Author: Carl Olsen (Carl Olsen)

When Todd Evans, professor of electronic media, developed the syllabus for his Podcasting and Blogging course that premiered this fall, he didn't predict the virtual explosion of online video media -- like Google's $1.65 billion acquisition of YouTube, for starters -- that has since transpired.

The Harlan, Iowa, native played four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and earned the reputation as one of the NFL's top kickoff men with his high, hanging kickoffs that helped the Cowboys hold opponents to a league-low 17.5-yard kickoff return average in 2004.

Bob Ehrhart, former director of Drake Relays, was named recipient of the Howard Schmertz Lifetime Achievement Award during the Awards Breakfast held Dec. 2 in conjunction with the 2006 USA Track and Field Annual Meeting in Indianapolis.

Drake's new Career bluePrint lets you mentor Drake students in their career journeys and also advance your own career. The "Be A Mentor" program connects alumni with Drake students with activities including e-mail networking, mock interviews, job shadowing and resume critiquing.

Drake alumni across Iowa are being asked to join the Blood Center of Iowa and alumni of Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa in a statewide Alumni Blood Drive Challenge.

Bryan Ptak, JO'96, and Nolan Mitchell, AS'95, are encouraging fellow alumni and friends to join Team Drake and participate in the International Triathlon Union / Hy-Vee World Cup Triathlon to be held in Des Moines on June 17, 2007.

This past October, Kansas City alumni gathered with the Maxwells to celebrate Drake's 125th birthday.

The Drake Alumni Office is seeking alumni worldwide to help organize the annual Bulldog Bashes in their cities. These parties, typically held at pubs and restaurants, are fun, informal ways for Bulldogs to gather and get to know fellow alumni in their area.

Bulldog Bash 2007, hosted by the Drake Central Iowa Alumni Chapter, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, 5-7 p.m., Peggy's Tavern, Des Moines, after the Drake men's basketball game against Illinois State at the Drake Knapp Center.

Drake University and the Greater Des Moines Partnership have teamed up once again to offer fascinating speakers for the spring 2007 Let's DU Lunch speaker series.