’s Facebook, but there’s no, ‘Whose party were you at last night?’” Baccam said. “You can’t even go to the corner to buy a snickers bar or a can of pop. You’re only focused on the mission.”

Baccam said this caused him to become accountable to the demands of a job. He said the overall experience was a net gain for him.

“War becomes an experience that can’t be replicated outside of the environment itself,” Baccam said.

While Baccam gained crucial life skills from his deployment, his time spent in Afghanistan was strenuous.

“For any deployment into a combat zone, it’s an emotional and physical toll,” he said.

Baccam’s family was scared for his safety, but he was able to speak to his parents almost on a weekly basis. Baccam said the military did a good job of making sure that the soldiers were taken care of. He had a lot of opportunities to use the phone and computer to contact home.

“I think it made us closer and our

relationships stronger.”

Baccam’s sister Lou was scared and nervous when her brother announced he was being deployed.

“He always remained confident about his deployment and that sense of conviction gave me some comfort,” Lou Baccam said.

Lou agrees that her brother’s deployment brought their family closer together.

“

”

He was very selfless and eager to go to fight for his country.

-Lou Baccam

“He was in so many ways a hero,” she said.

“He was very selfless and eager to go to fight for his country. We, the family, vowed to do everything we could to support him.”

In June 2005, Baccam returned to the United States as a changed man, and luckily he was unharmed by war. He moved to Des Moines to work for former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. Baccam went on to assist presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during the caucuses in 2008, after which he enrolled at Drake at the age of 28. Baccam is a politics major with an economics minor and plans to become an economist.

Baccam is currently participating in a study abroad program with American University in Washington D.C., in which he is the senior advisor to Iowa Rep. Bruce Braley. Baccam is consulting Braley on the restructuring of his department.

“I am using my military and political background to increase efficiency,” he said.

CBS Meetings Meetings are open to anyone and are held every other Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Black Cultural Center, 1149 28th Street, Des Moines, IA 50311

courtesy of LANON BACCAM

LANON BACCAM has worked with former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and Hillary Clinton.

Finding support in the bonds of brotherhood FROM SHIV, PAGE 1 Mombasa, an island off the main coast of Kenya, he began college 8,572 miles from home.

By midterm of first semester his schedule was full. When the side effects from chemotherapy weren’t as bad, Morjaria split his time volunteering at the Alumni Office, working at the Herriott Hall front desk and the C-Store, and participating in activities with the South Asian Student Organization, Drake Actuarial Society and Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.

Despite many missed classes, he gained a spot on the President’s List for earning a 4.0 in his 18 credit hours. Quadruple majoring in actuarial science, finance, math and information systems, Morjaria refused to let cancer slow him down.

“He’s like Superman,” said first-year Jared Simmer, who took Morjaria home to Orion, Ill., for Thanksgiving. “I’ve never seen anyone do anything like he does.”

Morjaria attended the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa for high school, an International Baccalaureate World School. He says the transition to college curriculum was easy after

SHIV MORJARIA had his last chemotherapy treatment in February, and ended radiation in early April.

the strenuous work ethic of the academy.

“He was amazing. I noticed no effect from his treatment,” said Daniel Alexander, associate professor of mathematics and Morjaria’s instructor for Calculus II. “He never turned in work late or used his illness as an excuse.”

After missing two night classes for financial accounting, Morjaria approached adjunct professor of Accounting Tammy Mason about dropping the class and retaking it in the spring.

Instead, Mason allowed Morjaria to complete the remaining tests and quizzes online over winter break, trusting him not to cheat.

“Shiv is a very intelligent person and serious about his classes and learning,” Mason said.

“When he told me about his illness, he had already analyzed his class load relative to what he thought his abilities would be during his treatments.”

Morjaria said he expected his professors to understand, but they have gone beyond that.

He’d heard Americans were too busy in their own lives to care about anyone else. Now, he believes the opposite.

REAL BROTHERHOOD Thinking the worst-case scenario would be free food, Morjaria went into recruitment last fall with little desire to join a fraternity.

After walking into the SigEp house, he felt a connection and joined. He hasn’t been alone since.

“There was no single chemo or medical visit where he went with less than two people,” first-year Austin Cooke said. “We made sure he wasn’t alone.”

Whether running to Walgreens to pick up medicine or making soup when his mouth sores were bad, the fraternity brothers wanted to help, added Cooke.

“His demeanor is always up and positive,” first-year Drake Bittner said. “He’ll pull the cancer card, then smirk and laugh about it.”

In December, the brothers organized the event “Cuts for Cancer.” The event was originally titled “Shave for Shiv,” but Morjaria wasn’t comfortable with that and wanted to broaden the scope of awareness. Thirty-five students shaved their heads to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The fraternity’s philanthropy week and annual softball tournament “Queen of Hearts” is dedicated to the memory of Eric Grunzinger, a Drake student and SigEp who died in 2001 from complications with leukemia. Morjaria said the fraternity’s connection with cancer awareness is a wonderful coincidence.

“There’s always been someone there with

courtesy of RYAN PRICE

SIGEP BROTHERS join Shiv around the HOPE sign at Relay for Life, held March 25.

me. I’ve never had a single night where I’ve ever really thought, ‘Oh my god, this could be fatal,’” Morjaria said. “There’s no point dwelling on it if I have no control over it.”

The fraternity gathered funds to fly Morjaria’s mother Daksha to Des Moines.

Morjaria turned down the offer, feeling overwhelmingly supported by his brothers.

“

”

There’s no point dwelling on it if I have no control over it.

-Shiv Morjaria

With the money already saved, the fraternity got the approval from the executive board to put the money toward Morjaria’s hospital bills.

SigEp pledged to pay $2,500, almost 90 percent of the remaining balance after insurance benefits.

“We pride ourselves on being warm, friendly people in Kenya, but I don’t think I’ve ever received this much support back home, where I’ve lived 18 years,” Morjaria said.

THE ROAD AHEAD Morjaria celebrated his last chemotherapy treatment Feb. 17. Numerous PET scans revealed minimal cancer cells remaining.

After radiation, he hopes the cancer will be in remission.

Despite the distance from home, Morjaria stays connected through daily phone calls with his mom, talking about Kenya and his younger brother and sister.

“I can only imagine what they must be going through,” Morjaria said. “It is much easier on me than it is on them.”

Morjaria’s father Paresh wrote a letter to the fraternity, Drake faculty and staff to thank them for their support in a time when he couldn’t be there for his son.

Through the bleakest moments, Paresh said, the stories of generosity boosted his family’s morale.

“The massive amount of love and support Shiv has had could only have been true in fairy tales,” Paresh wrote. “My wife and I no longer feel apprehensive about Shiv and his battle with his ailment. We know he is in best hands, both medically and emotionally.”

Senior Jayesh Menon is Morjaria’s neighbor in Kenya, and the one who led him to apply to Drake. Although Morjaria’s initial plan was to transfer to Harvard or Stanford after his first year, he says that is no longer an option. Drake is his home.

Morjaria desires to obtain a future position in SigEp to show his gratitude.

“I can never even hope to repay them for what they’ve done for me,” Morjaria said. “I want to serve them as they’ve served me.”

FEATURES

PAGE C3 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Tom Harvey: A living memory and melody

by Becca Mataloni

Staff Writer rebecca.mataloni@drake.edu

It was Saturday, Nov. 20, and the Drake University choir rehearsal was ready to start, but their beloved accompanist was nowhere to be found. He was never late.

Maybe he slept through his alarm, some members thought.

Rehearsal went on without him until the afternoon, when five male vocalists decided to check on the accompanist at his home.

Last semester, Drake lost an employee who would be remembered by students and faculty for his sarcastic, yet inspirational words, easygoing personality and most of all, his love for music and the family he had within the choir department: Tom Harvey.

“I will forever remember his striped, button-

up shirts, too-short pants, skinny, little legs and goofy grin,” said junior Mary Jane Morgan, a choir member. “He always had something to say that could make you smile.”

GROWING UP WITH TOM Harvey lived his entire life in Des Moines until his death of a heart attack at 57.

He grew up loving music. He began taking piano lessons when he was 9 years old from Mildred Zeliadt, who lived down the street.

Although his talent was apparent to others, Harvey wasn’t always certain that music was the path he was supposed to take.

Kris Weyant, Harvey’s younger sister, remembered a specific moment when Tom contemplated quitting music altogether.

“When Tom was 12 he started to get discouraged with piano and asked his grandpa ‘How do I get better?’” Weyant said. “My

grandpa told him, ‘Practice. Tom, you have a God-given talent and you can’t just throw it away. You were meant to share it with the world.’”

Afterward, Harvey never questioned his passion for music.

When he was 17, the Des Moines Symphony asked him to play with an ensemble part of a concert series featuring young artists in central Iowa.

In 1986, Harvey had the opportunity to play at the Canterbury Cathedral in the United Kingdom. The organist at the cathedral wrote a letter asking to grant Harvey permission to perform.

“Please allow Mr. Thomas Harvey to play the organ,” the letter read. “He is aware that the visitors’ ears must be respected.”

Harvey especially enjoyed his time at Drake accompanying students and choir ensembles.

“One of his favorite things to talk about was a student making progress, whether it be gaining more confidence, feeling comfortable with their voice or becoming a blossoming singer,” Weyant said.

‘PARTNERED FRIENDSHIP’ When Harvey came to Drake in 2001, he immediately formed a bond with Aimee Beckmann-Collier, director of choral studies.

Beckmann-Collier placed high trust in Harvey’s opinion of the students’ progress and how to improve the ensembles.

“He would send me emails after rehearsal to lighten the mood if I had been discouraged, laugh about the craziness or affirm something I said in rehearsal,” Beckmann-Collier said. “We had a very unique, partnered relationship.”

The two connected first through music, but a friendship soon developed where they would talk about anything. After his death, she said that the atmosphere of the auditorium wasn’t the same.

“It felt just empty,” Beckmann-Collier said.

“I kept waiting for him to walk through the door and sit at the piano.”

In the 10 years that Harvey was at Drake, he made lasting friendships with many students and faculty members that soon turned into familial relationships.

“The students were his kids,” BeckmannCollier said. “They were the ones he was proud to talk about to others.”

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

TOM HARVEY played the piano at Drake for nine years. He left an unforgettable legacy.

‘TOM TIME’ As an accompanist, Harvey was required to accompany 16 voice students in each lesson and spend an extra 30 minutes a week outside of the lesson with each student. A lesson spent with

Harvey was called “Tom Time.”

During the outside lessons, Harvey was there not only to accompany the students, but help them learn the music and find a passion for it.

Junior Jon Edgeton spent three years working with Harvey. They developed a friendship that reached beyond the student-faculty connection.

“He made us realize we do love music — not for grade, not for teachers, but because we love it,” Edgeton said.

During one “Tom Time,” Edgeton forgot his longboard in Harvey’s office. He asked Harvey to bring it to choir, which he did with a grand entrance. Harvey skated through the doors, receiving loud applause from the entire choir.

Junior Gabe Early was the last person to perform with Harvey before his death. Harvey taught him the importance of loving others.

“He never took for granted the value of a

“

He never took for granted the value of a human being. He once told me, ‘No matter how much you hate someone, there is something you can love.’

-Gabe Early

”

human being,” Early said. “He once told me, ‘No matter how much you hate someone, there is something you can love.’”

Harvey made sure to connect with each vocalist, whether it was giving tips to cure a hangover or buying a T-shirt with “10 Reasons to go to an Episcopalian Church.” Harvey found a way to reach each person in a different way.

Tom Harvey loved the job so much, he once said it “felt like home.”

HOME On Nov. 21, the Drake Choir Concert started. The man who had sat behind the piano for 10 years was not there. A different set of fingers touched the keys.

While the choir has not found a permanent replacement, it has slowly moved on. Still, it hasn’t forgotten the man who touched so many lives at Drake.

“We say his name very often, because it’s important to keep Tom in the center of what we do,” Beckmann-Collier said. “We really have a sense that he lives on.”

Students with children don’t fail to make the grade Three college students share their struggles and success with their children and families

by Lillian Schrock

Staff Writer lillian.schrock@drake.edu

Nate Huston, 25, is married and has two children. He is also a full-time music education student at Drake.

“It’s not like you’re ever ready to have two kids and go to school,” Huston said. “But you’re a parent first.”

In 2005, Huston was a teenager beginning his college career at Iowa State University.

His high school sweetheart, Kristina, stayed in their hometown of Martinsdale, Iowa, but they continued their relationship. During Huston’s first semester at ISU, Kristina got pregnant.

Huston dropped out of ISU and prepared to have his first child, Julian. Shortly after Julian’s birth, the couple married.

Huston worked construction to save money to go back to school. When Julian was two years old, Huston cross-enrolled at Des Moines Area Community College and Drake. This is his second year attending Drake full-time.

In 2009, Huston and his wife had another child named Leland.

“I take school a lot more seriously than I did that first semester at Iowa State,” Huston said.

“I think I will receive a better education now that I have kids, because I pay attention to how much money each class costs.”

Huston and his wife live in Martinsdale and do “tag-team parenting.” Kristina works nights at Target, so when Huston gets home from school, it is time for her to go to work.

Huston doesn’t even have time to think about his homework until both kids are in bed.

Huston said a perk of having kids so young is that he and his wife will still be pretty young when their kids graduate from college.

“We’ll have a lot of fun then,” he said.

CANDICE, 1 Liz Howett, 21, has a one-year-old daughter named Candice. Howett is a full-time student at Drake and is double majoring in psychology and advertising. In addition to her schoolwork, she is also participating in a custody battle for her daughter.

“Candice gives me a purpose,” Howett said.

“Whether I succeed in school or not, I’m a mom.”

Howett met Kyle, Candice’s father, the summer before she started school at Drake.

They dated on and off for two years before Howett got pregnant.

Shortly after Candice was born, the couple split up. Kyle still sees Candice almost every day, but Howett wants to ensure that she will always have custody of her daughter.

Howett works at The Game Sports Bar. While Howett is working, in class or doing homework, Candice is taken care of by Howett’s parents or sister.

“The biggest battle has been child care,”

Howett said. “It’s hard to study with a young child.”

Candice often spends time in Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall, where Howett’s little sister lives.

Howett does get some time to pursue her hobbies. She recently joined the Treblemakers, a woman’s a cappela group at Drake.

“I love to sing,” she said. “I would do it even if I didn’t have the energy.”

Howett wishes she was able to be more carefree, but would she change what happened?

“Not now. I love Candice more and more every day,” she said. “The more I get to know her, the more I wouldn’t be able to live without her.”

AMEEN, 8 Madonna Vahdat received her computer programming degree in Iran. Ten years ago she moved to the United States and married.

Vahdat now has an eight-year-old son Ameen, and is in her third year as a full-time student at Drake.

“It’s hard to manage everything at the same time,” Vahdat said. “But being a college student, you have to have knowledge of time management.”

“

”

I use every minute of every day. I’m not an ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ kind of person.

-Madonna Vahdat

Vahdat is studying health science. She often finds herself cooking, doing laundry and completing homework at the same time.

Since English is Vahdat’s second language, she often has to read things twice to make sure she understands.

“I use every minute of every day,” Vahdat said. “I’m not an ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ kind of person.”

Having a family can lead to a lot of unforeseen obstacles, so Vahdat does all her homework a week ahead of time.

“If my son has to stay home because he’s sick or there’s a snow day, then I have to miss class,” she said.

Vahdat is completing her capstone this semester by working at the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care. She will graduate in May. After taking a year off, Vahdat plans to attend graduate school at Des Moines University.

“It’s never too late to learn,” she said.

Vahdat said Ameen is excited that his mom is in school. She thinks he is a better student because his mom is a student.

“He is very independent and I never have to tell him to do his homework.”

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

MADONNA VAHDAT shows her son Ameen the importance of a college education. She is in her third year at Drake University and is studying to complete her degree.

FEATURES

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE C4

PAGE C5 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

Ditching Ethics One out of 10 students has admitted to cheating at Drake University during their academic careers, according to a recently conducted survey. That’s no surprise to Drake professors, who said that plagiarism occurs frequently in the classroom at the university.

Eric Saylor, professor of music history and musicology, said that he catches about one student per year. Assistant Professor of Biology Debora Christensen has had frequent occurrences in her laboratory classes that require students to write long reports.

The definition of cheating may vary, but Associate Dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication David Wright defined it as a broad term.

“Cheating is anything that a student does to get around the requirements of the class,” Wright said.

No matter how the term is defined, cheating causes problems for professors and defaces the credibility of the university. Professors are trying to address the problem by stressing the ethics code of their college as well as the consequences of cheating and plagiarism.

Christensen recalled a situation when she noticed two papers were very similar.

After highlighting all of the recurrences, she discovered they only differed by three words.

“You want to be able to trust students. This makes being an instructor the worst job ever. I can’t tell you how horrible it makes me feel,” Christensen said.

Often it just takes a quick search in a search engine to discover a student has plagiarized. Saylor had a case while reading a student’s paper where he noticed that the font, size and color changed for three paragraphs and then returned to its previous form.

“Encountering it like that is not as uncommon as you might think, usually it’s a slap in the face like that,” said Summerville.

You want to be able to trust students. This makes being an instructor the worst job ever. I can’t tell you how horrible it makes me feel.

-Debora Christensen

TECHNOLOGY ENABLERS Other cheating situations have involved technologies such as cell phones and calculators.

Christensen observed a student texting during a make-up exam when she returned to the room after making a phone call.

“Cell phones are a huge problem. Students actually thought it was okay to stop in the middle of taking blood samples to take a call,” Christensen said.

Advanced calculators required in classes at Drake such as the Texas Instruments models TI-84 and TI-Nspire also have become tools for cheating.

“People put formulas into their calculators to help them on tests, but I think the professors know. They let us use them,” one Drake student said.

First-year health sciences student Kevin Watson elaborated on the practice.

“I have never done it, but I have heard of people putting formulas, notes, or anything else they would need to remember for the test into their calculators. I mean, you could write entire paragraphs in there if you wanted to,” Watson said.

Senior Ben Cooper believes that students may be more unaware of their academic transgressions.

“I’d like to believe that people do it unknowingly. But I suppose some students know it’s wrong, but feel it’s necessary,” he said.

Cheating can have detrimental effects on a student’s career. Consequences for cheating are established by professors, colleges and the university.

According to Drake’s academic dishonesty policy, the possible consequences include reprimand, grade penalty, dismissal from the course and a recommendation for dismissal from the university.

Some students take these consequences seriously, while others would rather pay the cost.

“What stops me is the fear of being caught and possibly kicked out of school.

I’ve put a lot of effort into school and I don’t want to risk losing all the hard work,” said David Witkiewicz, a junior pharmacy major.

If a student is stuck between a rock and a hard place, they may choose to take that risk.

“I think that getting crunched for time would be a reason students would cheat,” said first-year music education major John Mattessich.

“The Internet has made it so much easier to lift other people’s work,” said Kathleen Richardson, the director and associate professor of the SJMC. Sophomore Matt Jones wouldn’t take work from the Internet in the first place.

“I don’t cheat because I generally feel it’s wrong. Even if it weren’t, I trust my own work more than someone else’s work,” he said.

Professors said that plagiarism is the most common form of cheating that is documented, much more than students colluding on tests. Christensen believes that most infractions are underreported university-wide.

“The worst part is that it’s not helping anybody, not the students or the institutions. It makes the value of a Drake education mean a lot less if this goes on,” she said.

The cases that have been reported and documented usually follow a common trend.

“The vast majority of what I have seen is blatant, unsophisticated plagiarism,” said Keith Summerville, associate dean of the arts and sciences college.

PAYING THE PRICE Wright said it’s important to get students to understand the seriousness of cheating.

“We push the ethics code onto the first-year journalism students so they understand the severity of plagiarism and then they can’t pretend like they didn’t know about it,” Wright said.

Cooper expressed split feelings about cheating.

“Does cheating bother me? Yes and no. Does it hurt me? No. But does it hurt them in the long run? Yes. I guess it’s more of a disadvantage to them than it is to me,” Cooper said.

Christensen referred to technology as a double-edged sword. It has provided professors with beneficial teaching tools, but also gives students opportunities to plagiarize and cheat.

Richardson affirmed the use of advancing technology and cheating.

“Using technology has facilitated dishonesty and plagiarism over the last 10 years,” she said.

COPY CATS The results of an anonymous email survey conducted were from a sample size of 278, which accurately represented the student population with a 6 percent margin of error.

The survey was held in March and asked students if they had ever cheated in a Drake course and if they had, if they ever used technology while doing so.

Christensen said she believes cheating will keep getting worse.

“As soon as you come up with one way to slow down the problem, there will be a new technology we have to address,” Christensen said. “It’s always out there.

Back in the day, it was people writing on baseball hats.”

Today, the baseball hat has been replaced with multimedia and the Internet.

“

”

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Q A

Tech gadgets propel cheating

by Mark Lesser, Christine Setsodi and Elyssa Yesnes Staff Writers mark.lessner@drake.edu, christine.setsodi@drake.edu and elyssa.yesnes@drake.edu

FEATURES

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

with ChaCha Guide Nicole Scilingo How it works?

ChaCha is a free search engine that specializes in a question answering technique run by a human search engine. Anyone can simply text a question at any time to 242242, which spells ChaCha, or call 1-800-2ChaCha from a mobile phone. The answer will be received within a few minutes. Text users will also get a short URL to a page for more information in addition to their answer. Some carriers will apply standard text messaging rates.

Q: How did you get hired at ChaCha? A: You must complete a series of online courses to learn how to properly expedite questions. You watch informational videos about how the Guide Dashboard works, try some demos for answering questions and after you’ve completed all of the lessons, you must pass the final exam. The exam is an actual real-time expediting session where you answer five questions. Your answers are reviewed and scored at the ChaCha headquarters.

After a few days, you receive an email letting you know whether you passed or not. If you passed, you’re in. If you didn’t pass, you can’t ever apply to be a Guide again. It’s a really bizarre rule. One of my friends tried to be a Guide and she actually failed the exam, so now she can’t ever work for ChaCha. Q: When did you start the job?

A: I just started in January. I figured it might be fun, and it’s easy money.

It’s really nice that I can literally work whenever I want. I’ve been busy with school lately, but if I’m bored on the weekends, I’ll hop online and answer some questions. Everyone thinks it’s so cool that I work for ChaCha, but anyone can do it. It’s a really good way to kill some time while earning money. You might even learn a thing or two while searching for answers to questions!

Q: Are there any questions you won’t answer?

A: Often times there’s a lot of harassment that comes through, but we’re trained to respond in a mature manner. There’s a preset “Quick Answer” response, which just requires a simple click of the mouse to respond. During the Superbowl, there were preset answers for who the teams were, who was singing during halftime and the current score. There’s also a Quick Answer called the Crystal Ball, which is for questions like, “Will John ever ask me on a date?”

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

STUDENTS have discovered new ways to cheat using technology, putting professors in a tough spot.

Q: What has been the weirdest question you’ve had?

A: There’s been some strange things like, “Is it normal for adults to wear diapers?” or “Will you have sex with me?” Teenagers like to send in silly questions to get a laugh out of our responses. Some Guides will play along, but I usually just ask them if they have any other questions. I definitely keep it clean when I answer questions because our responses are graded on quality and customer satisfaction each week.

Weapons of Choice ChaCha

Smart pens

The ChaCha isn’t just a popular dance anymore–it’s also a quick destination for answers similar to Google, but “powered by the people.” ChaCha is a search engine that can be accessed from a student’s computer or phone. If a student has a burning question on their mind and can’t get to a computer, they can text it to ChaCha. A hired “expeditor” will scour the Internet for the correct answer and send it to the student’s phone within minutes.

Because it is free and fast, the service is tempting for those who need a quick answer to a multiple-choice exam question. One Drake student took a practice psychology exam entirely by texting ChaCha the questions and received a 70 percent. This means that the answers students are searching for may or may not necessarily be accurate, but are passable.

Pens that record what you write used to be the hover-car of academic technology. Software company Livescribe has created a pen called the Echo Smartpen that allows students to “write less and listen more.” Using the Smartpen, students can write notes as they normally would on a special tablet. As the student writes, the pen works to record the data written on the tablet and any audio that can be heard in the general area. The audio and visual data is stored inside the pen and can be accessed by tapping the tablet again or by connecting to a computer through a USB port.

For a pretty penny, Smartpens are great for studying — and for cheating. The pen comes equipped with a headphone jack, so students could discreetly listen to their recorded notes in the midst of testing.

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

MARK PARKER | creative commons

Wireless Earbuds

Calculators

iPhone Apps

The Secret Service is stealthy. It uncovers secrets and unlocks codes. Now you can, too. The key: earbuds. Wireless earbuds can fit snugly inside one’s ear and be virtually invisible. This is the smallest device of its kind, smaller than a hearing aid. All you need is a cell phone and an assistant to listen to the audio from the earbud, which can be wirelessly attached to a cell phone or any device with an audio output jack. The earbud is silent and picks up signals through a transmitter.

The sound clarity offers superior quality for audio recordings, like a professor’s lecture or the recitation of notecards. The buds are guaranteed to be free of excessive noise meaning no one would notice a student quietly writing down answers from previously recorded audio. They come at a hefty price, though.

There are regular calculators that perform arithmetic, and then there are those with capabilities similar to a primitive PC. The TI-84 and the TI-Nspire are the latter. Required for several classes at Drake, these calculators allow students to perform advanced mathematical and graphing functions. Students can create documents and complex graphs and save them to the calculator to access during quizzes or exams. Students can also program and store equations into the advanced calculator.

Though incredibly useful when completing those tricky calculus assignments, these calculators can also be tools for academic dishonesty. Since these are required for classes, there is no way to avoid using them (and their many sophisticated functions) on exams.

Not all calculators are created equal.

Wish you could easily visualize pesky graphs, charts or lecture notes? Now there’s an app for that. The highly popular Genius Scan application allows users to instantly scan pictures of whatever they choose and upload them to their smart phone. Once there, the document can be exported to one’s email account for access later.

There are a variety of cropping, straightening and color-correcting features, making this app a pocket Photoshop that produces highresolution images.

While this “scanner in your pocket” is convenient for remembering grocery lists or parking spots, students can also use it to take pictures of whiteboards and other documents. These photos can be great study tools, but, if accessed during an exam, they could be considered cheating.

DEREK MILLER | creative commons

ASIM BIJARANI | creative commons

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

by Paige Zidek

Staff Writer paige.zidek@drake.edu

As long as tests have existed, students have found ways to cheat on them. The motivations to cheat vary: desperation, laziness, stress and other factors. But the question still stands: How far will someone go to take the easy way out? Apparently pretty far.

Gone are the days of wandering eyes and writing answers on your arm. Cheating has been given a facelift thanks to advances in modern-day technology. Here are some 21st-century ways that students have been cutting corners.

FEATURES

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Q A

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2010 | PAGE C6

with Drake Admissions Counselor Ryan Thompson Q: What drew you to the admissions counselor position?

A: My background was actually in management and marketing.

I used to meet with students at career fairs and conducted mock interviews. I ended up landing a job in the admissions counselor position this way.

Q: What’s your favorite part about the job?

A: I like meeting new people. It’s nice to see the goals, ideas and dreams that students have and how excited they get when you talk about what Drake has to offer.

Q: Where do you go to recruit students and how are you assigned to these regions?

A: I recruit students from northeastern Iowa, the state of Wisconsin and the West Coast. I’m from Arizona, so that’s mostly the reason why I was assigned to the West Coast.

Q: How do you recruit students from areas like the West Coast?

California is definitely different from Des Moines.

A: The economy’s tough in the West Coast and schools are really crowded, so students are looking more toward the Midwest. People have a misconception of how life is in the Midwest. I talk up the opportunities for internships and research at Drake. Students like that Drake isn’t a “suitcase college” — it’s in a city, so there are always things to do.

CONNOR MCCOURNTNEY | photo editor

ROBIN SAUTTER is a student ambassador for Drake Admissions and gives tours to prospective students on a weekly basis.

Recruiting the perfect bulldog

by Paige Zidek

Staff Writer paige.zidek@drake.edu

Spring: a season where the frost fades, birds chirp and prospective students flock to campus to see if Drake is the right fit for them.

For many Drake students, the college admissions process is a distant memory. But as the college enrollment date of May 1 draws closer, it seems that prospective students can be found almost everywhere on campus, bringing back recollections of a stressful college decision.

What often goes unnoticed is that spring isn’t just an important time for prospective students, but for Drake as well. Admissions counselors, professors and faculty must engage in a great deal of shameless school promotion to attract students.

But recruiting prospective undergraduates is more than just perkiness and a campus visit.

“The most effective way to speak to students about attending Drake is by being honest with them about what it is we offer as a university and also being honest about what we don’t offer,” said junior Student Ambassador Matt Martin.

Martin said the most common questions he

is asked as an ambassador involve campus life and security. He makes sure to respond to these questions truthfully, citing facts and statistics about campus whenever possible.

“Honesty really is the best policy,” Martin said.

Silas Hanneman, a Drake admissions counselor, agrees.

“We feel being open with prospective students does ease stress and adds some extra legitimacy to the equation,” he said.

Another way to target prospective students and make sure a school stands out is personalization. According to a study on noellevitz.com, the best way to attract students of the “social networking generation” is through personal contact with faculty and undergraduate students. Over 50 percent of the surveyed highschool students said they would read a blog written by a faculty member or current student to gain more information about a school.

Drake Admissions has this covered. In the “Undergraduate Admissions” section of Drake’s website, there are links to several students’ blogs.

Each college has its own blogger, showing the different interests and talents of students. From posts about studying abroad to being a vegan

at college, the blogs give prospective students a glimpse into college life.

The Drake website also has a “live chat” feature, where prospective students can enter their student information and be connected immediately to an admissions counselor. Not only is this recruitment method quicker than waiting for an email, it brings the admissions process further into the Web era.

To get even more connected to potential students, admissions counselors have also created Facebook pages for themselves. Each page posts more information about Drake and serves as a forum for prospective students to ask questions.

There are also pages for student ambassadors and each incoming class.

In addition, Drake has added a new section to its undergraduate application that lets prospective students submit optional videos about themselves (in addition to the traditional written personal statements). This allows prospective students to put together something creative that is more personalized than a standardized test score.

Hanneman stresses the importance of creativity.

“It certainly allows a college to differentiate

Coping through faith, friendship and memories

by Kristen Smith

Copy Editor kristen.smith@drake.edu

Joel Feldman was happy to have his close family along when he moved into his dorm room at Drake University in the fall of 2009.

But within a few months, he needed more than family to make it through his first semester.

Right when school began, Feldman pursued his goal of becoming a music performance major and spent the beginning of the semester bonding with his classmates and getting to know his way around campus.

But toward the end of the semester, Feldman knew that the situation back home in Adel, Iowa, was not as worry-free.

“My dad had had cancer for about three years prior to me going to school,” Feldman said. “When I started going to school he started getting kind of worse, which was sort of expected because he had melanoma, which is a pretty serious cancer.”

While melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, Feldman said his family didn’t expect his father’s state of health to decline so quickly.

Tyler Gilmore, Feldman’s roommate at the time, said he knew Feldman’s father was not doing well but that Feldman kept the issue to himself.

“We had a talk just one random night about his family, how his dad was doing,” Gilmore said. “He seemed a little upset, I guess, but that was the only time I had heard personal things about his family and about his dad.”

A short while after that talk, Feldman’s father’s health became even worse.

The day before Thanksgiving break began, Feldman received a call from a family member saying his father was going to the hospital.

“That wasn’t too concerning, because he occasionally went to the hospital for things,” Feldman said.

But, when one of his father’s 11 brothers and sisters, Marianne, came to pick Feldman up at Drake, she said his father was not doing well and that hospice arrangements were being made.

When they arrived at the hospital, Feldman said his father was not fully aware of what was happening around him, but eventually the family brought him home. On Thanksgiving night, 54-year-old Richard Feldman died surrounded by his family.

“We stayed up with him, and that night he passed away, and our family thought it was pretty significant that he actually died on Thanksgiving, because we were thankful for his life and that we knew him,” Feldman said.

FAITH FOUND IN FRIENDSHIP Feldman did not come back to school for almost two weeks after his father died but knew he had to attend a couple of classes because finals time was approaching.

“It was a crazy time, and it was stressful and

difficult,” he said. “But my professors were all very understanding and they fit my needs to make sure I got it all taken care of.”

While he and his family were still coping with the loss of his father, Feldman said, they cared for and supported each other to start the healing process.

“They understood that I had to go back to school; I couldn’t stop living my life,” he said.

As Feldman juggled spending time with his family and dealing with the pressures of finals, he began playing on his intramural basketball team again to try to get back into the swing of his life at college. The team included his resident assistant and people who lived on their floor.

One night as the team was playing a round of hoops, Feldman found out that his resident assistant, Alex Battani, had lost his father earlier that summer.

“They both had cancer, and they both died at the same age,” Feldman said. “I thought at the time that it was a crazy coincidence, but I think it was more than that, actually.”

He said it was certainly tough dealing with his dad dying, and he realized that most people would probably be sad and have difficulties coping. Ultimately, he came to the realization of one sure thing: Everyone dies, and there is no getting around that.

His situation, he said, made him think about some big questions: What happens when we die? What is the purpose or meaning of life? Is there a god?

“I just kept thinking about the significance of my dad’s death and that’s when I thought about the fact that I’d met Alex,” Feldman said.

“It was almost a prayer. If there is a god, this is the make-or-break situation; if you’re there, God, show yourself to me. And I think he did.”

Feldman developed a close relationship with Battani. Because Battani was an R.A., he was not permitted to comment due to confidentiality issues. Feldman said they talked about and considered the Bible, heaven and God’s purpose for their lives.

“A lot of times people don’t believe in things like miracles, or whatever, but it’s not just a coincidence that I was on Alex’s floor and that I knew him,” Feldman said. “I do believe that God was working in that way.”

The strong bond that Feldman formed with Battani, their open conversations and his evergrowing faith helped him come to terms with his father’s death.

“There is more to this life than what this world claims,” Feldman said. “Through that I found a peace and a comfort, and there’s a joy in that, in knowing that this life is only a glimpse of what is to come.”

MEMORIES Feldman has always loved music. At 8 years old, he began playing the piano, and he eventually joined band in fifth grade and landed the role as the drummer.

“I tried out for and got the drums, and I was

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

JOEL FELDMAN found comfort in faith, friends and his R.A. after his father’s death. Music also helped Feldman cope with his loss. really excited,” Feldman said. “I enjoyed playing them, and it turns out I was pretty good.”

His said his father encouraged him to play different types of instruments. Over the years, Feldman has learned to play the marimba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, sleigh bells and a variety of other instruments.

“My dad was very supportive. He went to nearly every concert I had,” Feldman said. “I’m very thankful that he did care and did come to hear me. He would definitely be happy that I’m doing music. In fact, I know he was; he was excited about it.”

The house was always filled with music, Feldman said. Feldman liked to sing along with the music on the radio, and his father was an expert whistler.

In addition to whistling, Feldman said his father learned to be self-sufficient and handy because of his large family. Richard ran an upholstery business out of their home, which allowed him time with the family. He also worked for a stained glass company, fixing and redoing works of stained glass for churches and buildings,and creating new works of glass.

“He made stuff for people all the time, for our family and as gifts for other people,”

Feldman said. “I guess you could say some of my artistic and musical creativity comes from my dad.”

His dad also enjoyed traveling, and the family has taken a vacation every summer since Feldman can remember.

One of the best trips, Feldman said, was the summer before his father passed away. They drove to Montana, a place they visit often since they have relatives there, and stayed at the lake where his aunt and uncle live.

“We just spent time there together,” Feldman said. “It’s really pretty and relaxing and we all had a good time.”

Adjusting to life after his father’s death was difficult, but having so many loved ones around helped Feldman move on.

“It was different, obviously, because my life was just different now,” he said. “We always had such a good time doing stuff as a family, but the rest of my family has always been very supportive.”

Feldman will always remember his dad for the loving, gentle and caring man he was.

“And even though my dad is gone,” he said, “I’ve still found joy knowing that I’ll be with him and God one day.”

PAGE C7 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

FEATURES

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

A

How one student’s FYS homework helped him learn about his sexual identity

Not an easy

by Ann Schnoebelen

News Editor ann.schnoebelen@drake.edu

Ryan Price sat thinking about a paper due in his first-year seminar course at Drake University, “Perspectives on American Character and Society.” The assignment asked students to explore an area of life where their personal ethics were at odds and to describe what they did to remedy that discord.

In class, the 20-year-old had presented his paper idea as “something bland” about consumerism, family roles or environmental issues. The longer he thought about it, the more determined he became to find words for what he called “the one glaring example in my life where my values conflict.”

“I am gay.”

The first three words of the paper encompass seven years of private anguish, closely guarded struggles and personal development.

“Talk about an attention-getter, right?” he said with a quiet chuckle.

Far more than just another bit of homework, his paper, “Coming Out,” marked the beginning of an end to a time during which he kept his sexual orientation secret except from the closest of family and friends.

“

”

It’s interesting how the way you deal with your identity changes drastically the way you view the world.

-Ryan Price

“We were all kind of prepared for a deeper look into each other’s lives,” said Bryan Hays, Price’s friend and First-Year Seminar classmate.

“But when Ryan gave me and one other person the opportunity to read his paper before he presented it, I think our initial reaction was just that we thought that his original opening was a joke.”

Price started to laugh as he recalled the story.

“I said, ‘Hey, do you want to read through mine real quick? He (Hays) read the first sentence, looked up at me and said, ‘No, you’re not.’”

Now in his sophomore year at Drake, Price is an active member of the campus community. He is quick to accept and extend social invitations, and last semester broke drown stereotypes when he was elected president of a highly visible fraternity.

For a long time, his own reaction to his feelings had matched Hays’.

FINDING AND FIGHTING HIMSELF Price was in seventh grade when he first began to realize he was attracted to men. As someone from a strong Christian background, the realization was painful. For several years, Price said he “actively worked to change the fact that I was homosexual.” He taught Sunday school, read books, met with a psychologist and a psychiatrist and spent time playing sports with a pastor who told him his attraction to men stemmed from the fact that he wasn’t masculine

enough.

By high school graduation, about a dozen friends and family members, including his parents and twin sister, knew of his struggle with his sexual identity.

“And that’s how I told everyone at the time,” he said. “That this is a problem, but I’ll fix it.”

But in his FYS at Drake, Price began rethinking his perspective.

For most people, the decision to come out as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender doesn’t happen in a single day, said Sandy Vopalka. An “out” lesbian for more than 30 years, Vopalka is president and founder of the non-partisan gay rights organization Equality Iowa and administrator of The Center in Des Moines, a place for LGBT to find support.

“It is definitely a process that happens over a long period of time,” she said. “You have to look at your religious beliefs; you have to look at your family; you have to look at so many different aspects of your life.”

It’s not uncommon for that self-exploration to occur when a person graduates high school and moves on with their education, she added.

“I think that folks going off to college, sometimes it gives them the opportunity to look at things a little bit differently.”

For Price, the specific school he attended also made a difference.

“I think there’s something unique about college and there’s something unique about Drake that makes it easier for students to come out,” he said.

It was also advantageous that his professor, Joan McAlister, is an open bisexual, although she hadn’t officially come out to the class when Price first went to talk to her.

“It was the first person I knew who was openly non-heterosexual, which fascinated me,” Price said. “I didn’t know those actually existed except in movies.”

McAlister helped him examine the ramifications that coming out could have on the college relationships he had developed.

They had good reason to look into the issues Price might face.

Campus Pride, a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing resources and service to the non-heterosexual student community, conducted a study in 2010 with over 5,000 participants. It found lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer students were nearly twice as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to experience harassment at their college or university. The national study also reported that LGBT students were significantly more likely than heterosexuals to have considered leaving or to have left their institution.

‘A BROTHER ISSUE’ One particular social group made Price and McAlister unsure and slightly worried.

“Initially he had concerns about being accepted in his fraternity, and that was an unknown in a lot of ways,” McAlister said.

“He wanted to be able to be himself, but the fraternity, and the views and friendship with his brothers in the fraternity, were really important to him.”

Price maintains the presence of a talented orator in most of his conversations. He is even more measured than usual when he speaks

CONNOR MCCOURNTNEY | photo editor

RYAN PRICE shared his story with his first-year seminar and hasn’t looked back since.

about the group of men who play an important role in his college life, perceptibly aware of the ways his words could affect them. But he conceded that, “Right away, my biggest concern was coming out in a fraternity.”

He decided to talk to his brothers in Sigma Phi Epsilon about it a few weeks after sharing his paper.

“I think I concluded by saying ‘I don’t think this is a political issue, I think it’s a brother one,’” he said. “I told them, ‘This is obviously something I used to be very against, but I’ve been forced to think about it differently and I hope you are, too.’”

Hays, a fellow Sig Ep, said Price’s sexual orientation is “a non-issue” for most members of the chapter and has not been a barrier in earning him their respect.

That respect became especially evident a year later, in fall 2010.

“Not only did they not have a problem with him being gay, but they decided to elect him our president,” Hays said.

THE ON-GOING JOURNEY Along with leading Sigma Phi Epsilon, Price has become a Student Alumni Ambassador, Peer Advisory Board member, Bulldog For a Day volunteer and an honors student.

The difference in the way he talks about his current self and himself as a teenager is striking, almost as though the two are completely unacquainted.

In high school Ryan was also a successful student. He was vice president of the National

Honor Society, a member of the cross country and tennis teams, and highly involved with his city’s Police Explorers Program. But in college, Ryan no longer spends time making up reasons for why he’s feeling upset or reading books with titles like “Coming Out Straight.” Since coming out, Price said he has become “a happier, more whole, more loving person.”

“It’s interesting how the way you deal with your identity changes drastically the way you view the world,” he said.

But he was cautious about offering declarative guidance to those facing the same challenges he did.

“I know I could say something like, ‘Be who you are’ or ‘Everyone else sucks and you don’t’ or ‘You’re beautiful for who you are,’” he said.

“But when you deal with an issue of identity as strong as gay identity, words are much easier said than done.

“Coming out is unique because it forces you to marginalize yourself in a way that few other things do.”

That marginalization and the consequences it brings are things Price said he still doesn’t have all figured out.

“I still think I deal with significant internalized homophobia in ways that I don’t understand,” he said. “I think the image of me holding another man’s hand makes me uncomfortable, which it shouldn’t, but it does.”

As he often does when he gets nervous, he laughed softly as he continued.

“I think I have some stuff to work through.”

Technology challenging society, education

by Kensie Smith

Staff Writer mackensie.smith@drake.edu

Two students sit pondering where to go with a project. It would be silly to brainstorm — just Google it.

The boss sends the collegiate intern an email with the new company project. “See where there’s a market for the idea in the area,” he says — just throw it to Twitter.

“Where is the gang out at tonight?” the boyfriend asks.

“Just Foursquare it,” she says.

It’s undeniable that social media has changed the way the world communicates. What once was a buzzword a couple years ago is now considered a commonplace term and integrated practice.

Both students and professors are finding new ways to utilize the concepts of social media in the classroom. In a recent New York Times opinion piece “Teaching to the Text Message,” author and professor Andy Selsberg writes that students who are able to write concisely are more marketable in today’s economy. This is distinctly different than the long essays of yesteryear.

Director of the School of Journalism Kathleen Richardson said new technology poses a challenge to instructors.

“It’s made it much more challenging to be a professor in media; (we) need to keep up with ever-changing technology,” Richardson said.

“It’s different looking out and seeing a sea of laptops. It can be more difficult keeping students engaged, but then there is now a number of multimedia platforms to do so.”

The changing face of technology may converge the two realms of relationships and

connections even further. Junior Jon McDonald serves as the campus ambassador for the social media location platform Foursquare.

“Students will be connecting in new ways through social media that will go beyond Facebook, that will go to location-based programs,” McDonald said. “This will further the relation between virtuality and reality.”

Joshua Poindexter, a junior marketing major, sees a future of social media in a number of realms that the college years impact.

“I see social media even further evolving,” Poindexter said. “It will become a more necessary medium of communication.”

Poindexter does the social media for new Des Moines startup and local coupon site DSMDaily.

“I see the corporate world increasingly using and embracing social media,” Poindexter said.

“The penetration of users and interactions will continue to grow to 90 to 100 percent, even within the next 10 years.”

SOCIETY Last September, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a study that approximately 16,000 driving deaths since 2001 could be attributed to texting and phone use. Thirty states have now banned texting while driving.

The question of online character has also come into question. Lies are easy to share, spread and tell. Iowa nonprofit organization Character Counts is determined to protect online civility with the “Reveal Your Character” campaign.

Scott Raecker, executive director of the Iowa chapter, said in a press release the expansion of the Internet allows an interesting opportunity for each individual.

“To have e-integrity, our behaviors and values online should match the behaviors and values we exhibit in person,” Raecker said.

BUSINESS It’s hot, it’s trendy and those who can employ social media can do very well for themselves.

Social media manager is now a job in demand by the major corporations and sought after by the small ones.

While social media has seen increased revenue in some industry areas, it has the potential to greatly impact the way the working world operates.

Popular coupon site Groupon is a case study on how to capitalize on the economy. The site uses email, Facebook and Twitter to deliver users daily deals for businesses.

First launched in 2006, the site did not take off until 2008 when the U.S. economic recession hit most businesses. Groupon fell under some criticism as an “opportunistic start-up,” as the model caught on to businesses crawling for revenue.

Networks and connections are valued for anyone from young professionals to experienced CEOs. LinkedIn is the world’s leading professional online network and the site cites more than 100 million members.

The site can be a valuable tool for students in finding internships and jobs. Over 1 million companies have company pages to connect with current and potential employees.

However, there are dangers to being “linked in” with many people. When a career change happens, the user’s network of connections is notified. Usually this warrants congratulations and maybe a few questions. However, when an interactive media director at a local advertising agency, who asked to remain anonymous, added

a side project start-up to his profile, it appeared as if he lost his full-time job.

There is a debatable line of privacy when it comes to sites where employers and employees are concerned. Confusion is easy to stumble into if settings aren’t checked as intended.

GLOBAL On the global forefront, Drake includes global citizenship in its overarching mission statement, and social media is no exception to this rule. Twitter and Facebook are now being used as political tools across the world.

Civic conflicts in the Middle East and Africa in recent months have been organized and exposed over social media sites. Political activism takes on a new role with examples out of the recent Egyptian revolution. One Facebook page provided instantaneous updates in multimedia forms of photos, videos and live newscasts.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Politics Kelly Shaw said that some governments recognize this rising form of media as a danger. Social media allows groups to come together and be largely organized around something. For example, the Tunisian government has long blocked video websites like Vimeo and YouTube.

“You do see technology expanding further for use in social movements. I don’t think it’s an end all, be all,” Shaw said. “Not the cause for revolution, but an important instrument as social media can be used to escalate the pressure put forth on governments.”

This new-media revolution is taking hold and spreading like the messages it comprises.

The future of social media is unpredictable and constantly evolving. Dangers are inevitable. It is up to users in the present to set a standard for the character of the power of communication.

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

FEATURES

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE C8

//INSIDE DRAKE EMERGENCIES, THE EMMENECKER CHALLENGE & MORE

The price of an education The U.S. Army is willing to pay for a college education. All it asks in return is eight years of service.

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Discovering the answers at Drake

BEYOND

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE D2

College is always full of self-exploration, but for these individuals, it’s much more

by Lillian Schrock

Staff Writer lillian.schrock@drake.edu

John McInnerney, 47, has been a full-time student at Drake for three years. He earned his associates degree from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1994; but because of life-changing decisions, McInnerney is starting over.

McInnerney grew up in California. He entered the military in the 1980s, a time in which the United States was not at war. McInnerney met his his ex-wife Pam. McInnerney had three daughters with Pam before they divorced. When McInnerney got out of the service, he moved to Cedar Rapids, where he attended community college.

For many years, McInnerney worked at a nuclear power plant in Cedar Rapids and shared joint custody of his daughters with his ex-wife.

However, McInnerney soon adopted a drug problem and became addicted to meth.

When I went to California I was unbelievably blessed with material things; I had a truck and a boat,” McInnerney said. “But I returned on a train with nothing but a suitcase.”

-John McInnery

“It’s amazing how much that drug grabs hold of your life, and you don’t see it happening,” McInnerney said.

In 2003, McInnerney’s father died, so he moved back to California to be with his mother.

The move was also an attempt to get away from his drug issues that began in Iowa. He worked at a construction company while living with his brother, but McInnerney fell right back into his meth usage and was living on the streets.

“When I went to California, I was unbelievably blessed with material things; I had a truck and a boat,” McInnerney said. “But I returned on a train with nothing but a suitcase.”

When McInnerney returned to Iowa, he admitted himself to a psych ward in Iowa City. He was then accepted into a Veterans Affairs program in Knoxville, Iowa to stabilize him mentally, which lasted for 45 days.

McInnerney said he was molested as a child and often spent time around men who were racist and chauvinistic. However, he believes he was saved by God during his time in Knoxville.

“I’m a very spiritual person,” he said.

McInnerney spent the next two years at the 180 Degrees House in Des Moines, which provides transitional housing and counseling for recovering drug addicts, all of who are veterans.

After participating in this program, McInnerney wanted to go back to school and enrolled at Drake to major in psychology and become a social worker. McInnerney was inspired by the social worker who helped him.

“It’s really humbling to see students my children’s age further along in life than I am because I’m starting over,” McInnerney said.

McInnerney said he doesn’t have all the right answers, but he does know what not to do and finds himself offering fatherly advice to other students.

“When I first came here, I worked at the cof-

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

JOHN MCINNERNEY is turning over a new leaf at Drake after a hard life and bad choices.

fee shop in Olmsted and I was really inspired by the spiritually oriented students who were so open to reaching out to others,” McInnerney said.

McInnerney is starting over, but this time he knows he’s on the right path.

“The struggles I’ve faced have put me on this path to help people,” McInnerney said.

Another overlooked Bulldog is Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Mary Beth Holtey, who helps students select courses for their major and prepare for graduation.

Holtey graduated from Drake with a history degree and a masters in public administration.

She worked in the admissions office at Central College before returning to Drake to work in admissions here. She left Drake for a short time to work for Iowa Student Loan, but she couldn’t stay away from Drake for long. She has been an administrator at Drake since 2009.

“Students often worry about coming into an administrator’s office,” Holtey said. “But the earlier they come in with a problem, the more

we can do about it.”

Holtey’s advice for students is for them to keep an open heart and mind about taking classes they wouldn’t usually consider.

“If you step out of your comfort box, the learning experience can be so much better,” Holtey said.

Holtey helps students with questions from “Am I going to graduate?” to “What can I do with a major in this field?” However, the depth of students often pleasantly surprises her.

“The longer I work with college-age students, the more I understand age has nothing to do with adulthood,” Holtey said. “Students blow me away with their maturity.”

Holtey helps students become aware of all options open to them and helps them find solutions they may not even know existed. The only downfall: delivering bad news to students.

Sophomore Lauren Phillips, who works in the Arts and Sciences dean’s office, believes Holtey “has the answer to anything.”

True Life:

I’m Addicted to Sneakers

by Hayley Keil

Staff Writer hayley.keil@drake.edu

Dr. Phil says the cure for an addiction is to acknowledge the purpose, to identify the danger zones and to have a support system.

Although these are tips used to help addicts, they may not be powerful enough to free firstyear Chad Howard from his addiction to shoes.

While a fervor for footwear is more commonly associated with women, Howard has a collection of about 80 pairs of shoes ranging from Sperry Top-Siders to Air Jordans.

“I just got addicted to buying them,” Howard said. “Then, I just wanted to complete my Jordan collection.”

His habit began his freshman year in high school and has continued ever since.

“He bought a new pair before almost every basketball game last year,” high school friend Dylan Thomas said. “I mean, you wouldn’t want to wear a pair for more than two games — that would be terrible.”

Howard is proud of the shoes he has acquired and rotates about 25 pairs of shoes each time he returns home for breaks. Although he switches it up every couple of months, he still has his go-to shoes.

Among the three pairs of shoes he wears on a consistent basis, Howard’s favorite pair are his Polos.

“The shoes are worth less if you wear them,” Howard said. “Essentially, these are for show. So, if I keep them nice, I will be able to sell them for about three times their worth.”

While his parents find his addiction to shoes ridiculous and discourage his indulgence, Howard continues to add to his closet of shoes and will soon be the proud owner of the entire Jordan shoe collection.

Most girls are unsure of whether to admire or remain jealous of Howard’s impressive spread. Just add a little pump and a three inch heal to some of his shoes, and it would be the dream addition to any girl’s closet.

SARAH ANDREWS | assisstant relays editor

CHAD HOWARD has more than 80 pairs of shoes, including sneakers, dress and boat shoes.

Last-minute internships

by Katie Minnick It’s that time of year again: the time to apply for internships. With the spring semester wrapping up in just a few short weeks, your schedule is consumed with classes, projects and tests. It’s hard enough to find time to eat, let alone apply for an internship or job. If you haven’t found an internship yet, or even started looking, have no fear.

The TImes-Delphic compiled a list of 10 internships that accept last-minute applications. Find it online at www. timesdelphic.com. Other sources on internships:

CAREER BLUEPRINT

INTERNSHIPS.COM

https://drake-csm.symplicity.com/students/

http://www.internships.com/student

DRAKE MEDIA GIGS

INTERNSHIP QUEEN

http://drakemediagigs.wordpress.com/

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PAGE D3 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

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THE TIMES-DELPHIC

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

MEGAN BANNISTER | staff photographer

a look inside

the Maxwell Mansion

MEGAN BANNISTER | staff photographer

by Megan Bannister

Staff Writer megan.bannister@drake.edu

Most homeowners would find the prospect of entertaining 1,000 guests in one year overwhelming. For Drake University President David Maxwell and his wife Madeleine, the feat has been routine for almost 12 years.

Many university presidents reside only on the upper floors of their homes. Not the Maxwells, who have turned their 106-year old house into a private residence.

“What’s remarkable about it is that obviously, it wasn’t built as the president’s house,” Maxwell said. “A lot of houses on college campuses are built for that purpose.”

Madeleine said the couple made changes to the interior design of the home after moving in, so that friends wouldn’t be intimidated by the home.

“Once I put pink polka dots and greens in (the sunroom), it drew people in, and it was friendly,” Madeleine said. “I like that because it could be just a big imposing house.”

The Maxwells said that many visitors don’t realize the ground floors are actually a private residence. Sometimes people will walk in without ringing the doorbell, thinking it’s a university building. While the Maxwells are not largely offended by such assumptions, they jokingly acknowledge that some dinner guests have been more brazen than others.

“We’ve had people ask if they can take a mug home that, you know, we bought three dozen of,” said Madeleine. “And I’ll say, ‘Yeah. Can I come to your house and take one of yours, too?’”

“IT HAD POSSIBILITIES” As the Maxwells speak, the pair has a tendency to interrupt each other, in a manner that is not rude but the mark of two people who have spent an extensive amount of time together.

“There is nothing nicer on a cold winter

night than being in that basement with a fire in the fireplace,” said Madeleine. “There is nothing more beautiful – ” “Yes there is,” David interrupts. “Being in Hawaii.”

“While we’re here,” said Madeleine, with emphasis, though not at all perturbed. “Nothing is more exquisite than a Sunday afternoon when it’s all blanketed in snow and reading poetry in the reading room off the bedroom.”

Almost Everything in here has a story.

-David Maxwell The house wasn’t always so comfortable.

“We saw the place when it was very cold and empty,” Madeleine said. “When David and I came out for a campus visit before the job was offered to him, it was a really gross, disgusting day, and I told him I would leave him if he thought about taking the job.”

The house became the focus of extensive planning as the pair prepared to move in during May, 1999.

“It was very stark at the time, but it had possibilities,” Madeleine said. “And I thought it was a great house, but it was the people that made us move here, not the house.”

“ALMOST EVERYTHING IN HERE HAS A STORY” A spacious front entryway opens into the main living room where two cream-striped sofas teeming with pillows face one another, separated by a coffee table covered in large hardcover volumes.

Over the years, the Maxwells have acquired a number of other valuable items. Signed baseballs from legends Mickey Mantle, Yogi Bera and Tony Kubek line the mantel in David’s study beside a baseball glove cradling a snapshot

This mansion has housed Drake’s presidents for 106 years, but few have been able to call it home without hesitance. The Maxwells transformed it from an imposing and grand place to entertain guests to a warm home full of stories.

of Drake’s president during his Little League years.

A snapshot in a gilded frame sits on a table in the front hall. It pictures, in grainy black and white, a man in round spectacles holding an open book in one hand while the woman next to him dons a large feathered hat. Although many guests assume the photo is of the couple’s grandparents, the image is actually David and Madeleine, taken in a theme photo booth at a work function.

“Almost everything in here has a story,” David said.

“THIS HOUSE IS EXCITING, ISN’T IT?” Although the changes made to the interior of the house over the past 12 years are numerous, each change has been carefully calculated to consider cost and necessity. Madeleine bought the tile for her kitchen counters from eBay. Shelving and curtains for the basement-catering closet were purchased at “Tuesday Morning,” a discount department store, rather than through an expensive contractor. The two small rooms off of the spacious kitchen, one a breakfast nook and the other the home of the family pets, are painted a soft yellow, a project Madeleine undertook herself.

The third floor of the Maxwell home used to function as a ballroom. The Maxwells now use a bedroom off of the space as a retreat from the tribulations of daily responsibilities. Madeleine has her art studio in one corner of the room, while musical instruments and workout equipment occupy the rest.

Although David jokingly refers to the exercise area of the ballroom as the “torture chamber,” he spends most mornings on the treadmill listening to his iPod and reading the CNN ticker.

David, a runner of 30 years, has participated in Ragbrai, an annual seven-day bicycle ride across Iowa, three times and is preparing for a Mt. Kilimanjaro climb with his two sons.

He also enjoys playing one of his seven guitars when no one else is in the house, or when

Madeleine is far away. He said he frequently uses backing tracks.

“I put those on the stereo through the giant speakers, crank it up and play lead guitar and pretend I’m Eric Clapton,” Maxwell said. “That is, until the notes come out of the amplifier, and I realize I’m not.”

“IT JUST COMES ALIVE WITH PEOPLE” In the president’s home, the phrase “if these walls could talk” takes on a new meaning. Notables such as Nick Kristof, Salman Rushdie, Jane Goodall and Tim Russert have eaten dinner with the Maxwells.

“It just comes alive with people,” said Madeleine.

Ten thousand visitors passed through the president’s home the first decade the Maxwell’s lived at Drake. The help of an extensive staff, with as many as 10 individuals working in the kitchen at once, ensure that events run smoothly.

The pair shared stories of students whom Madeleine fed chicken soup while they lived at the house to recover from mono and of Jane Goodall greeting one nervous student with a traditional chimpanzee hello.

“I wish I had the foresight 12 years ago to just make one of the walls blank and have everyone who came in sign the wall,” Madeleine said.

“We’ll tell the next people.”

As can be expected in a 106-year-old house, the ceiling occasionally leaks, the plaster walls buckle and crack from cold Iowa winters, and the intermittent bat escapes from the depths of the basement.

“As Madeleine has always semi-jokingly said, ‘The doublewide in Arkansas is going to be really tough when we retire,’” said David, referencing the home’s size and grandeur. “Which is not exactly true, but this is a really wonderful place.

When it’s just the two of us and the animals, it feels like home. When there’s 100 people in the house, it feels like that’s what it was made for, and that’s an incredible combination.”

themaxwellpets George, a large orange and white feline, came to the Maxwells on George Washington’s birthday. He often falls asleep in David Maxwell’s lap. Bluto (center) is an aging Westie named after the bully in Popeye. Gus (far right), a playful golden retriever and poodle mix (a golden doodle), enjoys playing fetch, but does not always bring the ball back.

MEGAN BANNISTER | staff photographer

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

BEYOND

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE D4

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PAGE D5 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Drake

EMERGENCIES

the OFFICIAL PLAN

The official Drake University Emergency Response Plan does not appear online, a precaution taken to keep some emergency procedure plans out of the wrong hands, said Chief of Security Hans Hanson. This Plan is actually much shorter than the online guide, spanning around 10 pages.

Unlike the document the advice above is derived from, the Emergency Response Plan is much less situationspecific. Instead, it establishes a chain-of-command system and organizes a structure by which all urgent situations are handled. Hanson calls it an “all hazards plan” and says its versatility is the key to its effectiveness.

“It’s a flexible plan where you can change and adjust as the emergency changes,” he says. “The key response team gets together no matter what, and we’ll figure it out from there.”

by Ann Schnoebelen

News Editor ann.schnoebelen@drake.edu

illustrations by DREW ALBINSON | Illustrator

Chances are you’ve been through drills to prepare yourself for a fire or a tornado. It’s probable you know what actions to take when you’re feeling under the weather. But are you prepared for situations beyond the more run-of-the-mill crises?

On its website, Drake University provides a guide for the Boy Scout, or Girl Scout, in us all, giving instructions for what to do in several variations of an emergency. According to the general reference guide, “an emergency is any situation — actual or imminent — that endangers the safety and lives of Drake faculty, staff, students, visitors or the security of Drake property.”

Grab your Swiss army knife, first-aid kit, all-purpose antibiotics and pocket dictionary as you read on to prepare yourself for nearly any urgent situation.

WHAT DO I DO IF...

An airplane crashes The Scenario: On its way to Des Moines International Airport a Boeing 737-300 Jet from Delta Airlines is the victim of an operator error. A large shadow looms over students rushing from Howard Hall to Meredith Hall, already late for their political science 001 class. They glance overhead to see the plane nosedive directly into the building’s steely, black exterior. This one totally counts as an excused absence.

Follow the plan: Take cover to protect yourself from flying debris. If you’re inside the building and are able to, activate the fire alarm. Evacuate the building and surrounding area as quickly as possible because the accident scene has a large potential for fire and/or explosion if it didn’t already happen on impact. Make sure to notify authorities of any missing persons. Complete evacuation of campus may be deemed necessary, but will only occur when it is safe and if it does not hinder emergency response operations.

There is a hostage situation The Scenario: A sketchy dude forces you and your friends to accompany him into Lower Olmsted. It’s the perfect place to execute his diabolical plan in secret because NO ONE IS EVER THERE. He ushers you into a conference room and gruffly explains you’re being held for a $100,000 ransom.

Follow the plan:

There is a long-term power outage The Scenario: Iowa has bestowed upon the campus another one of its impulsive acts of severe weather. But this time, occasionally flickering lights drop into fullon darkness. It’s been several hours since student residence halls have seen the light, and things are starting to get uncomfortable.

The Emergency Response Plan actually gives a page full of advice for people who have been taken hostage. Some of the suggestions include being cooperative and patient, and speaking in a low, gentle voice. It also advises keeping body gestures slow and non-threatening while maintaining eye contact. Avoid arguing or judging. In addition, take as many mental notes about the person as you can. Notice how many weapons he is carrying, his state of mind and the things he says, as well as details about the place you’re being held. This information can be useful in helping others should you escape or be released. Also, you can wait to update your Facebook status or send a tweet until after the situation has been diffused. #beingheldhostage is not a viable trending topic.

Follow the plan: Keep refrigerators and freezers closed to prevent spoiling their contents, and unplug your computer to avoid any damage caused by a sudden power surge. Send someone to check the elevators for trapped persons and notify security if somebody is stuck in there. Also, consider hanging out for a while to talk to them.

You think you’ve been inconvenienced by the lack of microwavable popcorn? They’re alone in a dark, confined space for an indefinite period of time. Show some compassion.

There is a suspicious person on campus The Scenario: As dusk falls, groups of underclassmen are wandering back to the residence halls from a Hubbell fine dining experience chock-full of stir-fry and softserve.

But peering across Helmick Commons, they spot a suspicious figure who obviously doesn’t belong on campus. He is moving toward them, glancing around sketchily and clutching what appears to be a gun.

Follow the plan: Take cover in the nearest building, and calmly warn others to conceal themselves as well. (“Calmly” is a relative term here meaning “preferably without throwing everyone into an extreme panic and calling the shady person’s attention to you.”) Close and barricade doors.

Call 911 and stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up. Remain where you are as long as you are safe, and a campus security or Des Moines police officer will notify you when the incident has ended. Note: the Emergency Response Plan explicitly reminds readers, “Do not look out to see what is happening.’” You can watch it all on CNN later. Right now, just stay hidden in a safe place.

There’s a chemical spill The Scenario: A lab instructor in Harvey-Ingham Hall stumbles while carrying a large container of hydrochloric acid to the basement storage area. The barrel-sized vat is fumbled and falls. Upon impact, it breaks open and the clear liquid instantly begins to eat away at the floor. It’s crackling, snapping and popping. In the surrounding halls, organic chemistry students are scampering as their lab instructors pull those celebrated, stylish white coats up over their faces.

A pungent odor permeates the air.

Follow the plan: DO NOT TOUCH. Trained personnel should be contacted to assist in the clean up. All materials that made contact with the chemical such as paper towels, shoes or clothing are considered hazardous waste and must be disposed of accordingly. The Environmental, Health and Safety Office can be reached at 515-271-3125. In the case of a major spill, as in the incident above, the area must be evacuated and campus security should also be notified by calling 811.

There is a an earthquake The Scenario: At first, you thought it was a simple case of self-imposed over-caffeination. But no, your entire table in the Cowles Reading Room is quivering and books are starting to tremble and fall off the shelves. You look around the room to see your study buddies becoming alarmed as well.

They’re all from the Twin Cities, what do they know about earthquakes? Where’s that one transfer student from USC

Follow the plan: The Emergency Response Plan informs readers that, “The Des Moines area does periodically experience brief minor tremors,” and can be affected by activity in the San Madras fault in Missouri. Who knew? Should this occur, take cover under a desk or table and brace yourself, moving with your cover if it moves. Try

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THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE D6

Dress for success

Natural hair and make-up

Land the job by following these quick and easy tips for interview wear

Smile

by Corinne Clark

Staff Writer corinne.clark@drake.edu

Burgundy is one of the best colors to wear

Choose a modest, tailored suit

Wear nice, classic shoes

The interview. Whether graduation has you in the middle of a desperate job search or you’re hunting for a summer internship, it’s perhaps the most pivotal step of the employment process. As a result, there are a few things to keep in mind when dressing to meet your potential employer.

The first thing an interviewer will look at is your face. However, if you walk in wearing flipflops and a hoodie, it will distract the interviewer from the actual interview, said Carlyn Crowe, internship coordinator for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The first interview investment someone should make is a fitted, tailored suit. A suit is a staple for any person’s wardrobe. If the career field you plan to enter does not normally require you to wear a suit, it is still proper to wear one for any formal interview.

“An ill-fitting suit could make a difference,” Crowe said. “If it looks like you are unkempt or didn’t take the time to get your suit tailored, that could give the impression that you may handle your work in the same way.”

Men should wear a white dress shirt and tie.

The tie should be conservative, but still set you

What Not to Wear

apart from other applicants. The best colors to wear are red or burgundy. While different colors can give off different meanings, always wear what feels comfortable.

Women should refrain from wearing too much makeup and distracting jewelry, and it has even been suggested to avoid bringing a purse.

Women should style their hair as they do on a typical, day-to-day basis.

An important consideration women face when dressing for an interview is an appropriate amount of visible cleavage. Modesty is key.

If you are worried about giving too much of a peep show, avoid V-necks or any shirts that may be prone to a wardrobe malfunction.

“How you dress and perceive yourself should reflect your personal brand,” Crowe said.

Men and women should both refrain from wearing cologne or perfume to an interview.

Men should go lightly on aftershave. Backpacks or fanny packs are seen as unprofessional. Interviewees should be able to hold everything in one hand when going into an interview, unless you are required to bring large samples for a portfolio.

Crowe suggested bringing a binder with your portfolio, resume, a pen and prepared questions.

The way you dress and come across to your potential new employer should be genuine. And remember — a smile is the best accessory.

Over-styled hair Distracting jewelry

A purse A revealing skirt

Inappropriate shoes illustration by LIZZIE PINE | editor-in-chief

Abroad, but not alone

FILE PHOTO

THE OUTSKIRTS OF CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, shortly after an struck the area.

Students encounter historical upheaval

by Monica Worsley

Staff Writer monica.worsley@drake.edu

Revolutions, earthquakes and tsunamis have upset the plans of Drake University students studying abroad.

All Drake students avoided injury and danger during the recent foreign crises but the experiences of students currently abroad were disrupted. Students hoping to study abroad in the near future have had to change their plans as well.

courtesy of SAM HELLWEGE

THE OUTSKIRTS OF CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, shortly after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake rocked the area, leaving nearly 200 dead.

“

After the earthquake I was basically at the beginning stages again of going abroad. I had to meet all new people and get settled in again to a new foreign location.

-Sam Hellwege

“

courtesy of SAM HELLWEGE

DRAKE SOPHOMORE SAM HELLWEGE had to move to Wellington, New Zealand after the quake.

He hasn’t let the experience disturb his trip abroad.

ABROAD ADVICE There are a lot of things you have to think about before going abroad. First and foremost is your passport, obviously. Then choosing your program, getting your Visa for whatever country you’re going to and even what classes you’ll be taking once you get back to Drake.

— sophomore Kristina Vann, studying in Vichy, France Other things like shopping, cooking for myself and maintaining a workout program have all been really exciting for me. I like the sense of living on my own and staying on top of things including schoolwork, cooking, shopping, working out, etc. In addition, we are constantly planning on seeing new things around New Zealand during the weekends and mid-semester break (spring break in America) which requires planning out transportation, housing and activities all weeks in advance so we can get the cheapest of everything.

—sophomore Sam Hellwege, studying in Wellington, New Zealand

According to a study abroad link on Drake’s website, “Drake works with select accredited international institutions and reputable study abroad organizations to provide over 175 study abroad opportunities in over 60 different countries.”

During this school year, 250 Drake students chose to enroll in one of the study abroad programs offered at Drake for either a semester or full year.

These students made numerous preparations for studying abroad in the months leading up to their trips, yet in certain cases, unexpected events arose that students and universities were not prepared for.

In January, Amina Kader, Ashley Crow and Ian Weller were all faced with difficult decisions and unforeseen complications to their study abroad experience when the Egyptian revolution erupted.

“In cases like Egypt, it is our job to maintain contact to ensure student safety and to also find out what the student(s) want to do,” said Jen Hogan, assistant director of international programs and services/study abroad.

“As the revolution developed in Egypt, Drake faculty maintained fast paced and consistent communication with contacts in other study abroad programs, parents, academic advisors at Drake, and the affected students,” said Hogan.

All three chose to continue their semester abroad in either Oman or Morocco.

“For the students that were relocated, it was

like going through culture shock all over again,” said Hogan. “They’ve had to adjust to new living situations and overcome the disappointment that accompanied not being in Egypt to get to the point where they can enjoy the rest of their experience.”

Drake was not the only university that initially lacked an alternative plan for students studying in Egypt. According to the Institute of International Education, 260,327 American college students studied abroad for credit during fall 2010. With an equitable quantity of students abroad during this spring term, many universities were required to act quickly to resolve their students’ situation.

Nearly a month later and 10,000 miles from Egypt, Sam Hellwege had an abrupt change in his study abroad plans when an earthquake hit Christchurch, New Zealand.

“I started in Christchurch but unfortunately that was short lived because of February’s earthquake. My program (The Education Abroad Network) moved us out of Christchurch within 12 hours of it to a safer location in O’Kain’s Bay, about an hour and a half southeast of Christchurch,” said Hellwege.

Once again Hogan and other Drake faculty undertook the necessary communication, academic and student safety measures.

“In cases like these being flexible, aware and connected really helps the students. The coordination of policy and coordinating the different communication links to make sure academic advisors, the study abroad department, parents and students were all on the same page was very important,” said Hogan.

“After the earthquake I was basically at the beginning stages again of going abroad. I had to meet all new people and get settled in again to a new foreign location,” said Hellwege. “Fortunately the Drake students that already were in Wellington were a huge help in getting situated.”

The recent earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plant crisis in Fukushima, Japan, has impacted additional students’ study abroad plans.

“I still plan on studying abroad next year because my program is in Osaka which wasn’t really affected by the earthquake that hit northern Japan,” said Cherri Cathi. “I know another Drake student who postponed her trip until next year because of parental fears for her safety.”

Another Drake student determined to carry out his plans. He left the United States to pursue his study abroad program within a week of the earthquake and tsunami.

The recent crises around the world have exposed the inability of people and governments to be completely prepared for unanticipated events. Despite all of their preparation, Drake students and staff learned this the hard way, yet they still managed to offer affected students fulfilling study abroad opportunities.

“Studying abroad has been everything I expected it to be and then some,” said Hellwege.

PAGE D7 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

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THE TIMES-DELPHIC

ROTC cadets, then and now

by Michael Rutledge

Staff Writer michael.rutledge@drake.edu

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

ROTC CADETS engage in team-building exercises, including human knots and walking a virtual mine field while at training. rier.

“Last semester I flew out to Vermont for mountain warfare training,” Hild said. “I was hiking 30 miles through the middle of Vermont, pulling myself across rivers and carrying wounded soldiers back and forth across fields.”

When Hild walks across campus he quickly grabs his laptop, book bag and a light jacket, a weight of, at most, 20 pounds. On training missions he puts on 30 pounds of body armor, a 35-pound backpack, a five-pound combat helmet and an eight-pound M4A1 carbine. That’s at least 75 pounds.

“Did I mention that I had to hike all day?”

Hild said.

Joshua Moon is in the Drake Law School and a cadet in the ROTC. He remembers how hard it was adjusting back and forth from military to college life.

“We trained up in Washington with these absolutely stunning mountains off in the distance,” Moon said. “We were hiking across fields while Blackhawks roared overhead. A little different than walking across Drake.”

With the U.S. fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, cadets have to come to terms with the idea that they might be deployed overseas after graduation. The prospect of war also brings the daunting finality of life and death to the forefront. College students may think they are invincible; cadets do not have that luxury.

No Drake ROTC cadets have been injured or killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but that does not make the danger of war any less stark. As of last month, 5,905 servicemen have been killed in the conflicts overseas, more than 70 of those from Iowa.

The cadets remembered what a difficult and terrifying choice joining the Army was for them and their families. They had to deal with the fact that they might not be coming back home.

“I remember sitting in the recruiting office completely zoned out, my back covered in sweat,” Moon said. “My mom was in the other room just crying hysterically. She kept yelling over and over that I didn’t need to do this. I guess I had decided that this was something I needed to do. It ended up being one of the best choices I’ve ever made.”

Hild said he is not worried.

“Of course the idea of going to war is heavy on the mind, but I deal with it in my own way,” he said. “At least I would be going somewhere warm.”

Even if the U.S. is still engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan when the cadets graduate, they will not necessarily be deployed.

“It’s a myth that the military ships students off right away,” Peterson said. “They don’t put them on planes and paratroop them into Baghdad the day after graduation.”

Cadets will spend one to two years training

in a specialized branch after they graduate from Drake. They can specialize in infantry, reconnaissance, engineering, law, medicine or any one of numerous fields. Some cadets will never fire a rifle again after basic training.

For students looking to pay for college through ROTC, Hild warned that a free education should not be the only thing to keep in mind. He said that the military lifestyle is not for everyone.

“Money shouldn’t be your primary motive,” Hild said. “You have to be dedicated to what you’re doing.”

“

My mom was in the other room just crying hysterically... I guess I had decided that this was something I needed to do. It ended up being one of the best choices I’ve ever made.

-Joshua Moon

“

Jeremy Hild remembered lying motionless in a patch of warm Vermont grass, the plastic stock of his M4A1 carbine pressed against his cheek as he squinted downhill. He pulled the trigger and sent a piece of lead screaming toward the target 300 yards away.

It’s not the typical Saturday morning for a Drake University sophomore.

Hild is a cadet in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. The ROTC is a national program that provides a way for young men and women to receive a free college education. In exchange, they serve up to eight years after graduation in the U.S. military as commissioned officers.

With the current state of the economy, ROTC is becoming a more attractive option for students, even with ongoing wars. Drake can cost well over $100,000 for four years, and that is not taking into account food, housing or books. Many students struggle to find ways to pay for college without falling deep into debt.

“Over the last few years there has been a huge influx of new recruits,” said 1st Lt. Justin Peterson, the officer in charge of the Drake ROTC program.

“It’s an appealing offer,” Peterson said. “Cadets have 100 percent of their tuition paid for.

They receive $600 a semester for books and get a salary of up to $800 a month in living expenses. Some cadets actually come out of college with more money than when they came in.”

Fourteen students are enrolled in the Drake ROTC program. Their number represents a modest increase over the last year, and several new members have been added since 2008.

Combined with the ROTC programs at Iowa State University and Buena Vista University in Storm Lake,100 ROTC cadets are enrolled in Iowa. Nationally, more than 20,000 cadets serve in ROTC programs.

Peterson explained that cadets serve four years in active duty and four years in the reserve as part of the Iowa National Guard after graduation. Specialists such as pilots will serve seven years active duty with no time in the reserve.

As soon as cadets graduate from Drake they become second lieutenants, the lowest rank of officer.

“The ROTC isn’t like the movies. We’re here to build competent leaders, not put people through hell,” Peterson said. “We make sure that cadets know how to be good commanding officers. We focus on building strong personal relationships and how to make decisions when the world is falling apart around them.”

Cadets are full-time students and full-time soldiers, which is sometimes a challenge. Cadets are whisked away from college life and flown across the country to perform training exercises. On Friday morning they could be eating scrambled eggs in Hubbell Dining Hall, and on Saturday they are trying to force down a protein shake in the back of an armored personal car-

Alumnus in Afghanistan knows ROTC’s value

by Lizzie Pine

Editor-in-Chief elizabeth.pine@drake.edu

Lieutenant Patrick Hendrickson has been in the shoes of ROTC cadets. He has trained at Drake and gone through the drills, knowing he is being prepared for the Army.

Right now, his shoes are trekking through the rocky sides of the Hindu Kush mountains, as he patrols the northern region of the Paktya province in Afghanistan.

Commissioned to the rank of second lieutenant after graduating last May, Hendrickson left home June 10, 2010. He went to a series of Army schools and left for Afghanistan in February.

This wasn’t his first deployment. Enlisting as a junior in high school, Hendrickson left for Iraq for 16 months at the age of 19. Now 27, he’s leaving behind much more.

“My current deployment isn’t near as long, but this time around I have two kids and a wife at home,” Hendrickson said in an email interview.

Hendrickson and his wife, Jessica, met at the gym. Jessica said she had eyed an attractive guy at the gym one morning, and decided she needed to go to at that time every day.

“

We are a family here, and anytime you know that a member of your family is in danger, you want to do anything you can to get to him and help out. We all know our mission and we all know what we signed up to do.

-Patrick Henrickson

“

“I tried to make small talk with her for a couple of weeks at the gym whenever I got a chance,” Hendrickson said. “Finally, I worked up enough courage to ask her out. The rest is history.”

They married Oct. 27, 2006, and had two children: Ava, 3, and Jacob, 1. The children haven’t been with their dad all that much, but they still recognize his presence in their lives.

“She can show you on the globe where Afghanistan is,” Jessica said of Ava. And even though Hendrickson’s been gone most of Jacob’s life, Jacob still knows his dad. When Skyping, Jacob gets really excited and blows

Hendrickson kisses.

“Jacob tries to take the pacifier out of his mouth and stick it in Patrick’s mouth on the computer,” Jessica said.

As for Jessica, she’s supportive of Hendrickson’s choice and copes with it as best she can.

“I stay really busy,” she said. “Between work and the kids, just the little stuff, by the time I cook dinner and go to bed, they need a lot of attention. I’m glad I get to stay busy and have things to take my mind off it.”

Hendrickson said it has been hardest for Jessica because she is taking care of the kids and working a full-time job. She doesn’t have much free time.

“She’s a very strong woman,” he said. “Both of the kids are at the age that it really doesn’t affect them. My daughter, Ava, is busy with daycare and dance classes and Jacob stays busy getting into trouble. There are times, however, when Ava misses her daddy. I know she misses my bedtime stories and our playtime after dinner. Jacob was just starting to get rowdy when I left, and loved to wrestle with me and have me crawl after him and chase him through the house. Both of the kids loved that. I can’t wait until I can do it again.”

One of the first things they’ll do when he gets back is to go to the Iowa State Fair. Hendrickson said Ava’s dying to race down the big yellow slide.

Now, halfway across the world, Hendrickson has had to make a new type of family.

“There is the bond between a husband and a wife, a parent and his children and the bond that friends share,” he said. “The bond that is created during a deployment between soldiers is just as strong as the rest of these.”

Hendrickson is an infantry platoon leader and is in charge of a 25-man infantry platoon which patrols the northern region along the Pakistan border. Their mission is to disrupt enemy freedom of movement and interdict insurgents trying to enter the border.

“Anytime our troops are in contact with the enemy there are a lot of things that run through my mind,” he said. “We are a family here, and anytime you know that a member of your family is in danger, you want to do anything you can to get to him and help out. We all know our mission and we all know what we signed up to do.”

Hendrickson said he believes they are making a lot of progress in the area.

They’ve provided employment to the Afghan people by building bridges, schools and a new police station and other jobs such as digging wells, sanitation services and repairing roads.

The local Afghan police are starting to conduct their own patrols and are becoming less reliant on the help of Coalition Forces every day.

“We are fighting a ruthless and determined

courtesy of PATRICK HENDRICKSON

LT. PATRICK HENDRICKSON hands out school supplies to children in Afghanistan.

enemy throughout Afghanistan,” he said.

“Although we still come in contact with the enemy everyday throughout the country, we are making great advances in the national security of Afghanistan. The number of safe havens and hideouts that the enemy used to have throughout the country are weakening every day. The people of Afghanistan are stronger and are more confident. They are starting to see what their country could be without the presence of Taliban and insurgent fighters.”

The troops also conduct Humanitarian Aid missions to help the local Afghan people.

Hendrickson said that every day something happens to make him appreciate growing up in the United States.

“It’s great to see the faces of the kids light up when you give them a school bag with school supplies in it,” he said. “It’s also great to see the reaction when a bundle of blankets is given to a family in a secluded village.”

The culture in Afghanistan is much different than in the U.S. Women are rarely seen and

are always in a burqa. The children are similar to American children — rowdy and curious, Hendrickson said. Most people are receptive to U.S. forces, but less so if there is Taliban presence or informants in the area.

Hendrickson said he is glad he joined the Army. He said it has taught him a lot and helped him grow up; his Iraq deployment helped shape who he is and gave him a drive to go to college.

“I joined the Army because I always wanted to be a soldier and felt a need to serve my country,” he said. He also has family in the Army. His first deployment was with his brother, and now his brother-in-law has enlisted.

ROTC training was a great experience, he said. The time commitment for an ROTC cadet at any college is much like that of a student athlete, but it prepares future leaders for the Army.

“The life of a soldier has its ups and downs, but being a soldier is a very rewarding and selfless profession,” Hendrickson said. “I take a lot of pride in wearing my uniform every day.”

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

BEYOND

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE D8

the

EMMENECKER

CHALLENGE cheese burger bun pork tenderloin white cheddar sauce buffalo chicken tender fried cheddar

beef brisket bacon

(LIFESIZE)

the

STATS

by Elizabeth Robinson

Staff Writer elizabeth.robinson@drake.edu

In 2008, the Drake campus and community was abuzz about the success of the men’s basketball team. After senior Adam Emmenecker broke out in his first year as a starter to lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA March Madness tournament and win several Missouri Valley Conference titles for himself. He became somewhat of a famous figure on campus.

That spring, a new restaurant opened on Drake’s campus. Jethro’s BBQ recognized the success and local fame of Adam and decided to honor him in the best way they knew how…by naming a sandwich after him.

“My first thought was kind of like a ‘Hey you’re crazy’ type of thing,” Emmenecker said in response to the sandwich. “It turned out their vision was to make something that would be identifiable with Drake, something that would mean something to people other than those in the neighborhood and would kind of be a feature.”

From this vision came the Adam Emmenecker sandwich. The Emmenecker, as it is called, is a whopping five pounds full of the several foods Jethro’s has to offer. Adam sat down at Jethro’s and was told to select items from the menu that looked good to him. From extensive list of foods came the ingredients that would

COST: $24.95 HEIGHT: 10 inches WEIGHT: 5 pounds CALORIE COUNT: 7,500 make up the Emmenecker sandwich.

“I sat down and picked out some things that I liked and they just kept shaking their heads saying ‘Yeah, we’ll put that on there’,” Adam said.

The Emmenecker sandwich consists of a whole pork tenderloin, half of a hamburger patty, two buffalo chicken strips, two pieces of fried cheese, bacon, cheddar cheese and white cheddar sauce.

What makes this sandwich especially unique is the challenge behind the sandwich. Just this year, Jethro’s created the Emmenecker Sandwich Challenge. The Challenge involves eating the entire five-pound sandwich in 15 minutes or less. If and when a person succeeds in the Challenge they get the sandwich for free, get a Jethro’s t-shirt and are fortunate enough to have their picture on the Jethro’s Wall of Fame. In the more frequent event that a person fails the Challenge, they are left with their picture on Jethro’s Wall of Shame.

“We wanted to give it that special ‘Oh my God, I have to try it because it sounds impossible’ image so we set it to 15 minutes,” Jethro’s kitchen manager and chef Mike Booth said. He said nearly 300 people have attempted the Challenge and have failed.

Only two have succeeded in the Challenge thus far.

While the Emmenecker Challenge is something that is known around the Drake and Des Moines areas, it became known all over the nation last October when the popular Travel Channel program “Man vs. Food” featured the Challenge.

“We thought it would be a neat idea to get on ‘Man vs. Food’

but we never thought it would come to fruition,” Booth said. “It had nothing to do with us bidding for it, it was purely because of patrons and fans of the restaurant.”

Adam Richman, the host of “Man vs. Food,” spent an entire day at Jethro’s, along with the show’s production team. The restaurant was shut down other than friends and family of the Jethro’s employees and, of course, of Emmenecker himself. During the day, Booth made several of Jethro’s best dishes to be featured on the show, and went over the components of the sandwich with Richman, Richman preparing himself for the actual Challenge itself, and finally the long-awaited Emmenecker Challenge.

Richman, like so many before him, was unable to complete the Challenge in the end.

“He was a little like ‘Oh my God’ about the sandwich I think,” Booth said.

During the episode, after failing the Challenge, Richman shook Emmenecker’s hand and said that he considered just doing that a win in itself.

Though the Challenge itself is exciting, the Emmenecker sandwich is available simply to be eaten without the time restriction, which is often the most preferable option, according to Booth. The Emmenecker Challenge may seem nearly impossible, it has been done before and will undoubtedly be done again. According to Emmenecker, “It’s kind of a stretch, but it’s definitely doable.”

//INSIDE DRAKE TO PLAY FIRST ORGANIZED FOOTBALL GAME IN AFRICA

Young throwers lead Drake at 102nd Relays

by David Johnson

Staff Writer david.e.johnson@drake.edu

Amidst all the Drake Relays activities spread out over the course of the week, there still will be the main event taking place on the blue oval in Drake Stadium.

Some of the best athletes from across the world will be putting their talents on display as they look to capture a Drake Relays championship.

The Drake throwers will look to continue riding this season’s success into the meet. The men will be led by school-record holding sophomores Isaac Twombly and Kevin Harp.

Harp set the school record for the javelin during the Tom Botts Invitational in Columbia, Mo., on April 9 with a heave of 205 feet, 2 inches. Twombly broke his own school record in the hammer throw last Saturday at the Musco Twilight in Iowa City. His latest toss flew 166 feet, 8 inches, knocking off his 2010 record by two feet. Twombly also set a personal best in the discus throw.

Harp will be joined in the javelin by the talented freshman Phillip Beeler. Beeler and Harp have been pushing each other every day in practice to get to a high level.

“When you have somebody that is close with you, you push each other to the limit,” Beeler said. “You get good throws, and it’s always good to have somebody else. I don’t know how it would be to throw by yourself all the time.

It could get stressful without someone there to help you.”

The new bleachers at the throwing pits allow for a great view of the field events.

“I don’t know if it will draw more people, but it definitely helps accommodate,” junior thrower Megan Pierce-Cramer said. “Relays is a lot fun because everyone is cheering for you even if they don’t know who you are. If you are associated with Drake, everybody comes and cheers for you.”

In other must-see field events, sophomore Dan Karys is putting up career figures in both

FINAL KICK

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

JUNIOR DEREK CAMPBELL storms to the finish while battling the elements at the Jim Duncan Invitational on April 15. Campbell finished in seventh place in the 10,000-meter run with a time of 33:14.10.

the triple jump and long jump; senior Johanna Sprang is continuing to chase her school-record height of 12 feet in the pole vault; and senior Tyse Samani will be on the hunt for the collegiate high jump title.

Still, the Bulldogs aren’t shorthanded when it comes to the running events.

Junior Jon DeGrave has been chasing the school record of 50.77 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles all season. DeGrave placed fifth in the event at the Drake Relays last season.

“DeGrave is right on pace to break the mark this season,” head coach Natasha Brown said

MEN’S TENNIS

earlier this season. “You have to understand the transition from the 400-meter indoor to hurdles outdoor takes some time.”

The performances from freshmen Brogan Austin and Omet Kak have the future of Drake distance running looking promising. Kak placed second in the 1,500-meter at the Tom Botts Invitational with a time of 3:52.23. Austin won the 5,000-meter run at the Jim Duncan Invitational on April 15 in 14:58.13.

Senior Casey McDermott has enjoyed success in both the 1,500-meter run and the 3,000-meter steeplechase over the course of

the season. McDermott placed fifth in the collegiate division running of the 1,500-meter at last year’s Relays.

Sophomores Sarah Yeager and Marissa Smith have challenged each other in the 100-meter hurdle event by exchanging placements all season. Smith won the event at the Jim Duncan Invitational at Drake Stadium on April 16.

The sprinting for the women has been held down by seniors Beth Hamling and Cambria Pardner. Hamling won the 200-meter dash at the Jim Duncan Invitational in 25.14 seconds.

SOFTBALL

First-place Bulldogs not satisfied without title

by Blake Miller

Staff Writer blake.miller@drake.edu

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

SENIOR MAURICIO BALLIVIAN prepares to serve in a match against Bradley on April 9 at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center. Ballivian is Drake’s top singles player and one of the reasons the Bulldogs have risen to the top of the Valley in 2011.

Drake on the brink of Valley championship Bulldogs inch closer to NCAA appearance

by Dominic Johnson

Staff Writer dominic.johnson@drake.edu

Most teams in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s national rankings would do anything to earn a 13-game winning streak, but for the Drake men’s tennis team, it’s a reality. The Bulldogs’ 19-2 record has been headlined by wins over the Memphis Tigers and Illinois State Redbirds, and the constant dominance has earned the squad a No. 68 ranking in the most recent national rankings. On Saturday, Drake defeated Wichita State to clinch the MVC regular season title.

Last season was the first time since the 2007 season that the Bulldogs didn’t spend much of the spring in the national rankings. That’s why first-year head coach Evan Austin made it a priority at the beginning of the year for his squad to break into the top 75. The additions of sophomore Anis Ghorbel and freshman Robin Goodman to the lineup improved the team’s depth and gave Austin confidence that his squad

could go toe-to-toe with nationally ranked opponents.

The Bulldogs spent their fall season building the confidence that would characterize their spring season. Senior Mauricio Ballivian won the A-Flight of the Louisville Invitational while sophomores Jean Erasmus and James McKie each posted wins over nationally ranked singles players. After those key victories, Austin was no longer the only person in the Roger Knapp Tennis Center who believed this year’s squad had a chance at a national ranking — the entire roster believed it. Each player believed that the spring of 2011 would be the Bulldogs’ return to grace.

“Before the season started, I was really looking forward to tennis and the upcoming matches because I knew I was prepared to do anything to win for not only myself, but for the team and coach,” Erasmus said.

His teammates share Erasmus’s sentiment; playing not only for the team, but also for the coach. Every post-match interview has mentioned Austin’s name as a cause for victory.

“Coach Austin is the best coach I’ve ever had,” Ghorbel said. “He is just complete and perfect as a team coach.”

It was a combination of Austin’s coaching and the attitude of his players that helped right the ship after Drake suffered midseason losses to two nationally ranked foes, Iowa and Minne-

SEE TENNIS, PAGE 2

Drake is rolling through the Missouri Valley Conference season, sitting tied atop the league standings 16-3 and holding a 30-17 overall record.

After a three-game sweep of Indiana State to open the MVC season, Drake owned a fivegame winning streak with its two wins carrying over from Northern Illinois and St. Mary’s College. It was just the start of the team’s success.

The Bulldogs added three more wins against Bradley and South Dakota State, giving them an eight-game winning streak, the longest of the season. Drake dropped the second game of a doubleheader with South Dakota State to end the streak, but the team won its next five.

With the only hiccup coming from two losses against Iowa State, the Bulldogs have resumed storming through the MVC schedule.

The team’s lone loss in the league came at the hands of Wichita State.

“In my eyes, we are right on track of where we planned on being this season,” senior Jenna DeLong said. “This year, we didn’t set out any definitive goals that we had to achieve. Instead we decided we were going to approach every single day as a new day to learn and get better at the sport we love.”

DeLong has been one of the reasons Drake has been successful. The senior ace is 18-4 on the season and undefeated in the Valley.

Junior Torey Craddock has also been one of the Bulldogs’ most potent offensive threats.

“We are feeling really good about how we have been playing so far in conference play,” Craddock said. “We have really come together to play good softball.”

Between DeLong in the circle and Craddock at the plate, Drake has a one-two punch that has helped the team climb to the top of the conference. Drake leads the conference in total pitching. DeLong broke the all-time Drake strikeout record on April 17 in a 3-2 win over Northern Iowa at Buel Field, breaking Laurie Bowden’s 18-year-old record of 670 strikeouts.

DeLong doesn’t only contribute in the circle. She is tied with senior Erin Mollohan with a team-high 10 home runs.

“Jenna is a great influence on the team,”

MVC

Standings

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

SENIOR MOLLY MCCLELLAND anticipates the pitch. The first baseman has provided a big bat in the Drake lineup, ranking second on the team in batting average.

freshman Amy Pierce said. “She motivates us to give everything we have into every game we play.”

On the other side of the ball, Craddock is third in the Valley with 50 hits, tied for second with 12 doubles and is first in total bases with 89.

“Torey is a hard worker with a positive attitude,” Pierce said. “She really encourages the rest of the team to have that kind of attitude also.”

After losing in the first round of the MVC tournament last year, Drake has different plans this time around. With only five Valley games left in the season, Drake eyes a top seed entering the State Farm MVC Tournament.

“We want to be a one or two seed for the MVC tournament and, ultimately, win the tournament,” Pierce said.

The veteran Craddock takes a more humble approach.

“Our goals for the rest of the season are to take it one game at a time,” she said. “We want to continue to improve and get better with each game.”

Drake 15-1 Creighton Illinois State 14-2 Wichita State Southern Illinois 11-3 Evansville Missouri State 10-6 Indiana State Northern Iowa 8-8 Bradley

6-8 6-10 4-13 3-13 1-14

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

SPORTS

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE E2

TRACK & FIELD

Des Moines makes pitch to be “Track Central USA” Iowa capital’s next goal: Host the US Olympic trials

by David Johnson

Staff Writer david.e.johnson@drake.edu

Des Moines is known across the nation as the home to multiple insurance agencies, magazine publishers and the Iowa State Fair. Now, if everything goes as planned, the city will become Track Central USA. The Drake Relays has been a fixture in Des Moines for 102 years, but in the past decade, steps have been taken to make Des Moines one of the best track and field cities in America.

Last year, the 2010 USA Track and Field Championships were run on the blue oval at Drake Stadium. The 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held June 8-11, and the same event will be hosted by Des Moines in 2012. Hosting future Olympic qualifying trials is also a possibility.

“Iowa is the middle of all the states, Des Moines is the middle of Iowa, we have a crossroads of Interstates 80 and 35, so it’s an epicenter, center location of the nation so we said, ‘Let’s catch up,’” Relays Director Brian Brown said. “So Track Central USA is something we can secure. I think we have done a fair job of establishing that.”

Des Moines’ strongest competition in the world of track and field cities is Eugene, Ore. Eugene has been given the name of “Track and Field Capital of the World” because of its great track history, state-of-the-art facilities and its city parks that are home to one of the largest running trail systems in the United States.

The University of Oregon in Eugene hosted the Olympic trials in 1972, 1976, 1980 and 2008. The city will again host in 2012.

Hayward Field, Oregon’s equivalent of Drake Stadium, went through a major renovation project in 2004. Funded through large donations from Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, the project made it one of the best track facilities in America.

“The only way we can play is with community support. We can’t rival Nike on an individual basis,” Brown said.

Brown said that along with reaching the status of track capital would come a lot of benefits to the community, especially financially.

“We just need to encourage some of these area leaders to see the vision and have them see the potential impact. We are talking a $25 mil-

lion impact or more on the community, because, for the trials, they come in and stay 12 days or 14 days in our city, buy up all our hotels, eat up the food. It is a big, positive impact on the city.”

One area of improvement vital to making Des Moines a national home to track and field is a state-of-the-art indoor warm-up facility for athletes.

The Drake Field House is not up to standards for Olympic trial-level hosting, especially because it lacks an indoor track with lanes. The outdoor facility, however, is among the nation’s best after a $15 million renovation project in 2005.

“Our outdoor facility is one of the world’s best in terms of the Mondo, in terms of the uniqueness of the historic setting of the stadium and this brand new track. We are waiting to move forward,” Brown said.

When it comes to atmosphere, the Drake Relays has proven over the past 102 years that Iowans will come out to support the greatest athletes in the nation.

“The intimacy of the stadium is great,” Brown said. “When I competed, I felt the electricity and the atmosphere that was given off.”

He says that the energy fueling the athletes also fuels the crowd, working as a two-way street.

“I think it’s both ways. The athletes give it to the stands and the spectators give it back,” Brown said. “It’s kind of a good relationship between the two.”

Brown also said the overall atmosphere and the compassion of the people involved in Relays helps fuel the athletes.

“It says a lot about the support personnel.

They feel that support and compete at the highest level because of that,” he said. “All of that adds to an athlete’s ability to compete at the highest level when they feel like they are wanted.”

U.S. track athlete Jeremy Wariner, a threetime Olympic gold medalist, agrees that Des Moines has provided a great atmosphere for the Drake Relays.

“The crowd at Drake has always been top notch,” Wariner said. “Whether it’s 45-degree ice or 80 degrees and sunny, (the crowd) is always out there supporting. They just enjoy watching track and field. As long as we are out on the track, they are out there supporting us.”

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

FRESHMAN NICK OESTREICH sprints over a hurdle at Drake Stadium. Des Moines is gaining a reputation as one of the best track and field cities in America and hopes to host the USA Track and Field Olympic Qualifiers in the future.

FROM TENNIS, PAGE 1

Drake favored in MVC tourney

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

SOPHOMORE WHITNEY WESTRUM is Drake’s lone multi-sport athlete, shining on both the volleyball court and the track. Westrum was named to the 2010 MVC All-tournament team for volleyball in the fall, and spends her springs running sprints for the Bulldogs.

Dual threat: Westrum thrives in volleyball, track

by David Johnson

Staff Writer david.e.johnson@drake.edu

Bo Jackson played professional football and baseball. Then Deion Sanders did the same.

Now, Drake sophomore Whitney Westrum is following the same path by playing multiple sports at a highly competitive level.

Westrum spends her falls on the volleyball court and her springs bursting out of the blocks running sprints for the Bulldog track and field team.

The idea of being a multi-sport athlete is not new to Westrum, who has been competing in sports her entire life. She played basketball in addition to volleyball and track during her time at Waukee High School.

Westrum earned special mention Class 4A All-State honors following her senior season on the Waukee volleyball court. After a stellar track season, Westrum was named the 2009 Iowa Gatorade Girls Track and Field Athlete of the year.

“I never have an offseason,” Westrum said.

“It feels like the same thing whether it’s the fall season in the gym or the spring season on the track. I am kind of a gym rat anyway.”

Involvement in multiple sports remained common for her when she began her collegiate career.

“I appreciate the coaches working with my schedule,” Westrum said. “I’m definitely so honored the old (volleyball) coach allowed me to be in both sports.”

Westrum finished the 2010 volleyball season with 233 kills, 67 total blocks, 232 digs and 16 assists. She was named to the nine-member

MVC All-Tournament team for her performance in the Bulldog’s opening round match against Creighton.

“We want to get back to the MVC! tournament and improve by winning that first game,” said Westrum about going into her junior volleyball season. “I can tell I am more explosive on the volleyball court. It helps pushing forward fast and chasing down volleyballs. The sprinting mechanics help me get to the ball that much faster.”

The volleyball team has replaced former head coach Phil McDaniel, who took the same position at South Dakota State, with Tony Sunga. It appears likely that Sunga will continue to allow Westrum to compete on the blue oval.

Westrum hopes to recover from a leg injury in time to compete at the Drake Relays.

This year wouldn’t be Westrum’s first Relays appearance, as she competed in the meet four times during her high school career. She was named the 2009 Drake Relays outstanding high school girls performer after being a member of the winning relay teams in the 4-x400-meter, which set a then-state record, and the distance medley.

“Westrum is simply a tremendous athlete,” said Natasha Brown, head coach of the track and field team.

Despite the busy schedule, Westrum said she enjoys competing and thriving in both sports.

“It is an honor to be able to do two sports,” Westrum said. “Being dedicated to doing two sports isn’t going to hurt anything. I don’t look at track as just conditioning. It does help, but I just do it because I enjoy it.”

beat those teams now.”

The Bulldogs’ play has improved drastically since that February night, especially on the doubles side. The top duo of Ghorbel and Ballivian has personified the team’s rise to the rankings, as the tandem’s 13-match doubles-streak equals the winning streak of the team.

Austin said picking doubles teams is often the hardest job of a Division I coach, and one just has to be patient as the players adjust to each other’s styles of play.

“Doubles at the beginning of the season is an experiment to feel out each other’s games,” Erasmus said. “I think by the end of this season we have managed to figure things out because of our patience and coach Austin’s tactics.”

Despite their improved play and confidence, the Bulldogs are not looking to rest on their laurels as they enter the State Farm MVC Championship this weekend. The other top teams in the conference, the Wichita State Shockers and the Illinois State Redbirds, are both incredibly deep and dangerous teams that will be looking to score an upset over the nationally ranked Bulldogs.

Austin said he believes that his team has the talent and confidence to win a conference title, but the squad needs to continue to practice hard and remain sharp and focused. As always, Austin’s confidence rings true throughout the locker room.

“We know we can win the conference tournament,” Goodman said. “But we have to take care of each match on its own before looking at the big picture of the NCAA tournament.”

sota. Prior to the late February matchup against the Hawkeyes, the Bulldogs had registered routine wins over their opponents and held a perfect 6-0 record. The Hawkeyes gave Drake a wake-up call in Iowa City.

“We weren’t ready mentally to play against Iowa,” Erasmus said of Drake’s 5-2 loss.

For the Bulldogs’ next match against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Minneapolis, the team showed improvement.

Down by one, Drake had a chance to clinch the victory if Erasmus and McKie both posted wins, yet the home crowd boosted the Gophers to a 5-2 win. If the Iowa match was a wake-up call, the Minnesota match was a lesson.

“They showed us where we needed to be intensity-wise if we wanted to beat good teams,” Austin said.

Most athletes and coaches don’t believe in moral victories, but the loss to Minnesota seemed to spark a fire underneath the Bulldogs.

A win over the Gophers, who moved up to No. 18 in the nation after the Drake match, would have easily put the Bulldogs into the national rankings. Austin’s squad realized that it could not settle for any more moral victories if the team was going to reach its goal of a national ranking.

“We weren’t just happy to play close with them,” Austin said. “We feel like we are able to

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SPORTS

PAGE E3 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

TRACK & FIELD

First-year coach Thomson propels Drake to success on the court has changed for the Bulldogs. Practices this season are harder and more rigorous than before. Wins are not something that the team hopes for, but something it fights for.

As Thomson says, the players are done trying. They are doing.

Like head coach Evan Austin of the men’s squad, Thomson’s confidence in his team has been a major reason improvements are finally being made. Aguilera said that his belief has helped her believe in herself out on the court.

“He made us realize how good we could be,” she said.

The Bulldogs have come into their own now that the State Farm MVC Championship draws near. Last season, the Bulldogs lost to both Evansville and Southern Illinois late in the spring. Drake has beaten both of those teams in convincing fashion this season, due in part to its vastly improved doubles play. At the beginning of the season, Thomson struggled finding three teams that could consistently post victories. But, through a combination of patience and variety, the first-year coach has found three pairings that have produced positive results.

“Doubles (play) is a key focus for us every day at practice and I think all that focused effort has made the difference lately,” Demos said. “We’ve mixed up the teams a lot this season as well and I think the combinations we have right now are some of the best yet, which has also helped our recent success.”

Drake is hoping to capture the same intensity and momentum that propelled them to a 5-2 victory over Evansville throughout the entire MVC tournament. The tournament takes place Friday through Sunday in St. Louis. The Bulldogs will have to earn wins over teams like Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois, that have conquered Drake the last two years.

Though they’ve posted their first winning record in five years, the Bulldogs aren’t looking to settle.

“Some goals have been already met, like having a winning record,” Aguilera said. “Others, like the MVC tournament, are still in our minds and we are looking forward to that weekend.”

by Dominic Johnson

Staff Writer dominic.johnson@drake.edu

It may have taken five years, but the Drake women’s tennis team has once again posted a winning record this season. In 2006, the Bulldogs went 13-10. After splitting a pair of matches last weekend, Drake has now claimed 13 wins in 2011.

“I always felt this team could be better,” junior Jessica Aguilera said.

Aguilera has a point. On paper, the women’s squad always looked to be an above-average team. The program attracted strong recruits, but something was always missing. After this season, one could make the convincing argument that the missing puzzle piece to the Bulldogs’ resurgence was first-year head coach Paul Thomson.

Before coming to Drake, Thomson was the head women’s tennis coach at Brevard College in Brevard, N.C. During his five years there, he helped the team transition from the NAIA level to NCAA Division II. During his last season, he led the Tornadoes to a 14-6 record. Thomson was brought in to do for Drake what he did for Brevard, and so far he has done just that. The Bulldogs won only two games the entire conference season in 2010, but this year the team won four of secen MVC matches.

“I do think that coach Thomson has had a lot to do with our improvement this year,” junior Gabby Demos said. “His vivacious spirit coming into this program was something we needed to kick it into a new gear. He inspires us every day and has made me personally want to reach levels I didn’t even think possible.”

Last year, Drake had the talent to post a winning record, yet it failed to materialize. Therefore, it was Thomson who took the initiative — not to just improve his players’ quality of play, but to change their mindsets going into the season.

“At the beginning of this season, the team seemed determined to get better and to win,” Aguilera said.

Aguilera noted how the dynamic in the locker room and

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

SOPHOMORE MANCA KRIZMAN has been consistent at the top singles and doubles slots for Drake this season. The Slovenian native earned her first MVC Player of the Week honor of her career for the week of April 5-10.

GOLF

Bulldogs set for MVC Championship

by Elizabeth Robinson

Staff Writer elizabeth.robinson@drake.edu

Cold and rainy weather will not hold the Drake men’s golf team back in its quest for the State Farm MVC Championship title today and tomorrow.

The team is coming away from successful performances in the last few weeks leading up to the conference meet, which will be held in Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. In their last three meets, the Bulldogs have walked away with a first-place finish and two sixthplace finishes.

“Everybody’s on the same page in that we feel that we could win the conference championship, and we’re working toward that goal,” head coach Scott Bohlender said.

The recent dreary, wet weather conditions have had a significant impact on the team’s practice time. Following a winter spent

in a dome for practice, getting to outside courses is essential, but the unfavorable weather has made that difficult. There have been times, Bohlender said, that the team has practiced outside despite the adverse weather; they may just end early to prevent players from getting sick.

“Between rainstorms and cold weather, we’ve been putting in as much time as we can trying to just practice outside,” he said.

“We don’t ever use weather as an excuse. If we could be playing a tournament in it, we would practice in it.”

The men’s success can be largely attributed to senior Ben Freeman. Freeman finished third at the Jackrabbit Invitational in Primm, Nev., and fourth at the Branson Creek Invitational in Hollister, Mo. The team’s other golfers are also looking to continue their success at the MVC tournament.

“If you talk to every guy in our program, their goal would be to win the tournament individually, which helps the team as a

whole win the tournament ultimately,” Bohlender said.

The women’s golf team placed fourth in its MVC tournament last weekend. Senior Michelle Mathwick and junior Chelsey Falk led Drake, tying for 14th place.

This team has faced weather-related obstacles as well, but these challenges have been present for the majority of the spring season. In their last few meets, the girls have also dealt with cold, windy and rainy conditions.

“You have to stay positive and focused and not worry about the little things,” Mathwick said after the weather made one meet difficult. “Just focus on what you’re good at.”

The players are focusing primarily on their short games, and head coach Leanne Smith said they are trying to do better with their par-five scoring. Mathwick is confident the team is heading in the right direction.

“As a team, we’re definitely improving and getting to where we need to be and where we want to be,” Mathwick said. “We’re

ALUMNUS PROFILE

Drake grad Johnson living the dream on PGA Tour Determination driving force behind ‘07 Masters champ

by Elizabeth Robinson

Staff Writer elizabeth.robinson@drake.edu

MATT MORAN | sports editor

DRAKE GRADUATE ZACH JOHNSON won the 2007 Masters Tournament, but history did not repeat itself at the 2011 event in early April. Johnson shot two over par in the first two rounds of the tournament, missing the cut for the weekend.

2007 Master’s results 1. Zach Johnson (U.S.) T2. Tiger Woods (U.S.) T2. Retief Goosen (S. Africa) T2. Rory Sabbatini (S. Africa) T5. Jerry Kelly (U.S.) T5. Justin Rose (England) T7. Stuart Appleby (Australia) T7. Padraig Harrington (Ireland)

+1 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5

A dream to become a champion, to become famous and to be considered one of the best in the world is one thing — to actually make it a reality is a rarity that few people are able to accomplish. Drake graduate, Professional Golf Association Tour member and Masters champion Zach Johnson is one of the select few who was able to make it big and live his dream.

Johnson is most well-known for taking home the title in the 2007 Masters tournament, one of the four annual major championships on the PGA Tour. He is prominent in the world of sports for his impeccable golf skills; but the talent and the skills originated right here in Iowa.

From a young age, Johnson loved sports. At the age of 10, he tried a new sport, golf, which was different than the other sports he played.

“The individual aspect of golf attracted me at a young age,” Johnson said. “It was a change of pace from basketball, soccer, etc.”

Johnson’s golf career began at Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Typical summer days for him consisted of golfing in the morning, eating lunch by the pool, golfing in the afternoon and then off to basketball or soccer practice late in the afternoon. Johnson took golf lessons at Elmcrest from Larry Gladson. According to Johnson, Gladson’s program taught him everything he knows.

“He was just your normal, healthy young man,” Gladson said. “He didn’t do anything that made him stand out above anyone else, other than the fact that he played exceptional golf. He was a great student and a great athlete.”

At a young age, Johnson played in a number of junior tournaments around Cedar Rapids and later advanced to traveling around the state, and even out of state, in his teenage years.

Throughout high school, his golf skills increased and he excelled in several tournaments, including leading his Regis High School team to the Iowa class 3A state championship in 1993.

Following high school, Johnson attended Drake on a golf scholarship where he played under head coach Jamie Bermel.

“He was so excited about the opportunity to play Division I golf, and his parents were excited about the academic reputation of Drake,” Bermel said. “It was a good fit for everyone.”

Golf was Johnson’s primary focus throughout college. He said that outside of studying and some occasional intramural basketball, he didn’t have much free time due to golf. The hard work

and time he put in proved to be beneficial after the team had great success during Johnson’s Drake Career.

“A small Division I school making a name for itself nationally was the highlight,” Johnson said. “We went to (the NCAA) regionals three times and (the NCAA) nationals once.”

Johnson’s coaches and teammates are familiar with his level of competitiveness. Johnson never seemed to settle — he always played to win.

“He always thought the best shot he ever hit was his next shot,” Bermel said. “He was never the longest or straightest hitter on the team, but he always felt he had the chance to win.”

Johnson proved to be a winner following college when he turned his passion for golf into a career by becoming a professional golfer. After playing in several tournaments, he qualified for the PGA Tour in 2004.

“Joining the tour was wonderful,” Johnson said. “It just meant that all the hard work I had put in over the years, the many mini-tours I played, the countless hotels I crashed in, the many sacrifices my folks made, the financial funding I raised back in Cedar Rapids, was all worth it.”

On April 8, 2007, Johnson reached the pinnacle of his golf career thus far when he walked away as the champion of the Masters Championship in Augusta, Ga. He won the 71st tournament by a margin of two strokes over runners-up Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini. Johnson said winning the Masters was a surreal experience. The tournament itself may have been mentally and physically challenging, but the publicity following his Masters victory was just as eventful.

“Immediately after, I had a media conference, interview after interview, an Augusta National (Club) member reception, more interviews, and then I got to bed around 1:30 a.m.,” he said. “It was exhausting.”

Johnson’s career has remained successful following the 2007 Masters, as he has competed in and fared well in numerous tournaments. He keeps busy playing in around 25 to 27 tournaments a year on the PGA Tour, in addition to several corporate and charity tournaments. He is on the road for about 35 weeks per year.

Johnson is a prime example of how hard work, determination and passion can lead tomaking a dream come true.

“Zach is like a diamond in the rough,” Bermel said. “He was, and still is, just a great person, a great Drake Bulldog and I am certain he has made a lot of Drake alumni proud.”

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

SPORTS

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE E4

SPORTS

PAGE E5 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Teams to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro, summit at sunrise

by Matt Moran

Sports Editor tdsports@drake.edu

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS Drake to introduce American football on African soil

by Matt Moran

Sports Editor tdsports@drake.edu

The Drake football team will undertake quite an adventure this May when it travels to Arusha, Tanzania, to play in the first-ever American-style football game on the continent of Africa. The team will take on the CONADEIP All-Stars from Mexico in the inaugural Global Kilimanjaro Bowl, with the towering 19,340 Mount Kilimanjaro in the backdrop.

In the days following the game, both teams will take different routes as they ascend Mount Kilimanjaro.

They will rendezvous at the summit with each squad staking its respective nation’s flag at the peak.

“I have to pinch myself,” Drake head coach Chris Creighton said. “The amount of work that so many people have done, it’s nothing short of phenomenal.”

On May 18, both teams will arrive in Tanzania

and get settled before two days of practices. After practice each day, the squads will host afternoon youth clinics for the Tanzania Game Trackers, in the city of Arusha. On May 21 at 1 p.m., the first American football game in Africa’s history will kick off. Players and coaches will spend three of the next four days building an addition to an orphanage and another day on a safari. The final phase includes the grueling fiveday climb to the pinnacle of Mount Kilimanjaro. The entire trip is being coordinated by Global Football, an organization that has produced football games in 18 nations.

“It’s unreal, still hard to believe,” redshirt junior quarterback Mike Piatkowski said. “I probably won’t actually believe it until we get there.”

by Matt Moran

Sports Editor tdsports@drake.edu

courtesy of PATRICK STEENBERGE

ABOVE AND AT RIGHT: The Bulldogs and CONADEIP All-Stars are expected to host over 1,000 children through two days of coaching clinics to teach Tanzanian youth the game. Global Football, the Texas-based organization supervising the trip, hopes to give each child a football.

HIV/AIDS. The team will assemble an entire girls’ dormitory for the youth home. The Iowa Resource for International Service, an organization that has worked with African orphans, will

The Global Kilimanjaro Bowl will get under way in Arusha at 1 p.m. After the game, the teams will attend an awards banquet at the Arusha Hotel.

In the morning, both teams will practice at the Tanzania Game Trackers facility. In the afternoon, they will host football clinics for over 1,000 youth.

MAY 19-20

CONADEIP All-Stars no push-over

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Staff Writer eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

coordinate the orphanage construction.

“We have 50- plus guys (on Drake’s team), so hopefully we can get a lot done,” senior defensive back Michael Lahart said.

Team’s approach stays consistent for Global Kilimanjaro Bowl Sports Editor tdsports@drake.edu

MAY 21

Drake and CONADEIP AllStars arrive in Tanzania and then travel to Arusha, Tanzania, to check into hotels.

THE DRAKE FOOTBALL TEAM will take on the CONADEIP All-Stars from Mexico in the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl in Arusha, Tanzania on May 21. The first official American style football game on the African continent will be played with the breathtaking Mt. Kilimanjaro in the backdrop of the stadium.

by Matt Moran

TIMELINE OF EVENTS MAY 18

courtesy of STEPHEN MCCOURTNEY

When the Drake Bulldogs take the field against the CONADEIP All-Stars this May in the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl, they’ll be going up against the youngest football league in Mexico.

Historically, the National Student Athlete Commission of Private Institutions (CONADEIP) has been a basketball league. CONADEIP prides itself on being one of Mexico’s most competitive collegiate leagues. This was the first year in which the league was able to include football.

CONDAEIP had unsuccessfully attempted to form a football conference in 2000 and 2003.

Another attempt in 2010 succeeded because of a division within another major conference — the National Student Organization of American Football (ONEFA).

In 2009, eight universities were ousted from ONEFA because of disagreements in the amount of scholarships that could be awarded and the amount of foreign players allowed per team. The teams that parted ways included all six of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM) universities.

Two more teams from the University of the

Bulldogs help Tanzanian youth After practicing in the morning at the Tanzania Game Trackers facility, Drake and the CONADEIP All-Stars will hold a coaching clinic for approximately 1,000 children. Global Football and a local Tanzania organization will set up the clinics.

The youth in Africa are not at all familiar with American football, so the clinic will teach them the basics of the game. Patrick Steenberge, organizer of Global Football, expects to have a football to give to every child who attends.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Piatkowski said.

“It’s going to impact these kids’ lives and impact our own lives.”

After the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl, both teams will spend three days building an addition to the Kitaa Hope Orphanage. The orphanage is home to children who have lost parents to

The final part of the two-week trip may prove to be the most difficult as the team spends six days scaling the 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro.

“I’m excited and nervous,” Lahart said. “A guy came to talk to us who climbed it two or three times, and he said adjusting to the altitude is the toughest part. He also said to keep hydrated.”

Drake and the CONADEIP All-Stars will split up, with each team ascending from either side of the mountain. The teams will spend four days climbing the massive peak while camping along the way. At the end of the fourth day, both groups will meet near the summit. The squads will then begin the final ascent on midnight of the fifth day, hoping to reach the zenith at sunrise.

“It’s a biggie; the largest freestanding moun-

tain in the world,” Creighton said. “You have to take it slow, literally one step at a time.”

After reaching the top, both teams will spend the rest of day five descending the mountain and then reach the bottom on the sixth day, May 30. The CONADEIP All-Stars will return to Mexico that same day, but the Bulldogs will stay one more night.

On May 31, the team’s final Tanzanian stop will be a trip to the Cultural Heritage Center.

After the visit, Drake will return to Des Moines as changed men and football players who have made their mark on the game’s history.

Lahart came to Drake to play football, with an understanding that he had little to no chance to study abroad. He said he still finds it hard to believe he will be travelling to Africa before his final season as a Bulldog.

“Never in a million years,” Lahart said. “It will be an eye-opening experience to see a different way of life. It will make us appreciate what we have here.”

Americas (UDLA) followed suit.

The split began when ONEFA tried to reduce the amount of full scholarships that these teams could offer. The private institutions that had the resources to woo players in their direction had previously dominated the league.

Another cause for the split was that the level of talent on the ITESM Monterrey team was overwhelmingly above every other in the league.

ITESM Monterrey, a university regarded as one of the best private schools in Mexico, had won the last five national championships before failing to reach an agreement with ONEFA. Before CONADEIP gathered the eight ousted universities into a new football conference, the teams spent an entire season playing tournaments and friendly matches. They even competed against some U.S. universities.

Last November, UDLA Puebla took home the first-ever CONADEIP championship after defeating ITESM Monterrey 17-10 in a scintillating match at their home stadium, called the “Temple of Pain.” Drake officials attended that game alongside CONADEIP officials to experience the atmosphere of Mexican college football and to witness the talent level that will match up against Drake this summer.

CONADEIP has recently announced the 46 all-stars who will square off against Drake in Tanzania.

FRESHMAN MATT LAKIS AND FIFTH-YEAR SENIOR WILL YOCIUS work on fundamentals at spring practice. Head coach Chris Creighton said he was impressed by the high level of football that is played in the CONADEIP conference

Drake began its spring practice sessions on March 23 and has worked out three days a week since then. The team is excited to have an actual game to look forward to at the end of the spring instead of just a scrimmage against each other.

“We’re not making it any different because we’re allowed practice time before the game,” Creighton said.

The Global Kilimanjaro Bowl will be played in Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium, a facility holding 20,000 people, in Arusha with the gigantic mountain in the backdrop of the arena.

The game will be broadcast on live television across Africa.

The Bulldogs wrapped up spring practice on April 23 with the annual Blue & White Game at Drake Stadium. The team will have an opportunity to see the level of talent of its Mexican counterparts with two days of practice in Arusha before the big game.

“It’s kind of nice to have a game to look forward to after practicing for five weeks,” Lahart said.

For Drake, the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl

MAY 22-25

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

MAY 31 Drake visits Cultural Heritage Center. Then, the team will depart Africa.

Both teams will help construct an addition to the Kitaa Hope Orphanage. Different groups of players will also visit Tarangire National Park for a safari.

Both teams take separate routes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. They are expected to summit on the 29.

MAY 25-30

could be a start to a memorable year. The team finished 7-4 and placed third in the Pioneer Football League last fall, and the Bulldogs return 10 starters on offense and seven on defense.

The team’s motto during winter conditioning and spring practice has been “Finish.”

“We were close last year and two years ago, but we ended up falling short,” junior wide receiver Drew Blackmon said. “Still, we’re always picked to finish in the middle. You don’t have to believe in us, but we’re going to believe in ourselves and that’s all we need.”

SPORTS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE E6

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Young talent flocks to Drake, but fans ready to see results Underclassmen represent top recruiting classes in Valley

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Staff Writer eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

Before each of the last two seasons, the Drake men’s basketball squad has garnered the top recruiting class in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Head coach Mark Phelps and his coaching staff have been able to attract top-caliber players for Drake’s basketball program in his twoyear tenure. But when looking at some of the schools the Bulldogs compete against every year, one has to wonder, how does Drake get highlyrated recruits to come here?

“One of the things I like to say a lot is that at Drake, you won’t take a backseat academically, and you won’t take a backseat basketball-wise,” Phelps said. “And there are not a lot of places throughout the country that you can make that statement boldly and be able to follow through.”

Drake has to compete with competitive programs in its region, such as Northern Iowa, Iowa State, Creighton and Iowa. Not only that, but it also competes with other Big Ten schools that target talent from the Midwest. Clearly, Drake has to offer more than just basketball to convince top-notch players to play here.

“More than anything, you have to make that young man feel very special, and every case is different.” Phelps said. “(We find out) what are things that are important to him, and you just really emphasize those things that your program, your school, your university are going to be able to do to help him reach those goals.”

Among the notable recruits in Phelps’ time at Drake are freshman Rayvonte Rice, who won the 2009-10 Gatorade Illinois High School Player of the Year award, and freshman Karl Madison, who redshirted this season. He also lured sophomores Seth VanDeest and Ben Simons the

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

THE BULLDOGS will need continued improvement from sophomore Seth VanDeest (left) freshman Rayvonte Rice (center) and sophomore Ben Simons (right) to get out of the Valley cellar. Drake’s freshmen and sophomore players were ranked as the top recruiting classes in the MVC, but the team has seen mixed results. year before.

“You really sell the attributes of Drake University; a world-class university, one of the best cities in America to live, a tradition-rich conference with the Missouri Valley,” Phelps said.

“And then obviously you get into the basketball side of things where our culture is one where we really want to take care of the players.”

Simons believes the coaches put a lot of effort into going after players and is not surprised by the kind of talent Drake attracts.

“It’s a tribute to how hard the coaches work,” Simons said. “They really sell you (on) coming to Drake.”

Simons has continued to expand his offensive game and has become a more consistent allaround player for the Bulldogs.

“They had just come off a good season and they have great tradition,” Simons said about choosing Drake. “I really like the atmosphere, and I enjoyed the people on the team.”

Then there’s Rice, who had a terrific freshman campaign, averaging 13.8 points and 4.8

rebounds per game, leading the team in both categories.

“In my visit, the coaches really just made me feel comfortable, showed me where I fit in on the offense and on the defense, showed me how we would be a successful team,” Rice said.

The Bulldogs had an inconsistent season in 2010-11. Despite boasting wins over Creighton and Northern Iowa, they finished 13-18 before bowing out in the first round of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament against Bradley.

“We weren’t that successful this year, but we just got to work harder to be successful next year,” Rice said.

Simons is confident that the team will continue to grow and believes there’s a bright future for the Bulldogs.

“We are building toward something special here,” Simons said. “You can’t really know what it’s going to be until you experience it.”

The Bulldogs’ recent struggles certainly do not have to do with the talent of this team, but

rather its youth.

Drake has five freshmen and seven sophomores, and it surely has been a learning curve for the Bulldogs, as their record shows. But having such a young and lively team is something that Rice has enjoyed in his first year at Drake.

“It’s a lot of fun to play with a group of guys your age. Really, the chemistry is going to be there,” Rice said. “They are going to know as much as you know about basketball. It’s going to feel good to play with a couple of young guys.”

As long as the squad remains committed to improving, Drake will feel confident with the level of talent that keeps coming in and hopefully the results will pay off.

“I’m really happy with the guys we have. I love each and every one of them,” Phelps said.

“I think they are all still right on schedule to fulfill their potential, and we know that once that happens, we’ll have some special times with those guys.”

SUSHI / ASIAN FUSION / COCKTAILS

PAGE E7 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

SPORTS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

VOLLEYBALL

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

DRAKE’S SENIOR CLASS from left to right: Alana Wittenburg, Emily Sibigtroth, Angela Bys, Nicole Brown, Susan Clausen and Alisa DeBerg Roth. This group has played a big part into making Drake volleyball into a contender, earning trips to the MVC tournament two years in a row.

From pretender to contender Seniors transform program

by David Johnson

Staff Writer david.e.johnson@drake.edu

Winning one game is a great accomplishment. Winning three games in a row is a streak; but winning 14 games in a row is historic, and the Drake volleyball team made it happen.

The Bulldogs started the season 14-0, including a big win at home over in-state rival Iowa before suffering a loss in Missouri Valley Conference play. They finished the season 2311, tying for fifth in the MVC with a conference record of 8-10 and making an appearance at the State Farm MVC Tournament for a secondstraight season.

The 14-0 start for the Bulldogs will go down as one of the most memorable streaks in Drake volleyball history. At the peak of the streak, the Bulldogs held the best record in the NCAA, set the mark for best start in school history and had the most consecutive victories in school history.

The 2011 senior class entered Drake following an 8-22 season in 2006. They played a key role in turning the program around during their careers. In each of their four seasons, Drake finished each year with a higher winning percentage than the previous season.

“We made great strides throughout the year,

and we started to establish where Drake volleyball should be every year,” senior Alana Wittenburg said. “So for future generations, (we established) how we should perform consistently on a season-by-season basis and how to work hard all the time.”

The 14-0 start was capped by a home victory against the Hawkeyes in a highly anticipated match. The Knapp Center crowd of 1,215 provided an electric feel to the game and helped urge the team to victory.

“So many people were there,” junior Caitlin Johnson said. “It was great hearing the fans, every play cheering for us. I hope to keep having fans come to the gym next season.”

The seniors said the team’s 3-1 victory on the road against Missouri State was also memorable. It was the last opportunity the graduating class had to play the Bears after dropping the previous seven matches against them.

The season ended in disappointing fashion as the team dropped the opening round game in the MVC tournament against the Creighton Bluejays.

“The first year, we just wanted to get there,” senior Nicole Brown said. “This year when we went, we wanted to make it and play well and try to excel in the tournament. So, we just didn’t have a goal of making it to the tournament anymore. We wanted to excel when we got there. It was exciting.”

Senior Angela Bys finished her career at the top of the school record books with 1,626 kills on 4,688 attempts during the course of her four-year career.

Wittenburg had a record-breaking senior campaign in multiple ways. She holds the Drake career digs record with 2,423. She also set a single-season school record with 764 digs, which placed her second all-time in NCAA history

since volleyball moved to the 25-point scoring system and introduced the libero position. She also holds the Drake single game record with 39 digs. Wittenburg was named to the All-MVC first team for her remarkable 2010 season.

“As far as going forward, (the records) are a good marker for people who are coming up,” Wittenburg said. “It’s something for them to push for to beat. Not like it’s supposed to be an individual thing, but it gives them a place to aim to be.”

The team will lose Bys, Wittenburg, Brown, Susan Clausen, Alisa DeBerg Roth and Emily Sibigtroth. DeBerg Roth played a vital role in the Drake frontcourt, recording 86 blocks and 269 kills. Clausen was second on the team in assists with 547 and added 208 digs on the season.

Bys, Wittenburg and sophomore Emily Heffernen received All-MVC Scholar-Athlete awards to keep the academic tradition at Drake alive. Bys and Heffernen were both placed on the ESPN Academic All-District VII team.

The most impressive part of the 2010 season may have not been the on-court performance, but instead, the molding together of a very unique group of girls ranging from dancers to Sourpatch Kids lovers.

“Overall, we had the most interesting group of girls that I have seen in my whole lifetime put together,” Wittenberg said.

The six seniors said that although the team’s range of personalities could be described as weird, it was a good weird.

“We all had the same passion and we were all driven toward that same goal, and those personalities didn’t really matter,” Clausen said.

The future remains bright for the Bulldogs as the team returns five starters from the 2010 team, and the players are prepared to replace the empty shoes left by the graduating class.

Heffernen was awarded the team’s Most Valuable Offensive Player award from former head coach Phil McDaniel following the season.

Heffernen was second on the team with 274 kills and had a team-best .303 kill percentage.

Johnson will be back for her senior campaign and looks to control the offense from the setter position. Johnson finished the 2010 season with 847 assists and registered 320 digs. She also was awarded the team’s Hustle and Attitude Award at a postseason awards ceremony.

Sophomore Whitney Westrum was named to the MVC All-Tournament team for her nine kills, 15 digs, two block assists and one serving ace performance in Drake’s 3-1 tournament loss to Creighton. Junior co-captain Mikayla Sims will also return to provide a strong front line.

“Our core is coming back, so we have a chance to shine this year and hope to have a more successful season,” Johnson said. “The ultimate goal is to make the NCAA (tournament).”

McDaniel, who played a major role in bringing Drake volleyball to the height it has reached this season, took a job to become head coach at South Dakota State after three years at Drake.

Tony Sunga, a 1988 Drake graduate, filled the position left vacant by McDaniel. Sunga was an assistant coach at Drake from 2005-07 and played a key role in recruiting this season’s graduating class. The new coaching staff will look to build on the unforgettable success of the 2010 season and make Drake volleyball into an MVC powerhouse.

“I think they have the potential to keep going at this pace,” Clausen said. “I would be very surprised and disappointed if it changed.

The last three years has set a precedent of what Drake volleyball is.”

DRAKE TOP SENIOR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Susan Clausen

Position: Setter Career highlights: Finished second on the team in 2010 with 547 assists; had 208 digs and 10 serving aces; played in 129 of 132 games played in 2010.

Alisa Deberg Roth

Position: Outside hitter Career highlights: Finished career with 276 block assists (10th in Drake history); finished third on the team with 269 kills in 2010; had 86 total blocks in 2010.

Angela Bys

Position: Outside hitter Career highlights: Drake career leader for kills with 1,626; ranks 12th in MVC history for kills and fifth for kills attempted; had team-high 454 kills in 2010.

Alana Wittenburg

Position: Libero Career highlights: All-MVC first team, 2010; holds career, season and single-game digs record; ended with MVC record 764 digs, one of 15 players in NCAA history to amass 2,400 digs or more in career.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Hackbarth ready to take next step as senior

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Staff Writer eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

After a 15-15 season that saw the Drake women’s basketball squad lose seniors Ellie Ritscher and MVC leading scorer Kristin Turk to graduation, junior Rachael Hackbarth knows that she is going to have to step up next season if the Bulldogs plan on having a good year.

“Well, with Turk and Ellie being gone, those are big shoes to fill,” Hackbarth said. “I need to continue to lead by example and to try and be more of a verbal leader.”

So far, Hackbarth has let her game do all the talking. She led the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding at 8.1 rebounds per game, and she was the team’s second leading scorer at 14.6 points per game.

Hackbarth will also be the central component of Drake’s offense next year as the team loses Turk, who averaged 20.0 points per game.

Turk was a constant threat on the perimeter and that helped to free up Hackbarth inside.

Without her, the Bulldogs will need to communicate to avoid double-teams and will need to be effective from the perimeter.

That being said, Hackbarth’s individual suc-

cess might depend on how much the Bulldogs can come together as a team.

“Our team’s success and the type of year that Rachael’s going to have often depends a lot on her teammates,” assistant coach Todd Voss said. “Because as a post player, you have to be surrounded by players that can also score, that can also stretch the defense by scoring from the perimeter so she has faith to operate.”

But if the last three years have been any indication of how Hackbarth continues to grow and embrace new challenges, Bulldog fans shouldn’t worry. She is ready for the task.

“It’s fun as a coach to look back and see how far Rachael has come as a player in so many areas,” Voss said. “The last three, four weeks of the regular season, the consistency in her play showed that she had taken her game to a new level.”

Hackbarth has matured as a person and as a player in her three years at Drake. She is polite and soft-spoken with the media, but friendly and engaging. On the court, Hackbarth is as strong and physical as anyone in the league and practices with tremendous intensity, constantly highfiving her teammates and getting excited every time someone makes a play.

Her moral integrity and strong character are

directly connected to something that is very important in Hackbarth’s everyday life: her faith.

“She’s got a great heart and off the court I know her faith is something that is important to her, and that shows by the way she carries herself,” Voss said. “She’s grown a lot. She’s become a very good leader.”

Not only is Hackbarth a great leader, but she is also one of the most imposing players in the Valley. Her teammates say that they are all aware of the kind of dominance that she can bring onto the court.

“Rachael is going to be huge, from a leadership standpoint, on and off the court,” Turk said. “She was playing extremely well at the end of the season and if she has a good offseason, she could own the Valley next year.”

By the looks of the way the Bulldogs finished the 2011 season, going 6-3 in their last nine regular season games, Hackbarth said she believes they can learn from how they came together as a team and that the squad can use that chemistry for next season.

“We started playing for each other. At times earlier this season, I think people would try to put the game into their own hands,” Hackbarth said. “Our chemistry kept growing and we were playing for each other.”

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

JUNIOR RACHAEL HACKBARTH had a stellar 2010-11 campaign, averaging 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

She’ll be expected to shoulder more of the team’s load next season after Drake loses first team All-MVC player Kristin Turk.

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

SPORTS

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE E8

Friday, April 29 8:00 a.m.

8:16 a.m.

8:31 a.m.

8:46 a.m.

8:58 a.m.

9:17 a.m.

9:32 a.m.

9:48 a.m.

10:05 a.m.

10:25 a.m.

10:40 a.m.

10:55 a.m.

11:07 a.m.

11:14 a.m.

11:29 a.m.

11:35 a.m.

11:45 a.m.

11:50 a.m.

12:15 p.m.

12:40 p.m.

12:45 p.m.

12:58 p.m.

1:03 p.m.

1:15 p.m.

1:28 p.m.

1:34 p.m.

1:46 p.m.

1:58 p.m.

2:10 p.m.

2:22 p.m.

2:28 p.m.

100-Meter Hurdles, HS Girls – Prelims 110-Meter Hurdles, HS Boys – Prelims 100-Meter, HS Girls – Prelims 100-Meter, HS Boys – Prelims 4 x 100-Meter Relay, CD Women – Prelims 4 x 100-Meter Relay, CD Men – Prelims 4 x 100-Meter Relay, UD Women – Prelims 4 x 100-Meter Relay, UD Men – Prelims Distance Medley Relay, CD Women – Final Sprint Medley Relay, HS Girls – Final Sprint Medley Relay, HS Boys – Final 4 x 800-Meter Relay, CD Men – Final 100-Meter Hurdles, HS Girls – Final 100-Meter Hurdles, UD/CD Women – Prelims 110-Meter Hurdles, HS Boys – Final 110-Meter Hurdles, UD/CD Men – Prelims Officials Break Opening Ceremonies 4 x 1,600-Meter Relay UD/CD Men – Final 100-Meter, HS Girls – Final 100-Meter, UD/CD Women – Prelims 100-Meter, HS Boys – Final 100-Meter, UD/CD Men – Prelims Distance Medley Relay, UD Women – Final Men’s Masters 800 – Final 4 x 200-Meter Relay, CD Women – Final 4 x 200-Meter Relay, CD Men – Final 4 x 200-Meter Relay, HS Girls – Final 4 x 200-Meter Relay, HS Boys – Final 800-Meter, HS Girls – Final 800-Meter, HS Boys – Final

2:34 p.m.

2:40 p.m.

3:10 p.m.

3:40 p.m.

4:10 p.m.

4:35 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

6:10 p.m.

6:42 p.m.

6:52 p.m.

7:02 p.m.

7:10 p.m.

7:20 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:40 p.m.

7:55 p.m.

8:10 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

8:55 p.m.

800-Meter, UD/CD Women – Final 4 x 400-Meter Relay, CD Women – Prelims 4 x 400-Meter Relay, CD Men – Prelims 4 x 400-Meter Relay, UD Women – Prelims 4 x 400-Meter Relay, UD Men – Prelims Clear Stadium 4 x 100-Meter Relay, HS Girls – Prelims 4 x 200-Meter Relay UD Women – Final 4 x 100-Meter Relay, HS Boys – Prelims 4 x 200-Meter Relay, UD Men – Final Grand Blue Mile, Corporate Challenge, Men Grand Blue Mile, Corporate Challenge, Women 240-Yard Shuttle Relay, Elementary School – Final 4 x 100-Meter, Middle School Girls – Final 4 x 100-Meter Middle School Boys - Final 4 x 800-Meter Relay, UD Women – Final 4 x 800-Meter Relay, UD Men – Final 4 x 400-Meter Relay, HS Girls – Prelims 4 x 400-Meter Relay, HS Boys – Prelims FIREWORKS

FIELD EVENTS 8:30 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

9:45 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

10:45 a.m.

11:30 a.m.

1:00 p.m.

1:15 p.m.

1:30 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

Shot Put, HS Girls – Final Discus, HS Boys – Final Long Jump, HS Boys – Final High Jump, HS Girls – Final Pole Vault, UD/CD Women – Final Javelin, UD/CD Men – Final Shot Put, UD/CD Women – Final High Jump, UD/CD Women – Final Pole Vault, UD/CD Men – Final Long Jump, UD/CD Men – Final Javelin, UD/CD Women – Final Discus, UD/CD Women – Final Shot Put, UD/CD Men – Final

Saturday, April 30

DRAKE RELAYS SCHEDULE

Wednesday & Thursday, April 27-28

WEDNESDAY 12:00 p.m.

12:30 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

Heptathlon Decathlon Pole Vault at Jordan Creek Town Center

THURSDAY 9:30 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

4:00 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

4:10 p.m.

4:25 p.m.

4:40 p.m.

6:15 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

8:10 p.m.

8:40 p.m.

9:05 p.m.

Decathlon – Final Heptathlon – Final 800-Meter Women – Final 800-Meter Men – Final 3,000-Meter HS Girls – Final 3,200-Meter HS Boys – Final 4 x 1,600-Meter Relay Women – Final Hall of Fame program begins – Sheslow Auditorium 10,000-Meter Women – Final 10,000-Meter Men - Final 5,000-Meter Women - Final 5,000-Meter Men - Final

FIELD EVENTS 3:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

Discus, HS Girls – Final High Jump, HS Boys - Final Shot Put, HS Boys – Final Long Jump, HS Girls – Final

8:00 a.m.

8:00 a.m.

8:10 a.m.

8:20 a.m.

8:43 a.m.

9:03 a.m.

9:19 a.m.

9:34 a.m.

9:54 a.m.

10:15 a.m.

10:35 a.m.

10:52 a.m.

11:06 a.m.

11:20 a.m.

11:35 a.m.

11:50 a.m.

11:55 a.m.

12:15 p.m.

12:20 p.m.

12:40 p.m.

12:48 p.m.

12:56 p.m.

1:04 p.m.

1:11 p.m.

1:27 p.m.

1:33 p.m.

1:39 p.m.

1:49 p.m.

2:01 p.m.

2:10 p.m.

2:18 p.m.

2:21 p.m.

2:28 p.m.

2:35 p.m.

2:41 p.m.

2:50 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

3:09 p.m.

3:21 p.m.

3:31 p.m.

3:42 p.m.

3:53 p.m.

3:59 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

4:11 p.m.

4:17 p.m.

4:23 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

4:37 p.m.

4:44 p.m.

4:52 p.m.

5:02 p.m.

5:12 p.m.

5:22 p.m.

5:32 p.m.

5:42 p.m.

5:50 p.m.

8K Road Race and 1⁄2 Marathon Race (Starts and finishes outside Drake Stadium) Shuttle Hurdle Relay, HS Girls – Prelims Shuttle Hurdle Relay, HS Boys – Prelims Shuttle Hurdle Relay, UD/CD Women – Prelims Shuttle Hurdle Relay, UD/CD Men – Prelims 4 x 800-Meter Relay, CD Women – Final Distance Medley Relay, CD Men – Final Sprint Medley Relay, CD Women – Final Sprint Medley Relay, CD Men – Final Sprint Medley Relay, UD Women – Final Sprint Medley Relay, UD Men – Final 4 x 800-Meter Relay, HS Girls – Final 4 x 800-Meter Relay, HS Boys – Final 3,000-Meter Steeplechase, UD/CD Women– Final 3,000-Meter Steeplechase, UD/CD Men– Final Officials Break Opening Ceremonies Drake Relays Hall of Fame Recognition Parade of Officials Shuttle Hurdle Relay, HS Girls – Final Shuttle Hurdle Relay, HS Boys- Final Shuttle Hurdle Relay, UD/CD Women – Final Shuttle Hurdle Relay, UD/CD Men – Final Distance Medley, UD Men – Final 400-Meter Hurdles, HS Girls – Final 400-Meter Hurdles, HS Boys – Final 400-Meter Hurdles, UD/CD Women – Final 400-Meter Hurdles, UD/CD Men – Final l 1,500-Meter Run, HS Girls – Final 1,600-Meter Run, HS Boys – Final Beautiful Bulldog Winner Recognition 100-Meter Dash, UD/CD Women- Final 100-Meter Dash, UD/CD Men – Final 100-Meter Hurdles, UD/CD Women – Final 100-Meter Hurdles, Special Invitational Women – Final 110-Meter Hurdles, UD/CD Men – Final 110-Meter Hurdles, Special Invitational Men – Final 1,500-Meter Run, Special Invitational Women – Final Mile Run, Special Invitational, Men – Final 400-Meter Run, Special Invitational Women – Final 400-Meter Run, Special Invitational Men – Final 4 x 100-Meter Relay, HS Girls – Final 4 x 100-Meter Relay, HS Boys – Final 4 x 100-Meter Relay, CD Women – Final 4 x 100-Meter Relay, CD Men – Final 4 x 100-Meter Relay, UD Women – Final 4 x 100-Meter Relay, UD Men – Final 800-Meter Run, UD/CD Men – Final 1,500-Meter Run, UD/CD Women – Final 1,500-Meter Run, UD/CD Men – Final 4 x 400-Meter Relay, CD Women – Final 4 x 400-Meter Relay, CD Men – Final 4 x 400-Meter Relay, HS Girls – Final 4 x 400-Meter Relay, HS Boys – Final 4 x 400-Meter Relay, UD Women – Final 4 x 400-Meter Relay, UD Men – Final Drake Relays Ends

FIELD EVENTS 9:00 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

10:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

12:30 p.m.

12:30 p.m.

1:15 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

2:45 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Hammer Throw, UD/CD Women – Final Long Jump, UD/CD Women – Final Discus, UD/CD Men – Final High Jump, UD/CD Men – Final Pole Vault, Special Invitational Women - Final Triple Jump, UD/CD Men – Final Hammer Throw, UD/CD Men - Final High Jump, Special Invitational Women – Final Pole Vault, Special Invitational Men – Final Shot Put, Special Invitational Men – Final High Jump, Special Invitational Men – Final Triple Jump, UD/CD Women – Final

//INSIDE DRAKE SENIORS RELAY REINS TO BULLDOG JUNIORS & MORE

rocked by revolution Ghorbel, Fouad try to focus on tennis while conflicts shake home countries CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

HURDLE

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE F2

Drake’s place in MVC history compiled by Matt Moran Sports Editor sports@timesdelphic.com

The Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association is founded.

The first members include Drake, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Washington University in St. Louis. It is the second oldest conference in NCAA Division I athletics. Iowa leaves in 1908.

1907

Drake men’s basketball wins the MVC title and makes the school’s only Final Four appearance. Drake tied for the conference title with Louisville, which was one of the few teams to defeat the Bulldogs that season. Drake responded with two wins over the Cardinals late in the year, and Louisville left the Valley in 1974.

Butler joins the MVC. The school leaves in 1934. The two rejoin forces in 1991 as members of the Pioneer Football League.

1969

Northern Iowa bolts from the Mid-Continent Conference (now the Summit League) and joins the MVC. Drake is the only Iowa Big Four school to be in the same conference as the other D-I schools (Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa) at some point in time.

1991

1994

1932

1920

Evansville becomes the last of the 10 current members to join the MVC.

1940

1928 The MVIAA splits, with most of the bigger schools leaving to start the Big Eight Conference, which later became the Big 12.

Archrival Creighton joins Drake and the other small schools to form the Missouri Valley Conference. Iowa State leaves the conference in favor of the Big Eight.

Creighton and Drake strike up the “I-80 rivalry.”

1960

1980

2000

2010

1948

1985

2009

Bradley joins the MVC. In the 1950s and ’60s, Drake and Bradley become bitter rivals. The teams called the annual matchup in men’s basketball and football the “game between ole friends.”

The Bulldogs are 53-79 in basketball and 15-2 in football against the Braves since Bradley’s inception in the Valley.

The MVC discontinues football, and the schools with football programs combine to form the Gateway Football Conference. Drake also revoked full athletic scholarships for football players. The Bulldogs became an inaugural member of the Pioneer Football League in 1991.

The Drake women’s rowing team becomes a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs remain members of the MVC for each sport except for crew and football.

DSM Menace teams up with Drake to prepare aspiring players for future

Q A with softball player and Drake alumna Elena Leon

by Sonya Brauchle

Staff Writer sonay.brauchle@drake.edu

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

JUNIOR MICHAEL THADEN advances the ball up the pitch in a game last fall. The West Des Moines native has had stints with the Des Moines Menace, which has been known to field Drake players during the Premier Development League squad’s summer season.

Iowa’s premier soccer team keeps players sharp during college offseason

by Tad Unruh

Staff Writer tad.unruh@drake.edu

Iowa’s premier soccer team, the Des Moines Menace, has been competitive since its inception in 1994. The Drake Bulldogs have the only Division I men’s soccer program in the state. Since ‘94, the two squads have built a relationship that still exists today. The Menace uses Drake players to stay competitive.

The Menace is a Premier Development League team, which is an amateur U.S. soccer league. Two steps below Major League Soccer, the PDL mainly hosts college players in the offseason who would like to obtain professional experience, but still want to maintain their NCAA eligibility.

Iowa native Adam Small, the Menace director of operations, stressed the importance of what the Menace does.

“We take a lot of pride in preparing guys for the next step,” he said. “For a lot of guys, it’s all about preparing for the next season, but ultimately, we would like to give guys the opportunity to play professionally after college.”

In creating that relationship with Drake, the Menace started off with a bang. Its first team included one of Drake’s greatest players: Ezra Hendrickson. Hendrickson is Drake’s all-time leader in goals, points and shots.

After playing for the Menace in ’94, Hendrickson went on to play for six MLS teams from 1997-2008. He even helped the Columbus Crew win the 2008 MLS Cup.

The Menace recruits players from across the world to play during the summer. The PDL teams play 16 games over the course of the summer.

Drake head coach Sean Holmes knows the pros and cons of having his players play for the Menace.

“You can be in the weight room and play pick-up games, but there is nothing like having a formal environment to play in during the summer,” Holmes said. “Except last summer, we lost our best player (senior) Matt Kuhn, who was our returning captain. We lost him for the season, so that certainly hurt.”

Holmes said that playing for Des Moines tends to be a bigger deal for the Iowa kids because they’ve grown up with the Menace. One such player is redshirt junior goalkeeper Jordan Kadlec, a native of Cedar Rapids. He has been playing for the Menace since he was 16. He has been playing on and off with Des Moines since signing with Louisville his first year of college before transferring to Drake.

Kadlec said that overall the Menace runs a very professional organization. It has helped him train to pursue something at the next level, but he is wary that it may cause wear and tear on some players.

“You may get burnt out if you play on the wrong club,” he said. “You might train too often, which might be a problem because you want to come in excited and fit for the fall.”

The Menace’s first game is scheduled for May 14 at home.

Elena Leon, originally from West Des Moines, graduated from Drake in 2010 with a degree in biology, but she also left a legacy as one of the best softball players in Drake history. Leon ranks in the Drake top 10 in five career categories including runs, doubles, home runs, stolen bases and walks.

She broke the all-time Drake home run record with her 26th career home run in the 2010 season, and she also ranks in the top 10 in six season categories.

Leon started for four years at shortstop and third base for the Bulldogs and was a true student of the game. Although her career ended at Drake, she wasn’t ready to give up softball for good. Leon now plays for Olympic Haarlem, which is part of the Hoofdklasse, a professional softball league in the Netherlands, where she will live until October.

Leon spoke with The Times-Delphic via Skype to describe her Dutch experience. The season started on April 16.

Times-Delphic: What are you most excited about?

Elena Leon: I’m most looking forward to competing again. I didn’t think I’d miss it as much when the season ended last year, but I do, especially when I’m watching the Drake games on GameTracker. I’m also looking forward to traveling — what more could I ask for? I get to play softball and travel Europe.

TD: How do you think Drake prepared you for Dutch softball?

EL: I think I left Drake a better softball player both physically and mentally. I feel well prepared to be competitive in this league. The practices are very similar to Drake’s or any other D-I program. Softball here is more like a hobby; the girls love to play the game, but don’t have the opportunity to play for their schools like we do at home.

TD: Are you experiencing any culture shock?

EL: Some cultural differences have been a bit shocking. The Dutch are very laidback, so activities like eating dinner take a lot longer. Another shock is all the bicycles. They are a main mode of transportation; the U.S. needs to think about jumping on this bandwagon.

There hasn’t been much shock softball-

FILE PHOTO

ELENA LEON set the Drake home run record during her senior season last spring, and she earned a chance to play professionally in the Netherlands for Olympic Haarlem. Leon will be remembered as one of the best players in Bulldog softball history. wise, but I think that has a lot to do with having an American coach.

TD: How is softball different compared to your experience at Drake?

EL: The game is pretty much the same as it is in America, although the field is longer so there are a lot more triples than home runs. Team chemistry is a little different — the language and cultural differences factor into that — and also the fact that we don’t see each other every day like we did at Drake, but I think the chemistry will continue to grow.

TD: What are your goals for the upcoming season?

EL: My goal is just to try and make the biggest impact I can for the team. I’m not too nervous about playing, just excited for the first game. My goal for abroad is to come back with a better understanding of the European culture and hopefully grow as a person while I’m here.

TD: How do you feel about missing Drake Relays?

EL: Going to the track events was always my favorite. Being able to watch big-time names run and throw was always a treat. The Drake Relays is such a rich tradition for Drake and Des Moines. I think it’s great that so many people come back year after year.

Leon’s ultimate goal is to reach the Holland Series and then the European Cup, which will be held in Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy, in July.

PAGE F3 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

HURDLE

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Tunisia and Egypt natives deal with crises at Drake

by Dominic Johnson

Staff Writer dominic.johnson@drake.edu

In late 2010 and early 2011, revolution rocked Tunisia and Egypt and led to events that changed the course of history forever. Two members of the Drake tennis team call these countries home. Both sophomores Anis Ghorbel and Mark Fouad were able to live normal lives while corruption was kept behind closed doors — until the two came to Drake.

For Anis Ghorbel, growing up in Sfax, Tunisia, felt no different than growing up in any other country. Like other Division I athletes, Ghorbel picked up tennis at a very young age.

When he was just 10 years old, the Tunisian Tennis Federation witnessed him play and invited him to hit with other players who were under the federation’s supervision. By the age of 12, Ghorbel wasn’t spending much time in his home country, as the young Tunisian traveled to play in international tournaments against the world’s top juniors.

Ghorbel reached a career-high ranking of No. 297 in the world for junior players, and this

“

Athletes didn’t want to go out and practice because they were worried about the violence in the streets. People aren’t as comfortable as they were before because they are just thinking about us being safe.

”

-Anis Ghorbel

earned him a spot on the Davis Cup team for his home country. The Davis Cup is a competition where each country has its top players go up against other countries’ top players. For example, Andy Roddick is one of the members of the United States squad, and Roger Federer plays for Switzerland. After graduating from high school, Ghorbel decided to continue playing tennis and to pursue a professional career.

After a year in the minor league Futures circuit, Ghorbel decided to head to the United States to play Division I tennis.

Ghorbel was originally headed to California to play for UCLA, where one of his fellow Davis Cup teammates played. Due to his professional status, Ghorbel was ordered by the NCAA to sit out a year, and UCLA could not offer him a scholarship. Deterred by the university’s high tuition, Ghorbel looked elsewhere and was eventually recruited by former Drake head coach

Jimmy Borendame.

After sitting out all of last year, Ghorbel made his start for the Bulldogs last fall. When revolution broke out in his home country, Ghorbel was busy training for the upcoming spring season with his fellow Drake teammates. Although the uprising had no effect on Ghorbel here, many of his fellow competitors and Davis Cup teammates were affected.

“Athletes didn’t want to go out and practice because they were worried about the violence in the streets,” Ghorbel said. “People aren’t as comfortable as they were before because they are just thinking about being safe.”

For this reason, Tunisia has been forced to cancel all upcoming tournaments at both the amateur and professional levels. Ghorbel said that the Tunisian Tennis Federation is still trying to convince sponsors, players and fans that Tunisia is a safe place again.

Fouad is from Cairo, Egypt, and he also spent much of his childhood traveling throughout Africa playing in International Tennis Federation tournaments. After a trip to the famous Bollettieri Tennis Academy, he decided to pursue Division I tennis. Recruited by former Drake head coach Chase Hodges, Fouad has spent the last two years playing for the Bulldogs.

As the uprising moved to his hometown just months ago, the Cairo native was faced with a stressful situation. Many of Fouad’s family members still reside in the capital city of Egypt where the riots were most extreme, but fortunately, his family remained unscathed.

“I was really concerned at the beginning for my family’s safety and then for the country in general,” Fouad said.

As the riots heated up, Fouad’s Facebook account featured statuses about his thoughts and prayers for his fellow Egyptians back home, but he did not attack former president Hosni Mubarak.

The country is now under military control, which makes transferring money out of Egypt practically impossible. Luckily, Fouad can still pay tuition because his father resides in Dubai, which is part of the United Arab Emirates, and he has numerous relatives living in the United States.

Like Tunisia, Egypt’s tennis tournaments have been canceled as well. Multiple tournaments were supposed to take place in February, but those were some of the first canceled.

Athletes have continued to train, though, and many of Fouad’s friends are back to their daily routines.

The Cairo native is unsure whether or not he will return to Egypt this summer or if he will remain in the United States. Ghorbel, on the other hand, will spend the summer traveling throughout the United States playing in tournaments.

Right now both players are hopeful that their countries will return to peace and maintain a stable government so the people are safe. As Fouad said, they aren’t interested in the politics as much as they are concerned about the people.

“People just have to try to live as normal a life as possible,” Ghorbel said.

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

ANIS GHORBEL slams a serve in a match against Bradley on April 9. While his home country of Tunisia deals with political revolution, the Drake sophomore has had a breakout season to establish himself as one of the Bulldogs’ top threats.

Ghorbel turning heads in Valley Sophomore Anis Ghorbel has enjoyed a fantastic season to help boost Drake to one of its best seasons in recent memory. As of April 21, the Tunisia native owns a 21-2 record in singles play this season, playing mostly from the fourth slot. Lately, Ghorbel has been bumped up to the second position and is now 3-0 from that spot. He has also paired up with senior Mauricio Ballivian to form a formidable No. 1 doubles duo which was ranked No. 72 in the country at one point this season.

International athletes diversify Bulldog sports

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Staff Writer eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

Drake’s mission statement hopes all students will become global citizens, but the athletic department is already a step ahead by having many international student-athletes on various teams.

Of the 373 student-athletes at Drake, 19 are international students, a ratio that has remained consistent the last three years.

Drake athletic director Sandy Hatfield Clubb emphasizes the importance of having a diverse athletic community.

“I think it’s critical to provide international

diversity among our students, on campus and within the athletic department,” Hatfield Clubb said. “It brings a richness of culture that we wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s wonderful to have a diverse set of cultures and backgrounds involved in our program.”

The men’s and women’s tennis programs at Drake account for 13 of the 19 international student-athletes. More than half of the tennis team members are from outside the United States.

“My understanding is that the sport is not as diversely played in the United States as it is in other countries,” Hatfield Clubb said. “And so the children, as they are growing up, become better tennis players, if you will, in many

countries.”

Helping students adjust to the culture and life in the United States is a burden that mostly falls on the International Center at Drake.

“I’m in correspondence with students before they arrive,” said Carlyn Marron, assistant director of international programs and services.

“We arrange to pick them up from the airport and help them get settled in.”

The International Center is crucial in helping international students with housing options, getting a Social Security number and even paying taxes.

This is also the first year in which the International Center has started a formal mentoring program. Experienced international

students take new students under their wing and help them get adjusted.

“They take them to the bank, help them get a cell phone and go shopping with them,” Marron said.

The transition has not been too difficult for Luxembourg native and basketball player Frank Wiseler, who has been in Des Moines for three years. The junior loves traveling and experiencing new cultures, and he has learned to notice the subtleties from both his home country and the United States.

“It’s the same Western culture, but there are small differences like the food or how people act,” Wiseler said. “But I love traveling and going around meeting new people.”

where in the world?

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg Frank Wiseler basketball see pg. 7 Sfax, Tunisia Anis Ghorbel tennis see above

Kranj, Slovenia Solkan, Slovenia Klavdija Rebol Manca Krizman tennis tennis see timesdelphic.com

Cairo, Egypt Mark Fouad tennis see above

Santa Cruz, Bolivia Mauricio Ballivian tennis see pg. 4

Luque, Paraguay Cesar Bracho tennis see pg. 4

Lapid, Isreal Jonathan Hadash tennis see pg. 5 Assalaya, Sudan Omet Kak cross country/ track see pg. 7

Wellington, New Zealand Tim Cornish cross country see timesdelphic.com

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

HURDLE

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE F4

HURDLE

PAGE F5 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

SENIORS HAND OFF BATON TO NEXT LEADERS Ups and downs define Curtis’ career

by David Johnson

Staff Writer david.e.johnson@drake.edu

Senior Ari Curtis went from never running the 400-meter hurdles in a collegiate meet to running among the nation’s best at the USA Track and Field Championships in a three-month span during her junior season.

Kevin Henderson, an assistant track and field coach who specifically coaches the hurdlers, said Curtis is a poised, confident athlete when she makes her way up to the starting line.

“She is truly an athlete, and I don’t think a lot of people understand that,” Henderson said. “Watching her, you just see that there is a presence about her. It is really hard for me to describe. It’s just a presence about her when she steps on the track.

She’s not timid, she’s not bashful, it’s like, ‘This is my sanctuary, and this is where I get it done.’”

Curtis has set school records in the 400-meter hurdles at 57.89 seconds, in the heptathlon with a score of 4,998 and in the indoor pentathlon with 3,739. She has also been a member of two record-setting relay teams.

Curtis entered Drake as a jumper and a multi-race athlete.

The move to the 400-meter hurdles didn’t come until the start of the 2010 outdoor season. “(Head coach) Natasha (Brown) was really open to the idea of me doing what event I wanted,” Curtis said. “I expressed interest in the 400 hurdles and it worked out.”

Worked out is an understatement. Curtis set a school record the first time she ran the event when she finished with a time of 1:00.00 at last year’s Tom Botts Invitational. She continued to build on that success and shave entire seconds off her time over the course of the season.

“There was a lot of feeling around to find the event I wanted to do,” Curtis said. “Sticking to it and having Kevin as a coach has meant the world. He has done so much that it is hard to quantify.

He is an incredible person in my life as a person, not just as a coach. He has everything to do with my success at Drake.”

Henderson contributes the successful transition to her background in the triple jump and running the 800-meter to build

stamina, but even he was amazed at the instant success.

“I have run the event for nearly 15 years and never seen anybody transition as quickly as she did in just a year,” Henderson said. “It was remarkable.”

Curtis rode her improving times all the way to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., placing 10th with the school-record time of 57.89 seconds. With that performance, she qualified for the 2010 USA Track and Field Championships, which were held in Des Moines.

“She is the epitome of this program in terms of hard work and determination,” Henderson said. “Kind of the underachiever that no one expects to get something done and then gets on the grandstand at the NCAA final. She is always the one that goes to the forefront, and typically those are the type of people that stay in the gym after, out there before, and it makes a good situation for the team.”

Curtis’ teammates are the first people standing in line to agree with Henderson.

“Ari has been a great role model,” sophomore hurdler Sarah Yeager said. “She always pushes us in the workouts and seeing her have so much success coming from how hard she worked last year just made me want to work harder. I think everyone has decided to take after her.”

Unfortunately, the 2011 outdoor season has not been kind to Curtis. At the same meet where the entire 400-meter hurdles story began, she suffered a knee injury while going over the fifth hurdle in the event.

The severity of the knee injury is not yet known and redshirting the rest of the season could be a possibility.

Still, no matter who you talk to, Curtis has already left a lasting impression on the Bulldog track and field program.

“I really hope the legacy is that there is always another level you can reach,” Curtis said. “You don’t have to fit into just what people think you can do because there is always one more step.

Small private school doesn’t mean you can’t make a national statement.”

Ballivian hopes for storybook ending

by Dominic Johnson

Staff Writer dominic.johnson@drake.edu

Seventeen years ago, senior Mauricio Ballivian picked up a tennis racquet for the first time at a summer camp in his hometown of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. This moment not only changed the future of the young Bolivian but also the legacy of men’s tennis on the campus of Drake.

Ballivan started playing tennis at the age of 5. As an upperclassman at his high school, he decided to put tennis on hold for a year to travel to New York for an exchange program. Ballivian wanted to get a better grasp on the English language because he hoped to attend an American university to play tennis. In hindsight, Ballivian called his trip to New York “risky” because his tennis game could have deteriorated immensely; he spent much of the year playing soccer.

“There was only one good tennis player at the high school, which was lucky,” he said. “I stayed with him, and he had a court at his house in the middle of the farm.”

After taking a few months off from the sport, Ballivian started playing high school tennis. That season he came across two-time New York state champion Matt Kandath, who is now a sophomore for No. 8 Stanford. Kandath was the top player in the entire region and was undefeated that year — until he met Ballivian.

“That guy didn’t lose to anyone that year besides me,” Ballivian said. “He was the best player in the state and he won the whole thing that year.”

By beating Kandath, Ballivian qualified for the state tournament, which is held annually at Flushing Meadows in Queens, the site of the U.S. Open each year. Ballivian recalled playing on the courts was like living out a dream.

Unfortunately for Ballivian, his dream was cut short as he came across Kandath once more in the quarterfinals, and this time the New York native was the victor.

During winter break, Ballivian traveled back to Bolivia, but was soon contacted by then-Drake head coach Chase Hodges. Hodges had heard of the young Bolivian through a

mutual friend, and he wanted Ballivian to come back to the United States to play tennis as a Drake Bulldog.

“At the time, we knew that we needed to bring in a January player who could have the ability to play very high in the lineup,” Hodges said. “‘Mau’ was the perfect fit for our team at the perfect time.”

The risk factor in recruiting Ballivian was higher though, as he didn’t have the same tournament results as Hodges’ most talented recruit, Maor Zirkin.

“Chase took a big risk with me,” Ballivian said. “Maor and Cesar (Bracho) were much safer bets than I was.”

Despite the risk, Ballivian started his Drake career with a bang, earning the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year award as the Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA tournament. In his sophomore year, he moved up in the lineup and began playing even better tennis. In his junior year, he garnered co-ownership of the MVC Player of the Year accolade.

Entering into his senior season, Ballivian wanted his name in the banners of the Roger Knapp Tennis Center, next to the banner of friend, teammate and mentor Zirkin. He did that by winning the conference title at the top singles spot to start off the spring season. He wanted a national ranking in singles. He did that in February by coming in at No. 122 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings. Most of all, Ballivian wants to lead his team to the NCAA tournament by winning the MVC regular-season title and end-of-season tournament.

“Winning the title my freshman year was the best memory,” he said. “It was like we were in heaven.”

On Friday, Drake students and alumni will focus on the 102nd running of the Drake Relays, but Ballivian will have something else on his mind. The lone senior on a talented Bulldog squad will be out on the courts in St. Louis for the State Farm MVC Championships, fighting for each point in his final chance to reach the NCAA tournament.

Replacing DE Taylor will prove difficult

by Blake Miller

Staff Writer blake.miller@drake.edu

When Dain Taylor steps on a football field, everyone’s job gets easier. Well, everyone on his team, that is. Preparing for the Dain Taylor effect is not a simple task for opposing teams.

“Dain is a guy where we go out there and we’re like ‘Well, hey, we’ve got Dain Taylor,’” Drake head football coach Chris Creighton said. “We knew we had the best player on the field.”

Becoming the best player on the field for any given game wasn’t a short road for the fifth-year senior Taylor.

“The reason I started playing was because I would see my dad cheering on the (Denver) Broncos, and I was like, ‘Man I want to be like that,’” Taylor said. “As a little kid, I was playing soccer and baseball and other sports, but football was my dad’s favorite so I gravitated toward it.”

The Colorado native had a hard time being recruited to play at the next level. He received several Division II offers, but Drake was the only Division I-A FCS school that made him feel wanted.

“I knew I wanted to play football in college, but it was tough getting recruited out of my high school,” Taylor said. “I had a few D-II looks, but nobody was really looking. Drake somehow got my film by watching another player and flew out to see me. I just loved how interested they were, and I was like, ‘These guys want me, I want to play college football, I’m going there.’”

Good thing for that tape. Taylor hit the Drake campus in 2006 as a 6-foot-2, 200-pound freshman. Right now, Taylor stands at 6-foot-3 and 251 pounds, and that isn’t all that Taylor gained in college.

In 2008, Taylor received second-team All-Pioneer Football League honors and scored his first career touchdown against William Penn. In 2009, Taylor was named to the All-Pioneer Football League first team, and finished the season third in the Division I-AA in tackles for loss and sixth in the nation in sacks.

Taylor had many awards and accomplishments in 2010, including being named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press.

“Going into the Dayton game (last November), they were a

team where I was looking for some redemption from last year (2009),” Taylor said. “We lost to them, and the quarterback kept getting away from me. He was just out of my reach. In 2010, I got up in front of the whole team and said, ‘I’m going to catch this dude this year.’”

Taylor wasn’t lying. In that game, he had a career-high 12 tackles, including 3.5 sacks and a safety, and added a blocked field goal attempt, earning him PFL Defensive Player of the Week.

Taylor’s good friend and teammate on the defensive line Andrew Asbell noticed Taylor’s constant improvement during their five years together.

“Dain has improved in all aspects,” Asbell said. “He was always trying to improve his technique. By his fifth year, it was pretty much just all instinct for him, and he could just step on the field, zone out and play.”

Next season Drake will have new football captains, new players on the defensive line, new senior leaders, but no new Dain Taylor.

Taylor will never be replaced, but his legacy will live on.

“He was a special player,” Creighton said. “When you’re losing a special player like that, it’s going to take the team as a whole to make up for it. One player isn’t going to be able to come in right away and fill his shoes.”

Taylor said what he has learned in his five years playing football for Drake will stay with him for life.

“There is a lot to take away,” Taylor said. “I would say the leadership aspect (is the most important). That’s not just being voted captain, we also have leadership meetings that we do with coach Creighton, and just being side-by-side with people and being able to work with other people to achieve a common goal, whether you’re playing football or in the real world, all of that is always there.”

Maybe someday playing football will be the real world for Taylor. Taylor participated in a pro-day for NFL scouts at Iowa State on March 22 and had a workout with the Jacksonville Jaguars on April 4. He even has an agent, Matt Striegel, from Ascent Sports in Colorado. Taylor will be waiting anxiously this weekend to see if an NFL team decides to take him in the draft.

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | Photo Editor ARI CURTIS

CESAR BRACHO

Junior duo next in line to lead squad

by Dominic Johnson

Staff Writer dominic.johnson@drake.edu

The Big Ten Conference is a dominant force in college athletics, and the Drake men’s tennis team is one of the few midmajor teams to be led by those with experience from high-level tennis. Next year, the Bulldogs will rely on two people, one coach and one player, to use their experience at Big Ten programs to make Drake one of the premier teams in the Midwest.

Evan Austin was the assistant coach at Wisconsin for four years before becoming the head coach at Drake this past fall.

Austin helped transform the Badgers from good to great, as the Wisconsin squad finished the 2010 spring season ranked No. 23 in the nation. Austin will rely on his two seniors next season, Cesar Bracho and Jonathan Hadash, to continue the winning legacy of Drake’s most consistent team in recent history.

Hadash has experience playing for a Big Ten team. The Israeli native spent his freshman year and half of his sophomore year as a Golden Gopher for Minnesota. Hadash spent much of his time playing in the fifth and sixth singles positions for the Gophers, but Hadash felt like the atmosphere of the team wasn’t for him. Former head coach Jimmy Borendame and former assistant coach Maor Zirkin recruited Hadash to Drake, where he has played much of this year at the sixth singles position.

“Coach Austin spoke to me specifically because I’m coming from a Big Ten school with a successful program,” Hadash said.

“He wants me to bring the attitude and the maturity that teams need to have to be in the rankings.”

The Big Ten is well-known for its football and basketball programs, but the tennis teams are just as dominant. Eight of the 11 conference teams are in the Intercollegiate Tennis

Association national rankings, with four in the top 25. Austin and Hadash are hoping to start bringing the Big Ten work ethic and determination to Drake, and that process has already begun.

Although the schedule for next spring is not official, Austin has scheduled the Bulldogs to play much tougher competition in an effort to improve their ranking and to prepare them better for the State Farm MVC Championship.

“With good experience, good leadership and with a better schedule, we can get into the top 50 next year, I think,” Hadash said.

One of the biggest things the Bulldogs will be missing next year is the enthusiastic attitude of senior Mauricio Ballivian.

Bracho and Hadash believe they will have to emulate the enthusiasm and positive energy that Ballivian has brought to the team the last two years. Both players are looking to improve the team off the court as well.

“I think both Bracho and I are positive people,” Hadash said.

“We are good academic performers as well, so if we can get our team to put as much work into school as they do tennis, we can be a full package.”

Bracho said that the two seniors will be doing their best to lead by example, working hard in the off season as well as the fall and spring. With Austin entering his second season as head coach, the team is looking to completely forgo the introductory phase that the team went through at the beginning of this season and start out stronger at the beginning of next season.

“Everyone is gaining more and more experience and getting better and better,” Bracho said. “I not only think we are going to do well, but do better and move up higher in the rankings.”

MAURICIO BALLIVIAN

JONATHAN HADASH

Craddock enjoys break-out season

by Blake Miller

Staff Writer blake.miller@drake.edu

This season has been exceptional for the Drake softball team.

Led by senior Jenna DeLong, the team is out to a 29-15 overall record and a 15-1 record in the Missouri Valley Conference, which is good enough for first place as of April 21. There have been ups and downs to the season, including a five-game losing streak and an eight-game winning streak.

But when DeLong is in the circle, good things seem to happen for the Bulldogs. What makes the season even better is that next year the Bulldogs will have another strong senior leader in Torey Craddock.

“Torey reminds me of myself in a couple of ways,” DeLong said. “Both of us have a passion for the game, and Torey’s passion is expressed through her leadership on and off the diamond.”

Craddock, a junior second baseman, has a team-best 30 runs batted in as of April 21 and leads the team in batting average at .331. Craddock also leads the team in hits, and she is second in home runs only to senior Erin Mollohan and — guess who — DeLong.

“Torey is often times the spark that ignites our offensive rallies,” DeLong said. “She has come up many times with game-changing at-bats and game-winning hits.”

Craddock has proved to her teammates that she can be just as much of a leader off the field as on it. After starting her career as a quiet player, she has really evolved into a more vocal presence.

“It is so helpful to have her voice in my ear from second base when I am in the circle and need some helpful words of wisdom,” DeLong said.

Younger players have also noticed Craddock’s leadership.

Freshman Amy Pierce sees nothing holding Craddock back from being the team’s leader next season.

“Torey is definitely prepared to lead this team next year and will step into the role easily,” Pierce said. “She is someone who can be looked up to, and she always plays with a positive attitude.”

Craddock attributes much of her leadership ability to the team’s current leader, DeLong.

“Jenna is such a team cheerleader,” Craddock said. “Even when she is having a bad game, she is always there to pick up the rest of the team and keep us motivated, which really makes my job a whole lot easier.”

It took Drake seven MVC games before it lost its first one of the season — a feat that has never been accomplished by a past Drake softball team. Much of the success this season can be attributed to Craddock and DeLong, and hopefully Craddock will be able to continue the success next season without DeLong’s help.

“I will be the oldest player in the infield next season, so I will need to step up and take responsibility,” Craddock said. “It’s nice to know I won’t need to be loud and obnoxious to lead, I can just be myself and play, and it will work out itself.”

Pierce said that Craddock’s presence next year will help the team adjust to losing a talented senior class after the season.

“It will definitely be big shoes to fill with this senior class leaving,” Pierce said. “But Torey is someone who can make the transition easy.”

DeLong also sees no problem with the team remaining consistent under Craddock’s wing next season.

“The team is always welcoming of Torey’s leadership,” DeLong said. “Her abilities as a player are unlimited and her leadership skills are constantly evolving, and I am positive she will be effective for this team the rest of this season and into next season.”

TOREY CRADDOCK

EVAN LAWRENCE

Quiet giant Lawrence leads by example

by Elizabeth Robinson

Staff Writer elizabeth.robinson@drake.edu

In the words of Julius from the classic football movie “Remember the Titans,” “Attitude reflects leadership.” Junior Evan Lawrence, an offensive lineman for Drake’s football team, demonstrates his leadership through his attitude as well as his impressive skills on the field, despite his quiet nature.

Lawrence is one of few players who saw playing time as a freshman. Following his first year, Lawrence became a starter.

Next year as a senior, he will start for his third straight year.

“I just kind of got thrown in as a freshman and my head was kind of spinning, and I didn’t know what to expect,” Lawrence said. “Now I’m more comfortable, and I know what to expect, and I know my assignments, so I can help the other guys know what to do.”

Lawrence’s talent throughout the years was recognized last season when he was named to the All-Pioneer Football League First Team. Lawrence said being named to the All-PFL team is one of his greatest accomplishments.

“There are a lot of really good linemen in the conference, so to be up there with them is a real honor,” he said. “I’m proud of all the work I put in to get there.”

Head coach Chris Creighton recognizes Lawrence’s talent and considers him one of the team’s best players. His quiet mannerisms don’t make him stand out at first glance, but simply by watching him on the field, it is evident that he is an exceptional player and a key asset to the team.

“He isn’t vocal and he doesn’t bring attention to himself, but you know, he’s just a rock,” Creighton said. “You know that whoever the opposing team has going against him, even if it’s

their best player, that that guy’s not going to be better than Evan.”

Creighton said when thinking about leaders on the team, Lawrence may not be someone that all of the players think of right away, but when he has something to say or when the team watches him play, his leadership truly stands out. He noted that several players probably see him as a leader without consciously thinking about it. They just know that he is extremely good at what he does.

“I think I show guys that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win, and they should be willing to put forth that effort, too,” Lawrence said. “There shouldn’t be a moment when you look back and wish you would’ve worked harder.”

Aside from his hard work on the field, Lawrence has also made a conscious effort to get to know his teammates and form quality relationships. The concept of a “football family” is extremely important to Drake’s team, and Lawrence truly recognizes that.

“It’s hard to be a leader without good relationships,” he said.

“You can use those relationships as an influence to help the team succeed.”

Going into his senior year, Lawrence will be looked at even more than before as a leader. His goals for the team are to finish stronger overall next season and to take advantage of the time and resources the players have to reach the best of their abilities. As for personal goals, Lawrence said he is going to take advantage of his talent and seniority on the team to serve as more of a leader than he has in the past.

“In the past, I haven’t been the vocal leader to step up and say things, and I think this year will be my time to kind of step up and take that role,” he said.

HURDLE

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE F6

Next chapter for former stars Plummer shifts focus to coaching

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Staff Writer eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

You can tell basketball is still very much a part of Jordann Plummer’s life. She wears her white and black Michael Jordan shoes proudly, with dark blue jeans and a gray, Drake basketball hoodie as she watches from the “family” section in the Knapp Center stands.

On this afternoon, the Drake women’s basketball team is taking on its biggest rival, Creighton, and celebrating senior night for its two seniors: Ellie Ritscher and Kristin Turk.

Of course, the scene is all too familiar for Plummer, who constantly gets up from her seat to cheer on her former teammates. Plummer graduated last year, and she knows how much beating Creighton means to Drake.

As the game comes to an end, the crowd gets on its feet. Drake has just finished a 65-54 defensive thumping of Creighton, easily its best win of the season. Plummer claps and cheers as she climbs down the stands to congratulate the team.

Assistant coach Todd Voss comes and gives Plummer a big hug. An usher then approaches Plummer and says hello. Not long after, a couple of fans from the stands approach her. This is definitely still Plummer’s home.

She is a Drake celebrity, if you will. She was the heart and soul of Drake women’s

basketball throughout her five-year career; an all-conference performer with an even better sense of humor. While the people in the stands and on the court begin to clear out, Plummer continues to soak in everything that is no longer part of her everyday life.

The St. Louis native walks with confidence; she has a little strut in her step and a little swagger in her voice. She constantly laughs and isn’t afraid to joke around.

After she graduated with a degree in marketing and management, Plummer did not go play overseas like she had planned. Plummer was supposed to play for a professional team in Poland.

“I just had a situation that didn’t fall through all the way with Poland,” Plummer said. “They didn’t have enough money and all of that stuff didn’t fall through, and it didn’t work out.”

Instead, Plummer directed her attention to something that she had been planning on pursuing in the future: coaching.

Throughout the summer following her graduation year, Plummer coached Amateur Athletic Union ball in Des Moines for Kingdom Hoops. Once the school year started in August, she received a coaching offer from Normandy Senior High School head coach Preston Thomas to help with the team in St. Louis.

“When I moved back to town back in August, the new [Normandy] head coach Preston Thomas approached me and asked me if I’d be interesting in coaching, and I said sure,” Plummer said.

Plummer is now an assistant coach for the women’s varsity squad at Normandy. She is in charge of scheduling, in-game substitutions and running practice if the head coach is missing.

The whole experience has been valuable to

Plummer.

“I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything else; you gotta learn somehow,” Plummer said.

“When you’re winning it’s good, and when you’re losing you look back at what you can do differently next year.”

Surely, being at Drake for five years and being coached by Amy Stephens taught her a lot about basketball.

Plummer laughs when reflecting upon how her coaching style came about.

“I dabble a little here and there and I have a little coach Stephens (influence),” Plummer said.

“I’ve been under her for five years; I can’t shake anything that she’s taught me. I incorporate a lot of the Bulldog drills slowly into practice” As Plummer continues to mature and grow as a coach and as a person, she still admits to missing Drake and missing her teammates.

“I miss college. I miss the whole experience, the good and the bad,” Plummer said. “It’s the best time of your life; coach Stephens told me that my freshman year. All the road trips, my teammates on campus whenever we saw each other walking around; it’s my freaking family.”

Now that she has been able to have the coaching experience for more than a year, Plummer is considering other options in the near future. Plummer wants to become a graduate assistant coach for Bradley so she could earn a master’s degree.

“Within the next year I want to get my master’s in business,” Plummer said, “before I am 30 and going back to school.”

Plummer still plays ball in a women’s recreational league near where she lives.

“You can put up whatever numbers you want and make you look good,” Plummer said.

“I‘m excited; I want a trophy or something.”

Season at a Glance If there was one word to describe Drake’s 2010-11 season it would have to be inconsistency. The Bulldogs showed flashes of a team that could hang with anyone in the Valley, but also showed the vulnerability of a young squad. Still, Drake managed a 15-15 record and finished sixth in the MVC at 9-9.

The season ended with a loss to Missouri State in the quarterfinals of the State Farm MVC Tournament.

FILE PHOTOS | photo illustrations by Katie Minnick

AFTER GRADUATING FROM DRAKE, JORDANN PLUMMER landed a job as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Normandy Senior High School in St. Louis. Her next goal is to become a graduate assistant coach at Bradley, where she would like to pursue earning a master’s degree.

TOP SCORER:

Kristin Turk, 20 points per game (1st in MVC)

TOP REBOUNDER:

Rachael Hackbarth, 8.1 rebounds per game (3rd in MVC)

TOP PASSER:

Turk, 3.1 assists per game

TOP DEFENDERS: Turk, 2.7 steals per game (1st in MVC) and Hackbarth,

0.9 blocks per game

Young thrives in German League

by Tad Unruh

Staff Writer tad.unruh@drake.edu

Many children dream of becoming professional athletes, but sometimes that road isn’t always a direct route to the pros. Drake basketball hero Josh Young’s dream is in the works. Young has had a wild year since graduating from Drake last spring.

“I knew for sure that I wanted to play for as long as I could, especially coming right out of college, but I didn’t know exactly where that would be,” he said.

Young became one of the greatest and most loved players in Drake history. He amassed a school record 1,789 points and was selected to the All-Missouri Valley Conference team three times.

He also helped the stellar 2007-2008 team achieve a 28-5 record, win the MVC regular season and tournament titles, and earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. On that team he was the leading scorer averaging 18.5 points per game. With all of the honors, he remained a humble leader and struck current head coach Mark Phelps as a leader from the moment he met him.

“I knew immediately after meeting Josh that he was a special young man, not just a special player but a really unique and gifted person, talented in many ways, intelligent and very conscientious,” Phelps said. “At the same time, he had a real resolve and a toughness to be the best he could be on the court.”

That toughness led Young leave to his hometown

of Lawton, Okla., after his senior season to pursue a professional career. Waiting and working through the summer and fall, Young and his agent began to hash out ideas of where he could play. Last November, Young was drafted in the third round of the NBA D-League by the Austin Toros. The Toros are a part of the San Antonio Spurs organization.

“I went down there and went to training camp, but I guess they felt like the people they had last year were the ones they were going to go with. That was the end of my short stint in the D-League,” Young said.

After returning home for less than a month, his agent got in touch with a basketball club in Germany known as Bayer “Giants” Leverkusen, located in Leverkusen, Germany. The club offered him a contract, and he signed a one-year deal with the Pro B League team. The season was at its midpoint, so he rushed to join his new squad.

“It was about two days after signing with them I was on a plane to come to Germany, so I didn’t have much time to say bye to everyone,” Young said.

First, Young had to settle in his new environment.

In Leverkusen, he had his own apartment and a car, but his days were filled with basketball..

“That’s my job now, I play basketball, so it’s kind of surreal for me,” Young said. “Any time you can do something that you love, you don’t have to really consider it like a job, though.”

Young proved irreplaceable to Leverkusen as it closed out the regular season. Eight of the 12 teams from each division reach the league’s playoffs. With

his team on the brink of elimination, Young came up huge down the stretch. Young was selected as the February player of the month for the entire league.

Early in the month, he poured in a staggering 43 points against BSV Wulfen. Then when playoff crunch-time came, he averaged 26 points per game in the Giants’ last four wins to earn a playoff bid.

Despite his success in Europe, Young said being away from his family has been hard. He regularly uses Skype to communicate with friends and family. It has made him realize how much he misses his companions back home.

“It’s really easy to take for granted people that you love … because you kind of get into this level of comfortableness,” Young said. “Being overseas and away from my family, it really has given me a greater appreciation for them, with all of their support and love.”

Young’s contract has expired, and he will return home until he is signed by a new team and continues his dream of playing professional basketball.

“Every kid that plays basketball dreams to play in the NBA. I don’t think that anyone would have told you they want to play overseas growing up,” Young said. “But with that being said, being here and having the chance to live abroad for a little bit, it is actually something that I could see myself doing in the future.”

Passing the Torch After Josh Young graduated last spring following a historic Drake career, freshman Rayvonte Rice is well on his way to filling the school’s all-time leading scorer’s shoes. Here is a look at both players’ first seasons in Bulldog blue and white. In

Young’s sophomore year, Drake won the MVC regular season and tournament titles to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament.

Hopefully Rice can match that feat in his second season.

JOSH YOUNG FRESHMAN STATS (2006-07) 26.3 minutes per game 10.7 points 2.3 rebounds 2.5 assists

RAYVONTE RICE FRESHMAN STATS (2010-11) 30.1 minutes per game 13.8 points 4.8 rebounds 1.6 assists

LIKE HE DID SO MANY TIMES IN A DRAKE UNIFORM, JOSH YOUNG had a stellar final month of the season to lead his German Pro B League team to the playoffs. He averaged 26 points in the team’s final four games.

PAGE F7 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

HURDLE

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

far from

HOME Worldwide Wiseler: Junior tours the globe for hoops

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

LUXEMBOURG NATIVE FRANK WISELER has lived away from home since he was 14, when he attended a high school in Germany to advance his basketball career. The junior is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2010-11 season to help Drake at the point guard position.

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Staff Writer eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

Drake junior point guard Frank Wiseler sees his parents twice a year — once over the summer in Luxembourg City and once over winter break in Des Moines.

His father, Claude, works for the Luxembourg government and his mother, Isabel, is a high school French teacher. His mother loves Christmas and it’s important for her to be with her son during the holidays.

“For my mom, Christmas is really big, so she likes to come over,” Wiseler said. “It’s always hard if you can’t see your family the way you want to.”

The separation was not new for Wiseler

when he came to Des Moines. He hasn’t lived with his parents since he was 14 years old. Wiseler transferred to Urspringschule High School in Ehingen, Germany, to join its basketball academy.

“I left home when I was 14, so I’m kind of used to not being with my family so much,” Wiseler said. “I really miss it a lot, but I really like it here at Drake.”

Wiseler was born and raised in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. He has two older siblings, Marc and Cathy. He speaks German, French and Luxembourgish, which are the official national languages.

Luxembourg is bordered by France, Germany and Belgium and has a population of roughly 500,000 people, about the same as Wyoming.

His high school participated in tournaments in the United States, drawing interest from American colleges. In the end, Drake head coach Mark Phelps reached out to Wiseler.

During the summer, when Wiseler visits his parents, he also plays point guard for the Luxembourg national team. Adjusting to a different basketball style is something Wiseler has also had to confront in the United States.

“It’s a different style of basketball. Here it is more athletic and physical,” Wiseler said. “I also have to watch out to not make any travels.

It’s the same rules, but they just call things differently everywhere.”

While basketball has been Wiseler’s passion since he was 4 when his brother got him hooked, he understands the importance of earning a degree.

“It’s important for me to get a good degree,” Wiseler said. “You never know what’s going to happen. You never know if you are going to be injured like I am right now.”

Last July, Wiseler suffered his first major injury in his career and has missed most of the season with a sliced Achilles tendon.

“It’s definitely hard. You know the risk you have when you play sports,” Wiseler said. “You have to expect that you are going to deal with it at some point.”

Wiseler is an international business and management major and hopes that his Drake education helps him get a job after basketball.

Kak discovers running after escaping war in Sudan

by Kristen Smith

Copy Editor kristen.smith@drake.edu

When Omet Kak first came to the United States, he never expected to become a Division I cross country and track and field athlete. He discovered his talent for competitive running trying to get in shape for another sport, and now he is one of Drake’s top distance runners.

However, Kak has had quite the journey to get where he is today.

The sophomore has lived in Des Moines for about six years now, but he was born in Sudan.

He spent the majority of his childhood in Sudan, until he was 9 years old, which is when he and his family moved to Egypt. The Kak family resided in Egypt for about three to four years and then finally arrived in the U.S. The Second Sudanese Civil War made life difficult in Sudan. Almost 2 million people were killed as a result of the war, and the civilian death toll was one of the highest of any war since World War II. Kak’s family decided the best decision was to move.

“We moved around so much because we were trying to find better living,” Kak said. “We didn’t really have a good life in Sudan, and there was the war going on, so we moved.”

He said they always knew their final destination would be the U.S., but they had to clear a few hurdles to get here. Kak’s father left the family in southern Sudan and somehow made it into Syria. He attempted to send for them twice to move to Syria, but both times they were returned to Sudan. During the third attempt the family moved to Egypt, which proved to be an easier way to gain access to the U.S. Kak and his siblings all had different names when they lived in Sudan. When they moved to

the U.S., his father decided to change his name, along with the names of his seven brothers and sisters, so that they did not sound as Arabic.

“My name is actually Omar. I was named after the president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, because he came to my hometown the day I was born,” Kak said. “I guess I can see why they changed my name, because the president, he was doing bad things, causing genocide and all that. But I still like my name, I don’t want it to be changed.”

Some of the biggest adjustments Kak had to make were learning English and catching up in school.

“We arrived here in June and school is in August, so two months is not enough time to learn English,” Kak said. “When I enrolled in school, I couldn’t speak English. It was hard going to classes and sometimes I would just skip because I was really miserable.”

Kak attended Des Moines North High School, which is where he discovered his natural running abilities. He was interested in playing soccer and wanted to get in shape for the next spring season, so he joined track his junior year.

After only about two months, Kak was top distance runner on the team. He decided that since he was doing so well, he should join cross country that fall in his senior year.

“That was when I met this guy named Ben Tillis,” Kak said. “He changed my life. It’s because of him that I am here. He became my personal coach because he believed in me after he saw me running one time at regionals.”

Kak said that Tillis thought he had a lot of potential. He began not only training Kak, but also building his confidence. He pushed Kak to be one of the best runners in the state, something Kak didn’t even consider when he started running.

Kak said Tillis was the one who opened the

door for Kak to consider running in college.

Kak reached the top of the Iowa high school track scene as a senior, being named the 2009 Iowa Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Despite the efforts of Drake head track and field coach Natasha Brown to recruit Kak right out of high school, Kak initially chose to run at

Northern Iowa. After his first year, though, he transferred to Drake. Now Kak is ready to run in his first Drake Relays as a Bulldog.

“I will try my best and hope it’s good enough,” Kak said. “I’m very thankful I can run at Drake Relays while wearing a Drake uniform.

It doesn’t get better than that.”

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

FRESHMAN OMET KAK is one of Drake’s highly touted distance running prospects.

The Sudan native and Des Moines North High School graduate is loaded with potential, earning the 2009 Iowa Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year honor.

Q A THE TIMES-DELPHIC

HURDLE

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE F8

with softball player Jenna DeLong

opportunity to strategize before games.

by Hayley Keil

Staff Writer hayley.keil@drake.edu

Senior Jenna DeLong has had a stellar softball career at Drake, and this season she became the Bulldogs’ career leader in strikeouts. The Times-Delphic had a chance to sit down with one of the best players the program has ever fielded.

Times-Delphic: Since when has college softball been a goal of yours?

Jenna DeLong: Since I was 12. I remember writing it in my calendar in high school. I decided I was going to work as hard as I could so my parents would not have to pay a dime for my education.

TD: What made you choose Drake?

JD: Drake chose me. I was playing in nationals and the coach saw me and asked me to come for a visit. I visited and really loved the campus.

Drake also was one of the only schools that offered such an outstanding journalism program, which was what I was really interested in doing.

TD: Do you enjoy playing for Drake?

JD: I really enjoy playing here. I am glad I came here. Playing at a small school gives you so many opportunities. We travel, especially during breaks. And having the comfort of knowing I will play is a great aspect of small-school softball.

TD: How have you evolved as a player?

JD: I have evolved as a teammate both on the field and emotionally. I found out freshman year that there was a mental side to the game, too. I feel as though I am at my best now — this is as good as I am ever going to be.

Since this is my fourth year playing consistently, I have been able to recognize plays and players of other teams. Knowing this gives me the

TD: How has your team evolved?

JD: Finding players with strong leadership throughout the past three years was a huge concern on our team; there was no one to look up to, to get the job done.

However, the seniors this year are trustworthy. Our bonds as teammates and friends make us stronger off the field than we have been throughout my four years here.

We train in the offseason three times a week at 6:30 a.m. We watch the sun come up together and watch it go down together at our night practices.

TD: What is your favorite memory?

JD: I would have to say that it was my junior year at Iowa. The stadium was packed and we won 1-0 on a squeeze bunt. It was such a satisfying victory for us, especially since they are our rivals.

Not to mention, it was the game that led to my Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week nomination.

TD: What is your least favorite memory?

JD: It was our game against Southern Illinois. I was playing a really poor pitching game and got taken out. I was put in the outfield and played poorly there, too. Then I got taken out altogether. It was one of the only games I have sat out.

My coach reminded me as a senior leader I can’t take any game for granted, and that really hit home for me.

The emotional aspect of being a senior has yet to really hit me. I am playing each game with focus, and I’m determined to end my career strong.

I have such a love for the sport. And I am so thankful for the opportunities that Drake has given me to grow as a person and a player. I am proud to be a Bulldog.

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

SENIOR JENNA DELONG delivers a pitch in Drake’s 7-0 win over Northern Iowa on April 17 to complete a sweep of the Panthers. The win kept the Bulldogs in first place in the Valley. DeLong is undefeated in the circle in MVC play this season.

Rising to the top On April 16, senior Jenna DeLong climbed to the top of the Drake career strikeout list in a 3-2 complete game win against Northern Iowa. DeLong then earned her third MVC Pitcher of the Week award of the season (the sixth of her career) on April 19. DeLong has been one of the Bulldogs’ most consistent all-around players over her four-year career, producing at the plate and in the circle. Here’s a look at each week this season that DeLong was honored by the MVC: April 11-17:

3-0, 0.94 earned run average, 22 strikeouts

Feb. 14-20:

2-0, 2.62 earned run average, 19 strikeouts

Feb. 8-13:

2-0, 0.00 earned run average, 22 strikeouts (first career no-hitter)

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Now I run

by Brittany Elkins

Relays Fiction Contest Winner brittany.elkins@drake.edu

I crouch down getting into the starting position. Sweat is already beading on my brow. My muscles tighten ready for the start. They’ve been practicing for this, training for this. My muscles have spent hours being stretched to their limits. They’ve spent hours aching in pain, wondering what the point of this agonizing work is. But I know. It’s that goal at the end of the track. It’s the sound of the crowd on my ears. It’s the way “Relays” rolls off the tongue. It’s the swelling of pride in my chest covered by the color of sapphire blue that I wear like a badge of honor.

I’m getting tense now. I’m anxious for the start. My heart is pumping at the speed with which I want my feet to use. My muscles clench waiting to spring to life and hit the pavement. I lift my eyes to glance at my goal. The need to reach it starts to boil my blood. Adrenaline pumps through my veins like a life force. I’m just a second away from my flight.

My breath hitches. The moment is here. My body begins the job it has been trained to do, the job it has been striving toward. My mind focuses, a narrow tunnel that ends with the light I’ve been waiting to reach. This is my moment. This is my chance. Now I run.

relive.remember.relays.

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

SPEED

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

relive

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE G2

return to your finest Drake moment

CONNOR MCCOURTNEY | photo editor

Why Drake University loves Street Painting I’ve heard that a picture is worth a thousand words, but the images created during street painting aren’t really pictures.

They’re more like scattered and silly feelings.

Not even the professors can stand in their way. They feel it coming too — when the politics students look longingly through Meredith’s tinted windows to the white-washed sidewalk below, or when young pharmacy professionals rush through a chemistry lab to run along the painted street. And while instructors might snap their fingers or say sharp words, they can’t really be mad about what their pupils are thinking — maybe because they are thinking about it themselves.

Student leaders sketch the squares for hours while the anticipation grows. First-year students eye the growing crowd as they walk to class. They’ve been hearing about this event since September, and even before that. They’ve heard the eagerness in a veteran painter’s voice when he tries to explain what it’s like and can’t quite capture it because he’s already forgotten his audience, lost again among the vibrant colors. During street painting, Drake’s colors expand far beyond blue and white.

Something comes over you when you step on the squares. I always feel like I’ve found something I didn’t know I’d lost. It doesn’t take long to get caught up in the mess, and even less time to become part of it.

It’s a freedom to run around the backyard as much as you want, screaming and yelling as loud as you want while elders watch from afar, smiling because they remember what it was like.

It’s being a child without being a child, a perfect balance of responsibility and recklessness.

Rumors of a “streaker” inevitably surface. Although people will laugh about it, they keep darting their eyes, not entirely sure it won’t happen.

Personal boundaries vanish. Handprints appear on butts, bellies and boobs and nobody seems to care — why would they?

There is no malicious intent.

The upperclassmen see people they don’t see often, and they run to each other in laughing groups, slapping wet hands that leave visible marks of green, black and yellow. Their mark stays with every person they meet, and the underclassmen might well wear it many times during their remaining Drake years.

First-year students stick out. They’re the ones with thick layers of painted hair that won’t come out for weeks and sleeveless clothing they’ll regret wearing when they unintentionally rip the hair off their arms in the showers near Olmsted or the cold Herriott hose.

The resident assistants sit by the residence hall doors and watch like hawks, keeping a vigilant post against the colorful collegian that intends to slip through their clutches. The painters think they’re jealous of the fun, but that isn’t the case. Just like everybody else, they’ve got a job to do if Relays is to be successful — and they do it well.

Then, it’s a mad rush to the showers for the hot water that doesn’t last long. People really start screaming, pushing and shoving, but it’s still all part of the fun. Blue, red and pink flecks adorn the shower stalls of a countless number of homes lining the side streets that stretch away from Drake, portions of paint that didn’t have quite enough time to dry before their shivering hosts leapt

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Our student body isn’t perfect. We often struggle with our schedules, make bad decisions and fall down on our faces. Yet the squares always look magnificent, year after year after year.

fully clothed into their baths.

The aftermath of street painting fades quickly. Broken sandals are thrown away. Lost keys and cell phones are brought to Olmsted. The trampled grass returns to a normal shade of green.

Street painting is a wonderful madness. Despite the chaos, somehow the street always gets painted. It’s beautiful, in a way, and one of the best representations of Drake. Our student body isn’t perfect. We often struggle with our schedules, make bad decisions and fall down on our faces. Yet the squares always look magnificent, year after year after year.

The trunks of the trees are still speckled with yellow, gold and brilliant, unnatural indigo. Maybe the squares beneath the new layer of paint are still there, in some way.

Relive it.

Walk along the squares and breathe in.

Look at the marks on the tree trunks, read each and every square.

Remember it.

Go back to a time when you wiped a brush across another person’s face. Think about how they affected your life. Smile at how easy it all seems now.

Relay it.

Pass the brush. Leave a swatch of paint where it won’t wash away.

FILE PHOTOS

Beneath the paint: a tradition of color

by Bailey Berg

Staff Writer bailey.berg@drake.edu

The year was 1975 and due to an uninterested student population SAB was getting rid of two of its oldest traditions – the Most Eligible Bachelor and the Miss Drake Relays competitions.

In an effort to try something new, SAB concocted a new Relays event, one that would go on to outlast all competitions that had come before it. Thus, street painting was born.

The first mention of street painting was in the Friday edition of the Times Delphic on April 18, 1975. On the long list of events, it was sandwiched between the bike marathon and the campus-wide barbeque, given little press for the new event.

At the first street painting – held in the same spot it currently resides – 21 organizations painted their rectangles on the road. In the end, the basement of Kirk Residence Hall took first, followed by the professional pharmacy fraternity Kappa Psi in second, with Kappa Alpha Theta social sorority in third. A small blip was written about the winners in The Times-Delphic and that was that until the next year.

With every following year street painting grew in size and number. By 1982 the number of organizations swelled to 48, with over 600 observers lining the hill. The theme was “Born to Run” and included new competitions and competitors.

In first was Jewett Residence Hall, which depicted a stork holding a bag in its beak. Below were several runners holding cards which spelled out “Jewe t,” with the first “t” arriving by stork. Herriott Residence Hall was runner-up, with their painting that showed a pair of legs mid-stride with the title “Nothing Beats a Drake Pair of Legs,” and incorporating the logo for a nationally advertised brand of panty hose — the idea thought up by artist Kirk Miller’s mother. Other winners included the women of Delta Gamma for most original title, — “Adam and Eve” — most colorful was awarded to the foreign students association, and in its street painting debut, the Student Alumni Association received best theme with a newly hatched chicken running from a broken egg.

Other themes have included: A Day at the Races, A Classic Tradition, Off to the Races, All That Glitters, The Heat is On, The Time of your Life, It Can do Magic, and Stride with Pride.

Now, 56 squares are allotted for painting and well over a thousand observers. As it has been since the beginning, the theme for each Relays is dreamed up by the SAB Relays Committee.

Director of Student Leadership Jan Wise’s office is home to much of the swag given out during street painting, at least within the last 30 that she’s attended. From Frisbees to water bottles and

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Relays Editor matthew.nelson@drake.edu

“

by Matt Nelson

Even when you’re a block away you can hear it. This unstoppable roar. The roar of the crowd.

-Jan Wise

knapsacks to pens, Wise has just about everything trinket wise.

“They used to just give out buttons,” Wise said. “But they had to make them all by hand, and if you’ve ever made a button by hand, well, it’s just a pain.”

Wise said there has only been one year since it’s inception that it almost didn’t go on, but no matter what, the street has always gotten painted.

“In the early 80’s Hillel said they didn’t want to paint on Saturday because of their religious beliefs, so they were given permission to paint Friday,” Wise explained. “So on the street, there were 50 squares, all white, with the one Hillel square painted. But on Saturday the rains came, and on Sunday the rains came, same for Monday and Tuesday. Finally on Wednesday it was a decent day so people went out and painted the street. We really thought that we were going to have rain all the way through and it would go unpainted.”

Street painting has given birth to traditions of its own, one of which has included streaking. Though more common in the early years, it has still been known to happen on occasion.

“One time someone streaked on a bicycle and rode down the street,” Wise said. “But they typically get arrested or picked up by the police.”

Another tradition has been to throw paint, although this wasn’t the norm until around 8 or 9 years ago, according to Wise.

“Before they would just play music, a few people would paint a square and people would just be back there being a part of it,” Wise said. “If you got paint on you it was because you accidentally step in it. I always worry about people’s behavior, and maybe the wrong person gets hit with a paint can and that could be the end of it.”

One thing that has remained consistent is the excitement of those participating.

“Even when you’re a block away you can hear it,” Wise said.

“This unstoppable roar. The roar of the crowd.”

PAGE G3 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

SPEED

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Rekindling a flame Stories of passion from Peggy’s to present

by Bailey Berg

Staff Writer bailey.berg@drake.edu

Mike and Lisa Ahren are alumni who made it official at the Kissing Rock. They met at Drake in the fall of 1984 when they both lived in Crawford Residence Hall. Mike was a transfer student moving into his first Drake dorm and Lisa was on the MoveIn Crew. She was a senior graphic design major, and he was a fourth-year pharmacy student — back when pharmacy was a five-year program.

Some of the couple’s early dates were going dancing and watching “Top Gun” and “St. Elmo’s Fire” when they first came out at Billy Joe’s Picture Show theater.

“We had a lot of fun with our friends — Crawford had some great parties, and since the drinking age was 19 they even served beer at them,” Lisa said.

Lisa said that Mike proposed to her on her birthday in August 1985.

“He proposed at the car before we went into dinner because my sister told him I’d cry,” Lisa explained. “She was right.”

The wedding was small, as Mike was still in school and the new couple didn’t have a lot of money. Mike wasn’t even able to show up to the rehearsal until finishing a test at Drake first.

Now, 25 years later, the couple is living in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Mike is the manger of Acute Care Pharmacy Service at Mercy Medical Center and Lisa is the creative services manager at the Globe Gazette. Lisa said the stories of their lives at Drake may have very well influenced both of their children — Alyssa and Adam — to attend Drake as well.

Oddly enough, Lisa said Adam is following in the footsteps of his parents in more ways than one, and will be marrying Drake pharmacy student Elizabeth Marks in June.

Lisa hopes her children have fond memories when they remember their days at Drake later on in life. She said she looks back fondly on her Crawford days.

“I still keep in contact with nine other girls from my floor in Crawford,” Lisa said. “The name of the floor was ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ and we painted a great mural at the top of the stairs back when the floors had names. You could paint in the dorms and the freshmen lived in GK.” Of those friends, three others married men they met at Drake: Susan Bauers and Mike Lyons; Lisa Simons and Mike Stang; and Frank Ferraro and Steve Whiteford.

“We have been having a yearly reunion for most of the years since college, with the first ones being at each others’ weddings,” Lisa said.

courtesy of Mike and Lisa Ahren

MIKE AND LISA AHREN at Crawford semi-formal in 1985.

LOVE AT THE FRONT DESK Professor Jeff Hatfield and his wife Liz Johnson Hatfield started dating in October 1985, and have been married 21 years as of April 14, meaning they’ve been together longer than most seniors at Drake have been living.

Jeff had a part-time job working at the front desk of Crawford Residence Hall, which is where he first met Liz. “I basically made up a lot of reasons to talk to her when she passed by or received mail,” Jeff said. “I asked Liz out in the lobby of Crawford in front of a group of people. She couldn’t, or at least didn’t, say no.”

The duo’s first date was actually to go see the homecoming football game at Jeff ’s high school, where they met up with some of his old friends.

“I went to a very large high school and she attended a small one, so she was in awe the whole time,” Jeff said. “The marching band was bigger than her senior class. It must have impressed her, because she went out with me again after that.”

Jeff said the twosome worked a lot and were on modest budgets, so their favorite date spots in the Drake neighborhood were getting hotdogs at the Doggery, — now the Library Café — meeting friends for a beer at Peggy’s and dancing at fraternity parties.

So, what was the proposal like?

“Let’s put it this way, I wasn’t very smooth,” Jeff said. “It was my senior year and I was a 21-year-old boy. It wasn’t classy, but she’s still with me.”

THE AHRENS on their 25th anniversary.

Love More.

Want to hear more stories of Drake love’s? Check out www.timesdelphic.com.

Senior Andy Smith and junior Kristin Kowalski will be married in June.

Kowalski became engaged to Smith on the Agora through a handmade magazine.

Now-married couple Chris and Mary Beth Meyer met while attending Campus Fellowship. Not even an ice storm the day before their wedding could put a damper on the couple’s spirits.

Year In Review: Collection of the most talked about stories

by Sean Walsh

Staff Writer sean.walsh@drake.edu

DISTINCTLYDRAKE CAMPAIGN The Drake Alumni and Development Office announced the distinctlyDrake campaign in October, an effort to raise money for several new projects on campus. As a part of the campaign, Distinctly Drake aims to endow 26 new faculty positions and strengthen Drake’s academic rigor. Another goal set by Distinctly Drake is to create new academic centers like the Center for Global Leadership, Center for Speaking and Writing and Intellectual Property Law Center. The campaign also has several capitol projects including a new on-campus building for the School of Education, renovated and new science facilities, expansion of Cartwright Hall and renovations to Cowles Library and the Fieldhouse. The campaign was announced to the Board of Directors during homecoming, when the Alumni Office also treated Drake students to a firework show in Helmick Commons.

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STUDENT PUBLICATIONS NOMINATED FOR PACEMAKER AWARDS Students and faculty in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication were excited after the announcement in September that all five Drake publications that submitted content for Pacemaker Awards were finalists. Pacemaker Awards are one of the top college media awards in the nation given by the Associated Collegiate Press to the best college publications. The publications included feature magazine capstones Think and 515, Drake Magazine, literary magazine Periphery and The Times-Delphic. Drake’s five nominations were more than any other college or university in the country. Drake Magazine received a Pacemaker in October. Drake launched its first completely online digital magazine Urban Plains in December as well.

MIDDLE EAST PROTESTS Three Drake students studying abroad became caught up in revolutionary protests occurring throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa in the early part of 2011. The movement has been called the Jasmine Revolution, and it started in Tunisia in December 2010. The protests, which were supported by social media, have spread to Algeria, Egypt, Libya and Yemen. The revolution has forced the resignation of world leaders, including Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak. The students were able to leave Egypt, but the protests have continued to spread to other countries in the region.

THEFT SCANDAL Former Drake Director of Student Accounts, Robert Harlan, was charged with five counts of first-degree theft in April. The charges were made after an audit was requested after the discovery of missing funds. The audit shows the embezzlement of university funds began in 2004 and totals over $600,000. Harlan is being charged for each year he allegedly took funds, and each count is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison. The Des Moines Police Department is calling this one of the largest embezzlement cases they’ve seen recently.

D+ CONTROVERSY The Drake admissions department launched a new marketing campaign at the beginning of the year that raised eyebrows across campus and the country. The Drake Advantage campaign aimed to show the benefits of Drake to high school students, but most attention was raised when the logo was sent out in mailings and on the website was released: a large D+. Outraged students, alumni and parents complained to leaders at Drake, feeling that the graphic tarnished Drake’s academic image. After a few weeks, the plus was removed, but not before the story reached national headlines.

CELEBRATE DRAKE The Office of Student Life collaborated with numerous student organizations to put together a lock-in event in Olmsted Center in October. Celebrate Drake was an effort to boost morale on campus after a host of unsettling events in the Drake Community, including several student deaths and a spike in reported assaults. The event included a comedian, bands, game shows, poker, indoor laser tag and salsa dancing— all which were sponsored by various student organizations. The night ended with a pancake breakfast, pie-throwing contest and prizes (including two airline tickets). Celebrate Drake was one of the most highly-attended programs on campus, with an estimated attendance around 850 people.

NEW FACILITIES Last fall, students returned to campus and several renovated facilities. After a semester of construction that lasted into the summer, Hubbell opened in the space previously occupied by Cool Beans. The new location offers the traditional wraps, sandwiches and pizzas, but Sodexo added new burrito and international lines, a grill and a smoothie bar.

A renovated C-Store was opened on the lower level with new TVs and private study rooms. After a naming contest, the dining hall was re-named Quad Creek Café and the lower level was dubbed Spike’s Spot. An addition to the Harmon Fine Arts Center opened as the Patty and Fred Turner Jazz Center in December, after a $1.5 million gift by alumnus and former McDonalds CEO Fred Turner.

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER SPEAK AT DRAKE U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito delivered the 12th Opperman Lecture in October at the Knapp Center. Alito gave the 1,500 people in attendance an overview of oral arguments before the Supreme Court and how they have evolved throughout time. He also answered questions from the crowd. New York Times bestselling author Azar Nafisi also spoke to Drake students at the Knapp Center in October for the Bucksbaum Lecture series. Nafisi is a professor who grew up in Iran and authored “Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books.” Her speech offered the audience a personal portrait of Iran.

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DOGTOWN AFTER HOURS What started out as a contest between campus organizations to create an alcohol-alternative program turned into a Guinness World Record pie fight in the Olmsted Center parking lot at 2 a.m. Friday, April 9. A collaboration between several organizations and a planning committee consisting of members from the Student Activities Board, Student Senate, Residence Hall Association, Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils and the winning organization, Crawford Residence Hall Executive Council, put together a lock-in event in Olmsted that led to the record-breaking fight. The lock-in featured vocal performances, multicultural food and crafts, an obstacle course, laser tag, a bags tournament, food-eating contests, headphone disco, hypnotist and game shows, among other events. Drake broke the record with 688 participants who threw over 1,700 pies, breaking the previous record of 671. Over $700 was raised for Peaks 4 Poverty, a non-profit organization supporting people affected by AIDS in Africa.

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FILE PHOTOS

SOCIAL MEDIA The use of social media has skyrocketed within recent years, especially among college students. Drake campus organizations have used this tool to reach out to their organization and other students by using Facebook and Twitter. Large organizations like Student Senate, Student Activities Board, Residence Hall Association and countless others have been using Facebook fan pages and event pages to inform students and invite them to their programs. In addition, offices at Drake have been reaching out students and alumni by using social media sites. Drake University has around 9,000 fans and followers between Facebook and Twitter accounts. Other departments like Student Life, Admissions and Alumni have also joined social media websites. Drake students studying abroad have also been able to communicate to friends and family at home by posting pictures online and creating blogs to showcase their travels.

Want to know more? All Times-Delphic stories are available at www.timesdelphic.com

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

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remember

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE G4

let the past be rediscovered

Some days, it’s tough to be a bulldog Staff Writer lillian.schrock@drake.edu

Relays Editor matthew.nelson@drake.edu

Mary Bryson’s name normally appears in conjunction with her internationally famous son, author Bill Bryson, but she is a celebrity in her own right. In 1935, Bryson, then Mary McGuire, became the first female Editor-In-Chief of The Times-Delphic.

“It seems in my day, girls didn’t go for journalism a lot,” Bryson said. “Newspapers didn’t hire many women either, except for the women’s department, and society… Boys were everything.”

FILE PHOTO

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

by Lillian Schrock

by Matt Nelson

THIS PHOTO OF MARY BRYSON, taken when she was Editor-in-Chief, hung in The TimesDelphic office for decades. In 2009, Drake junior Mallory George and Editor-in-Chief of The Times-Delphic presented Mary Bryson with a framed photo of her time at Drake, commemorating her pioneer spirit.

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Drake University students experience world-changing history six decades apart

A Queen of Relays

GREAT DEPRESSION RESTRICTIONS Bryson grew up in Omaha, where her father worked at the stockyards during the Great Depression. She said she had been mostly unaware of the economic malaise gripping the country because her father had a job.

She developed a passion for journalism in high school and was offered a scholarship from Drake. Without financial aid, attending Drake would have been impossible.

“I would guess that maybe half the students were on scholarships or free,” Bryson said. “Nobody could afford Drake tuition.”

PAGE G5 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

ABOVE: MARY BRYSON, 98, was the first female Editor-in-Chief of The Times-Delphic in 1936. She served in the Des Moines Register society section after she graduated from Drake, where she met her husband, a sportswriter.

THE TIMES-DELPHIC According to Bryson, most of Drake’s journalism students in the 1930s were involved in the newspaper.

“You got credit for the number of things you had published,” Bryson said. “And if you got something published in the Register… well then you were really famous!”

Her selection as Editor-in-Chief of The Times-Delphic in 1935 surprised many, but she didn’t face any strong opposition in assuming the job.

“Everybody was surprised that they picked a girl,” Bryson said. “I didn’t have any trouble.

I enjoyed it.”

Bryson said the newspaper normally covered campus news and features, never straying into global issues such as the growing unrest in Europe at the time that eventually led to World War II. CAMPUS LIFE In the 1930s, studying abroad was virtually unknown. Drake students didn’t travel much.

Bryson could remember knowing only one student from another country.

“We didn’t travel a lot. In fact, I hadn’t been out of Iowa and Nebraska until I got out of college, and that was true of most people,” Bryson said. “They have more money now. We didn’t have any.”

Sorority life became an important part of Bryson’s college career after she joined Alpha Xi Delta, a social sorority. In 1935 she was the president of the sorority. Bryson said that whenever a sorority or fraternity would hold a dance, The Times-Delphic would often run a list of names

of boys and their female guests.

“Once in a while, the sorority or fraternity would rent a place where you could dance, but lots of times you could just do it at the fraternity house,” Bryson said. “Things were a little more simple… No one had much money. We kept them pretty simple.”

Bryson said football was the most popular sport at Drake. In addition to their studies and time on the field, athletes usually had university jobs that typically required manual labor, such as cutting grass, Bryson said. Women’s sports were virtually non-existent, although gym class was required.

Bryson said she remembers Drake Relays as a major event. During her time at Drake, she was once elected the Drake Relays Queen.

“It didn’t mean anything, but we got to go to free lunches,” Bryson said.

THE DES MOINES REGISTER Following graduation, Bryson immediately started at the Des Moines Register where she worked in the society and women’s pages. It was there she met her husband, William, who worked in the sports section.

“One of the girls came in and said, ‘There’s a new boy! There’s a new boy in sports!’” Bryson recalled, smiling. “So we all marched past there sometime during the day and looked in, and he asked me on a date. He was just on the desk there. And then we got married.”

William and Mary Bryson had a total of five children. Mary Bryson reads her famous son’s books. Bill Bryson has become the United Kingdom’s best selling non-fiction author since official records began. But she still calls him ‘Billy.’

Bryson’s words On college during the Depression “It was the hard times, job scares, lots and lots of people out of work, and nobody had a lot of money, but tuition was cheap, if you couldn’t pay it, they helped you, gave you a job on the campus, I think all the athletes had a job cutting the grass.”

On race relations during the 1930s “I didn’t even know anything about that. I think you had to be pretty well-to-do to go to Drake, to pay the tuition, and so there weren’t many poor people there, and I guess we just didn’t pay any attention to it.”

PEARL HARBOR: “I JUST FELT I HAD TO SERVE” Drake alumna Veda Ponikvar, 92, grew up in Chisholm, Minn. When she graduated from high school in 1937, she was offered a one-year scholarship to Drake. Ponikvar spent a year in Cleveland, Ohio, with her aunt and uncle before realizing she needed an education to be able to make a living. She came to Drake to use her scholarship and entered the School of Journalism.

Since Ponikvar was on the staffs of The Times-Delphic and the Quax Yearbook, she finished her first year at Drake and then received a full scholarship for all four years. Ponikvar did, however, want to work for her room and board, so as soon as she arrived at Drake, she asked the Dean of Women for a list of families who would hire her to work in their home. Ponikvar was hired by the first family on the list, the Vickerys.

She stayed with the family and took care of their 5-year-old son, Jimmy, while also helping with cooking and cleaning.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Ponikvar had gone to the Quax office to work on the yearbook. The phone rang, and Mrs. Vickery was on the line: “Veda, I need you to come home immediately,” Vickery said. “I will pick you up in five minutes.”

When Ponikvar arrived outside, Vickery was already there.

“When I got to the car I asked her what had happened,” Ponikvar said. “She bent over the driver’s wheel and started to cry like I had never heard anyone cry before. She said the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor.

“From then on, it was unbelievable.”

When Ponikvar arrived at school on Monday the campus was deserted since hundreds of male students had enlisted in the service.

Ponikvar continued working with the Quax and The Times-Delphic, but it was less than two months later before she told President Morehouse that she had enlisted in the United States Navy. Ponikvar graduated from Drake in June 1942 and received her orders shortly after graduation.

“I just felt I had to serve,” she said.

Ponikvar reported to Washington D.C. in August for a training session for women who had come from different parts of the United

Veda Ponikvar, Drake graduate and WAVE veteran

courtesy of VEDA PONIKVAR

LEFT: VEDA PONIKVAR, pictured during her time at Drake, sits on the Kissing Rock beneath the Chancellor’s Elm. Ponikvar joined the WAVES the summer after she graduated from Drake. ABOVE RIGHT: Today, Ponikvar lives in Chisholm, Minnesota. After her time

States. She was assigned to an office of Naval Intelligence because she spoke Slovenian. She was in the service for four years.

After World War II was over, Ponikvar said the United States experienced an era of peace.

“Everybody was willing to work together and be together and make the United States the empire of the world,” she said.

Ponikvar went on to found the Chisholm Free Press where she worked as a writer, editor, publisher and Northeastern Minnesota opinion leader for nearly 50 years. At age 91, she has retired to a life of full-time community service and activism in Chisholm, serving on several boards and committees and as a civilian aid to the Secretary of the Army for Minnesota.

9/11: “IT WAS A REALLY MANIC TIME” When Drake alumna Lexi Walters Wright, 30, learned of the 9/11 terrorist attacks nearly 10 years ago, she was in a panic. Her father had just accepted a job in the South Tower, and her brother had been scheduled to fly on one of the hijacked flights.

Wright was attending a print media editing class taught by journalism Professor Jill Van Wyke. Halfway through the class, Dean David Wright interrupted, saying “There has been a bomb in New York; all classes are cancelled for the morning.”

Lexi had grown up in Queens in the TriState area, where her family still lives.

Before leaving the classroom, Dean Wright

Lexi Walters Wright, experienced 9/11 on a personal level

Mysteries at Drake: secrets of architecture

by Erin McHenry

1

Staff Writer erin.mchenry@drake.edu

Walking around Drake’s campus, it is easy to pick out buildings and places. But what’s the meaning behind these familiar places?

Who’s Fitch? And why on Earth is there a gigantic sundial sitting outside the Fine Arts Center?

2 3

courtesy of LEXI WALTERS WRIGHT

LEFT: LEXI WALTERS WRIGHT, 30, was in a print media editing class when the World Trade Centers were attacked. Her father was scheduled to work in the South Tower, and her brother set to fly on one of the hijacked planes. RIGHT: Today, Wright lives in Western Massachusetts working as a freelance editor, and is expecting her first child.

4

Touching the past

5 MATT NELSON | Relays Editor

The Drakeapedia webpage contains a large amount of material related to Drake’s history across six sections.

Here’s a quick glimpse into some of the fascinating stories available online.

HARVEY INGHAM courtesy of GOOGLE MAPS

1

It may surprise the hundreds of chemistry laboratory students who study there daily, but Harvey Ingham hall was actually named after a former editor of the “Des Moines Register.”

The Gardner Cowles Foundation donated Harvey Ingham to be a science hall, and the building was constructed in 1949.

The structure was actually bombed by an activist group in the 1970s, during the Vietnam War. According to the online Global Terrorist database, the bomb caused $300,000 worth of damage, but there were no injuries.

First-year students create an online archive cataloguing the rich history of Drake

by Katherine Kalmes HELMICK

4

MEDBURY CHAPEL Drake is a private non-religious-affiliated school. However, it used to be associated with the Disciples of Christ. The University built a new divinity school in 1955 and named it Medbury after one of Drake’s greatest religious leaders, Charles S. Medbury, who acted as chairman of the Bible College, and eventually took the position of university chaplain as well as university Christian church minister and Board of Trustees member.

A small, circular and somewhat eerie chapel is connected to Medbury Hall. It is named for Oreon E. Scott, a man of faith and a member of the Board of Trustees.

Though the divinity school no longer exists, many students continue to use the chapel for meetings, religious purposes, or to simply sit and think.

3

FITCH

2

Fitch Hall was erected around the same time. Fred W. Fitch donated the building for the study of Pharmaceutical sciences.

World-renowned Eliel Saarinen and his son Eero designed several Drake buildings during the ‘40s and ‘50s, including Fitch and Harvey Ingham. Eero Saarinen received the First Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects in 1955 for his excellent architectural work on campus.

Renovations for what was then called “Hubbell Field,” began in 2001, and worked to transform the area into an open, scenic gathering place for students. According to a Drake news release, Robert Helmick named the field in honor of his parents Paul and Dorothy who were students and educators at Drake.

Helmick received three separate degrees from Drake and was a senior partner at Dorsey and Whitney Law Firm.

Director of Facilities Mark Chambers was project manager for the Helmick Commons renovation.

“We saved money by doing our own electrical,” Chambers said, “I actually designed the electric, and the staff and I installed it.”

Chambers and his staff put every six lights on a generator, so if the power were to go out the field would remain lit. The project relandscaped the area and redesigned the layout of sidewalks.

In a bittersweet turn of events, Helmick died only 11 days before the field’s dedication.

SUNDIAL Another artistic piece seen on campus is the sundial donated

by Dwight D. Opperman in Wifvat Plaza. Opperman graduated from the law school at Drake and is also the namesake for the Opperman Law Library and Dwight D. Opperman Lecture, but this particular project has evolved into a featured campus photo opportunity.

The current plaza was created by the university to connect the Knapp Center to Old Main. The space was once 26th street, but Drake purchased the road and the sundial located there, adapting it to fit campus as it does now.

Its location was once 26th Street, but the university bought it and used Wifvat Plaza to connect the Knapp Center to Old Main.

“It was intended to anchor Wifvat Plaza,” said John Edwards, director of the Law Library.

They chose the sundial for its aesthetics.

“It was a focal point where students would be able to gather,” Edwards said.

5

pulled Lexi aside and told her she should contact her family.

“Shocked doesn’t begin to cover it,” Wright said. “Your animal brain kicks in and begins asking so many questions.”

She went directly to the nearest pay phone located in Meredith Hall to try to contact her family. Unfortunately, all the lines were down.

She lived a couple blocks off campus on Cottage Grove, where she turned on the television right before the South Tower was hit. To Wright, it all felt surreal.

Several friends called Wright because they knew she had family living in New York. With no word from her family, Wright tried her best to keep the line open for that one phone call.

The only contact she had with someone in New York was through the blog of one of her friends, who was in midtown Manhattan. Through descriptions of the panic on the street, Wright became more and more petrified. Five hours went by before hearing from her mother.

“It was a really manic time.”

At long last, Wright received an email from her mother, around 4 p.m.

“Thank God — your brother didn’t get on that flight,” Lexi’s mother said. “Your dad didn’t go to work today.”

Her family was safe.

“All of my suspicions were confirmed that things could have been really terrible,” Wright said. “But I was elated.”

For the next couple days, her professors showed live news broadcasts during their classes and offered discussion on the attacks.

“I got a lot of solace to watch with others,” Wright said.

Wright is thankful to this day that her dad and brother had not been in the places they anticipated on Sept. 11, 2001.

“I don’t know that I believe in fate, really, but I am so deeply thankful that the universe had different plans for my family that day,” Wright said.

Wright is currently living in Western Massachusetts working as a freelance editor. She is also finishing up her Master of Library and Information Science at Simmons College and will graduate in May. She is married and expecting her first baby on May 2.

Staff Writer katherine.kalmes@drake.edu

Do you know the history of the Chancellor’s Elm? Did you know that Drake University was bombed in the 1970s by terrorists? Do you know the history of the Kissing Rock?

This past fall, students in the First-Year Seminar entitled “Drakeapedia – Building a Living Archive” researched different aspects of Drake’s history and found out such facts as those mentioned above and much more. By the end of the semester, students had compiled a Wiki of all their findings.

Susan Fink, Coordinator of Administration Services at Cowles Library, and Claudia Frazer, Digital Initiatives Librarian, created the FYS. “Students, over the course of the semester, created a Wiki of Drake (history) by Drake for Drake,” Fink said.

Fink and Frazer assigned students different topics to study ranging from Drake artifacts, buildings, oral histories, organizations, people and traditions.

“I researched the Women’s Gym which was basically a field house for women’s gym classes.

I also researched the history of The Times-Del-

phic, Ruby Ann Holton, a former professor; and the Chancellor’s Elm,” said Grace Jones, firstyear student who was a part of the “Drakeapedia” FYS. The Wiki is organized into six sections: Artifacts, Buildings, Oral Histories, Organizations, People and Traditions.

Students were assigned buildings to research and were able to choose what topics from the other sections they would like to research about.

“We wanted to teach students how to use the resources in the library, how to research and how to do oral histories,” Fink said.

The FYS also featured guest speakers and took field trips throughout the semester including one to the State Archives and Salisbury House. There, Fink and Frazier learned what they thought of as the most interesting piece of Drake history.

“When we were there, the guide was mumbling about some professor or dean (Alfred John Pearson) who had interviewed Hitler a couple days after Kristallnacht. We later found the New York Herald article that featured the interview,” Fink said.

For a complete history of Dr. Pearson and other topics researched in the FYS, visit the Drakeapedia website, http://drakeapedia. drake.wikispaces.net.

Artifacts

Buildings

Memorial Hall Time Capsule — When Memorial Hall was razed in 1996, a time capsule from 1905 containing a Bible, a copy of The Times-Delphic and other things was removed.

Bell Center — The Bell Center was constructed in 1977 to replace the Women’s Gym that was razed in 1975. A construction worker strike delayed the project by two months.

Oral histories

Organizations

David Maxwell, Aaron Wies and Thomas Westbrook — Three Drake University superstars who have told their audio story to Drakeapedia in an easy-touse, accessible format.

Anime Club — The goal of the anime club when it was founded in 1995 was to promote Japanese animation in the Des Moines area. The club was revitalized in 2005.

People

Traditions

Barton O. Aylesworth — Drake’s president from 1894-1897 was well-liked by the student body because of a progressive attitude. He was the youngest college president in America.

Hubbelling — When the first snowfall hits, students grab Hubbell trays and head down the hill amid the First-Year residence halls. The event has been chronicled for decades.

Check it out! http://drakeapedia.drake.wikispaces.net

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THE TIMES-DELPHIC

relays

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE G6

pass the baton

Q A with 2010 Most Beautiful Bulldog Meatball

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

THE BULLDOG ABOVE competed at the 2010 Most Beautiful Bulldog competition in April, 2010. The competition featured dozens of prospective pups across Des Moines.

Beautiful bulldogs of years past

by Elizabeth Robinson

Staff Writer elizabeth.robinson@drake.edu

by Matt Nelson

FILE PHOTO

Relays Editor matthew.nelson@drake.edu

The canine waddled to the stage with a wiggly step, assuming his throne with a confident air and a floppy tongue while the paparazzi proclaimed the glad news in camera flashes and scribbled notes.

The Most Beautiful Bulldog of 2010 had been elected – Meatball.

Now, on the verge of relinquishing his title to a successor, The Times-Delphic caught up with Meatball and asked him a few questions about being Top Dog. Times-Delphic: What was it like to win the Most Beautiful Bulldog Competition in 2010?

Meatball: When Porterhouse won in 2009, I thought, ‘That chubby purebred.

I can take him.’ See, no one can waddle as good as I can waddle. It’s all about the waddle. The bitches are all into my waddle. They start sniffing when I come around. Of course, I wasn’t nervous when the big day came up. Maybe I was a little distracted, but nervous? No way. I had to put on a show. Sometimes people call me a clown. I’m not a clown. Clowns are creepy. Do people grab a clown’s head, shove their faces into it and cry out “OH MY GOD YOU’RE SO CUUUUUUTE!” every time a clown appears?

Spike and Porterhouse become celebrities at Drake University during sporting events, but, early on, another mascot rallied support during games.

In order to have a face to reflect the symbol, Drake hosts an annual pageant called the Most Beautiful Bulldog contest. Each year, dozens of bulldogs parade around in front of a panel of judges each vying for the coveted title of Most Beautiful Bulldog and for the chance to represent Drake.

The tradition began 32 years ago, when two Drake alumni felt the need to have a real live bulldog to act as Drake’s mascot for the Relays.

The first Most Beautiful Bulldog contest was small, with just a handful of competitors. Over time, it has evolved into much more.

“They loved the idea,” Dolph Pulliam, Drake’s director of community outreach and development said. “They got it started and we have kept it going all these years.” Pulliam has been organizing the contest since 1989.

The process for the contest begins in January when information regarding the contest is distributed to the public, and applications are submitted. Due to a growing amount of interest in participation, 50 bulldogs and five alternates are selected in a public drawing and are accepted into the contest.

The day of the contest is exciting and eventful not only for those participating in the competition, but also for the crowd that gathers to witness the festivities. Each dog in the contest is treated to its own beautiful station, chair and a red fire hydrant and is typically dressed to impress.

A group of five judges walks around to each station and rates the bulldogs to find winners for different categories such as Miss/Mister Congeniality, Best Dressed and, of course, Most Beautiful Bulldog.

Following the first round of evaluations, the bulldogs get the chance to strut on a pageantstyle runway to show off before a final decision is made. As brief profiles provided by each bulldog’s owner are read, contestants are able to take this chance to show their character and impress the judges.

“A lot of times, the judges thought they made their selection, but after they see the fashion show and see the dogs’ personalities, the judges will fight it out until they find the right bulldog,” Pulliam said.

The Beautiful Bulldog contest is unlike any other dog show because, except for the fact that all contestants have to be English Bulldogs, there are very few requirements or criteria that judges are looking for when selecting the most beautiful dog.

“It’s not a best breed type of contest,” Kati Anderson, the owner of Meatball, last year’s winner, said. “It’s just based on the personality, which is what appealed to me about it.”

According to Pulliam, judges are looking for a bulldog that is a good representation of the true bulldog face, including bloodshot eyes, bags under the eyes, tongue sticking out, drool everywhere and a wiggle when it walks. The winner must also be kind, approachable and should love attention, since the winner is a central figure to the Drake Relays.

The winner of the contest receives excessive amounts of attention not only from the Drake and Des Moines area, but also nationally and internationally. Immediately after being named king or queen of the contest, the winner is given

a robe, a crown, a bouquet of blue and white flowers, is seated on a throne and is given the key to the city by the mayor of Des Moines.

Swarming press, huge crowds for the Relays and a plethora of appearances both locally and nationally throughout the oncoming year follows the chaos. The contest has been discussed on programs such as Regis and Kelly, Ellen Degeneres and David Letterman and has reached as far as Japan and Italy.

“We were shocked overall, and it was just so fun to see how many people knew Meatball from that one contest,” Anderson said. “We would go to events right after he won and people already knew him and would want to pet him or take pictures with him.”

Drake’s Most Beautiful Bulldog contest brings a squished and pudgy face to represent Drake and also puts smiles on faces around Des Moines and around the world.

“We were the first bulldog contest in the nation and we’re still going strong,” Pulliam said.

“We’ve really started something here.”

If you’re going: When: April 25 Judging: 10 a.m. - noon Pageant: noon - 1 p.m.

Where:

Nollen Plaza Third Street and Locust

TD: Tell us about your home life.

M: I have to share my kingdom with two other dogs — both black Labradors. One of them is fun. He reminds me of a chew toy that moves. One of them is kind of a jerk — I think he’s jealous of my success.

I keep a close eye on him. He's the kind of dog who licks your hand then bites at your toes.

TD: Do you ever feel suffocated by your importance?

M: Sometimes a dog’s just got to be a dog. Once I started running around our neighborhood. I found someone’s back door to their house open so I decided to go check it out. The leader of a kingdom has got to protect his subjects, after all.

I went upstairs and into a bedroom — I think she was a little surprised, since she had just gotten out of the shower.

Ryan and Kati were kind of embarrassed about that one, I think, but I don’t wear any clothes either (besides my robe and crown, of course), so I don’t see what the big deal was. courtesy of QUAX 1937

TD: How do you maintain your Beautiful Bulldog mystique (and physique)?

M: When you’re the Most Beautiful Bulldog, you’ve got to maintain a pretty robust body. I train with horses. When we visit Kati’s parents, I chase those suckers to the corner of the field, and they chase me back. I’m pretty fast for a bulldog — I run all the way around the block for practice.

1937: Butch

TD: What have your commitments as the Most Beautiful Bulldog been like?

M: Sometimes my fans are a little goofy, but I love them all. Whenever my servants Ryan and Kati bring out my crown and robe, I get so excited. We’ve gone to a bunch of places — Gray’s Lake, the Animal Rescue League, Drake homecoming, Parents’ weekend, and the Drake Relays.

The Animal Rescue League was fun. I was the Grand Marshall and got to lead over 100 dogs on a mile-long walk. Do you know how far a mile is for a bulldog?

It takes the average human about 2,100 steps, and the average bulldog over 10,000 steps. That’s a lot of waddling. I wanted to lay down halfway through, but couldn’t give up. Sometimes it’s just so difficult to be so important.

Staff Writer jessie.hill@drake.edu

TD: What advice would you give to the 2011 Most Beautiful Bulldog?

M: Lick a lot of faces. Above all, make sure the world knows you are the top dog.

1957: Spike then

courtesy of QUAX 1957

FILE PHOTO

2011: Spike today

The transformations of Spike Drake mascot has had different names, stayed same breed

by Jessie Hill

Drake University has an amazing culture and unique traditions. Some of these traditions include Street Painting, Drake Relays, “Hubbelling” (sliding down the hill outside of Hubbell on lunch trays) and the famous kissing rock.

Drake’s culture has naturally evolved since 1888, but some of these changes have established a cherished place for themselves within the Drake community. One of these is the mascot: the Drake Bulldog.

Before Drake athletic teams received the bulldog mascot in 1908, they had been known as the Ducklings and Ganders. According to Drake’s “History and Traditions” webpage, John L. Griffith coached every Drake sport in 1908. Griffith was known for bringing his pet bulldogs to the practice fields. A sportswriter who noticed Griffith’s dogs began to nickname the Ducklings the Bulldogs. The moniker stuck, and Drake has been known as the Bulldogs ever since.

Spike the bulldog now holds a special place in Drake’s heart. He not only represents our athletic teams, but also the university. A quick walk around campus reveals frequent reminders of Spike in the form of colorfully decorated bulldog statues scattered throughout campus, each with a unique design.

A three-foot, five-inch tall bronze statue of Spike proudly resides on the southwest corner of Drake stadium, and a less obvious reminder is the

architecture of Olmsted Student Center. If one approaches the building from the east and west sides, he can notice that the windows and doors are strategically designed to display the face of a bulldog. Spike is clearly a significant aspect of the Drake tradition.

“It’s not likely that you’ll find a Drake student who hates our mascot,” senior Greg Woods said. “Spike is a really fun part of our culture. When you have a building built in the shape of a bulldog, you know the symbol is pretty entrenched in the culture.”

Before Spike was Spike, he had a different name. In 1936, The TimesDelphic held a contest to name the bulldog. The Alpha Tau Omega fraternity submitted the winning name, and an April 3, 1936, article titled “New Mascot — Meet ‘Butch’” awarded the title.

The fraternity was quoted in the article as saying: “Drake’s bulldog mascot will be known now, henceforth and forever more, as Butch.”

The fraternity won a $1 prize for giving Butch his name. They were the only ones to submit a name in the contest, but the name they submitted made Drake University history.

Twenty years later, Drake students decided to alter Butch’s title. The 1957 edition of Drake University’s yearbook “The Quax,” explains that Spike got his name in a campus-wide “Name the Bulldog” contest. The contest took place during Drake’s 1956 homecoming festivities. After the names were submitted, and the winner was selected, Drake’s Bulldog was officially christened as Spike at the homecoming game.

Whether it references water foul or canines, whether it’s represented

by Butch or by Spike, the essence of the Bulldog spirit still holds strong.

That’s one tradition sure to remain “now, henceforth and forever more.”

SPEED

PAGE G7 | MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Another coat for Court Avenue alums

Lillian Schrock’s guide to

campus

dialects 1

by Caitlin Berens

Staff Writer caitlin.berens@drake.edu

If you’re going:

Campus Street Painting has long since been a Drake University tradition, a staple that students look forward to year-round to mark the coming of Relays. Paint is thrown, music is blasted, and by the end of it all several squares are covered in fun themed designs and paint— though some would argue that most of it ends up on the students — not between 27th and 28th streets along Carpenter Avenue in the middle of campus.

Given the fun, the spirit, and the advertising to be had, last year Drake University along with the city of Des Moines and the Court Avenue District sponsored a Downtown Street Painting event. And this year they’re at it again on the sidewalks between Third and Fourth streets on Court Avenue.

According to Jonathan Brendemuehl, the assistant director of alumni and parent relations at Drake, they are expecting close to 40 businesses and organizations to be participating in the event. Each team can have up to five people working together to paint their four-foot by fourfoot square. Like with Campus Street Painting, the businesses and organizations are told to keep the theme—this year it’s “Come for the races,

When: Where:

DES MOINES STREET PAINTING WORKERS paint the street while a Beautiful Bulldog makes an appearance downtown.

Number of seats in the Drake Stadium

6,000 Roughly the number of athletes participating in the Drake Relays

$4.5 - $5 million The amount generated as a result of Relays at Des Moines Businesses

+30,000 The number of people who attend Relays during the three-day event

100 The number of spectators who attended the first Drake Relays in 1910

231.71 The number of seconds it took to run the fastest mile (or 3:51:71 minutes), set by Alan Webb in 2007

$85 The cost to see all the Relays track and field events

102 The number of years that Drake Relays has been around

courtesy of DRAKE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI

ones on Drake’s campus — will be left there until they’re whitewashed for the 2012 celebration. “As long as the weather permits for them to stay up, they’ll stay up,” Brendemuehl says.

“And most of them if you go down now said pretty unscathed.” The best business square and best nonprofit/community square will be announced at 4:30 p.m. The 2010 winners were Pioneer Communications and the Repertory Theater of Iowa, respectively Last year about 41 squares were painted, and with just about every group bringing their five painters along, it was a pretty busy event for a Wednesday morning during business hours.

So this year, the time was changed. “Our feedback from a lot of business people participating was that it was pretty difficult for them to go back to work afterwards,” Brendemuehl says.

“They have to get back in professional clothes after they’ve been painting all day and they just didn’t want to — they’d been enjoying a beautiful day and then had to go back to the mindset of working in the office. So this year we decided to move it to the afternoon. That’s a big shift from where we were last year.”

Everyone is fired up to celebrate the 2011 Relays. So walk along the sidewalks between Third and Fourth streets on Court Avenue to see the spirit of downtown bulldogs.

Relays extends beyond the track World-famous event brings thousands to Des Moines, draws millions in revenue

by Megan Bannister

Staff Writer megan.bannister@drake.edu

Each year with the last few weeks of April, as the ground begins to thaw and Des Moines emerges from its winter slumber, an event of long-standing tradition unfolds in Drake Stadium.

That event is the Drake Relays.

The three-day event and week-long celebration has a larger impact than impressive record breaking and alumni nostalgia, though. The 102-year tradition shines a national spotlight on the Des Moines community and provides a supplemental budget for the Drake Athletic Department.

“The Drake Relays is an event we can rally around,” said Brian Brown, the director of the Drake Relays. “It’s nationally known, it’s part of the spirit of Iowa and it’s over a century old. We have a lot of reunions that occur in that time frame. There are amazing, lifelong relationships built in the stands.”

Brown, Relays director since 2006, said he believes the Drake Relays is not only a time of year students love, but also a successful event because of the overwhelming support of the Des Moines community.

“It’s when elite athletes and teams come to our city,” Brown said. “They stay at our hotels, go to our restaurants, spend time amongst the Iowans and they are engaged with friendly people, people who understand and appreciate the fact that they are here in our city.”

Mark Kostek, the vice president of sports and development at the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, agrees with Brown about the local recognition of Des Moines during Relays.

“The Relays are a nationally known and nationally prominent event,” Kostek said. “Many eyes from all over the world are on Des Moines.”

In 2008, the revenue generated within the business community during the Drake Relays was conservatively $4.5 or $5 million, Kostek said.

“That’s a pretty darn significant impact on the community,” said Kostek, who served as Drake Relays director for the five years prior to Brown.

The event brings over 30,000 people to the city for the event, with tickets for Saturday sold out for over 45 years in a row, Brown said.

Since Brown became Relays director, he has cited an increased community interest in the Drake Relays possibly because of the new venue created for local high school students to compete with the Friday night time slot added to the program.

“I knew it would draw a lot of the parents and brothers and sisters,” he said. “And they do

DRAKE LAKE

noun, [dreyk leyk] 1. Drake’s campus during the rainy seasons, in which students wear colorful rain boots or galoshes to tread through the rain water that the campus cannot properly drain; “Why go to the Bell Center when you can swim in Drake Lake?”

qualifying so I knew they would want to be there for Saturday, which is the biggest day. That extra nine or 10 thousand people has been a big increase for the Drake Relays.”

Although the university sanctions a portion of the annual budget to pay for the Drake Relays, sponsors are procured to help offset some of the event’s additional costs.

Asics, a company specializing in running shoes, is the presenting sponsor of the event.

The partnership was a logical choice considering the nature of the Drake Relays, Brown said.

A number of local sponsors, including Wellmark, Wells Fargo, Hy-Vee and Atlantic Bottling Company, also aid in the financing and promotion of Relays, said Paul Kirk, the assistant athletic director for media relations at Drake.

“Without that kind of community support, we wouldn’t be in the position we’re in right now,” Brown said.

As well as generating income within the community, the Drake Relays also helps to finance facets of the Drake Athletic Department.

Funds are used particularly for sports, such as tennis and golf, that do not generate much revenue on their own, Kirk said.

“We know that they’re going to take more

“

The Drake Relays is an event we can rally around... There are amazing, lifelong relationships built in the stands.

-Brian Brown, Director of Drake Relays

“

14,500

2

Court Avenue between Third and Fourth Streets

courtesy of DRAKE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI

Impact of Relays

noun, [kluhb duhb] 1. This is what The Dublin, a campus bar, turns into on Friday and Saturday nights, with loud music, close dancing, and a lot of sweat; “You bring the spirit, and Club Dub will provide the spirits.”

April 27 Noon - 4:30 p.m.

stay for the ______” — in mind. The two winners from Drake’s street painting will even be invited to recreate their squares downtown. “We do our best to try and engage the students where appropriate, so we reserve two squares for the winners of street painting,” Brendemuehl says.

Though the rules are much more strict downtown — no paint can be thrown and guidelines must be followed — people are still welcome to come watch the street painting unfold. But if you can’t make it to the afternoon painting, Wednesday April 27 from 1 to 4 p.m., don’t be too concerned. The squares—like the

CLUB DUB

in operations than in the actual revenue that’s gained,” Brown said. “We don’t want to take away from those experiences.”

Through the three-day display of athleticism, other students are given the opportunity to participate in collegiate athletics. The longstanding tradition of the Drake Relays has intertwined the Drake athletic community with the people of Des Moines in a partnership that helps to keep the event alive.

“It’s just that this event has survived,” Brown said. “And not only survived, but has become a nationally recognized event primarily because of the local community’s pride and support of the event.”

3

SUBBELL

noun, [suhb-bel] 1. The South area of Hubbell Dining Hall, featuring all-you-careto-eat meals from Sodexo; “We have to go to Subbell for lunch today because they’re having the macaroni bar!”

4

THE LIBRARY

noun, [lahy-brer-ee] 1. University Library Café, where students go to drink and snack on nachos during an evening of bar crawling; “Let’s eat some nachos at The Library before we head to Club Dub.” 2.Drake’s Cowles Library, where many students spend long nights studying or go to escape their dorms; “I spent five hours in the Library this evening because my roommate sexiled me.”

5

HUB NASTY

adjective, noun [huhb nas-tee] 1. Adjective: A description for something foul tasting; “The paint I got in my mouth during Street Painting tasted like Hub Nasty.”

2. Noun: Hubbell dining Hall, and the food served there; “We were too broke to go out to dinner, so we had to settle for Hub Nasty again.”

6

DRUBBELL

noun, [druhb-bel] 1. The atmosphere of Hubbell Dining Hall during dinner when drunken Drake students return from an afternoon of partying at crush parties, during Relays or really any weekend; “That really drunk girl dropped her plate of French fries at Drubbell last night.”

7

SLC

noun, [slik] 1. An abbreviated name for the Student Life Center (SLC) in Olmsted Center, which houses mailboxes for student organizations and other offthe-wall useful things, like a helium tank; “Let’s go to SLC so we can make our balloon arch.”

8

MUG NIGHT

noun, [muhg nahyt] 1. Every Wednesday night at Peggy’s Tavern, in which patrons drink from plastic mugs that they purchase at the bar and keep for reuse; “We’re going to Mug Night, so don’t forget your mug!”

9

D+

noun, [dee pluhs] 1. Drake University’s 2010 marketing campaign, designed to catch the attention of high school students through offering a D+ education; “Drake University made it on national news with the D+ campaign.”

10 DRAKE LAKE verb, [huhb-bel-ing] 1.

A tradition in which Drake students take trays from Hubbell Dining Hall to sled in the snow in Quad Creek; Hubbelling has now become a sponsored event, seeing as the trays have been eliminated from the dining hall; “I got a wicked bruise from Hubbelling last winter.”

SPEED

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011 | PAGE G8

The final stretch

SARAH ANDREWS | assistant relays editor

My last Drake Relays

The Times-Delphic recently asked several Drake seniors to summarize their college experience in a sentence. Here’s what they had to say.

Laura Menendez “My Drake experience was all about seizing opportunities — every opportunity is a chance to learn something unique, grow as a person and uncover a new passion.”

Joey Morrison “My Drake experience has been good, bad, sad, happy, crazy, lazy, thought-provoking, empowering, beneficial, intense and any other adjective in the dictionary, but all boiling down as being one of the most integral components of my life, that I would never regret endeavoring since it has shaped and changed me into who I am today and will be tomorrow.”

Luke Dawson “Being at Drake for four years has broadened my perspective and helped me to achieve synergy in a meaningful and provocatively eye-opening way.”

Adam Gallenberg “My Drake experience can be simply put as awesome, unforgettable and full of life-changing moments.”

CAITLIN BERENS Four years later and the “Here’s to the Night” song

by Eve 6 that played at our high school graduations once again seems all too familiar. Life moves fast. College races by. Drake Relays passes even quicker. But while that g-word (graduation) and that j-word (job) are outlawed terms (as forbidden as Voldemort) in my apartment, we’re all looking forward to that r-word: Relays! The economy, senior capstones, and the frightful-yet-plausible notion of moving back in with our parents can’t deter the smiles that six-letter word puts on our faces.

Street painting. A packed stadium. Festivities. School spirit. A Beautiful Bulldog contest. Drake Relays transforms our tiny campus — and the bars around it — into an Iowan utopia. Seeing Olympic hurdler and Des Moines native Lolo Jones compete is just mere confirmation of the fact.

2008: THE SOLE OF DRAKE My freshman year Mother Nature spited us — we were excited about painting the street and all sorts of crazy shenanigans — then it rained. Street painting was moved.

When I painted the street later that week, the weather was reasonable, but the crowd was minimal. I’m surprised a tumbleweed didn’t blow across the street like it does in those old Western movies. But this is Iowa — maybe I just didn’t see it — neither did the seven or 10 others crouching down, leaving their semi-permanent mark on Drake’s campus. The races were fun, the festivities were memorable, and we were all introduced to what would become our favorite word in the world (well, that and free — but you get my point).

2009: RUNNING STRONG A CENTURY LONG

Nate Saul “My Drake experience featured many phenomenal friendships and some of the most difficult moments of my life. I’ve worked hard to leave Drake as a better person than the kid that went in four years ago.”

Then the construction happened. They tore up the painted street. Goodbye freshmen year artwork. Goodbye beautiful view outside my Jewett window. It was a travesty.

It was a Relays graveyard. But you freshmen and sophomores didn’t have to see that. That wonderful painted street you walk so jubilantly on, to and from class, pointing out to whoever visits — yeah, it used to be sunken into the ground, falling apart.

On the bright side, 2009 was going to be a good year.

With construction season (mostly) over, we welcomed

friends, family and alumni onto campus for the 100th Relays. It was exciting. The weather was better. And when street painting rolled around, Mother Nature was kind — music, paint and laughter filled the street with everyone.

That kid who never spoke in your FYS was a chatterbox, covered in paint. That girl who was always in your hallway, fighting with her boyfriend on the phone — at three in the morning — covered in paint, sans phone. One of my friends even hugged a security guard. Yeah — I wouldn’t suggest that one. But I would suggest going downtown to check out the Court Ave festivities. Lucky Boys Confusion put on a solid performance in 2009 and I enjoyed it, despite not being able to legally drink at the downtown bars.

“

“

Adieu, Drake.

We’re all going to miss it.

— Caitlin Berens

2010: HISTORY TO YOU, TRADITION TO US Junior year of Relays was a blast as well. Hellogoodbye played at Court Ave and although I was hit in the face by the shoes of more crowd surfers than I can count, I still remember the feeling of shock and awe I felt when the members of the band jumped into the crowd — even though I nearly fell. This past year Drake also partnered with the Court Ave District and Des Moines to create a downtown street painting event for nonstudents. Initially I had mixed feelings about this — maybe they were copycats trying to steal our tradition, or haters trying to make street painting (meant to be crazy) organized (how dare they) — but now I just smile, happy that Des Moines likes Drake enough to adopt one of our beloved traditions. Take that, other schools! After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

2011: COME FOR THE RACES, STAY FOR THE ________.

As the end of my senior year approaches (if you’re reading this you should hire me), I can only imagine what this year’s Relays will hold. I bet even the Drake Squirrel and Beautiful Bulldog contestants aren’t even in on the details. But one thing’s for sure, no matter what happens we’ll never forget the exciting nights and fast days of Relays.

We’re all going to miss it.

But then again, we can always come back — take an extra year, go to grad school, finish pharmacy school — let’s just hope most of us can graduate after we deal with the aftermath of the fun that will be Relays 2011.

Come for the races, stay for the stories Staff Editorial Stories tie the old to the present. They’re what keep people coming back year after year ­— to relive the memories and remember the moments of Relays.

Relays is an old tradition. With tradition come stories such as Mary Bryson’s account of being the Relays Queen 75 years ago. There are love stories started on the Kissing Rock, to be told again and again. Mike and Lisa Ahren met at Drake years ago and their children Alyssa and Adam now go here, making new stories.

These stories at Drake are shaped by the people here. Shiv Morjaria found the support he needed to make it through cancer treatments during his first semester at college. The friends he made carried him through every step of the way.

There are stories of different backgrounds and faiths. Tennis players from around the world come together to form one team. Even with revolutions back home in Egypt and Tuni-

sia, players Mark Fouad and Anis Ghorbel don’t miss a match. There are stories of learning from one another, of people coming together from different faiths and discovering their beliefs at Drake.

Alumni buy the tickets to see the runners, but that’s not why they come. They come to connect again with old friends ­— the people they ran around with at one in the morning, the friends who split Paul Revere’s breadsticks, the roommates who took care of them when they were sick, the professors who gave them the tools to succeed, the Bulldog fans who grabbed a beer at West End during halftime at a basketball game, the people they splattered paint on — these are the memories of Relays.

It’s not who wins the race, but the stories surrounding the track that keep us coming back.

So make your stories. Live them. This is what Relays is all about.

relive.remember.relays.