The Drake Theme-House: Application for Student-Residents

Sustainability: Drake defines sustainability as acting in such a way as to meet our own needs currently without compromising the ability of others, present and future, to meet their needs.

Information about the Drake Real Estate Theme House: Drake University has designated the property at 1161 26th Street as a Theme House, currently the Eco-House. The Theme-House will accommodate six student-residents. The first residents occupied the property in the Fall of 2006. The Theme-House is considered off campus housing; rent is $350/month per tenant.  The lease is a ten month lease beginning on August 1, 2008 and ending on May 31, 2009. There are six bedrooms and three bathrooms. Amenities included are heat, water, basic cable, and internet.  Also included is a dishwasher, stove, refrigerator, microwave, washer and dryer and central air. There is no smoking allowed in this property.

The Theme-House, currently the Eco-House, will be an on-going project in which student-residents can put into practice what they learn about sustainability. This will potentially involve their daily living practices such as their choice of transportation, their food sources and methods of preparation, their energy usage, their commitment to recycling and recyclable materials, and their cooperative housework practices. With appropriate supervision, student-residents will be responsible for proposing projects and carrying them out. The house members will be subject to all aspects of the Drake Student Code of conduct and any additional specifics agreed upon by the house.

The Drake Sustainability Oversight Committee, Drake Reality and the Office of Residence Life invite applications from students interested in making this living/learning environment part of their experience at Drake.

Timeline for selection process:

• Applications and publicity will be available Friday, February 22, 2008
• Applications are due Friday, March 7, 2008
• Selection interviews (if needed) take place the week of March 10, 2008
• Theme house selected and occupants notified on Monday, March 17, 2008

If you have questions, contact Lorissa Lieurance at Lorissa.Lieurance@drake.edu.

Minimum requirements:

• Junior or Senior standing by Fall '08
• Students from all majors are encouraged to apply
• GPA of 2.5 or above
• Pledge to employ consensus-based decision making among the residents
• At least one community/campus activity/project per semester (for example, neighborhood clean-up, planting of flowers/trees, going to a local school to teach students about environmental activities, open-house with speaker, etc.)
• Commitment to live as sustainably as possible (for example, recycling is mandatory)
• Student-residents are encouraged to become members of the Drake Environmental Action League (DEAL) to enhance sustainability on Drake's campus

Applications will include the following typed information:
Contact Person Name:
Address:
Phone Number:
Email:

List of names, email addresses, and phone numbers of the 6 students committed to living in the house:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Essay (500 words): Explain your interest in environmental issues and why you want to live sustainably? What experiences you've had that either prepare you for living sustainably or that have inspired you to want to live sustainably, especially to live with others who share your commitment. What programs or special activities the house will engage in? How does the theme further the mission of Drake University?  How does this theme have a positive effect in the Drake and Des Moines Community?

Please submit a resume (GPA, major, work experience, co-curricular and volunteer activities) along with your essay to Lorissa Lieurance, Assistant Director of Residence Life, Student Life Center. Email submissions with resume and essays as attached Microsoft Word documents are welcome (lorissa.lieurance@drake.edu). Deadline: March 7th by 4:30pm.