Acclaimed Los Angeles session musician and composer Dr. Michael Lehmann Boddicker will explore the roots of human creativity in the age of artificial intelligence in a multimedia presentation at Drake University. “The Nature of Creativity: An Evening With Electronic Music Pioneer Michael Lehmann Boddicker” will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. in...
Author: Jarad Bernstein (Jarad Bernstein)
The Ray Center Receives Three Prairie Meadows Grants for 2022 Initiatives
Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino has awarded The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University three grants totaling nearly $62,000 to support initiatives that impact Iowans. “We’re proud of our longstanding partnership with Prairie Meadows. These grants provide valuable resources to Iowans and help promote good character, civility, and ethical leadership.” said Scott...
Drake political scientist publishes study of secret police
Kieran Williams, assistant professor and co-chair of the Department of Political Science, has published a chapter on the secret police in Communist Czechoslovakia in the book Czechoslovakia and Eastern Europe in the Era of Normalisation, 1969–1989, edited by Kevin McDermott and Matthew Stibbe. Williams’s chapter charts the rebuilding of a web of surveillance in the...
$150 million donated to The Ones Campaign since launching one year ago
A year ago, Drake University set out to transform lives and strengthen communities through The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave & Bold. Drake is pleased to announce the campaign has now raised $150 million toward its $225 million goal. The campaign’s mission is to harness the full power of what the University is capable...
Keys to Excellence Piano Series resumes Oct. 3 featuring Kansas State Professor of Piano Sławomir Dobrzański
Now in its 10th season—and after a two-year hiatus—Drake University’s Keys to Excellence Piano Series resumes featuring internationally acclaimed pianists from around the world. Sławomir Dobrzański, professor at Kansas State University, will present the first concert of the 2022–2023 season on Monday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium. Admission is free. The performance will feature works by Bach, Mozart,...
Drake University’s Bucksbaum Lecture Series to feature former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch will deliver the annual Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at Drake University’s Knapp Center, located at 2525 Forest Ave. In a moderated question and answer format, Yovanovitch will speak on “Lessons from the Edge,” including insights on the current Russia–Ukraine conflict as she draws on experiences from her 33-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service. The lecture...
The Harkin Institute dedicates the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center
The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement held a ceremony today, Aug. 20, to mark the opening of its $8.9 million building on the Drake University campus. Though construction wrapped in 2020, the building’s dedication had been postponed due to the pandemic. Named after Ruth and retired Senator Tom Harkin, the lead sponsor...
Mark Ernst named chair of Drake University Board of Trustees
The Drake University Board of Trustees has named alumnus and business executive Mark Ernst, BN’80, as its new chair. Ernst, who has served on the board since 2008 and is currently co-chair of The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave & Bold, will succeed Peggy Fisher who has served in the role since July 2019. Ernst...
Drake University Awards Honorary Degree to Mediacom CEO Rocco B. Commisso
Drake University today announced it has awarded Rocco B. Commisso, the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Mediacom Communications Corporation, an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree. “While other broadband providers exited Iowa, Mediacom—under Mr. Commisso’s leadership—invested in infrastructure critical to the economic vitality of our state,” said Drake University President Marty Martin. “Mediacom...
The Ray Center at Drake University to acquire license for Josephson Exemplary Policing
The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University and The Joseph and Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics announced today that Drake University has acquired the exclusive global rights to the Josephson Exemplary Policing Initiative. This is the third Josephson Institute program in which The Ray Center at Drake has received exclusive rights. The...