Relays Edition - The Times-Delphic (04.25.16)

PHOTO BY MOHAMAD SHUAIMI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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THE 2016 RELAYS EDITION April 25, 2016 • Page A1 OPINIONS

FEATURES

One student weighs in on the importance of students voicing their opinions through voting and how they can’t depend on anyone but themselves to help make changes within our country. Read more on page B2.

STUDENT SENATE

SPORTS

The Bicycle Collective in the East Village, works with charities to provide individuals with free bikes and sponsors its own programs that work to provide bikes to those with transportation needs. Read more on page C3.

2015 team captain for Men’s Soccer and four year starting defender Alec Bartlett has finally achieved his goal of playing professionally, signing a minor league contract in March.

Read more on page D2.

SPEED Drake prepares its students for the professional world with pregraduation experience. Kylie Ladley, recruiter at Midwest Professional Staffing, talks about what employers look for.

Read more on page E7.

CAMPUS NEWS

UNITY Campus Climate team moves solutions forward Roundtable different types of staff on campus Drake. do actually need to work on these were represented, we wanted • Color, multiple race, LGBQ, things. I was excited to see the student representation … We women and disabled respondents starting point to where we need gains did our best to be thoughtful all felt less comfortable than to go in the future. I was excited to represent all the different white, heterosexual, male and to at least have that starting point governing constituents on our campus.” non-disabled respondents in and have tangible ways to go SDAT was created to oversee regards to the campus climate. about that.”

Drake University has body status committed the survey assessment process, • Four percent of respondents From there, Heymann to obtaining a student Jess Lynk News Editor jessica.lynk@drake.edu @jessmlynk

Jake Bullington Digital Editor jacob.bullington@drake.edu @JakeBullington

UNITY Roundtable officially became a governing body after issuing a series of demands to Student Senate on March 31.

Drake is the second university in the country, after the University of Kansas, to give a multicultural organization group like UNITY governing body status.

The organization will now be under the umbrella of Senate, but will have its own bylaws and constitution to govern multicultural organizations and advocacy groups.

UNITY Roundtable recently brought a list of demands to Student Senate following what UNITY felt was discriminatory budget cuts.

To address the demands, Senate created a working group of senators who would work with UNITY representatives in several closed meetings to address the four demands.

The following week’s meeting took the first steps to obtaining governing body status, which was becoming a student organization recognized by Senate.

On April 14, UNITY and its supporters saw the outcome of their demands become reality.

CONTINUED ON PAGE A6

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population where 22 percent of students identify as a domestically diverse student of color by 2020.

This initiative is part of the Campus Climate Next Steps, resulting from the data collected from the Campus Climate Survey released last month.

The process

In spring 2014, the provost invited Melissa Sturm-Smith, associate provost for academic excellence; Renee Cramer, associate professor of law, politics; and society and Michael Couvillon, associate professor of education to lead the Strategic Diversity Action Team (SDAT).

The three then pulled together 27 other students, faculty and staff to sit on SDAT in order to start the process of changing the campus climate.

“We wanted to make sure we were representative of the campus community,” Sturm-Smith said.

“We wanted to make sure colleges and schools were represented,

and has taken steps to move forward from the survey results and help make Drake a more inclusive environment.

The team then contracted Rankin & Associates to help conduct the survey.

The Campus Climate Survey was filled out by over 30 percent of campus in Feb. 2015.

“We worked really hard with our team to get the word out on campus to students, faculty and staff and were super pleased with the response rate,” Sturm-Smith said.

The survey collected data focused on the experiences and perceptions of various groups on campus.

The results

Dr. Sue Rankin, the associate who consulted with SDAT for the survey, then presented selective, key conclusions and helped to zero in on the initial findings.

• 80 percent of respondents felt comfortable with the climate at

felt that they had experienced unwanted sexual contact.

The team then conducted 22 “next step forums” asking Drake community members the question: “Based on your understanding on the findings from the survey, What’s next?’

“This has all come from our community, whether it be from the data or then people’s reactions to the data and what they think Drake should do to move things forward in creating an inclusive and welcoming campus environment,” Sturm-Smith said.

Analyzing the results

Junior Jackie Heymann, a member of SDAT, spent her J-Term analyzing the forums to help make recommendations to step forward with solutions.

“The campus climate survey verified what so many people had talked about on our campus for such a long time,” Heymann said. “This was kind of a way to actually prove that yes, we really

presented her findings and SDAT came up with action steps to move forward from the forums.

Next steps

SDAT put forth three action steps with a deadline of March 2017.

The first is to appoint a senior-level administrator who will be responsible for “leading and coordinating a holistic institutional commitment to equity and inclusion.”

“One person is not the answer,” Strum-Smith said. “We all want to be clear about that. No one wants to see it become this one person’s job to make Drake diverse and inclusive.”

The reason that SDAT suggested this step is so that this person can formalize what Drake is doing already and help to create more focus to inclusivity on campus.

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The Campus Climate Next Steps

1.

Appoint an Equity and Inclusion administrator.

2.

Invest in diversity and inclusion spaces.

3.

Develop Equity Advocates Program

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APRIL 25, 2016

CAMPUS EVENTS

BILL NYE and first-year Noah Marsh pose for a picture with a bow tie that Marsh gifted Nye. Nye gave the 36th Bucksbaum lecture on April 14 at 7 p.m. PHOTO BY PRANEETH RAJSINGH

| PHOTO EDITOR

‘The Science Guy’ comes to campus Bill Nye discusses climate change at 36th Bucksbaum lecture Beth LeValley Staff Writer beth.levalley@drake.edu @BethLeValley

“Together we can, with the joy of discovery, dare I say it … change the world!”

Bill Nye’s closing statement triggered immediate applause and a standing ovation from almost 7,500 people in the Drake University Knapp Center on April 14.

Nye, the 36th Bucksbaum lecturer, is most known for his role in “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” an educational comedy series aimed at teaching students about different areas of physical science.

He is now the president of the Planetary Society, which promotes the education of space exploration.

He has also written several books over the past three decades.

Nye began his speech with a story about how his parents met and married, including both of their work in World War II. Nye’s mother was a cryptographer for

the United States, and Nye’s father ended up in China and Japan as a prisoner of war.

Because this was known as an era where people came together to solve a problem, Nye said that the era is proclaimed as the “greatest generation.”

While some audience members were intrigued, some wondered where the speech would go from there.

“I was expecting it to be more political,” said Karen Mastrolonardo, a Drake student’s mother.

Although Nye did reference presidential candidates, Ted Cruz, Donald Trump and John Kasich as “climate deniers,” Nye focused on encouraging voters to pay attention to the climate change conversation rather than telling the audience who to vote for.

“I ask that you take the climate into consideration when you vote,” Nye said. “And those of you that say your vote doesn’t matter … would you just shut up?”

Nye believes there isn’t enough

votes from millennials on the Republican side yet, so he expects one of the conservative candidates to accept climate change in order to receive more votes from the younger generation. Because of this, Nye insisted that everybody’s vote matters.

Other than those words, Nye avoided politics and instead introduced the “Solutions Project,” an effort to transition the world to 100 percent clean, renewable energy. Between wind, the sun, tides and the earth, Nye believes that by 2050 the world could enact this project.

After showing the similarities between several independent studies done on the Earth’s temperature from a century ago, Nye concluded that people cannot deny climate change.

“The Earth is not getting cooler,” Nye said. “That’s a factbased point of view.”

Nye showed pictures of his personal efforts to transition to renewable energy, including the solar panels on his roof and his

solar hot water system. His solar hot water system is 20 percent efficient and was created by two plumbers with the help of Nye. “Solar hot water systems are not rocket science,” Nye said, chuckling. “What if you guys, Bulldogs, make one that’s 60 percent efficient? 80 percent efficient? You could change the world! You could also, dare I say, get rich!”

Nye stayed true to his television personality by keeping the same dry sense of humor. For example, Nye projected a picture of an airplane in the Knapp Center.

“I was flying over New York City a few weeks ago — well, I wasn’t flying. I’m not that strong,” Nye said, flapping his arms up and down like a bird.

Twelve-year old David Harper found inspiration and optimism in Nye’s speech.

“It make the world a lot less scary, I guess,” Harper said.

“I liked when he talked about changing the world with everyone coming together toward one

common goal.”

Harper has been a fan of Nye since elementary school and hopes to program genetics as his career.

Andy Noble, a student at DMACC, enjoyed how Nye kept humor in his presentation.

“I thought it was interesting, and I’m glad he made it funny,” Noble said.

Noble is not studying science, but he is interested in scientific studies. However, Noble was disappointed in one thing.

“I was kind of disappointed he didn’t sing the ‘Bill Nye’ song,” Noble said, before chanting, “Bill!

Bill! Bill! Bill!”

Sixteen-year-old Kelly Thompson also wants to go into the science field, but he would rather be an astronaut.

Because Nye has been so involved in science, Thompson was inspired by the presentation.

“He talks in a such passionate way,” Thompson said. “It’s the same kind of passion I hope to seek out,”

CAMPUS NEWS

Environmental Action League urges Drake to divest in fossil fuels Anna Steenson Staff Writer anna.steenson@drake.edu

The Drake Environmental Action League (DEAL) brought a divestment referendum to Student Senate on Thursday, urging Drake to divest in fossil fuels.

Senate passed the motion in support of the referendum.

The referendum needed 500 signatures to bring to Senate, a threshold that it surpassed by 145.

Now the referendum will move to Faculty Senate before being brought to the Board of Trustees.

In order to inform the student body, DEAL held an event on March 29. Seven students

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gathered at Pomerantz Stage to learn about this divestment initiative.

During the divestment discussion, the DEAL leaders, including president Shereen Hunitie, talked about the impact fossil fuels have on our earth.

Fossil fuels are most commonly found in three major types: coal, oil and natural gas. They are commonly used because they have a high energy density.

However, fossil fuels are nonrenewable because they take billions of years to form. Fossil fuels are the main emitter of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

“Drake invests 1.46 percent of its endowment in fossil fuels.

That doesn’t seem like a lot, but that is $2.7 million,” said

Gabriella LeFevre, DEAL’s divestment committee leader.

“Calling for divestment is more of a symbolic move and support against fossil fuels which hurt the economy as well as the environment. It would support more renewable and sustainable companies.”

LeFevre said investing in fossil fuels is starting to be an economic issue. Instead, she thinks investments should be placed in the environmental future.

“Generally speaking, a lot of green energy companies are doing economically well and they are drawing a lot of attention which is attention that is being drawn away from fossil fuels,” LeFevre said. “There is a strong indicator that green energy companies will be more fiscally beneficial because people

are starting to support the moral reason for divestment.”

Drake University’s Sustainability Committee has created a Climate Action Plan, last updated in 2013, that works to “minimize Drake’s environmental impact in every way we can,” according to the report published on Drake’s website.

DEAL is calling on Drake to divest from fossil fuels to provide for a sustainable future and to minimize the negative impact Drake has on the environment.

The call for divestment starts with the signatures from Drake’s students. It is important that the students take initiative in providing for their generation’s sustainable future, LeFevre said.

First-year Abigail Wallner, who attended DEAL’s event, said she supported the initiative.

“We’re moving forward, we’re being sustainable and realistic about what is happening to the environment and that is really important,” Wallner said.

At other universities, including Georgetown University and the University of Dayton, students have called for fossil fuel divestment as well.

According to the National Association of Scholars as of Sept 2015, 44 colleges and universities have divested from fossil fuels.

29 are in the United States.

Divesting from fossil fuels is a tricky and lengthy process for a university.

“Drake staff share concern but also tell us that it is a complex issue,” Hunitie said.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Title IX investigation pushes new practices Taylor Eisenhauer Copy Editor taylor.eisenhauer@drake.edu @taylor3535

Drake has been under federal investigation by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) since a Title IX complaint for mishandling sexual assaults on campus.

Drake has been under investigation since October 2014, after a student a student filed a complaint with the OCR in regards to a resolution of a sexual assault case.

The investigation can last up to two years, but the university has been cooperative.

“We’re developing new protocols and procedures to make sure we have a best practice approach,” said Alysa Mozak, coordinator for sexual violence response and healthy relationship promotion.

Mozak has been working

with new Title IX Coordinator, Kathryn Overberg, who began working at Drake last October.

Mozak’s office focuses on prevention and self-care in regards to sexual violence and relationships, while Overberg covers compliance as it pertains to policy and procedure.

One of the first changes made was to revamp Drake’s website to make finding sexual violence resources easier for students.

“It only takes two clicks,” Mozak said.

Overberg created a new onepage resource guide for students that summarizes Drake’s sexual assault policy and lists various resources. It will be available online soon.

In addition, Overberg has been working on creating a new Title IX webpage.

“I’m just trying to brand Title IX, so it doesn’t look like a ‘boring old law.’ There’s so much more to it,” Overberg said. “I want people

IX title

What to know about

to understand that Title IX is about prevention — it’s about communication. So the more we talk about it, the less taboo it becomes.”

Another change included getting Mozak’s office a budget.

Before, Mozak had no money for prevention programming.

Now, she has an annual budget of $5,000, which comes from the provost office.

“If you do more prevention, then hopefully you’ll reduce your amount of incidences,” Mozak said.

Mozak used the OCR investigation as a catalyst to amp up her prevention initiatives.

Students used it to demand the kind of changes campus is beginning to see.

Last spring, several students launched Demand a Better Drake (DABD), a campaign advocating for clarity in the code of conduct.

The group demanded five changes to how the university handles

1.

Drake is required by Title IX to have established procedures for complaints of sexual misconduct and gender discrimination.

2.

Under Title IX, Drake is required to have a Title IX coordinator.

Katie Overberg, who is Drake’s coordinator. Overberg can be reached at 515-271-2982 or by email at kathryn.overberg@drake.edu or titleix@drake.edu.

All information gathered from drake.edu/titleix

3.

sexual misconduct. Two of the demands — making the policy easier to find online and providing a budget for Mozak’s office — have been met as part of the proactive changes Drake has been making.

Seniors Rachel Dupree and Emily Callen have been spearheading DABD’s efforts this year, working closely with Overberg. They’re now focusing on educating faculty and student leaders on sexual assault response, another of the demands made last spring.

“We’re really starting with students,” Dupree said. “There needs to be more education at the student leadership level.”

The last two demands — increase oversight in the disciplinary process and have a clear list of punishments fo offenders — are more policybased and will be much harder to change, though Overberg will be reviewing the Code of Student

5.

•Sex-based discrimination

There are four ways to seek assistance with sexual misconduct:

•Interpersonal misconduct

•Confidential Reporting

•Retaliation against anyone filing a complaint or involved in an investigation of sexual or interpersonal misconduct

•University Reporting

4.

Overberg’s job is to respond to concerns of:

People can seek help from the university beyond reporting an incident.

•Law Enforcement Reporting •External Reporting Options

Conduct this summer, her first time doing so.

“There are still parts we could review to make sure we have a best practice approach,” Mozak said, citing the sanctions Drake enforces — suspension or expulsion — and how it defines “intoxication” as two of those parts.

Since Drake has only been under investigation for a year, OCR could take up to another year to finalize the results.

Once it has suggested changes to be made, the university has approximately six months to start implementing them before OCR checks back in.

“We’re being proactive,” Mozak said. “Transparency and communication are key.”

More information and resources can be found on Drake’s website on the Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Information page.

6.

Anyone can submit a Title XI Incident Report for a variety of reasons including sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or retaliation.

7.

After receiving a report, the Title IX Coordinator will determine further action.

For more resources, go to drake.edu/ sexualassault/

the drake university board of trustees cordially invites you

The Inauguration of Earl F. Martin Thirteenth President of Drake University

Thursday, April 28, 2016 — 1:30 p.m.

The Knapp Center For more information, visit www.drake.edu/inauguration

Congratulate President Martin on social media using #congratsmarty.

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APRIL 25, 2016

CAMPUS NEWS

Students sense parking ticket difference Public Safety pushes to identify vehicles, no ticket change Jake Bullington Digital Editor jacob.bullington@drake.edu @JakeBullington

First-year Natalie Larimer’s Chevy Malibu can usually be found in the Drake Stadium lot, across the street from Herriott Hall. That is, of course, assuming there isn’t a football game or the Drake Relays taking place. “(During) sporting events, my parking lot is always, always, always filled. I just don’t have a spot for my car,” Larimer said.

“That’s a huge issue, especially because I have a job off-campus.”

The stadium lot is normally reserved for students who have paid for passes, but is opened to the general public free of charge when events are happening For Larimer, parking during these times becomes an inconvenience, but alternatives aren’t viable either.

“It’s easier for me to have my car very close to campus so that I can get to work on time, rather than trying to take the bus,” Larimer said. “I don’t really trust public transport and all the variables

involved.”

To enforce parking regulations, Drake Public Safety (DPS) issues tickets. After three outstanding, unpaid tickets over a two week period or greater, DPS has the ability to tow vehicles when parked without a pass in a restricted parking area.

“The university is not attempting to just make extra money by giving out tickets,” said Scott Law, director of public safety. “A common misconception for police departments and for university public safety officers is that we get money when we write tickets. We don’t see that money so it doesn’t mean anything to us one way or the other. What our attempt is to make sure that those who have paid for their parking have the right and the ability to get to that parking.”

According to Law, less than 12 vehicles have been towed this academic year.

Sophomore Ian Fee’s Jeep is one of the 12. He tends to park in the Goodwin-Kirk residence hall lot, “if there’s a space, of course.”

Fee, who has a parking pass, has received four tickets this year

alone. The tow-away was due to Fee parking overnight in front of Subway, which he had done previously without receiving a ticket or any notice of it being against the rules.

To recover his Jeep, Fee walked five city blocks and paid $95.

Fee is just one student who has noticed a perceived increase in ticketing.

“I’ve heard a lot more talk about people getting tickets than I usually do, again, I’m not sure why,” Fee said.

But according to Law, Public Safety has been flexible with students adjusting to parking rules as they bring cars to campus.

“This year, we’ve tried to work as much as we can with people who get tickets,” Law said.

Despite some students’ perceptions, Law says that perceived increase isn’t accurate.

“I wouldn’t say we’ve increased our ticketing efforts, because we always ticket all year long, even during J-Term we ticket cars, during the summer, we ticket cars,” Law said. “But I think that students, faculty and staff have noticed it more because there’s

been more of an effort for us to identify who owns the car, who owns those vehicles.”

Although students think that DPS cannot identify their car, there are ways to do so.

“Those people were being notified,” Law said. “Some people were under the impression that, ‘Hey, if we don’t register, they can never figure out who we are’ that’s not quite accurate.”

Des Moines Police doesn’t normally run license plates to identify ticketed vehicles’ owners, but more unconventional methods of revealing the owners’ identities has been effective.

“The most common way we find out (who owns a vehicle) is someone calls us and says ‘Hey I’m locked out of my car’ or ‘Hey, I need a car jump’ and we come down and record the license plate and say ‘Hey, you have four tickets.’ That is actually the most common way it happens,” Law said.

Some students end up receiving and paying more for parking tickets than they would if they had bought a parking permit.

“We would much rather people

either buy a semester or yearly permit,” Law said.

To ease the difficulties of parking during Relays, the consensus seems to be ‘just don’t drive’.

“My biggest recommendation (to students) is that if you don’t have to move your car, don’t move your car,” Law said.

For parking on campus during Relays, Fee has a similar strategy “I’m not even going to go anywhere during Relays,” Fee said.

Fee suggests learning where and where not to park.

“I would say, get one of those little maps they give you when you get your parking pass and study the crap out of it, because it’s important to learn the times and where you’re actually able to park,” Fee said. “Also, don’t drive a lot.

If you can at all help it, because otherwise you’re not going to have a spot and are going to have to park all the way by Jethro’s or even further just so you can park.”

In addition to the regulations for parking that are in effect yearround, more parking lots will be restricted to allow for the busiest time of the year on campus.

29th Street

Locations of Relays parking restrictions Lot 18 north and south is reserved from April 26, 10 p.m. to May 2, 4 p.m.

Meek Avenue

Meek Avenue shut down for hammer throw on April 30.

Clark Street Lot 17 is reserved from April 24 to May 2.

27th street from Forest to Clark is shut down from April 28 to April 30.

25th Street

31st Street

27th Street

Forest Avenue

Lot 1 and 2 are pay lots from April 28, 11 a.m. to April 30, 6p.m. Lot 1 allows Drake permits until April 29 at 4 p.m.

Olmsted Lot south half closed April 27, 8 a.m. to May 1, 8 a.m.

University Avenue CAMPUS NEWS

Administration backs next steps plan with resources CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1 “The power behind bringing a person in who has that as the center and the focus of their work is that there are lots of great things happening at Drake — there always has been before this work started there have been great things going on,” SturmSmith said. “But they have been in pockets and in pieces; not well communicated ... certainly not all pointing in a strategic direction. So the only way that we are going to make progress is that these pockets and pieces that we are doing have to be pointed in a strategic direction.”

One of these directions is the next step, to invest in diversity and inclusion spaces.

“That matters to students

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because those are spaces that will impact them on a daily basis and that is all students,” Sturm-Smith said. “I think it matters to all of us, even if you are not a user of a specific space because it means we are paying attention to ways that space supports people and makes them feel welcome.”

Another way they will support students is with the last step, to develop a program called Equity Advocates. This is based off a program from Montana State University, only Drake will add student advocates.

“You create this cohort of people who commit to being equity partners and they are resources for the campus community,” SturmSmith said. “We have said this one person will have this as their

charge — they will also then have this as capacity because they will have this cohort of people who are also available to resources to the campus. That is really powerful because it is capacity building.”

Now that SDAT has taken the time to lay out action steps, the administration has also backed the plan with resources.

“When you think about it, those big things take money and people resources and our senior leadership has says, ‘Yes, if these are a priority from our campus community than we will commit to making them happen,’” StrumSmith said. “All three of them will touch the lives of students in importance ways. ” The team also put forth initiatives and further

development to help the process continue.

“A lot of people’s struggle is ‘It just can’t be three things.’ We agree,” Sturm Smith said. “But these are the three first things because you can’t do everything.

Our team and the data supported that these other things are really important, so we wanted to put them forward for consideration and further development so that is what the third category is.”

The team is now working on one of their initiatives, to put forth a definition of diversity and inclusion for the administration to adopt.

The definition will be adopted in May 2016.

Sturm-Smth stressed the importance of these steps, beyond

it being “the right thing to do.”

“You are here to get an outstanding education and your education cannot be outstanding if it is not founded on a commitment to diversity and inclusion,” SturmSmith said.

Sturm-Smith hopes that these steps will significantly change the institution “My hope for 5 to 10 years from now is that diversity and inclusion will just be embedded into who we are as an institution,” Sturm-Smith said. “You think of Drake and that you think of this place that is just embracing and celebrating of diversity and is the epitome of inclusivity. You would see Drake and those things would just go together.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

Filling the stars

LGBT inclusion makes strides after creation of equity position Katherine Bauer Staff Writer katherine.bauer@drake.edu @Bauer_Katherine

The creation of the Director of Student Engagement, Equity and Inclusion has created a “watershed moment in how the university approaches” LGBT inclusion, according to Tony Tyler.

Tyler, previously the director of Olmsted, moved into the new position at the start of the 2016 J-Term.

The need for the new position, and more institutionalized LGBT inclusion efforts, was demonstrated by the results of two surveys conducted recently at Drake. “(Student organizations) were giving us feedback about wanting more support and wanting an institution to devote institutional energy and time and commitment to supporting our multicultural organizations,” Tyler said.

“Listening to that student feedback, listening to the campus climate survey, taking a hard look at what areas we are supporting and what areas we are not, we said we need to make this change.”

Rainbow Union, Drake’s safe space organization for LGBT students and One Voice, Drake’s LGBT student advocacy group, worked together to conduct the Campus Pride Index. It was made available in October 2014 and the results ranked Drake two out of five stars for LGBT inclusion and support.

The second survey, the Campus Climate Survey, brought social issues for LGBT students to Drake administration’s attention.

Tyler said that Drake previously worked under the philosophy that every member of faculty, staff and administration should be working towards diversity, inclusion and equity. It was believed that an office or position might reduce the weight of the responsibility on individuals.

“I think over the last several years, they’ve come to the realization that if there isn’t a

person coordinating those efforts, then often times they can get kind of lost and forgotten even though a lot of people affirm their importance,” Tyler said. “Nobody was directing these efforts and giving them energy and giving that energy direction.”

Pride Index The Campus Pride Index looked at many different areas of campus life and revealed issues with LGBT inclusion.

The Index revealed that residence life poses difficult social situations for LGBT students, particularly transgender students.

Students have to worry about whether or not their roommate will be comfortable, supportive, or if they’ll even be in a safe environment if they were to come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

The Campus Climate Survey identified mainly social problems ‘LGBQ’ students perceive on campus.

‘LGBQ’ respondents were less comfortable with the overall campus and classroom climates than heterosexual respondents.

Armed with this feedback, Tyler said he is able to look at the next steps Drake administration can take to expand LGBT inclusion.

“We just have to choose something and start working on that,” Tyler said. “It’s difficult because you don’t want to prioritize one person’s need. So it’s been difficult to identify those things.”

Projects One major project that may be nearing completion is the implementation of the Trans Inclusion Statement under the university’s nondiscrimination policy. The purpose of this statement is to state explicitly that Drake is supportive of transgender students and that policies and practices on campus will uphold this value.

Tyler said he has mainly worked with members of Rainbow Union,

One Voice, Student Activists for Gender Equality (SAGE) and the dean of students to cultivate this statement. Legal council was sought out to ensure a well-crafted statement.

“I think we’d like to see something before this academic year is over, so before we leave for the summer,” Tyler said. “Now we’ve passed it on up sort of to the higher level of administrative offices for them to consider this.”

In addition to the Trans Inclusion Statement, other efforts have already created a more inclusive environment. An allgender restroom was installed in Olmsted earlier this semester.

“For people who don’t feel comfortable being labeled a boy or a girl, being in a men’s or women’s bathroom can be really uncomfortable,” Paxton Gillespie, Rainbow Union’s publicity chair said. “It can go to that idea of … causing anxiety because you’re not being perceived the way you want to. It also comes to the issue of safety, specifically for gender nonconforming people.”

Tyler said he is working to identify all single-stall restrooms on campus to reconstruct them as all-gender restrooms.

Safe Space Another major step as director of Student Engagement, Equity and Inclusion is the organization of Safe Space Training.

Safe Space Training is a program designed to educate groups on a variety of LGBT topics. Often a training session begins by going over terminology used to identify members of the LGBT community, followed by discussion of the statistical violence that occurs against the LGBT community and the importance of creating safe places.

“Violence comes from a lack of understanding usually, so that’s the first goal of the Safe Space Training — to get rid of physical violence that can happen,” said Mary Traxler, an executive member of One Voice. “People want to be respectful and know

how to talk to people and be someone that can be affirming of people’s identities. But it’s hard to know (everything) all the time, especially if you haven’t had personal experience with it before.”

For many years, Tyler alone performed the training for campus organizations. Now, students, primarily from One Voice, will coordinate the trainings through Tyler’s position.

Residence Life On campus, housing remains one of the biggest hurdles for inclusivity, especially for transgender students.

“Sometimes people feel uncomfortable because they don’t know if their roommate is comfortable having someone in the LGBQ Community as their roommate,” Rainbow Union Co-President Hannah Smith said. “We’ve talked about adding stuff to surveys for roommates so someone doesn’t have to deal with having a roommate who may not be as comfortable with (a roommate) being part of the LGBQ community.”

Students said a new section on the roommate survey could allow students to dictate whether or not they are comfortable with having a member of the LGBQ community as a roommate by answering a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question.

“We’re having a lot of important conversations with people in housing, making these things feasible because they are (feasible), but a lot of times they seem like really lofty goals,” Traxler said. “And it feels like we’re the only people in the world trying to do this.”

Dean of Students Sentwali Bakari said that Drake administration is exploring what the best practices are in higher education for residence halls concerning gender-inclusive housing. One solution may be installing more single-stall bathrooms and private showers in the residence halls or having floors or buildings dedicated to members

of the LGBT community.

“In due time, you’re going to see (things) happen,” Bakari said.

“But our job right now is to do research, identify best practices and not rush into something that we haven’t thought everything out to make sure that when we are able to do that ... We want to be conscious and thoughtful and research-oriented to make sure that when we say we’re going to deliver on a service, it’s done right.”

Bakari said that Drake has been able to accommodate students on a case-by-base basis in terms of special housing requests.

“Anytime (students) have a housing situation where they want to be matched up with different students, they need to let us know and we can see how we can make that happen,” Bakari said.

Social climate While Drake administration is able to take steps toward policy, it can only do so much to change the social climate LGBT students are experiencing on a daily basis.

“In many ways, a college is nothing without the students,” Traxler said. “Faculty and staff and administration can only do so much if the students aren’t willing to be an active participant in learning or engaging in these sort of things. ” Smith said that educating Drake’s students, administration, faculty and staff remains an important part of becoming more inclusive.

Smith said that it can be difficult to sympathize with the struggles of LGBT students when many non-LGBT students will never experience them. However, the Drake community can help change that-.

“Something that I learned was that just because I can’t understand something doesn’t mean it’s not real,” Smith said. “It gets tiring to constantly be fighting an uphill battle. Administration has started listening, but it’s definitely a process.”

CAMPUS NEWS

Drake Community Press and Comparison Project author book on religion Anna Steenson Staff Writer anna.steenson@drake.edu

Hindu temples rising out of the cornfields, office buildings converted to Buddhist monasteries, gymnasiums used for Christian worship and basements of houses used for Muslim ceremonies are only some of the ways religious communities have found unique spaces for worship in Des Moines.

The Drake Community Press and the Comparison Project together are creating a photograph-enriched narrative

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book on the stories of the religions of Des Moines.

“There are cities that have diverse faith communities, that itself is not terribly a new story,” said Carol Spaulding-Kruse, director of the Drake Community Press. “What is interesting about ours is that these faith organizations have come to Des Moines and settled in sometimes unusual places or have built really distinctive spaces of worship. ” The book project is centered on exploring the concept of sacred spaces and how a community can emerge within a new space.

“Any thing can be a sacred space,” said Tim Knepper, director of the Comparison Project. “I’ve

most enjoyed, and at times been amused by or blown away by, is the creative ways in which communities, particularly refuge communities, reuse non-sacred spaces for sacred means.”

Des Moines has been a center for immigration and a home for refugees from across the globe.

“People don’t realize that Des Moines is a unique jewel with the diversity in the society right here in the city,” said Bob Blanchard, the project photographer. “Creating meaningful places of worship is one of the ways immigrants have been able to feel at home in Des Moines. I think there’s an international story to tell here.”

As the lead student editorial

intern for Drake Community Press, Abbigail Maynard, initiates grant writing and organization for the project. Maynard, an English major, participates as a developmental editor that helps to guide the content of the book.

“Drake stresses the importance of actual experiences and actual internships,” Maynard said. “It is really important that students are getting opportunities across the curriculum to practice what they are learning in their disciplinary fields in a way that is important.”

Spaulding-Kruse and Knepper teach a joint class at Drake University, centered around the making of the content for the book.

Knepper, a religion professor at Drake, is embedding his religion capstone students into Des Moines’ diverse religious communities to instigate the content of the book. SpauldingKruse’s students will be editing the stories.

This collaborative class is different than many traditional English or religion classes because of the hands-on experience.

“What I like to do is get people motivated around a project where they sort of forget that they are learning,” Spaulding-Kruse said.

“And what’s happening instead they feel this commitment to the project. People can sort of lose themselves in a greater goal.”

The Times-Delphic

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APRIL 25, 2016

CAMPUS EVENTS

TEDx gives space for students to spread ideas Jenny DeVries Staff Writer jennifer.devries@drake.edu

What happens when big thinkers from the Drake University and the surrounding Des Moines community are brought together to share their ideas? Juniors Kerstin Donat and Arti Patel decided to find out by creating the TEDxDrake Club.

TEDxDrake Club is a studentled program inspired by TED talks with the goal of moving students beyond surface-level introductions and hear unique ideas from their peers and other community members.

Originally, TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) talks are presented by well-known figures in a variety of fields who connect their audiences to “ideas worth spreading.”

The difference that TEDxDrake Club brings is a focus on the local community.

As president of the organization, Donat strives to give locals the opportunity to share their ideas, rather than bringing in famous people.

“I believe that everyone has an idea worth spreading. There just isn’t always a platform to share those ideas,” Donat said. “I think that TEDxDrakeU can create a

space for those ideas.”

TEDxDrakeU hosts an annual event that is essentially a mixture of live talks and prerecorded TED talks, inspired by Patel and Donat’s experience at a TEDxDesMoines event.

“It was one of the most inspiring events I’ve ever attended,” Donat said. “The ideas presented by the speakers were so gripping and insightful. They instilled a feeling of ‘anything is possible’ in the audience. After that, Arti and I decided that we want more people to get that feeling.”

As TEDxDrake’s vice president, Patel was similarly motivated to bring his inspiration to Drake’s campus.

“We saw that there were a lot of interesting people in the community,” Patel said. “We wanted to be able to provide a platform through which they could share their unique ideas and perspectives with others.”

This semester, the group hosted the annual TEDxDrake event on April 15 in Cowles Library.

The process of selecting applicants with unique perspectives has become increasingly selective as each year passes, as noticed by previous speaker Sam Fathallah.

“My application was very general, but I enjoyed getting to share my thoughts,” Fathallah

said. “It was definitely nerveracking. Getting up and speaking in front of a huge group of your peers is not something you do all the time.”

Applicants this year were selected based on this year’s theme, ‘Transformation’. The event covered lectures exploring physical, mental and social transformations.

In order to find a good speaker, the club refers to TED’s official slogan — “Ideas worth spreading.”

“We are looking for speakers

who have unique ideas or perspectives that could open people’s minds to different ways of looking at the world,” Patel said. “We want to be sure that the talks will cover a wide array of backgrounds, so that the event is widely relatable to the audience.”

With a total of five talks and six speakers representing students, professors and local community members, Patel considers this year’s event a success.

“We were able to bring together a great group of speakers and

volunteers to put on the event,” Patel said.

Despite its happiness with turnout, the TEDxDrake Club is already looking to the future for ways to increase awareness of their event.

“I really hope that in the future, this TEDx event become an idea sharing space – a space that allows for new ideas to be explored and old concepts to be challenged,” Donat said.

NUR HANISAH ABD RAHMAN speaks at TEDxDrake on April 15. TEDxDrake takes the idea of TED talks and brings focus to the community. This semester TEDxDrake had five people talk in Cowles library in order to bring together the Drake community under the theme ‘Transformations.’ PHOTO BY COOPER WARNER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

STUDENT SENATE

Senate funds UNITY government with $10,000 CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1 They were then recognized unanimously as an governing body by Senate.

Along with the status of being a governing body, UNITY is going to be subject to evaluations to ensure that they are being effective and “equitable” as a governing body, according to the official motion passed unanimously by Senate.

These evaluations will take place every six months for a minimum of two years until they are more established.

To address UNITY’s frustrations with inadequate funding for their organizations, Senate also unanimously approved a “UNITY Roundtable Development Fund,” a line rider of $10,000 to help UNITY’s governing body status get off the ground.

This is, as the title of the motion suggests, a beginning lump sum of cash for the governing body to use. Sen. Kevin Kane called it “a safeguard,” for if their one-time and annual funding requests are cut short of what they require to operate.

“This is vital to assisting UNITY,” Kane said before the motion went up for a vote.

This fund can be increased, pending the raising of the

Student Activities Fee, in order to “represent the organizations it governs,” according to the motion.

This motion requires that the amount UNITY Roundtable receives must be re-evaluated by Senate each year, and the money received cannot be cut more than 25 percent of what the previous year’s increase was.

Each motion that the Senate working group brought to the table to be voted upon has been

approved unanimously, and senators are vocally supportive.

“UNITY has really shown that they can be sub-classification and I believe in them whole heartedly,” said Sen. Richie Serrano.

Sen. Kerstin Donat, who served as Diversity Interest Senator atlarge in the 28th session, said that “this is the first time I’ve seen this kind of work around the table.

STUDENT SENATE

30th Session of Student Senate

Cecilia Bernard

Nathan Paulsen

Senators–at–Large

Russell White

Jackie Heymann

Academic Affairs

Organizational Council

Health and Safety

Campus Advancement

Nina Strong

Grace Rogers

Anna Gleason

Joe Herba

Student Affairs

The Times-Delphic

Student Services

Community Outreach

Facilities and Technology

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APRIL 25, 2016

PAGE A7

CAMPUS NEWS

Office of Admission introduces test-flexible policy Anna Jensen Staff Writer anna.jensen@drake.edu @_annagrace

Drake University has made an admissions change for the 2016-17 school year that gives more leeway to prospective students during their application process.

Before starting the application for Drake, prospects are now able to choose if they want to apply the standard way — by submitting an ACT or SAT scores — or with a new test-flexible option, which entails an interview with the admissions counselor assigned to your state in lieu of submitting scores.

The change was implemented because the applications process is an individual assessment of students’ success in high school and how they plan to continue that in college. The Drake Admissions office believes that it should be the students’ choice how they best represent themselves and their successes.

“It really isn’t a process of

keeping students out,” said Laura Linn, director of admission. “It’s about letting them in and finding the potential in each student that makes them right for Drake.”

Since this process is new for admissions this year, only 10 percent of prospective students have opted to do interviews instead.

The number is low, according to Linn, because students are still accustomed to the norm and the prospective students may think the interview could harm their chances of acceptance.

“We ask the student to apply using the method that best demonstrates their academic potential,” Linn said. “There are no positives and negatives of either because the process is the same. Everybody is submitting high school transcripts, everyone is submitting a letter of recommendation and everyone is writing an essay. The option for test-flexible admission is just one part of the whole.”

The students who did engage in the interview process felt that it was beneficial for both the

university and themselves.

“I chose to do the interview because my ACT score was not exactly where I wanted it to be,” prospective student Courtney McCuddin said. “When things like the ACT don’t turn out the way you intend (and then) a school like Drake with a million opportunities pops up on your radar with an alternative to just being seen as a number — it’s a chance I just couldn’t pass up.”

“I felt the interview gave the school a better picture of who I was, rather than a piece of paper with a bunch of letter grades describing who I was in the school system. ” -Chase Garner Prospective student

Prospective student Chase Garner found the face-to-face

process very important for counselors to be able to fully understand a student and their accomplishments.

“It’s seeing the person and getting to hear their story and hear the passion in their voice rather than just reading it off of a piece of paper,” Garner said.

Many students who opt to interview believe they have more to offer than the number their ACT or SAT score indicated.

“The biggest reason I (chose to interview) was because I felt that my test scores and GPA didn’t reflect who I was,” Garner said.

“I felt that the interview gave the school a better picture of who I was, rather than a piece of paper with a bunch of letter grades describing who I was in the school system.”

While the interview is an alternative for those with low test scores, other students chose to interview for other reasons.

“I am heading down the neuroscience/pre-med track, and I know that interviews will be a part of everything from applying to internships, medical school,

residencies and jobs,” Travis Kerr said, a prospective student.

Kerr called himself a nontraditional student because he graduated in 2009 and was in the Army for five years after high school. His test scores were from seven years ago.

“I have grown a lot as a person and student in that time frame, all of which would not have been showcased in a traditional application,” Kerr said.

There are certain restrictions on test-flexible admissions regarding major, GPA and scholarship opportunities.

Pre-pharmacy students, who make up a large majority, must submit their test scores, as well as home-schooled students, pre-occupational therapy, pre-athletic training and National Alumni Scholarship applicants.

Overall, the process has opened up a new way of thinking of admission to Drake.

“I am a big believer in trying to take the stress out of the admissions process for students in general,” Linn said.

CAMPUS NEWS

Executive Assistant to president retiring after 24 years Molly Adamson Staff Writer molly.adamson@drake.edu

Linda Ryan, executive assistant to the president and secretary to the university, is slowly preparing for retirement in May. Ryan, who has been at Drake for 24 years, has served as the assistant to the last four presidents.

“She was hugely helpful in helping me learn the university and its people,” David Maxwell, president from 1999 to 2015, said.

Ryan began her career at Marshalltown Community College, where she got her

associate’s degree. After seven years, she moved on to Drake University.

While working, she was able to finish both her bachelor’s degree in science and business administration and her master’s degree in science and adult learning, performance and development.

Donald Adams served as the previous presidential assistant and was a mentor to Ryan.

“She had a phenomenal insight into everyone who reported to the president,” Adams said. “She really loved the community and culture of Drake University. She did everything to preserve that culture.”

Those who worked closely

with Ryan valued her place at the university.

“She always saw her role as being behind the scenes,” Adams said. “However, she always saw her role behind the scenes in a culture, in a community that she dearly loved. It was never a job for her. I think it was always just a part of her life. She was always just so excited to be at Drake.”

Ryan was also involved with the National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education. A few years ago, she became the director of the association, the position she will continue to hold after retirement.

“I knew that when it was time for me to retire that I wanted to

go and be more involved in their activities,” Ryan said. “People ask me why I’m going up north because it’s colder up there.”

Ryan will be moving up to Minnesota after her last day at Drake. She wants to be close to her daughter and grandchildren.

Maxwell wished her the best in her retirement.

“The primary advice is to be better at it (retirement) than I am,” Maxwell said. “Linda has spent so much of her life and so much of her career, as we all have at Drake, with other people being our priority. She’s had 24 years of that being her mission and her focus. Now is her chance to spoil herself and her family.”

LINDA RYAN is retiring after 24 years at Drake. PHOTO BY ALEXIS CRUZ

|

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Academic Equity & Inclusion Senators Senators

Andrew Trieber Education

Elizabeth Fisher Fine Arts

Edition 43

Beth LeValley

Journalism and Mass Communication

Alex Maciejewski

Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Ben Morrett

Kenia Calderon

Arts & Sciences

Equity and Inclusion

Ava Whitthauer

Deshauna Carter

Business and Public Administration

Equity and Inclusion

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APRIL 25, 2016

CONGRATULATIONS! College of Business and Public Administration students

2016 CBPA Significant Achievement Awards CBPA Junior Student-OfThe-Year Jamie Zaine CBPA Senior Student-OfThe-Year Emily Enquist The Outstanding Accounting Student Ethan Worley The Harper Outstanding Actuarial Science Student Samuel Gray Roy Ju The Outstanding Economics Student Kyle Schrader The Outstanding Entrepreneurial Student Dylan DeClerck The Outstanding Finance Student Jeffrey Konrad Michael Schwalen The Outstanding Information Systems Student Alwin Zhe Shuen Tan The Outstanding International Business Student Emily Enquist

The Mabry Miller Outstanding Management Student Allison Gibson The Outstanding Marketing Student Vickie Chai CBPA Ambassador Award For Excellence With Guests Armando Wagui Ben Backstrom Award For Outstanding Character Paige Bennett Alpha Kappa Psi Scholarship Certificate and Key Award Christine Chen Dylan DeClerck Brittany Fish Jonathan Fortino Samuel Gray Emily Hossley Roy Ju Madeline Kasra Emily Olivera Michael Schwalen Accounting Honorary Society Top Underclassman Award Sydney Williams Accounting Honorary Society Top Senior Award Lantian Xu Alpha Kappa Psi Undergraduate Award Jamie Zaine

Alpha Kappa Psi Graduating Senior Award Jeffrey Konrad Delta Sigma Pi Scholarship Key Award Christine Chen Dylan DeClerck Jonathan Fortino Samuel Gray Roy Ju Madeline Kasra Emily Olivera Michael Schwalen Delta Sigma Pi Undergraduate Award Jonathan Caracci Delta Sigma Pi Graduating Senior Award Ashley Abed Gamma Iota Sigma Award for Outstanding Achievement Trevor Carlson Kate McCoy Cumulative 4.00 GPA Vickie Chai Christine Chen Dylan DeClerck Brittany Fish Jonathan Fortino Samuel Gray Emily Hossley Roy Ju Madeline Kasra Emily Olivera Michael Schwalen

CBPA Award For Leadership Council Excellence Ashley Abed Nicholas Baker Carl Budenski Adam Cloe Rebecca Cohen Brooklyn Contreras Danielle Day Dylan DeClerck Evan Guest Whitney Hanson Samuel Hehir Jacob Hewitt Colten Hofer Matthew Horas Christina Johnson Roy Ju Jeffrey Konrad Jenna Nelson Krishna Patel Caleb Potratz Taryn Rolle Rachel Spitzig Ethan Worley Joe Yee Tai Jamie Zaine Cliffton Murove/Enactus Award for Leadership and Service W. A. Chamindi Wijesinghe Iowa Society of CPA’s Outstanding Accounting Student Madeline Kasra

CBPA Senior Community Service Award Brytani Cavil Taylor Coleman CBPA Junior Leadership Award Jamie Zaine Michael Vigen CBPA Junior Community Service Award Beth LeValley Tanner Brockway CBPA Sophomore Leadership Award Kate McCoy Kasey Clary CBPA Sophomore Community Service Award Madison Gildersleeve Jack Brokaw CBPA First-Year Leadership Award Megan Marsh Ryan Muzulu CBPA First-Year Community Service Award Madeline Cramer Davis Heck

‘Make-It-Matter Award Jack Brokaw

CBPA Senior Leadership Award Ashley Fellows Andrew Egelston

CONGRATS GRADUATING SENIORS! Ashley Abed Nur Ili Athirah Ahmad Kamal Kaitlyn Allen Casey Ambrosius Alle Amos Eric Anderson Kyle Antonacci Lindsay Asselmeyer Mohsin Azmat Lewis Backus Nicholas Baker Abhishek Baral Jordan Beard Ian Beatty Blake Beauchamp Morgan Beck Matthew Beine Zachary Berman Chelsea Blaylock Kara Bloom Tyler Bolinger Christy Bono Jacob Bowman Nicholas Briscoe Zachary Britton Hannah Brown Mitchell Brown Kai Ning Bu Carl Budenski Luke Bullert Jetmir Bungu Christopher Burdett Jared Bursik Kevan Campbell Brytani Cavil Vickie Chai Ying Qiao Chai Hui Ying Chan Christine Chen Kassandra Chesire Cheng Nam Chong Hoong Kit Chooi Ju Li Chow Zi Xuan Chua Dennis Chung Kathryn Clausen Benjamin Cole Taylor Coleman Brooklyn Contreras Roger Crook Shelby Daum

Danielle Day Dylan DeClerck Kylie Dehaven Rebecca Deluga Morgan Dezenski Zachary Diestler Shelby Dietz Andrew Egelston Erin Emery Emily Enquist Urangoo Erdenebileg Brennan Espindabanick Jeremy Fahling Peter Farley Ashley Fellows Brittany Fish Thomas Fisher Jashay Fisher-Fowler Ee Ning Fong Jonathan Fortino Brittany Fortunato Emma Frederick Danielle Fulkerson Joel Fuxa Kok Fung Gan Allison Gibson Moe Giglio Jacob Gilmore Nick Gitchell Scott Goad Ming Wei Goay McKinze Goecke Ming Yii Goh Garrett Gould Samuel Gray Anna Greiman Keith Guenet William Hanisch Marcus Hartmann Loffredo Anqi He Emma Hedwall Sarvelio Hernandez Yan Shin Ho David Hodkiewicz Grant Hoedebecke Morgan Hollenbeck Emily Hossley Kramer Howell Sam Hoyt Jingting Huang Wenqian Huang

Shereen Hunitie Blake Huser Boris Huston Stephanie Igielski Kyohei Iwahori Brandi Jansen Phillip Jean-Baptiste Benjamin Johnson Elizabeth Johnson Emily Johnson Roy Ju Jay Kakade Jason Kane Madeline Kasra Sher Waen Khor Adam Kiel Hani Asfarina Kipayatu Allah Sydney Klimas Andrew Knesley Emma Koehn Yee Yang Kok Jeffrey Konrad Evan Kotchevar Lea Kozulic Maggie Kuckelman Shelly Kwong Xin Lai Eric Lanning Jia Yong Lee Michael Lee Lisa Lerman Xing Yi Li Jingli Liang Jin Hooi Liew Jonathan Long Vivianna Lopez Kelly Lorton Benjamin Lott Alexandria Lueck Kevin Maisto Derek Manion Cory Marquardt Jacob Martin Richard Martin Mark Massei Robert McCann William McDonald Darpan Mehta Aaron Melton Estuardo Menendez-Villa David Milton

Muhamad Iqbal Mohd Rafi Alicia Moldenhauer Justin Mundt Michelle Muzulu Adeshvar Naganathan Katrina Nelson Madison Nelson Angeline Ng Wei Jing Ng Rebecca Noah David Nordeen Jonathan Ochoa Emily Olivera Eric Olsen Brenna Olson Steven Ott Tessa Parker Krishna Patel Kirk Petrowitz Shayla Pham Brandon Phillips Sean Phillips Ashley Pond Jordan Poock Jeremy Price Rhian Pritchard Luke Rafferty Alexander Reich Samantha Remington Alex Rinella Michael Roane Steven Robinson Christopher Rockwood Magdelena Rufe Chipo Runesu Shaiful Amri Samlawi Eric Saubert Taylor Scholl Kyle Schrader Michael Schwalen Ee Ling Sea Lucas Shapland Landon Sheehan Shamus Shelley Keegan Short Adam Sickley Dylan Smith Jay Smith Jessica Smith Clare Soderling Rachel Spitzig

Raymond Starks Autumn Steichen Jonathan Stein Timothy Stemler Cody Stepanek Thomas Stern Aaron Sum Grace Swenson Joe Yee Tai Alwin Zhe Shuen Tan Elizebeth Sze Wern Tan Shao Ze Tan Siyu Tan Jia Wen Esther Tang Pamela Teh Kheng Hoek Teoh Cody Thibault Austin Thomas Mitchell Thompson William Thornton Tricia Trimble Dominick Ung Joaquin Valdes Austin Van Genderen Brett Vondra Nora Walsh Kevin Wang Andre Washington Ing Teck Wee Brandon Welter Mollie Wheeler Patricia White David Wickard Chen Chien Wong Chi Ching Wong Ethan Worley Lantian Xu Syahira Anis Yahya Xiuyu Yang Joel Yap Bassem Zabaneh Michela Zafferani Eric Zange Qisheng Zhang Xin Zhang Alyssa Zipperer Zachary Zlabis Xiaochen Zuo Caz Zyks

Section B

THE IOWA CAUCUS CENTER was set up in Olmsted Center during the fall 2015 semester. Students were able to learn about the Iowa Caucuses, the candidates and their positions, and the democratic process. Students shared their experiences and opinions after meeting candidates and attending events around Drake and Des Moines. PHOTO BY ALICIA KANG | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

How Drake’s involvement in politics helped shape my views A look into one student’s journey through finding herself in the realm of politics

Anna Jensen

Staff Writer anna.jensen@drake.edu @annaxjensen

When considering schools last spring, I was not looking for a school that was politically involved.

I had been around family political debates for years and I always tried my best to get away from them. Yes, I totally had to go to the bathroom six times in an hour. Yes, I totally wanted to go down into the basement and watch my cousins play lame video games on a small TV all night.

The years of listening to relatives argue back and forth about liberalthis and conservative-that made me hate the idea of politics.

But committing to Drake University and being immersed into a positive political atmosphere changed that for me.

I grew up with Democratic

PAGE B2 Looking for somewhere cheap and close to eat? One student highlights popular Dogtown restaurants that won’t break the bank.

The Times-Delphic

parents and was an Obama supporter, but other than what I remembered from AP Government and the eighth grade Constitution test, I knew nothing more about politics.

Although I was not looking to get involved in politics, during my first few weeks at Drake I met quite a few people who were very political. Instead of hearing debates about what party was best, I heard support for candidates and polite political conversation.

With 2016 being an election year, people from in and out of state were raving about the caucuses and meeting candidates when they visited Iowa.

When it was announced that a Democratic debate was going to be held on campus, I was bursting with excitement that I didn’t expect. I realized that in the first two months that I had been on campus, my beliefs had been refined, and I actually became passionate about my candidate.

As a journalist, it was exciting to see all of the reporters on campus interviewing people about their candidate and asking us what it means to be a Drake University student. I realized that is something I could see myself doing. I was not one of the lucky people who got a ticket to the debate, but I did attend Clinton’s watch party and had

the opportunity to hear her speak afterwards.

It is truly amazing to attend a university where each one of the Democratic candidates talked to their supporters, and many of the Republican candidates dropped

by Drake or the surrounding Des Moines areas.

At the caucus, it was surreal to have former presidential candidate Martin O’Malley show up minutes before we began voting and speak to his supporters and remind all the democrats to vote.

Seeing candidates so dedicated to the millennial vote and their supporters is huge.

It was cool to see whom my classmates supported. Sanders supporters chanted, “Feel the Bern,” all night, while Clinton and O’Malley supporters went back and forth on their cheers as the numbers of supporters fluctuated back and forth in subsequent recounts.

It is important to be educated about both realms of politics — the Democratic and Republican.

Since the biggest political event on campus was the Democratic debate, some may believe that not enough Republican support was shown on campus.

Not every Republican candidate visited campus, but Donald Trump held an event on campus in late January, Rand Paul

PAGE B3 Students today live for social media, and companies are constantly updating to keep up with daily demands.

PAGES B4 & B5 Des Moines certainly does not lack a music scene. One student shares some of her favorite, lesser-known music venues.

was here along with Yahoo! News and Chris Christie visited the law school.

Regardless of your political beliefs, it is important to expand your knowledge either by watching both parties’ debates and attending their events on campus.

I listened to Paul speak and waited in line for hours for the Trump event. The best voting decisions are made if you are knowledgeable about all candidates’ platforms and beliefs.

Drake has been the forefront of politics this past year, from the debate to the town hall to the candidates who stopped by to gain

student appreciation.

As an uninterested, soon-to-be voter from Illinois, I never thought I would become interested in politics. I never thought I would shake the Clinton family’s hands.

I never thought I would sit in on a town hall forum and I never thought I would listen to Trump speak.

I want to thank Drake for all of the political opportunities it has given me and for how it has transformed me into a more well-rounded voter, and I want to thank my parents for all the pre-planning and making sure I attended my first year of college during an election year.

ANNA JENSEN and her friends pose for a picture with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton while Clinton visited Des Moines during the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA JENSEN

PAGE B7 One vegetarian student on campus is frustrated with the lack of dining hall options that suit her dietary needs.

PAGE B8 Ever wonder what it is like to be on the Relays SAB planning committee? Jessica DiDominick goes behind the scenes.

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APRIL 25, 2016

STAFF OPINION

Cheap and delicious meals in Dogtown that aren’t on the kids’ menu

Lexi Schmidt

Staff Writer alexi.schmidt@drake.edu @Lexibles_scout

Whether you have family coming in for Relays or are just hanging out with friends, a lot of time will be spent eating out.

Treating yourself could drain your wallet, but it doesn’t need to — nor

must cheap food be disappointing.

I toured Dogtown, searching for the best of the cheapest food readily available for students and families, ignoring the children’s menu and side items, of course.

right, and you could end up with three sushi rolls for less than $20.

Hoshi offers a California roll, costing just $5.95, and it’s the perfect roll for sushi newbies and sushi-lovers alike.

Fernando’s Mexican Grill Fernando’s offers a wide range of cheap and tasty food. The chicken taco is one of the cheapest at $5.45. It starts with two hunks of dough, both of which are flattened and cooked in front of you. Then, Fernando’s piles in chicken and your choice of toppings. The chicken tacos here will be sure to fill you up without draining your wallet.

Gazali’s Gazali’s is famous among students for making perfect gyros.

At $6.95, the cheapest item here is the falafel gyro, which you can get spicy or normal. The falafel gyro gets piled up with lettuce, quartered cucumber slices, cuts of tomato and crumbly bites of falafel with optional hummus. Based on my relatively limited expertise of hummus and falafel, I can only say the flavor and texture seemed great. However, I’m not a fan of falafel, so even though the gyro itself was good, I won’t be ordering falafel again.

Hoshi Sushi gets a bad rep for being expensive, but it all depends on the roll you order. Play your cards

STAFF OPINION

Planet Sub Planet Sub was the next stop on my food-eating journey in Dogtown. I walked in expecting something along the lines of a Subway-like or perhaps Jimmy Johns-esque place. I was utterly wrong. These subs are not just prepared in front of you or thrown together as you point at each part of your sandwich like a kid at a candy store.

The cheapest options here are the half salads — either a Greek salad or a house salad, both priced at $4.29. The Greek salad was exactly what you’d expect. It had romaine lettuce, sliced red onions, quarters of cucumbers, tomatoes, banana peppers, black olives, feta cheese, croutons of various sizes and a Greek vinaigrette. The salad wasn’t very filling, so I wouldn’t recommend it solo.

China Place China Place offers 26 distinct meals during lunch for $5.62.

They offer entrées made of chicken, shrimp, pork, vegetables and beef, so you can’t go wrong. Lunch here is served with your choice of soup, rice and an egg roll or crab rangoon. I tried my favorite meal, chicken lo mein with egg drop soup, an egg roll and steamed rice. The lo mein was filling and delicious — everything I’ve always loved about Chinese food.

Finally, at Jimmy John’s, you can pick up or have sub sandwiches delivered to you. The plain slims cost $3.49, but it’s just bread and your choice of meat and cheese.

These subs are filling in their own right and are the least expensive thing in Dogtown. It’s definitely a valid option for people on the go during Relays.

STAFF OPINION

Voting makes your voice louder Modern digital dating

Katherine Bauer

Staff Writer katherine.bauer@drake.edu @bauer_katherine

Caucuses and primaries have been in full swing for several months since Iowa held the first one on Feb. 1. Now it looks like Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will most likely be the two nominees vying for our votes this November to become the next president.

Over the weeks, I’ve heard people say they will never vote for Trump, or they will never vote for Hillary. However, and much to my dismay, I have heard some people say they will not vote at all.

People feel that neither of these candidates are viable options for the presidency and will vote for neither of them should they become the nominees.

Low voter turnout has long been an issue in the United States In the 2012 election, roughly 58 percent of eligible voters — that would be American citizens over 18 years-of-age — went out and cast a ballot.

There are many reasons people don’t vote. Some citizens can’t get off work in order to make it to the polls. Voter registration laws and requirements can disenfranchise certain groups of people from even being able to register to vote.

However, eligible citizens who are capable of going to the polls have a responsibility to vote come Nov. 8.

Americans like to complain a lot about what the president does, especially when they are not of the same political party. But if you refuse to go vote, you cannot complain about how this country is run. You have the power to influence who sits in that oval office. 42 percent of Americans let this power slip away from them in 2012.

This power should not be taken lightly.

People have died fighting for the right to vote or are tortured for t r y i n g to execute a right they have been given by law.

Saudi Arabian women were able to vote for the first time just last year in municipal council elections.

Many other countries

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do not hold fair elections due to authoritarian systems of government. In 2014, the ballots for North Korea’s elections carried only one name: Kim Jong-un.

Our two-party political system is far from perfect. However, when citizens don’t go vote, a small minority of people have the loudest voices. Regardless of whether or not this minority is a reckless one or a virtuous one, voting is meant to make the government most representative of the majority of citizens.

It is unfortunate that citizens feel like they’re voting for the lesser of two evils rather than the best candidate for them. However, you cannot sit idly by while someone who represents the opposite of your values and ideals makes their way to the highest office in America.

We live in a time fraught with fears of terrorism, economic downfall and monumental social change. Americans need to be looking to have the best leader possible to guide a united America through the next four years.

Although hindsight is 20/20, maybe more of us should have turned out to the caucuses and primaries to help control who will be printed on our presidential ballots.

You can’t put this responsibility on anybody but yourself. Go vote.

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We live in a new age — everything is digital, everything is mobile and it’s all contained within a screen in our pockets.

Yes, that includes finding a date as well.

With the world evolving the way it has, we have become more reliant on our phones, computers and tablets — everything that helps us connect more digitally and less physically. As a result, developers have created a wpplications to fill the need to be on our screens and the need for companionship with dating apps.

Some use them as a joke, some use them to socialize and some use them looking for marriage and longterm stability. This isn’t like eHarmony or Match.com. These are apps such as Tinder, Grindr and now Lulu. But what is it like?

Whenever it comes up, people always say that they have it as a joke or something to do to pass the time.

But some people actually go on dates and form relationships from them. I am one of those people.

It is not that big of a deal.

I learned about these apps a

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couple of years ago and found it interesting.

All of a sudden, you have matches! It is the sort of instant gratification and confidence boost that we crave as young adults and once you get a few, you want more.

Beyond just the matches though, you get to talk to people and depending on what you are looking for, it can get interesting.

I have gone on multiple dates from Tinder. When I first got to Des Moines, my phone blew up with matches. It probably helped that I just rapidly swiped right, but either way, I got to talk to people and see where it went in terms of an actual date. Some went well, some were complete dumpster fires and two of them resulted in an actual relationship, which was great.

Over time, you tend to forget that you met on Tinder. That is, until you hear the inevitable question, “Oh, how did you two meet?”

Like with all new crazes, it tends to die off. I have not used the app for almost a year since I’m in a relationship — (that didn’t start on Tinder). My relationship eliminates the need to have the app, but that shouldn’t discourage people from using it. In fact, now that it seems less “out there,” it’s the perfect time to use it.

Go out there and have fun with it. There’s nothing shameful about it. I even met someone who became a very good friend on the app. It’s college, it’s fun and it’s part of the age that we are living in where everything is digital and available at the touch of a button.

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APRIL 25, 2016

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STAFF OPINION

Social media platforms change in fear of ending up like MySpace

Parker Klyn

Staff Writer parker.klyn@drake.edu @KlynParker

For most college students, social media is ubiquitous. Most of us can’t go an hour without refreshing Twitter, browsing Facebook or clicking on dozens of Snapchat stories. Instagram and Vine are fantastic visual sharing platforms — the former for art, the latter for comedy.

All of these applications have user bases of tens of millions of people, leading to a far more connected populace. For the most part, social media is enjoyable and

rewarding.

However, these companies all have the same worst fear — going the route of MySpace. Seemingly overnight, the “first social network” went from omnipresent to obsolete, with millions of users leaving in the span of a few months in spring of 2011.

According to former Facebook president Sean Parker, MySpace failed “to execute the product development.

They weren’t successful in iterating and evolving the product enough.” The network’s lack of evolution led to a mass exodus of users, nearly all of which went to Facebook.

Because of MySpace’s failure, modern social media companies are constantly changing and evolving their platforms — even when their users don’t like it at first.

We first saw this in 2012, when Facebook debuted their timeline algorithm, changing from a news feed ordered chronologically to a news feed ordered by relevance.

Facebook has gone through numerous changes since then — a revamp of their instant messaging

client, the entrance of sharing functions and most recently, reactions.

Reactions are great! Unlike many of the revisions that Facebook has made for their software, reactions (which allow users to pick between five different emotions, in addition to the classic “like”) have been met with universal acclaim.

In hindsight, it’s incredible that it took Facebook over a decade to find a more nuanced way to react to posts. It’s inappropriate to respond to a status about death with a “like” or an extremely heartfelt expression of love with anything less than a heart. Reactions have allowed users like me to be more social, especially on a platform that has been stagnating in usage for most college students.

Another addition to social media that has been extremely well­-received is Snapchat’s new Lenses feature. By pressing and holding on your face, a whole host of edits and alterations can be made. These Lenses are constantly updated and changed and are hilarious. You haven’t lived until

you’ve seen somebody face swap with the actual Mona Lisa.

Snapchat’s semi­ recent Live feature exhibits snaps from notable events and places all around the world. It’s thrilling to see a live snap from the third row of the World Cup or an angle of the ball dropping in Times Square from a thirtieth floor penthouse.

Snapchat has hit the ball out of the park with its additions and since Snapchat is considered the “young person’s social network,” college students in particular love them.

Not all recent changes have been met with a positive response.

Twitter recently introduced their own timeline algorithm, similar to Facebook’s. However, unlike Facebook, Twitter is an instantly consumable content generator, as its posts are limited to 140 characters or less. An algorithm might prevent a user from seeing a post that the would have engaged with otherwise.

With mute functions for both accounts and terms, Twitter users have more control over their feeds than any other main social network, something an algorithm

would change. Luckily, the algorithm is completely optional.

Twitter shut down mumblings that they would be expanding or removing their character limit.

Even if these changes haven’t been well received, you have to admire Twitter for at least trying to evolve their user experience.

Again, to really hit this point home: social media is ubiquitous for college students.

Unfortunately, with our hectic schedules that see us juggling school and employment with our personal wellness and social lives, constant changes in our platforms of choice can be time­consuming and frustrating.

Luckily, these companies understand that young people are the most important demographic that they cater to, so they are empathetic in that sense.

One thing’s certain — this Drake Relays, there will be thousands of tweets, posts and snaps about everything going on.

Social Media Platform Followers Over the Years 1800 1600 1400

Followers in Millions

1200 Twi-er

1000

Facebook MySpace

800

Snapchat 600 400 200 0 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Year STAFF OPINION

Climate change impacts food security around the world

Intensifying weather patterns can lead to increased crop loss each year

Ashley Barajaz

Staff Writer ashley.barajaz@drake.edu @ashleybarajaz

Those who attended the 36th Bucksbaum Lecture will remember Bill Nye enthusiastically urging us Bulldogs to stop climate change and change the world.

When many of us think of climate change, we think of rising sea levels and habitat destruction.

Edition 43

However, changing climates and extreme weather pose significant threats to our health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), climate change impacts nearly every aspect of health.

In the 20-year period from 2030 to 2050, climate change is expected to cause an additional 250,000 deaths per year from malaria, heat stress, diarrheal illnesses and malnutrition.

It is important to note that climate change also impacts the food we depend on for survival.

Heat stress and illness due to climate change pose significant challenges to livestock production around the world, which threaten food security and safety in the meat industry.

Climate change also poses significant challenges to crop production and food for both humans and livestock. Extreme weather events and unpredictable

temperatures make it difficult for farmers to know when to plant, fertilize and harvest crops.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), climate change impacts nearly every aspect of health. In the 20-year period from 20302050, climate change is expected to cause an additional 250,000 deaths per year from malaria, heat stress, diarrheal illnesses, and malnutrition.

– Ashley Barajaz

Additionally, due to the build up of greenhouse gas emissions,

the atmosphere is degrading and exposing crops to ozone, which can also be damaging to plant growth and yield. These weather events can ruin crop yield for an entire region, which will not only lead to a financial loss for farmers, but also threaten food security.

Extreme weather events can also carry crop pests to new regions where they can threaten native crops. Given that native crops have never been exposed to such pathogens, the plants are defenseless. It is estimated that plant disease and damage results in a 10-16 percent loss of the global harvest each year, which translates into financial and nutritional losses.

This damage also poses a health concern for the consumer that eats pathogen-contaminated crops.

These contaminated crops may be carrying microbes that can lead to food-borne illness in humans.

In regions of the world where

crops fail, meat becomes the main source of nutrition. However, livestock also rely on crops as a food source. If there is a crop shortage, livestock will become increasingly scarce. This poses threats to food security and could lead to malnutrition, worsening of existing health conditions, and death.

As noted by the WHO, all of these factors disproportionately impact developing states where agriculture is most heavily relied as a primary source of nutrition and employment.

However, climate change can impact food security across the globe. Through conscious efforts to make smarter food, energy, and transportation choices, we can slow climate change and help protect our food systems.

The Times-Delphic

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APRIL 25, 2016

STAFF OPINION

These lesser-known music venues may be smaller, but they put on quite a show

Shelby Starace

Staff Writer shelby.starace@drake.edu @shelbystarface

One of the great up-andcoming industries in Des Moines is the local music scene.

I’ve been involved in the scene for almost four years now, and

the growth just within that time period has been astronomical.

Bigger acts are coming through every day because Des Moines has made itself a worthwhile stop on any tour. Every day, we hear about someone else coming to one of our various venues.

Obviously, everyone knows about the big ones — Wells Fargo Events Center and Hy-Vee Hall which are home to the biggest acts that come through. They’ve previously hosted Taylor Swift, P!nk, Justin Bieber, etc.

The smaller venues, however, seem to slip past the notice of many in the area.

The largest venue besides the Wells Fargo Arena is the 7 Flags Events Center in Clive. While it isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing building; it looks more

like an converted gymnasium. It is on the larger side and provides a venue for acts that wouldn’t fit in the smaller downtown venues, but wouldn’t fill an arena.

Downtown in the East Village is Wooly’s, which is by far my favorite venue in Des Moines. You get all types of artists and genres coming to Wooly’s: rappers, alternative bands, indie singers and anyone in between.

The venue itself provides the best atmosphere for all who attend. I’ve attended some of the best shows of my life at Wooly’s, so keep an eye on their calendar because tickets aren’t very expensive, and the show is always worth it.

If you’re looking for something even more intimate, check out Vaudeville Mews. If you’ve been

to Java Joe’s, and heard some loud music coming from the other side of the wall, you’ve found Vaudeville. Being a smaller venue, it allows for not only touring musicians to come through, but it to hosts local shows now and then, giving a spotlight to some local talent.

If we’re talking local, The Underground Rockshop is always worth mentioning. A little ways north of Drake, on E. Euclid Avenue, sits the Rockshop, which functions both as a record store in the front and a venue in the back — basically the best kind of mullet.

This venue is a little more specialized, usually housing local hardcore and metal shows, but with some more indie acts coming through here and there.

Even if hardcore isn’t your thing, the record store in the front is definitely worth the trip.

If local shows are your thing, you might have to make the trip up to Ames for a show at The Record Mill. You’ve never been to a DIY venue like this. If local bands playing for 60 kids in a basement is something that piques your interest, this is it. You get all types at the Mill — indie, shoegaze, hardcore, pop punk and emo — if you name it, they probably have it. I cannot stress how much the local scene has benefitted from this venue.

Local music in Iowa is growing every day, and you’ll want to be involved.

The 7 Flags Event Center may not look like much from the outside, but on the inside, it is like the Wells Fargo of Clive. It hosts concerts such as the upcoming “Cage the Elephant” show and can be rented out for local events such as school dances.

2100 NW 100th St. Clive, IA

Vaudeville Mews is a smaller, more intimate venue that offers all-age concert events as well as 21-and -over concerts. Vaudeville showcases smaller, up-and-coming artists as well as local artists

The Times-Delphic

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APRIL 25, 2016

PAGE B5

Wooly’s is a popular music venue among Drake students located in East Village. Upcoming shows include The Summer Set, the Struts, and for country fans, Jon Pardi.

The Underground Rock Shop is both a local record shop and live music venue. The store is located at the front of the building, and the venue for music is located at the back and can be accessed from the alley.

617 E Euclid Ave. Des Moines, IA

504 E. Locust St. Des Moines, IA

GRAPHIC BY MICHAEL LOPEZ | DESIGN EDITOR

City of Des Moines

Edition 43

The Times-Delphic

PHOTOS BY GIOVANNA ZAVELL & MICHAEL LOPEZ | OPINIONS EDITOR & DESIGN EDITOR

212 4th St. Des Moines, IA

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APRIL 25, 2016

Humans of Drake Staff writer Rachel Wermager captured the stories of students on Drake’s campus and their excitement for Relays, reflection on their years at Drake and their passions.

Andrew Beall

Rebecca Brown

Sophomore • Radio TV Production Major “What I most look forward to with relays is the energy that comes to campus. It brings such excitement, and of course we have world class athletes here, so that’s really cool.”

Senior • Public Relations Major & English Minor “My favorite memories ... were the nights I stayed in — the nights I just really got to be able to spend quality times with my friends. Looking back, I’m really glad I created those friendships and that basis of trust with people.”

Jared Freemon

Emily Furlow

Junior • Economics & Marketing Major “I like Relays because a lot of alumni come back, and being in a professional business fraternity and social fraternity as well, a lot of members that were juniors and seniors when I first joined are able to come back. It’s really good to see them and to go out to the Peggy’s tent and have a good time.””

Sophomore • Data Analytics & Marketing Major “I’m passionate about the environment. As a society, we’re not very conscious of what we’re actually doing to the world around us. A lot of people brush off the issues saying they don’t apply to them, but in reality, everyone is contributing to this problem and everyone needs to have a hand in stopping it.”

Katherine O’Keefe

Joel Venzke

First Year • Digital Media Production Major & Lead Concentration “I actually work for CBS (creative broadcast services) here on campus, and we are working Relays and I think what I’m most excited about is to do something that I’m passionate about, which is broadcast journalism, alongside professionals.”

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Senior • Physics, Math & Computer Science Majors “If I were to give advice to someone just coming into college, I would say to take it all in, do a lot, push yourself and every once in a while say “no.” Take some time to yourself. I’m guilty of not doing that very often, and you need some time to experience with your friends and make the memories you’ll remember when you look back on college.”

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STAFF OPINION

STAFF OPINION

Liking boy bands as an adult

Arming teachers will not make our schools any safer

Giuliana LaMantia

Relays Editor giuliana.lamantia@drake.edu @g_lamantia

A car of teenage girls pulls up next to my friend Anna and me in the grassy field.

“Hey look, those girls drove themselves,” Anna says. “So they’re at least 16.”

“So how old are we?” I ask.

We settle on 17 and make our way across the field to the long line outside the venue, filled with adolescent girls donned in plaid with eyeliner thicker than ours. They’re dressed to match the “aesthetic” of the band we’re all waiting to see – 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS).

While I like to think of myself as someone who shamelessly owns my guilty pleasure of boy bands, it occasionally gets the best of me. I mean, it’s not the low-key kind where I secretly have “What Makes You Beautiful” on my phone that I only listen to with headphones. It’s more like their lesser-known songs sprinkled in my playlists, their CDs in my car and their Ticketmaster receipts in my inbox.

And it’s not because they’re cute — even though they are. Seriously,

Luke Hemmings’s lip ring gives me life. But I quite genuinely enjoy “boy band-esque” music. It’s upbeat. It’s feel-good. It’s driving with the windows down in the summer.

Even so, we all know the negative stigma attached to liking boy bands – it makes me sadder than One Direction’s hiatus announcement.

I could get into the whole debacle of preteen girls’ interests not being taken seriously. But that’s the thing — it’s expected of young girls — whether that’s a good or bad thing. For college students, not so much.

It does make you a little self-conscious when the only people older than you at the One Direction concert are the moms.

And when you out-dance every teeny-bopper there.

And then there’s talking in hushed tones about your upcoming study abroad trips and internships with your friend at the 5 Seconds of Summer concert because you’re pretending to be 17 and don’t want to blow your cover. And then at said concert when 5SOS covers Green Day, and you’re the only ones rocking out because the rest of the crowd was too young or not born during their reign.

There was also the time my friend and I snuck into One Direction’s heavily guarded hotel in Chicago for fun. Well, we didn’t really have to “sneak.” While the guards were fending off screaming tweens, we walked right in. Two college-age girls not dressed head to toe in “I heart Harry Styles” merchandise didn’t make us prime suspects. Unfortunately, we were turned away by more security guards once we made it to the

boys’ floor.

Of course, there’s the more “musically inclined” crowd that feels they can’t take me seriously for my enjoyment of boy bands: the people who assume because I like it, it’s the only music I listen to — it’s not. They’re the kind of people who laugh, “Are you 12?”

While it used to embarrass me and I tried to be secretive about it, I find myself owning it more the older I get — and hopefully this summer when I see 5 Seconds of Summer again, I’ll buy a beer and not pretend to be in high school.

I’ve always liked boy bands — from Nick Jonas’ face being plastered all over my room in middle school to watching “Big Time Rush” on Nickelodeon every day the summer of my junior year in high school. And while I’m more chill about it now than I was in the seventh grade while fawning over the Jonas Brothers, I probably always will enjoy the boy band genre.

I think everyone has their guilty pleasures when it comes to that kind of music. Even my 18-yearold, electric guitar-playing, Red Hot Chili Peppers-loving brother will bob his head to “She Looks So Perfect” when I play it in the car, although he hates to admit it.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter to me what music other people listen to, so I shouldn’t care what others think of my taste. Whether you’re male or female, pre-teen or adult or your enjoyment ranges from tapping your foot to the radio to all out Directioner fandom — just let loose. If that’s one type of music that gets you through the day, who is anyone else to judge?

Jessie Spangler

Assistant Relays Editor jessica.spangler@drake.edu @jessiespangler3

Recently a school district in California made the decision to arm their teachers with guns.

A select group of teachers who are willing to carry firearms will have them, and will go through extensive training.

The point of this is for teachers to be able to defend students and themselves in the gap it takes from the time a shooter enters the building and to when the police show up.

This will not make our schools safer. If anything, this could be a cause for more accidents. This almost makes it too easy for students who already have violent tendencies to steal firearms from unsuspecting teachers.

Many people say the guns will be locked during the day so the students can’t reach them. If the guns will be locked,then how will the teachers be able to get to them quick enough in case of an emergency? There are too many flaws in these plans to have armed teachers for schools to say that this just another safety measure.

According to the National School Safety and Security Issues website, President Kenneth Trump said “School districts considering arming teachers and school staff with guns would take on significant responsibility and potential liabilities that I firmly believe are beyond the expertise, knowledge-base, experience, and professional capabilities of most school boards and administrators.”

We should leave the use of firearms to the police officers and others that are professionally trained to use them. Teachers should not have the responsibility or burden of carrying around or keeping a gun on them or in their classroom. Teachers are there to educate, they are not to take the place of police officers.

It’s also more expensive for schools, especially since districts have been struggling with money.

Teachers already pay for enough materials themselves, they shouldn’t also have to buy guns, pay for shooting lessons or pay for a gun license.

In a research report by the Center for Homicide Research, it was said that teachers may also target students or other teachers if given firearms, and that if there was to be a school shooting, they could accidentally end up shooting other teachers or police officers. By arming teachers, there are a lot of things that could go wrong.

Whatever weapon you carry, someone can take it and use it against you. By arming teachers, schools could possibly be arming future shooters.

STAFF OPINION

Sodexo’s promise of accommodating vegetarians falls short

Jordan German

Assistant Relays Editor jordan.german@drake.edu @jordanmgerman

According to a Harris Interactive study contracted by the Vegetarian Resource Group, there are approximately 16 million people in the U.S. eating

vegetarian diets. I can’t tell you how many of those people attend Drake University, but what I do know is that Sodexo can’t properly feed any of us.

It’s no secret that Drake’s dining services leave much to be desired. Hubbell trouble is very real, especially when you require dietary adjustments that are often nonexistent. As a vegetarian of about five years, I am familiar with the difficulties that can go along with my lifestyle. What I didn’t expect, however, was how nearly impossible it would be to find things to eat when I transitioned into college.

On the multiple tours I took before committing to Drake, I was repeatedly told how accommodating and diverse the dining services are. My

parents and I made a point to make sure that the meal plan Drake requires students to be on for two years would be able to work with my limitations as a vegetarian. In reality, however, it has proven nearly impossible.

Sodexo provides very few healthy vegetarian options, and what they do have is majorly lacking in variety. While pizza for every meal may seem great at first, when that is one of the few things you are able to eat it gets old, fast. Not to mention how much more difficult it would be to maintain a vegan lifestyle on campus.

I understand that it may not be feasible for Sodexo to make adjustments to suit every individual’s specific needs, but what is most frustrating is how Drake mandates students stay on

the meal plan for two years.

After a year and a half on the meal plan, I wanted out. I was sick of the constant lack of options I had to eat, and my parents were tired of paying for services I was unable to utilize and consequently needing to give me grocery money to supplement my diet.

That process proved much more difficult than I would have expected. Drake was reluctant to allow me to leave the meal plan, and my parents and I sent many emails back and forth with the school until I eventually met with the Sodexo nutritionist. He was quick to agree how little there truly is for vegetarians and vegans to eat and empathized with the problems I had been having. I was relieved that finally someone was taking me seriously. However, while he

was very understanding, he could only offer a recommendation to allow me off of the meal plan.

Eventually it was a dietary accommodation committee that reviewed my request and decided to reduce my meal plan, but not let me off completely. Even after I was required to provide a note from my doctor documenting that I was indeed a long time vegetarian.

It’s disappointing that Drake University and Sodexo are not more flexible with students who have differing dietary requirements. It is frustrating to feel as if your needs are not valued, but I hope that the limited vegetarian and vegan selections they do have continue to expand for future students.

HUBBELL offers a number of vegetarian options including, a salad and hummus bar, as well as an alternate meal in the second line that serves the main course. Quad Creek Cafe, however, serves a problem for vegetarians who are looking for food to order that fits their dietary needs. PHOTOS BY GIOVANNA ZAVELL| OPINIONS EDITOR

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APRIL 25, 2016

STAFF OPINION

Tips on how to get the most out of everything Relays has to offer Tessa Heitkamp

Staff Writer tessa.heitkamp@drake.edu @Tess_Marie

As a freshman — sorry, first-year — coming to Drake University, it is almost guaranteed that one of the first five conversations you’ll have will be about the Drake Relays.

Since 1910, the Drake Relays have been a signature event for the student body and track and field fans around the world. It’s said you aren’t a true Drake student until you have experienced your first Relays.

With all of the hype and outrageous stories that surround Drake Relays, it is easy for a first-year to feel intimidated and anxious about the festivities that go down.

To help, I have complied a list that explains the Do’s and Don’ts of Relays and how to survive this glorious week.

DO go to the Relays concert The Student Activities Board does an incredible job with jampacking Relays week with fun activities, and it all ends with an amazing concert. Most of the time the band or singer is someone who isn’t incredibly well-known — even though we are still pulling for Drake to perform at Drake — but they are still incredible performers.

Everyone at the concert is looking to have a good time, so dance like no one is watching and scream the lyrics as loud as you can.

DON’T miss class Even though there are many Relays activities during class time throughout the week, especially on Friday, it is very important that students make it to class. We have to remember that our first job is to be a student. While Relays is fun, it’s not an excuse to miss class or not study for an important exam.

Professors may even hand out extra credit points for attending classes during Relays.

DO attend street painting When is it acceptable to throw paint at a complete stranger on campus? During street painting, of course. Street painting has become the poster child for the student body that goes hand-inhand with Relays, even though it’s a week before they start. Pro tip: remember to hide your hair at all costs. It took me three hours to get all the paint out of my hair! Also, don’t be stingy when buying paint for the fight — you’ll run out sooner than you think.

DON’T miss the actual Relays events I know it’s easy to get caught up with all of the festivities of Relays outside of the stadium, but don’t forget about the ones inside it as well. The Drake Relays are filled with Olympic gold and silver medalists. With the summer Olympics coming up, everyone is looking to beat them. Current students get in FREE while nonstudents have to pay as much as $200 to attend the events!

DO follow the rules on campus Even though a lot of people describe Relays as a free-for-all, campus policies for underclassmen are heavily enforced. All of the dorms will require you to enter and exit from one side. You will also have to open your backpack and pour out anything liquid before letting you enter the dorms. Public Safety and police are constantly patrolling campus looking for students who are having a bit too much fun. My advice? Just be aware of your surroundings.

DON’T miss Jethro’s halfpriced wings on Thursday Thursday is a big day for Jethro’s. The bar and grill’s halfpriced wings make it a perfect place to kick off Relays Weekend.

Get a group of friends to all go and have dinner together on Jethro’s outside patio. It’s only a couple of blocks from campus and is the ideal place to enjoy an incredible meal with friends during one of the least stressful weeks of the semester.

DO have as much fun as possible My final tip is probably the most important one of all; Drake Relays only happens once a year, and most of us will only experience it as a student four times. It is up to you to make it memorable. Be selfish. If you really want to do something and no one in your friend group is down for it, go by yourself! The events are always packed, and you’re likely to find someone you know there. Just make sure you get out. There is always something fun to experience.

Relays is a turning point in the semester where students let loose and take a second to have fun celebrating the almost end to the semester.

If you have any questions or worries about it, ask any upperclassmen. The important thing is just to be smart about your activities and try to remember most of your experience. Drake Relays will most likely be your favorite time of your college career, so enjoy it!

STAFF OPINION

STAFF OPINION

Behind the scenes of SAB Relays Why stay in Des Moines? Why not?

Lauren Velasco

Staff Writer lauren.velasco@drake.edu @laurenvelasco7

More often than not, I get asked the question, “Where is Des Moines?”

This question takes me by surprise, and I’m inclined to wonder how they’ve never seen or heard of the city I have been so lucky to call my home away from home.

Every Drake student has probably thought at one point or another where they would live after their four years here. Some people may want the excitement of an urban hub like Chicago, some may want to explore the trendy scene on the West Coast, and others may seek the cozy tranquility of a Midwestern town. I think the best decision is to experience all three.

Believe it or not, you really can have it all. And you can do that in Des Moines.

When I first came to Des Moines, I was not expecting it to have an actual downtown. Not only is there beautiful architecture, but Des Moines is also the state capitol of Iowa, so the capitol building is the golden shrine of the city, literally. Fun fact: the golden top of the capitol only weighs five pounds. The gold is thinned out so much that it covers the entire top of the building completely. By the way, politics are a pretty big deal here too, so that’s sweet.

The buildings are beautiful, the stores are eclectic and the restaurants are unique. There is so much to love about being downtown.

I would go as far as to say that Des Moines is one of the most

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hipster places you could go. It’s not your average, mainstream city.

It’s trendy and thriving and still growing. It has so much potential.

It’s also one of the best places for young adults entering the real world and getting real jobs, which is pretty cool.

There’s just so much going on, from strolling through the Farmer’s Market on Court Avenue, to pretending to be a photographer at the sculpture garden, to catching a show at Wooly’s. It may not look like much from the outside, but if you just step inside then you can find all of this and more. The culture you immerse yourself in by living in Des Moines is so diverse.

I think another part of what makes Des Moines so great is its diversity. It’s not just another small, predominately white town in the middle of Iowa. It’s oozing at the edges with so many different cultures, languages and foods. If you’ve ever wanted to try something new, you can do that in Des Moines.

Who would’ve thought the center of Iowa could really be the center of the world? It’s like everything cultural meets right smack dab in the middle. Every year Des Moines even hosts a huge World Food and Music Festival, which takes place Sept.

16-18 this year. It’s miles of diverse international foods from all over the city.

Des Moines has so much to offer. It’s the sugar, spice and everything nice of the Midwest.

Don’t be deceived by the surrounding cornfields. They’re just a way for us to keep people away from our precious little part of the world.

If you’re still thinking about why Des Moines is so great, what else is there to think about?

Jessica DiDominick

Staff Writer jessica.didominick@drake.edu @jdidominick

Hey, Drake University! It’s everyone’s favorite time of the year again: Relays. This year, I have the privilege of being one of the Student Activities Board Relays co-chairs for the 107th Drake Relays. What most people might not know is that the planning for Relays starts at the beginning of the school year, and there’s a lot more that goes into it than meets the eye.

My co-chair, Hannah Chesley, and I met twice a week to go over details for Relays. This started the first week of school. A lot of the initial early planning for the Relays events includes the date, location and time of each event.

After the fall activities fair, we are given a large committee made up of students who want to help out with Relays, and then we interview

applicants for our executive board.

Our executive board is made up of students who want to be involved with Relays and who take on more responsibilities. Each executive member is given a specific event for which they are in charge. From there, we work with our executive members on planning the specifics of each assigned event, and our large committee helps brainstorm theme ideas.

The theme for Relays is decided in November. From there, we hold interviews for our logo contest. After the initial round of interviews, we narrow down to three applicants. The winners sign confidentiality contracts saying that once they know the theme, they can’t tell anyone. They then create up to five designs while keeping the secret theme in mind.

We ask them to make tweaks if need be and select which design we want to work with as the final theme. This year’s Relays and Blitz Day logos were designed by Jordan Lundquist.

Second semester gets crazier.

We start to meet with our exec board once a week to bounce ideas off each other and contact companies to help us. We brainstorm and finalize activities during each event, clothing ideas for our committees, giveaways for the week and much more.

In March, the information for Relays Host and Hostess is sent out.

Students have the opportunity to

nominate their senior friends and classmates for the titles. After we get all the nominations, we reach out to each nominee and ask him or her to sign up for an interview.

This year’s Host and Hostess, Adam Graves and Peggy Leisz, were announced on Blitz Day. The Host and Hostess attend all of the events.

Street painting starts after the theme is announced on Blitz Day. Organizations can pick up an application or download it from the SAB Facebook page or website.

Organization members have less than a week to design their squares. We review the designs and sometimes they get tweaked.

Organizations have less than 24 hours to turn in a revised design.

Fifty-six organizations are chosen to paint a square on painted street.

This year, we are doing a service project with Habitat for Humanity, a relay run around campus followed by a pancake breakfast, a carnival in Helmick Commons, a book bash in Parents Hall, busing to and from the pole vault event at Capital Square, followed by mentalist Chris Carter, and a performance by Skizzy Mars next to Drake Stadium on Friday night.

With help from athletics and many other organizations at Drake, Hannah and I have put a lot of hard work into the Relays.

We really hope the students enjoy the events!

UPCOMING SAB EVENTS 04.25 Carnival | 4pm-7pm | Helmick Commons 04.26 Book Bash | 3pm-5pm | Upper Olmsted 4.27 Pole Vault | 6pm-8pm | Capital Square 04.27 Chris Carter | 9pm | Pomerantz 04.29 Skizzy Mars | 9:15pm | Drake Plaza

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Section C

DETERMINED WALKERS trekked the 34 miles between Des Moines’ Drake University and Ames’ Iowa State on a mission to provide refugees in Ethiopia with items such as books and other educational resources. Partnered with the Blue River Kansas city Baptist Association, the walk combines athletic endurance with a compassionate cause. PHOTO BY EVAN GUEST | ADS MANAGER

Students lace up to aid refugees in Ethiopia

Walk for the Horn raises almost $2,000 for educational resources multiple books.

Hammer said the ability to make a difference — while simultaneously pushing yourself to the limit-is what draws people to the walk.

Walkers began showing up to

By mid-morning, some of the walkers were beginning to reach their first wall.

Mitch Schank, one of the

event’s co-organizers, said that one way that he stayed motivated was by putting the walk into perspective.

“I got involved last year as a walker — and this year as an organizer — to help bring awareness to the Ethiopian refugees,” Schank said. “This small little walk is nothing compared to what they have to go through in those refugee camps.”

Walk for the Horn is partnered with a Kansas City-area ministry called Blue River Kansas City Baptist Association, which works with refugee camps in Ethiopia.

Walk for the Horn itself focuses on unaccompanied minors from the neighboring country of Eritrea.

“These are kids that come over from Eritrea, and they do not have parents, they have no family members,” Hammer said. “They’re living in tents with maybe one pair of shoes and one outfit. They don’t have access to a lot of resources.

With the funds that we got this year, we’re trying to purchase some educational resources and children’s books that are in their native language — something that they currently have zero of.”

Last year’s Walk for the Horn raised money to help build a new library in one of the refugee camps. This year the group raised enough money to give each child

PAGE C2 Beauty alternatives like vegan makeup prioritize an animal and environmental consciousness with products made from recyclable and eco-friendly ingredients.

PAGE C3 Des Moines’ pub trivia scene offers quiz-lovers the opportunity to gather for a night of drinking, winning prizes and meeting new members of the community.

PAGE C4 Drake’s on-site pizza joint, Bordy’s, is celebrating its first Relays and anticipates heavy crowds among students and visitors during a week of excitement and athletics.

PAGE C5 Raygun, East Village’s beloved sarcastic T-shirt shop, specializes in apparel and accessories boasting its Iowa pride and the Midwest roots of its customers.

Tim Webber Editor-in-Chief timothy.webber@drake.edu @HelloTimWebber

Many Drake students are proficient at finding ways to pack their schedules. Still, most college students wouldn’t dream of waking up before 5 a.m. on a weekend.

But on Sunday, April 17, that’s exactly what happened when 34 Drake students showed up at Old Main to begin a long day on the road.

The group walked the 34 miles from Drake University in Des Moines to Iowa State University in Ames to raise money for children in Ethiopian refugee camps. The event, “Walk for the Horn,” raised over $1,800 to provide school supplies for the refugees.

This year is the third Walk for the Horn and the second walk to be based out of Drake University.

But Daniel Hammer, the event’s organizer who has walked all three years, said the walk doesn’t necessarily get easier over time.

Over the 12 hours of the event, the participants faced physical and mental challenges that pushed them to the limit.

5 A.M.

The Times-Delphic

Old Main shortly after 4:30 a.m.

The walk didn’t necessarily need to begin in the darkness of early morning, but the pre-dawn start allowed for much of the walk to be completed before the heat of the day. The temperature was forecasted to push 80 degrees, and clouds and wind wouldn’t provide much relief.

“I think it’s going to be marvelous today with lots of walkers having a good time, and I don’t anticipate any problems,” Hammer said, before pointing out a walker arriving at the start point.

“That is a massive backpack.”

Balancing the right amount of necessities with the amount of weight a walker can carry is important. Too much and the walk becomes difficult due to the amount of weight on your back.

Not enough and you may run into other frustrating problems down the road. Sunscreen was encouraged. So were extra shoes, snacks and water.

A T-shirt is provided with the $20 donation participants made to walk, but most walkers would remove that extra layer by the end of the day.

10 A.M.

2:30 P.M.

As the finish line neared, the group grew more determined to finish. Most walkers had no interest in stopping, preferring to instead push forward.

“You think that by stopping, your legs or feet will magically heal in a five-minute time period by sitting down, but it feels exactly the same when you get back uppossibly even worse, especially on your legs,” Hammer said.

Schank did stop to talk about his walk. He, like the other walkers, had been in physical pain for the past several miles.

“It’s getting pretty bad,” Schank said. “We’re on mile twenty-some-odd, and it’s pretty painful on the legs. I’m getting numb.”

First-year Taylor Volesky came to the understanding that she wouldn’t be able to complete the walk, but over the course of the day, Volesky had managed to walk the approximate distance of the marathon and was proud of the achievement. “(I feel) pretty accomplished,” Volesky said. “I wish I could have

finished, but that’s pretty good for not knowing how far I’d actually make it.”

5 P.M.

Volesky wasn’t alone. Just 17 of the 34 walkers made it to the finish line in front of Jack Trice Stadium at Iowa State.

But those 17 represented a huge improvement over the five that had finished last year. In addition, the majority of the finishers this year were female. No women finished the course last year.

The majority of the walkers finished the 34 miles in just under 11.5 hours, about half an hour shorter than the previous year.

For Hammer, all these were signs that the Walk for the Horn was growing and improving, and he hopes to build off of this year’s success.

“I’m planning on organizing it again next year with the help of some of the Adams Academy students,” Hammer said. “I’m hoping to get to that 50 mark for total walkers, and have it be a pretty balanced mix of men and women.”

Read an extended version of this story online at timesdelphic.com.

PAGE C6 The Drake Relays utilize social media to reach athletes and provide current and historical information about the athletic event through facts and photos.

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APRIL 25, 2016

BEAUTY

Vegan and cruelty-free makeup provides beauty alternatives Giovanna Zavell Opinions Editor giovanna.zavell@drake.edu

Makeup. One word used to describe hundreds of products — lipstick, foundation, eye shadow, blush and an almost infinitely larger selection. But let’s not forget about all the brands out there.

Many people do not pay close attention to where their makeup comes from or how it is made and can easily overlook the fact that the lipstick they are using was tested on animals.

That’s why many women and men are turning to vegan makeup — a friendlier and natural alternative to popular name brands.

Vegan makeup is dedicated to stopping animal cruelty when it comes to choosing beauty products. Many associate the word “vegan” with people who do not eat anything that comes from an animal — a step up from being a vegetarian. But veganism is more than just that. Veganism is a lifestyle focused on breaking away from food or products attached to animal cruelty, including products and clothing.

“I’ve been a vegan for six months now,” P1 Drake student Kelley Nguyen said. “I basically went cold turkey and just threw everything out that wasn’t vegan.

Initially I went vegan for the health benefits, but then I started getting the animal feels and realized how badly they are treated.”

But going vegan isn’t as easy as throwing out all the foods that are made from animals. Sometimes, it takes more time and a person needs to ease into the change of

lifestyle. Another P1 student, Rachel Purdy, grew up in a family raised on farms, so she says there will always be a small piece of her that thinks the world needs farms.

That isn’t stopping her from pursuing a more animal-conscious lifestyle.

“I’ve been a vegan for three weeks, and I made the change more so for the animal-friendly aspect. I realized that the ways of getting animal products, such as milk and eggs, isn’t green at all.”

– Rachel Purdy

“After watching ‘Cowspiracy,’ I decided I wanted to follow a more sustainable lifestyle,” Purdy said.

“I’ve been vegan for three weeks, and I made the change more so for the animal-friendly aspect. I realized that the ways of getting animal products, such as milk and eggs, isn’t green at all.”

Using vegan beauty products has a lot of benefits since these products are healthier and safer for skin. Probably the number one benefit to using vegan beauty products is avoiding animal by-products and animal tested products. Animal by-products can be anything from uric acids from cows or insect extracts. But vegan

products eliminate the chances of these touching your skin.

Another great benefit of switching to vegan products is that they are made from ingredients that are proven to be healthier than non-vegan products. That means vegan products should be the go-to for people with sensitive skin.

Not only are the products great for your skin, but the packaging is also great for the environment.

Packaging is very important when it comes to vegan products and therefore is made from recycled materials. The goal is to be as ecofriendly as possible.

Many people already use vegan makeup and don’t even know it.

Cosmetic brands such as Pacifica, Urban Decay, Tarte, Wet N Wild and Eco Tools sell or feature vegan or cruelty free makeup.

There is a store in East Village that sells vegan makeup called Vanity and Glamour Cosmetics.

Whether shopping in store or online, almost every product is marked with either “vegan” or “naturally based.” V&G also makes its own makeup, striving for eco-friendly products. For customers interested in a new look, the shop also helps interested patrons find products that will fit their style.

VANITY GLAMOUR AND COSMETICS in Des Moines’ East Village sells several vegan products to customers. These products feature animal-friendly ingredients and packaging, and, in addition to selling animal and environmentally-conscious products of a colorful variety, the shop offers styling sessions for customers wanting to try a new look. PHOTOS BY SARAH LEBLANC | FEATURES EDITOR

CAMPUS

Groundskeeping maintains beauty in flora on campus Jake Bullington Digital Editor jacob.bullington@drake.edu @JakeBullington

An Instagram photo shared

by Drake University’s account features a daffodil and a caption that reads, “Spring is budding on campus.”

In another post, a grounds staff member snapped a photo of the white forsythia shrub outside the dining hall and shared it on Instagram. However, social media photos of the trees blooming and flower beds around campus only tell a small portion of the story.

Groundskeeping and facilities staff get to work even before the last pile of snow melts to make

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campus look its Sunday best for when alumni, national media and world-renowned athletes rendezvous here for Relays. Eleven groundskeepers work not only to prepare the landscaping but also all of the athletic facilities and fields for the various athletic events.

Sophomore international relations student Dustin Eubanks says he has taken note of the transformation the grounds have undergone, in reality and online.

“I’ve seen the landscaping crews out and about,” Eubanks said. “They have the sprinklers getting tested and up and running, flowers are going in, starting to bloom and the trees are budding.

Instagram looks really pretty right now.”

As a resident assistant,

Eubanks said he understands the preparations that need to be made before the festivities can begin.

“There’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes getting ready for April and Relays that we don’t know about,” Eubanks said.

Spring started earlier than usual this year — around the first week of March — allowing the groundskeeping staff and grounds manager Jeff Bosworth to get a jump start on the preparations.

Bosworth is in charge of ensuring he and the groundskeeping staff maintain a consistent schedule of keeping the campus up.

“It seems like it’s a routine, as far as getting out and cleaning parking lots and freshening up the mulch and fixing areas along sidewalks that were damaged or driven across,” Bosworth said.

“It’s that time — spring — when a lot of sports start. There’s a lot of work, and that leads into Relays and getting the stadium set up and ready for those sports.”

In addition to establishing the functionality of the athletic facilities, there are also the added aesthetics of budding trees and flowers that accompany spring.

“In the spring, we have the help of flowering crab apples and pears and the daffodils coming up that we planted last year,” Bosworth said. “It adds a little flavor to campus.”

After the months of hard work, Bosworth said it was well worth the effort.

“Sharing it with the staff, it is neat that people appreciate what the grounds department does and recognize that there is a lot of

work that goes into keeping the campus up,” Bosworth said.

Bosworth said that seeing the hard work he and his team do is an added bonus.

“I think people appreciate what we do and love the fact that my staff take pride in their jobs and try to do the best they can to make campus look the best that it does,” Bosworth said.

Eubanks echoed this sentiment.

“I do want to give a huge shoutout to the grounds crew, who I don’t think this campus ever goes out of its way to fully show appreciation to,” Eubanks said.

“I know they try hard, so I thank them for what they do.”

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APRIL 25, 2016

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EXERCISE

Des Moines Bike Collective works to keep residents active Adam Rogan Sports Editor adam.rogan@drake.edu @Adam_Rogan

On the corner of Grand Avenue and Sixth Street stands the Des Moines Bicycle Collective. Both on the outside and the inside, it appears to be no different from other bike shops. Aerosmith and similar classic rock tunes blare from the speakers as workers tend to tuning up bikes in the back.

Replacement bike seats, helmets and other assorted bike accessories line the wall and top of the front desk. Bikes for sale take up most of the floor space, ranging from child-sized to road models and everything in-between.

But appearances can be deceiving. That’s an idiom that the

THE BICYCLE COLLECTIVE combines a passion for athletics with compassion for others with its mission to bring its customers closer through Des Moines’ cycling community. PHOTOS BY SARAH LEBLANC | FEATURES EDITOR

Collective has been battling since its founding in 2008 through business practices that are perhaps best described as “atypical.”

All proceeds go directly back into the business itself and its numerous philanthropies – not into the pockets of owners or shareholders.

In 2015 alone, the Collective gave away 400 bikes free of charge through organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Head Start, The Salvation Army and its own charities.

“A lot of people can’t afford cars … but they still need to get to work, so a bike is a very good option,” said Seth Johnson, the Collective’s shop manager.

“Through our Earn-a-Bike program and our bike giveaways program, we make transportation access a little bit easier. We work with a lot of (the) homeless population, and we help them get their lives back on track, teaching them that they can earn a bike if they work hard and do their job.”

Not all bikes are given away for free, though. The shop is open to the public and sells bikes and other cycling gear, oftentimes at a reduced cost since the bikes are usually older models, have been donated or are refurbished by the Collective’s staff. However, they are willing to share their knowledge with customers, not taking sole responsibility in the upkeep of people’s bikes.

When a broken bike is brought in, employees at the shop will work with the customers to fix it so they can repair their own bike in the future.

Johnson says this tactic helps keep prices low, while also bringing people more closely into the cycling community-one of the Collective’s primary purposes.

The Collective focuses much of its efforts on encouraging more kids to ride bikes. It hosts Bike Rodeos, which teach kids how to be safe cyclers before giving them a bike of their own.

A study published on Bicycling.com found that kids who ride bikes have improved concentration and memory, as

well decreased stress and anxiety, which is something the Collective promotes.

Although getting kids passionate about biking is where the Collective focuses much of its efforts, Bike Month targets a more adult audience.

Bike Month officially kicks off May 6 at Confluence Brewing on 1235 Thomas Beck Road in Des Moines. Jeremy Lewis, the Collective’s executive director, also hinted on the event’s Facebook page that a new “specialty brew” will be released that night with proceeds being donated to the non-profit. Eight days later on May 14, Bikes. Beers. Tacos. will be held at The Iowa Taproom, located at 215 E. Third St. Expanding from the general fundraising and hangouts of these two events, the Collective will also be hosting the Fun Urban Brewery Assault Ride on May 21, a 65-mile ride to seven different breweries starting and ending at Firetrucker Brewery in Ankeny.

The Collective plans to team up with The Orchard Place, a non-profit focused on children’s mental health, for the Moonlight Classic at the Iowa Tap Room.

The proceeds from the event will go to Orchard Place.

The Collective is more concerned with advocating for bikers and “getting more butts on bikes,” a mantra that was touted by both Johnson and Community Outreach Organizer Kimberley Boggus. “(We want to be) working with the community, reaching out to them, making sure that they know who we are, they know the services we provide and they know the work that we do,” Boggus said.

That’s what Bike Month focuses on as well. Its events may not be quite as kid-friendly as The Collective’s Bike Rodeos, but they still succeed in “getting more butts on bikes,” even if those butts belong to older individuals.

ENTERTAINMENT

Pub trivia finds niche audience in Des Moines community Beth LeValley Staff Writer beth.levalley@drake.edu

In 1964, “Jeopardy!” first aired. In 1999, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” broadcasted its first episode. These game shows engaged audiences and created an environment where the audience can play along.

Apps like Trivia Crack, QuizUp and TriviaBurst engage consumers today with interactive platforms to test consumers’ knowledge on subjects like music, literature and pop culture.

To create an even more interactive and engaging platform, restaurants, pubs and event venues host trivia nights that challenge the intelligence of the community.

Jacob Blum of Clive has gone to trivia night at the Des Moines Social Club with a group of at least four people every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. for over a year.

“It’s an excuse to go out and have a beer without just going to a bar or going to a house and making someone entertain,” Blum said.

Brady Campbell, another member of this team that plays trivia every week, said that having an activity like trivia adds natural breaks in a conversation, which

Edition 43

makes it easier to socialize.

Because there isn’t as much pressure to socialize, members often bring coworkers or friends from other aspects of their lives.

Megan Leverenz, Blum’s girlfriend and now a part of the trivia group, said it’s a safe space to introduce people.

“I actually was introduced to (my boyfriend’s) friends for the first time at trivia,” Leverenz said.

“I guess that was how I got into the friend group.”

Alex Redding has been going to trivia for the past month, and he has made friendships through these trivia nights.

“It keeps you accountable in a social sense,” Redding said. “This is what we do now. It makes you interact with people.”

Katie Ortman is the fundraising and volunteer coordinator at the Des Moines Social Club, and she also organizes the trivia night. She said 60 to 80 people gather every week in the Des Moines Social Club Basement to play six rounds of trivia.

“The hosts are funny, so they have built a sort of repertoire with the crowd,” Ortman said.

“In a way, that builds a sense of community, but at the same time we’re always welcome to new people.”

Ortman said that by coming to trivia, people are supporting

the Des Moines community both directly and indirectly.

“Directly, it’s a space to hang out together on a Tuesday night,” Ortman said. “Indirectly, they’re supporting the (Des Moines) Social Club, which is a catalyst for community engagement and local artists.”

Prizes include small door gifts given to random participants throughout the night.

Restaurants in the Des Moines area also hold trivia nights, but

they give away more relevant prizes.

Dee Cox is a waitress at Wellman’s Pub, which offers trivia every Tuesday night.

Wellman’s Pub offers prizes including a free pizza, discounted drinks or a free pitcher of beer, along with a grand prize of a $40 gift card to the restaurant.

“People like to hang out with their friends, and the prizes are an incentive to come out on a Tuesday,” Cox said.

THE DES MOINES SOCIAL CLUB hosts trivia nights for groups of friends every Tuesday at The Basement. PHOTO BY SARAH LEBLANC | FEATURES EDITOR

The Beerhouse in Urbandale also offers weekly trivia on Tuesdays.

Lauren Bailey, the assistant manager, said that a lot of families frequent the restaurant to serve as a family night.

“Since there are no smartphones allowed, families catch up with games, food and beer,” Bailey said. “It’s an opportunity to get together, but it’s also an opportunity to learn. You get to hear the answers to crazy questions that people usually don’t know.”

Although trivia nights benefit patrons, they also benefit the restaurants. Matt Lathrop, a manager at Quinton’s in East Village, said it brings in regulars for one day a week.

“It gives a boost to our normal Tuesday night crowd,” Lathrop said. “The bartenders rely on the certain amount of money they’ll make that night, and it adds to our kitchen revenue, too.”

Since most trivia events happen on weeknights, it gives the restaurants an opportunity to boost sales on what is normally a slower night.

Most of all though, restaurants are looking for regular customers to return for more trivia, food and beverages in a casual and fun atmosphere.

The Times-Delphic

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APRIL 25, 2016

RELAYS

Steeplechase obstacles test athlete endurance, skills Mariah Lewis Staff Writer mariah.lewis@drake.edu

It’s a track and field event Drake University assistant coach Dan Hostager says “everybody flocks” to. But not everybody knows what it is.

“Some people have really weird ideas about what it is,” said Rob McCann, the only athlete on the Drake University track team who consistently competes in the event.

So what is a steeplechase?

According to the International Association of Athletics Federations, the track and field steeplechase rose out of a horse race in Ireland with similar obstacles. Horses and riders in the Irish race had to jump numerous fences and other barriers, racing literally from one town’s steeple to the next because steeples had visibility over long distances. In the mid-1800s, the steeplechase expanded to include runners instead of only equestrians.

By modern track and field standards, the 3,000-meter steeplechase includes 28 barriers and seven water jumps. The less common 2,000-meter steeplechase includes only 18 barriers and five water jumps.

“It’s one of those things I don’t force on anyone,” Hostager said. “I think it’s kind of self-selective just because it’s a little dangerous. (The barriers) don’t move like hurdles.

If you hit a hurdle…it knocks over. If you hit a steeple barrier, you’re the one that goes over. The water jump has some danger to it as well.”

Another danger Hostager mentioned was the slippery state of the water pits.

“You really have to be focused because of the barriers not moving,” he said. “You’re dealing with the barriers, you’re dealing with other competitors and you could get injured in a hurry.”

McCann illustrated the ideal way to deal with water pits.

“In the water pit, it’s recommended that you step on top of it and kind of launch yourself as far as possible across the length of the water pit,” McCann said.

“The way to describe it is if you want to reach a very high step on a staircase. You can gain quite a few seconds just from learning the proper technique from water pits alone. If you get good enough at it, you only get one foot wet.”

Hostager went on to describe the difference between the massive steeple barriers and a typical hurdle.

“They’re like a barrier that you block a road off with,” Hostager said. “They’re thick either metal or wood barriers. You can step on them, kind of like the water jump.

You kind of have to practice it.

You hope it doesn’t slow you down — you want to be efficient. That’s the goal. It doesn’t have to look great but it has to be an efficient

process. Most kids don’t look great going over it. Especially as the race goes (on) and they’re fatigued.”

The race itself is not the only fatiguing element of the steeplechase. Hostager said the athletes typically must train like a long distance runner, a middistance runner and a hurdler all in one.

“I think it’s kind of selfselective just because it’s a little dangerous.

(The barriers) don’t move like hurdles. If you hit a hurdle, it knocks over. If you hit a steeple barrier, you’re the one that goes over.”

– Dan Hostager

“From a training perspective, I think its tough,” Hostager said. “It’s not just the race that’s grueling but training for it. There’s a lot more that goes into it as far as recovery. (Rob) is very meticulous.

He’s got great attention for detail.

He’s an actuarial science major, so he’s a lot into the numbers and leaving no stone unturned from a training perspective.”

McCann, a Canadian senior, ran the steeplechase in high school. The event is more common in Canadian and European high schools than in high school track

programs in the United States.

“Rob has a unique perspective because he’s Canadian and they do have that (race there),” Hostager said. “He had some experience coming in. I think that’s one of the things that was very attractive about him getting into Drake is that he didn’t have the learning curve as far as the steeplechase.”

While it didn’t go so far as horses and rollercoasters, McCann actually got involved with the steeplechase as a joke.

“It started out as a joke to me in high school and then it went really well,” said McCann. “I had two high school friends who were going to do it their junior year of high school, and I said, ‘alright, I’ll join them in one meet,’ as a joke.

I didn’t expect much, and then it went very well. I just stuck with it.

I realized when I trained for it, I did very well. Then I qualified for a meet in that race and I ran even faster and it kind of snowballed from there. So a joke turned into a very serious endeavor.”

To put the steeplechase in a historical perspective, the first women’s steeplechase at the Drake Relays occurred in 2001.

Colorado State’s Marget Larson won with a time of with a time of 10:35.48. Angela Marvin of Baylor broke that record two years later, clocking in at 10:23.73.

Ida Nilsson of Northern Arizona holds the current Drake record of 9:57.03, set in 2004. After her Relays days, Nilsson went on to

set the Swedish national record for the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2006 European Athletics Championships.

The men’s 3,000-meter Relays record is nearly forty years old.

Henry Marsh of Brigham Young set the record (8:31.02) back in 1977. A year earlier Tony Staynings won the steeple with a time of 8:51.23.

The steeplechase is not an event every runner can excel in. In fact, there’s a good reason why the steeplechase may not be considered a mainstream event.

Hostager summarized the strange tension surrounding the unorthodox event.

“I think it’s one of those events that it might look fun. Even for a casual observer, it might look like kind of a fun thing, or even for your track athlete it might look like, ‘hey, I want to give that a try,’” Hostager said. “But when they’re doing it it’s not as much fun as it looks. It sounds like a good idea at the time and then they get halfway through it and it’s hard to hold pace. I guess that’s another reason why I don’t force people to steeplechase. It’s a different mentality to really embrace that event.”

FOOD

Bordy’s owner looks forward to first Drake Relays Zoe Zuidema Staff Writer zoe.zuidema@drake.edu

“It’s been my dream to own my own restaurant for a long time.”

Darren Marasco owns Bordy’s pizza, an offshoot of Bordenaro’s, located in the Drake Neighborhood on Forest Avenue.

“I enjoy the work, enjoy working with people and enjoy creating food,” Marasco said after a long day of tossing dough, mixing “secret sauce” and greeting customers with a friendly smile.

The restaurant has been in business since last summer, and Marasco and his business partner figured that the Drake area would be the perfect place to open.

“We’d been looking for a

second location,” Marasco said.

“We talked about it and passed the idea around for a while, and this spot became available, and we said, ‘what the heck, let’s go for it.’”

Bordy’s business has been going well, but as the Drake Relays approach, students aren’t the only locals preparing for an increase in events and traffic.

“We’re expecting big crowds,” Marasco said. “I’ve been out here during the Relays and witnessed the sheer number of people, so we’re looking forward to that and getting our name out to a larger audience.”

Drake sophomore Joe Herba commented on how an increase in foot traffic during Relays may affect local businesses.

“I’m sure it helps that there are

a lot more people near campus rather than just the Drake student body,” Herba said. “There’s a higher opportunity for business.

Also, students like to save a budget up for Relays week, so they’re more likely to spend money nearby.

Plus, campus is bustling during Relays, so a rise in traffic will give Bordy’s an opportunity to increase advertising and business.”

Peggy’s Tavern, located next to Bordy’s, is known for its tradition of hosting nightlife during Relays. Students have witnessed an increase in customers when the Peggy’s Relays tent is set up directly outside the two businesses.

Sophomore Annelise Escher agrees that Peggy’s, in addition to Relays, will bring more customers to the budding pizza business.

“Bordy’s proximity to both

Relays and the beloved Peggy’s tent will certainly bring it some extra business,” Escher said. “I think a lot of people, especially alumni, come specifically for the tent. It’s right next door, and there’s no way to miss Bordy’s when you’re there.”

Tom Baldwin, owner of Peggy’s, said that the bar is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year and is planning on continuing its Relays tradition.

Baldwin stated that over 800 people come to the Peggy’s tent throughout the week of Relays.

Baldwin also guessed that this is more than double the amount of customers that frequent the business block in a regular week.

“We just hope to keep up the long, long tradition and welcome back Drake alums for the Relays

in spring,” Baldwin said.

Marasco agreed that Peggy’s will help bring in more customers, and said that he’s planning on adjusting his restaurant’s hours to accommodate Relays visitors.

“We’ll probably be open earlier and later,” Marasco said. “I’ll stay open all day rather than just for meal hours.”

Rather than increase staffing, Marasco plans to work longer hours and be in the building for most of the day. He doesn’t mind, though.

“I just love working with people, and this will give me more time to do it,” Marasco said.

Escher commended Marasco’s idea to stay open longer.

“It’s a really smart move on Bordy’s part, and I think that they’re very aware that they benefit from proximity to Relays,” Escher said. “I hope they can handle the influx of people, since this is their first year.”

Herba said that Marasco should know what to expect.

“Even if they’ve never experienced it first hand, Bordy’s knows that a lot of people will be out and about,” Herba said.

“It would be very telling of their business if they’re not able to keep it up during such a busy time.”

Marasco doesn’t feel this will be too daunting and is looking forward to serving pizza to hungry crowds.

“It’s not just about business,” Marasco said. “I love the atmosphere, the competitive nature of the sporting events, young kids getting out and all the fans and high school kids getting involved. It’s a nice event that showcases a lot of talent here in central Iowa.”

Morasco smiled and gestured towards the pizza he had just placed in the oven. “Besides, Relays can’t resist a good slice.”

BORDY’S PIZZERIA, located near Peggy’s on Forest Avenue, will be experiencing it’s first Relays this year. Anticipating and prepared for heavy crowds craving a slice of classic pizza, Darren Marasco is fulfilling his longtime dream of owning his own restaurant. PHOTO BY ZOE ZUIDEMA | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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STATIONARY

Letterpress shops take pride in hand-quality stationery Jessie Spangler Assistant Relays Editor jessica.spangler@drake.edu

Des Moines letterpress shops are bringing stationery and handmade quality goods back in style.

Located in the East Village downtown, the Permanent Collection has a relaxed atmosphere and displays printing machines on one side of the store where customers can watch the prints being made. On the other side is a collection of various cards and other prints.

“The Permanent Collection Letterpress and Design Studio got its start in the fall of 2006 when I acquired my first press

— a Vandercook SP-15 — and began printing some holiday and Valentine’s Day cards,” Drake professor Sarah McCoy said, who opened the Permanent Collection.

“I had been printing since 2001 at the University of Iowa Center for the Book, where I learned letterpress printing, and once I left graduate school in August of 2006, I purchased a press so I could begin printing on my own.”

Everything is designed and printed by McCoy in her studio, which any customer can see when they walk into the store. She uses paper that is 100 percent cotton and mixes her ink by hand which gives her products a “tactile quality.”

“The goal of my company is to produce limited edition work

that visually speaks to a classic design aesthetic,” McCoy said. “I want my work to still have quality, imagery and typography 10, 20 (or) 50 years from now. Also, I design and print everything in my studio, which makes my work stand out a bit from others and usually shocks people that visit the retail studio.”

McCoy believes that handmade products stand out today, especially with the abundance of technology. She feeds every sheet of paper and card through the press by hand.

“Due to the nature of such a fast-paced digital world, seeing the quality craftsmanship and the slow production (and) hand quality of each product really stands out against the digital age,”

McCoy said.

Another local letterpress company is the Pink Print Company, located in downtown Des Moines. Pink Print boasts a lot of natural light and white walls. Their focus is more on stationery, but they also sell cards and wrapping paper.

“My partner Sara Gaskell started the business, and I joined the business shortly thereafter,” said Stacey Lehr, who helps run Pink Print Company. “The idea for Pink Print sprung from a love of greeting cards, specifically sharing the art of letterpress, invitations and all things paper.

Holding a physical piece of paper in your hand, be it an invitation or business card or piece of stationery, makes a special statement.”

Pink Print, originally named Pink Fine Stationery, opened its doors in 2005. According to Lehr, letterpress companies have seen a huge growth in the last six to seven years.

“Pink is a paper goods and design studio that creates products tailored to you,” Lehr said.

“Since we believe stationery is an expression of oneself, we strive to create stationery with a distinctive stamp of style unique to each and every client. We believe there is a card for every occasion, and we make sure those cards are on our shelves.”

LETTERPRESS SHOPS like Permanent Collection and the Pink Print Company in downtown Des Moines specialize in authentic stationery for those who enjoy the feel of paper on their fingertips.

The care that is given to each card and print reflects the work of the shops to establish a distinctive style through their products. PHOTOS BY SARAH LEBLANC | FEATURES EDITOR

EAST VILLAGE

T-shirt shop takes pride in Midwest fashion and stereotypes Maggie Dickman Staff Writer maggie.dickman@drake.edu @Maggie_Dickman

Only in the Midwest can you wear a T-shirt that boasts “I’m an athletic supporter” and actually be considered cool. But Raygun tees have become a Midwest staple after founder and native Iowan Mike Draper set up shop in downtown Des Moines.

“In the beginning, it was just me,” Draper said. The now iconic tees like “Des Moines: Hell Yes” were created at the beginning of the business. “Those kind of started to capture the voice of the company,” he said.

Raygun now has shops in Iowa City, Kansas City and Cedar Rapids, which just opened on April 8. In Des Moines, Raygun has shaped the growth of the East Village.

“They’re real time T-shirts,” Carol Wyckoff, treasurer of the East Village Association and owner of Reclaimed, said. “I think any shop that does a good job advertising and brings the foot traffic is just a benefit to everyone else in the village.”

But Raygun didn’t simply pop up overnight.

Draper had left Iowa to study history at the University of Pennsylvania. As the uncertainty of his future weighed on him, he and a friend decided to start up a T-shirt business on campus during the spring of their senior year. They sold their tees out of a bag for a week, and then printed

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more and more.

After graduating, he spent his time on the East Coast continuing to sell screen-printed tees. He never considered coming back to Des Moines, but relocated on a whim and opened the first Raygun shop — then called Smash — in 2005.

Draper had never taken a business class in his life, but he’d always loved art and drawing.

So he taught himself Photoshop, learned screen-printing and put all he could into his business.

He found himself working 60 to 80 hours a week to get the shop started, but he found that he actually enjoyed what he was doing.

“When you’re doing something you actually enjoy, your capacity for work skyrockets,” Draper said.

Now his tees, worn by Midwesterners from Kansas to Ohio, are only increasing in popularity. The messages are those that wearers can resonate with, and that gets people coming back for more.

“People can identify with them, especially if you’re from the Midwest or Iowa or Des Moines.” said Taylor Frame, director of stores and inventory. “There’s a lot of familiarity with what’s on them.”

Raygun’s popularity was not expected, but it looks like it’s here to stay.

“I started with no experience and no real knowledge of the industry, so I’ve never been sure where exactly it is going,” Draper said. “The expansion is fun to be a part of, and I hope it continues.”

RAYGUN, with its satirical and sarcastic depictions of life in the Midwest, has become an East Village staple among college students and devoted Iowans proud of their state. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL LOPEZ | DESIGN EDITOR

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COMMUNITY

East Village boasts variety in eclectic vintage shopping Hallie O’Neill Staff Writer hallie.oneill@drake.edu @hallie_oneill

Des Moines’ East Village is home to Raygun and Zombie Burger, both famous trademarks of the city. But the historic area also has numerous small niche shops that many people often overlook.

Plain Talk Books & Coffee is one of these shops. It offers an expansive selection of both new

and used books of every genre imaginable along with literary paraphernalia like T-shirts and bookmarks.

There’s also a little cafe nestled right beside the bookshelves.

You can grab a steaming cup of joe or enjoy homemade soups, sandwiches and baked goods.

A creaky staircase leads to the second floor, revealing a reading room with lounging chairs and even more books.

The building is fairly old — which only adds to its character — and Plain Talk is still in the

process of renovating the upstairs area of the store. But, as store manager Anneke Gustafson said the shop continues to draw people in since it is the only bookstore in the area and the cozy atmosphere is irresistible.

Just down the street from Plain Talk is Porch Light, a vintagethemed antique shop that screams “cute.” The shelves are stocked with beautiful kitchenware, candles, home decor and locally made jewelry. They have wall hangings and other small decorations to instantly brighten up a dorm

room or apartment.

Ephemera is a shop similar to Porch Light, but its major specializations are invitations (which clients can custom order for big events) and greeting cards.

Owner Karen Brady, who first started the company from her Colorado apartment, claims the shop started as more of an idea. She loves how cards provide a physical connection between two people.

She’s heard heartbreaking stories from people buying sympathy cards as well as sweet stories about the customer’s “person” during

the Valentine’s Day rush. She describes Ephemera as simply a “sweet, nice, happy store.”

Vanity and Glamour Cosmetics is a local cosmetic company across the street from Raygun.

Its joyfully bright and decorative storefront instantly catches the eye. The doors and wooden panels are painted in vibrant colors and a string with colorful rags is draped above the entrance. Inside, funky artwork covers the gold walls and a massive vanity holds lipsticks, rouges and eye shadows of all colors, and customers are free to try on whichever shade suits their fancy. The shop also provides professional makeup application by appointment.

Fleet Feet Sports is the onestop shop for athletes—especially anyone who loves running. They carry various athletic brands of clothing and sports gear along with an impressive selection of footwear from brands like Nike and Adidas. However, the employees pointed out that the shop also stocks items not offered by big box stores like Scheel’s.

Something that makes Fleet Feet different from other shops is the weekly group runs that it hosts for anyone who wishes to participate. The store acts as a meeting place for participants before each run.

It posts information about the runs and other training sessions through their Facebook page and e-newsletters.

Each shop has something different to offer, but one sentiment remained constant: supporting these independent shops not only benefits the owners but also the entire Des Moines community.

DES MOINES’ EAST VILLAGE has become a hub for self-proclaimed hipsters, antique shops, small businesses, bookshops and quaint establishments that are exclusive to the city. At around a ten minute drive from campus, the location is easily accessible. PHOTOS BY COOPER WARNER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

TECHNOLOGY

Relays social media accounts sprint toward popularity Sarah Hubbard Staff Writer sarah.hubbard@drake.edu

The Drake Relays cast a spotlight on Drake University each year, and as its popularity grows, so do its methods of promotion.

One easy way for people to promote themselves or their business is through social media.

The Drake Relays used to televise press conferences to announce special events and the athletes taking part, but as time went on, it moved to different social media platforms. The Relays’ social media platforms are managed

by Niki Smith, a social media specialist, and Tyler Patton, assistant athletic director for athletic communications.

“Our main social media platforms are Twitter, Facebook and Instagram,” Smith said.

However, with each platform comes a different media strategy.

The almost instantaneous nature and wild popularity of Twitter earns it the most attention from the social media team.

To set the Relays Twitter account apart from everyone else that may be live-tweeting the events, the social media team tries to post photos that have been taken by the event photographers during the event within ten minutes of the event’s conclusion.

“Making the quick selections

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for the best event photos to use on our Twitter account is definitely a high-pressure situation, but the analytics have shown that it pays off,” Smith said.

It is her job to sort through the hundreds of photos that are taken for each event. If there was a particularly momentous moment that was captured, it goes straight on Twitter.

If nothing spectacular happened in an event, it’s a matter of skipping over blurry photos and deciding which shot is the most flattering.

The Facebook page is used as a place to get people excited about the Relays. Smith said they found a lot of success in gaining popularity through a “Then & Now” Facebook campaign. The campaign uses historical photos alongside photos from recent Relays to show the difference and growth over the 107 years the Relays have been taking place.

The other primary use for Facebook is raising awareness for the different family-friendly events.

In particular, the social media team tries to promote the Grand Blue Mile, which is a run

sponsored by the Drake Relays and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield to promote healthy habits for people of all ages. The Grand Blue Mile walk and run takes place annually in downtown Des Moines during the week of Relays.

Facebook Drake Relays Twitter @DrakeRelays Instagram @drakerelays

Instagram takes a back-seat in terms of Relays social media.

Smith stated that the Relays Instagram account is used as an all-around celebration of the Relays and its events.

Moving forward, Smith hopes that Relays social media will be able to expand to have its own separate Snapchat account and Snapchat story.

One common misconception about the Relays social media is that its target audience is current Drake University students and Drake alumni.

“Our overall social media goal is to reach the athletes participating in the Drake Relays,” Smith said. “If we reach them, we reach their fans and followers.”

Once the fans and followers of an athlete become aware of their role models’ participation, it becomes easier to get them to buy a ticket.

“The Relays are a great opportunity to see bigname athletes in your own backyard,” Patton said, referring to the elite athletes, some of whom are Olympians, who compete in the Relays.

He said that the social media coverage is mutually beneficial for sponsors and athletes alike, since many of the athletes use the Relays

to kick off their track and field season.

While focusing on reaching the athletes on social media is good, some students may not be aware of the effort that goes into the accounts. Talia Hertz, a junior who transferred to Drake this past fall, was oblivious to any Relays social media.

“I didn’t even know there were any social media accounts specifically for the Drake Relays,” says Hertz, “I’d be interested in them since I follow other Drake accounts, but they don’t seem to be as easy to find as the others.”

The Drake Relays Facebook page is a verified page with nearly four thousand likes. The Drake Relays Twitter account, @DrakeRelays, has just over nine thousand followers. On Instagram, the Relays have just over one thousand followers.

While the Drake Relays do not have their own YouTube channel, the Drake Athletics YouTube channel has posted several videos from Relays and boasts nearly one million total video views.

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BAND

Band alumni return for fond memories and friendship Haley Hodges Staff Writer haley.hodges@drake.edu

Sometimes, the roles students have in college will persist past their graduation. For former Drake University musicians, this means coming back to visit and play alongside their bands once again.

Some band alumni still reside in the Des Moines area and can easily visit. Those who have left Drake in the last few years and still have ties to some of the students who were their classmates during their time in band may also come back to play with them.

And then there’s John Lee. Lee, Drake Class of 1973, started his involvement with Drake’s bands during his first year in college in 1969 and has been coming back every year since.

“After I graduated, I was here in town and I maintained a relationship (with the band)," Lee said. "I was able to arrange my

work schedule so that I could work a partial day, come to rehearsal and then go back and work for the rest of the day. The invitation was always there, and I enjoyed doing it and just kept going from there.”

While some alumni, like Lee, have become a staple in the band program for over 40 years in the making, those who attended Drake a little more recently are still always welcome to join the band whenever they can.

Adam Wood, a 2013 graduate, returns periodically to play at the basketball pep band gigs.

“I never planned to do it after I graduated, it’s just one of those things that’s kind of happened,” Wood said.

Wood has come back more this year to help fill in for games that the undergraduate students miss while on break.

“I knew enough people in the band still that when they needed alumni to come and fill in for some of the games over winter break, they texted me to see if I’d come play and I was like ‘Sure!

Absolutely!’” Wood said.

More recently, when a pep band was needed for the Drake women’s basketball team for their tournament over spring break, they called in help from alumni to join the visiting Kansas University’s band, who volunteered to play in support of the women's team at Drake. Wood, being in the area while most undergraduate students were not, joined in, citing it as one of his favorite memories from helping with the band.

Shortages in musicians are a key reason why alumni often return to the bands so they can fill in where help was needed.

“This year in pep bands some alumni came back because we needed them to,” Assistant Director of Bands Brooke Humfeld said. “In an ideal world, we’d have so much interest from the undergrads that we wouldn’t necessarily need the alumni, but they, of course, would always be welcome to come back.”

Regardless of their motivation to come back, those who do

are always well received and appreciated by everyone involved in the band programs.

“There are a lot of traditions in the band that would die away if it wasn’t for a couple alums continuing them and getting the

undergrads excited about them,” Humfeld said. “Alumni are kind of like the heart of the band because they tie in old traditions and everything that the band has stood for in the past.”

BAND ALUMNI both new and old return to rekindle old friendships and memories and fill spaces that are vacated in the band when students leave for holiday and spring breaks. Popular at athletic events, members of the band (below) fine tune their skills in the Fine Arts Center, known as FAC (above). PHOTOS BY (ABOVE) MOHAMAD SUHAIMI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER, (BELOW) FILE PHOTO

RELAYS

Largest student-run broadcast airs through rain or shine Gerry Tetzlaff Staff Writer gerry.tetzlaff@drake.edu

The word “broadcast” is commonly associated with TV or radio. People often think of professionals dressed in their finest, reading the events of the day, or they imagine the voices they have grown used to guiding them home through their car speakers. They picture TV studios with huge cameras and high ceilings dangling with hundreds of lights and radio studios with autographed posters and countless light bulbs and buttons on soundboards-these are the places where broadcasts take place. But not Drake Relays broadcasts.

“I think we’re cruising up on 25 years—it’s definitely been over 20,” said professor David Wright.

Drake has seen over two decades of student journalists doing work from spaces and rooms that can only be described as anything but what one would expect.

“When we originally started this, the talent was always either on top of the stadium or somewhere on the outside,” Wright said. “It was cold, it was miserable. We had a tent, but the rain blew in. It was nasty.”

Wright has been a professor at Drake for the past 28 years and has been the advisor to the students who broadcast Relays since the broadcasts first started.

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Wright believes the current setup for the broadcasters is topnotch compared to the past. Many alumni who worked through the conditions he described may feel the same way. But as students cycle through, so do opinions.

“It’s pretty tiny,” said James Maertens, who has been an announcer for the Relays broadcast for the past three years and is no stranger to the current set up that Relays workers broadcast from.

This year, Maertens is the chief broadcaster and sports analyst.

The “pretty tiny” thing he is referring to can be found in the lowest level of the southern corner of the Drake Stadium press box.

The room itself is about twelve feet long by four feet wide. A shelf runs the length of the room along the windows and uses up about a third of the rooms width. It comfortably fits seven tiny folding chairs and houses all of the team’s screens for viewing footage, sound and videos boards for adjusting levels and switching video feeds, laptops and the thing most of them don’t even understand: the tricaster, which takes what they produce and sends it to where it is aired for everyone to see and hear.

If the windows are open during a race, the loud noises from below make it difficult to broadcast the event. So the window remains closed, which is a blessing during years where Iowa’s temperature falls to 30 degrees on an April day. It’s a curse, though, during a 90-degree day (which happened

some 30 years ago). The booth is supposedly climate controlled, but with as many as eight bodies in the control room, climate control takes a back seat to body temperature.

“It’s very heated,” senior Brenna Paukert said. “There are a lot of people in there doing a lot of important things.”

Paukert is the pre-produced producer for the Relays broadcast this year, meaning she is in charge of all content made before Relays begin. Paukert has participated as an on-field reporter and a line producer. She has stayed out of the booth in the past but will be claiming one of the main chairs this year.

Even if the amount of bodies in the tiny room does increase the temperature, in the heat of the moment, most of the workers don’t even notice. One thing that cannot be ignored is that the door into the booth opens inward, and to let new people in, the two people nearest to the door have to stand up, push in their chairs and lean toward the windows.

So the broadcasting booth is tiny, and there’s a lot going on in there, but not everyone knows that from that booth comes the largest student-run broadcast in the country.

“There are eight of us on the executive board,” said executive producer Lauren Baker. “We have about 15 people who are talent, six different package groups with six people in them each and we

have people still signing up to run cameras. We have eight and a half hours total of live television.”

In her opinion, they carry the title of largest student-run broadcast because of the number of students involved and because of the number of hours they broadcast.

Wright agrees.

“When we’ve looked into it before, it has always been the largest,” Wright said.

The most content and hours broadcasting, plus the most students involved equals the largest student-run broadcast.

And this largest of broadcasts originates from one of the tiniest, most cramped rooms on Drake’s whole campus.

If you want to catch this crew in their element, You can do so by tuning into the College Channel for TV or 94.1 the Dog for radio on Friday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday April 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It may not be your typical broadcast — there are no dangling lights or autographed posters — but at Drake, big things happen in tiny spaces.

THE RELAYS BROADCAST holds the title of the largest student-run broadcast and gives leadership roles to students. PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREN BAKER

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INTERNSHIPS

Harkin Institute equips students with practical skills Haley Hodges Staff Writer haley.hodges@drake.edu

While most universities can offer on-campus work for students, Drake University also boasts the availability of on-campus internships related to a student’s field of study.

Usually, these two types of career opportunities don’t intersect, but Drake’s partnership with the Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement allows for intermingling.

The Harkin Institute employs nine student interns in a variety of roles to work in positions of interest with respect to their future careers, while still working through the university.

Drake junior Ryan McKeever, who is majoring in politics and economics, is a project manager who started working at the Harkin Institute last year.

“I originally started as a general staff student worker, and there were only a few of us back then,” McKeever said in an email. “From the very start they trusted me and gave me real world projects and opportunities, One of my first days on the job involved staffing Senator Tom Harkin during a few interviews he had to do and drafting a comparative analysis report on other public policy institutes.”

As a leader among the student interns, McKeever sees the benefits that the Institute is providing to himself and the other interns.

“They really want to set all their student workers up for the best possible job when they graduate,” McKeever said. “We get to do realworld work and meet important decision-makers and thought

leaders. We want student workers at the Institute to have skills and experiences that make them the most ideal candidate for whatever job they want when they graduate.

So they constantly are conscious of what I enjoy doing and what I want to do when I graduate to allow my role at the Institute to grow into what I want to make it.”

Drake has made its mark this year as a staple for political involvement for students throughout the election cycle, but the Harkin Institute offers alternative involvement outside of just caucus season.

“We want student workers at the Institute to have skills and experiences to make them the most ideal candidate for whatever job they want when they graduate.”

– Ryan McKeever

Drake junior Kathryn Allen works as an event coordinator assistant and student manager. As a student studying political science and law, politics and society, her work is highly applicable to her future career goals.

“I have had the opportunity, like many individuals at Drake, to work in a variety of political settings” Allen said in an email.

“However, as I progress in my professional career I realized I wanted something that was going to give me ‘real world’ skills and professional experience that was applicable to a career beyond Drake.

Prior involvement in politics and the specific interests of the Harkin Institute are not required of their interns. Sarah Mattes, who is majoring in public relations and magazine journalism, did not have previous experience in these areas.

“At the time I was looking for internships on campus and in different areas and my advisor, Jennifer Glover Konfrst, had suggested I look at the Harkin Institute,” Mattes said in an email. “I researched everything about them, and I loved what they were doing; however, politics and public policy have never been my thing. At first, I was hesitant because of my lack of knowledge in anything remotely related to politics or public policy, but (my directors) Estelle Montgomery and Marsha Ternus were more than welcoming and introduced me to this fun and crazy world.”

Through the Harkin Institute, Mattes has become more involved in the area and found great professional experience through her work.

“In just one more year, I will be walking across that graduation stage and entering the real world, getting an adult job,” Mattes said.

“After my time at the Harkin Institute and after everything I’ve learned from these fantastic women, I have no doubt in the world that I will be ready to take that step into the real world and have no hesitations. Without the Harkin Institute, I’m not sure if I would be able to say those words, but this job has given me so much that I know when I leave Drake, I will be ready.”

HARKIN INSTITUTE workers Ryan McKeever (top), Kathryn Allen (middle) and Sarah Mattes (bottom) PHOTOS BY HALEY HODGES | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

STUDENT SENATE

New committee chair joins Senate as a first-year voice Molly Adamson Staff Writer molly.adamson@drake.edu

At the end of the fall semester, Student Senate found themselves in need of one new leader for the Faculty and Technology committee. An election would be difficult to hold because the change would occur during J-term.

So Student Senate decided to try something a little different by allowing candidates to email them a paper describing why they wanted to hold the position. Phone interviews were then conducted before the decision was made.

This process eventually led to Nathan Paulsen becoming the new facilities and technology committee chair.

As a first-year political science and economics double major, Paulsen had a lot of new things on his plate. The committee was already working on a few initiatives before Paulsen came in, so he started in the middle of them.

“Coming in at the beginning of second semester has been hard,” Paulsen said. “There were a lot of little nit-picky things at the beginning of the semester. It probably took me two or three weeks to fully grasp how to go about this position. So it’s been kind of hard being thrown into the middle of it with initiatives already going on.”

Some of those initiatives include improving the laundry machines in the first-year halls and fixing water fountains around campus.

“A lot of what I do is I bridge

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the gap between faculty and student body,” Paulsen said.

Phil Copeland, Paulsen’s fraternity brother in Sigma Pi Epsilon, had only positive things to say about Paulsen and his leadership skills.

“I feel like he brings a lot of energy and focus because, more so than other people, he actually cares,” Copeland said. “He’s not just there for the position, but he’s actually there to try and make a difference and to get something out of the position.”

Copeland also praised Paulsen on his outgoing character.

“A big part of Nathan’s personality is that he’s a great communicator,” Copeland said.

“He’s an extrovert. And, of course that lends itself to Greek life, but it also works in the Student Senate.”

Paulsen described himself as “very ambitious.”

“I don’t like to wait around for things, I go after things,” Paulsen said. “When something needs to be done, I strive to get it done above all things. I would also say I bring a strong voice as a firstyear. I would say that oftentimes first-years aren’t able to voice their opinions in the best way possible, because it is their first year on campus, and they’re still learning. I’m still learning too.

Throughout the process though I am definitely not ashamed to express my opinions. I think that only benefits Senate as a whole.”

Gabriella LaFevre, a first-year biochemistry cell and molecular biology and English double major, works with Paulsen on the committee. She gave him some advice, urging him to be the best he possibly can be.

“The only advice I would

give him is to speak up at Senate meetings,” LaFevre said. “I think that because is so young, and he is new to the position that he doesn’t speak up as much as he should.

He knows a lot about facilities even though he has only been in this position for a short amount of time. He knows a lot about technology, facilities and what

students are saying — what their problems and gripes are.”

Even though Paulsen is still pretty new at this position, he enjoys it.

“It’s my job to relay the opinion of the student body the best I can.

I can’t come here and sit in the shadows and hold back. I have to be a leader immediately. That’s

why I’m a part of Student Senate.”

Paulsen and the rest of the Faculty and Technology committee can be contacted either through the Student Service’s Facebook page or via email.

Anyone is encouraged to seek the committee out if they come across any sort of problem.

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Section D

DRAKE WOMEN’S RELAY TEAM (from left to right) sophomores Mary Young, Rai Ahmed-Green, senior Destani Welch and sophomore Taryn Rolle have become a pre-eminent unit on the track in 2016 and look to add another win at the Drake Relays this week, after winning on the Blue Oval at the Jim Duncan Invitational on April 16. PHOTO BY MUHAMAD SUHAIMI | STAFF PHOTGRAPHER

Mary Young: runner, student, Olympian?

Sophomore balances life, athletics while pursuing invite to Rio

Sophomore Mary Young can usually be found in her gym clothes with a backpack full of English books. Between holding the school record for the 100-meter hurdles and being a full-time student, Young is much busier than the average student athlete.

Still, she’s adapted to the life of a collegiate athlete. Her responsibilities and workload shift daily, but her goals for after college are more constant; she wants to attend the Olympic trials in the 100-meter hurdles, and maybe even go to law school.

Struggling to balance roles as an athlete and as a student are common downfalls for runners.

Young herself has dealt with her own problems resulting from her role as a collegiate athlete. Drake Track and Field assistant coach LaRon Bennett witnessed these issues and helped her through them.

“Her first year, she didn’t know what to expect, so she just ran hard and the success came with that quickly,” Bennett said. “Now she is in her second year and

becoming more of a student of her events, so her successes are more gradual, which at times, for her, can be a bit frustrating.”

How is Young preparing to deliver her best performance so far this Relays? In four words: run, eat, study and sleep. Young’s day-to-day life consists of a jampacked schedule consisting of three-hour practices, a demanding class schedule on top of several hours worth of homework and weightlifting — all while trying to maintain a social life.

Young somehow finds time to relax with friends and spend time with nearby relatives. Her hometown isn’t too far, hailing from Urbandale, which allows her to more easily balance family with school.

Young has been heavily supported throughout her track career. Bennett especially has had the opportunity to be a mentor and supporter for Young and sees great potential in her.

“She is one of the cornerstones for our team,” Bennett said. “Even though she is only a sophomore, her ability to place normally in the top three, in four to five different events gives our team major firepower.”

This spring, Young will run in the Drake Relays for the second

time.

A number of factors go into deciding which Drake athletes get to participate in the Drake Relays and which don’t. The coaches usually take into consideration how well and how consistently the athletes have competed so far in the season. If the athlete participated in the Relays previously, their past performance is considered as well.

In the 2015 Drake Relays, Young missed qualifying for finals in the 100-meter hurdles by less than a tenth of a second. She also ran on the 4x100, 4x200 and the 1600-meter sprint medley relays teams.

When Young found out that she was going to be running in the Relays this week she was overjoyed, as the event could prove crucial to maintaining a successful track career.

“This is probably one of the only times that we get to run against the fastest people in the nation,” Young said. “You can either run fast and keep up, or let the pressure get to you and run slower than you usually do.”

She is focused on beating her current record, a time of 13.38, and making it to the final round of qualifications for the Olympic trials.

“I want to try for this year, but

if I don’t get there this year then 2020 will be the next goal,” she said.

But Young doesn’t want to settle for 2020. She is determined to qualify for the Olympics this summer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a feat that requires continuous training and effort, something that is already required of Drake track athletes.

“We train year-round and everyday besides weekends, which is when we are usually running in meets,” Young said.

But staying in shape as well as being a record holder at Drake comes at a cost for Young. It has influenced her life in ways that haven’t always been preferable.

“I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of good food, parties and hanging out with friends who aren’t athletes,” she said. “Being a part of campus events (and) being a student-athlete is a full-time job.”

Young’s closest friends in college have usually been athletes because of the similarities in schedules and lifestyle choices, although much of her mentoring has come from elsewhere.

Bennett, for one, has helped Young reach her goals and pushed her to work her hardest, although other mentors have been a part of Young’s life for even longer.

“God and my family have been my biggest supporters through my whole career in track,” Young said.

“My key to success is always God. Without him I wouldn’t have any of the successes that I have now.”

“I run for him. I always say a prayer before I run. That’s what keeps me sane at the line,” she continued. “Of course, my coaches (support me too), but they kind of have to.”

Bennett speaks highly of Young and foresees a successful career for her, both on and off the track.

“In the future, I see Mary becoming the best studentathlete she could possibly be and hopefully be remembered as one of Drake’s greatest athletes.”

This spring, Young has already competed in the 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. She will likely compete in these same events this weekend when fans will have a chance to witness her break the school record and take one more stride towards reaching her goal of the Olympics.

PAGE D2 Alec Bartlett, the men’s soccer team’s 2015 captain, is now playing professionally after four years as a starting defender at Drake.

PAGE D3 Bulldogs won 12 events at the Jim Duncan Invitational, Drake’s only home meet besides The Drake Relays themselves.

PAGE D4 Men’s and Women’s Tennis are preparing for the MVC Championship, picking up some road wins as the regular season nears its end.

PAGE D6 The Bulldog Way, an integral part of Drake Athletics’ culture: What is it? What does it mean to the Bulldogs?

What’s next?

Check back online throughout the week for recaps of The Drake Relays on timesdelphic.com and by following us on Facebook and Twitter (@timesdelphic).

Daniela Buvat Staff Writer maria.buvatdevirginy@drake.edu @danielabuvat

The Times-Delphic

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PAGE D2

APRIL 25, 2016

MEN’S SOCCER

From captain to rookie: Bartlett graduates, signs pro contract, adjusts to USL soccer Adam Rogan Sports Editor adam.rogan@drake.edu @adam_rogan

After anchoring Drake Men’s Soccer’s defense for the past four years and scoring a crucial goal in the Bulldogs’ NCAA Tournament victory in 2015, Alec Bartlett has moved on to the next level of competitive soccer.

A 2015 Drake graduate and four-year starting centerback defender, Bartlett signed a professional contract with Charlotte Independence in the early months of 2016.

Although his playing time with the Independence may have been limited thus far, appearing in three of his new team’s first four games, Bartlett is already encountering and adjusting to the heightened expectations as a professional, while still remembering the lessons he learned as a Bulldog.

How he got there “It’s definitely a much faster game (compared to college),” Bartlett said. “You have to be mentally prepared to think ahead, to try and see plays before they happen. Sometimes in college you can get away with just being a bigger, faster, stronger kid.”

That physicality is something Bartlett has been able to rely on in college. Standing at an imposing 6-foot-4 and weighing in around 200 pounds, he was a force to be reckoned with by opposing attackers because of his ability to close down on breaking opponents quickly and force them off the ball — not to mention his presence on free balls played into the air.

After spending a year as a redshirt at Creighton, Bartlett transferred to Drake and found consistent playing time immediately. He started 19 games in 2012 and was named to the conference All-Freshman team.

Since then, he added another 59 starts in the three seasons that followed, more than any other Bulldog over that span. He’s been named to first-team all-conference twice and was team captain his senior year.

“When he first joined the (Drake men’s soccer) program you could see he had some innate leadership qualities,” said Gareth Smith, Drake Men’s Soccer head coach. “He just wasn’t too sure how to utilize those.”

One of the ways Bartlett grew into a leader was through coaching the backline, to James Grunert in particular.

As a leader

When Bartlett began playing at Drake as a sophomore, Grunert was on the sidelines as a redshirted freshman. The two developed a friendship on and off the field over the years that followed and have stayed in touch, despite the 1,050 miles that now separate the former teammates. Their relationship began with Bartlett’s mentoring of Grunert as fellow center backs, simultaneously learning the same lessons in college soccer.

“He was always kind of at that position that was right above me; he’s one year older than I am, he’s a little bit bigger,” Grunert said.

“I really look up to him. He kind of took me under his wing and everything that he’s done so far, he’s taught me along the way. I really appreciate everything he’s done in that aspect.”

Grunert lauded not only Bartlett’s ability to lead and excel

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at soccer, but also his extensive steadfastness, from faith to family to friendships, while also planning to attend medical school someday.

“He’s so open-minded and so committed to all of those things,” Grunert said, “I think that that is just another stepping stone for him.”

Bartlett’s presence was especially felt down the stretch in Drake’s 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Championship run and NCAA Tournament win. The Drake defense didn’t give up any goals in the MVC Tournament and only allowed the Kentucky Wildcats, a team that had been ranked 17th in the nation entering the match, to score once in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

He also scored an early goal against Kentucky, utilizing his superior size by battling for a free ball on a corner kick played into the box. That initial shot was saved, but Bartlett collected his own rebound to put the ball in the back of the net and gave Drake a 1-0 lead in a game that would end 2-1.

“Last year’s success puts us in the national limelight,” Smith said. “When he showed that he was capable of winning and competing at that level, it gives his ability a little more credibility.”

That work ethic is what helped Bartlett improve both his own skills and his team over the past four years. That progression played a large role in Bartlett’s advancement to the professional level, as did the support of those around him.

“Drake taught me so many great lessons,” Bartlett said.

“Coach Smith and his staff were always good about mentoring me.

A lot of this wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for my coaches, my teammates and my family.”

That support seems to be well placed, as Bartlett continues to exceed expectations and acheive his goals.

“He has a lot of natural ability, but he’s a very driven young man who when he sets his ambitions high he usually ends up with high achievements as well,” Smith said.

“He spent a lot of time trying to understand how to manage the collective unit as opposed to just being a good individual performer.

Over the last year, he’s been able to work on how he influences his backline and how he manages his backline in relation to the team.

I think he’s matured a lot in that sense.”

In addition to his effort, Drake’s soccer program — built up by the connections that Smith and the other assistant coaches have in the soccer community — has worked in helping him find an entryway onto professional clubs.

“As a program,” Smith said.

“We’ve been more intentional in reaching out to those professional programs and exposing our players to that level.”

working on improving his offball positioning and “refining the fundamentals.”

“I’ve adjusted well, but there are some things I need to pick up in my game,” he said. “Being able to multitask, being able to organize my team, being able to organize the guys in front of me, as well as position myself correctly based on where the ball is and based on where other people are running.”

Besides the speed of the game, the biggest adjustment for Bartlett has been transitioning from his role as team captain and one of the oldest members on his team to one of the youngest and least experienced. “(The pros) have a very steep learning curve and so he has to take in both the information he’s getting at the level he’s at and try to apply that very quickly on a daily basis, because your cycle to get that opportunity (to play professionally) is short,” Smith said. “At the professional level, sometimes it’s ability, sometimes it’s opportunity. Hopefully they both match up, but he’s definitely got the capability to compete at the next level.”

Bartlett ended up playing in Charlotte partially as a result of his relationship with Independence head coach Mike Jeffries. For the past two summers, Bartlett played for the Des Moines Menace in the Premier Development League (PDL), where Jeffries coached before moving on to Charlotte.

The PDL is an amateur league consisting mainly of college players and professional hopefuls looking to hone their skills and stay in shape during the offseason.

In the summer of 2015, Bartlett logged more minutes than anyone else on the Menace, thanks in part to how much he impressed Jeffries. “(Jeffries) and I have a good understanding and work well together and he’s always been good about pushing me,” Bartlett said. “I’m just excited I got the opportunity to play for him again where the stakes are a little (higher).”

The obstacles that have limited Bartlett’s minutes thus far have also proven to be one of his best assets. Those would be

the Independence’s two starting center backs: Bilal Duckett and Henry Kalungi, both of whom have spent time at the highest levels of professional soccer.

Duckett, Charlotte’s team captain, spent several years playing in the MLS and Kalungi captained the Ugandan national team in 2011.

This experience makes Duckett and Kalungi more indispensible on the field — as the duo has a combined 710 minutes of playing time as of April 21 — compared to Bartlett, the newcomer, who has played less than 10 minutes.

However, it also gives them added perspective and knowledge that can be used to mentor Bartlett, helping him improve and earn some more playing time.

Not all of Bartlett’s new teammates have such experience, however. Several of them have come from overseas or are postcollege players, all pursuing “the dream,” as Bartlett called it, of making a career and name for themselves in the game of soccer.

“You observe them lead and then you adapt your leadership to take in some of their good qualities,” Bartlett said. “It’s definitely a learning experience.

As a rookie, you’re there to keep your mouth shut, work hard and learn as much as you can … It’s a very interesting mix of people with all different levels of playing ability. There’s definitely higher competition, but it’s also fun because we’re paid to do what we love. It’s just a good locker room all-around.”

Future pro prospects

“I personally would love to see more of our players (go pro) because I think we have guys who are capable,” Smith said. “We just need to get them in the shop window and expose them.”

One of Smith’s main goals, besides taking the Drake men’s soccer team to its second consecutive conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth, is to help his soon‑to‑be graduates reach their potential, rather than stopping after their Bulldog careers are complete.

“Some players come into the

college game and they just want to be a very, very good college player, and they don’t dream too much past the college experience,” Smith said. “We’ve been very intentional in recruiting guys who have ambition beyond college because I think it adds a little different layer beyond your daily drive. Alec won’t be the last … (and) Alec’s not the first. We’ve had several guys play at the highest level and I would anticipate in the next year we have another two or three who will go on and play professionally.”

Grunert was optimistic about several of his teammates’ chances of reaching that “next level,” although he isn’t planning to purue a career in soccer himself.

James Wypych was ranked in the conference’s top five goal scorers and tied the conferencehigh three game-winning goals in 2015, marking him as a player with potential.

The same goes for Mueng Sunday, a midfielder who became Drake’s most effective distributor.

He finished 2015 with the conference’s second most assists (7).

Goalkeeper Darrin MacLeod has started the majority of Drake’s games since his redshirt-freshman year. His best season came in 2015 as well, sporting the third fewest goals against average (1.14), shutouts (7) and the second most saves (83) in the MVC. Should they move on to the next level, they’ll need to continue performing and succeeding in their senior seasons, making sure shine at the right times if they want any shot at going pro and maybe even playing against Bartlett, or perhaps being reunited as teammates.

Bartlett has spent years devoting much of his life to the game of soccer, and it’s paid off in the form of a professional contract.

Only time will tell if he’ll continue moving up the ranks, if his quick feet can remain on display.

“It’s always about that next level,” Grunert said. “For him, the next level is to play professionally and he’s finally got his foot in that door. I shouldn’t say he finally, he got his foot in right away.”

Changes in Charlotte

The Independence are a member of the United Soccer League (USL), a minor league affiliate of the Colorado Rapids in the Major League Soccer’s (MLS), America’s highest level of professional soccer.

As the Charlott’s fifth-youngest player and sixth defender, Bartlett is still fighting to get more playing time.

In the hopes of being tabbed to play more and have a chance of moving up to the MLS, Bartlett will need to improve a couple pieces of his game. Primarily, he’s

FILE PHOTO

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APRIL 25, 2016

PAGE D3

TRACK AND FIELD

Bulldogs earn 12 golds in Drake Stadium

SOPHOMORE CHRIS KAMINSKI (Top-left) leaps in the 3000-meter steeplechase where he finished in fourth, less than a second away from middling. (Right) Johnathan Osifuye lands in the sand pit during one of his jumps in the Jim Duncan Invitational. He won the triple jump on Friday and finished 11th in the long jump on Saturday. PHOTOS BY MOHAMAD SUHAIMI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Katherine Bauer Beat Writer katherine.bauer@drake.edu @bauer_katherine

Two weekends ago, Drake Stadium housed the 40th annual Jim Duncan Invitational, Drake’s only track and field meet besides the Drake Relays. However, three Bulldogs competed at the Mt. SAC Relays that Thursday in Norwalk, California.

Senior Emma Huston set another school record in her last year at Drake by racing the 10,000-meter in 33:55.89, about a half-second faster than the previous record, which stood for 33 years.

“It was my first 10K ever last week, so I wasn’t really sure how to run it since it’s such a different mindset and race strategy than other races,” Huston said. “I felt pretty strong and relaxed during the race, so hopefully that means I can drop some time if I run another 10K.” Huston placed fourth in the elite field. She was the top collegiate runner, finishing behind three professionals.

“Mt. SAC, like the Stanford meet earlier this season, is a very big distance meet,” Huston said.

“To get a regional qualifying mark in something as long as the 10K or even the 5K, it is vital to compete in these super-competitive distance meets. I really wanted to give the 10K a go and try for a regional qualifying time, and Mt. SAC was the place to do it.”

With this performance, Huston’s time is the fastest time by an MVC runner since 2014.

“It’s exciting that my time is up there with some of the top MVC performances over the last few years,” Huston said. “It’s exciting but also nerve-racking knowing that I can be competitive in the 10K as well as the 5K.” This latest record is an addition to the records Huston set in the indoor and outdoor 5000-meter earlier this season.

Junior Reed Fischer also competed in California in the elite invitational section of the 10,000-meter. He placed seventh in 29:09.86, the second-fastest time in Drake history.

Fischer was the third collegiate athlete to cross the finish line. His time is also the fastest in the MVC

this season.

Freshman Griffin Jaworski was the third Bulldog to compete at Mt. SAC, also in the 10,000-meter.

He placed 55th.

Back in Des Moines, the rest of the team competed at the Blue Oval and had first place finishes in 12 events.

On the second day of competition, senior Pierce Vincent earned two of those top finishes in the 100 and 200-meters with times of 10.95 and 21.95, respectively, despite unfavorable weather conditions.

“The wind was an issue, but I felt like I was moving pretty well,” Vincent said. “Under normal conditions, I feel like I would’ve (run a personal best). I’m in a good spot right now.”

Vincent earned a regional qualifying time in the 100-meter earlier this season. He is looking to do some fine-tuning in order to drop as much time as possible.

“I’ve been talking to my coach a lot, asking her where I can improve upon,” Vincent said.

“It’s really just pushing (to get) to where I want to be.”

Running on a familiar track was something that can help

athletes to relax. The track team often trains on the Blue Oval once it is warm enough.

“It’s just good being the home team,” Vincent said. “You don’t feel as nervous when you’re at a place that’s familiar to you.”

Three Bulldogs finished directly behind Vincent in the 100-meter. Demetrius Shelton placed second, Aaron Chier third and Kendall Owens fourth.

Cassie Aerts recorded a personal best with her first place finish in the 5000-meter. She finished in 17:43.32. She also finished third in the 5000-meter with another personal best of 17:51.35.

Johnathan Osifuye placed first in the triple jump with a jump of 49 feet, 1.75 inches, his first win of the season.

“It felt really good to just go out and jump big again,” Osifuye said.

“I’ve had kind of a tough season so far, but just to go out and do what I know how to do felt really good.”

Osifuye is looking for more great performances and improvements as Relays draw nearer.

“It’ll be good to hopefully get another big jump… and be ready to go and make finals at Relays,”

Osifuye said. “(I’m) just working on carrying through all my phases, just getting big and grabbing big jumps.”

Kayla Bell and Taryn Rolle continued their routine of top five finishes in the long jump, finishing first and fourth, respectively. Bell matched her best jump of 19 feet.

Also on the field, Christina LeMunyon won the pole vault with a vault of 10-11.75. David Silkman recorded a 175 feet, 6 inches javelin throw to place second.

Back on the track, Rai AhmedGreen placed second and first in the 100 and 200 meters, respectively. Robert McCann was first in the 1500-meter in 3:54.88.

Athletes travelled to the Kansas Relays and Musco Twilight last weekend for some final, pre-Relays competition. The final lineup for Bulldogs competing at the Drake Relays is yet to be determined, although several are assumed to be locked in. Aerts, AhmedGreen, Fischer, Huston, Vincent, Young, among others are expected to compete this weekend, sporting Drake’s colors on the Blue Oval.

DRAKE RELAYS PREVIEW

Athletes’ anticipation for Drake Relays amps up Katherine Bauer Beat Writer katherine.bauer@drake.edu @bauer_katherine

SENIOR CASSIE AERTS (Top) runs in the 5000-meter, which she won with a time of 17:43.32. (Bottom) Junior Kathryn Ambrose clears the bar in the pole vault on April 16. PHOTOS BY MOHAMAD SUHAIMI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Edition 43

Athletes lace up their cleats and wear their school colors as they step onto the Blue Oval.

The stands are full as professional athletes stroll by, preparing for their events.

For three days in April, track and field dominates the Drake campus as hundreds of athletes and thousands of spectators from all over the world converge on Des Moines for the Drake Relays.

For Drake’s own track and field athletes, the Drake Relays creates a unique atmosphere on their home track.

“It’s probably the biggest meet I’ve ever been to,” said Pierce Vincent, a senior track and field sprinter. “Track and field is popular, but to this degree? I wouldn’t say like that.”

From professional athletes to live broadcasts, this meet has become unlike any other.

“You can watch track meets on TV, and I’ve done that before,”said Rai Ahmed-Green, a sophomore sprinter. “It’s really different being the person being televised and having all the people in the stands

cheering for you.”

Track and field is not exactly the national pastime, but Relays brings out the track fans in people.

Attendance at the Drake Relays consistently ranks in the top 25 for U.S. track events, according to tracksuperfan.com.

“It’s the best week of the year because our sport is celebrated,” said sophomore distance runner Bailee Cofer. “When people are coming in from all over the country to watch the meet, and when people appreciate what the sport is about, it’s really cool because that’s what we dedicate a lot of our time to.”

Besides the 200-plus collegiate athletes competing, Relays draws in professional athletes looking for some high-level competition before the Olympics or those hoping to reach that qualifying time or distance. The close proximity with these stars is a surreal moment for collegiate competitors.

Ahmed-Green said that the professional athletes are usually ready to take photos and talk about race strategy because they have already accomplished what everyone else is trying to do.

“Track isn’t the biggest sport in terms of worldwide news, but

for people who run track and are in it, they’re kind of like our celebrities,” Ahmed-Green said. “I feel like track is one of those guilds in which people who have made it to the top kind of understand that people trying to get to the top still need advice and still need mentorship.”

For other athletes, seeing professional runners is simply a star-struck kind of moment.

“To see (Olympians) run, to get to that level and to perform is just amazing,” Vincent said. “To see someone run that fast sometimes is just unnatural.”

Outside of the Blue Oval, festivities leading up to Relays take place all throughout the week, from the Beautiful Bulldog Contest yesterday to the pole vault at Capital Square on Wednesday, April 27. Nearly everyone on Drake’s campus takes part and that’s Cofer’s favorite part of Relays.

“Participating in relays (last year) was a huge honor,” Cofer said. “It was awesome, but I think what I enjoyed more than that was just how involved everyone on campus was in Relays. The campus is really alive with the spirit of Drake Relays. You really can’t beat that.”

The Times-Delphic

PAGE D4

APRIL 25, 2016

STUDENT-ATHLETE FEATURE

Drake’s Dutchman: sprinter joins track Levi Larson Staff Writer levi.larson@drake.edu @levibellelarson

The men’s track team at Drake University picked up junior sprinter Bas Van Leersum in the fall of 2015. Before joining the Bulldogs, he spent two years attending Santa Barbara City College in California.

Hailing from Zaandam, Netherlands, Van Leersum found he was drawn to the United States for its depictions in the movies. “High School Musical,” in particular, was one of Van Leersum’s favorites.

“I really thought it would be like the movies,” Van Leersum said.

It is only the weather that he misses from his time in California, as Iowa has become a new home for Van Leersum, even if it may only be temporary.

Despite the vast differences between the fictional East High School in “High School Musical” and American universities, Van

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Leersum is open to staying in the United States if it is a viable option after finishing his schooling, although much of that will depend on extending his visa. For now, Van Leersum is taking it one day at a time.

Not just a hobby

For Van Leersum, track is a lifestyle. He began his track career about 13 years ago with the encouragement of his parents.

“My parents thought I was pretty fast, so we decided (to) just try this out,” Van Leersum said.

Even though Van Leersum has been running competitively for more than a decade, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t changes still waiting for him in track.

School-organized sports teams are a relatively new concept to Van Leersum. In the Netherlands, sports are organized as clubs.

High school, college or university sports don’t exist as they do in the United States.

Adapting to school-sponsored sports has been a process for Van Leersum, but he enjoys his place

on the Drake men’s track team.

“I don’t know what I would do without track,” Van Leersum said.

At Drake, his contributions to the team have mainly consisted short-distance races. During the indoor season, Van Leersum ran the 400-meter, the event where he is now the Drake record holder.

Before breaking the university record at the Iowa State Classic on Feb. 13, Van Leersum’s personal best had been 48.04 seconds, less than three-and-a-half seconds away from the previous school record set by Mike Jorgensen in 1982.

The moment Van Leersum realized he’d beaten Jorgensen’s record with a time of 47.53 is one he will never forget.

“I just remember screaming in excitement,” Van Leersum said.

“My coaches were much calmer about it, saying ‘Good job.’”

In outdoor meets, Van Leersum runs the 400-meter hurdle.

“I’m working to break the 400-meter hurdle record this spring,” he said.

Van Leersum believes

consistency and quality coaching to be the foundation to his success. One of those coaches is LaRon Bennett, who has enjoyed coaching Van Leersum this season.

“He’s a hard-worker,” Bennet said. “We like that here at Drake.”

To work towards achieving his record-setting goals, he has been training between two and three hours each day. The intensity of these workouts decreases throughout the week as meets approach, especially for bigger events like the Drake Relays.

“At Drake we do things a little different,” Bennett said. “We focus on execution rather than time or placing.”

This logic comes from the notion that execution determines performance and placing. It is always their goal to place among the top three.

Van Leersum is no exception to this technique. His practices have been focused on repetition, aiming to perfect form rather than speed.

“It’s exciting to see where he

can go,” Bennett said.

Preparing for the Drake Relays

This will be Van Leersum’s first Drake Relays, and he has only heard good things about the event.

“I love that it’s the biggest meet,” Van Leersum said. “At other schools, everyone focuses on basketball or football, but at Drake, it’s the Relays.”

To prepare for the big event, Van Leersum is treating the Drake Relays like any other track meet.

“I think what I’ve been doing has been working, so I’m going to keep doing it,” Van Leersum said.

As Relays draw near, the focus on speed during practice will increase. Right now, the focus has been on volume, meaning repetition.

This is the same preparation strategy employed by Van Leersum for all meets during the season.

“I just see it as any other meet,” Van Leersum said.

MEN’S TENNIS

Tennis Drake escapes with ‘W’ on road wins in Indiana Adam Rogan Sports Editor adam.rogan@drake.edu @adam_rogan

Adam Rogan Sports Editor adam.rogan@drake.edu @adam_rogan

Road matches have been a bane for Women’s Tennis this year, but the team finally broke its drought with a 4-0 victory in Evansville, Indiana.

The victory over bottomof-the-conference Evansville improved Drake to 2-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference and to 1-7 on the road.

The Bulldogs won the doubles match by a combined final score of 16-3. Sophomore Tess Herder followed by blanking her opponent 6-0, 6-0 in singles.

The match was a decisive win for the Bulldogs before they traveled to Southern Illinois University the next day.

SIU is still undefeated in the MVC, although Drake nearly managed to pull off the upset on April 17.

The Bulldogs won the doubles point, but couldn’t close out the match in singles despite a straightset victory from Herder and Johnson’s ninth-consecutive win.

“It was a tough loss against SIU,” freshman Joely Lomas said.

“We maybe lacked a little bit of focus in closing out the match.”

Drake played its final regular season matches on Saturday and Sunday after The Times-Delphic went to print: two home matches against Bradley and Illinois State.

The Bulldogs are focusing on consistency for the upcoming conference tournament, aiming to build on the things that have been working this season.

“It’s only a week before we leave, so there are no drastic changes being made,” Lomas said. “We’re looking forward to the competition. Obviously it’s really exciting for me, because I’ve never played (in the tournament) before.”

“We’ve been preparing,” Herder added, “attacking, coming to the net, executing our points.”

The Times-Delphic

The Drake men’s tennis team, ranked 46th in the nation, closed out its nonconference schedule with a 4-3 road win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers on April 13 in a match that saw both teams’ ability to battle when trailing.

After taking the doubles point, the Bulldogs held a 1-0 advantage over the unranked Cornhuskers.

But the lead disappeared in a hurry as Drake’s inconsistency emerged yet again.

In a month-long stretch of eight home matches lasting from late February until March 22, the Bulldogs lost just one match. The first weekend back on the road on March 26-27, Drake lost three matches to Rice, Texas Tech and William & Mary, never coming closer than 4-2.

“We’ve got a great group of talented young men,” head coach Davidson Kozlowski said.

“They’ve shown that they can beat some of the best teams and best players in the country, but with the inexperience we’ve also kind of wandered off and … haven’t been able to close out some teams when we’ve been in position to.”

The Bulldogs’ longest win streak of the season (six games) was followed by its worst weekend 13 days later.

For sophomore Bayo Phillips, the main cause of Drake’s inconsistency is a lack of energy from within the players themselves.

“We have to click as a team, both on and off the court,” Phillips said. “The only difference is playing with more fire, with more intensity.”

This wasn’t an obstacle that the Bulldogs faced last year, Phillips said. The 2014-15 team was led by four seniors, mainly Ravi Patel, who finished the year with a record of 20-5, and Alen Salibasic, Drake’s No. 1 who was consistently ranked in the nation’s top 40 by the end of his senior season.

“This year, some people have been on, some people have been hot, some people have been cold,” Phillips said.

Drake’s 4-1 win over conference

rivals Wichita State on April 9 brought some hope, but their confidence had still been shaken by the devastating weekend in late-March.

“We’re just mainly looking to focus on playing Drake tennis right now, playing our best,” Phillips said. We’ve had some big wins, but we haven’t sustained consistently playing our best.”

Against Nebraska, the Bulldogs won in doubles, but the Cornhuskers tied the match with a 6-3, 6-4 win on court No. 6 over freshman Tom Hands. Phillips fell in a close first set, losing 7-5, and couldn’t turn it around in the second set, falling 6-3.

Drake’s only senior, Ben Lott, nearly forced his game to a third set on court No. 1, but wasn’t able to survive a tiebreaker in set two to lose 6-4, 7-6.

These three losses turned Drake’s lead into a 3-1 deficit, meaning that sophomores Ben Stride and Calum MacGeoch and freshman Vinny Gillespie would need to win out should Drake return to Iowa victorious.

Stride had fallen behind three games to zero in the first set, but battled back to win 7-5. He didn’t have as much trouble in the second set, winning 6-3 and giving Drake its second point of the day.

Both MacGeoch and Gillespie fell in their first sets – 2-6 and 6-7 respectively – but pulled out wins in the following set to force a pair of third sets.

MacGeoch broke a serve, something he’s had a knack for

this season, early in the second set, giving him a needed boost to close out the match. He won set two 6-4 and cruised to a 6-2 victory in set three.

The match was tied, three points for Drake, three for Nebraska.

Again, Gillespie was put into another high-pressure, win-it-all or lose-it-all situation. Drake has had seven matches come down to the final match this season, and Gillespie has been the last man standing for five of them.

And he was up to the challenge yet again.

“There’s a lot pressure on you, so you feel you need to get it done,” Gillespie said.

He controlled his opponent on court No. 2, winning 12 of the last 15 games to win the match 6-7, 6-2, 6-1.

“I’m always long on matches, so it’s luck that brings it down to me,” Gillespie said. “But because I’m last on I always get more motivation, because I know they need me.”

The win improved Gillespie to 14-6 on the season. He has now won three-straight decisive matches to improve to 3-2 in that scenario.

Still, it hasn’t been entirely Gillespie who’s won those matches for Drake. He needed his teammates to get him into a situation where he can secure the wins for his team.

“What helped us get the win?

The Scots: Calum and Vinny,” Phillips said with a chuckle. “We

kind of escaped with that match, but those two boys are tough and they fought it out. They got us the win, I would say.”

Drake played its final two matches of the regular season on Saturday in a doubleheader against Missouri Valley Conference opponents Illinois State and Southern Illinois, after The Times-Delphic went to print.

The MVC Championship Tournament will start on April 29 in Wichita, Kansas, where the Bulldogs will look to win its third straight conference championship.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Gillespie said. “I’m hoping that our team can perform and hopefully I can show my team that I can step up in conference.”

For Kozlowski, his biggest hope is that his team – half of whom have never played in the postseason before – will show a desire and need to win conference so that, should they succeed, they can send Lott off with another MVC trophy.

“We’re trying to get them to be hungry and want this and not take previous teams, MVC Championships or previous years’ success for granted. These guys have to go out and earn it themselves,” Kozlowski said. “We really want them to make their own identity here … We don’t want to have any senior go out on a conference loss … We’ve gotten accustomed and used to winning (the conference championship), and we don’t that to stop.”

SENIOR BEN LOTT runs down a shallowly played ball in the final match of his career in the Roger Knapp Tennis Center on April 9. He won in straight sets, improving to 7-2 at home. PHOTO BY MOHAMAD SUHAIMI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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APRIL 25, 2016

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STUDENT-ATHLETE FEATURE

STUDENT-ATHLETE FEATURE

Fischer shows no signs Record-setter is of slowing as a junior ready for future Cross-country powers success in track Katherine Bauer Beat Writer katherine.bauer@drake.edu @bauer_katherine

Junior Reed Fischer has been having his best collegiate track season in 2016, coming after his best cross country season in the fall. Besides consistent top finishes in the 3000-meter and 5000-meter, he ran just 0.44 seconds behind the 3000-meter indoor school record of 8.06.44 at the Iowa State Classic in February.

“I think missing the 3K (record) that narrowly has made getting the 5K (outdoors record) more of something that I intrinsically need to do now,” Fischer said At Relays this year, Fischer, a public relations and English double major, is looking for a regional qualifying time in the 5000-meter. However, this is not the only goal he and fellow distance runner Rob McCann are seeking.

“In an ideal world at Relays, we would want to (place) one (and) two (in the 5000-meter), both running under the school record and both run regional qualifiers, which would be probably the best night of my life if all that happens,” Fischer said. “So even if we can get one or two of those things to happen, (it) would be a success.”

At the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championship, Fischer finished third in the 3000-meter and turned in a second-place finish in the 5000-meter. However, he was unable to gain a regional qualifying time with these races.

Originally from Minnetonka, Minnesota, Fischer found a passion for running by playing soccer as a kid.

“I scored one goal, and I played for like eight years,” Fischer said.

“I kind of found running through that because it was the thing I liked the most about soccer. So I thought, ‘Okay, I could do a sport where that’s all I do.’”

Fischer entered his freshman cross-country season at Drake ready to race and compete — though he was not at the level required for collegiate competition.

“My mileage wasn’t super high,” Fischer said. “I was racing well, but comparatively, it wasn’t nearly as well as this year.

Sophomore year was the build up to this year.”

The cross-country and track seasons keep Fischer training nearly all year-round. He said his training went well last summer, making him eager for this year to begin.

2015 graduates Conor Wells and Brogan Austin kept Fischer from being the top distance runner on the track team in years past. He was able to step into that top position and leadership roles this year.

“I knew there were going to be spots to fill, both as a leader and as a top guy on the team,” Fischer said. “A big way that I try to (be a leader) is lead by example.”

When meet day arrives, Fischer helps the newer runners know what to expect.

“At the meets, you’re just being the voice of reason,” Fischer said.

“You’re coming in with a different mindset … than a lot of the guys are. You have to help prepare them along the way and make sure they’re in the best possible situation.”

Drake head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach Dan Hostager has noticed the passion and drive Fischer has on and off the track. Fischer and his teammates eat dinner together almost every night at Hubbell

Dining Hall after practice and often study together in the library.

“What’s even more impressive than being a great student‑athlete is that he is well rounded and involved in a lot of various organizations across campus and throughout the community,” Hostager said.

“He lives a very healthy lifestyle and does a lot of the little things that are necessary to be successful outside of practice,” Hostager continued. “Drake’s athletic department has done a great job of providing some exceptional leadership training through their various programs, such as Drake Emerging Leaders Collaboration and Seeds of Success, and Reed has taken advantage of those programs.”

Fischer said that the work put in during two and a half hours of practice every day is not enough for him and his teammates to perform as well as they can.

“If you’re not doing all the things outside of practice like recovering well, hydrating, getting in sleep, making sure all your class work is done, a lot of the hard work that you do in practice is instantly negated,” Fischer said.

Fischer has given some thought to what racing might hold for him after graduation. He sees many possibilities in his future.

“I’ve given a lot of thought to being a collegiate coach and a lot of thought going to grad school and being a graduate assistant coach,” he said. “It’s going to depend on how this year goes then how senior year goes. It’s something that I’m still really passionate about, so if it’s a possibility I’m going to pursue it as far as I can.”

Katherine Bauer Beat Writer katherine.bauer@drake.edu @bauer_katherine

Senior distance runner Emma Huston is nearing the end of her last year at Drake with three school records on her resume.

At the Mt. SAC Relays two weekends ago, Huston set the new 10,000-meter school record by finishing in 33:55.89. The 33-year-old record was broken by about half a second.

“If you’d asked me even a year ago if I ever thought that I could break a school record I would have said ‘No way,’” Huston said. “I never thought that would happen, but I’m very happy with my accomplishments and I hope to keep improving my times.”

While the 10,000-meter record is her latest achievement, the indoor season set Huston up well for the success. She consistently recorded top-five finishes in the indoor mile and 3000-meter, while creeping closer to several school records.

In February, the biology and environmental science double major ran the 5000-meter in 16:17.30 to beat the 16-year-old Drake record by more than 27 seconds, knowing that her final indoor season was near its end.

“It’s hard because we really don’t get to race that much,” Huston said. “When you’re close (to a record), you might not have another opportunity to make that.”

Early on in the outdoor season, Huston shattered the 33-yearold 5000-meter school record by nearly 10 seconds at the Stanford invitational, her second outdoor meet of the season.

Before running as the competitive athlete she is today, Huston started her career at Drake with plenty of room for improvement.

“When I first came to Drake,

I wasn’t very good,” Huston said.

“So I’ve definitely improved a lot over the last four years. It was kind of gaining my confidence, and now I have the experience and stuff to really be as competitive as I wanted to be.”

Dan Hostager, head crosscountry and assistant track coach, has seen Huston’s progress.

“Our team puts in a tremendous amount of work to be competitive at the Division I level, and it’s certainly an adjustment for everyone from high school,” Hostager said. “Success takes a lot of time and patience. Emma sets the bar very high in all areas of life and when you relate that to training at an elite level, there’s not always enough hours in the day.”

Between cross-country and track, she is kept running all year. Huston anchored the team in her last cross-country season, especially with a win at the Bulldog Classic.

“The success Emma had during the fall cross country season certainly helped with her confidence,” Hostager said. “She’s not afraid to go up against the best in the nation.”

Huston oftentimes runs at more competitive meets, head-tohead against professionals.

In the classroom, Huston also earned the Missouri Valley Conference’s Elite 18 Award for having the highest cumulative GPA (3.959) amongst those who competed at the conference championship.

After graduation, Huston will attend Portland State University to pursue a master’s degree in environmental management.

She said that, while she has not thought too far ahead about her racing career, it is something she does not want to stop soon.

“Running and being outdoors is a big part of the culture out there,” Huston said. “So I’ll definitely keep running.”

TRACK AND FIELD COLUMN

What you need to know to be a track fan Long Jump & Triple Jump

Bailee Cofer Columnist bailee.cofer@drake.edu

Sprints The sprints consist of all races shorter than the 400 meters, so think 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. No more than eight athletes can race at once because in the sprints, every athlete must stay in their own lane.

For these events, athletes usually use blocks to start. This is to help them start the race more quickly and can make or break the race, depending on how well they “get out of the blocks.”

These races are very short, so try not to blink or you might miss the action.

Edition 43

After picking up speed down the runway, an athlete must jump from behind the white line in front of the sand pit in distance jumps. A “scratch” is when an athlete steps over the white line then rendering that jump invalid as a scratch. A red flag from the official signals a foul and a white flag means the jump was legal.

After three preliminary jumps, the top nine jumpers advance to the final round, where they will jump three more times.

Sometimes in these events a jumper will prompt the crowd to start clapping. The fans should clap along slowly at first before picking up speed. The crowd should not start clapping without being prompted to. (And if an audience member struggles to keep a steady beat, it is probably best to refrain from clapping at all.)

Hurdles Hurdlers must go over the hurdles. Any hurdler who goes under, around or pushes a hurdle over with their hands is disqualified. If a hurdle is knocked over by a competitor’s legs while jumping over them, they are not disqualified.

Many hurdles will be knocked over during Relays.

Mid-Distance & Distance There can be more than eight people in distance events, as runners can share lanes and usually all race in lane one. If a runner falls from contact in the first 100 meters of these events, the gun is fired and the race is restarted.

In all races longer than 400 meters (the length of the track), a lap counter is used at the finish line that indicates how many laps of the race are left for the front-runner.

High jump & Pole Vault For these events, the bar is set at a specific opening height.

Jumpers/Vaulters can choose to come in at that height or pass to start jumping once its been raised.

Each jumper gets three attempts to clear the bar at each height.

If an athlete starts his/ her approach to the bar but decides not to jump/vault, they may circle back around and restart if 1. they have not have crossed the plane of the bar and 2. the clock is still running.

Ties go to the person who cleared the bar in the fewest attempts.

Throws The outdoor throwing events are javelin, hammer throw, discus and shot put.

Javelin is thrown from a runway while the other three start in a ring. All throws must land in the “sector,” which is the area between the out-of-bounds markers to the left and right or else a foul will be incurred. In hammer, discus and shot put, stepping on or outside of the throwing ring or failing to exit the ring properly (through the back) results in disqualification.

Never get in the way of a launched javelin, hammer or shot put, as serious injury will most likely occur.

Steeplechase Known for its epic water barrier failures, steeplechase is meant to simulate cross country on a track and is basically a distance hurdles event. The race is 3000-meters long with a steeple barrier on every straightaway and a water barrier

on the first turn. Athletes must clear each barrier by either hurdling it or stepping onto and over the barrier. Athletes usually do not wear goggles or water shoes — although some could potentially benefit from them.

The Times-Delphic

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APRIL 25, 2016

STUDENT-ATHLETE LIFE

Bulldog Way unites, guides Drake teams Adam Rogan Sports Editor adam.rogan@drake.edu @adam_rogan

Great and storied teams oftentimes have a motif at the core of what they do, a concrete belief to ascribe to and believe in.

The Fighting Irish, for example, all immediately recognize the placard that reads “Play like a champion today” on the way to the tunnel in Notre Dame Stadium. Others are a little more informal and simple, such as the New Orleans Saints’ “Who Dat?” Some are more visual, like FSU’s Tomahawk Chop or the University of Florida’s Gator Chomp.

The foundation of Drake University’s athletic culture is a little different than an arm motion, chant or song. It’s more deliberate and systematic, based upon research and intelligent decision-making. Perhaps it holds a deeper meaning as a result.

At the start of the 2010s, Drake Athletics moved to strengthen the sense of unity across programs in the pursuit of continued and increased success. And so, The Bulldog Way was created.

and what they wanted to have in their team culture, the things they wanted to accomplish, winning championships,” Fox said, “but now (The Bulldog Way) has united us around a common vision, a common theme amongst all the teams ... You move forward based on your foundation and who you are, so we had to know who we were and we needed to know where we were going to go.”

These goals are spelled out in The Bulldog Way Playbook, a booklet given to every Drake student-athlete at a yearly welcome back picnic where the entirety of Drake Athletics comes together to commit and recommit to The Bulldog Way. The Playbook analyzes each of the tenets in depth, expanding on how they should be applied in athletics and how the players should carry and conduct themselves in the classroom and the community.

Assistant Men’s Soccer coach Kyle Smith was around for the early stages of The Bulldog Way in 2011 and 2012, but has been

from each team meet to review a portion of the Playbook, discuss what’s been working and what hasn’t with their respective teams in practice, and anything else that may be benefit their colleagues, directly tying into the fourth tenet of The Bulldog Way. “(If) I know what your vision is (then) I can help you move forward, and you can help us move forward,” Fox said.

On a more personal level, interteam support and friendships have prospered amongst the players of different programs through the implementation of brother/sister teams, another aspect of The Bulldog Way. Members of brother and sister teams are obligated to attend the other teams’ games to show their support. This helps fill seats at the Knapp Center, Drake Stadium, Ron Buel Field and the Roger Knapp Tennis Center, creating more competitive atmospheres and breaking down divides between the programs.

“It’s bonding, but I think it’s more than bonding,” Fox explained. “It’s created a sense of

coaching in Tennessee over the past three years before returning to Drake in February. Having not been around for the intermediate phase, Smith is able to see the full impact of The Bulldog Way, still only half a decade old, with fresh eyes.

“I was happy that that was transitioning, and now I actually see the effects of it,” Smith said.

“There’s a good system in place …

(The student-athletes) are learning more about being a leader.”

A primary benefit that Smith has observed is a cohesiveness of language. Since the introduction of The Bulldog Way and its corresponding Playbook, Smith has observed, the divide between coaches and players has shrunk.

“It’s been exciting to be around it in the short-term,” Smith said.

“The same terminology I’m using, they’re aware (of it). It really is fun.”

It’s unclear if the singularity in terminology resulted from the greater bond that the teams share or vice versa. What is clear, at least to those who have been involved in Drake Athletics in the longterm, is that the teams have come together more strongly in recent years.

“I’ve never had a full buy-in from all athletes surrounding me,” said Sammy Nielsen, a junior distance runner on the track and field team. “In high school, your team might have a goal that you set together or something like that, but everyone is on the same page with (The Bulldog Way).”

This encourages teams to support and teach and learn from one another, helping advance the Drake Athletics as a whole.

Every month, the head coaches

pride together … as opposed to all happening to have the same name on our jerseys and uniforms.”

“We’re starting to have a little bit more of that chip on our shoulder about what excellence looks like, so it’s working,” Hatfield Clubb added.

That extra tenacity seems have an effect on various teams’ success, particularly in the postseason.

Men’s Tennis has won two straight conference championships, earning berths in the NCAA Tournament and advancing to the second round in 2015. The men’s soccer team made it to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament last year as well, the second time it’s gone so far in its history.

Women’s Basketball has proven itself to be a premier team in the Missouri Valley Conference with two consecutive second place finishes in the regular season.

Drake Football has been 50-27 since 2009 with a home record of 35-6.

Even if the impact on competitive performance are evident, The Bulldog Way isn’t restricted to athletics. For redshirtfreshman Men’s Soccer midfielder Ben Troester, he feels like the strengthened off-the-field ethics have translated into improved performances and results.

“The integrity part has been a big thing for us, keeping each other accountable on and off the field,” Troester said. “Making sure that we’re acting with integrity around campus, trying to be good role models and ambassadors for the athletic department and for Drake in general.”

“As athletes and as competitors, I think it’s always our goal to

Effects

win,” he continued. “(Winning) championships, I think that really comes from all the other (tenets).”

“(The Bulldog Way) has got to be our heartbeat and the pulse has got to get stronger ... I don’t think that we’ve tapped into all that there is for us. I think that we’ve got a long way to go to get out of The Bulldog Way what’s there for us, but we’ve started to and we’ve made progress.”

– Rick Fox Head football coach

Drake has begun to expect and accept nothing less than the best.

The bar is high, but the Bulldogs are matching it more often than not.

Development

The Bulldog Way is built upon five tenets: 1. Integrity.

2. Commitment to excellence.

3. Outwork and outhustle.

4. Desiring the best for and expecting the best from each other.

5. Maximizing potential by aspiring to greatness.

“The Bulldog Way is what we call our touchstone,” said Drake Athletic Director Sandy Hatfield Club. “It’s the foundation of our culture. It’s the words that help us understand how we’re going to act out our values every day.”

Developing The Bulldog Way was a year-long process that wore down the staff, who had no way of knowing if their work would eventually pay off.

It started with a series of questioning as the Drake Athletics administration tried to figure out what the words of The Bulldog Way should say, even if didn’t have a name yet.

“There were a number of meetings in terms of ‘What is our culture? Who are we? What are we all about?’” said Drake head football coach Rick Fox. These questions would be addressed in the writing process that followed.

“It drove me nuts,” Hatfield Clubb said. “I thought it might take us 30 days. It took us a year.”

The concept for having the touchstone came from the Institute for Excellence & Ethics (IEE), a non-profit based in Lafayette, New York.

The IEE’s mission is to develop and disseminate “research-based tools for building the culture of excellence and ethics in school, sport, workplace, home and community,” according to its website.

The Robert D. and Billy Ray Center (formerly known as Character Counts) – a Drakebased group focused around developing ethical future leaders – also played a role in the development and implementation of The Bulldog Way. It wasn’t an entirely new concept, however. Much of the input that went into The Bulldog Way came from coaches and players who were already a part of Drake Athletics with their own perspectives, goals and views.

“Each team, eight years ago, had their own goals and vision

The Times-Delphic

Academics

In the past half-decade, Drake student-athletes’ academics have improved significantly. Just over 60 percent of DU athletes had a GPA of 3.0 or above in 2010.

Now that number is pushing 80 percent. In 2014-15, Drake won its second consecutive MVC AllAcademic Award behind 4.0s being posted by 46 Bulldogs.

Part of this improvement is the result of more rigorous expectations being implemented. “(There are) standards that you need to meet and if you can’t meet them you’re either going to work towards meeting them or you’re going to be gone,” Troester said.

It still isn’t a perfect system, as not every team has shown athletic improvement.

Bulldog Way 2.0

The men’s basketball team’s win percentage has dropped to .400 over the past five seasons, after being a cumulative .558 in the five seasons previous. Football’s win percentage dropped as well, but only by .020.

On the other side of the coin, Men’s Tennis’s win percentage has jumped by .089 since 2010 and Women’s Tennis has five straight winning seasons while boosting its win percentage by .266 in that same time frame.

That’s why the administration isn’t fully satisfied with The Bulldog Way as it exists. It can still get better. Just because the words are set in stone (or, more accurately, printed on paper), it doesn’t mean that all of The Bulldog Way’s potential applications have been explored.

The Playbook, largely unchanged over the past five years,

is ready for an upgrade, according to Hatfield Clubb and Fox. Hatfield Clubb is looking toward the next step of The Bulldog Way – “The Bulldog Way 2.0” as she calls it – to be a continuous commitment and development of Drake Athletics. “(The Bulldog Way) has got to be our heartbeat and the pulse has got to get stronger,” Fox said.

“I don’t think that we’ve tapped into all that there is for us. I think that we’ve got a long way to go to get out of The Bulldog Way what’s there for us, but we’ve started to and we’ve made progress.”

The keyword there is “progress,” and two Drake juniors have an idea of how to go about achieving that.

Advancing The Bulldog Way

Nielsen and softball infielder Kaitlyn Finneran want to spread the influence of Drake Athletics and The Bulldog Way beyond just Drake’s campus.

The two of them, each of whom are members of The Student Athletic Advisory Committee, hope and plan to convert a section of the welcome back picnic into a service project. They want the whole of Drake Athletics to package food at Meals from the Heartland, a non-profit based in Central Iowa that packaged more than 15 million meals in 2015 to combat hunger in the U.S. “We’re trying to make (the welcome back picnic) more impactful,” Nielsen said. “What we’re trying to do is take (The Bulldog Way) and put it into action so we’re impacting the world.”

Should the plan be put into action, the group of around 400 athletes, coaches and staff would be able to package upwards of 20,000 meals in a matter of hours, according to Nielsen.

“Oh my gosh, you need to be in front of everybody presenting this,” said Hatfield Clubb after witnessing the proposal the duo gave to the Drake Athletics administration in mid-March.

Even if Nielsen and Finneran’s plan is a step forward, it wouldn’t be the first time that studentathletes would have done service as an extension of The Bulldog Way. As a freshman, Nielsen remembers sharing her experiences regarding stress management and goal setting at middle schools in the hopes of better preparing kids for the future.

In addition to service, freshmen student-athletes are now required to enroll in the LEAD 100 – Leadership: Influence and Change course. The name of the course sums up what Drake Athletics is looking for its members to get out of it. They want to develop individuals who can make a positive impact on the world. “(Being a student-athlete) gives you a platform to reach people that you maybe wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach,” Nielsen said. “You are given a privilege to impact others in that way.”

The Bulldog Way may not be as easy to remember as “Who Dat” or as well-known as “Play Like A Champion Today,” but that’s not its goal. The Gator Chomp doesn’t act as an ethical guide. It’s simple, but doesn’t hold much depth.

Having integrity persists in every aspect of life. Desiring the best for and from your peers affects more people than just a single team.

It may not be simple or easy, but taking the road most-travelled isn’t the Bulldog way. It’s not in the Playbook, at least.

Edition 43

APRIL 25, 2016

PAGE D7

SOFTBALL

Drake drops four straight, first MVC losses

ASSISTANT COACH Kasey Griffith (left) stands ready as the first base coach for the batting Bulldogs against Missouri State last weekend. (Right) Sophomore pitcher Kailee Smith’s ERA has been steadily improving since early March, dropping nearly eight points. She gave up just one earned run in 4.1 innings against UNI on April 19. PHOTOS BY MOHAMAD SUHAIMI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Matthew Gogerty Beat Writer matthew.gogerty@drake.edu @matt_gogo

It was an unusual week for Drake Softball. The team, who was undefeated in the Missouri Valley Conference coming into the week, has won only one of five games since April 12.

After losing to the University of Iowa on the road, the Bulldogs came back home for a three game weekend series against the Missouri State Bears, where they were able to snag a single win before being saddled with their first two losses of the conference season.

That was followed by two blowout losses in a doubleheader at the University of Northern Iowa, Drake losing by a combined score of 15-1.

Missouri State

The series against Missouri State began Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader.

The first game had a slow start, with neither team scoring in the first two innings.

In the bottom of the third, things started to pick up for the Bulldogs. Freshman Kennedy Frank had a home run that put Drake up one. After a couple of walks, junior Ashlie Chambers flew out to center for an RBI sac‑fly to extend the lead to two.

In the top of the fourth, the Bears were able to get their first and only run of the game off of Sophomore Nicole Newman with a home run down the left field line.

The Bulldogs were quiet from the plate until the bottom of the fifth, when they put another run on the board on three hits.

After keeping the Bears at bay during the top of the sixth, the Bulldogs had a rally in the bottom of the inning. Taryn Pena drove in a run on a single down the left field line when Megan Sowa, who had gotten on base with a single to the shortstop, was able to score on an error by the Bears catcher.

The Bulldogs again kept the Bears from doing anything in the top of the seventh, and the game ended in a Bulldogs win, 6-1.

In the second game on Saturday, the Bulldogs faced Bears pitcher Erin Struemph.

Struemph proved to be a puzzle that the Bulldogs could not piece together, both in this game and the next one on Sunday.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs found themselves in serious trouble at the plate, accumulating only three hits for the entire game. Compared previous games, having nine hits against the game before and averaging 8.6 hits per

Edition 43

game in the five games prior, they were struggling.

But the Bulldogs were able to make up for it on the mound.

With senior Mariah McKinnon in the circle, they were able to hold the Bears to only five hits in the game. McKinnon registered six strikeouts in five innings.

One of the two runs the Bears were able to score came on an error by the Bulldogs. The other came on a home run, and the game ended 2-0. This snapped the Bulldogs undefeated record in the MVC, bringing their record to 12-1 in conference play.

McKinnon’s performance in this game, despite the loss, is a testament to the work she has put in this season. She has cut her ERA nearly in half over the past month and a half. She now sits at 5.47 after holding a 10.50 ERA in the beginning of March.

“It’s a good place for us to build, and I’m glad it’s happening now,” McKinnon said after the loss, “so we can have plenty of time to learn from it, and get some games under our belt.”

The Bulldogs would face Struemph again on Sunday in an almost identical performance. The Bulldogs just couldn’t get their bats going against Struemph.

Drake only scored one run in the game on a Taryn Pena home run, her third of the season.

Newman pitched the whole game, striking out 11 and giving up two runs on six hits. Newman now has 201 strikeouts on the season.

“I’m just working well with the catcher (Pena),” Newman said of the milestone. “My pitching coach is setting me up well (in terms of) just really knowing the batters.”

Regardless, the Bulldogs still turned in lackluster offensive performances against UNI. “(Struemph) got ahead of batters, and then she would throw her changeup, which was also really strong,” Pena said.

The game on Sunday ended 2-1, bringing the Bulldogs their second loss in the MVC.

innings in the first game, hurling six strikeouts. Kailee Smith came in to keep the game close, but the bats were unable to give the team a chance at comeback.

In the second game, Mariah McKinnon threw 1.1 innings and gave up five runs before Smith again entered the game as relief.

She gave up one run on three hits,

two walks and a hit batter.

The only run the Bulldogs scored throughout the two games came on a throwing error by UNI in the first game. The pair of losses makes four in a row for the limping Bulldogs.

Drake’s record is now 24-18 and 12-4 in conference play, still ranked No. 1 in the MVC.

Up Next

The Bulldogs attempted to snap their losing streak in a three-game series against Wichita State at Ron Buel Field on April 23-24. The series started after The Times‑Delphic went to print.

UNI

On Tuesday evening, the University of Northern Iowa hosted the Bulldogs for a doubleheader. The night ended in two more losses for the Bulldogs.

The first game ended 7-1, and the second ended by the mercy rule in the fifth inning, 8-0.

In both games, the Bulldogs struggled to get runners on base or get the big hits that they have been relying on all season. Entering Tuesday, the Bulldogs had been averaging 6.9 hits during the last five games. Against UNI, the Bulldogs only had a total of five hits combined in both games.

Newman pitched for 4.1

The Times-Delphic

TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 6:00 p.m. Grand Blue Mile in Downtown Des Moines WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2016 11:30 a.m. Decathlon Men, Day 1 12:30 p.m. Heptathlon Women, Day 1 6:00 p.m. Pole Vault at Capital Square on 4th and Locust THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2016 9:30 a.m. Decathlon Men, Day 2 10:30 a.m. Heptathlon Women, Day 2 4:00 p.m. 800m (Unseeded) UD/CD, Women, Final 4:05 p.m. 800m (Unseeded) UD/CD, Men, Final 4:10 p.m. 3000m HS, Girls, Final 4:25 p.m. 3200m HS, Boys, Final 4:40 p.m. 4x1600m UD/CD, Women, Final 5:05 p.m. 4x1600m UD/CD, Men, Final FIELD EVENTS 3:00 p.m. Discus HS, Boys, Final 3:00 p.m. High Jump HS, Girls, Final 3:30 p.m. Shot Put HS, Girls, Final 3:30 p.m. Long Jump HS, Boys, Final DISTANCE CARNIVAL 7:30 p.m. 10,000m Open, Women, Final 8:10 p.m. 10,000m Open, Men, Final 8:40 p.m. 5000m Open, Women, Final 9:05 p.m. 5000m Open, Men, Final FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 8:00 a.m. 100m Hurdles HS, Girls, Prelim 8:16 a.m. 110m Hurdles HS, Boys, Prelim 8:31 a.m. 100m HS, Girls, Prelim 8:46 a.m. 100m HS, Boys, Prelim 8:58 a.m. 4x100m CD, Women, Prelim 9:17 a.m. 4x100m CD, Men, Prelim 9:32 a.m. 100m Hurdles UD/CD, Women, Prelim 9:45 a.m. 110m Hurdles UD/CD, Men, Prelim 10:00 a.m. 4x800m CD, Men, Final 10:13 a.m. Distance Medley CD, Women, Final 10:27 a.m. 800M Sprint Medley HS, Girls, Final 10:40 a.m. 1600M Sprint Medley HS, Boys, Final 10:58 a.m. 4x100m UD, Women, Prelim 11:10 a.m. 4x100m UD, Men, Prelim 11:25 a.m. 100m Hurdles HS, Girls, Final 11:29 a.m. 110m Hurdles HS, Boys, Final

Officials Break 11:57 a.m. 400m Hurdles UD/CD, Women, Final 12:10 p.m. Distance Medley CD, Men, Final 12:21 p.m. 100m HS, Girls, Final 12:25 p.m. 100m UD/CD, Women, Prelim 12:38 p.m. 100m HS, Boys, Final 12:43 p.m. 100m UD/CD, Men, Prelim 12:55 p.m. 800m Masters, Men/Women, Final 1:01 p.m. 4x200m CD, Women, Final 1:13 p.m. 4x200m CD, Men, Final

1:25 p.m. 4x200m HS, Girls, Final 1:37 p.m. 4x200m HS, Boys, Final 1:49 p.m. 800m HS, Girls, Final 1:55 p.m. 800m HS, Boys, Final 2:01 p.m. 800m UD/CD, Women, Final 2:07 p.m. 4x400m CD, Women, Prelim 2:31 p.m. 4x400m CD, Men, Prelim 2:55 p.m. 4x400m UD, Women, Prelim 3:20 p.m. 4x400m UD, Men, Prelim FIELD EVENTS 8:30 a.m. Shot Put HS, Boys, Final 9:00 a.m. Discus HS, Girls, Final 9:30 a.m. Long Jump (North), HS, Girls, Final 9:45 a.m. High Jump HS, Boys, Final 10:00 a.m. Long Jump UD/CD, Women, Final 10:00 a.m. Javelin UD/CD, Men, Final 11:00 a.m. Shot Put UD/CD, Men, Final 12:30 p.m. Pole Vault UD/CD, Men, Final 1:00 p.m. High Jump UD/CD, Women, Final 1:00 p.m. Javelin UD/CD, Women, Final 1:00 p.m. Discus UD/CD, Women, Final 1:30 p.m. Triple Jump UD/CD, Men, Final HY-VEE NIGHT AT THE DRAKE RELAYS 5:00 p.m. 240 Yard Shuttle ES, Youth, Final 5:10 p.m. 4x100m HS, Girls, Prelims 5:40 p.m. 4x100m MS, Girls, Final 5:50 p.m. 4x100m MS, Boys, Final 6:00 p.m. 4x100m HS, Boys, Prelims 6:30 p.m. 4x200m UD, Women, Final 6:45 p.m. 4x200m UD, Men, Final 7:03 p.m. Shuttle Hurdle Special, Coed, Final 7:20 P.M. 400M, MEN, FINAL 7:32 P.M. 400M HURDLES, MEN, FINAL 7:48 p.m. 4x800m UD, Women, Final 7:56 P.M. 1500M, WOMEN, FINAL 8:09 p.m. Paralympic 200M Special, Men, Final 8:19 p.m. 4x800m UD, Men, Final 8:31 p.m. 4x400m HS, Girls, Prelims 8:51 p.m. 4x400m HS, Boys, Prelims FIELD EVENTS 6:00 P.M. HIGH JUMP, MEN, FINAL 6:15 P.M. POLE VAULT, MEN, FINAL 6:30 P.M. LONG JUMP, WOMEN, FINAL 6:30 P.M. SHOT PUT, WOMEN, FINAL

SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2016 7:30 a.m. Half Marathon Drake Relays Road Races 7:45 a.m. 5K Drake Relays Road Races 8:00 a.m. Shuttle Hurdle HS, Girls, Prelim 8:15 a.m. Shuttle Hurdle HS, Boys, Prelim 8:30 a.m. Shuttle Hurdle UD/CD, Women, Prelim 8:45 a.m. Shuttle Hurdle UD/CD, Men, Prelim 9:00 a.m. Sprint Medley CD, Women, Final 9:20 a.m. Sprint Medley CD, Men, Final 9:35 a.m. 4x800m HS, Girls, Final

9:50 a.m. 4x800m HS, Boys, Final 10:00 a.m. Sprint Medley UD, Women, Final 10:20 a.m. Sprint Medley UD, Men, Final 10:40 a.m. 3000m Steeple UD/CD, Women, Final 10:53 a.m. 3000m Steeple UD/CD, Men, Final 11:05 a.m. 4x800m CD, Women, Final

Officials Break 11:55 a.m. Host and Hostess Recognition 11:58 a.m. Beautiful Bulldog Contest Winner 12:10 p.m. Shuttle Hurdle HS, Girls, Final 12:15 p.m. Shuttle Hurdle HS, Boys, Final 12:20 p.m. Shuttle Hurdle UD/CD, Women, Final 12:25 p.m. Shuttle Hurdle UD/CD, Men, Final 12:30 p.m. Distance Medley UD, Men, Final 12:45 p.m. 1500m HS, Girls, Final 12:52 p.m. 1600m HS, Boys, Final 1:00 p.m. Distance Medley UD, Women, Final 1:13 p.m. 400m Hurdles UD/CD, Men, Final 1:25 p.m. 400m Hurdles HS, Girls, Final 1:33 p.m. 400m Hurdles HS, Boys, Final 1:52 p.m. 800m UD/CD, Men, Final 2:02 p.m. 800M Special, Men, Final 2:12 P.M. 400M HURDLES, WOMEN, FINAL 2:20 p.m. 100m UD/CD, Women, Final 2:25 p.m. 100m UD/CD, Men, Final 2:30 p.m. 100m Hurdles UD/CD, Women, Final 2:37 P.M. 100M HURDLES, WOMEN, FINAL 2:44 p.m. 110m Hurdles UD/CD, Men, Final 2:51 P.M. 110M HURDLES, MEN, FINAL 2:58 p.m. 1500m UD/CD, Women, Final 3:06 p.m. 1500m UD/CD, Men, Final 3:14 p.m. 4x100m UD, Women, Final 3:20 p.m. 4x100m UD, Men, Final 3:25 p.m. 4x100m CD, Women, Final 3:30 p.m. 4x100m CD, Men, Final 3:35 p.m. 4x100m HS, Girls, Final 3:40 p.m. 4x100m HS, Boys, Final 3:45 p.m. 4x400m UD, Women, Final 3:52 p.m. 4x400m UD, Men, Final 4:00 p.m. 4x400m CD, Women, Final 4:07 p.m. 4x400m CD, Men, Final 4:15 p.m. 4x400m HS, Girls, Final 4:22 p.m. 4x400m HS, Boys, Final FIELD EVENTS 9:00 a.m. Hammer UD/CD, Women, Final 9:00 a.m. Discus UD/CD, Men, Final 9:30 a.m. Triple Jump UD/CD, Women, Final 10:00 a.m. High Jump UD/CD, Men, Final 10:00 a.m. Pole Vault UD/CD, Women, Final 12:00 p.m. Hammer UD/CD, Men, Final 12:00 p.m. Long Jump UD/CD, Men, Final 12:30 p.m. Shot Put UD/CD, Women, Final 2:00 P.M. HIGH JUMP, WOMEN, FINAL 2:00 P.M. POLE VAULT, WOMEN, FINAL 2:45 P.M. TRIPLE JUMP, MEN, FINAL

KEY ES = Elementary School Competition HS = High School Competition CD = College Division UD = University Division Elite = Elite Competition Masters = Masters Division (Ages 40 and up) Special = Special Invitational Italics = Hy-Vee Cup BOLD = Rio Olympic Games Preview

PHOTO BY MUHAMAD SUHAIMI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Section E

Power

Drake and the Des Moines community have made a powerful name for themselves Giuliana LaMantia Relays Editor giuliana.lamantia@drake.edu @g_lamantia

The Drake Relays are rooted in tradition. With thousands of visitors and excited students and faculty, it takes multiple roles

to put on such an unforgettable event.

Director Brian Brown led the process of Relays 2016, aiming for “wow moments.” First-year Jordan Lundquist designed the logo for Beyond the Finish Line.

All of the staples, from street painting to Peggy’s, involve work and dedication to bring

the community together and to continue prominent traditions.

In the midst of campaign season, Drake has truly stood out and continues to make a name for itself. It creates opportunities for its student through its focus on politics. It makes for student leaders with impeccable internship and job placement. It builds its

students up to be the powerful people they are.

Not only has Drake made its mark - the Des Moines community also thrives. The Farmer’s Market is the second largest market in the nation and owes its success to its variety and inclusiveness. The East Village arcade bar Up-Down is expanding to new cities, and

Des Moines’ favorite restaurants continue to stand strong.

With Relays weekend fast approaching, the energy of the experience — from students, alumni, faculty, athletes and visitors alike — is palpable.

The Drake and Des Moines community are truly places of pride, prominence and power.

Drake’s political hub creates more opportunities for students

From September to January, it was not uncommon for students to see a presidential candidate or CNN reporter while walking to class. Drake is now one of the most important political hubs in the nation.

Des Moines is the capital of Iowa. It is also the largest media market in the state.

“When you combine the government with the media, it makes for people interested in government and politics from both a news perspective, school of journalism stuff or politics perspective. It makes this a good place,” said Arthur Sanders, an Ellis and Nelle Levitt Distinguished Professor of Politics.

With each presidential election cycle comes the chance for students to participate in the Iowa caucuses. “(For) the six months leading up to the Iowa caucuses, this is the center of American politics,” Sanders said.

For students, this means the opportunity to work for campaigns, intern for major news networks, attend debates and make connections that can lead to jobs.

Junior political science and English double major Jonathan Lueth said that Drake played a large part in his ability to work on the leadership team for two political campaigns this election cycle.

“I really believe that, had I not been at Drake, I wouldn’t have had the political opportunities that I’ve had,” Lueth said.

Drake has been expanding these opportunities in recent years.

In 2008, the Iowa Caucus Project was formed, creating opportunities for visiting candidates. In 2012, the Iowa Caucus Project invited political candidates to campus. The 2016 campaign brought with it the creation of the Political Visitor Team, a group of four people who meet regularly and ensure events run smoothly.

The organization brought by this team has allowed students the opportunity to attend three nationally televised debates or forums, a speech by one of nearly all of the candidates from either party or events like the mock caucus.

The caucuses are not the only way Drake students can be involved in politics.

Lueth said he has worked on a senatorial campaign and on the Republican National Committee victory program, while being the current Arts and Sciences academic student senator and

working as a campaign manager in the most recent executive elections at Drake.

Other students were able to work as interns for companies including CNN, CBS, Bloomberg, Fusion, PBS and Yahoo News.

Rachel Paine Caufield, an associate politics professor and

head of the Iowa Caucus Project and Political Visitor Team, said this election cycle has allowed students to recognize themselves as professionals and citizens.

“Politics is not a show,” Caufield said. “Politics is not about fancy people that are far away from you.

Politics is about you.”

PAGE E4 Peggy’s and West End bouncers talk about what it’s like to work at Drake’s staple bars. They share some favorite stories and memories.

PAGE E5 First-year Jordan Lundquist is the Relays logo designer this year. He applied on a whim, but his peers saw his potential from the start.

PAGE E6 The Farmer’s Market returns May 7. Kelly Foss, executive director, works to make everyone feel welcome at the market.

PAGE E7 Governor Terry Branstad is the longest serving U.S. governor. Those he’s worked with throughout the years reflect on all he’s done.

PAGE E8 Des Moines has a plethora of “power” restaurants - Fongs, Americana and Centro to name a few. Read about what makes these spots so popular.

Samantha Ohlson Staff Writer samantha.ohlson@drake.edu @SamanthaOhlson

The Times-Delphic

OLD MAIN during the Democratic Debates this fall. Students had the chance to attend political events. PHOTO BY SARAH LEBLANC | FEATURES EDITOR

Edition 43

PAGE E2

APRIL 25, 2016

RELAYS

Director strives for ‘wow’ moment, excitement Brian Brown talks how inspiration comes from his first Relays experience Summer Brills Staff Writer summer.brills@drake.edu

Drake University students and Des Moines residents alike are well aware that the 2016 Drake Relays is just around the corner.

What many of these people don’t know, though, is that planning for this year’s event began just days after the conclusion of the 2015 Relays.

Drake Relays Director Brian Brown has a constant vision for each year’s event. Brown first started working at Drake University in 2006 as the associate athletic director. That same year he was named the director of Relays, and since then, he has earned the title of assistant track coach alongside his wife, Natasha.

Year after year, his inspiration and vision of the event stems from his first Relays experience.

“As I walked out of the tunnel, the crowd was going crazy,” Brown said. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘Wow, this is awesome.’”

Brown said that at the end of each year’s event, planning for the following year immediately starts. Having been the director for a decade, Brown knows the importance of planning for the next event as soon as possible.

“About 10 days after the conclusion of the event, we have it set on the calendar to have an appraisal meeting,” Brown said.

“In this appraisal meeting, people with very important roles in the Relays provide a written report.

The appraisal meeting is the

best opportunity to go through these reports because it’s fresh on our minds to capture the things that we can do better and how we can be more efficient. When we capture all the notes from the meeting, that becomes our blueprint for the next year.”

Drake Relays was founded more than a century ago and had an initial crowd of only 100 people. Today, the event is one of the most renowned track and field meets in the nation and attracts more than 40,000 spectators.

Because the event is so large, it’s too big for Brown to tackle alone. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, most of whom are part of the university’s athletic administration, the event is able to run smoothly.

Head Athletic Director Sandy Hatfield-Clubb is one of the staff members who works alongside Brown.

“Our entire athletics department administration is involved in this event,” HatfieldClubb said. “Even if people don’t have a direct responsibility like marketing or athletics communications, they help by coordinating volunteers or other activities. The Relays has more than 300 volunteers. So, the bottom line it that this is a huge event that takes hundreds of people to run.”

Brown also works closely with his executive committee and five subcommittees year-round to ensure the experience of the spectators is one they’ll never forget. Although he has many roles as the director, the spectator

experience is an aspect he puts at the forefront.

“One of my main roles is to cast a vision of what the event should look like,” Brown said. “Each time I went to the Drake Relays, it was always something that meant a lot to me. I remember the first time I came to Relays. I was instantly hooked. Now, as the director, I’m constantly trying to find a way to create that ‘wow’ moment that excites the crowd. Each year, I want to recapture that moment for everyone that comes to the event.” Deciding which athletes compete is another important aspect that Brown determines months in advance. The Drake Relays has been known for the world-class athletes who attend and this year will be no different.

Brown tracks down many of the world’s top athletes to attend the event.

“I am the one that makes all of the decisions about the elite athletes and professional athletes and personally engage their agents,” Brown said. “I really enjoy that aspect. I also research who had a good previous year, who’s currently having a good year and I review their resume to see what kind of athlete they are.”

“As we correspond through email and have a written document, I then generate a contract. Hy-Vee, the presenting sponsor of the Drake Relays, has given us a chance to go after the best in the world. It’s very exciting.”

The 2016 Drake Relays spectators can expect to see many elite athletes.

BROWN has served as the Drake Relays Director since 2006. He works to create an unforgettable experience each year. FILE PHOTO

“In the world rankings, the top ten is what I look at and go after,” Brown said. “We only have eight lanes here at Drake but in most cases, six of those lanes are filled with the top ten in the world.

Every event this year is going to be very special.”

After all the contributions of so many people, the sweetest part is seeing everything come together after a yearlong preparation.

“My favorite part is how our entire university comes together to put on this amazing and enormous event,” Hatfield-Clubb said. “I am looking forward to working closely with all my colleagues to pull off another amazing Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee.” The 2016 Drake Relays will begin on Wednesday, April 27.

For more information, visit drakerelays.org.

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Drake students find online fame Surrounded by a generation of technology users, the next big Internet star will be as popular as they are fleeting. From the time it took everyone to see “the dress,” and change the white and gold perceptions to blue and black, a new Internet sensation was in the making.

Millennials constantly want more of the Internet drug to feed their addiction for a good laugh, a good cry or a pondering insight. And with all the world’s information literally at their fingertips, they can get it.

“There are two different sides,” said Chris Snider, assistant professor of journalism at Drake University. “There are people who are building up a following over time to become Internet famous, and those it kind of just happens for them overnight and doesn’t seem to last.”

The popular videos and memes that flood Facebook newsfeeds are, more often than not, made by people who were never trying to become Internet famous. But fame found them anyway. Once something is shared enough times, an Internet star is born.

Soon enough people begin quoting the popular videos or making renditions of a new famous meme.

Drake has a few Internet stars

of their own. When “Sticker Boy” — who did not respond to interview requests — took over Twitter and Facebook with his hilarious antics at the Iowa caucuses, the campus exploded with videos and pictures. But once the caucus was over, the Sticker Boy character was no more.

There are some Drake Internet stars that stuck around for a longer time. Drake University students Ore Arogundade and Hunter Hoopes created their own Youtube show “Drake Questions.”

Hoopes, a marketing and prelaw major, records broadcast journalism student Arogundade as he goes around campus asking students questions that should be easy to answer.

“I want to say over 12 thousand people have seen all the videos,” Arogundale said. “So there are five videos right now, and so collectively we have had about that many views.”

Not only did they start a bit of a frenzy among students, but the boys also kept their Internet fame going as they continued to release more videos.

“I would say that the Internet is kind of like fashion in the sense that it is literally a trend for a couple weeks at a time, and it can be a couple weeks to a couple months until everyone forgets it and moves on,” Hoopes said. “I don’t think the trend of people becoming famous over the Internet will die down but I do think that certain trends will die down more quickly than others.”

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APRIL 25, 2016

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RELAYS

STUDENTS paint the painted street white to prepare for Friday’s street painting event. After whitewashing, organizations are able to paint the street,

PHOTO BY HALEY HODGES | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Power of tradition brings campus together Anne Matte Staff Writer annemarie.matte@drake.edu

Did you know that Drake’s yearbook was once called The Quax? The 1907 edition of The Quax proclaimed that “the quarter mile cinder track at our famous stadium is rapidly being finished, and we will then have the greatest field for athletic events in the West.”

While The Quax is long gone, there are plenty of traditions that have remained through the years.

The Drake Relays have been a custom at Drake longer than the bulldog has been the official mascot. Even before the first official event was organized by John Griffith in 1910, the State Inter-Collegiate Athletic Contest was held on campus, starting in 1898.

Although it has been over a

century since the Relays started, the traditions surrounding them have kept the power to bring the Drake community together.

Recent traditions include the Beautiful Bulldog Contest, The Grand Blue Mile, Indoor Pole Vaulting and Street Painting.

Street Painting is undoubtedly the most well-known and prolific relay tradition. Street Painting actually began as an unofficial opening to the Relays sometime in the 1970s. The first printed record of Street Painting was in the 1980 Relays edition of the Times- Delphic. The Chemistry Club won best-painted square.

There is now an offshoot of street painting downtown that started in 2011, currently headed

by Nicole Dohm of the Service Learning Ambassadors. The money raised from registration for Downtown Street Painting goes to fund the Service Learning Department, where Dohm works.

Dohm said that she’s only been running Downtown Street Painting for a year but she’s already drawn to the tradition at Drake and downtown.

“Every year I like the theme squares because the president and his wife always signed them in the past,” said Dohm, “Sometimes the bulldog would sign it with the paw print.”

Last year, about 40 groups participated in Downtown Street Painting, raising $9,000, with $2,000 going to expenses. Dohm is hoping to raise more money this year because she’s decided not to shut down the street to cut down on event costs. The sidewalks getting painted on April 27 are between 3rd and 4th streets on Court Avenue.

Street painting is nothing without its exciting history however, as Keren Fiorenza recalls.

“There was always the streakers,” said Fiorenza, who

attended the Relays from 1995 to 1999. “It was like a thing of infamy … so people are painting, and then all of a sudden everybody starts yelling, and you turn around and there is, of course, some idiot, both girls and boys, streaking.”

Fortunately—or unfortunately — streaking is less common now in Street Painting, but the power of the tradition is still what brings people together.

“I’m all about traditions.

Don’t ever let traditions fall by the wayside,” said Gloria Lawless, the administrative assistant for student involvement and leadership. “I don’t want you to miss one piece of Relays. I think you should go no matter if you have a few minutes, or if you have all day.”

Lawless runs the Student Life Center in the Olmsted Center, and every year when Relays start, her office starts the countdown clock that marks the time until

Relays kick off. The clock used to be counting down to the end of the semester, but since that was too stressful for many students, Lawless is glad it’s being used for something exciting. Lawless follows her own advice and goes to many Relays events, including the Beautiful Bulldog Contest and Street Painting.

The traditions surrounding Relays have stayed true to that connecting spirit. Relays and its traditions have the power to bring all sorts of people together for the season, from current students like Dohm, to alumni like Fiorenza and staff like Lawless.

As for Lawless, her favorite part of Relays traditions “is just to see students having a wonderful, wonderful time. And yes, (students) would love it if you had some paint on you.”

RELAYS

Street painting tradition carries on strong AJ Thiede Staff Writer alex.thiede@drake.edu

Many universities across the country hold annual traditions that date back decades.

Indiana University has the Little 500 Bike Race, Purdue University has the Purdue Grand Prix and Drake University, of course, has the Drake Relays.

With grand traditions such as these catching the public’s eye, they often take the spotlight away from smaller traditions or activities. However, for the students at these universities, these smaller traditions often create even bigger excitement than the main event. At the Drake Relays, one of those traditions is street painting.

This year Jessica DiDominick and Hannah Chesley serve as the 2016 Relays co-chairs for the Student Activities Board (SAB). Their roles include planning the various events on campus for students, including

Edition 43

street painting.

“For street painting, our responsibilities are to provide applications for people to paint a square, approve square designs, work with security and maintenance to coordinate different aspects of the event and to also prepare the street,” Chesley said.

Preparation is no easy task.

DiDominick and Chesley have to contact individuals to be safety patrol to oversee the event, pick the day and approve square designs, as well as paint the street white. The white wash covers up the paint from the previous year.

Vice President of Student Activities and President of SAB, Erin Griffin, explained that the white washing process takes place a week before the actual street painting event. After that, she and other SAB members pick the squares that will go on the street.

“Organizations receive the theme, guidelines and a packet to help them create the square,” Griffin said. “It is up to the organizations to determine the

design and colors of the square.

How a square is chosen is based on how well the square resembles our theme while also showcasing the organization. We only have about 56 squares to get out, so it is normally a challenge to pick the designs.”

Leah Thompson, a Drake student and member of the Alpha Phi sorority, is looking forward to street painting this year.

“It is always an exciting moment when we get to design what will potentially be painted on our square,” Thompson said. “There are a number of organizations here on campus that get don’t get chosen, so I have my fingers crossed our design passes and we can paint it.”

Current Student Body President, Kevin Maisto, has experienced street painting since he was a first-year. He sees the big impact the event has on students at Drake and how the final result adds to the campus atmosphere.

“I think that street painting is without a doubt the one event that we really feel gives the sense of the

Drake community,” Maisto said.

“We know the longevity of this program, we know the history of this activity and we see the value of it.”

The goal of the event is simple. It brings many different organizations and clubs together, giving them the opportunity to represent themselves. In addition, it brings the students together during the week for a fun event to be part of their organizations as well as being surrounded by their other peers.

At the end of the day, the 56 different squares, which represent 56 different organizations, paint a larger picture of the Drake community.

“The best thing about it is that it’s a one-day activity… but you see the physical remnant of that day and the memories you have from it all year long,” Maisto said. “The whole process of the 56 student organizations who get a square on the painted street and having them come together is amazing. You see that they all revolve around this common

theme, but yet you physically see how different each one is, too.”

After each organization has worked hard bringing their designs to the large, cement canvas, there is a paint fight. It’s one of those aspects of the event that creates memories for all who participate in it.

“There’s a reason that when first-year students come in, one of the things they are most excited about is street painting,” Maisto said. “Even four years later, seniors are excited about their last street painting because they know that it’s one of those big memorable Drake moments that really defines the Drake experience.”

For a university with such a rich history and a diverse amount of organizations representing it, it’s no wonder that street painting illustrates the Drake community.

For the alumni who make their way back to the campus during the Drake Relays, it is like taking a trip down memory lane — literally. This is one tradition that will continue to run along side the Relays for years to come.

The Times-Delphic

PAGE E4

APRIL 25, 2016

PEGGY’S TAVERN

Campus bartenders talk busy nights, benefits Sarah LeBlanc Features Editor sarahleblanc@drake.edu @sarahleblanc201

The chipping red paint on the door of Peggy’s Tavern may not appear promising at first glance, but a step through the portal reveals the character that has been built within the walls of the bar since it opened in 1935.

It operates under the new ownership of Tom and Annie Baldwin. The Baldwins took over the bar when former owner Mark Graziano was confronted with two federal felony charges, an event in which the tavern nearly lost its liquor license.

The space has been moderately remodeled to include cushioned booths in a side room that serves as an extension of the main seating area. The bar’s history as a campus staple is depicted in framed black and white photographs that cover the walls of the small room, ranging from a portrait of former mascot Porterhouse to previous generations of Drake cheerleaders and athletes.

On a Tuesday night, the bar opens at 8 p.m., but the lights don’t dim until at least 9 p.m., when the only souls in sight are a few student regulars and several bartenders doing their homework before the late crowd rushes into the tavern.

Drake senior Mary Krenzen, a psychology and English double major, was one of the bartenders working on her assignments before karaoke night began. Krenzen has been a bartender at Peggy’s for over a year. She was contacted by the current manager, Donnie Pham, last winter when the bar reopened.

“The lure of free drinks when I’m not working was kind of hard to pass up,” Krenzen said with a smile. “Working at Peggy’s has saved me a ton of money.”

Although the free drinks serve as a bonus for Krenzen and the

PEGGY’S, just off campus, fills with students and alumni for Relays week, PHOTO BY GIULIANA LAMANTIA | RELAYS EDITOR

rest of the student bartenders, the late nights and inconsistent tips could serve as a downside to an otherwise ideal job for those who are not accustomed to a hectic schedule and often little sleep.

“I was working at the Boys and Girls Club, and I had night classes.

And it was just a lot of back and forth,” Krenzen said, referring to her time before working at Peggy’s.

“It just seemed like something that would fit better for me because I’m kind of a night owl anyway.”

When Krenzen accepted the job, the mixed reactions shown by her parents and peers failed to affect her excitement at the prospect of working at the campus bar with the close-knit group of bartenders she now calls her friends.

“My parents weren’t thrilled when I started bartending, but now they’ve both been here, and they’ve both seen it, they love it,”

Krenze said. “People usually think that it’s pretty cool, and they ask if I’m going to do it after I graduate.”

This fall, Krenzen will head to Denver to start law school, and she has already been offered internships and contacts by Peggy’s regulars and Drake alumni. The tavern’s traditions, like the dollar bills of Drake grads that fill the clear ceiling panels, and its ability to connect past and future generations of Drake students separates Peggy’s from other Des Moines bars.

“There’s actually this older couple that comes in every once in a while, they met working at Peggy’s,” Krenzen said. “Their dollar bills are right above the bar so they’ll point them out to people.”

The bar’s ability to act as a gathering place of the extended Drake community is a factor that current manager Pham took into

account when hiring a staff of student bartenders.

Pham, who became the tavern’s manager in 2015 after the bar reopened, graduated from Drake in 2011 and formerly bartended at several of the Baldwins’ pubs, including Wellman’s Pub and Rooftop and Mickey’s Irish Pub. Pham exclusively hired student bartenders to secure the bar’s place as a campus staple and bring in more alumni and friends of employees, especially during Relays.

“You meet alumni who come back for Peggy’s, and they talk a lot about the memories they made here, whether they were working or whether they were drinking, and the fun times they had here with their friends,” Pham said.

“I think Mary will definitely contribute to that later down the line.”

During Relays, the number of

alumni increases tenfold. Each year, former Drake students return for memories, drinks and collectible mugs decorated with the bar’s Relays slogan, which changes every year.

“You’ll always see a lot of alumni and people who specifically come back for Peggy’s and for Relays,” Pham said. “It’s an amazing time here at Relays, and I really do feel like if you went to Drake, Peggy’s is your Relays bar.”

The annual athletic holiday brings the bar enough popularity that a tent is added to the back of the bar to increase space for alumni and campus visitors.

“The Peggy’s tent is the alumni destination,” Pham said.

“Everybody makes it back here at night for the Peggy’s tent-that’s where you need to be, that’s where everyone meets up.”

Drake sophomore Larry Wilbon was hired at Peggy’s last fall and has not yet experienced Relays from behind the bar. On a typical night, Wilbon sees a different side of campus under the dim lights of the tavern. Away from the pressures of schoolwork and responsibilities, the atmosphere of the bar is created by students through the music on a jukebox.

“You get to choose the music, and the people who are there can create their own atmosphere, which is a really cool thing,” Wilbon said. “One of the things I love the most is being able to play off of the crowd’s atmosphere.”

Wilbon understands that even after he graduates, Peggy’s will exist as an integral part of the Drake experience and as a symbol of the successes and struggles of the students who walk the chipping red door every night.

“It’s Peggy’s, it’s the place people’s parents and grandparents have walked through,” Wilbon said. “There’s a lot of history and a lot of love that’s been through that place, and we all get to reap the benefits of that by working there.”

Peggy’s Tavern is located at 3020 Forest Avenue in Des Moines and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

CAMPUS LIFE

Local bouncers share bar scene stories Molly Longman Staff Writer molly.longman@drake.edu @MollDoll2013

Philip DeGraffenreid is the ultimate gatekeeper. Well, at least on the Drake University bar scene, he is.

The Drake senior has worked the door at Peggy’s Tavern for the last four months and has seen his fair share of fake IDs, fraternitystyle fun and even some frisky customers on the job.

“On Saturday night, I was just sitting here,” he gestured to the black stool that serves as his perch, desk or throne, depending on how the night’s going, three evenings a week. “There was this couple making out in a booth, and people started throwing ice at them.”

But this was nothing unusual for the pub-like venue. The employees throw ice at each other, too, so do many of the regulars.

DeGraffenreid said it’s a playful environment and a pretty sweet gig “because I get to work

The Times-Delphic

and I’m surrounded by all my friends.”

“We’re like a family in here,” he said. And the band of Peggy’s employees really does interact like siblings. They play together, but they also protect each other.

DeGraffenreid talked about his coworkers like an older brother proclaiming he’s the only one who gets to mess with them.

“I’ve thrown people out before for messing with the bartenders,” he said. “That is one thing we do not accept.”

They don’t accept bad fake IDs, either. Turning people away is one of the harder parts of the psychology and philosophy student’s job. On a typical night, he’ll sit just inside the bright red tavern door and hold up forms of identification — good and bad — under a bright desk lamp, like the kind you see stomping out the ‘I’ in the Pixar logo. He’s seen some pretty shady IDs, some showing some semblance to that of a seven-year-old’s arts and crafts project.

“The worst ID I’ve seen (was

when) someone just drew a picture on a white piece of paper. They didn’t even bother to laminate it with packing tape,” he said. He’s seen photos taped to gift cards and worse, but he says he tries to run a tight ship. He takes his post seriously.

“You can’t feel bad when someone expects to get in. It’s my job to keep Peggy’s accountable, as well as the patrons,” DeGraffenreid said.

Emily, whose didn’t want to disclose her last name, has known the bar to be strict about its policy for not letting underage customers in.

“This time that I got my ID taken away was really the worst time,” she said, referencing a fake.

“The door guy looks at me and he’s like, ‘Yeah, so, uh, what’s your address?’ I was blank.”

In the cozy, college bar, many of her friends from school saw this happen, and she had to face them the next day in class. She got mad at the bouncer, and remembers calling her mom after the incident.

Emily stated later that it’s

“definitely not impossible” to get into the bar with a fake ID. But Emily, now 21, has had great, grape-bomb-drenched experiences at Peggy’s, which she describes as a “chaotic, hectic circus”, particularly with DeGraffenreid.

“He’s my favorite bouncer. He’s so nice, and knows me by name,” she said.

DeGraffenreid pulled at the bill of his baseball cap and said that he does his best to be really positive while working the door, though busy nights can make it tricky. Luckily, he’s a bit of a bouncing veteran. He worked the door at a bar called Kanza Hall in Overland Park, Kansas — his hometown. He is now a pro who knows who to welcome and who’ll have to use Bordy’s as a backup.

Amanda Perkins-Kelly, the owner and bouncer at West End Lounge, located just a few blocks west of Peggy’s, described working the door at a college bar as an invigorating - and only occasionally irritating - venture.

“You see some crazy things

working the door. Once I saw a naked tennis player run by,” Perkins-Kelly said. “I love it.”

To Perkins-Kelly, the person working the door has power. They keep the bar safe and they keep the bar fun while keeping an eye out for underage students who can’t handle their alcohol. PerkinsKelly tried not to get cheesy, narrowly avoiding a “with great power comes great responsibility” line, but settled on this tip.

“You are 100 percent responsible when you’re working the door to check every ID,” Perkins-Kelly said. “You’re the most important person in the bar.”

DeGraffenreid gets that. He understands the gravity of his position, and he understands that a lot can ride on him doing his job right.

“I was actually training someone last night,” DeGraffenreid said.

“You let them know that they are the first and only line of defense for the bar, and that seems to put it into perspective.”

Edition 43

APRIL 25, 2016

PAGE E5

RELAYS NEWS

Lundquist makes mark on campus winner: Lundquist.

From there, the three of them collaborated in order to create the official logo.

“It is cool to see what my original idea was and how it looks now,” Lundquist said. “It definitely looks a lot more polished and a lot better. I see why they picked that one out of my ideas because they saw the potential in me, even when I didn’t.”

Jess Lynk News Editor jessica.lynk@drake.edu @JessmLynk

When first-year Jordan Lundquist was in elementary school, he would spend his free time designing simple slide shows in PowerPoint. Then, in sixth grade, he got Photoshop.

“I have just been teaching myself how to do it ever since,” Lundquist said.

Although Lundquist has this background in design, he wasn’t going to apply to design the 2016 Relays logo until his friend, junior Tom Scearce, suggested it.

“I knew that Jordan was going to make a difference on campus right when I met him,” Scearce said. “That, combined with his talent and passion for graphic design, I knew was going to make him a great contender for the position.”

So, Lundquist decided to apply.

“I was definitely nervous about it because I am always self-critical about my work,” Lundquist said.

“I just kind of went for it and went into the interview. I thought of it as, ‘If I get this, it will be so cool and such an amazing opportunity, but if I don’t, at least I am giving it a shot.’”

Each year, the Relays planning committee has a logo competition to get a Drake student involved with designing the logo, as opposed to hiring an outside company to do so.

“I think (having a student design the logo) brings together the Drake community because someone on our campus is actually designing the face of Relays,” said Jessica DiDominick, one of the Relays co-chairs.

Applying for the position paid off, as Lunquist was chosen as the 2016 Relays designer

by DiDominick and Hannah

“I knew that Jordan was going to make a difference on campus right when I met him.”

– Tom Scearce

JORDAN LUNDQUIST dons the logo he designed for this year’s Relays, PHOTO BY PRANEETH RAJSINGH | PHOTO EDITOR

Chesley, the other Relays co-chair.

“He showed us a lot of designs that he has made from past events from his high school that we were really impressed by,” DiDominick said.

The entire process began in November, when Chesley and DiDominick began conducting

interviews for those who applied.

They narrowed it down to three contenders who all were told the secret theme of Relays after signing a confidentiality contract.

Then the designers came up with four designs over winter break.

“A couple of things we thought

about when we got designs is what it would look like on the street and what it would look like on apparel,” Chesley said.

“We wanted to make sure it was a design that could be transferred to a lot of different things and that really encompassed the theme.”

After that, they picked the

Chesley and DiDominick saw this potential in Lundquist from the beginning.

“From his first initial interview, we were both completely surprised by his work for a first-year, and it was really impressive,” Chesley said.

In fact, Lundquist was the first interview they conducted.

“We had no idea what to expect, but he was just great,” DiDominick said.

In the end, taking the leap that Scearce recommended helped make Lundquist’s design the icon of Drake Relays 2016.

“Just that simple action and applying for it, now it will get to be all around Drake and everybody will get to see it. It is kind of a really cool learning experience,” Lunquist said. “It is a great way to get involved right away at Drake and make an impact.”

CAMPUS LIFE

Griff the bulldog’s first Relays experience Erin and Kevin Bell enjoy training Griff for Relays week Leah Thompson Staff Writer leah.thompson@drake.edu @Leah_T_Thompson

Wrinkles, muscles and drool are hallmarks of Drake University’s newest live mascot, Griff, who was chosen on October 8, 2015.

As the new mascot, Griff has a ton of appearances to make.

Luckily, Griff’s owners, Erin and Kevin Bell, have experience with handling a live mascot and the chock-full schedule that comes with it.

The Bells also owned Porterhouse, who was the previous live mascot for Drake University, and are prepared to take new mascot through the same experiences and traditions as Porterhouse.

Since this is Griff’s first year as live mascot, he will be busier then usually due to a steep learning curve before Relays.

“We did a short stint of training at the Animal Rescue League, just for basic obedience

Edition 43

GRIFF, Drake’s live mascot, is ready for his first Relays week festivities. PHOTO BY VALARIE MEYER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

like sit, stay, drop and that helped us get going,” Erin Bell said, who said the bulldog will do anything for a treat.

The Bells take Griff to all sorts of events. From basketball games to admission events, Griff can often be seen giving kisses and posing for photos.

“He loves the hands-on attention,” Erin Bell said. “This dog is extremely needy.”

Students appreciate seeing a happy, friendly dog around campus.

“I never really get to see dogs in college, so it’s nice to see him out and about and being a part

of the Drake community,” Junior Shaeffer Smith said.

Griff can be seen all over Facebook and Instagram when he is on Drake’s campus. The photos show Griff meeting his new friends with smiles and slobbery kisses.

“I have a few pictures with

Griff, and they are some of my favorite pics,” Laura Kovanic said, laughing.

The bulldog is a great choice as a live mascot, Linda Shelburg of the Bulldog Club of Central Iowa Information explains.

“They are loving, friendly and with their personality they make a great live mascot,” Shelburg said.

The bulldog can sometimes be called a clown for its huge smile and funny wrinkly looking face.

“Bulldogs are natural-born clowns and they each have their own personality, which is why they make for great live mascots,” Shelburg said.

All the photos and interactions have prepared Griff for the busiest week of his year so far. The Drake Relays will allow Griff to meet thousands of new people. From alumni to prospective students, he will the big dog on campus.

To meet the friendly bulldog, be on the lookout during the Drake Relays and make sure to stop and say “hi.”

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DES MOINES

Up-Down arcade bar expands to MN

UP-DOWN, located in East Village, offers life-sized Jenga blocks along with arcade games. Des Moines natives and Drake students enjoy its aesthetic. PHOTO BY GIULIANA LAMANTIA | RELAYS EDITOR Molly Longman Staff Writer molly.longman@drake.edu @MollDoll2013

A tower of life-sized Jenga bricks topples to the ground with a clatter in a corner of UpDown, a bar/arcade mash up in Des Moines’ East Village, but the venue itself is far from falling apart. It’s doing the opposite, actually. It’s expanding. Again.

Up-Down started out in 2013 as the small-time brainchild of co-founders Sam Summers and Josh Ivey. Then the Des Moinesbased bar added a venue in Kansas City last April. Now, they’re bringing the gamers’ paradise to Minneapolis and working their way to chain-dom.

But according to Summers, management didn’t always think the bar would be so successful.

“We had no idea how well it would do,” Summers said. “We

(were) twice as busy as we thought we would be. Once Des Moines got off to a great start, we explored the idea of taking it to another city.”

The opening of the Minnesota location, set for the beginning of June, has just reminded Des Moines locals to appreciate what they’ve got: a kick-butt place to relive childhood through an analog stick.

That’s how Alex Mathis, a Des Moines native, Wells Fargo employee and Skee-Ball aficionado, sees it. “It’s kind of like my ‘Cheers’,” Mathis said.

He describes the locale as “kind of a little crappy dive bar” but also “the best bar.” The floors are concrete and the “down” in the namesake is emphasized by basement real estate. The walls boast a collage of psychedeliclooking cutouts patch worked together with 8-bit Atari graphics - if you look hard enough, you’ll find clippings of Uncle Jesse from “Full House” and Doc from “Back

to the Future” staring back at you mockingly as you lose your fourth game of Ms. Pac-Man. Mathis goes for the Skee-Ball tournaments, but stays to play Crazy Taxi while downing a few varieties of the 20 craft beers on tap. So, yeah, “dive bar” might be a fitting description.

Up-Down operates on tokens, tips and loyal customers. Mathis has been going to the beloved bar since its opening night. “The vibe back then was crazy,” Mathis said. “It was so new and we didn’t have anything like it here. It’s still crazy.”

Malcolm Smith, a bartender at the Des Moines location agrees that regulars have made the bar the success it is — the success that’s allowed them to swell both North and South.

“Yep, we’ve got a lot of regulars,” Smith said. “(One guy) has a lot of high scores and comes down pretty frequently to talk to the staff and play games. Another regular is someone we call ‘Stella

guy,’ and he only drinks Stella and plays pinball. He hates the $1 bill, and will tell you that if you try to give him exact change and will usually give around a $5 tip on a $4.50 Stella. You don’t want to bother him when he’s playing unless he needs another drink.

Timing is pretty crucial for servers to figure out when dealing with people who are more competitive down there.”

This stellar customer service may be another factor in UpDown’s staggering success and expansion. That and their namesake drink: The Up-Down, consisting of two beers layered on top of each other with Stiegl Radler on the bottom and then Left Hand Milk Stout on top.

Even Drake students have taken a liking to the dive. Kevin Porter, a senior studying computer science and graphic design, thinks the bar is worth the trip out of the Drake bubble.

“I’d definitely recommend going to anyone,” Porter said.

Porter’s a fan of the latetwentieth century arcade games, and has a noted appreciation for the TVs with screens that play everything from “cheesy Hulk Hogan WrestleMania” to classic Nickelodeon cartoons to “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (the bar is almost genre-less like that — music can range from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” to the latest Panic! At the Disco song).

“It’s kind of like a throwback — like the 80s, 90s, old school tone,” Porter said.

With all these locals talking up the Des Moines venue, it’s not hard to believe that Up-Down will find the same success in its new Minneapolis location - and perhaps beyond. But Summers says he’s taking expansion one step at a time. He doesn’t want to mess too much with a good thing.

“Right now, we are taking it one city at a time,” Summers said.

“We want to make sure we spend plenty of time on each location and we are a small company. We don’t want to grow too quick.”

DES MOINES

Farmer’s market brings Des Moines area Giuliana LaMantia Relays editor giuliana.lamantia@drake.edu @g_lamantia

Every Saturday morning from the months of May to October, farmers make their way from all areas of Iowa to Des Moines to sell their products. Over the years, this pastime has grown into an event that incorporates something for everyone in the community.

What started as 15 vendors in a parking lot in 1976 has expanded to a nine-block market of locally-grown produce, raised meat, cheese, dessert, jams, salsas, musicians, crafts and much more.

It’s the second-largest farmers market in the nation and an undeniable staple of Des Moines.

Each year, the Farmer’s Market employs a theme to embody the meaning of the market. This year’s theme: Feed your soul, savor the experience.

The Times-Delphic

“It kind of creates the feeling we want people to have when they’re at the market,” said Kelly Foss, executive director of the Downtown Farmer’s Market.

The market has achieved its success by evolving with the trends. Because Iowa is an agricultural state, consumers seek locally grown and raised foods.

Foss works closely with existing vendors and while recruiting vendors to bring what consumers want to the market. This in turn creates diversity in products and consumers.

“We’re not necessarily looking to expand space-wise. We’re looking more to enhance the quality and variety of the products that are already offered,” Foss said.

“There’s already a great variety because that’s what we’re seeking from year to year. We just want to continue to do that.”

The Farmer’s Market provides opportunities for all community members to be involved. For example, the Drake

Environmental Action League has good relationships with vendors at the market and communicates with them to put together a market on campus each fall. It also serves as a social experience.

“People who are visiting the market are representing the community that we have created, and that’s exciting.”

– Kelly Foss Executive Director of the Downtown Farmer’s Market

“DEAL goes to the Farmer’s Market usually once every fall,” said Shereen Hunitie, senior president. “We’re into buying fresh, local foods, and it’s cool because they are all from Iowa.”

Hunitie also admires the

accessibility of the Farmer’s Market, from the free parking to the biking areas.

In terms of accessibility and inclusiveness, Foss thinks through each detail and continues to expand upon community outreach. A bike valet is just one program the Farmer’s Market uses to accommodate the people of Des Moines, while the Meals from the Market program donates leftover food from vendors to local food pantries.

In addition, the market participates in the EBT program, allowing families to shop at the market with food stamps from qualified vendors. Floss said about 30 vendors at the market are a part of the program.

“To be able to offer that experience to families that are more of a lower income the ability to shop at the Farmers Markets - I just feel like it’s a special thing for our community,” Foss said.

The Farmer’s Markets’ effort to create an inclusive space makes for

a variety of vendors, which has not gone unnoticed by students.

“They have a little bit of everything,” senior Brandon Bader said. “If you want to eat food while you’re there, you can find some pretty unique dishes. I think that would probably be my favorite part - going out and eating food farmers are producing.”

One of Foss’s favorite parts of the market is watching the streets fill every Saturday morning when it opens at 7 a.m. with all of the people who make the community what it is.

“I think the Downtown Farmer’s Market represents our community and the diversity of the people in our community,” Foss said. “It can be the equivalent of a gathering on the town square, people who are visiting the market are representing the community that we have created, and that’s exciting.”

The Downtown Farmer’s Market returns on May 7.

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IOWA NEWS

Branstad boasts longtime reign as governor Those who worked with Branstad reflect on the experience and all he did to help the state Angela Ufheil Staff Writer angela.uheil@drake.edu @AngelaUfheil

If Governor Terry Branstad’s political career was a race, it would be a marathon.

He was elected to the Iowa House in 1972 and would go on to serve several other roles, eventually the Iowa governorship. He’s in the middle of his sixth term, making him the longest-serving governor in U.S. history.

But now, many believe the fiscally conservative Branstad is close to crossing the finish line. While he’s made no formal announcement, Branstad has voiced his support for possible gubernatorial candidate Kim Reynolds, who currently serves as Lieutenant Governor under him.

In 2015, he told the Washington Post that he “wouldn’t bet” on another campaign.

Iowa citizens weren’t prepared to take that bet against a candidate who has won so many elections. Instead, let’s reflect upon Branstad’s legacy.

Branstad has run for office 20 times for various positions, including Iowa House Representative, lieutenant governor and the governorship itself. He’s never lost.

“He loves campaigning,” lobbyist Thomas Jochum said.

Jochum was a Democrat serving on the Iowa House of Representatives with Branstad, and he remembers Branstad’s run for lieutenant governor in 1978.

“He had a business file card box on his desk,” Jochum said.

“And he had all 99 counties, and on each county he had a stack of cards that he had been in contact with.”

Branstad was not expected to win the nomination for lieutenant governor that year, Jochum said, but he surprised everyone. “He out-organized and out-worked the other candidates.”

This theme continued throughout his career. Branstad was governor for four terms from 1983 until 1999, when he retired and became the president of Des Moines University. But he returned to the ring in 2010.

“I really wanted to work on his campaign because of the great work he did in previous years and new that Iowa needed his leadership back,” said Jake Kentzler, who served as the organization director for Branstad’s comeback campaign.

“Working for him was really just an amazing experience. He’s the hardest working candidate I’ve ever met, and he will do whatever it takes to be successful.”

Branstad is obviously popular with his constituents. He won re-election in 2014 with 59 percent of the vote, which is significant in for a state often called a battleground between Republicans and Democrats. And love it or hate it, he’s had success pushing conservative ideals. In 2013, Branstad signed Senate File 295, the biggest Iowa tax cut in history.

Iowa has seen positive changes under Branstad. When he was elected governor in 1983, unemployment rates were 8.5 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When he left after four terms, they were at a

record low of 2.5 percent. Today, unemployment hovers around 3.5 percent. His focus on the budget has also resonated positively with Conservatives.

“We don’t have any budget deficits under his tenure, and he’s just done a great job of making sure the state government is well run,” Kentzler said. “He’s a good manager for the people of Iowa.”

Of course, not everyone agrees with all of Branstad’s decisions.

Jochum, a Democrat, has not liked all of Branstad’s decisions.

“Philosophically, he and I are not in tune on most labor issues.

But you work with who’s there,” Jochum said.

One particular point of controversy came in the summer of 2015, when he vetoed an education funding bill and proposals to keep The Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute open.

The Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll done right after that decision in July 2015 showed a dip in Branstad’s ratings: Iowa voters gave him a 48-43 job approval rating, the lowest they’ve given him since 2013 when the poll began.

But fans of Branstad defend his decision.

“He has to make tough decisions every day,” Kentzler said. “He’s always trying to find ways to fund education and work with both parties and do the best he can. But at the end of the day, he has to be the person that makes those tough decisions that makes sure that the government is balanced.”

Govern as long as Branstad, and some of those tough

TERRY BRANSTAD is the longest-serving governor in U.S. history. He is currently serving his sixth term as governor of Iowa. PHOTO FROM IOWA.GOV

decisions can catch up with you.

A November 2015 Public Policy Poll showed that his numbers have dipped even more, to a 38-50 job approval rating. Iowans, especially those who lean left, are frustrated by his plans to privatize Iowa’s Medicaid Program and cut taxes for businesses instead of putting more money towards education.

Only time will tell how these goals affect Branstad’s legacy.

“Nobody loves the state as much as Terry Branstad,” Kentzler said.

But Jochum is a bit more neutral. “I think his legacy is in the eye of the beholder.”

CAMPUS LIFE

Resources, internships prepare students for post-grad life Sarah Grossman Staff Writer sarah.grossman@drake.edu @smg424

Drake University prides itself on its students’ job and graduate school placement percentages post graduation because they are significantly above national average. A year after graduating from Drake, approximately 95 to 100 percent of students from its various colleges have found employment or moved on to higher education.

The question is, then, what does Drake do differently? Why are students so adept at gaining employment post graduating?

The answer is simple: experience.

Drake students tend to have internships — not just one, but multiple internships.

“I think the College of Business and Public Administration tends to run an average of two internships, give-or-take,” said Annette Watson, a career services manager, who specializes in professional and career development services for the CBPA and School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “It depends on the student’s schedule.

They might decide not to work during the school year and instead search for a summer internship.”

Drake students tend to search out these opportunities. There are multiple reasons for this. One such reason — it is required for some.

“A lot of our courses and professors basically reiterate that you won’t be able to get the job you

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want without having internship experience,” said Leigh Schissel, junior accounting major. “In the business school, our assistant dean pushes it and requires us to have an internship. We don’t have a choice. We have to have one.”

This pressure placed on students can have a strong impact on the culture at Drake. Senior public relations student Kim Hennen, who has had three internships and currently looking for another postgraduation, has felt the pressure since her first year.

“Well, to start this off, when I was in my second week of freshman year, I went to my adviser’s office and asked for an internship, basically,” Hennen said. “So, I think the fact that I did that during my second week of college implies that I could feel the atmosphere, the stress, the high energy that Drake has, which isn’t a bad thing, but it was second week, and that’s where I was.”

However, while this pressure imbues the culture of Drake, it is also relieved somewhat by the resources available to students.

This includes job fairs, mock interviews, professional courses and multiple advising resources.

“If we’re struggling, we have to go to Dean Blum (assistant dean for the CBPA), and he’ll help us find something,” Schissel said.

“The biggest part is he wants us to have experience so it will give us better opportunities to get the job we want when we graduate.”

While business students have a plethora of resources available, some feel like this might not be

the same for all students.

“I think that there are a lot of good resources, but I feel like more schools have more resources than others, mainly the business school, which makes sense,” Hennen said. “I feel like there is room for other schools to grow in what professional opportunities they give students and how they prepare students for professional interviews. Some areas of business are more relaxed on interviews, but I don’t think we should be held to lower standard than a business professional.”

“We want to be able to connect the real world with the classroom experience, we would like students to get a full time job.”

– Annette Watson career services manager, CBPA

Even from the inside looking out, students recognize that this is true at Drake.

“I would say the business school helps us out a lot more. If I look at other schools, the business school gives us more opportunities (and) more career fairs,” Schissel said.

“Even with the campus life career fair, it’s more geared towards business students, health sciences or pharmacist situations. Looking at other classmates and peers, I

feel like they struggle sometimes and find internships later and later in the year if they’re not in the business school. I feel like it does differ from college to college.”

That said, the importance of internships is undeniable. Just ask Kylie Ladely, recruiter at Midwest Professional Staffing.

“I would say, definitely, internships are important and relevant experience to someone’s major, especially if they are a broad major, such as marketing,” Ladely said.

As to what recruiters look for, experience and internships are right at the top of the list.

“We would like to see experience in a certain area, especially if that is what they’re specifically getting into,” Ladely said. “Just some work experience, letting us know that they held a position while they were in school, it just shows a little more drive.”

However, it is important to consider the position the student is applying for as well as what area of the internship.

“It (the importance of internships) would be a case-bycase basis depending on what the job requires or what kind of experience they were acquiring,” Ladely said. “It would depend.

Somebody who has three internships is going to have more experience than someone who has one, but maybe the employer doesn’t want that either. It totally depends on the employer.”

Experience is not the only thing that matters to employers.

“It’s great to have that

experience if you’re able to do a couple of internships (and) take advantage of that, but you have to know how to sell yourself in an interview before you’ll get a position,” Ladely said.

Overall, Drake works hard to prepare students for success.

“I would say to package, we really strongly encourage internships,” Watson said. “We want to be able to connect the real world with the classroom experience. We would like students to get a full-time job. We know that the more experience students have, the likelihood of them getting what they want is exponentially higher than if they didn’t have those experiences.”

This preparation shows when students go looking for positions. It is a large part of why Drake students do so well postgraduation. So, although students feel pressure and stress, it works.

However, students should always remember to enjoy the journey.

“I would say Drake students are very well prepared. They are some of the best students that we see, honestly,” Ladely said. “But, again, it’s college. Enjoy it while you’re in it. Those internships are important, but make sure they’re something you want to do and will drive your career on the path you want to go.”

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APRIL 25, 2016

DES MOINES

ZOMBIE BURGER is located at 300 E Grand Avenue PHOTO BY MOLLY LAMOUREUX

ZOMBIE BURGER is a favorite among locals and visitors with its specialties. PHOTO BY MOLLY LAMOUREUX

FONGS, located at 223 4th St, serves specialty pizzas in a tiki bar environment. PHOTO BY MOLLY LAMOUREUX

AMERICANA located at 1312 Locust Street, has a modern aesthetic. In addition to a myriad of specialty dishes and cocktails, it is well-known among students for its brunch. Sunday Brunch is available from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. PHOTO BY MOLLY LAMOUREUX

JETHRO’S attracts students, parents and alumni with close proximity to campus, barbecue dishes and the Emmenecker Challenge. It is located at 3100 Forest Avenue. PHOTO BY MOLLY LAMOUREUX

CENTRO is located at 1003 Locust Street in downtown. It is well-known for its Italianinspired dishes. Pizza is half-price every Monday after 4 p.m. PHOTO BY MOLLY LAMOUREUX

Powerhouse restaurants in Des Moines Sarah Grossman Staff Writer sarah.grossman@drake.edu @smg424

There are many well-known and well-loved restaurants around Des Moines. These are top spots for students and visitors who come into town for either Drake Relays or to visit friends.

A few of these places are Centro, Americana, Fong’s, Jethro’s and Zombie Burger. But how do people truly feel about these restaurants, and how do they decide which ones to visit?

Drake senior Jenna Koretz has had four years now to explore what Des Moines has to offer.

“I like the ones that I’ve been to so far - no complaints - and I’ve been to most of them,”

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Koretz said. “If you are looking for somewhere nicer to go, go to Americana over Zombie Burger.

I like Fong’s for late-night, it’s always good if you’re downtown.

I like Italian food a lot, so I go to Centro, but it’s kind of pricey, so I’ve only been there twice.”

There is, however a common theme for students - brunch.

“My favorite place to eat downtown is Centro. We go every Sunday for brunch,” junior Emily VanSchmus said. “I go there more often than Americana. Especially with brunch, you can go somewhere fancy, but it’s cheaper, so you get the experience but don’t have to spend a lot of money.”

Senior Greta Gillen had similar feelings towards a different restaurant.

“I love Americana’s brunch,”

Gillen said. “It is amazing, and whenever I bring friends from out of town, they want to go there.

It is the best unlimited brunch around.”

Since these places are wellknown to students, it only makes sense that they become hot spots when families come into town, especially during Relays.

“My parents come to Des Moines throughout the year, and we all go out to eat downtown,” junior Jacob Hewitt said. “Relays is a huge time for parents and alumni to come from out of town.”

Hewitt’s father, Sean, is a 1992 Drake Alumni. He graduated from the business school with a degree in accounting and played on Drake’s football team. He and his family now live in Waterloo, Iowa.

“We avoid the chain restaurants in Des Moines,” Sean Hewitt said. “We are always looking for something that we can’t get around here. We look for something different. Fong’s offers that, Zombie Burger offers that, even Exile was very good.”

Sean Hewitt urges students to stay away from common, popular restaurants and frequent places outside the norm.

“Don’t be afraid to go outside the box and do a mom and pop place that you see the locals and eat there every Friday,” Sean Hewitt said. “It’s good food, and its not expensive, there’s a reason they’re there. They don’t overly advertise it. We’ve been places that you would have no idea that there would be a restaurant there.”

Drake student senior Lizzie

Maassen shares the same opinion.

She recently visited a restaurant not commonly frequented by Drake students.

“Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is really good,” Masseen said. “It’s delicious and has some good drink deals. There are all different types of tacos for really cheap, good prices, good food and a good atmosphere.” “(Des Moines) has a huge offering,” Sean Hewitt said. “You can get some of the best steak in the world, and there are still places that will fly in fresh seafood. They have some really good restaurants.

You can’t go wrong with Jethro’s.

Or go to some dives that have phenomenal food. There’s plenty of places to eat. Search it out. If you don’t like it, then don’t go back.”

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