Drake University Blue Magazine Spring 2020

DRAKE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI INSIDER

SPRING 2020

Fellow Bulldogs, I had originally written a much different letter for this issue, one that conveyed the building excitement for the 111th Drake Relays and our accompanying alumni events.

The spring edition was printing as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. As a result, we made the decision to refrain from mailing the printed issue and moved to reimagine a new digital format.

The pandemic presents challenges for us all, especially Drake students. Our current students will finish the spring semester online and seniors will conclude their Drake careers remotely. Our campus community is stepping up in many ways and alumni can support students through two initiatives: The pandemic has presented urgent financial needs for many students. Drake has established the Student Emergency Fund to help students with unforeseen expenses. (Make a gift here.)

While we are physically apart, we are #DrakeTogether. Follow the University and alumni social channels to celebrate and connect with other Bulldogs. Use the hashtag #DrakeTogether to tag your own posts too. (Share your story and help us create messages for students here.)

While we collectively wonder what the months ahead hold, our Drake community is coming together.

When you show how you’re #DrakeTogether, make a gift to help students, re-connect with classmates, or accept a LinkedIn connection from a student, you are doing your part. As Paul Morrison was fond of saying, “We’re all in this together.” And together, we will grow stronger.

Sincerely,

FOLLOW US @drakealumni

Andy Verlengia, JO’02

Blue Feedback and Questions: insider@drake.edu

Director of Alumni Relations

2020 ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS Each year, Drake University honors alumni who have significantly contributed to their alma mater, their profession, and their community with the Alumni Awards.

Go to drake.edu/alumniawards20 to read about these six incredible individuals.

Distinguished Alumni

Alumni Achievement

LA’76

ED’83

Holly Morrison Dierks, 1

BLUE | SPRING 2020

Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Orr,

Alumni Loyalty

Young Alumni Achievement

Young Alumni Loyalty

Community Service

ED’68, GR’75

AS’02

LW’10

JO’72

Sharon Wilkinson,

Ajenai Clemmons,

Philip J. De Koster,

Pam Schoffner,

Familiar places, even Drake’s campus, are unusually quiet today.

But we are not silent, as we face challenges and new realities in this changed landscape. Although Bulldogs are separated by distance, we are committed to move forward as one.

Our community is strongest when we are united by joyful accountability, generosity of spirit, and commitment to mission. #DrakeTogether aims to connect members of our community even in the face of adversity. Through tips on staying healthy, to boredom busters, to daily Griff pictures, and other things that just bring a little joy, we are sharing what makes us Bulldogs.

Click here to share your examples of #DrakeTogether spirit.

#DrakeTogether Follow: a c e b @DrakeAlumni

UNSTOPPABLE ALUMNI The tenacity of the Bulldog spirit amounts to an unstoppable drive to excel, do good, and make a positive impact. Meet three alumni who personify unstoppable in three different ways.

UNSTOPPABLE FOR OTHERS Dawone Robinson, LW’11, the Northeast and MidAtlantic regional director for energy affordability at the Natural Resources Defense Council, is unstoppable in the policy sphere, but also in making a direct, positive impact on people. Robinson works with lawmakers and state coalitions to promote legislation that offers the benefits of making energyefficient home upgrades to every family, regardless of income. In addition to working directly with lawmakers, he also educates people about their energy-efficient options.

“Being unstoppable means understanding sometimes you’ll hear ‘no,’ but never accepting it as final.”

Robinson looks at roadblocks as lessons. It’s crucial to be prepared to be told “no” and to process it as a reason to be better next time. Next time, he says, you’ll build a better community with a broader movement, and you’ll have better-researched asks.

He’s also learned how to build relationships even as you hit roadblocks—if someone tells you “no” today, it doesn’t mean they’ll tell you “no” tomorrow.

“The most meaningful part is actually improving people’s lives,” Robinson says. He has seen many families who are unable to pay rent or buy clothing due to their overly steep energy bills.

Energy efficiency isn’t something that everyone feels like is a possibility for them. Because of this, Robinson says, many families feel stuck in conditions that are unnecessarily expensive, often unhealthy, and unfavorable for the environment. By helping families navigate the process of making their homes more energy-efficient, he has an immediate positive impact on those families, as well as the planet as a whole.

In 2008 Robinson came to Drake Law School because of the unique preparation he knew he’d receive for a career in legislative affairs. He came in knowing exactly what he wanted out of Drake and he left ready to create a career for himself.

“The lessons I learned in law school really primed me for the legislative space.” Robinson says.

Asking policymakers for anything, he says, will result in hearing a lot of “nos” and hitting a lot of roadblocks.

3

BLUE | SPRING 2020

UNSTOPPABLE FOR FOOD SYSTEMS Aubrey Alvarez, GR’07, is building unstoppable networks to prevent food insecurity in Des Moines.

She is the executive director of Eat Greater Des Moines (EGDM), a central Iowa-based nonprofit.

When she came to Drake for a Master of Public Administration degree, Alvarez brought a passion for community health. Her interests stemmed from asking questions: Is a community walkable?

Are its members engaged? Are they healthy?

As a student, Alvarez challenged herself to take tough policy courses that would expand her knowledge. One of these courses led her to the Rungis International Market in Paris, France, the largest wholesale food market in the world. For Alvarez, it was an eye-opening experience that shifted her thinking toward food systems.

E

In the years since, Alvarez’s career path took a turn she didn’t expect. But with a Drake education under her belt, she was able to chart a new path with a strong base of knowledge and real-world experience that answered her questions about community health and sparked a new interest in food networks.

“The only way the work gets done is through networks and collaboration,” Alvarez says. Much of the daily work she puts in for EGDM consists of building networks between food providers and distribution networks to ultimately get food in front of the people who need it most. Alvarez also strives to foster strong and transparent networks of communication between those who sell food and those who buy it.

“Food is the beginning of living a good life,” Alvarez says. “It’s hard to concentrate on doing anything else if you’re hungry or you don’t know where your next meal is coming from.” Alvarez sees food as a building block for overall well-

AN UNSTOPPABLE MENTOR Sally Holmberg’s, ED’63, GR’69, GR’83, GR’94, career as an educator spanned 43 years and took her to schools as a principal, a classroom teacher, and an adjunct professor. As a professional, she impacted countless lives, and she has returned to Drake again and again, including to obtain four degrees, sit on the National Alumni Board (NAB), and build mentoring relationships.

After retiring, she began advocating for the creation of an alumni mentoring program at Drake. However, she didn’t wait to get started.

She stumbled upon her first mentee by chance at an NAB meeting.

The mentorship program, a partnership between the NAB and the Student Alumni Association (SAA), officially launched its first class of mentorships in spring 2018. Since then, 15 to 20 alumni have been paired with a student mentee every year.

For Holmberg, the value of mentoring comes as a two-way relationship in which she is able to give and receive.

being—and so much of it is going to waste. She strives to empower consumers to speak up and hold food producers to a higher standard with their excess food. Success, she says, will look like a culture where throwing away excess food is no longer the easiest choice.

Alvarez has big goals—eliminating food waste and reducing hunger—so she finds that feeling unstoppable is necessary.

“If we’d just given up, where would we be?” Alvarez says.

“We aren’t taking ‘this is just the way it’s always done.’ We do have the power to build the food system that we want.”

“I think I was surprised when I realized how much I was learning from them,” Holmberg says.

“I believe that the students appreciate having another adult to share a deep interest in their journey and they know that the mentors believe in them. It is the value of the human spirit in the relationships that are built.”

Holmberg models the term “unstoppable,” and through her mentoring, she also teaches her mentees to be equally tenacious.

“As a teacher walking into my classroom, I reminded myself each day that ‘every student counts.’ That was my mantra through the years.

It was my desire to see every student succeed. It is the same in working with students at Drake. It is my desire to make sure they count as I support them in their successes and the times that are more difficult,” Holmberg says.

“Unstoppable is not letting anything get in your way of making things better for someone else.”

SPRING 2020 | BLUE

4

ROAD TO

2020

Politics come alive at Drake University, especially in a presidential election cycle. Drake has hosted 22 presidential candidates at dozens of rallies, forums, and town halls to date in the 2020 cycle. Additionally, Drake was the site of a Democratic debate (broadcast live from Sheslow Auditorium) and a visit from a sitting U.S. president: President Donald Trump appeared at a campaign rally in The Knapp Center. As part of its civic responsibility, Drake is committed to serving as a neutral forum for a wide range of political views and ideas. This environment, combined with Drake’s robust academic programs and location in Iowa’s capital, create a catalyst to launch alumni like these five Bulldogs into opportunities across the political arena.

Zach Nunn The nice thing about Drake is that even though I had grown up in the Midwest and I was excited to explore the world, Drake had a little bit of those opportunities right here in Des Moines. Every student at Drake will have the opportunity to be involved in a presidential race in some capacity if they seek it out.

Nunn is a senator in the Iowa Legislature. He has served two terms in the Iowa House and three combat tours with the U.S. military. John Altendorf, a junior studying political science and strategic political communication, currently works as a clerk in Nunn’s office and is co-president of the Drake College Republicans.

—Sen. Zach Nunn, AS’02

Deidre DeJear DeJear was the Iowa chair of Sen. Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign and also worked to get people out to the Iowa caucuses. She is the founder of Caleo Enterprises, which provides startups and entrepreneurs with affordable marketing tools and business strategies, and she oversees Des Moines Area Community College’s Financial Empowerment Center.

5

BLUE | SPRING 2020

We often talk about—as people of color, as women, as disadvantaged populations—that we don’t have a seat at the table. My goal is to create an introduction for these people to be a part of the table, as well as having as many people participate in every democratic process that we have, including the Iowa caucuses.

—Deidre DeJear, JO’13

Emily Grimm I saw that there were a lot of great opportunities for students even in the off-cycle, whether that was at the State House or for House and Senate races. Staying involved during my time at Drake really gave me the experience to hone in on skills that I can apply to my current job today, like communicating effectively and successfully to get your point across.

—Emily Grimm, AS’15

John Forbes Forbes has served in the Iowa Legislature since 2013 and has been a pharmacist since 1980. He owns a Medicap Pharmacy in Urbandale, Iowa.

As a representative, he has connected many Drake students to opportunities in politics.

Grimm works for DCI Group, a public affairs firm in Washington, D.C. She focuses on managing strategy efforts for campaigns while keeping policy issues at the center. She works mainly in the technology, energy, telecommunications, healthcare, and education sectors.

I knew at some point in my career that I wanted to eventually bring my knowledge and expertise as a healthcare professional to the Iowa Capitol. At the time I was elected, there were not any pharmacists working in the Iowa Legislature, so I thought there was a need for a healthcare professional voice in the Capitol to be able to pass good legislations that would benefit healthcare for Iowans.

—Rep. John Forbes, PH’80

Glen Dacy Students at Drake work for campaigns, they work for news organizations, they work for parties. It is the hands-on experience that people always talk about at colleges. They really get to see something that very few get to enjoy.

—Glen Dacy, FA’84

Dacy covers breaking stories and special projects, including presidential elections, for CNN and is based in Chicago. He was first exposed to political journalism when he worked as a runner for CBS during the 1984 Iowa caucuses.

(Photo: CNN)

When politics come to Drake, opportunities abound, including for junior vocal performance major Sara Rosales, pictured, the chance to sing the National Anthem on live TV. Go to drake.edu/alumnipolitics to read more about these alumni, plus get a look at the student experience.

SPRING 2020 | BLUE

6

Achievements 1940s Virginia Bett, LA’43, Canton, Mich., turned 104 years old. Her advice to younger generations: “The world is large. Get out and experience it. We are never too old to have new experiences.”

Lavonne (Hansen) Burgard, FA’64, Kalispell, Mont., had her work featured in an art exhibition at Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell.

1950s

Margaret Smolik, ED’64, GR’92, Osage, Iowa, wrote the book, Like a Haystack, in which she narrates her and her family’s struggle for survival during World War II.

Richard R. Black, FA’57, Farnhamville, Iowa, had 45 of his works featured in February’s exhibit at the Art Association of Jacksonville’s (Ill.) David Strawn Art Gallery.

Harold Swihart, ED’68, GR’73, Des Moines, received the Construction Volunteer of the Year award from the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity.

Carroll R. McKibbon, LA’59, GR’60, San Luis Obispo, Calif., was a guest columnist for the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Douglas S. Lang, BN’69, Dallas, joined the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney, LLP and was featured in the “Trailblazers” supplement of Texas Lawyer Magazine.

1960s Shera Eddy, ED’60, Littleton, Colo., was honored by the Denver alumnae chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta with the Woman of the Year Award, the chapter’s highest award for service and community to Theta.

1970s Jim De Muth, PH’70, Madison, Wis., published the fourth edition of his book, Basic Statistics and Pharmaceutical Statistical Applications.

Bill Brummond, BN’75, West Bend, Wis., earned his PhD in mathematics from the University of MissouriSt. Louis.

Barton Byg, LA’75, Northampton, Mass., was honored by New York University’s Department of German with the Ulfers Foundation Award for his promotion of German culture and history.

Robin M. Canode, PH’75, Dixon, Ill., was named the Best of Dixon’s Citizen of the Year.

Lee H. Murdock, LA’75, Kaneville, Ill., performed a concert entitled “The Christmas Ship” at the Bourbonnais Public Library.

Michael R. Emerson, FA’76, New York, is starring in a new television series, “Evil”, airing Thursday evenings on CBS. Jennifer Rose, LW’76, Morelia, Mexico, wrote the book, Second Acts for Solo and Small Firm Lawyers, published by the American Bar Association.

David Wiggins, LW’76, West Des Moines, Iowa, was appointed interim chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court.

@am_harp Kevin [Harp, BN’13] and I [Amanda Harp, BN’13] were lucky enough to meet each other and some of the best of friends at @drakeuniversity. This morning, two of our Bulldog friends (@gernsas and @emilywils29) gave Lily the sweetest handmade bulldog hat. A very special thank you to the artisan, @mmamg1965, for such a unique, beautiful gift.

7

BLUE | SPRING 2020

#ForeverOurDog Follow @drakeugriff and his #ForeverOurDog retirement tour, and be ready to welcome Griff II (far right) in July.

Congratulations to Griff on his upcoming retirement!

Lex Smith, AS’78, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, contributed a chapter titled “Chinese Investment in the United States: A New Perspective” to the book, Chinese Expansion in the EU. Timothy Adams, BN’79, Elkhorn, Neb., wrote an article on mental health issues in the workplace, published as the cover article in Contingencies magazine.

1980s Laurie Lalko, LA’80, Scottsdale, Ariz., wrote the book, Diagnosing & Treating Chronic Heavy Metal Toxicity.

Patricia A. Little, BN’82, Hummelstown, Pa., was appointed to the board of directors of Ulta Beauty, Inc., after retiring as senior vice president and chief financial officer of The Hershey Company.

Steven Predmore, LA’83, Dallas, is the executive vice president and chief safety officer for Amtrak.

Scott D. Thompson, BN’83, Austin, Texas, has joined the executive leadership team of CDK Global, Inc., as senior vice president, business leader, CRM, and layered applications.

Paul Chewning, GR’84, Lexington, Ky., received Bethany College’s Distinguished Service to Alma Mater Award.

Matthew J. Momper, GR’84, Ft. Wayne, Ind., was reappointed to the Ball State University Board of Trustees.

George A. Kattermann, BN’85, Rio Verde, Ariz., was named senior vice president of claims operations at CNC Catastrophe & National Claims.

Christine L. Keyser-Fanick, GR’85, San Antonio, graduated with a PhD in Education, with a concentration in organizational leadership, from the University of the Incarnate Word in May 2019.

David Rubenstein, LA’85, Easton, Pa., was promoted to executive director of health and wellness at Lehigh University.

Shelley M. Stickfort, LA’85, LW’12, Scotch Grove, Iowa, was named human resources director for the City of Dubuque, Iowa.

Carla Campbell-Jackson, JO’87, Bloomington, Ill., received the NAACP’s highest award, the Roy Wilkins Award, for her commitment to social and racial justice.

Roger Peterson, BN’87, Newton, Pa., was named vice president of sales at Oticon, Inc. Sandra Mitchell, AS’89, GR’94, Minneapolis, became the inaugural director of equity and inclusion at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn.

1990s Sarah Ferguson, AS’90, Minneapolis, was promoted to vice provost for faculties and academic affairs at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Martin M. Peterson, LW’91, Parkersburg, Iowa, was appointed as Waterloo, Iowa’s, next city attorney.

John Chaplin, JO’92, Fort Collins, Colo., was recently named chief procurement officer at the University of Northern Colorado.

Michael R. Morrow, BN’92, Denver, was named chief actuary of Benefits Science Technologies of Boston.

Daniel J. Wolter, AS’93, Urbandale, Iowa, accepted a senior advisor position in the office of the governor of the State of Iowa.

Brian F. Erling, AS’95, Colorado Springs, Colo., was appointed to CEO of Penrose St. Francis Health Services.

Angela Trudell Vasquez, AS’96, Madison, Wis., was named Madison’s first Latina poet laureate.

SPRING 2020 | BLUE

8

@mjriebel #BulldogsForLife

We’re happy, we’re jolly, we’re something by golly!

Michael Riebel, BN’13, shared this photo of alumni at Exile Brewing in Des Moines taken during their 8th annual get-together, which rotates between cities every year.

Alumni, along with their “adopted” (significant others) and “future” (babies) Bulldogs, have gathered in Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Indianapolis over the years.

...1990s Sherry Coley, AS’97, Neenah, Wis., received the Joyce Bytof Exceptional Mentor Award, one of the Pinnacle Awards from the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.

Morgan Lyons, BN’00, Elmhurst, Ill., has joined Pinnacle Financial Partners as senior vice president and managing director of loan syndications.

Abby Nebughr, PH’97, Zionsville, Ind., became a YogaSix franchise owner.

Roxane Peterson, JO’01, Rahway, N.J., became the hospitality sales director at Chilewich.

Daniel D. Pitcher, BN’97, West Des Moines, Iowa, was named CEO and class A director of FBL Financial Group, Inc. Timothy Schelwat, LW’97, Cedarburg, Wis., was named to the 2019 list of Wisconsin Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for excellence in the practice of law.

Neal W. Settergren, AS’98, Troy, Ill., successfully defended a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Scott Johnson, LW’99, Des Moines, joined the law firm of Fredrikson & Byron.

9

2000s

BLUE | SPRING 2020

Braddon Dennison, AS’03, Berea, Ohio, wrote The Aquilano Prince, a fantasy fiction novel.

Megan Logsdon, AS’03, West Des Moines, Iowa, was promoted to delivery lead, BI reporting engineering with Meredith Corp.

Nikki K. Syverson, JO’03, Des Moines, has joined longtime community advocate Connie Isaacson to form Isaacson-Syverson Consulting.

Kristina McGuirk, AS’05, Milwaukee, graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Master of Archival Studies (MAS) and a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) and was hired at HarleyDavidson as an archivist.

Marjorie G. Guyler-Alaniz, GR’06, Urbandale, Iowa, is president and founder of FarmHer, which strives to update the image of agriculture by showing the female side of farming and ranching.

Lindsay Fett, AS’07, Des Moines, was promoted to human resources manager with Broadlawns Medical Center.

Stephanie Rohr, AS’07, Chicago, is directing PROXY at the Underscore Theater.

Claire Muselman, BN’08, ED’12, West Des Moines, Iowa, received the 2019 Insurance Business America Young Guns Award for her accomplishments and leadership potential as a next-generation insurance leader, and is a Comp Laude Award finalist.

Stephanie Oppel, BN’08, ED’19, Norwalk, Iowa, is the director of work-based learning at Des Moines Area Community College.

Sarah Graybill, AS’09, JO’09, Wauconda, Ill., has been hired at Beverage Industry Magazine.

2010s

Crystal Everett, JO’10, AS’10, Kansas City, Mo., joined the Kansas City School District as a real world learning coordinator.

Matthew Mardesen, GR’10, Council Bluffs, Iowa, is the new chief of staff of the City of Council Bluffs.

Nicole M. Salow, JO’10, AS’10, Joliet, Ill., became the creative services manager at the University of St. Francis.

Paige N. Hulsey, JO’11, Bourbon, Mo., is the new anchor for the early shifts on Saturdays and Sundays, and will continue to report during weekday mornings on KMOV in St. Louis.

Andrea Nelson, GR’11, Bondurant, Iowa, was promoted to assistant vice president of county services at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Kathryn Starbuck, PH’11, Arvada, Colo., was awarded the CVS Paragon Award for excellence in delivering direct care to patients and customers.

Cynthia Hughes Anliker, GR’12, Windsor Heights, Iowa, wrote a guest opinion article in the Des Moines Business Record.

Danielle Hefferan, AS’13, Finland, Minn., is a graduate student in Miami University’s global field program and studied desert and marine landscapes in Baja.

Joseph D. Murphy, GR’13, West Des Moines, Iowa, is leaving the Greater

Des Moines Partnership to become executive director of the Iowa Business Council.

David Wyker, PH’13, Ventura, Calif., completed a PhD in environmental toxicology at Clemson University and is starting a new career in consulting at ERM in California.

Joan Barry, AS’14, ED’14, JO’14, Atlanta, became the associate production manager at Warner Media in Atlanta.

Talor Gray, AS’14, Rochester, Minn., is a community health specialist with Olmstead County Public Health and will provide community health programming focused on mental health and substance abuse.

Antonia R. Sicilia, AS’14, LW’18, Des Moines, has joined the law firm of Caldwell, Brierly & Chalupa, PLLC, in Newton, Iowa.

Elizabeth A. Olivera, BN’15, Chicago, has been named to the board of directors of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association.

Jami Little, BN’16, Aurora, Colo., became a certified fraud examiner.

Kyle Michel, GR’16, Van Meter, Iowa, received the 2019 Emerging Leader Award from the Iowa City/County Management Association.

Evelyn Parenteau, PH’16, Lawton, Okla., is now a pharmacist in charge at HAC, Inc. Blaise Rothwell, AS’16, Des Moines, earned a Master of Music in music performance from the

University of Missouri-Kansas City, and started a professional performance certificate at Lynn University.

Adam J. Babinat, LW’17, Cedar Falls, Iowa, joined the law firm of Redfern, Mason, Larsen & Moore, PLC, as an associate.

Rebeca Cohen, BN’17, Chicago, joined the advisory board for the Master of Science in marketing research program at Michigan State University.

Kylie Crawford, LW’17, Des Moines, joined the law firm of Sease & Wadding as an associate attorney.

Nicholas J. Gral, LW’17, Mount Pleasant, S.C., has joined the law firm of Gallivan, White & Boyd as an associate attorney with the litigation group.

Ellie M. Burns, GR’18, Des Moines, has been named the director of pre-college programs at Central College.

Gabrielle V. Clutter, AS’18, Indianola, Iowa, advanced in the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions in the Iowa district and received the Guangyi Zheng Award.

Claire Schafer, AS’18, BN’18, Cape Girardeau, Mo., received the graduation award for best dissertation by an MSc European studies (research) student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Savannah Rhoads, BN’19, GR’19, Des Moines, was hired at CultureALL.

@drakelawschool @ndidi_amadi, a 2010 graduate of Drake Law School, has added “author” to her resume! Chichi and Didi Love Their Names is a children’s book about cultural identity— inspired by the co-authors’, Nigerian-American sisters, Nidi, LW’10, and Peace, own memories growing up.

SPRING 2020 | BLUE

10

Cathy Benscoter, JO’87 I was poking through some old photos today and found this. It was a real trip being down in the field shooting 35mm in black and white at the Relays.

Benscoter is now a communications instructor at Penn State-Beaver.

In Memoriam 1940s

1960s

Earl D. Leonard, GR’72, Ankeny, Iowa

Joanne S. Findley, FA’60, Macomb, Ill.

1950s

Douglas Wayne Jackson, BN’74, GR’75, Clive, Iowa

James M. Duggan, LA’61, Sioux City, Iowa

Mark S. Cady, LA’75, LW’78, Fort Dodge, Iowa

Alan Stroner, BN’61, Carefree, Ariz.

Randall D. Crocker, LA’75, Shorewood, Wisc.

Marian L. (Anderson) Korn, PH’50, Bayport, Minn.

Lauren P. Suarez, ED’63, ED’67, Virginia Beach, Va.

Ned Alan Stockdale, LW’75, Okoboji, Iowa

Hitoshi Hisata, BN’64, Tokyo, Japan

James D. Danielson, LA’77, Des Moines

Patricia J. Krantz, LA’64, Des Moines

Gregory D. Salm, BN’78, Northfield, Ill.

Joel T. Schlachtenhaufen, LA’65, Neenah, Wisc.

Joy D. Novotny, LA’79, Des Moines

Michael E. DeHaan, BN’66, Naples, Fla.

1980s

Janet Brennan, LA’48, Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.

Donald E. Boyvey, LA’50, GR’52, Des Moines

Harold Evans, FA’52, Stuart, Fla. Robert J. Marolf, LW’52, Mason City, Iowa Mildred M. Ashley, ED’53, ED’65, Osceola, Iowa Myrtle M. (Lynch) VanDyke, ED’53, Johnston, Iowa Robert ‘Pat’ O’Brien, ED’54, ED’61, Cincinnati M. Joan (Coffey) Sullivan, LA’54, West Des Moines, Iowa Lyle Dye, FA’55, North Creek, N.Y. Beverly E. Hermon, FA’55, Tempe, Ariz.

Edward Millis, BN’68, Daytona Beach, Fla. Norman A. Smith, FA’68, GR’68, Hettinger, N.D. Jerry L. Atkinson, ED’69, GR’74, Des Moines

Marcene E. Amick, ED’56, Windsor Heights, Iowa

Joseph M. Carr, BN’69, Urbandale, Iowa

Mariann (Hopson) Tow, ED’56, Kansas City, Mo.

1970s

Nancy K. (Johannsen) Boyer, ED’57, Carroll, Iowa Marjorie Lindberg, ED’57, Louisville, Ky. Thomas J. Rider, LA’57, GR’60, Windsor Heights, Iowa

11

Douglas J. Kozel, BN’68, Barrington, Ill.

BLUE | SPRING 2020

Paula J. Morrical, GR’70, Los Angeles Bryan L. Walker, ED’70, West Des Moines, Iowa Michael J. Brown, FA’71, Overland Park, Kan.

Larry D. Murphy, GR’81, Windsor Heights, Iowa Sheryl K. Morrow, BN’82, Urbandale, Iowa Kelly M. Wilcots, LA’83, Chicago Beth Skelley, JO’85, Lafayette, Colo.

Angela T. Althoff, LW’87, Juno Beach, Fla.

1990s

Betty Clare Houser, GR’91, Belmond, Iowa Mary R. Quinn, PH’92, Des Moines Thomas P. Darcy, Jr., GR’97, Fitchburg, Wis.

@drakealumni Students from the exec board of Drake University Student Alumni Association and their mentors from the National Alumni Board recently had the chance to mix and mingle at Papa Keno’s in Dogtown.

Interested in connecting with students, speaking to a class, or getting involved with an alumni group?

Go to alumni.drake.edu/volunteer to see all the ways you can volunteer with Drake and let us know of your interest.

Births

Weddings

Andrea (Chase) Boulton, AS’04, GR’09, and Nathaniel Boulton, BN’05, LW’05, a daughter, Gwyneth Grace Boulton

Brooke (Porter) Vasey, BN’13, and Tucker Albert Vasey, AS’12, JO’12, Aug. 3, 2019

Jared Butler, PH’11, and Julie Butler, PH’11, a daughter, Sophie Kay

Alexandria Coufal, LW’19, and Gabe Vandenberg, Oct. 19, 2019

Katherine M. Pritchard, JO’16, and Samuel T. Pritchard, AS’14, BN’14, a daughter, Clare

Savannah (Wadsworth) Rhoads, BN’19, GR’19, and Timothy Randall Rhoads, July 6, 2019

Share Your News Share your updates, news, accomplishments, and celebrations for inclusion in a future issue of Blue.

Submit Notes: alumni.drake.edu/update

SPRING 2020 | BLUE

12

Deans’ Updates What’s new?

CPHS: The new online

Master of Science in health informatics and analytics program will begin in the fall, and will be taught in partnership with the College of Business and Public Administration.

The Clinical Intelligence Call Center, in partnership with Tabula Rasa HealthCare subsidiaries—SinfoníaRx and PrescribeWellness—provides enhanced clinical and telehealth services for community pharmacies in order to improve medication safety for patients, and creates internship opportunities for students.

The Master of Athletic Training program in CPHS celebrated its first blue coat ceremony this past fall to welcome students to the profession.

CBPA: We launched a new

concentration in cybersecurity in the MBA program, and the Board of Trustees recently approved a new real estate graduate certificate program, which can be taken as a standalone program or taken in conjunction with one of our graduate degree programs.

A&S: We will offer a new major in artificial intelligence this fall. The interdisciplinary program comprises courses from computer science, math, arts and humanities, business, and law, and will produce graduates prepared to step into an in-demand profession.

Law: Nick Roby joined us as the new director of the Entrepreneurial Clinic after Chip Lowe retired in December.

Allison McCarthy also joined us as a clinical teaching fellow for the Refugee Clinic. The Refugee Clinic, established by the generosity of an anonymous donor, is in its inaugural semester.

SOE: Longtime Dean Jan McMahill retired in December.

She led the SOE capably and passionately, and we will miss her leadership. Randal Peters, associate professor of educational administration, is serving as interim dean. Ryan Wise, current director of the Iowa Department of Education, will assume the deanship this summer.

Gesine Gerhard College of Arts & Sciences

How does your college/school keep moving forward?

CPHS: At a time of

transformation within the healthcare industry, we are at the forefront of education with new, innovative initiatives and ever-evolving curricula that prepare our graduates for their futures. We combine valuable accelerated programs with outstanding outcomes, indicating that we prepare our graduates to be excellent providers, administrators, and researchers.

SJMC: We are collaborating

with a consultant on a series of workshops that apply the principles of human-centered design thinking to the problem of reinventing community news- and information-sharing.

Drake and Iowa are the perfect places for this sort of civically-engaged, do-it-yourself approach to a profound national journalism problem.

13

BLUE | SPRING 2020

Meredith Corp. and the Meredith family have donated $3 million to kick off the campaign to remodel Meredith Hall, home of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and many classes from across disciplines. Read more about the gift at drake.edu/meredithhall and see what’s in store for this iconic building.

Dan Connolly

Randal Peters

Kathleen Richardson

Jerry Anderson

Renae Chesnut

College of Business & Public Administration

School of Education (Interim)

School of Journalism & Mass Communication

Law School

College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

SJMC: Our “super power”

is our people! In fact, the outside reviewers for our last accreditation report called it the “Drake way” of “lifelong mentorship among students, alumni, and faculty.”

Law: Our alumni are an essential part of the unstoppable Drake Law team. Alumni enrich our curriculum when they teach adjunct courses, coach our student competition teams to success, and contribute crucial funding for needs like scholarships and facility upgrades.

A&S: First-year student

enrollment is climbing! We are adding exciting new majors that attract students who come here for the personal attention they get from professors, the applied learning opportunities, and the great preparation for postgraduate careers.

SOE: Through strengthened partnerships with communities, the SOE continues to push forward. Our relationships with urban, suburban, rural, and small-town school districts, counseling centers, and other organizations across the state forge opportunities for our students and community stakeholders.

What accomplishments are you celebrating?

CPHS: Drake Reiter, P3,

received the 2019 Future Pharmacist Award sponsored

by Parata and Pharmacy Times. Emma Robasse, P3 and MBA candidate, is one of four dual-enrolled students nationwide to receive an Express Scripts Scholarship.

SJMC: Ellie Detweiler,

AS’19, JO’19, was named PR News Intern of the Year, and senior Kollin Crompton was finalist for PR News Student of the Year. Detweiler took a post-graduation internship at DKC/O&M, a Broadway public relations house in New York City. Crompton, a strategic political communication and PR major, was a field director and youth coordinator for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ 2018 gubernatorial campaign.

outstanding contributions of leadership and service to the profession.

A&S: Tim Knepper, professsor of religion and director of the Comparison Project, received a $287,280 grant from the Arthur Vining Davis (AVD) Foundation to fund Interfaith Youth Leadership Camps at Drake.

These are summer camps for entering first-year Drake and central Iowa high school students.

SOE: Sixty percent of our undergraduates were named to the most recent Dean’s and President’s Lists, and we take pride in the academic rigor and leadership of our students.

CBPA: Alanah Mitchell,

associate professor of information systems and new chair of the Department of Information Management and Business Analytics, recently won the Association of Information Systems’ (AIS) Saundra Slaughter Service Award, an international award that recognizes SPRING 2020 | BLUE

14

Who is making you proud lately?

CPHS: Our first class of

occupational therapy doctorate graduates had a 100% licensure board pass rate and a 100% job accomplishment rate, joining the PharmD and health sciences students in their excellent postgraduation success.

Our faculty has continued their track record of combining excellent educational experiences in the classroom and out, along with scholarship initiatives and new community engagement partnerships.

SOE: Sara Rhine, ED’19, a member of the Drake women’s basketball team and a current student in the Master of Science in counseling program, surpassed the 2,000-point scoring mark in her career, and was a semifinalist for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award.

Women’s basketball player Sara Rhine joins Lorri Bauman, ED’84, Wanda Ford, ED’86, Sharon Upshaw, ‘80, and Lizzy Wendell, ED’17, in the 2,000-point club.

(Teammate Becca Hitner also broke 2,000 points this season.)

15

BLUE | SPRING 2020

SJMC: All of the SJMC

students who do terrific work for their senior capstone projects.

Their projects include: a public relations campaign for Al Exito, a statewide organization that works to empower Iowa Latinos through education; an advertising project with Station One Records, a Drake neighborhood nonprofit record label and venue that promotes local musicians; a lobbying campaign by strategic political communication students for the Alzheimer’s Association-Iowa chapter; and multimedia stories for Urban Plains (urban-plains. com) that are a collaboration between digital media production, magazine media, and news students.

Drake students at the Boys & Girls Club during STEM Day.

CBPA: Drake accounting

students teamed up with staff from Pricewaterhouse Coopers’ (PwC) Des Moines office to demonstrate emerging technologies to youth at the Gregory and Suzie Glazer Burt Boys & Girls Club. Together, they explored drones and virtual reality glasses, and engaged in STEM activities. The event was sponsored by PwC as part of their Access Your Potential (AYP) Program to build a more diverse, tech-skilled workforce.

A&S: The road to the 2020

presidential election started here. A debate, town halls, rallies, and political events were held on campus, involving hundreds of students in political work, and brought thousands of people to campus. Our expert faculty gave interviews to many news outlets, and Drake was mentioned more than 8,000 times in the national media during January alone.

Drake Law School’s team of Lauren Calef (3L), Rachel Soderstrum (3L), and Logan Brundage (2L) placed third in February’s National Moot Court Competition.

Law: In February, our moot court team tied for third at the 70th Annual National Moot Court Competition hosted at the New York City Bar in New York City. The competition is an annual inter-law school event designed to promote the art of written and oral appellate advocacy.

In Conversation With ...

Peggy Fisher FA’70, and Chair, Drake University Board of Trustees Why Drake?

I am doing what I love: serving and supporting Drake University. I received a great education at Drake. As a student (pictured, right), I learned about freedom, compromise, and responsibility. I made friends who would stay with me for life. What I see at Drake today is promise for the future. I love meeting and interacting with our students—they are intelligent, confident, and totally engaged in their Drake experience.

You’re Drake’s first female chair of the University’s governing board.

What does that mean to you?

I am honored, humbled, and totally engaged. I have been lucky to serve on the Board with such an amazing group of business professionals and Drake staff, and that has been invaluable, meaningful, and life-changing for me. Being named the first woman Board chair was the icing on the cake.

What’s something you want everyone to know about Drake?

Drake was love at first sight for me. It’s the perfect institution for establishing lifelong relationships. It’s a place that’s big enough to get lost in and small enough to be found. For me, Drake was home; the perfect place to become an adult and discover myself.

What have you always moved forward?

I graduated from Drake in 1970 full of hope and confident I could be successful and live up to my parents’ and my own high expectations, and I’ve never looked back. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have had several successful careers: first working at Young Ideas, a small design firm made up of five Drake alumni, and then having my own design firm, teaching design at DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College), working in the magazine industry in Los Angeles and Denver, and being the art director of Country Home magazine at Meredith Corp. I have served an extremely rewarding 25-year stint at the Stelter Company, most recently as CEO, from which I am retiring June 1. Stepping into the role of Chair of the Drake Board of Trustees and helping Drake continue to be successful is simply the next chapter in my journey.

About Peggy Peggy Fisher, FA’70,

was named Chair of the Drake University Board of Trustees in July. As one of the board’s longest serving members, she has been instrumental in shaping the University and its future. Fisher and her husband, Larry Stelter, have and continue to support Drake through several important philanthropic efforts, including the Peggy Fisher and Larry Stelter Endowed Chair of Magazine Journalism, Drake Plaza, Quad Creek renovation, the women’s locker room in the Shivers Basketball Practice Facility, and the Gregory and Suzie Glazer Burt Boys & Girls Club gymnasium.

Know someone we should have a conversation with? Email us at insider@drake.edu with your recommendation.

SPRING 2020 | BLUE

16

STAND WITH BULLDOGS IN NEED Please consider giving to the Student Emergency Fund — 100% of gifts will be allocated to students facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

drake.edu/emergencyfund

to

HERE’S the ONE

DRAKE UNIVERSITY

CROWDFUNDING