Drake University Blue Magazine Spring 2018

Blue The Alumni Magazine of Drake University

Spring 2018

5 Reasons for Optimism Alumni see a future full of possibility

Campus Spaces to Remember 28 | Your Relays 46 | BMX Keeps Alumna Young 48

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Blue The Alumni Magazine of Drake University

Editor Beth Wilson Art Director Emma Daily, as’09

Spring 2018

24 5 Reasons for Optimism

Let’s take a pessimism timeout. Turn off your TV, newsfeed, and Facebook, and instead take time to learn why five Bulldogs are enthusiastic about our future.

By Stacia Hernstrom, Lynette Lamb, and Erin Peterson

28 Sense of Place

Drake is a place you carry with you forever. What are the corners of campus you’ll never forget? Find out if current students have discovered those same spots—or new ones.

46 This Is Your Drake Relays

Get yourself back here and reunite with friends, return to the Blue Oval, visit your old haunts, stop by to visit your favorite professor, see what's new on campus.

Contributors Jarad Bernstein; Jill Brimeyer, gr'17; Stacia Hernstrom, Ashton Hockman; Aaron Jaco, as’07, jo’07, gr’14; Lindsay Kaye; Ann Hinga Klein, jo’86, gr’86; Ellen Koester, Class of 2019; Lynette Lamb; Jordan McEntaffer, Class of 2018; Erin Peterson; Meredith Ponder, Class of 2019; Tim Schmitt, gr’08, ’10; Justice Simpson, Class of 2018; Niki Smith, jo’08, gr’15 Executive Director, University Communications Dave Remund, jo’91, gr’08 Director of Alumni Relations Andy Verlengia, jo’02 Vice President, University Advancement John Smith, as’92, gr’00 President Marty Martin Blue is published twice a year and mailed to alumni, parents, and other friends of Drake.

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The views expressed in Blue do not necessarily reflect those of the staff or the University.

Departments 2 Welcome 3 Inbox 3 Said & Done 4 Along the Avenues 14 School Notes 22 Scoreboard 34 Now & Then 36 Class Acts 48 The B-side

Send correspondence to: Blue, University Communications Drake University 2507 University Ave. Des Moines, IA 50311-4505 e bluemag@drake.edu Submit news or update your alumni profile: w alumni.drake.edu e alumni.update@drake.edu t 1-800-44-drake, x3152 © 2018

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Welcome

No Fair-Weather Spirit Here.

It’s Relays!

It happens every year. Winter wanes as the sure signs of spring surface on Drake’s campus. The return of softened earth gives way to emerging daffodils and tulips.

The return of extended days warms the air and permits sunlight to linger longer at the edge of dusk. The return of Bulldogs fills the stadium and the reunions and reignited spirit that surround it.

Spring means Relays, that annual Drake celebration that’s not just a time-based event but even more so a placebased beguiler, beckoning you back to the University, to old haunts, to lifelong friends. Oh, just try to stay away.

We recently invited you to embrace this year’s #MyDrakeRelays theme by sharing your favorite Relays memory. (Haven’t yet filled out the postage-paid return postcard attached to your Relays Week 2018 guide?

Do it. Even if you can’t make it back to campus, do it. Now.) Allow me to share what recently became my favorite Relays memory.

Last year Drake embarked on a journey to better understand how to communicate with all the University’s audiences—not only alumni but also prospective students and their parents; current students, faculty, and staff; the Drake neighborhood; the Des Moines community. We partnered with an agency that guided us in examining existing awareness and perceptions. The agency’s associates asked lots of good questions. "Who and what is Drake?" was the overarching one. It was April.

It was Relays. "Let us show you" was our answer.

shared beneath the tent at Peggy’s, and just as our visitor was headed to the Blue Oval for the track and field action, the skies unleashed. Could inclement weather dampen Relays enthusiasm? Hardly and never. One of her new Bulldog friends simply retrieved an extra set of rain gear from his car and sent her on her way.

She later described the warmth, humor, generosity, laughter, and robust storytelling that surrounded her during her first Relays experience. Yes, we said.

That is Drake.

Beth Wilson, Editor bluemag@drake.edu

For two full days, an agency associate checked off her provided itinerary: campus tour, conversations with student ambassadors, meeting Griff, Alumni Awards reception, All-Alumni Tent Party, and more. In between alumni stories

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Inbox

Said & Done

Noticeable Improvement I started reading at the back (searching for alumni notes about my DU era), and I immediately noticed how much more readable this issue is than prior ones. I thumbed through, continually noticing improvement—especially darker type font—on each page. Yet still plenty of white space so it doesn't look crowded.

“Plan for your digital assets in the same way you would any other valuable tangible or intangible asset. After all, digital assets are today’s shoeboxes of photos, letters, and other mementos.

Planning can preserve your legacy in its digital form.”

When I got to the front, on page 3, I found your response to a comment about the prior redesign (I had sent one too!) along with your humble and encouraging response. Thanks for listening. And for the greatly increased readability.

Carol DeChant, la'60 (journalism) Representing Drake Excellent work on the latest issue of Blue. I especially loved Ann Klein’s article on autism (Breaking Through, page 32), but the entire magazine was filled with wellchosen, well-written, and well-designed pieces. Thanks for representing the University so well.

Patricia Prijatel, gr’79; E.T. Meredith Distinguished Professor of Journalism Emerita Proud Partner I just wanted to congratulate you on a great fall edition of the magazine. The whole issue is wonderful, and we’re thrilled by the mentions of the upcoming Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Club—especially in the Marty Martin feature and the description of the groundbreaking.

I’m a proud Drake alumna!

Abbey Barrow, as'15, jo'15 Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa Alumni Sleuth From the Editor: In the Fall 2017 issue of Blue, we introduced readers to a recent discovery in the Drake University Archives and the mystery of the Golden Skull Klub. Alumnus Lowell “Milo” Plavec, la’70, dived into old issues of Quax and The Times-Delphic to pull together more clues.

The Golden Skull Klub morphed into Gamma Sigma Kappa in 1914. Possibly the last reference to that fraternity was in the 1929 Quax. Because the yearbook for 1928 was published in 1929 (oh, Milo is good!), it seems that Gamma Sigma Kappa merged with Sigma Alpha Epsilon in 1928.

The faculty rep for the fraternity was Dr. D.W. Morehouse.

The GSK house at 2940 Kingman Blvd. is now an apartment building.

Thanks, Milo!

—Natalie Banta, associate professor of law, writing in “Estate Planning for Your Digital Assets” for The Conversation

“We have to understand our own value, but we also have to understand the value of people around us, and that’s when magic happens. When you can get on a team and you understand your value and you understand their value, really great things happen. You can’t tell me it’s just in a sport that that can happen; it can happen anywhere. But a sport is a great catalyst.”

—Jennie Baranczyk, women’s basketball coach, talking with WHO-TV during a free sports clinic Drake hosted for young girls in February

“On one of the marches in Gage Park, people started throwing rocks and bottles at us. Dr. King was hit by a rock. He just stayed on his knees with his eyes closed, and one can only begin to imagine the thoughts that were going through his head.”

—Patti Miller, fa’65, sharing her experience during a First Army Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance on Rock Island Arsenal in January

“With the rash of officer-involved shootings—and we know the stresses they're under, as well our firefighters, first responders, and military—we felt like we needed to show our appreciation to them."

—Ty Patton, assistant athletic director, talking with WHO-TV about Drake Athletics’ Hometown Heroes event, which invited over 100 service members to a Drake basketball game in January

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Along the Avenues

Art Class Designs for Real Life

Drake Contributes to Global Database Advancing Bird Research BirdColourBase, a database supported by research labs in eight countries and storing information on more than 3,000 species of birds, is helping answer a complex question: What color is that bird?

Contributing scientist and Associate Professor of Biology Muir Eaton employs a fiber optic spectrophotometer in his research to translate color into measured wavelengths. That common blackbird at your backyard feeder? Its feathers reflect light at wavelengths not perceived by the human eye. Other blackbirds see something we can’t.

The objective data captured by technology also provides a common language of color that avoids individual color perceptions (I see blue; you see azure), enabling scientists to more accurately explore how avian color is shaped by natural selection and evolution.

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Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Neil Ward instructed his students to spend a day last spring using only one arm. Their experience would help them understand the challenges faced by a veteran who is disabled on the right side of his body. What type of product, asked Ward, could improve everyday quality of life for this individual?

Divided into three groups, the students designed separate products for one-handed use: a bowl stabilizer, an ingredient mixer, and a dishwashing station. While the prototypes face a long journey through an industrial design firm before hitting store shelves, designers learned valuable lessons about empathetic user-centered design.

Tax Facts As lawmakers molded last year’s historic reform to the U.S. tax code, Associate Professor of Accounting Stephen Gara helped Iowans understand the implications for corporations, families, and farmers.

Journalists statewide consulted with Gara from the time legislative discussions began through the moment a final bill landed on President Trump’s desk for approval.

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Bragging Rights

Your alma mater is getting noticed.

Best in Business U.S. News & World Report named Drake’s undergraduate business program one of the nation’s best, a ranking based solely on surveys of deans and senior faculty members at eligible institutions.

Champions in Law Drake University Law School’s team was crowned national champions at the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Student Division Arbitration Competition on Jan. 20.

Vote Smart(er) Ever wonder how your legislators feel about a hot-button issue, or how they voted on a recent bill? There’s an app for that.

Vote Smart, a nonprofit organization headquartered at Drake, recently launched OnPoint. Simply select an issue, and the app provides a litany of public statements, voting records, interest group ratings, and public measures by state and national elected officials.

More than 40 Drake students have held internships with Vote Smart since the organization’s relocation from Montana last year, and several Drake alumni have held full-time positions with the group—meaning Bulldogs have their paw prints all over the app.

Get it: votesmart.org/onpoint

Pace-Setting J-School Last October, three student publications (Drake Magazine, The Annual, and Urban Plains) won national Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker awards, the highest recognition in college journalism.

ROI Kiplinger’s Personal Finance placed Drake at No. 42 on its 2018 list of the 100 best values in private universities.

Strong Beginnings U.S. News & World Report recognized Drake’s First-Year Seminar, among only 29 programs in the nation, for providing an exceptional experience to first-year students.

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Physics and Astronomy Students Shoot for Mars We Earthlings should be thankful for our planet’s magnetic field, which protects us from the detrimental effects—central nervous system damage, cancer—of radiation emitting from the sun and other cosmic sources. Though weaker at greater distances, the field still offers some protection for astronauts on the International Space Station and even brushes the moon. A manned flight to Mars, however, would have zero defense. No one would survive.

Goodwin-Kirk Welcomes Sand Volleyball!

Goodwin-Kirk could use a little pizzazz, says Student Body President Nathan Paulsen.

After plenty of shared ideas and feedback, the Drake Student Senate finalized plans for two sand volleyball courts to be built—with help from alumnus contractor Chris Green, bn’71, gr’74—in the residence hall’s currently underutilized courtyard.

Not exactly a new idea. Just a better one. Mud volleyball in the 1990s was messy.

Stop by the new courts to bump, set, and spike when you’re back for Relays!

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Athanasios Petridis, associate professor of physics, is tackling the challenge with help from students. The Magneto-Ionization Spacecraft Shield for Interplanetary Travel (MISSFIT) research group meets once a week to share ideas and pound out complicated equations to back up its research. The students aim to recreate the Earth’s magnetic shield on a smaller scale, fitting future spacecrafts with powered magnets and ionization chambers that work together to diffuse the energy of the dangerous particles.

Law and the Art of Civil Liberties The Drake Law Legal Clinic is partnering with local nonprofit ArtForce Iowa to teach youth in need about their individual rights through art. Law students facilitate workshops on juvenile justice and free-speech issues, then encourage kids to respond to what they learn artistically, both as a constructive outlet for self-expression and as a way to connect their own life struggles to a larger understanding of society.

The program, #KnowJustice, is supported by the Slay Fund for Social Justice—the first endowed fund on campus dedicated to advancing social justice issues. Created by passionate educators and champions for social justice Brent, ed’70, and Diane, ed’70, Slay, the fund provides numerous students with real-world learning opportunities and connects them with local, national, and international nonprofits.

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Architect Dirk Lohan on Campus An Anderson Gallery exhibit last fall explored key cultivators of the landscape we all know as Drake University’s campus. (Miss it? Visit drake.edu/mies-weese.) Mies/Weese: Where We Live and Work attracted hundreds of visitors, including Mies van der Rohe’s grandson, Dirk Lohan.

An architect himself, Lohan delivered a lecture about his grandfather’s work, highlighting several iconic buildings—including Drake’s own Meredith Hall.

Students Help Restore Des Moines Park Easter Lake Park’s oak savanna, with majestic 60- to 80-year-old trees, would disappear without crucial action by sustainability-focused Bulldogs. Last fall, Professor Keith Summerville’s environmental science class dedicated three hours every Friday to restoring the health of almost eight acres in southeast Des Moines. Students removed invasive Oriental bittersweet and autumn olive and thinned out the non-oak tree population.

Next fall, Summerville will continue the project with a new class. Students will assist with controlled burns (fire is a physiological cue for an oak tree’s acorns to crack open and grow) while cultivating replacement native flowering plants like the pale purple coneflower and blazing star in Drake’s new greenhouse.

On Top of Their Game A decades-old video game is providing a link to the future for an intrepid group of Drake students.

Assistant Professor of Mathematics Chris Porter is leading a merry band of computer science, graphic design, English, and even music majors on an ambitious quest to develop a computer game based on the 1991 Super Nintendo epic “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.” The story will be set on Drake’s campus, with players navigating an 8-bit map as either Spike or Griff. The soundtrack and storyline are works in progress— but wicked squirrels will stand in the way of a final showdown in Old Main.

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27th Street Becomes Pedestrian Path and Gathering Hub Drake now has a fully contained campus. The city street that once dissected the University's footprint north to south has been transformed into a walkway soon to be outlined by green spaces and anchored by meeting places. The $2.74m Ray Promenade—named in honor of Gov. Robert D., bn'52, lw'54, and Billie, ed'50, Ray—will connect Forest and Carpenter avenues and invite students and the Drake community to meet in a universally designed hub offering outdoor classrooms, al fresco eating, a sheltered venue for events, and more.

From the Archives

Drake History Enigma Richard Clarke, bn’73, was pretty sure he’d stumbled upon a piece of Drake history last year at an Indianola, Iowa, auction. His $10 bid earned him a chipped and faded trophy that appears to be the very first athletic award ever won by the University.

Drake took it home twice—in 1896 and 1899—after competing in the YMCA’s statewide pentathlon. How the trophy ended up among a pile of rusted silverware and old silver-plated trays is still a mystery.

Know something? Share your information and ideas: bluemag@drake.edu.

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For Your Consideration

Millennials Aren't Ruining Everything We've seen some serious ribbing of millennials—their work habits, rumored obsession with avocado toast, and more. Drake faculty's experiences with this group, which includes Gen Y (born 1980-1994) and Gen Z (born 1995-2010), paint a different picture.

Jennifer Glover Konfrst: Assistant Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication I read a lot about how important it is that young people have “grit,” and I can assure you this generation has it. I remember a student who was a double major working a very demanding internship while also dealing with family issues. When I asked her how she was doing, she said, “I’m doing what I love, and I’m making it all work.” Students like this inspire me every day with their confidence that they can make a difference in the world. From what I’ve seen, I have confidence our future is in good hands.

Tom Buckmiller: Associate Professor of Education

Leah Kalmanson: Associate Professor of Philosophy

I’ve found, in working with our undergrads, that they can be driven, passionate, and goal-oriented. In my First-Year Seminar, I challenged my class around a lofty goal of writing a book that would be for sale on Amazon and feature stories from members of the Central Iowa Blues Society. The students did the writing, editing, design, and proofing. They were deeply committed to completing this project so that it was of high quality and honored the stories of the folks they featured. I was proud to be a part of this project with these students.

A student of mine coined the term “Drake busy,” meaning the constant pressure to add lines to an imaginary résumé—clubs, student government, extracurriculars—while staying on top of grades and, often, jobs. Later, I saw the term “millennial hustle”—the need to have multiple “side jobs.” These terms taught me a lesson: I understand intellectually the world is unstable and the future uncertain, but millennials feel this in their bones. They're constantly bracing themselves for the future. If we don’t appreciate that, we don’t appreciate the realities of the world they have inherited.

Drake Responds to Demand for Online Learning This spring, Drake launched the first offerings in a growing suite of graduate degree programs to be delivered entirely online: the Master of Arts in Communication and the Master of Science in Education—Literacy Education.

Plans are in motion to add Master of Public Administration and Master of Business Administration (Fall 2018), Master of Data Analytics Leadership (Spring 2019), and the Master of Jurisprudence/Master of Laws (Fall 2019), with a total of 10 programs on the horizon.

Learn more at drake.edu/online.

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Executive Education Goes Global

Nearly 70 teachers in Des Moines Public Schools are the first to complete Drake’s new Master of Science in Education degree in Culturally Responsive Leadership and Instruction, designed in partnership with the district. The innovative program has helped the district attract highly qualified new teachers, boost retention rates, and improve cultural competency among program participants. "Teaching will always be a hard job, but having a strong network of teachers across the district ... is one of the best aspects of the program,” says Jenna Wilson, reading instructor at North High School (above).

The nine-month Leading Others program, designed for mid- to senior-level leaders charged with creating organizational value, is scheduled to launch in Dubai and London in Fall 2018, with 20–28 students in each location. As global business hubs, Dubai and London are strategic locations in the business world and ideal expansion targets for this innovative program.

With 135 teachers currently enrolled in the program, this growing network of Bulldogs is influencing and advancing education in Iowa’s capital city.

Learn more at drake.edu/exceed/ leadingothers.

Alumni Numbers Grow in DMPS

Students Catch the Bug There was definitely something going around last October. The 2017 I Heart Drake Week invited students to Catch the Philanthropy Bug. With a grant from Maddie’s Circle Foundation, the Student Alumni Association incorporated the memory of long-time Drake philanthropist Maddie Levitt and her lemon-yellow Volkswagen Beetle into a campaign celebrating Drake traditions and reaching out to prospective students. The iconic vehicle was parked on campus throughout the week to remind students of the extraordinary difference one person can make.

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Workplace

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Meredith 11 Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication David Wright has inspired Drake students for three decades. When he retires at the end of the Spring 2018 semester, he’ll leave behind a legacy but take with him items that have been part of his office since his first day at the University.

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Grains of History—The desk in Wright’s office belonged to his great-grandfather. There just wasn’t room at home, so the family heirloom has anchored his office since he started in 1987 as a producer and director in Educational Media. Wright’s father once restored the worn oak, and Wright admits the desk needs it again—perhaps a project he can tackle in retirement.

2. Hot Tunes—Wright’s 1947 Wards Airline AM/FM radio belonged to his father. The only modification made to it was the addition of a headphone jack because his grandparents grew weary of his dad blasting the tunes. Today the radio still works, and he proves it to his j30 (Mass Media in a Global Society) students every year—with a fire extinguisher in hand in case it bursts into flames (yes, really).

3. Old and New—Wright loves to display examples of the then and now. He displays a 16mm camera he used as a student in the 1970s next to a TV Tricaster that was revolutionary when it was introduced in 2005 but became quickly outdated. He also displays an iPod next to that 70-year-old radio (see Hot Tunes).

4. Freeze Frame—The autographed photo of American figure skater Sarah Hughes commemorates her gold medal finish in the 2002 Winter Olympics. Wright is an ardent fan of the event, and has traveled twice to see the Games up close. “The huge amount of spirit behind the scenes is infectious,” explains Wright. After Hughes’ surprise finish, Wright said she stayed for a half an hour after the ceremony to chat with fans.

He bought the signed photo to freeze the moment for himself.

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Staff Pick

Road Races Turn 50 The Drake Relays Road Races celebrate 50 years of striding the pavement with a new time slot, a new(ish) race, and a revived tradition. Runners will take to the streets the Sunday before Relays (April 22); participating in the 5K, 10K (it’s back!), or half marathon; and crossing the finish line on the Blue Oval—just in time to head over to The Knapp Center for Beautiful Bulldog Contest at noon.

Check out what else we've got lined up for Drake Relays Week (p. 46 and alumni.drake.edu/relays.)

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School Notes College of Arts & Sciences Joseph Lenz, Dean drake.edu/artsci A long and winding road. Or, my, what a long strange trip it has been! This will be my last entry for Blue. Last summer I informed Provost Sue Mattison that, after 10 years as dean, I would be stepping down at the end of the 2017–18 academic year. I’ll then take a long-delayed sabbatical to consider the next step in my career.

Gesine Gerhard has been named the next dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2018. She has served since 2012 as associate dean of the College of the Pacific, the largest and oldest academic unit of the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where she also served as the director of general education. Gerhard joined the faculty of University of the Pacific in 1999, earning the title of full professor in the Department of History, and served as director of the Gender Studies Program from 2007 to 2012.

She studied at the University of Bologna from 1992–1993 before earning a Master of Arts in history at the Technical University of Berlin in 1994. She earned a doctorate in modern German history from the University of Iowa in 2000. Her research focuses on agricultural history and food policy during World War II and the Nazi period; she has delivered more than 50 guest lectures, public talks, and conference workshops. Her awards from the University of the Pacific include the Ebhardt Teacher/Scholar Award in 2007 and the University Priorities Award in 2007 and 2009. I am confident that the College of Arts & Sciences will be in very good hands.

When I first became dean, I said I wanted to do more than just tread water (I was an interim and only anticipated having the job for one year). Over the past 11 years, we have done much more than tread water: three new buildings;

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complete renovations to Harvey Ingham Hall; new programs in data analytics and kinesiology; significant revisions to nearly every major program in the college; three endowed professorships (and three more in progress); millions in scholarships; partnerships with universities in China, Mexico, and South Africa; the expansion of travel seminars; an increase in the number of women at professor rank (from five to 17); an increase in the number of full-time faculty (from 114 to 131); a profound commitment to experiential learning, community-engaged learning, and faculty/student research collaborations; and much, much more—including nearly 3,900 graduates swelling the ranks of A&S alumni.

To say the least, I am deeply gratified to have had the honor to serve as dean. It has been a particular pleasure hearing from and meeting A&S alumni at events, games, and visits to campus (sometimes as nostalgic former students, sometimes as proud parents of prospective students).

Drake is someplace special. I know it.

You know it. It is well past time that we let the rest of the world know it. Drake is now engaged in a rebranding effort to increase awareness of and appreciation for the Drake name. You may have seen the change in our website—bolder, brighter, bluer. You’ll see us calling much more attention to the accomplishments of our students, faculty, and staff and to the recognitions the University receives.

For some examples, see our “Shout Out” page at drake.edu/shoutouts.

The time for Midwestern modesty is over. We need you to be cheerleaders for Drake. For our marketing effort to be successful, we need you to sing our praises, not to exaggerate what we do (because it needs no embellishment), but to state the facts, to remind friends and classmates who they are, what they have achieved, and what we all can still accomplish together.

General College News • Approved new concentration, the Interdisciplinary Study of the

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Humanities and Sciences (ISHS). This is an 18-hour concentration that invites students from any academic discipline to investigate topics in humanities and sciences from a variety of perspectives. In doing so, they will develop and articulate their understanding of how scientific inquiry, mathematical reasoning, and humanistic analysis and interpretation relate to one another.

• Established collaborations/partnerships with a variety of community organizations to provide internships and experiential learning opportunities for our students. These include the Iowa Coalition on Sexual Assault, Des Moines Community Foundation, City of Perry Public Library, Urban Dreams, Drake Neighborhood Association, Walnut Elementary School, Living History Farms, State Historical Society of Iowa, Jordan House, Salisbury House, Blank Park Zoo, Young Women’s Resource Center, and Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Faculty News • Deborah Kent, associate professor of mathematics, won a state award for innovation in STEM education in November.

• Benjamin Gardner, associate professor of art and design, was selected to have his artwork grace one of the Des Moines Area Regional Transit buses.

• Akira Mori, associate professor of orchestral studies, received the Immigrant Entrepreneur Leadership Award during the 10th annual Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit (IES) in Des Moines on Nov. 18.

Student News • Colton Sleister, senior chemistry/ biochemistry and molecular biology/ mathematics major, won the 2017 DMACC Foundation $10,000 Entrepreneurship Competition with his business, Sleister Brass.

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• Three students from the Arts & Sciences have received NASA merit scholarships from the Iowa Space Grant Consortium: Sophia Siegel, Quinn Meyers, and Carter McCall.

• Katrina Sletten, (senior, physics), was named a Brooke Owens Fellow, one of 36 female students selected nationwide. Katrina will intern this summer at The Museum of Flight in Seattle and work with their executive director.

• Drake seniors Tierney Grisolano, Shea Seiff, and Dustin Eubanks presented their work on A Spectrum of Faith: Religions of the World in America’s Heartland, a Drake student-produced book, at the annual conference for the American Academy of Religion in Boston.

• Gabrielle Clutter, senior vocal performance major, is the artist in residence at Deerfield, a senior living community in Des Moines. Through a special partnership between Drake and Deerfield, Clutter lives and eats at Deerfield for free, in exchange for performing two concerts a month.

Clutter was featured on CBS This Morning on Dec. 28.

College of Business & Public Administration Daniel Connolly, Dean drake.edu/cbpa Since being named dean last spring, I have been conducting a listening tour with key stakeholders served by the CBPA to learn about what we are doing well, our traditions, and opportunities for taking the college to new heights. These meetings have involved faculty and staff, students, alumni, business professionals, and community leaders, and have taken place on campus, within the business community, and in cities around the world. In these conversations, I’ve heard many heartwarming stories about the good work of the CBPA faculty, how the college has transformed lives, and the influence our alumni have on businesses, organizations, and communities locally, nationally, and globally.

I have learned a great deal about Drake, gaining a great sense of pride and appreciation for what Drake does, its role in society, and just how special Drake is. I am delighted to be a Bulldog!

A core part of Drake’s mission is developing individuals to become productive global citizens. In doing so, we are intent on graduating individuals who are motivated by success in many forms. Our CBPA graduates are purpose-driven and focused on impact; that is, making a profound difference in the lives of others. These traits are fostered in all of our programs and evident in all of our graduates. We recognize that to be good, one must do good.

One of the unique aspects of the CBPA is its focus on public administration in addition to business. This combination is important because of our location and our devotion to serving our city and state. Our location in Des Moines, the government seat and center of commerce for Iowa, positions us well to play an important role in influencing

economic development and public policy. As such, we provide the training to develop talent for not only the business sector but also for the public and nonprofit sectors, and Des Moines provides us with an incredible learning laboratory to prepare students to become future leaders.

Our work in public administration has become a hallmark of the CBPA through our Master of Public Administration (MPA) and the nationally accredited Certified Public Manager® (CPM) designation. These programs develop a servant leadership mindset and teach about management, accounting, ethics, and governance in different kinds of environments such as nonprofits, government agencies, and trade associations. By offering both programs, it is now possible for public sector professionals to earn both the CPM designation and the Drake MPA in one seamless learning experience.

Certified Public Manager® Program Many of today’s professionals are looking for application-focused learning.

For the public sector, this opportunity exists through a national accredited professional Certified Public Manager® designation, an 18-month program.

Initiated by the State of Iowa’s Department of Administrative Services and developed in partnership with Drake University MPA faculty in 2000, the first class of 18 graduated in 2003, followed by more than 650 graduates as of 2018. Each year, 75 new professionals join the CPM program as part of three concurrently running cohorts.

Courses in the CPM program include leadership and coaching, human resources, financial management, risk management, economic and community development, conflict resolution, grant writing, effective communication, developing an ethics-focused style of leadership, and public policy. In addition to the in-class experience, participants work in small teams on a real-world project to address an important and timely issue that will enhance a community. To date, more than 100

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projects have been completed and presented publicly. Many have been implemented, bringing lasting value to the effective function of government while strengthening communities.

Today, Iowa’s CPM program is one of the largest and most active in the nation, with graduates serving in leadership positions in more than 60 state agencies, counties, cities, Iowa-located federal agencies, and other governmental organizations.

Master of Public Administration Developed in the early 1970s for the working professional, Drake’s MPA degree is the only one of its kind offered in Iowa and is widely recognized across the nation.

This fall, we will launch a fully online version of the MPA (along with our MBA program) to increase flexibility for the working professional and to extend access and reach of the program beyond Iowa so that more people and communities can benefit from a Drake education.

The program blends classroom theory with real-world practice, using our community as a living laboratory. In addition to coursework in public policy theory and practice, research methods, financial aspects of public and nonprofit organizations, and value-based decision-making, students tackle real community problems and needs. They can choose to specialize in executive leadership, financial resources, healthcare management, nonprofit management, human resources management, or public policy.

As with the certificate program, a capstone course and project provide experiential learning opportunities.

Students thoughtfully and methodically analyze situations and develop solutions that will have meaningful and lasting impact. They go on to run government agencies and nonprofits and through their work improve society and quality of life while building community value.

College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences Renae Chesnut, Dean drake.edu/cphs A tradition of innovation and creativity combined with new and renovated facilities, outstanding educational offerings, and strong partnerships has created new momentum within CPHS. It’s making a positive impact on our students, faculty and staff, partners, and the patients we serve.

Along with several other accomplishments, we continue to be leaders in the Des Moines Area Interprofessional Collaborative, which includes the four other health care professional schools in central Iowa. We also recently partnered with the Governor’s Office to hold an Iowa Opioid Forum. As we continue to grow our possibilities, we seek ways to further our vision of being “a diverse community of learners leading the way to a healthy world.”

Drake and Mercy Partner for Accelerated Nursing Degree A new partnership will allow students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from Drake and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Mercy College in four years.

Porter Clinical Skills Center Charlie, ph’70, and Pat, ed’71, Porter have funded the Porter Clinical Skills Center that will renovate and expand the Donald F. Davidson Pharmacy Practice Laboratory and create a high-fidelity simulation lab in Fitch Hall.

The renovated space will provide greater flexibility for developing important skills including immunization administration, patient consultation, preventative health screenings, and medication therapy management.

CPHS Co-hosts Opioid Addiction Conference In conjunction with the governor’s office, CPHS hosted Identify, Prevent, Recover: Combating Opioids in Iowa on Oct. 26, bringing together healthcare professionals and policy makers. Following a welcome from Dean Renae Chesnut and two panel discussions featuring health care provider strategies and Iowa’s response, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds laid out a four-point plan to combat opioid addiction. In addition, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller spoke on “Opioids and Enforcement Measures.” The program also included “From Pain to Addiction and into Recovery: A Success Story,” which provided attendees with a personal testimony of the horrors of opioid addiction and the difficult road back to health.

Alumni Honored at Pharmacy and Health Sciences Day Drake alumnae Cornetta Levi, ph’07, and Natalie Schmitz, ph’14, received Young Alumni Achievement Awards, issued each year to alumni who graduated within the past 10 years.

Crystal (Kemp) Lennartz, ph’04, Frank Cable, ph’65, and Luke Freml, B.S.P.S., ph’04, received Alumni Achievement Awards at the annual Pharmacy and Health Sciences Day, held Nov. 9 in Sheslow Auditorium.

Mahajan Earns Grant for Precision Medicine Curriculum Pramod Mahajan, associate professor of pharmacology, was awarded a $10,000 NASA-sponsored grant through the Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) for the 2017–2018 academic year.

Mahajan’s project, “Introduction to Precision Medicine: An Experiential Course for Iowa’s STEM Teachers,” is part of the ISGC’s curriculum development program.

Fischbach Named IOTA Advocate of the Year Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Jayna Fischbach was named

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the Iowa Occupational Therapy Association’s (IOTA) Advocate of the Year at its Fall Conference, held Oct. 6–7 in Des Moines. The award recognizes a member whose efforts on behalf of the profession represent a significant contribution to the achievement of the aims of occupational therapy in Iowa.

$7,000 scholarships that support STEM-related research. Golbach’s research will focus on the effects of a chemotherapy agent on various cancer cells. Hoerres will focus on DNA damage from cancer. Ohman, who also received an ISGC grant last year, will research DNA damage that can cause diseases such as cancers.

CPHS Faculty Lead State Organizations

CPHS Students Elected to Leadership

Cheryl Clarke, ph’86, assistant dean for clinical affairs and director of experiential education was elected president-elect of the Iowa Pharmacy Association and will be inducted June 2018. Steve Bowen, assistant professor of occupational therapy, was elected to a two-year term as president of IOTA. Nate Newman, associate professor of athletic training and director of the Masters in Athletic Training program, was re-elected as treasurer of the Iowa Athletic Trainers Society.

Mobley-Bukstein Selected as APhA Fellow Wendy Mobley-Bukstein, ph’99, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, was recognized for her leadership and work through induction as a fellow of the American Pharmacy Association at the APhA Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn., March 16–19, 2018.

Inaugural Morrow Awards Presented Michelle Mages, P4 from Hastings, Minnesota, and Geoffrey Wall, professor of pharmacy practice, were this year’s recipients of the newly established Richard Morrow Transformational Leadership Award presented during PHS Day. The award, honoring Richard Morrow, gr’83, Ellis and Nelle Levitt Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology, recognizes a student and a faculty member whose transformational work has gone above and beyond.

PharmD Students Awarded Iowa Space Grant Scholarships P3 students Allison Golbach, Amanda Hoerres, and Michael Ohman received

Kelli Welter, P2, was elected the Region 5 member-at-large in the American Pharmacists Association–Academy of Students in Pharmacy. Katie Schlebecker, P4, and Alex Maciejewski, P2, were elected to offices for the North Plains Province (NPP) of Kappa Psi, a national pharmaceutical fraternity.

• Darla Eastman, associate professor of pharmacy practice—Faculty Preceptor of the Year • Jason Salton, pharmacist at Montross Pharmacy, Inc. in Winterset—APPE Preceptor of the Year • Jennifer Toliver, pharmacist at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines—IPPE Preceptor of the Year • Ellen Lowe, assistant director of Rec Services–Wellness at Drake University—Health Sciences Preceptor of the Year

Stella Receives National Scholarship Annie Stella, P4, received one of 10 national APhA Foundation Scholarships.

She was awarded the Marvin and Joanell Dyrstad Scholarship, which recognizes her potential to become a leader for the profession of pharmacy, as demonstrated by her involvement in school and community activities and academic performance.

PHS Day Faculty and Preceptor Awards • Kristin Meyer, associate professor of pharmacy practice—Hartig Distinguished Professor • Cheryl Clarke, assistant dean for clinical affairs and director of experiential education—C. Boyd Granberg Professional Leadership Award and Faculty Mentor of the Year • Nic Lehman, assistant professor of pharmacy practice; Carrie Koenigsfeld, professor of pharmacy practice; and Michelle Bottenberg, associate professor of pharmacy practice—Hartig Faculty Development Award • Frank Caligiuri, clinical associate professor—CPHS Teacher of the Year • Mark Vitha, professor of chemistry— Non-CPHS Teacher of the Year

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Drake Law School Jerry Anderson, Dean drake.edu/law We’re always talking about practical training at Drake Law School.

One of our points of pride is that we offer students real-world experiences, a principle we demonstrated more than ever this past spring.

Drake’s arbitration team won the national championship. The first-year class observed a murder trial during the annual First-Year Trial Practicum.

Four students argued before the Iowa Supreme Court as part of the Law School’s Supreme Court Competition.

It’s no wonder we received an A-minus in Trial Advocacy by preLaw magazine, placing Drake among the top law schools in the nation.

Of course, the real proof of our success is you. Our alumni represent Drake Law School every day, in every facet of the law. As we celebrate our triumphs—on campus and around the world—I am proud of the Drake Law community.

Thank you for being a part of it.

National Champions Drake’s arbitration team, consisting of Olivia Brooks, Jordan Nickerson, Rachael Irlbeck, and Gabe Walsh, was crowned the national champion at the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Student Division Arbitration Competition.

The team was coached by Ana Dixit, lw’16, and Ronald Forsell, lw’15.

Held at the ABA Headquarters in Chicago, the national finals pitted Drake against other top-place teams from regional competitions across the country. The team defeated Michigan State University College of Law in the finals, marking the fourth time in Drake Law School's history that a competition team won a national championship.

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Celebrating a Tradition of Excellence We again recognized Drake Law School’s tradition of academic excellence, leadership, and service and honored our close relationship with the Iowa Supreme Court with the 81st annual Supreme Court Celebration.

During the three-day celebration, banquets honored the Drake Journal of Agricultural Law, Drake Law Review, Student Bar Association, and Moot Court teams. First-year students enjoyed breakfast and small-group Q&A sessions with the justices of the Iowa Supreme Court. The justices also heard arguments from students in the Supreme Court Competition finals. The event culminated with the Supreme Court Celebration Banquet and Awards Ceremony, where alumni and student award winners were recognized. Hilarie Bass, president of the American Bar Association, served as keynote speaker.

Thank you to everyone who attended this year’s events. Find a list of award winners, photos, and more on the Drake Law website.

Cartwright Changes Continue Last fall, Drake Law School dedicated the new Johnny C. Taylor Jr. Law Review Suite and East Bay faculty space. Over winter break, the Law School installed the Wall of Pride, which recognizes the people, places, and events that have helped shape Drake Law School into the institution it is today.

The Law School is now planning for the next phase of the renovation project.

Beginning this summer, the main staircase in Cartwright Hall will be modified to bring a more open and modern look to the building’s foyer.

The Dean’s Office and Student Services suites will be reconfigured to provide more workspaces, and new windows will provide natural lighting from the south side of the building. The West Bay faculty space will be updated with additional office and meeting rooms, as well as new carpeting, paint, and furnishings.

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These renovations will help improve the educational experience of current students, retain nationally renowned faculty, and recruit new students. The project is made possible thanks to the support of generous donors. If you are interested in supporting the renovations or sponsoring an office space or suite, which includes the opportunity for naming recognition, contact Dean Jerry Anderson.

New Legal Clinic Director Suzan Pritchett was named director of clinical and experiential programs and associate professor of law at Drake Law School, effective July 1. Pritchett is an associate professor and the faculty director of the Family and Immigrant Justice Clinic at the University of Wyoming College of Law. She previously clerked for the Executive Office for Immigration Review in the U.S. Department of Justice and for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

She has also worked in private practice representing clients in federal immigration matters.

Pritchett’s areas of interest include gender, asylum, and human rights law.

Her recent scholarship is focused on immigration law and policy, including an article published in the Harvard Journal of Law and Gender on protections for immigrant witnesses in criminal trials. In recognition of her work, the Wyoming State Bar presented Pritchett with the Champion of Justice for Legal Services Award.

Pritchett replaces Jerry Foxhoven, lw’77, who stepped down after Gov. Kim Reynolds appointed him as director of the Iowa Department of Human Services. A special thanks to Clinicianin-Residence Pat Houlihan, lw'82, for her excellent service as interim director of the legal clinic during the past year.

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Same Faces, New Titles Drake Law School is pleased to announce new professorships for three faculty: • Anthony Gaughan, Clemens J. Smith Faculty Research Scholar • Jonathan Rosenbloom, Dwight D. Opperman Distinguished Professor of Law • Melissa Weresh, Dwight D. Opperman Distinguished Professor of Law The faculty were chosen for these well-deserved honors based on their outstanding scholarship and national recognition in their fields.

In addition, Professor Andrew Jurs will take over as associate dean of the Law School on July 1. He replaces Professor David McCord, who is nearing the end of his very productive two-year term in the position.

Upcoming Events Save the date for the 14th annual Dean’s Cup Tournament on May 21. The golfing event invites alumni, faculty, staff, and students from Drake Law School and the University of Iowa College of Law to show support for their school and raise funds for Iowa Legal Aid. The Constitutional Law Center is hosting its annual symposium, titled "Is Constitutional Democracy Endangered Here and Abroad?" on April 14. The event will feature experts from around the country, including Professor Tom Ginsburg from the University of Chicago Law School as keynote speaker.

Drake Law School’s Spring 2018 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) series has five remaining events, including “Privacy and Information Security in Health Services” on April 20–21 and “How to Represent Clients Before the IRS” on May 2.

Find a complete list of alumni events at drake.edu/law/alumni/events.

School of Education Jan McMahill, Dean drake.edu/soe The School of Education has always focused on high-quality teaching, research, and service but now we are doing our work in a new, state-of-the-art facility that will allow us to expand and enhance our ability to prepare tomorrow’s educators.

On Aug. 28, classes opened in CollierScripps Hall, our new home in the heart of campus. One month later, the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center moved into the lower level and atrium of the building, which consists of office space, a board room, conference rooms, and informal gathering spaces.

When faculty, staff, students, and guests enter Collier-Scripps Hall, they know they’ve entered a place and space that is very special. Before them is the donor wall with the names of over 200 alumni, organizations, family trusts, Drake trustees, and friends who made the new building a reality. We called, and they answered.

Also of note are the building’s modern look and feel, collaborative work spaces, and updated technology.

Open hallways lined with comfortable, high-quality furniture allow for plenty of individual and group study space.

In addition, eight private study spaces, known as “zip” spaces, can be found throughout the building. Each space has rearrangeable furniture and a large digital screen on which students can display their work. The building has five conference rooms open to anyone at the University, and seven fully equipped classrooms with wireless display screens, cutting-edge technology, and plenty of natural sunlight. Faculty and staff offices contain new furniture, storage, and adjustable sit/stand desks.

Other features of the building include two large creative commons for small group work or testing.

The last element that sets the building apart is the inspirational artwork. The walls are decorated with a remarkable collection of original art, murals, edition-signed prints, and display cases.

Students from the Department of Art and Design supply a rotating collection of art, including selected pieces from the Trauma Reflected Through Art exhibit, a collection of art and essays created by troubled adolescents from the Iowa Juvenile Home.

As home to the Ray Center, the undergraduate and graduate School of Education, and Math and Computer Science, Collier-Scripps Hall is an active and lively part of campus. Hundreds of students and nearly 60 faculty and staff members use the new building each week. Classes occur every weekday, Friday nights, Saturdays, and occasionally on Sundays. The building also fosters a feeling of campus unity, as it is utilized by various departments across the University; there is actually a waiting list of departments who want to teach, meet, host, and learn in Collier-Scripps Hall—a good problem to endure.

If you are in the area, please stop by Collier-Scripps Hall to see our new home. And prepare to be amazed.

Next Steps Not long after you read this edition, the second phase of construction will begin on the Robert D. and Billie Ray Promenade—the beautiful new walkway and plaza that replaces 27th Street on the east edge of Collier-Scripps Hall.

This central outdoor gathering place, with plenty of green space, will stretch from Forest Avenue to Carnegie Hall.

Scheduled to be complete later this year, the Ray Promenade is the final piece of the STEM@DRAKE project.

Focus on Scholarships As the project concludes, I turn my attention from fundraising and planning for the new building to securing gifts, pledges, and endowments for student scholarships. There are many financial aid options available for part-time and

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full-time students. However, with rising student debt and increasing competition to obtain talented and diverse students, scholarships are essential to our future.

For this purpose, along with Drake University Advancement Officer Aamir Walton, I am hosting “Meet the Dean” and book signing events in Midwest cities for the next six months. If you are invited, I encourage you to attend and bring a friend.

Programs Update Professionals continue to take advantage of our highly focused and highly respected graduate programs.

• Enrollment for second-career students has increased by 11 percent.

• 137 individuals are currently enrolled in our Doctor of Education and Doctor of Philosophy programs.

• Our flagship program, Master of Science in Effective Teaching, launched online in March, marking our first 100-percent online degree. The program remains a face-to-face program in Des Moines, but it’s now also available to teachers across the United States.

presented in official format, other pieces are written and published in various educational and professional magazines and journals. In February, professors Tom Buckmiller and Randy Peters collaborated on an article published in School Administrator, a journal by the American Association of School Administrators. This monthly publication is the most widely read and respected piece viewed by PK–12 school leaders across the nation. Their article, “Getting a Fair Shot,” follows four years of work and workshops led by our Educational Leadership faculty to promote standards-based grading as an option to the age-old ABCDF grading system used for over a century. It’s important and futuristic, and if you’re wondering, yes, they have figured out how students who graduate with a standards-based report card can be admitted to college.

As always, thank you for what you do to support and promote our programs.

• 67 teachers from the Des Moines Public Schools earned their master’s degree in December with a specialization in Urban Education.

• Our Master of Science in Leadership and Development was successfully launched at North Iowa Area Community College in my hometown of Mason City.

In addition to the success of our graduate programs, Head Start expanded its reach, adding five new classrooms to a new early childhood center housed in Des Moines’ Southridge Mall.

Faculty Feature School of Education faculty are required to conduct research along their pathway to promotion, from assistant to full professor rank. While many of these works are multi-year efforts with qualitative and quantitative data

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School of Journalism & Mass Communication Kathleen Richardson, Dean drake.edu/sjmc A friend turned me on to Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, a weekly online newsletter in which the longtime broadcast journalist interviews people she calls “architects of change.” Shriver recently recounted how one of her interview subjects asked her, “What does your heart ache for? What do you envision for the world, and for yourself?”

In other words, conduct a spiritual checkup: Does your life’s work align with your real values?

Encouraging our students to reflect on such questions is part of Drake’s mission to prepare them for meaningful personal lives. Two people I know who live at that sweet spot connecting values and action are SJMC electronic media professor David Wright and his wife, Kathi Sircy. Kathi is a retired nurse who now devotes her time to volunteer work, including hospice care. David has spent 31 years at Drake in service not only to his students but to the entire University: longtime SJMC associate dean, Faculty Senate president, commencement marshal, and go-to electronics MacGyver for decades of Drake Athletics events. (David and Kathi are also parents to Kaitlyn, Briana, and Arthur—the two youngest are former SJMC students.)

David is retiring at the end of this semester, and Meredith Hall will be awfully quiet without his ever-present whistle and booming laugh. But we wish him bon voyage pursuing his outside-Drake passions—sailing and traveling. And we’ll all be better people for having the opportunity to know David and learn from his outsized good humor, energy, and generosity. (Keep reading for details about his retirement party!)

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Huzzah, Huzzah!

As usual, SJMC students were recognized with many awards in this year’s contests: • Drake Magazine, The Annual, and Urban Plains received Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Awards, plus three other awards for writing and design.

• Senior Adam Rogan’s first-person story about a south-side Des Moines boxing club placed seventh in the national Hearst feature-writing competition, among 154 entries from 82 schools.

• Urban Plains multimedia stories swept the Small Group category of the Student Interactive Media and Emerging Technologies competition at the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts. Creators of the award-winning work: Daniela Buvat, Matthew Gogerty, Anne Matte, Autumn Meyer, Adam Rogan, and Nate Sohn.

• Writing and design work won five College Media Association honors.

• Public relations senior Maddy Gildersleeve was named PR News Student of the Year; senior Sarah Mondello received honorable mention for Intern of the Year.

• Advertising senior Sam Fathallah was a finalist for the Des Moines Young Professional Creative of the Year. Sam has started his own video and photography business.

• Sam also won two gold awards in the professional video category at the American Advertising Federation of Des Moines competition. Caleb Bailey, jo’10, was named Ad Pro of the Year, and Hope Waggoner, jo’16, won Rookie of the Year. Photography by Adam Ryan Morris, jo’04, was featured in several winning entries.

Students Juan Munoz Dominguez, Autumn Meyer, and Megan Rush won gold in the student video contest.

• The Drake Public Relations Student Society of America was named a national Star Chapter for the fourth year.

• Drake students took home 13 awards at the Iowa College Media Association contest.

In addition, Meghan Walters, a senior public relations and international relations major, is a semifinalist for a Fulbright scholarship to teach in Bulgaria next year. And Katrina Sletten—a senior PR, astronomy, and physics triple major—was chosen for a prestigious Brooke Owens Fellowship, designed to encourage female leadership in science. Katrina will spend the summer working with the executive director of The Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Capping Off the SJMC Experience The senior capstone project, one of the signature aspects of our curriculum, continues to provide a rigorous, career-launching experience for SJMC students. This spring, the advertising seniors are producing a campaign for the local Premier Development League soccer organization, the Des Moines Menace. The public relations capstone client is Creative Visions, a Drake neighborhood nonprofit devoted to serving and empowering disadvantaged families. The strategic political communication students are working with regional utility Des Moines Water Works.

And the magazine media, news, and digital media production students continue to collaborate on their award-winning multimedia website, Urban Plains (urban-plains.com).

SJMC Online and Out-of-the-Box Enrollment is exceeding expectations for the SJMC’s first online program, our new Master of Arts in Communication.

Students can customize their education to fit their career needs by choosing among three tracks: Brand Communication, Communication Leadership, and Public Policy and Advocacy. The interdisciplinary coursework features a menu of topics

from across the University, including multimedia communication, public policy, business, and law. Classes start every six weeks. Find more information about the curriculum and apply online at drake.edu/mac.

Come On, You Know You Want to Party Don’t miss the annual SJMC alumni reception on Saturday, April 28, 5–7 p.m. in Meredith Hall. Former students, current faculty, and retired professors will raise a toast to David Wright before he packs up his RV and heads into retirement. The event is free, but RSVP at alumni.drake.edu/SJMCreception so we can stock up on enough beer, wine, and snacks.

Know a Budding Journalist?

The third Media Now Drake summer camp for high school students will be held July 8–11. Students get a taste of Drake life by staying in the dorms, eating in Hubbell, and taking classes from SJMC faculty, media professionals, and the nation’s top high school teachers. Topics include writing, social media, design, video, photography, sports journalism, political communication, and leadership. For more information, visit medianow.press/drake.

To help sponsor a camper, contact Associate Dean Kelly Bruhn (kelly.bruhn@drake.edu).

Stay in the Know The School’s weekly electronic newsletter, SJMC Monday Memo, is a quick and easy way to keep in touch with what’s going on in Meredith Hall.

Contact SJMC’s multimedia professor, Chris Snider (christopher.snider@drake .edu), to get on the mailing list.

Drake Media Gigs (drakemediagigs. wordpress.com) lists internships and jobs of interest to communication professionals. If you have a job opening you’d like to post for the SJMC student and alumni community, send it to our internship coordinator, Carlyn Crowe (carlyn.crowe@drake.edu).

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Scoreboard Fall Sports Wrap-up Football 7-4, 6-2, PFL: 2nd The Bulldogs won four of their last five games to finish with a 7-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Pioneer Football League. Drake earned five first-team All-PFL selections, the most since 2009. Tanner Evans, Nathan Clayberg, and Sean Lynch garnered first-team defensive honors, while Ryan Lemke and Payson Wick received first-team accolades on offense. Evans and Clayberg anchored the defensive line that led the PFL with 19 sacks in league play and limited teams to just 127.2 yards rushing per game. Evans led the Bulldogs and ranked third in the PFL with six sacks and recorded 44 tackles with 7.5 tackles for a loss.

Clayberg registered 44 tackles with 5.0 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks.

Lynch was the Bulldogs' top tackler with 72 stops and also recorded two interceptions and two pass breakups.

Lemke and Wick helped pave the way for the Bulldog offense that averaged 378.1 yards per game. Clayberg and Evans also earned College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District and CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for their efforts in the classroom and on the field.

Soccer (W) 13-4-2, 6-0-1 MVC: 1st The Drake women’s soccer team won its second Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title in the past three seasons and its third overall. The Bulldogs equaled a program record with 13 wins, swept all five major MVC end-of-the-year awards, and had 13 student-athletes earn MVC awards for their play on the field and work in the classroom. Senior Rebecca Rodgers was picked MVC Player of the Year for the second time in her decorated career while fellow seniors Haley

Morris and Ali Smith were named MVC Goalkeeper and Defender of the Year, respectively. The Drake coaching staff was named MVC Coaching Staff of the Year while first-year Hannah Bormann was tabbed the MVC Freshman of the Year. Smith added to her awards by being named a CoSIDA First Team All-American and was honored by United Soccer Coaches Association by being picked All-Midwest Region Third Team and to the USC All-North/ Central Region Scholar Second Team.

Inderski and Cheek’s honors marked the first time since 1996 that two Bulldogs earned All-MVC first-team honors. Inderski finished her career, ranking second in Drake history in kills and fourth in digs. She was also named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team all three years she was eligible for the honor. The team at one point won 10 straight matches, including six straight to open the MVC conference season en route to its historic finish.

(M) 6-11-2, 2-4-2 MVC: 7th The Drake men’s soccer team fielded a young roster in 2017 with 17 first or second year student-athletes. Senior Mason Leonard was selected to the All-MVC second team while first-year Leroy Enzugusi and graduate transfer Jake Taylor garnered All-MVC Honorable Mention honors. In the classroom, junior Ryan Merideth and senior Aleksi Tuominen were named to the CoSIDA All-America second and third teams, respectively.

Merideth and Taylor were each picked to the MVC Scholar-Athlete first team while redshirt sophomore Alex Peterson earned MVC Scholar-Athlete honorable mention honors.

Cross Country (W) MVC: 8th The Drake women’s cross country team was led in every race by Bailee Cofer, who turned in a 15th-place performance at the MVC Championship.

Cofer earned all-MVC and MVC Scholar-Athlete Team honors for the stellar finish to her senior season.

However, the Bulldogs’ roster was extremely young with 10 of the 13 women on the roster being first or second-year student-athletes. That youthful roster showed tremendous growth throughout its first season under Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mark Carroll with all five of the underclassmen who raced at the NCAA Regional Championship posting season-best times.

Volleyball 23-10, 12-6, MVC: 4th The Bulldogs had a historic season as the team’s 23 wins were the third-most in program history and their most since 2010. The team’s 12 Missouri Valley Conference wins were the second most in program history during an 18-game league schedule to finish fourth in the league standings and advance to the MVC Tournament for the first time since 2010. Three Bulldogs earned All-MVC honors: senior Kyla Inderski and junior Cathryn Cheek earned first team All-MVC honors while Emily Plock was named to the All-Freshman team.

(M) MVC: 5th The Bulldogs finished in the top 10 of their first four scored meets of the season and took fifth at the MVC Championship, the program's best finish in the past seven seasons.

First-year Maximilian Fridrich led the team in its final three races of the season, including a fifth-place finish at the MVC Championship to earn all-conference honors and Freshman of the Year accolades. Fridrich was one of three Bulldogs to finish in the top 20 at the MVC Championship under the guidance of first-year Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mark Carroll.

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Bucket after Bucket 2,000. Reed Timmer’s point total, after four impressive years as a starting guard for the Bulldogs, makes him the all-time leading scorer in Drake men’s basketball history. Timmer broke the Drake record at Bradley on Feb. 3, surpassing Josh Young, bn'10, a member of the much heralded 2007–2008 MVC champion team.

Young scored 1,789 points between the 2006–2007 and 2009–2010 seasons. Timmer’s success off the court is equally impressive. Four years into earning a PharmD, his GPA stands at 3.47. His academic prowess has earned him the MVC Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year three times, a feat matched only by Bulldog alumnus Adam Emmenecker, bn'08.

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5 Reasons for Optimism Drake alumni scan the horizon and see the possibility of real progress on important issues.

By Stacia Hernstrom, Lynette Lamb, and Erin Peterson There are plenty of reasons to be cynical these days.

We’re sharply divided politically, income inequality is growing, and the specter of “fake news” makes it hard to know exactly what to believe.

health care management tools that could solve those problems and revolutionize care. Ultimately, she and other health experts hope that going to the doctor might soon look something like this:

We make it through confounding times with the vision of those able to see silver linings—the real ideas and solutions that help us make progress on even the most intractable problems. We talked with alumni experts in areas such as journalism, politics, and health care to find out what they consider to be some of the most positive developments in their fields. We hope their enthusiasm makes you a little more bullish on the future, too.

Your dermatologist opens your electronic health record (EHR) and notices you’re overdue for a colonoscopy.

She accesses your gastroenterologist’s calendar and schedules it. Then, she examines your eczema and recommends a new medicine. But when she sees that the drug is contraindicated because of your high blood pressure—which your family doctor recently diagnosed— she orders something safer. She also notices a Social Determinant of Health indicator in your EHR—you live in a remote area and can’t access organic produce that could improve your eczema. She clicks a box to enroll you in a farm co-op covered as preventative care by your insurance. As you’re finishing, she sees an e-note in your EHR about a clinical trial for your plantar fasciitis, so she forwards the info to you and your orthopedist. All the while, you’re in your living room because she has examined you via the internet.

Reason #1 Health care of the future will be collaborative and patient-centric.

Health care in America is a complicated web of policies, premiums, deductibles, copays, and referrals. In Consumer Reports’ Consumer Voices Survey conducted last year, people mentioned health care costs as their top concern.

Kristen Edsall, ph’90, assistant director of clinical capabilities at Optum, has spent two decades developing

The computer technologies that could transform this scenario into reality—SMART, FIHR, and Blockchain, to name a few—would streamline our health records and the systems that run them. Any practitioner could update, access, and share relevant medical information, saving critical time, money, and frustration in the process. While

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full implementation is several years away, Edsall says the experimentation inherent in this work will lead to real progress. “Some of these technologies will make it, and some won’t,” she says. “But in health care, if you think you can do something and you show the value, you often get the chance to execute it.”

Reason #2 We’re finding more comprehensive ways to safeguard ecosystem health and resilience.

$18 a year, through taxes or donations, to increase forest cover by 5 percent in just a decade.

In addition to economists, Quinn has collaborated with fellow biologists, ecologists, urban planners, and political and social scientists around the world, so he knows that what works in Greenville can often work in Gdańsk and Guadalajara, too. “Our biggest opportunities lie at the intersection of different disciplines,” he says. “The more we can support each other’s efforts, the better off the natural world will be.”

Planet Earth is facing a biodiversity crisis. Its sixth crisis, to be exact. The other five, which wiped out everything from simple marine creatures to the mighty T. rex, differ in one significant way from the current wave of extinctions: This time, humans are believed to be the primary cause.

Reason #3

It’s hard to determine exactly how many species disappear each year because scientists don’t have an accurate measure of the number of species that exist.

But conservation biologists like John Quinn, as’03, estimate that species are disappearing at a rate 10 times higher than the “background extinction rate,” which is what scientists call naturally occurring attrition.

Given the large numbers of newspaper closings and layoffs in recent years, a veteran journalist might be pessimistic. Not Lois Norder, jo’84, senior editor for investigations at the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC).

That tenfold figure is certainly cause for alarm—but also, counterintuitively, cause for hope, says Quinn, because concern has prompted people to propose solutions. One controversial plan, for example, involves setting aside half the Earth for protected natural areas. More integrated approaches focus on better managing farmland and urban growth. To slow sprawl, cities are implementing smarter, greener infrastructure plans. Cities are also growing up, instead of out, as architects and planners redesign empty or underused areas through a process called urban infill.

Implemented alongside efforts like increasing forest cover, improving sustainable farming practices, and better regulating carbon emissions, these strategies reduce human impact so other species can survive, and even thrive, in urban and surrounding areas.

What’s more, says Quinn, an assistant professor of biology at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, conservation is often a priority for residents themselves.

In research he conducted with a colleague in economics, he discovered that Greenville residents would pay up to

Computer-aided research is helping media outlets produce journalism that makes a difference.

She is particularly positive about her own specialty, investigative journalism, which is much easier for smaller papers to pursue these days, she says, thanks to computer-assisted techniques and increasingly powerful open records laws.

Her own paper was recently a Pulitzer Prize finalist for its series on doctors’ sexual abuse of patients. “It started with a reporter on my team examining disciplinary orders, and being surprised by the number of doctors who had sexually abused patients, two-thirds of whom were allowed to continue practicing,” explains Norder.

Before long the AJC had data analysts scraping records of 64 medical boards and writing a machine-learning program to help analyze them. That research ultimately revealed a previously unknown, nationwide problem, “jarring to both the public and the medical community,” says Norder.

More recently, her team used documents to reveal that doctors—despite the well-publicized risks—were continuing to flood the nation with opioids, resulting in more than a thousand physicians being brought before medical boards since 2016.

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Norder is also excited about new media, which allows newspapers to reach ever larger audiences. For example, a six-part AJC podcast called Predator MD was downloaded more than 100,000 times—reaching people, says Norder, that the traditional newspaper wasn’t.

“More than ever, readers want news they can trust,” she says. “I see news organizations really increasing their commitment to quality journalism as a way to distinguish ourselves from all the information flooding the Internet.

And I am very hopeful about what this can mean for our role in this democracy.”

Reason #4 New guidelines are helping create better policies that treat everyone fairly.

The statistics are grim. Nationally, African Americans are incarcerated at more than five times the rate of whites.

African Americans and Hispanics, about a third of the U.S. population, make up well over half of incarcerated people.

In Iowa, the numbers are worse: Blacks are imprisoned at 11 times the rate of whites. Compounding the problem is the fact that politicians often introduce legislation that inadvertently exacerbates already lopsided outcomes.

But a policy tweak launched in Iowa might be helping change the tide. In 2007, Wayne Ford, ed’74, then an Iowa State Representative, spearheaded a successful effort to require “minority impact statements” for any new policy dealing with criminal justice—an analysis of how any proposed law might disproportionately impact minorities (including racial minorities, women, or those with disabilities, for example). “It will take generations before we can change the system of black-white inequity,” says Ford, “but any legislator or governor who signs a bill in Iowa will know the effect it has on minorities.”

Iowa, the first state to pass this legislation, has turned out to be a model: Connecticut, Oregon, and New Jersey now have their own racial or minority impact statement requirements; similar legislation has been introduced in Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, and Wisconsin. For Ford, it represents a step in the right direction. “For so long, legislators and governors didn’t know the potential negative impact of their work,” he says. “This way, they know the consequences of their actions.”

Reason #5 More people are becoming politically involved.

The world of politics has hardly been the central source of optimism lately for most people. But Joseph Jones, gr’08, begs to differ. The executive director of The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement at Drake sees a bright side to our country’s recent political turmoil.

“What I’ve seen is that people are more engaged in both current affairs and in what’s happening in government itself,” he says. “They’re more likely to watch or read the news, more likely to attend functions where people discuss policy issues, more likely to vote. And all that is positive—the more people who are engaged in the process, the better.”

He’s proof of that idea: Last year Jones was elected to the city council of his Des Moines suburb, Windsor Heights.

Having served on city committees over the years, he saw the need for “a healing process as a town,” so he decided to run for one of three open seats.

“I’m hoping to bring people back together,” he says, “starting with positive dialogue and moving forward from there.” B

Initial studies suggest that the legislation is working: A 2015 Simpson College study of the policy showed that just 23 percent of bills showing disproportionate minority impact passed (compared to 40 percent where no negative impact was found). Beyond the statistics, the tenor of legislative debate has often changed markedly when analysis shows a negative minority impact, according to Ford.

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Sense of Place No matter when you were here or how long ago you left, you’ll carry pieces of Drake with you forever.

While all Bulldogs know and love the same campus, each individual student is inspired and shaped by particular experiences in specific spaces. Blue asked current students to share their unique perspective of specific locations that are meaningful to them.

Left: “Cowles Library Reading Room is my favorite place to study on campus. Not only is it quiet; it has a great atmosphere and is a beautiful space. It also frequently houses special events and speakers. To me, it’s the heart of campus.”

—Ellen Koester, English and Public Relations, Class of 2019

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Clockwise from Upper Left: “I walk by this bulldog [in front of Cline Hall] every day.

During my college visit, I witnessed the community, spirit, and pride that comes with being a Drake Bulldog, and I have continued to experience that during my first year.

Seeing these bulldogs around campus is how I know I made the right school choice.”

—Caela Obrecht, Elementary Education, Class of 2021

Opposite: “My first few times climbing to the top floor of Carnegie Hall seemed daunting. But soon bright vinyl decals appeared on the staircase and walls to pay homage to the Graphic Design program. Instead of a bland walk to the top, it was then forever the entrance to a creative space that puts a smile on my face every time I see it.”

—Jordan McEntaffer, Graphic Design and Public Relations, Class of 2018

“Coordinator for Student Activities & Organizations Kodee Wright updates her [Olmsted Center] office wall every year with posters of the Student Activities Board events.

I am the president of the organization and meet with Kodee every week, so this office is somewhere I go for comfort and answers.”

—Anna Jensen, News and Public Relations, Class of 2019 “If I ever want to learn about something happening on campus, Olmsted is the place to be. In the Breezeway, I can walk by the many different organizations tabling about events or fundraisers, and sign up to participate in something new.”

—McKenna Carrigan, Public Relations, Class of 2018 “This space [a second-floor classroom in Meredith] is significant because it allows me to warm myself from the cold weather of Iowa while watching the beautiful sunset and dreaming about the beauty of spring.”

—Mohamad Izzuddin Bin Suhaimi, Finance, Class of 2019

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Clockwise from Upper Left: “Old Main has been a symbol of Drake that I have known my entire life.”

—Jake Smith, Politics, Class of 2020 “On warm sunny days like this one I like to go sit by FAC and just look at how beautiful campus is. I love the symmetry of Sheslow and the history of it.”

—Cooper Warner, Strategic Political Communication, Class of 2018 “The hustle and bustle of balancing full-time work and school can sometimes mean I’m running from one thing to the next without appreciating the beauty around me—like spring emerging around Old Main.”

—Anna Wernimont, MS, School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health, Class of 2018 “Taken on one of the most perfect fall days and on my way back from meeting with my adviser to register for classes, this scene reminds me of that feeling of the beginning of a fresh semester.”

Opposite: “Walking to class one evening, I found a moment of peace while reflecting on Drake’s most iconic building. I found myself smiling because I knew, like generations before, future Bulldogs would have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of an Iowa sunset cascading light on the historic, almost wise bricks.”

—Meredith Ponder, MPA, Class of 2019

—Marisa Morris, Biology/Psychology, Class of 2021 Where was your campus spot? Share with your fellow alumni: bluemag@drake.edu

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Now & Then

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Now Drake’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program will graduate its first class of 26 in 2019. The accelerated three-year program launched in 2016 and got its own building last year, when the University repurposed the bookstore into the Lifestyle Redesign Center. Using its small apartment, grocery store, office, cash machine, car, and crosswalk, students work with community members who face physical or cognitive challenges, helping them regain skills and live life to its fullest.

Then

For almost four decades, Drake’s College of Commerce and Finance offered a bachelor’s degree in retailing. Students learned on campus and off—working in local stores to gain experience in merchandise management, human resources, advertising, and sales. A total of 385 students graduated with the degree, which peaked at 35 in 1969. Many alumni went on to become owners or presidents of businesses both large and small.

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Class Acts @DrakeUGriff SHE SAID “YES!” And the ring fits.

Well done, Dane.

Well done.

Dane Worley, bn’15, and Kaitie Parsons, as’15

Tag @DrakeAlumni on social media, and you might just find yourself here in the pages of Blue.

Of Note

1950s Burton Kaufman, ph'55, Skokie, Ill., retired from Edsal Manufacturing after a 36-year career.

1960s Daniel Hartzer, fa'67, Cambridge, Iowa, was inducted into the Greater Des Moines Community Jazz Center Hall of Fame.

Gene, bn'68, and Jacque, bn'68, Fuller are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, which coincides with another milestone: the 50th anniversary of their graduation from Drake.

William "Bill" Wells Jr., la'69, Eden Prairie, Minn., was honored by the

National Black MBA Association. The professional business organization also presented him with a "Helping Hands" award during the organization's annual Conference and Career Exposition.

1970s Randolph Schmidt, la'72, Miami, Fla., retired from Northern Trust Company after 25 years as Senior Vice President-Risk Management.

James Brusatte,la'74, Ottawa, Ill., was named a "Hero for Justice" by Prairie State Legal Services of Illinois. This award recognizes 40-plus years of volunteer service to Illinois Legal Aid.

Norman Brewer, gr'75, Bethesda, Md., published the book Blending In: A Tale of Homegrown Terrorism.

Charles Wood, fa'75, Council Bluffs, Iowa, received the KAMP Award, one of the highest honors that Zurich Insurance Company presents. It is given in honor of those who died during 9/11 and is awarded for achievement at work, community service, and inspiration to others.

David Kimball, bn'77, gr'80, Wheaton, Ill., became a mentor, sales instructor, and coach assigned to new IBM salespeople as well as high potential sales executives in the United States, Western Europe, and Israel.

Judith (Miller) Steiner Grin, gr'77, Fly Creek, N.Y., had two books published: Callipidder Birds and His Name Was Shortly Forthcoming: How Capital Letters Came to Be.

1980s Paul Rowe, bn'80, Altoona, Iowa, has retired after nearly 34 years editing with The Des Moines Register and Gannett.

Rebecca Butler Mona, bn'85, West Des Moines, Iowa, was elected as president-elect of Optimist International, one of the world's largest community service organizations.

She will serve as president during the Optimist International centennial year.

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Shades of Blue

A Vehicle for Excellence In his long relationship with the University, Bob Clark, la’50, lw’53, has volunteered at more than 60 Drake Relays. He’s been a judge, a timer, and an escort. He coordinated a visit from Vice President George Bush. He’s met Michael Johnson, Lolo Jones, Amy Acuff, and countless other elite athletes. Yet one experience stands out from them all.

“My favorite Relays moment is when I was the lead runner for Callanan Junior High in 1939,” says Clark, recalling his middle school days in Des Moines. “We ran the quarter-mile relay and won the event. I’ll never forget that feeling.”

Clark went on to run in the 1944 Relays as a senior at Des Moines Roosevelt High School. His team was undefeated, having swept the Relays and the state championship, earning Clark a track scholarship to Drake.

World War II interrupted, and when Clark returned to campus he traded the oval for the field, catching touchdown passes from teammate Johnny Bright, ed'52. Clark is the only Drake athlete to earn five varsity letters in football. Yet it’s the Drake Relays that drives him to drive to the airport—numerous times—every April.

1990s Steven Brewer, jo'90, Council Bluffs, Iowa, earned his Doctorate of Business Administration from Anderson University.

Thomas Blythe, bn'91, Salina, Kan., was promoted to chief operating officer for Saint Francis Community Services.

“I spend every Friday and Saturday during Relays making trips to pick up the elite athletes who are arriving to compete,” says Clark, a steadfast volunteer recognized with Drake’s Distinguished Service Award in 1963 and the Double D Award in 1968.

While accompanying the world’s greatest athletes to their hotel (in a Lexus SUV provided by Willis Auto Campus for just this purpose), he talks to them about their travels and their hopes for the upcoming competition.

“Sometimes the athletes aren’t too happy about the weather, but they are all very happy to be at Drake and in Des Moines, and they’re very excited about competing in the Relays,” says the 92-year-old. “It’s one of the best assignments you can get.”

John August, jo'92, Los Angeles, Calif., published a fantasy adventure novel entitled Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire. He discussed his experience in the Feb. 14 episode of Launch, his new podcast focused on the process of writing a book.

Sarah Larson, as'93, Sellersville, Pa., was named a 2017 Emerging Leader in Bucks and Eastern Montgomery counties.

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@eagleandpheasant Drake Fiji weekend in Galena Back row, left to right: Kevin Spear, bn’07; Joseph Meyer, bn’07; Eric Schapp, as’07; Josh Anderson, as’07, lw’11; Matt Morin, as’07. Front row, left to right: Clark Morehead, bn’06; Justin Stubstad, ph’09; Kris Gerber, ph’09

Robyn (Hejnosz) Bruns, as'96, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, received her Master Wedding Planner designation from the Association of Bridal Consultants.

Neil Duncan, bn'96, Highlands Ranch, Colo. became Infusive Asset Management's head of U.S. Marketing and Distribution.

Jared Kelly, bn'96, Chicago, Ill., was featured in Diversity Professional magazine.

Jennifer Schneider, jo'97, lw'00, has a new position as the associate executive director, operations at the National Association for Trial Advocacy in Boulder, Colo.

2000s Sidhanth "Sid" Juwarker, as'00, was named a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree.

Tiffany (Abell) Tauscheck, jo'01, Clive, Iowa, was promoted to the newly created position of chief strategy officer of The Greater Des Moines Partnership.

Will Signs, jo'02, was named a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree.

Stephanie Wells, jo'02, gr'06, West Des Moines, Iowa, was elected 2018 president of the Iowa Chapter of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Society.

Molly Nelson, jo'03, Waukee, Iowa, has been named the Fort Dodge Community Schools Foundation Director.

Charlie Bottenberg, as'04, lw'12, was named a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree.

Johnathon Hobbs, bn'04, Alameda, Calif., became the head of U.S. portfolio solutions for the MuiltiAsset Solutions Team with Wells Fargo Asset Management.

Jorica "Joey" Taylor-Moon, jo'04, gr'07, was named a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree.

Erik Karlsson, bn'05, Wheaton, Ill., earned his MBA from the University of North Carolina.

Krystle Campa, lw'07, was named a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree.

Alison (Schroder) Stewart, lw'07, Indianola, Iowa, joined the Peddicord Wharton Law Firm as an associate attorney.

2010s Ashley (Watts) Aust, lw'10, was named a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree.

Abby Huisman, as'11, Windsor Heights, Iowa, graduated from Iowa State University with a master's degree in human computer interaction.

Lindsey Horner, gr'11, Des Moines, Iowa, and her staff were named the Missouri Valley Conference Coaching Staff of the Year

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Shades of Blue

A Song for the Ages Hand-written notes aren’t very popular among millennials, but Haley Jenkins, as’16, has a box full of them. They’re cherished souvenirs from her senior year at Drake, when the vocal performance major lived with an entirely different set of seniors.

Jenkins received two semesters’ worth of free room and board from Urbandale, Iowa's Deerfield Retirement Community in exchange for sharing her melodies at least twice a month. She dined with residents several times a week, learned the names of everyone who lived on her floor and attended her concerts, sat with them in the evenings and on weekends, and invited them to her senior recital in Sheslow Auditorium. In return, she gained a generation of new friends, a lifetime of memories, and a clearer vision for her future. “[Residents] loved to communicate in the form of letters,” she recalls. “I received day-to-day notes, dinner invitations, thank-you notes, birthday notes, notes congratulating me on my senior recital, and goodbye notes when it was time to move out. That’s a lot of love.”

after winning the MVC regular-season women's soccer championship.

Her time at Deerfield ignited a passion for intergenerational activities. After graduating from Drake, she moved out of Deerfield and accepted a job as activities coordinator at another retirement home in the Des Moines metro area. She recently left that role to spend more time as a performer for Merrymakers, a nonprofit organization that provides live entertainment to more than 100 senior living facilities in Iowa and Nebraska.

Leslie (Tweeton) Behaunek, lw'12, was named a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree.

She hopes to someday start her own organization that introduces exceptional young musicians to the joys of working with people of retirement age. “Intergenerational experiences are so important at both ends of the spectrum,” she says. "I wish there were more programs set up for that.”

Katie McKain, lw'12, Indianola, Iowa, joined the Brown Winick Law Firm.

Deidre (Howard) Dejear, jo'13, was named a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree.

Kelli (Rieseberg) Orton, as'14, lw'17, Waukee, Iowa, joined the Brown Winick Law Firm.

Daniel Scheetz, as'16, Johnston, Iowa, concluded the Chariton Community Big Band's first season. He started the band with the Lucas County (Iowa) Arts Council.

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Shades of Blue

Preparing for the Great Transfer The future of family-owned farms in the United States is tenuous, with 70 percent of them on target to change hands—one way or another—by 2020 due to aging owners. Small businesses are facing similar succession demands. One of the people on the front line of tackling the challenge—one farm, one business at a time—is Ben Lambrecht, as’15.

“Over the last couple of decades, we’ve seen a trend of consolidation—small enterprises being handed over to corporate buyers and large industrial operations,” says Lambrecht, Land As Your Legacy Program Manager for e4 Brokerage, LLC in Fargo, North Dakota. “It’s important to have strong, small, family-owned farms and small businesses in communities. We asked, ‘What can we do to reverse this trend?

These are our customers, and they’re disappearing fast.’”

In his role with e4 Brokerage—where he was a summer intern after his first year at Drake—Lambrecht spends time in communities, connecting with owners of these smaller enterprises and helping them plan the future on their own terms, not someone else’s. Since he helped e4 launch the program in 2016, Lambrecht has seen some 30 farms and small businesses put transition plans in place.

“It’s so satisfying,” he says. “It’s very personal for a lot of these folks. It’s their life’s work.”

Tyler Smith, lw'16, West Des Moines, Iowa joined the Peddicord Wharton Law Firm as an associate attorney.

It’s a charge Lambrecht wouldn’t be leading had he not stumbled upon the Science and Politics of Global Climate Change, a course taught by Drake Professor David Courard-Hauri. “It was almost accidental, but it was a defining moment,” he recalls.

He went on to add to his law, politics, and society major an economics minor and a focus on environmental policy.

Thomas Story, lw'16, Johnston, Iowa Joined Brown Winick Law Firm.

“At its core,” says Lambrecht, “sustainability is really the North Star of the work I do. If we’re saving family farms, we’re one step closer to finding a way to make agriculture more sustainable.”

Shannon Holmberg, lw'17, Des Moines, Iowa, joined the Davis Brown Law Firm.

Lindsay Kaye Photography

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@drakeuniversity Paul Morrison's spot on press row was honored last night at the @drakewbb game. Mr. Drake, jo’39, passed away on Nov. 30, 2017, at the age of 100.

In Memoriam

1930s

Paul Morrison, jo'39, Des Moines

1940s H. Blanche (Young) Coolidge, jo'40, Des Moines Robert Deal, la'40, Crescent City, Calif.

Charlotte (Jones) Swallow, ed'44, ed'65, Waukee, Iowa Joyce (Smith) Fant, la'46, Des Moines Joyce (Givant) Galinsky, '47, Des Moines Verla (Ehlers) Brown, fa'49, Bluffton, S.C. James Sillars, bn'49, Minneapolis, Minn.

1950s

Audrey (McKenna) Morman, '52, Des Moines

Robert Hanley, bn'50, Belmont, Calif.

Jack Schroeder, lw'52, Sarasota, Fla.

Patricia (Boughton) Kniel, '50, Quincy, Ill.

Bruce Cottington, bn'53, Litchfield, Minn.

Kathleen (Sage) Luther, ed'50, Colfax, Iowa

Robert LaPella, fa'53, gr'54, Johnson City, Tenn.

Ronald Rudolph, la'50, Canton, Ga.

Frederick Pinnick, bn'53, Des Moines

Verle Burgason, jo'51, Ames, Iowa

Jerome Hetherington, la'54, lw'56, Minneapolis, Minn.

William Fowles, la'51, Colorado Springs, Colo.

W. Richard Impey, la'51, Silver Lake, Wis. Mitsuo Okamoto, la'51, Chandler, Ariz.

Dale Van Laningham, la'51, Ormond Beach, Fla. Paul Williams, la'51, Santa Monica, Calif.

Beverly (Garrison) Richards, '54, Des Moines Walter White, bn'54, Cinncinati, Ohio Alleen (Lindquist) Fraser, gr'56, Rochester, N.Y. Neal Johnson, fa'56, Minnetonka, Minn.

Betty (Bohman) Hirschauer, '57, West Des Moines, Iowa Marilyn (McClow) Mason, fa'58, Coleraine, Minn.

Douglas Glime, ed'59, Vista, Calif.

Stanley Hicks, bn'59, Port Saint Lucie, Fla. Robert Stokes, bn'59, Grimes, Iowa

1960s Dorothy (Collins) Leslie, ed'60, Des Moines Daniel Prall, bn'60, Santa Fe, N.M. Maxine Johnson, ed'61, Rippey, Iowa Richard Kern, ed'61, Des Moines

Sherry (Durbin) DeHaven, ed'57, Des Moines

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Planet Bulldog

Houston, Texas 29.8° N, 95.4° W Pop. 400 (Bulldogs) Home to over 400 alumni, Houston, Texas has brought the Bulldog spirit down south. Houston is the dwelling of Drake University’s newest Regional Alumni Board.

The group, led by Lynn Place, jo’74, gathered for the first time during last fall’s DU Good Day. Scenes of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey were on the minds of Houston alumni as they volunteered at the Houston Food Bank. “Everyone knew of someone affected and wanted to help,” says Place. Approximately 25 Houston alumni participated in the day of service to assemble backpacks with non-perishable food items as part of the food bank’s Backpack Buddy program.

The program distributes backpacks every Friday to children in need to ensure they have access to food over the weekend. In the wake of Harvey, the backpacks took on an even greater significance. Schools shut down for weeks, meaning children who relied on school meals for food had nothing. The demands on the Houston Food Bank were greater than ever before.

The Houston alumni group, representing graduating classes from 1970 to 2012, packed more than 8,000 backpacks in four hours. “DU Good Day came at a perfect time,” says Gina Larson, jo’92. “It was an opportunity to come together with likeminded individuals from Drake and help the greater community.”

While this was the first time many of the alumni had met, they had plenty in common.

They shared stories about professors, dorms, and, of course, Peggy’s. More than six months later, the group continues to grow and plan events like National Game Watch, happy hours, and more. Members are even invited to represent Drake at their local school districts' college fair.

Stay up to date on events happening in the Houston area by joining the Drake University Houston Area Alumni Group on Facebook!

Get involved with DU Good Day in your area this year. Mark your calendars for Sept. 22, 2018, and watch alumni.drake.edu for updates.

Tell us how Bulldogs run with the pack in your place on the planet. Send your

news to bluemag@drake.edu.

Florence (Glenn) Lochmiller, ed'61, gr'68, Carlisle, Iowa John Buckton, bn'62, Urbandale, Iowa H. Roger Holliday, ed'62, Surprise, Airz.

David Jardine, ed'62, Mountain Home, Ark. Robert McCurdy, ed'63, gr'69, Russell, Iowa David Samueulson, ph'63, Knoxville, Iowa Richard Finnerty, la'64, Weston, Mass.

Ardell Hake, fa'64, gr'66, Camarillo, Calif.

Claudia Koon, ed'64, Des Moines Timothy Roels, bn'64, Fort Worth, Texas Judith (Mastin) Stephens, ed'64, West Des Moines, Iowa

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@stolzel The Bulldogs came to play tonight against the Gophers! #drakealumsinmn #DUbasketball Left to right: Jill Larson, as’09; Alex Walter, bn’09; Ellen Walter, ph’11; Justin Ernst, bn’10; Katie Ernst, as’11; Jeff Standke, bn'11; Brianna Standke, ph'13; Mike Theilmann, bn’08; Katie Theilmann

Gary Johnson, la'65, Prattville, Ala.

Robert Hewitt, bn'68, Osseo, Minn.

Kermit Dunahoo, lw'71, Waukee, Iowa

Dorothy Slemp, la'75, Norwalk, Iowa

Ronald Koons, la'65, Elgin, Ill.

Marshall Hunzelman, bn'68, lw'72, Urbandale, Iowa

Harlan Ferguson, gr'72, Johnston, Iowa

Margaret (Dingsley) Corkery, gr'78, Windsor Heights, Iowa

John Herron, lw'66, Raleigh, N.C. Patricia (Berry) Lomax, ed'66, gr'70, Des Moines William McCarthy, bn'66, West Des Moines Joseph Clark, bn'67, Springfield, Mo. Verna (Gantenbein) Weieneth, ed'67, Webster City, Iowa Constance Wilson, la'67, Sonoma, Calif.

Dorothy (Bragdon) Beck, ed'68, Johnston, Iowa Charlene (Klyn) DeJuarez, jo'68, Boulder, Colo.

Ronald Dries, la'68, Golden, Colo.

Sandra (Paskins) Nagel, la'68, Des Moines Frances (Lee) Allen, la'69, Des Moines

James Ferree, jo'72, Clive, Iowa Williams McCollaugh, gr'72, Ankeny, Iowa

Maxine (Bek) Bruett, ed'69, Winterset, Iowa

Stephen Schneckloth, gr'72, West Des Moines, Iowa

Sara (Curtis) Marquardt, ed'69, Des Moines

Russell Owens, jo'73, Bradenton, Fla.

1970s

Mark Nieters, bn'74, lw'77, Windsor Heights, Iowa

Gail Heyn, jo'70, gr'80, gr'83, Des Moines Leona Vande Lune, ed'70, Prairie City, Iowa Donna (Kesinger) Warren, jo'70, Minneapolis, Minn.

Joseph Zimmerman, gr'70, Urbandale, Iowa

Geraldine (Jewett) Williams, ed'74, Des Moines Sharon (Pack) Gebhart, ed'75, Osceola, Iowa Thomas Jenk, ed'75, Dyersville, Iowa

John Greer, ed'78, Norfolk, Neb. Michael Rogers, gr'78, Ames, Iowa

1980s Ken Noyce, bn'80, gr'84, West Des Moines, Iowa Rafael Soto, ed'81, Lake Zurich, Ill. Phyllis (Parks) Cadwallader, gr'82, Des Moines Brian Pofahl, bn'83, Grand Canyon, Ariz.

Jane (Johnson) Speas, fa'83, Bondurant, Iowa

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Shades of Blue

Creature Connections, Planet Preservation A visit to Sea World as a young girl sparked Allison Ginsburg’s lifelong passion, and eventually led to a career with animals—big ones. Today, Ginsburg, as’96, is the animal curator of large carnivores at Assiniboine Park and Zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Her residents in care include polar bears, tigers, snow leopards, and harbor seals.

She oversees all aspects of animal care, including maintaining their habitats, health, and social structures, and providing them with training, mental stimulation, and behavior enrichment.

“This isn’t a job; it’s a lifestyle,” says Ginsburg. “There’s no such thing as a typical day, but that’s the fun part. One moment I might be in an important meeting and the next I might be playing with a polar bear.”

Ginsburg earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology, a major that allowed her to hone her understanding of behavior—both human and non-human. Following her four years at Drake, she landed a job working with dolphins in the Florida Keys—the first stop in a career that’s taken her all over the continent. She’s held positions in a zoo or aquarium in the British Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Northern California, Florida, Maryland, and currently Canada.

Trudy (Peterslie) Dupont, lw'84, La Crosse, Wis.

One of her fondest memories was made at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, where she developed an extremely close connection with an elder dolphin named Nani.

Phyllis (Konar) Finn, bn'86, Savannah, Ga.

“She understood me as much as I understood her,” says Ginsburg. “There was complete and total trust between us.”

1990s

Ginsburg wants to inspire such connections, sharing her passion for conservation and education with others.

Mimi Senn, jo'91, gr'94, Des Moines

“People don’t realize the breadth of careers working with animals," she says, "and the impact those careers have on the world.”

Vance Baird, gr'94, Mason City, Iowa Jennifer (Brower) Mumm, gr'96, Johnston, Iowa

Photo courtesy Allison Ginsburg

2000s Jeri (Clutter) Alverez, gr'01, Des Moines

2010s Michael Ward, lw'11, Des Moines

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@Bleadorn We’ve been throwing her in the air for years, but this weekend we sent her down the aisle!

Congrats to Brooke and Nick! #BulldogsForLife #PomsAlways #OverTheMoon #GoDogs Left to right: Bailey Cernohous, jo’15; Emily Raecker, bn’15; Elle Worrell, ph’16; Brooke (Gilkes) Moon, bn’14; Nathan Bleadorn, bn’13; Rieta Boone, bn’14, gr’15

Births

Weddings

Melissa Spencer, as'01, and Christopher Spencer, Des Moines, a son, George Christopher

Jeff Pielet, jo'76, to Ellie Burke, Sept. 16, 2017

Niki (Jobst) Smith, jo'08, gr'15, and Ryan Smith, Johnston, Iowa, a son, Merritt Christian Jessica (Berger) Schroeder, jo'09, and Andrew Schroeder, bn'09, gr'10, Johnston, Iowa, a son, Jack William Crystal (Nance) Everett, jo'10, as'10, and Marquis Everett, Kansas City, Mo., a daughter, Mari Abby (Bedore) Delaney, jo'13, and Madison Delaney, Prairie City, Iowa, a daughter, Cecilia Evelyn

Sara Halvorson, jo'91, to Jeffrey Edberg, Sept. 9, 2017 Kristen Johnson, jo'97, to Mark Stecklein, Nov. 4, 2016 Kelli Hartmann, bn'08, to Andrew Davis, Oct. 21, 2017 Tamra Novinska, as'10, to Jeffrey Bickel, July 29, 2017 Kristen Wilson, bn'12, to Tim David, June 3, 2017 Ellen Roos, jo'12, to Dan Behrens, ph'11, Oct. 14, 2016 Bette Wiebke, bn'12, to Zachary Suter, Oct. 15, 2016

Kristen Smith, jo'13, to Matt Moran, jo'12, Oct. 12, 2017 Brooke Gilkes, bn'14, to Nick Moon, Oct. 14, 2017 Erikca Milas, ph'14, to Jacob Leichtnam, June 10, 2017 Sarah Larson, as'17, to Jacom Biershbach, Aug. 11, 2017 Sydney Staudt, ed'17, to Randy Groh, July 29, 2017

Editor’s Note: Information listed was submitted prior to Jan. 24, 2018, and may be edited for clarity and space.

Class Codes as* Arts & Sciences bn Business & Public Administration dv Divinity ed Education fa* Fine Arts

gr Graduate Studies jo Journalism & Mass Communication la* Liberal Arts lw Law ph Pharmacy &

Health Sciences *The reorganization of Drake’s colleges and schools in 1987 combined liberal arts and fine arts. Pre-1987 alumni are identified with la or fa; post-1987 with as.

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Your Drake Relays

Sun., April 22

Tue., April 24

Wed., April 25

Thu., April 26

Drake Road Races 5K/10K/Half Marathon 7:45 a.m.

Drake Stadium

Grand Blue Mile 6 p.m.

Western Gateway Park, Downtown

Weaver Medal of Honor Lecture and Award

Drake Relays Distance Carnival 4 p.m.

Drake Stadium

Kick off your 2018 Relays week by running in the 50th anniversary of the Drake Road Races (including, and back by popular demand, the 10K).

The Midwest’s premier community street run has hosted participants from 26 states, six countries, and four continents. All ages and abilities welcome.

Beautiful Bulldog Contest Rescue Dog Festival, 12 p.m.

Pageant, 1 p.m.

Knapp Center Prudence will relinquish her crown to the next winner in a canine competition that has garnered international attention. Can't attend?

Stream it live: Facebook .com/BeautifulBulldog.

Ceremony, 2 p.m.

Sheslow Auditorium Reception, 3 p.m.

Levitt Hall Drake's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences will award its highest honor to Iowa pharmacist and entrepreneur Greg Johansen, ph'76.

Vault at Capital Square 6 p.m.

400 Locust St. Get up close and personal with world-class vaulters as they take to the air.

Remember last year's record-breaking performance by Reed Fischer, as'17, jo'17, in the men's 5,000 meters? Yeah, it's that kind of excitement.

Alumni Awards 5:15–6:30 p.m.

Sheslow Auditorium Old Main Applaud your fellow Bulldogs honored for their commitment to the Drake spirit. Learn about our 2018 winners online at alumni.drake.edu/ alumniawards.

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Fri., April 27

Sat., April 28

Track & Field Events 8 a.m.–3:45 p.m.

Drake Stadium

Fleet Feet Sports Alumni Social Run 3- or 5-mile routes 8 a.m.

521 E. Locust St.

Ticket Info: drakerelays.org All-Alumni Tent Party 5–9 p.m.

Olmsted Parking Lot Every class, every school, every college under one tent. Do. Not. Miss. It. Hy-Vee Night at the Drake Relays 5–9 p.m.

Drake Stadium Ticket Info: drakerelays.org Bulldog Track & Field/ Cross Country Reunion Open House 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Drake Stadium Reunite with teammates at the officials' tent on the north side of the track.

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Join Andy Roat, jo'83, owner of Fleet Feet at 8 a.m. for either a 3- or 5-mile route.

Track & Field Events 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Drake Stadium Ticket Info: drakerelays.org Young Alumni Brunch 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Alumni House, 2700 University Ave. Hey, not every Saturday begins with a Mimosa and Bloody Mary bar—or a bacon bar.

LGBTQ Reception 2–4 p.m.

Alumni House, 2700 University Ave.

For more information on everything Relays, visit alumni.drake.edu/relays.

Celebrating its third year!

Alumni and current students can mix and mingle over snacks and refreshments.

Greek Reunion Tent Party 4–8 p.m.

Olmsted Parking Lot This mixer only happens once every three years, and it's sure to be bigger and better than before.

SJMC Alumni Reception 5–7 p.m.

Meredith Hall Reconnect with alumni and former faculty over sips and nibbles. Toast Professor David Wright's 31 years with Drake as he sails off into retirement.

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The B-side

Teacher, Principal, BMX Champion, Rad Bulldog Kittie WestonKnauer, ed’70, gr’73

Kittie Weston-Knauer has never been one to back down from a challenge.

So, when her son Max IV dared her on Mother's Day 1988 to try BMX racing, she didn’t hesitate.

“I donned his helmet and gloves and rode his too-small-for-me 20-inch race bike,” she recalls. “I didn’t win that race, but I was hooked on the sport.”

Three decades later, at the age of 69, Weston-Knauer is the oldest active female BMX (bicycle motocross) racer in the United States.

“BMX racing keeps me young,” she says. “I love the excitement of lining up bike-to-bike in the starting gate, the challenges of a winding track, the hairraising moments of a step-up to a double with a steep backside into a swooshing turn. It makes me feel alive!”

After a 33-year career as a teacher, vice principal, and principal in the Des Moines Public Schools, Miss Kittie, as she’s known in the cycling world, retired as an educator in 2007—the same year she finished seventh in the world in the 45 and Over Women's BMX Cruiser Class.

“BMX racing is not about age,” emphasizes the athlete who’s had both knees and hips replaced. “As long as I can keep the wheels on the ground, I will continue to race. Besides, every time I get on my bike, I win.”

What’s spinning on your B-side? Tell us about your hobby, passion, volunteer gig, favorite pastime, diversion, or obsession: bluemag@drake.edu

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Alumni Calendar April

May

July

September

50/60 Reunion

Let’s DU Lunch

Downtown Happy Hour

Let’s DU Lunch

Alumni Awards

Health & Wellness Event

Drake Me Out Iowa Cubs

Downtown Happy Hour

April 26-28 Drake Campus April 26 Drake Campus

All Alumni Tent Party April 27 Drake Campus

Young Alumni Brunch April 28 Drake Campus

LGBTQ Reception April 28 Drake Campus

Greek Reunion April 28 Drake Campus

SJMC Reception April 28 Drake Campus

50-Year Club Dinner April 28 Drake Campus

May 2 Des Moines May 17 Chicago

Drake Me Out MN United May 20 Twin Cities

July 19 Chicago

Sept. 6 Chicago

Date TBD Des Moines

DU Good Day

Let's DU Drinks

Sept. 22 Various locations

Date TBD Des Moines

October

Drake Me Out Sporting KC

August

Drake Night at Jasper Winery

Aug. 11 Kansas City (with visiting St. Louis alumni!)

May 27 Kansas City

Date TBD Des Moines

June Golf Tournament June 8 Chicago

Drake Me Out Royals

Central Iowa Family Picnic Date TBD Des Moines

Date TBD Des Moines

Let’s DU Lunch Date TBD Des Moines

Pumpkin Patch Suburb Outing Oct. 14 Chicago

Visit alumni.drake.edu for event descriptions and the most up-todate details.

Central Iowa Trivia Night Date TBD Des Moines

Featured Event

All-Alumni Tent Party Relays Weekend Friday, April 27 Drake Campus It’s old friends. It’s new connections.

It’s every class, every school, every college under one tent. Throw in games, giveaways, and live music, and you’ve got yourself a Friday night All-Alumni Tent Party!

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2507 University Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50311-4505 2217

DU Good Day Saturday, Sept. 22

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Bulldogs across the nation are teaming up to DU some Good!

See what you’ll build with your Drake family at alumni.drake.edu/events/du-good.

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