Tom Grouling

Thirty years and six offices later, Thomas Grouling is retiring from his position as associate director of Drake’s International Programs and Services Department. After devoting his career to assisting thousands of students and scholars with expanding their worldviews, he plans on doing a bit of traveling himself.

“I would love to see New England’s fall colors,” Grouling says. “Though I am looking forward to retirement, I’ll miss working daily with students, faculty and staff members.”

In his role as associate director, Grouling advised international students on immigration laws and international employment regulations. He also served as the director of an intensive English language-learning program designed for non-native English speakers.

Program grows while fostering global community

International Programs and Services was much different when Grouling joined the department as a part-time staff member three decades ago.

Staffed in 1981 by one full-time worker and a few part-time personnel, the 2011 version of the department retains seven full-time employees.

Five Drake students studied abroad in 1981; in 2011, 250 travelled internationally to pursue a diverse array of cultural and educational experiences. In addition, more than 350 international students are attending classes at Drake this year.

“The program’s main accomplishment is growth,” Grouling says. “More students are participating than ever before. President Maxwell, Drake, and the Center for International Programs and Services have made great strides forward in promoting global citizenship, which is the most exciting part of the University’s mission — to make students more aware of their place in the world.

“When we understand each other, we get along with each other. Peace comes through understanding, and understanding comes through the type of interaction fostered by international exchange.”

Years of mentorship and guidance

Grouling’s proudest accomplishment is the mentorship role he played for 12 Drake students who interned with him, studying immigration regulations and international student advising.

“Of these Drake graduates, several have worked overseas, three went on to become Foreign Student Advisers, one became a visa officer for the U.S. State Department and one became an immigration lawyer,” says Grouling, who began the assistantship program in 1997. “I’m pleased to have played a role in helping these students in the development of their professional careers.”

Grouling will continue to guide students in the years to come. Though he will otherwise be retired, Grouling plans on continuing to teach an undergraduate course, Introduction to American Culture.

On campus: Drake’s cutting-edge lab excites pharmacy students

November 12, 2011:  Des Moines Register

A remodeled floor in Drake’s pharmacy building includes incubators, cells frozen in a liquid nitrogen tube used for DNA samples, genetic sequencers and computers that give students hands-on research capabilities.

Drake fund-raising campaign on track despite breaking the rules

November 10, 2011: Inside Higher Ed

A story about the strategy for the distinctlyDrake campaign positions the University as a potential thought leader. “Despite rejecting almost all of the conventional practices of a modern comprehensive fund-raising campaign, the university is in relatively good position.”

Iowa’s Recycling Winners

November 9, 2011: Talk of Iowa — Iowa Public Radio

Jonathan Rosenbloom, Drake University assistant professor of law and Blue is Green committee member, talks about Drake’s recycling program and the importance of sustainability initiatives.

Health professional profile: Dr. Steven Faux

November 9, 2011: Des Moines Register

Dr. Steven Faux, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Drake University, says a neuroscience degree is an interdisciplinary one with applications to many areas, including biology, psychology, pharmacy, philosophy and linguistics.

New Drake University program helps grow community-based food systems

November 8, 2011: Des Moines Business Record

The Drake University Center for Professional Studies is offering a new program to teach local leaders how to develop and maintain effective community-based food systems. The program is five weekend sessions spaced between Dec. 9 and Feb. 24. Attendees are encouraged to enroll for the entire program but have the option to attend selected weekend sessions.

Bill Kelly: Split-second decisions

November 4, 2011: Des Moines Business Record

Drake Law alumnus and Des Moines attorney Bill Kelly calls his one-year deployment to Afghanistan “the most complex legal problem” he has ever handled.

Personalized Medicine on The Exchange

November 4, 2011: Iowa Public Radio

Pramod Mahajan, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, talks with Iowa Public Radio host Ben Kieffer about personalized medicine technology that allows doctors to use the right medicines for the right patients at the right time — and the ethical and cost considerations of unlocking the secrets that lie in our DNA.

Iowa’s strength in financial services

November 3, 2011: Nightly Business Report

The Nightly Business Report on PBS covers Iowa’s economy, including a brief interview with Drake University President David Maxwell. (Segment starts at 7:20)

Law Students Face Higher Consequences Online

November 3, 2011: U.S. News and World Report

An applicant’s online persona may have a greater impact on their admission to law school than in other disciplines. Caroline Bettis, a third-year law student at Drake, says that while she doesn’t blame prospective students for being wary about admission officials checking social media profiles, “it’s not practical to say admission counselors should divide your online personality from who you are in real life.”

Young leaders have stepped up in Dawson, “giving back” to the west central Iowa town

November 3, 2011: Family Living

Dawson, Iowa Mayor Colton Morman, a 20-year-old sophomore at Drake University, has decided not to seek re-election because his government duties are crowding his study time. When he was first elected, the 18-year-old high school student made international news.

New Ellis Pharmacogenomics and Disease Prevention laboratories propel pharmacy and health sciences students to the cutting edge

The healthcare landscape is changing and, with the exciting addition of two new laboratories, the Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is poised to take a leadership role.

In today’s “one size fits all” healthcare experience, one patient’s successful drug therapy is another’s prescription for harmful negative side effects. But in the cutting edge field of personalized medicine (pharmacogenomics), researchers are studying how an individual’s genetics affect the body’s response to drugs, and how medical professionals can use that knowledge to match patients with the best available treatment from the beginning.

In Drake’s new Pharmacogenomics laboratory, students, faculty and community health professionals will work together to understand — and potentially break new ground — in the field.

Drake’s new Disease Prevention Lab will also extend research opportunities and help meet growing demands of an aging population by preparing students to pursue careers in fields such as physical therapy, exercise, medical physiology and others.

“These labs are going to broaden our horizons tremendously,” says Raylene Rospond, deputy provost and dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. “Collaboration with researchers from Mercy Medical Center, Broadlawns Medical Center and Des Moines University will also open up opportunities for students.”

Creation of these facilities was supported by a generous gift from Jack Ellis, PH’57, a grant from Grow Iowa Values, the CPHS Harris endowment, CPHS technology fees, and a federal appropriation directed at purchasing equipment.

A Detailed Treatment

“We are training pharmacists and health sciences graduates who are going to play a very critical role in making the field of personalized medicine a success,” says Pramod Mahajan, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences and the author of the grant proposal. Mahajan teaches an elective course in pharmacogenomics.

In pharmacogenomics, pharmacists and health professionals analyze a patient’s DNA, and then use that information to optimize a treatment plan.  The goal is better healthcare — and reduction of side effects.

“Healthcare employers are looking for people with expertise in this area,” he says. “Students who will be trained in pharmacogenomics will have a greater marketability.”

The new pharmacogenomics lab places Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at the leading edge of the discipline.

“A facility like this helps us remain competitive in the next realm,” Rospond says. ”In pharmacy, it places us in a unique position among our peers. It allows us to expand and move forward in a positive way.”

Ahead of the Curve

Focusing on prevention, the Disease Prevention Laboratory allows students to evaluate patients physiologically, gathering data such as blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, bone density, range of motion and lung volume. Students will use the tools to evaluate one another and, ideally, conduct wellness screenings for real patients from central Iowa hospitals.

“These are major additions,” Rospond says. “These state-of-the-art pieces of equipment prepare students for graduate studies in the health sciences in areas such as physical therapy and physician assistant studies.”

One highlight technology new to the lab is BodyViz, a computer program navigated with an Xbox controller.

“I can travel through the spinal column and show what the inside of a spinal cord looks like,” says Rhonda Beemer, director of health sciences experiential education.

The BodyViz program explores real MRIs — not simulations — and provides comprehensive exposure to anatomy as an alternative to a cadaver lab.

Building on past success

This project represents a significant investment in Des Moines and Iowa’s healthcare system and economy. Maintaining the excellence of Drake University’s pharmacy and health sciences programs is vital to attracting the very best students.

By creating innovative community programs and using technology to improve health outcomes, Drake is also working to elevate the practice and delivery of healthcare in the area and provide further incentive for graduates to remain in central Iowa.

“The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences continues to realize its vision, which is to uphold its tradition of preparing individuals to meet the expectation and challenges of healthcare, while being recognized for its innovation and boldly pursuing breakthrough achievements in teaching, research, scholarship and service,” Rospond said.

The creation of the Ellis Pharmacogenomics and Disease Prevention Laboratories provides Drake’s faculty and students in the College of Pharmacy a distinctive advantage as it advances these burgeoning fields of healthcare.

After a short hiatus, Drake is once again offering a major that will specifically prepare students for the changing and exciting field of neuroscience. And an upcoming lecture from alumnus and local neurologist Todd Janus, AS’77, will also direct attention to increased opportunities in the field.

Christopher Kliethermes

“We’ve learned more about the brain in the past 10 years than we had ever before,” says Stephen Faux, associate professor of psychology. “Neuroscience is a 21st century approach to the science of behavior, and it’s important for Drake to be a part of it.”

At the beginning of the semester, 23 students were already enrolled in Drake’s revamped neuroscience major. Faux said the program, which is also offered as a minor, has gained more students since then, as well as many inquiries. Neuroscience is housed in the psychology department of the College of Arts and Sciences but is also largely interdisciplinary, with required courses in biology, chemistry, psychology, pharmacy and math.

The major reboot was made possible with the hiring of Chris Kliethermes as assistant professor of psychology. Faux said Kliethermes’ specialization — the nervous systems of flies — provides students with some valuable research opportunities.

“An important part of creating our new neuroscience program was hiring the right faculty,” Faux says. “We’re very excited about the way the curriculum is structured, and Dr. Kliethermes is an important part of that.”

Local neurologist Todd Janus will deliver Drake's annual "Life After Drake" lecture on November 15.

Students, faculty and community members are invited to a November 15 lecture that will highlight the work of a Drake alumnus in the field of neurology. Todd Janus, BS’77, will present this year’s Life After Drake lecture.

The Life After Drake series annually hosts a successful Drake alumnus in a math or science field to offer advice to future graduates. Janus’s lecture is free and open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Hall in the Harmon Fine Arts Center, 25th St. and Carpenter

Ave.

Janus is the director of clinical research for Iowa Health Systems and director of the Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Clinic and spent six years as an assistant professor at the University of Iowa. Last year, Janus also successfully sponsored a state legislative amendment to improve patient protection in Iowa.

Janus has performed research on multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, prostate cancer and central nervous system lymphoma. Looking back, he says that focusing on a wide range of studies is important for professionals in his field.

“At Drake, about two-thirds of my classes were science classes,” Janus says. “After graduation, and reading in other areas, I realized that these non-science subjects one would not think were relevant to an area of specialization did provide ideas and techniques to help move my research forward.”

— Jack Thumser, Class of 2012

Turning a legal dollar

Oct. 14, 2011: Des Moines Business Record

Drake Law alumna and Des Moines attorney Melinda Ellwanger is charting new territory in the Greater Des Moines legal community by setting off on her own as a freelance attorney for hire.

Drake Law School embarks on partnership with the bench

Oct. 10, 2011: Iowa Lawyer (page 15)

Jerry Foxhoven, executive director of the Drake Legal Clinic, wrote a column about the Law School’s new partnership with the court system. Judge Novak will be a judge in residence at the Drake Legal Clinic where he has an office and chambers in the Neal and Bea Smith Legal Clinic. The new arrangement is a service to the courts and provides new opportunities for students.

Roger Williams, pianist known for sentimental songs, dies at 87

Oct. 8, 2011: New York Times

Drake alumnus Roger Williams, the pianist whose lush versions of familiar tunes like “Autumn Leaves” and “Born Free” became hit recordings in the 1950s and ’60s, died at his home in Los Angeles.

Jobs’ legacy of marrying innovation, elegance felt by tech firms in central Iowa

Oct. 7, 2011: Des Moines Register

Drake University was one of 32 institutions nationwide that were part of the Apple University Consortium in the 1980s and early 1990s. Later, the University put Macintosh SE computers in every dorm room.

Briefly noted: The creation of Closure

Oct. 4, 2011: Reason Magazine

A brief review of Nancy Berns’ book Closure says the author argues persuasively that it’s wrong to expect everyone else to follow a formulaic healing process aimed at moving on.

Renner in Rwanda (Forest of Hope Blog)

Oct. 4, 2011: Forest of Hope Blog (Great Ape Trust)

Michael Renner, professor of biology and psychology, is blogging about his experience learning about opportunities for students within the Gishwati Area Conservation Program.

‘Drake simply clicked for me’

Sept. 29, 2011: Des Moines Register

First-year student Justin Kochanski talks about his decision to attend Drake and offers advice on the college search in general.

The future of higher education

Sept. 23, 2011: KCCI

President David Maxwell chats with Kevin Cooney about issues facing private education institutions in KCCI’s Newsmaker segment.

*Please note that some links from news outlets expire and may no longer be available.

– PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS AND CAMPAIGNING –

Rachel Paine Caufield

Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations
Research fellow, American Judicature Society

Rachel P. Caufield’s expertise in judicial and Congressional politics is informed by years of experience in the public policy and higher education fields. She teaches politics and international relations courses at Drake University, where she’s been a faculty member since 2001. She also serves as a research fellow to the Hunter Center for Judicial Selection at the American Judicature Society. Prior to joining Drake she served as a Visiting Fellow at The Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C.

Areas of expertise include:
• Judicial retention
• Judicial politics
• Congressional politics
• The American presidency
• Political satire

Dennis J. Goldford

Professor of Politics and International Relations

Dennis J. Goldford is a foremost expert in Iowa politics. The co-author of The Iowa Precinct Caucuses: the Making of a Media Event, 3rd ed. — the definitive chronicle of the origins, evolution and media spectacle of the caucuses — has shared his thoughtful, quotable and nonpartisan analysis in thousands of media interviews. He wrote The American Constitution and the Debate Over Originalism, published by Cambridge University Press in 2005, and currently is finishing a book entitled The Constitution of Religious Freedom: God, Politics, and the First Amendment, scheduled to be published by Baylor University Press in spring 2012.

Areas of expertise include:
• Iowa Caucuses
• Iowa straw poll
• Constitutional interpretation and Originalism
• Tea Party politics
• Interplay of politics, religion and the First Amendment
• Modern political theory

Art Sanders

Ellis and Nelle Levitt Professor of Politics

Arthur Sanders, the Ellis and Nelle Levitt Professor of Politics, studies the formation and dynamics of public opinion, the role of media and the impact of money, political parties and interest groups on our political processes. Currently, he is studying the role of money and interest groups on elections and health care policy in Iowa.

Areas of expertise include:
• Interest groups and their influence on the political process
• Polling and public opinion
• The perception of electability
• Congressional and Presidential politics

– POLITICAL RHETORIC –

Joan Faber McAlister

Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Communication Studies

Joan Faber McAlister discusses, writes about and teaches a wide variety of rhetorical issues. She is experienced in expert analysis of political debate rhetoric, having delivered analysis in the spin room following ABC News’ Republican and Democratic debates on Drake’s campus in 2007. She holds a Ph.D. in rhetorical studies from the University of Iowa.

– THE ECONOMY AND FEDERAL DEFICIT –

Tom Root

Associate Professor of Finance

Tom Root has a deep knowledge of corporate and governmental finance. He earned his bachelor of science, master and PhD degrees in economics at the University of Kansas.

Areas of expertise include:
• Corporate Finance
• Financial Institutions Management
• Strategic Financial Processes
• Economic Forecasting
• Economic Turmoil
• Global Economy

– HEALTH CARE REFORM –

Ian Bartrum

Assistant professor of law

Ian Bartrum has published numerous papers and professional blog entries on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the constitutional nature of health care reform. He argues that the Affordable Care Act is constitutional and that expedited judicial review would be “a radical and unwise decision for the court.” Bartrum is a graduate of Yale Law School; he served as Yale’s Irving S. Ribicoff Fellow in Law for 2008-09.

Allen Zagoren

Associate Professor of Public Administration
General surgeon, Iowa Health Des Moines Methodist Medical Center

Dr. Allen Zagoren is a practicing general surgeon at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, teaches all of the health care related courses in Drake’s Master of Public Administration program, including ethics, policy, regulation, law and advocacy, management and informatics. He carries a deep knowledge of health care reform legislation, medical ethics and health policy issues.

– IMMIGRATION LAW —

Robert Rigg

Professor of Law
Director, Drake University criminal defense program

Robert Rigg is a congressionally recognized expert in immigration law. He has been quoted by National Public Radio, The Los Angeles Times, The Associated Press and USA Today, among other major news outlets. In August 2008, Rigg testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law. He is the author of The Postville Raid: A Postmortem, a study of the largest immigration raid in the United States to date.

– INTERNATIONAL LAW, HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE U.S. SUPREME COURT —

Hunter R. Clark

Professor of Law

Hunter R. Clark is an expert in international law, human rights and international trade. Clark has served as staff writer for TIME magazine and general counsel to the chief financial officer of the District of Columbia. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and joined the Drake Law School faculty in 1993.

– ABOUT DRAKE –
Drake University is a private, independent university in Des Moines, Iowa, with an enrollment of approximately 5,600 students from 50 states and 50 countries. Drake University’s mission is to provide an exceptional learning environment that prepares students for meaningful personal lives, professional accomplishments and responsible global citizenship. The Drake experience is distinguished by collaborative learning among students, faculty and staff and by the integration of the liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation.

More than 96 percent of Drake students find work or enroll in grad school within six months of graduation — a statistic that is encouraging in and of itself.

But one notable facet of that job placement rate lies with students who land prestigious opportunities abroad. In recent years, an extraordinary number of Drake’s graduates have received awards from the renowned Fulbright program to teach or conduct research in other countries — a trend mirrored by Drake professors.

Since 2004 15 Drake students have earned Fulbrights, with at least one — and as many as three — gaining this distinction each year. Drake was the No. 2 producer of student Fulbrights among U.S. master’s institutions in 2009-10, and the No. 3 producer among the same group in 2006-07.

Drake also has had at least one faculty member receive a Fulbright award every year since 2007. A concerted effort is underway to support both students and faculty in their Fulbright applications to teach, perform research and complete service projects in one of 155 participating countries.

Springboard for Careers

Fulbright recipients gain an exceptional opportunity to work and study abroad. Drake’s student recipients have received scholarships to Brazil, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Morocco, Jordan, Thailand, Mexico and The Philippines.

The program is a tried and true springboard for careers in international relations, government work, corporate work abroad and other related fields, as well as a selling point on graduate applications. Upon completion of their Fulbrights, Drake alumni have gone on to careers with the U.S. State Department, Kraft Foods and the Pew Center, and have entered highly prestigious graduate schools in the United States and abroad.

Applications to the program have increased in recent years, thanks in large part to the recruitment and mentorship efforts of Eleanor Zeff, associate professor of politics and international relations. Since she became Drake’s adviser for prospective Fulbright scholars in 2003 applications have increased from less than a handful to an average of 10 per year. This fall, 13 students are preparing applications.

“I work closely with each student,” says Zeff. “I commonly spend five or 10 hours helping each applicant prepare an application. Applicants also work closely with a committee of faculty members.

“The application process is extremely valuable, even for students who don’t receive the grant. It helps graduating seniors to develop their writing skills. But more than that, it requires them to reflect on their Drake education and envision how they will apply that education to real, practical projects and careers.”

Enhancing the Classroom

The University’s Strategic Internationalization Plan, which aims to make the most of international opportunities at Drake, has a stated goal of enhancing faculty Fulbright opportunities.

Those opportunities abroad often translate into valuable insight for the classroom, said Vice Provost for International Programs Christa Olson, who studied internationalization efforts at Canadian and Mexican universities through a Fulbright in 2009.

“Support for Fulbrights is one of several strategies to enhance international knowledge and experience that our faculty can bring back into the classroom and the community,” Olson says. “The world is constantly changing, and the knowledge areas that are most timely and relevant for our students is constantly shifting – Fulbrights offer a rich variety of opportunities around the world that help us stay on top of world affairs.”

Three members of the Drake University faculty and staff were presented with Madelyn M. Levitt Awards on Tuesday, September 13, at the annual Faculty and Staff Convocation in Sheslow Auditorium in Old Main. The awards were established by the late Madelyn M. Levitt, who served as a Drake trustee and special assistant to the president for development.

Anisa Fornoff

Anisa Fornoff, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, was honored with the Madelyn M. Levitt Distinguished Community Service Award.

The award recognizes a faculty or staff member with a demonstrated personal commitment to volunteerism and community service as well as professional and personal values and behavior that typify the ideals of giving back to others.

Fornoff is actively involved with service organizations dedicated to adults with mental and physical disabilities, including Passageway and Candeo, which offer individuals with disabilities opportunities, services and support.

Her professional work includes pharmaceutical care services and experiential student learning at various community sites dedicated to support services for adults with mental and physical disabilities. She has made that work personal by engaging students and speaking passionately beyond the classroom. Last year, Dr. Fornoff developed a new First Year Seminar focused on the media’s treatment of people with disabilities. She provides students a service-learning opportunity by creating an experience at Ruby Van Meters Schools.

Her inspirational leadership is captured in this comment from one of her advanced pharmacy practice experience students:

“[Fornoff] is an amazing model for empathy and understanding, and her positive and encouraging attitude exemplifies what is to be desired from all health care professionals.”

The 2011 Madelyn M. Levitt Employee Excellence Awards, which honor staff members whose work and commitment consistently exceed expectations, were presented to:

•    Jen Hogan, assistant director of international programs and services and study abroad

•    Kevin Moenkhaus, assistant director of student records and academic information

Jen Hogan

Hogan demonstrates a commitment to Drake’s study abroad programming and exemplifies the global citizenship contemplated by the Drake mission.

Hogan’s nominator noted that Drake’s study abroad offerings are more robust and diverse because of her vision for expanding beyond what might be typical or expected. When natural disasters or political upheaval made the headlines last spring, Hogan worked tirelessly to communicate, coordinate and support impacted Drake students.

Moenkhaus works collaboratively across departmental lines, thinking beyond himself and his department.

Whether it is responding to a Sunday night scheduling emergency or finding an elegant way to navigate a complex enrollment process, Moenkhaus’ nomination included several examples of his willingness to go “above and beyond” to ensure others are able to fulfill their roles within the University.

“In all of these areas of excellence, the fact that Kevin does his job superbly makes it easier for me to do my job well, and I think that is the highest complement one can pay to a colleague,” his nominator said.

Ten years ago, the 9/11 attacks forced Americans into a long process of national grieving, and many are looking for closure to put a stop to the pain.

Drake University Associate Professor of Sociology Nancy Berns argues that the popular concept of “closure” may be nonexistent. In fact, she says that the search for closure can be counterproductive to the grieving process. In her new book, Closure: The Rush to End Grief and What It Costs Us, Berns examines grief of all kinds, including failed relationships, loss of loved ones and national tragedies.

“We all face loss in our lives,” Berns says. “Yet a common expectation is that we need to rush grief and find ‘closure.’ I wrote this book to help people understand why the concept of closure became so popular, why it is confusing, and why it does a poor job of capturing the experiences of grief and loss.”

Two recent events, Osama bin Laden’s death and the verdict of not guilty in Casey Anthony’s trial, make her book especially relevant right now. Bin Laden’s death sparked a national debate about closure’s role in 9/11 and the War on Terror. The Casey Anthony verdict is a case where many Americans felt a lack of satisfaction and social justice, and many cited a lack of closure.

Berns writes that the search for closure in cases such could discount the actual grieving process, as well as ignore the grief still felt after the supposed closure event. Those mourning Caylee Anthony, for instance, would still be grieving her death regardless of the verdict.

While Berns argues that closure is unrealistic, the tone of her book is not negative. She begins by writing that closure can mean many different things to different people, and that closure is a term that limits our understanding of grief.

She also notes that people misguidedly try to push grievers toward the search for closure. This can be hurtful for a griever who is not looking for closure, or even more painful for a griever who fails to find closure.

Nancy Berns

“The concept of closure taps into a desire to have things ordered and simple, but experiences with loss and grief are typically messy and not easily resolved,” Berns says. “The appeal of closure resonates with our hope that pain will end and healing will come. But closure does not capture the complexity of grief. More importantly, healing can come without closure.”

Berns’ main teaching and research interests include grief, death, violence, media, social constructionism and social justice. At Drake, she teaches the courses Death and Society and Narratives of Tragedy and Grief.

Closure has already received national attention. Berns was recently interviewed by the Boston Globe and appeared on both Iowa Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Radio to talk about the book.

Visit www.nancyberns.com For more information on Closure.

— Jack Thumser, Class of 2012

Students aren’t the only Drake University constituents who are up for an academic challenge. Drake faculty frequently embrace unique opportunities that can elevate the profile of the University and stretch their teaching skills.

This summer, professors in the College of Business and Public Administration joined forces to host 19 South Korean students for a three-week seminar that introduced the international visitors to the health care system in the U.S., insurance industry operations and the American culture.

The opportunity came to Drake through connections that Inchul Suh, associate professor of finance, has with Kim Shin Dong, vice president of community outreach and international affairs at Hallym University in Chuncheon, South Korea. The two have kept in touch since they met at the Indiana University-Bloomington as graduate students. So, when Kim’s university received a Korean government’s grant to study medical tourism last year he turned to Suh.

“South Korea has a very strong medical service sector,” Suh says. “They want to educate young college students to be future administrators and marketers for the industry so that they can serve medical tourists better by not only providing access to medical services, but also anticipating and resolving any cultural and communication issues that they might have.”

Drake’s location in Des Moines — both a state and insurance capital — and the strong programs offered through the CBPA Center for Professional Studies provided a good fit for the program. Creating curriculum required contributions from Drake’s Center for International Programs and Services and several academic units in the CBPA including public administration, finance, international business and marketing.

In addition to classroom work, organizers coordinated trips to the Wellmark corporate headquarters, Methodist hospitals, the state capitol and even outings to Adventureland, an Iowa Cubs game for some downtime fun.

“I think there was a cultural connection,” says Dr. Allen Zagoren, associate professor of practice in public administration, who also works as a surgeon for Iowa Health System. “It transcended the topic. Hopefully they took away a certain understanding of our healthcare system, policy and new law. I learned a lot about South Korea that I would not have known.”

Faculty didn’t miss an opportunity to include a student in the experience. Drake actuarial science major Erika JeeMin Yang was also instrumental in the success of the program. Born in Korea and fluent in the language, Yang acted as interpreter for the group.

“I was trying to narrow the gap between U.S. culture and Korean culture,” she says. “In Korean classrooms, lectures don’t involve as much student participation. Here, I saw how the professor was really trying to bring the reactions out and make the students engaged in the lecture.”

Yang even pulled an all-nighter with the Korean students on the eve of their final presentation, offering them support in their studies.

“I learned a lot,” she says. “The trip to Wellmark was especially helpful to me. Being an actuarial science student, it has broadened my perspective on the path for my future. I feel very privileged that I had the opportunity to be part of this program.”