During the visit, students in the LEAD 100 and LEAD 190 courses had the opportunity to meet with State Representative Ako Abdul-Samad, State Senator Janet Peterson, State Senator Robert Hogg, State Representative Marti Anderson, and State Senator Jack Hatch. Each State government official relayed that their involvement in state government began through a passion for social change and expressed thanks and congratulated the students on a job well done.

“To our surprise, the members of senate were very well versed in our initiative and congratulated us on our efforts,” says Alexandria Quinn, a student in the LEAD 190 course. “This was a very rewarding experience because our goal was to impact the Drake community, but here we were able to see our passion spread throughout the Des Moines community.”

The current LEAD 100 students will move into the LEAD 190 capstone course next fall, where they will be responsible for developing a new initiative that promotes social responsibility. The State government officials challenged the LEAD 100 class to aim high when developing their initiative. Tom Westbrook, professor of education and chair of LEAD, says the students left the meeting with enthusiasm and excitement for the fall capstone course.

For more information, contact Tom Westbrook at 515-271-3078 or thomas.westbrook@drake.edu.

“All of these contests are judged by industry professionals,” says Kathleen Richardson, director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “The fact that our students do so well, against many larger programs, is a wonderful testament to the quality education we offer at Drake.”

In April, Drake Magazine was honored as best student magazine in the Society of Professional Journalists’ (SPJ) Region 7 Mark of Excellence Awards. This region includes colleges and universities in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri.

Drake also received individual awards at SPJ. First-place awards were given to Meagan Flynn in the newspaper feature writing category, and Ben Curtis in the feature photography category. Olivia Young and Carter Osgood received second-place for best non-fiction magazine article and general news photography, respectively.

Students studying public relations were also recognized this spring, winning two PRIME Awards from the local chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). PRIME Awards recognize excellence in the public relations practice throughout central Iowa. The Drake Public Relations Student Society of America Chapter won for a social media plan created for Amanda the Panda, a local grief support center for children. Abby Bedore, Halli Kubes, Cecily Miniaci, Jenna Mushro, and Kali O’Brien were honored for a campaign they created to combat childhood obesity. Additionally, Abby Bedore won the Ferne Bonomi and Dr. Henry Milam Scholarship at the ceremony.

Broadcast students also received recognition this spring at the Iowa Broadcast News Association convention. Five first-place awards were given to Drake students. The following five broadcasts, which were run on the campus radio station KDRA-FM, received first place:
• Mary Kate Wachtel, In-Depth, “HPV Testing”
• Katherine Fritcke, Political Coverage, “Campaign Exhaustion”
• Katherine Fritcke, General Reporting, “Secretary-General Visits Drake”
• Erin Hassanzadeh, Public Affairs, “The Governor’s Education Proposal”
• Erin Hassanzadeh, Best Newscast

Erin Hassanzadeh, president of the Drake Broadcasting System, also received a scholarship at the convention.

For more information, contact Kathleen Richardson at 515-271-2295 or kathleen.richardson@drake.edu.

• David Beall, BN’81, President of the Bizability Group
• Kevin Bell, LW’11, Assistant County Attorney for Polk County, Iowa
• Martha Capps, JO’78, Account Supervisor for Hanley Wood Marketing
• Roxanne Conlin, LA’64, GR’66, GR’79, Attorney, Roxanne Conlin & Associates, PC
• Chad Hoseth, AS’94, Director of International Initiatives and Managing Director of the Confucius Center, Colorado State University
• Chris McDonnell, JO’05, Principal at McDonnell Wealth Management
• Dr Brian Palmer, AS’96, Senior Associate Consultant and Associate Professor, Mayo Clinic

The National Alumni Association Board of Directors is dedicated to facilitating alumni understanding of University goals, and provides a vehicle for consulting alumni on significant issues. The board also promotes meaningful relationships between alumni and Drake. They directly support the mission of the Drake University National Alumni Association, which works to provide both Drake and its alumni with a channel for meaningful participation in University matters.

“These individuals are symbols and representatives of all 65,000 alumni we have worldwide,” says Blake Campbell, director of alumni relations. “Their election will provide an opportunity to speak on behalf of these groups and further strengthen their relationship with the university.”

Campbell says the new board members were selected based on their active engagement with the Drake community after graduation.

The new board members will serve a three-year term. Duties include serving on committees, attending board meetings, and acting as board representatives in their respective communities to promote the board and the University’s goals. The group will gather three times a year on Drake’s campus to discuss new developments and upcoming events.

For more information on the National Alumni Association Board of Directors, contact Blake Campbell at 515-271-3077 or blake.campbell@drake.edu.

The celebration honored Drake employees who have reached 20, 25, 30, or 35 years of service, as well as upcoming and recent retirees. More than 200 faculty and staff members attended the event to celebrate their colleagues.

President Maxwell opened the ceremony by welcoming the guests and reminding the audience of Drake news headlines from 20, 25, 30, and 35 years ago. Venessa Macro, assistant vice president of business and finance and director of human resources, then took the podium to read the name and title of each honoree.

In the past, only the honorees, a guest of their choice, and their supervisor or senior level administrator was invited to attend the celebration. This year, the event was open to all full-time faculty and staff. The University plans to continue the tradition every spring in this new format.

“We are very pleased with the new format of this program,” says Laura Schwarz, administrative support specialist. “Each and every employee contributes to the University and to our students. It is important to recognize those contributions.”

The 2013 faculty and staff honorees were as follows:

20 years
Daniel Alexander, Robert Bruinekool, Charisse Busing, Hunter Clark, Charles Disilvestro, Susan Fink, Gary Johnson, Gholam Mirafzal, Amy Nichols, Clarence Padilla, Nivedita Pandit, Charles Phillips, John Pomeroy, Elizabeth Stucker

25 years
Judith Allen, Klaus Bartschat, Danny Beaty, Ronald Caudle, Robert Cooper, Marie Fisher, Trudi Holst, Janet Howard, Gloria Lawless, Carla McCrea, Carolyn Nelson, Josefa Poppen, Robert Stensrud, Jody Swilky

30 years
Garry Frank, Claudia Frazer, Neil Hamilton, Patrick Heaston, Larhee Henderson, Aggie Jones, Katherine Lincoln, Joseph Scavo, Janice Weaver

35 years
Terry Barnes, David Foley, Kathy Jefferson, Lawrence Naylor

Retirees
Ronnie Buenger, Jane Dewitt, Hans Hanson, Douglas Hillman, Ronda Menke, Adolphus Pulliam, Lois Santi, Beverly Shivers, Ronald Troyer, Janice Walker, Susan Wright

The book’s focus is the future of politics and social change, and it features statements from U.S. Congresswomen, including Nancy Pelosi and former Senator Olympia Snowe. Blanford and Howell, along with the other recipients of the College Women’s Leadership Award, will be highlighted in the book to acknowledge the commitment, aspirations and potential of women in politics and social change.

“These college women have distinguished themselves as leaders through social activism or politics at their schools, communities or with statewide or national initiatives,” says Terri Spahr Nelson, author of the book. “They exemplify passion and characteristics of emerging leaders who are making a difference in our world. These are some truly noteworthy young women who will lead us into the future.”

Visit www.womenandpolitics.us for more information about the recipients, the award, and the book. Or, visit the Facebook page at womenandpolitics.us.

During the spring semester, students in the School of Education’s English as a Second Language (ESL) Methods course developed a series of 14 English lessons on topics provided by Amy Campos, director of USCRI. Lessons include general curriculum materials, guidance for volunteer teachers who will be teaching the lessons, and federal assessments of the programs.

“This collaborative project has required Drake students to go above and beyond in their work to learn the art of developing ESL lessons and assessments,” says ESL Methods instructor Shelley Fairbairn. “This project’s authenticity has deepened their learning and has allowed them to make a valuable contribution to one of Des Moines’ two refugee resettlement agencies.”

The Drake students will present their lesson plans to Campos as part of a special celebration held on Monday, May 13. The event begins at 7:15 p.m., and will be held at the School of Education building, Room 214, 3206 University Avenue.

For more information, contact Shelley Fairbairn at 515-271-1954 or shelley.fairbairn@drake.edu.

Left to right: Natalie Gadbois, President Maxwell, Bob Egeland, Morgan Cline, Lynne Sasmazer and Troy Ross from Carver Trust, and Mitchell Webster

On Thursday, April 25, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Drake University hosted a grand opening for the Morgan E. Cline Atrium for Pharmacy and Science. Administrators, faculty, staff, students, and friends joined together to celebrate the new facility and recognize the donors who made it all possible.

Funding for the building came from a number of gifts to distinctlyDrake, including a lead gift from
 Morgan E. Cline. Cline gave $3 million to create the new two-story facility between Harvey Ingham Hall and Cline Hall of Pharmacy and Health Science. The new facility includes a student learning commons, faculty offices, and an experiential learning suite. This is the second building named in honor of
 Cline, who graduated from Drake College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 1953, and is one of the founders of Cline, Davis & Mann, a New York advertising 
agency specializing in pharmaceuticals. Additional contributing gifts were from Hy-Vee, Inc. and the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust.

“The
 success of the College and our graduates is predicated by the generosity and engagement of
alumni such as Morgan Cline,” says Raylene Rospond, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS). “The commons will provide students with the ability to extend their learning outside the classroom and to develop important critical skills.”

Over the years, Cline has been an active Drake alum. He previously served on the Drake University Board of Trustees and has been a 
major benefactor to the University, endowing a scholarship fund for pharmacy 
students with a $5 million gift in 2001.

"The Cline Atrium has reminded students the importance of giving back. The professional and personal communication that takes place in the atrium on a daily basis is a true reflection of the exceptional and collaborative learning environment that Drake strives to establish,” says Mitchell Webster, CPHS student. “Students use the advanced electronic media to streamline communication while working in groups and really have enjoyed being able to conveniently meet with professors in the new office spaces.”

More than 100 people were in attendance at the grand opening including: Morgan E. Cline; Bob Egeland, vice president of pharmacy for Hy-Vee; and Troy Ross, executive director of the Carver Trust and Lynne Sasmazer, program director of the Carver Trust. Drake University President David Maxwell, Board of Trustee members, and CPHS National Alumni Council members were in attendance along with faculty, staff and students.

Several student soloists will be featured in the concert. Eric Ferring, tenor, will sing two opera arias of Mozart and Bizet. Ferring is a junior vocal performance major and musical theatre minor. He has been a member of the Drake Choir and Chamber Choir and received the Allen Lehl Scholarship in 2011.

The Tiberius Quartet will also be featured in the concert. Katelyn Stessman, Justin Hike, Devin van Holsteijn, and Kyle Glavanovits make up the Tiberius Quartet and will perform Bolcom’s Concerto Grosso for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra. Stessman is a junior music education and performance double major, Glavanovits is a senior performance major, Hike is a senior education major, and van Holsteijn is a senior music business and business management double major.

Additionally, the orchestra will perform Awakenings by William Dougherty, the Ellis and Nelle Levitt Professor of Music at Drake University.

The orchestra is under the direction of Akira Mori, assistant professor of music and director of orchestral studies at Drake. Visit http://artsci.drake.edu/Music_Dept/ensembles/orchestra.html for more information.

“The Burial at Thebes” was first performed at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland on April 5, 2004. It was later adapted into the opera that premiered at the Globe Theatre in London in 2008, with music by Dominque Le Gendre and a libretto by Heaney. Similar to the classic Greek text, “The Burial of Thebes” is an adaptation of Sophocles’ “Antigone,” which focuses on the conflict between individual rights and claims of the state.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students, senior citizens and those with a Drake ID. Tickets are available at the Fine Arts Center Box Office. Reservations, which are suggested, may be made in person or by calling 515-271-3841.

For more information on the performance, contact Adam Meirink at adam.meirink@drake.edu.

Four Principal employees will discuss their professional adventures abroad and why it is important to embrace both the differences and similarities in offices around the world.

The event will begin at 8 p.m. in The Principal Financial Group Auditorium, 711 High St., Des Moines. Attendees are asked to check in with security at least 15 minutes prior in the event with a photo ID. This event is free and open to the public.

Presenters include Adam Emmenecker and Eric Hollander who worked abroad in Hong Kong and Pune, India respectively, as well as Phillip Saran and Sunil Tulsyan who traveled from Hong Kong and Pune, India respectively, to work at Principal in Des Moines. Matthew Mitchell, assistant professor of international business and strategy at Drake, will offer an academic perspective to guide the discussion.

For more information, contact Matthew Mitchell at 515-271-3138 or matthew.mitchell@drake.edu.

Bradley Herling

Through a variety of public programming, including creative non-fiction readings, inter-faith dialogues, and lectures on the Holocaust and the Lakota Ghost Dance, among others, the Comparison Project 2012-2013 explored a range of religious explanations of and responses to suffering. On Tuesday, May 7, the Comparison Project will present its final event, “Religious Responses to Suffering: A Comparative Discussion,” at 7 p.m. in Olin Hall, Room 101, 1344 27th Street. This event is free and open to the public.

Three philosophers of religion with varying methodological commitments and religious expertise will draw tentative conclusions about the responses to suffering that have been discussed throughout the year. The philosophers are Bradley Herling, associate professor of religious studies at Marymount Manhattan College; Jin Y. Park, associate professor of philosophy and religion at American University; and John J. Thatamanil, associate professor of theology and world religions at Union Theological Seminary.

Jin Y. Park

Herling is the author of The German Gita: Hermeneutics and Discipline in the German Reception of Indian Thought, 1778-1831. Additionally, he is the co-editor of Deliver Us From Evil an interdisciplinary collection of essays that examines the problem of evil and unwarranted suffering. Herling is currently working on a second edition of his textbook, A Beginner’s Guide to the Study of Religion, which will be published in 2014.

Park is the author and editor of several books including Buddhism and Postmodernity: Zen, Huayan, and the Possibility of Buddhist Postmodern Ethics.

Thatamanil is the author of The Immanent Divine: God, Creation and the Human Predicament (Fortress Press) and is currently working on a book, The Promise of Religious Diversity: Constructive Theology After Religion, that explores the meaning of the category “religion” for interreligious dialogue.

John J. Thatamanil

The Comparison Project is sponsored by:
Drake University Humanities Center
Humanities Iowa
The Medbury Fund
Drake University Principal Financial Group Center for Global Citizenship
Des Moines Area Religious Council
Cultivating Compassion: The Richard Deming Foundation

Visit http://comparisonproject.wordpress.drake.edu or email comparisonproject@drake.edu.

The Distinguished M.P.A. Alumnus Award has been awarded each year since 1973, and Meyer joins a long list of notable alumni who have received this award. Past recipients include: Jeff Geerts, Iowa Department of Economic Development; Robert Ravenscroft, Mercy Foundation; and Judy Bradshaw, Des Moines Police Department.

“I was frankly humbled by the recognition,” Meyer says. “It is well known that Drake has one of the finest M.P.A. programs in the country. To be recognized by Drake was a great honor.”

Meyer was presented the award at the Pi Alpha Alpha luncheon on April 17. Drake faculty, administrators, M.P.A. students, and alumni were present at the luncheon, including Drake University President David Maxwell and Charles Edwards, dean of the College of Business and Public Administration.

Pi Alpha Alpha (PAA), the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration, also recognized 35 new inductees at the luncheon. More than 200 students are enrolled in the M.P.A. program at Drake, which is the only on-campus M.P.A. program currently offered in Iowa. Membership in PAA is by invitation only and is based on academic excellence.

For more information on the Distinguished M.P.A. Alumnus Award or PAA, contact Garry Frank at 515-271-2426 or garry.frank@drake.edu.

Four Drake University students have been awarded Fulbright Scholarships for 2013–2014. Kathryn Bell, Amelia Piecuch, Amanda Laurent, and Steven Schaaf will join a list of several Drake graduates who have received Fulbright Scholarships in recent years.

Eleanor Zeff, associate professor of politics and international relations, has been the Fulbright program adviser since 2003, and more than 20 Drake students have received Fulbright awards under her advisement. She says the application process is incredibly time consuming, but the Fulbright experience is well worth it.

“Fulbright allows students to use their Drake education and apply it in an international situation,” Zeff says. “It helps them be meaningful citizens in the future.”

Anna DeVries, AS’12, and Fulbright recipient for 2012–2013, is currently an English teaching assistant in Pangkalpinang, the largest city and capital of the Bangka island province of Indonesia. DeVries says her Drake education prepared her for the Fulbright experience in more ways than one.

“I often think back to my own Arabic classes at Drake and the experience of my Fulbright foreign language teachers. In spite of the difficulties of learning a language, they were able to share their cultures and countries by opening up their apartments and lives to us,” DeVries says. “I try to emulate their example and can only hope that I will be as welcoming and hospitable to foreigners in America as the residents of Pangkalpinang have been toward me.”

Zeff says navigating a foreign country presents serious challenges, but in the end, it’s a wonderful, invaluable experience. The four Drake students awarded Fulbrights for 2013–2014 will be teaching and conducting research in Columbia, Chile, South Korea, and Jordan.

Kathryn Bell, AS’12, will teach English in Colombia. Kathryn graduated in December 2012, receiving a B.A. with majors in law, politics, and society and in sociology.

Amelia Piecuch, a senior double majoring in international relations and environmental policy, will travel to Chile, where she will conduct a study titled "Chile's Empty Oceans? Assessing the Efficacy of La Ley De Pesca's Fishery Management Policy."

Amanda Laurent, public relations major with a minor in marketing and a concentration in leadership, will teach English in South Korea. And Steven Schaaf, will conduct judicial research in Jordan. Schaaf is a senior majoring in international relations and law, politics, and society.

The exhibition represents the culmination of the pursuits of the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Art students, and features recent work in drawing, printmaking, painting, and graphic design. Although the students have fairly disparate inspirations for the creation of their work, they have chosen a collection of pieces that all relate back to the theme of Figmentation, reflecting each artists’ efforts to give form to the immaterial that lies between invention and reality.

Megan Ault, a senior from Galena, Ill., is finishing her B.A. in graphic design with a minor in painting. Megan will feature work inspired by her experiences with relationships and social interactions.

Kate Foster, a senior painting major from Des Moines, Iowa, will feature work, primarily paintings, that explore the physical and biological brain, while examining the more abstracted inner workings of the human mind.

Andrea Piekarczyk, a senior drawing major from Downers Grove, Ill., uses a postmodernist approach and a traditional illustrative style. Her work studies the intersections between written and visual communication, and it expresses subversive social and political themes.

Garrett Roskam, a B.F.A. student in drawing from Wichita, Kan., will be exhibiting work that seeks to tell a story without necessitating explicit description. His work aims to give a full vision of places that no person has visited.

Stephanie Werning, a senior graphic design student from Lincoln, Neb., aims to translate abstract ideas into visual designs through engagement and research.

“I believe that graphic designers may discover powerful design solutions by interacting with their physical and social environments,” Werning says. “The greatest visual solutions transpire from forming an intellectual and artistic relationship with the essence of that which we must communicate.”

Werning will graduate in May with her B.F.A. in graphic design, a B.A. in English, and a minor in printmaking.

About the Anderson Gallery
The Anderson Gallery was established in 1996 as a dedicated space for the exploration of contemporary art and design. Additionally, the gallery hosts curated exhibitions of historically significant work, as well as annual showcases of student work from the Department of Art and Design. The gallery is a not-for-profit branch of the College of Arts and Sciences at Drake University, occupying a versatile 1800 sq. ft. space on the first floor of the Harmon Fine Arts Center.

The Anderson Gallery is open six days a week: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Friday through Sunday, 12–4 p.m.; and extended hours on Thursdays from 12–8 p.m. The gallery is closed on Mondays and during University holidays. Visit www.artsci.drake.edu/andersongallery for additional information or call 515-271-1994.

Yildiz has extensive experience with international relations. After graduating from the Department of International Relations at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, he began his career as attaché at the Deputy Directorate for Balkan Affairs at Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). He has worked at the Turkish Embassy in Sarajevo in a variety of capacities as well as served in various roles at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. Prior to assuming his position as consul general of Turkey in Chicago, he worked as chief of section, and director and head of the department, at the Department of Human Resources at Turkey’s MFA.

This event is sponsored by the Principal Financial Group Center for Global Citizenship and the Turkish American Society of Iowa. Visit www.drake.edu/cgc for more information, or contact David Skidmore at 515-271-3843 or david.skidmore@drake.edu or Denise Ganpat at 515-271-2504 or denise.ganpat@drake.edu.