Big-time TV contracts, roaring crowds, and $100 million annual revenues are appealing to universities and their student-athletes. But are athletics programs still fulfilling the mission of higher education? By Aaron W. Jaco, JO’07, AS’07 For centuries, colleges and universities have been beacons for young people to learn, find their passion, hone a craft, and mature [...]

Creating a new model for athletics in higher education By Tim Schmitt, GR’08, ’10 It’s no secret that some student-athletes pursue higher education primarily as a means to “study” their sport. While college sports provide a great opportunity for the vast majority of participants to grow both academically and athletically, some students don’t always make [...]

I first laced up my running shoes at the age of 7. Prior to that I had witnessed my dad leave our home several times to run, regardless of the weather. And each time, he returned with a smile. I assumed running would be enjoyable and effortless. By Kristin Looney, JO’09, AS’09, GR’10 But the [...]

How disagreements and difficulties instill civility on campus By Elizabeth Ford Kozor, JO’07, AS’07 Early on a sunny Saturday morning in April 2010, hundreds of Drake students, faculty, and staff assembled on the lawn in front of Old Main. Many held signs promoting love and tolerance; others sang “All You Need Is Love.” Organized by [...]

By Brent, ED’70, and Diane, ED’70, Slay The late A. Bartlett Giamatti, former commissioner of Major League Baseball and former president of Yale University, said, “Civility is the core of civilization.” Given the cynicism and polarization that appears all too common today, one wonders  if we’ve collectively lost our core. It seems that the dearth [...]

By Jill Brimeyer As hot banks of lights rise on this season’s presidential debates and university auditoriums are swathed in red, white, and blue, Americans ease into their sofas to watch the spectacle unfold. Not just the one playing out onstage, but also the drama as experienced through the news media, robocalls, social media, and [...]