A key program for growing students into leaders during their time at Drake is the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute (DVALI).

The institute was founded in 2001, when Ken Vegors, ED’71, made a gift to Drake to offer future students the kind of leadership opportunities that had benefitted him as a student. He enlisted support from a group of alumni who shared this dream.

The new program was named to honor now-retired Drake leader Donald V. Adams, who became Drake’s vice president of student life in 1969 and retired in 2007 after 37 years of service. Because of the inspiration Adams provided to generations of Drake students, DVALI’s founders wanted to not only name the institute after him, but to center offerings on Adams’ leadership vision and values.

“The curriculum has always come from our faculty ⎯ we have unbelievable talent here. They picked up the ethical, theoretical and service components that we wanted to bring to students,” says Adams.

Since its creation more than ten years ago, DVALI has offered students a variety of leadership programming and opportunities to meet their needs throughout the entire college experience.

In addition to Adams Academy, DVALI’s signature, ten-week program for upperclass students, Drake undergraduates can take part in fall and spring leadership conferences, sponsored by Richard Sussman, AS’51, and his late wife, Lila; the Emerging Leaders Model, a six-week leadership and mentoring program; and the Florence Myers Wallace Leadership Lunch, in which students, faculty and Board of Trustee members discuss ways to improve on the leadership experience at Drake.

DVALI also operates in partnership with Drake’s new interdisciplinary Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) concentration, which develop skills through experiential learning alongside experienced community mentors.

The Adams way

Adams Academy curriculum offers students, from sophomores to P3s, the opportunity to delve into leadership issues related to theory, effective communication, ethical decision-making and inclusivity. Additional academy sessions offer practical skills in leadership, on campus as well as in the workplace and community.

Community service is an important component of the program, which lives out Donald V. Adams’ belief in the importance of serving others.

The program is based on six of Adams’ personal values:

• Take Responsibility
• Be Honest and Dependable
• Be Persistent
• Preserve Your Options
• Never Stop Learning
• Love Unconditionally

The leadership training and preparation offered by Adams Academy and DVALI fit perfectly into Drake’s mission to prepare students for personal and professional accomplishment, as well as to create responsible global citizens.

“We’re always changing and always trying to respond to the times and student needs,” says Jan Wise, director of student leadership and service programs. “I get to work with some really wonderful students. They’re driven to make the world a better place.”

Not just for CEOs

DVALI doesn’t just bring leadership skills to students who aspire to climb the ladder in business. The ability to lead, inspire, influence and effect change is an essential quality for life in the 21st century, regardless of field. Students like second-year pharmacy major Nicole McSweeney are finding that the practical, real-world takeaways from DVALI are shaping their careers and lives.

“The Adams Academy truly allowed me to experience leadership,” says McSweeney, who was recognized as the 1,000th DVALI graduate in 2011. “Leadership does not mean that you have to be in a powerful position. It encompasses making a commitment to an idea or project and inspiring others to share and follow in a common vision.”

After graduation, McSweeney aspires to serve as a clinical pharmacist in the emergency care wing of a hospital, where she hopes to make a difference not just in her patients’ lives, but also in the health care field as a whole. She believes that the skills she learned through DVALI will play an extremely important role in her future career as well as in her ability to contribute as an active citizen.

“I learned a great deal about the importance of cooperation and collaboration with others, as it leads to new ideas and thoughtful innovations,” she says. “I learned what it means to be a true leader.”

Beyond blue jackets

The Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute is now in its eleventh year, with more than 130 participants in the Adams Academy. And Don Adams remains active on campus as a role model and mentor.

“We have a senior reflections capstone experience, in which the top leaders in the senior class are invited to write and present a position paper reflecting on their leadership journey,” says Adams. “It is unbelievably emotional – I wouldn’t miss it.”

Adams is also present for workshops and for the culminating event of convocation, in which graduates earn the iconic Adams Academy jacket, a tangible representation of the hard work and sense of community that permeates each year’s class.

“I get to welcome every graduate from the academy. I shake their hand, we get our picture taken, and I hand them their blue jacket,” says Adams. “It really is a wonderful life.”

Even more important than the honors and accolades, graduates of DVALI will have made all-important connections ⎯ between classroom learning and practical leadership, as well as with alumni and community leaders.

“The skills that I learned through Adams Academy will be valuable throughout my whole life,” says McSweeney.

⎯ Jill Brimeyer

For Ned Burmeister, bn’81, there is no end to the business day. Even as he sleeps, emails from staff members pile up from half a world away, filtering in from places such as  Malaysia, Hong Kong and India.

“This really is a 24/7 job,” he says of his role  as senior vice president and chief operating officer of Principal International, Inc.

The company, based in Des Moines, is a subsidiary of The Principal Financial Group. Spanning five continents, Principal International develops and sells pension and mutual funds in 10 countries, generating $1 out of every $6 the corporation earns. Principal is not alone in pursuing an international strategy. As U.S. companies continue to expand overseas, the ability to lead others at a distance, known as virtual leadership, is crucial.

Virtual leadership represents just how dramatically the practice of leadership in America has been transformed in recent years. Due to rapid social change, leaders now face situations that did not exist a mere 20 years ago and must rely upon a new skillset to help them meet the challenges of an ever-evolving world.

Burmeister is well aware of these issues. As chief operating officer, he monitors the performance of Principal’s international companies and ensures they have the resources and expertise they need for daily operations. This includes the management of numerous individuals working overseas.

The biggest challenge in his job, Burmeister says, is communicating effectively because  electronic communications, such as phone and email, take away many of the nonverbal clues that are important to understanding human interactions. In addition, he says, the distance has required him to learn new techniques and adapt to new styles of leadership.

“It’s hard to learn and accept the fact that you have to let go, you have to trust the people working for you,” he says. “Your first responsibility is to hire good people overseas. At the end of the day, you have to trust those people because you can’t run every aspect of those businesses from Des Moines. You have to get comfortable and realize you don’t need to know what is happening on a day-to-day basis.”

And, he adds, “You have to learn to sleep on an airplane.”

A new way of thinking

Though virtual leadership is a relatively new development, the practice of leadership has been changing for some time. Today, leadership is more equitable, collaborative and increasingly focused on engagement and communication — a sharp contrast to old models of command and control. This shift began more than 100 years ago, as America began the slow march from manufacturing and agriculture to a knowledge and service-based economy.

The command and control style of leadership was epitomized in Harry Truman’s iconic desktop sign: The Buck Stops Here. In a world of factory production and assembly lines, orders came from the top. Leaders made decisions and only their opinions mattered. With this came the idea that leaders must be smarter, more charismatic and, interestingly enough, even taller than the average man. It was believed leaders were born, preordained for greatness.

No more. Greater access to education, an increasingly globalized world and the rapid progression of technology have changed the way leadership is viewed and practiced in the United States — and one of the first conventions cast aside was the idea that individuals can lead with an iron fist. Because America’s workforce is now the most educated in history, employees bring skills and expertise to the table that their leaders may not possess. Thus, individuals expect to take ownership of their own work and want their leaders to guide  instead of direct.

“No longer can one person by edict dictate where we need to go,” says Tom Westbrook, professor of education, who teaches master’s-level leadership courses in the School of Education and serves as chair of the undergraduate concentration in leadership education and development. “There is automatic pushback on that. So leadership is more about language, our ability to engage and our ability to get buy-in.”

Establishing a vision

The ability to get buy-in from others is critical. A huge part of a leader’s success derives from inspiring others to rally around a common goal that extends beyond the completion of day-to-day tasks. In a world of constant fluctuation, leaders must not just cope with change but drive it. While top-level managers and CEOs often lead this type of change, innovation can occur at all levels of an organization, expanding the practice of leadership to any individual who can shift conventional thinking and convince others to believe in a vision.

“The myth of leadership is that it must come from a public or political leader, the captain of the football team or the student body president,” says Westbrook. “But when you think about it, Einstein was a leading physicist; Picasso, a leading painter; and Martha Graham a leader in ushering in the realm of modern dance. If you think about all those people, they were leaders because they assisted us in thinking differently about their domain.”

The need for innovation is being seen in every field from business to the sciences. In the fields of pharmacy and health care, rising costs, longer life spans and a proliferation of prescription medications have led to a demand for new ideas.

“It has always been important for there to be people to invent new solutions — but now it is to the point where there need to be more than a few people doing great things,” says Renae Chesnut, professor of pharmacy practice and associate dean for student affairs in Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS).

According to Chesnut, who recently completed her term as president of the Iowa Pharmacy Association, pharmacists are beginning to embrace the idea of entrepreneurial leadership. The movement is based on the belief that every pharmacist must work to improve patient care by identifying potential problems and coming up with creative solutions that are economically viable.

“The idea of entrepreneurial leadership is about instilling the mind-set that every individual, no matter what position that person has within an organization, needs to be looking for ways to improve the process, product or service to create a better environment for patients,” she says.

Faculty members in the CPHS encourage both pharmacy students and health science majors to be leaders in their fields. In addition to courses on entrepreneurial leadership and management, the CPHS offers the Student Leadership Development Series, which brings in guest speakers and gives students the opportunity to enhance their understanding of leadership through monthly activities. Through the DELTA Rx Institute, a Drake organization whose mission is to promote “the spirit of change and innovation” within the field of pharmacy, the college offers the Next Top Entrepreneur Competition, which encourages the development of original ideas to solve problems in health care.

Building relationships

While a knack for ingenuity is important, the abilities to communicate that vision and to relate to others are equally valuable qualities in a leader.

Because so much of leadership today is focused on collaboration, leaders must be able to gain trust and form sincere relationships. Leaders must also serve as mentors, empowering those around them and helping others to accomplish their own goals.

“Some define leadership simply as a relationship building process,” says Ina Purvanova, assistant professor of management and international business.
“If you can’t build a positive relationship with someone, how are you supposed to do your job as a leader, which is to influence others and motivate them to do a good job?”

She adds that these behaviors are important because they get to the heart of what the majority of people desire from life.

“If you really look at these behaviors, each one satisfies a primal need that humans tend to have: the need for relationships, to grow and to learn, and the need to know why. Once those needs are satisfied, people are more able and willing to go above and beyond and really contribute to their organization.”

Learning to lead

Purvanova is quick to dispel the notion that leaders are born and instead says anyone can develop the characteristics necessary to lead in the 21st century.

“One of the things that research continues to uncover is that our personalities are quite malleable,” says Purvanova. “What that means is that we can learn to acquire traits we may not have initially possessed, and conversely, we can put aside some of the traits that are not our best. We can get rid of bad habits, essentially, because we evolve. We learn all the time.”

At Drake, the emphasis on liberal arts is central to leadership development. In addition to the ability to build relationships and communicate a vision, leaders today must navigate ambiguous situations and make ethical decisions when answers aren’t clear-cut. They must be flexible enough to thrive in a time of great uncertainty. Numerous courses in the Drake Curriculum are focused on helping students grow these capabilities.

“The whole notion of a liberal arts education is that it prompts us to think critically and analytically, to be able to solve problems, to be able to express ourselves and write coherently — those are crucial elements of leadership,” says Westbrook.

While the knowledge and skills gained through coursework are important, learning to apply these lessons is equally so. Students practice leadership skills during internships, through volunteer activities and by participating in campus organizations. Drake’s Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute helps students connect the theory they’ve learned in classes to their experiences outside of the classroom. In the past few years, Drake has expanded its leadership offerings for students. The Athletics Strategic Plan calls for enhanced leadership-based experiences for student-athletes, and a new leadership concentration emphasizes experiential learning combined with self-reflection to help students better understand their talents.

Self-reflection is also a focus in the graduate and undergraduate courses Purvanova teaches on leadership in the College of Business and Public Administration. In both courses, she stresses self-awareness through a series of personality surveys that allow her students to understand how they and others see themselves. Both Purvanova and Westbrook agree that self-awareness is a necessary first step in learning to lead with emotional intelligence — a determinant in a leader’s ability to relate to others.

“You cannot get better at this notion of leading with emotional intelligence until you can get better at understanding yourself,” says Westbrook. “If we can begin to develop around those aspects — Who am I? What value do I bring? What assumptions do I have? — we can begin to understand others’ stories, values and what they bring to the table. That’s really what self-awareness is. It’s the whole notion of who I am within the context of Drake or my major or the world.”

Future challenges

Once individuals are aware of how their own values and beliefs shape their worldview, they can gain a greater appreciation for the backgrounds of coworkers and clients they will encounter in today’s diverse workplace. Globalization brings with it new difficulties when dealing with unfamiliar cultures and operating on other continents, and this challenge will only continue to grow as more U.S. companies expand internationally and technology continues to improve.

While much is known about what Americans expect in their leaders, Purvanova says it is not always clear what the expectations are from people in other parts of the world.

“It is extremely important as companies expand overseas for leaders to ask, ‘Do I need to adjust or learn a new set of behaviors if I am going on a business trip to China?’” she says.

Burmeister agrees with Purvanova, saying in his experience at Principal International, he discovered that views of leadership vary slightly between countries, requiring some adaptability.

“As you first get into the international game, I think there is a learning curve for working with other cultures, so you need to understand the cultural differences and understand that what is right and appropriate in the U.S. isn’t always right and appropriate in other countries. Understanding how they view the relationship between managers and employees is important,” he says.

However, Burmeister also believes if individuals approach leadership with an open and inquisitive mind, those differences are easily overcome. He adds that the benefits of operating outside the United States outweigh any challenges presented by distance or culture.

“The U.S. operation has benefited greatly from product development and from ideas outside the U.S.,” he says. “It’s a two-way street of information flow,
at least for Principal.”

As American organizations continue to expand into countries around the world, the field of leadership is likely to keep evolving, says Purvanova. Because of the increased need for understanding of leadership in cultures throughout the world, she expects much more research to be conducted in this area moving forward.

Studies by the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) Research Program, which is based at New Mexico State University and connects researchers in more than 60 cultures, are already making strides in this area. The organization’s research has shown that, despite different cultural expectations for how leaders should act and motivate their followers, there are some traits that are universally valued. At the top of the list are honesty and integrity, demonstrating that trust is essential, whether leadership is occurring virtually, in person or from within a field or organization.

“Researchers are actually finding a tremendous amount of consistency across the world, and I think this makes sense because no matter what culture you live in, you probably don’t like people to lie to you,” Purvanova says. “While some of the behaviors may differ between countries, leaders still need a common set of characteristics to be successful.”

— Elizabeth Ford Kozor, AS, JO’07 | Illustrations by Drew Albinson, Class of 2013

Nanci Ross’ research takes her from windswept mountaintops to ancient Mayan forest gardens.

As an ethnobotanist, Ross seeks evidence as to how plants in the natural world are impacted by human culture. She’s climbed above tree line to study the impact of climate change on indigenous people in the Himalayas, and has explored abandoned urban centers in Belize and Guatemala, gathering information about long-gone societies. As assistant professor of biology at Drake, Ross works to connect her expertise with opportunities on campus.

“Humans have lived as integral members of their ecosystems since our species arose and many cultures still hold that knowledge,” Ross says. “I find it helps to give students a more personalized perspective on this concept. I am not talking about some abstract culture so far away that it is almost unreal. I can show them pictures of me there, interacting with other cultures, students and scientists. It helps my students at Drake realize that this kind of work is within their reach.”

Since her arrival on campus last fall, Ross has made it her mission to reinvigorate the Pioneer Hi-bred International Greenhouse — filling the space with student projects that explore everything from heirloom tomato growth to the effect of dried, shredded cornstalk compost on squash. (Turns out you might want to consider the material as a fertilizing groundcover in your own garden.)

This fall, Ross brings her global experiences to the table in more ways than one. She is teaching a course that investigates diverse environments around the world to see how the adaptations of native plant species have been recognized and exploited by human cultures to produce unique and fascinating foodways. Students will cook shared meals based on cuisine from the regions they’re studying, such as spices from India, then MesoAmerican chocolates and chiles.

In addition to its more delicious coursework, the class also serves up practical lessons in the importance of land stewardship in contemporary culture.

“With so many forces — the increasing human population, climate change, biodiversity losses — threatening to overcome the resiliency of ecosystems to repair themselves, people often feel overwhelmed,” Ross says. “It’s important to realize how much we are actually a part of our environments and how much our culture and everyday lives are interwoven with the plant world.”

Visit www.drake.edu/magazine to see what Ross and her students are growing in Drake’s on-campus greenhouse.

— Brianne Sanchez

Underground Fitness

Underground Fitness

Warm and wind-free, Underground Fitness is a new, students-only exercise facility in Olmsted Center.

Underground Fitness opened on the first day of the spring semester and is already wildly popular. Individual TV screens on each elliptical and treadmill are part of the reason, but convenience and quality may make this the best place to run a mile.

More of the Best Places to Run a Mile

Alan Webb finishes the 2011 Grand Blue Mile

The Grand Blue Mile

The Drake Relays attracts some of the very greatest athletes on Earth. For just one race, some of those athletes step off the blue oval and onto the streets of Des Moines — and anyone can run this race. Each year, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield partners with the Relays to present the Grand Blue Mile. This road race begins at Western Gateway Park (home to the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park) and ends just outside Wellmark’s Des Moines headquarters, a LEED Platinum certified building dedicated to health and wellness.

With race options from professional to recreational, the Grand Blue Mile gives runners the chance to test their times against world-class greats like Alan Webb (American record holder in the mile at 3:46.91) or enjoy a relaxing jog through a booming part of downtown Des Moines.

The Knapp Center Track

Knapp Center Track

An easy way to avoid the elements and the treadmill, this simple blue ring wraps around the 7,000-seat arena that the Bulldogs call home. With the bleachers swept back, the Knapp Center track opens up in front of you, sweeping gentle curves around the upper level stands.

Rafters and catwalks abound overhead, bedecked with banners boasting Drake’s best ballers, including Dolph Pulliam and Wanda Ford, in addition to the legendary 1969 Final Four team. Below the track, Ron Pearson Court echoes to the sounds of students shooting hoops and playing pickup volleyball. The spirit of Bulldog athletics envelopes you when you run a mile at the Knapp Center.

I have been pleased and honored to join together with the Drake alumni team as they traveled the U.S. for regional distinctlyDrake events. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed meeting with my fellow alumni where they live and work, and visiting with people who love the University as much as I do.

It was especially exciting to be able to visit with alumni from Drake’s School of Education and spread the word about the school’s building project — an undertaking that is being made possible through distinctlyDrake. My family and I have been delighted to pledge our support and enthusiasm for this project, as well as for distinctlyDrake as a whole.

It’s important to remember, however, that distinctlyDrake is not really about buildings. It’s not even about alumni events. It’s about the students from current and future generations who will benefit so richly from the ripples of philanthropy that we’re creating here today.As you peruse this special section of Drake Blue, I hope you will enjoy reading about how distinctlyDrake is already making a difference in students’ lives.

Joan Middleton ED’63, GR’77
Recipient of 2009 Drake Alumni Loyalty Award

Interdisciplinary Centers

A Global Sphere of Influence: Internationalization brings opportunities for students, faculty 

When Lukas Olynyk traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, in the summer following his freshman year at Drake, his professional goals of working in the international arena took a more personal turn.

Not only did Olynyk serve as an intern and assistant caseworker for the Ngong Road Children’s Association, which provides education, medical care, meals and other support to children who have been affected by poverty and HIV/AIDS; he was able to meet Afline, the six-year-old girl his family had been sponsoring through the organization.

“I aided the case workers with checking up on the families and teachers of the children in the program,” says Olynyk. He also photographed and videotaped the surroundings and the children for the organization’s website (www.ngongroad.org) and blogged as his worldview opened even further.

“I learned how fortunate we are here in the U.S. and how even with nothing to give, people in the developing world will open their hearts and homes and give you everything,” says Olynyk. “It taught me a lot about people — real people with real struggles. That outlook will stick with me for the rest of my life.”

Olynyk’s internship in Kenya was made possible thanks to the Global Service Grant Program, supported by the Principal Financial Group Center for Global Citizenship. The grant program provides financial support for students to take part in summer service activities abroad.

Today Olynyk is a senior international relations major/philosophy minor with a career focus on conflict resolution and the Middle East. He found his two months in Nairobi affirmed his future path  — working in the international arena.

Commitment to internationalization

The Center for Global Citizenship got its start 10 years ago, borne of Drake’s commitment to infusing academic offerings with a global perspective. A lead gift from R.W. and Mary Nelson got the center off the ground.

Recently, however, the center and the grant program that made Olynyk’s Africa experience possible have been greatly bolstered by distinctlyDrake. distinctlyDrake’s overall emphasis on creating interdisciplinary centers — and expansion of the Center for Global Citizenship in particular — brings a heightened visibility that has translated into progress. Recent leadership-level gifts from Principal Financial Group, its chairman, president and CEO Larry Zimpleman, BN’73, GR’79, and his wife, Kathi, and Ron Olson, BN’63, and his wife, Jane, are allowing this part of Drake’s vision to become a reality.

Also reinforcing Drake’s commitment to internationalization was the recent hiring of Christa Olson in the new position of vice provost for international programs.

“The Center for Global Citizenship has shifted culture and has gotten a lot more involved in international opportunities — not just for students but also for faculty — and helping to integrate experiences into the curriculum,“ says Olson.

“The Center for Global Citizenship is now an incubator for what we would like to see on a bigger scale on campus,” she says.

Capital Projects

A tasteful gift from the Hubbell family

A formerly vacant space in the north side of Hubbell Dining Hall is now a contemporary venue for students to dine, relax and play thanks to a $5 million renovation funded by donors to distinctlyDrake.

The project, unveiled in fall 2010, offers 18,500 square feet of renovated space. On the upper level is Quad Creek Café, an expansive dining area that includes a grill and stations for smoothies, pizza, subs, salads and international specialties in addition to a stage and a sophisticated projection system. Students can relax downstairs in Spike’s Spot, which offers a convenience store, conference rooms, large flat-screen TVs,
a pool table and video game stations.

The renovation project was made possible by gifts and pledges from the Hubbell family, Hubbell Realty Co. and the Windsor Charitable Foundation, along with funding from Sodexo, Inc.

Endowed faculty position spurs innovation

Drake magazine students are among the first to take their message to the iPad

Drake senior magazine majors have found their way into the homes, hands and even pockets of a diverse community the last two years with the publication of their all-digital lifestyle magazine, Urban Plains.

The decision to go digital-only came from the students, who worked under the guidance of instructor Jeff Inman to produce an online publication with fully-integrated multi-media. The magazine was also one of the first student-produced titles in the country distributed on the iPad.

“It’s the magazine experience on steroids,” says Lori Blachford, the Peggy Fisher and Larry Stelter Chair of Magazine Journalism. “It allows students to jump into new forums in a very practical way. If we can teach these students to take a risk in order to start something new, I don’t know that we can do any better by them.”

Blachford is Drake’s first endowed chair of magazine journalism, a position made possible by the foresight and generosity of Peggy Fisher, fa’70, and her husband, Larry Stelter. Considered the gold standard in academia, endowed positions provide for compensation and annual research funds in perpetuity. This long-term commitment to an academic program provides the level of academic freedom that inspires innovation, discovery and scholarly pursuits of the highest level.

“There is a motivation and responsibility that comes with an endowed position: to innovate, do the best work possible and to put Drake University on the map,” says Blachford.

Another way that has happened is with Think magazine, the spring capstone experience that combines magazine and news-Internet seniors. Think has gained national prominence the last two years by winning the ACP Pacemaker award as top college magazine in the country.

“The trust and confidence that Peggy and Larry have shown in the magazine program has really solidified the culture of success here,” Blachford says. “It’s a point of pride not just with the faculty but with the students as well. ”

The national attention has opened doors for Blachford, who serves as social media chair for the Association of Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication and recently wrote a chapter on digital strategies for a new edition of the textbook The Magazine from Cover to Cover.

Many programs and institutions strive for innovation, visibility and enhanced reputation. At Drake, these ambitions have been accelerated by the addition of the Peggy Fisher and Larry Stelter chair of magazine journalism. These are the attributes that attract top scholars and students to campus. This enriched Drake community promotes collaboration — and results in exceptional opportunities like the ones experienced by students and faculty in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Collective Strength

Philanthropy Week shows students the power of giving back

The spirit of Thanksgiving permeated the Drake campus for a week in November 2011, and there was much more to it than the anticipation of a turkey-fueled break. A week of activities during Philanthropy @ Drake Week had students actively celebrating the power of giving back.

Hosted by the Student Alumni Association, the week was designed to educate students about the impact that philanthropy has on their experience at Drake. Daily activities promoted appreciation for the gifts that make the Drake experience possible.

The week’s tone was set with signs placed in buildings, spaces and rooms that were made possible by Drake donors, telling the story of these people and their gifts to Drake. Events included a Thank-a-thon, where students wrote thank-you letters to donors and tweeted messages of thanks.

Students also participated in a day of good deeds that included everything from handing out candy and paying for strangers’ meals to letting coworkers know that their work is appreciated.

In addition to giving thanks, the student body came together to give back.

The week’s theme, 11 in 11, referred to the goal that 11 percent of Drake students contribute to The Drake Fund in 2011 — a goal that, if reached, would bring a challenge gift of $11,000 from Joe Aiello, BN’80, president of the National Alumni Board Association of Directors and his wife, Leslie, FA’79.

Drake students surpassed the goal: Fifteen percent contributed to the fund, with proceeds designated for general scholarships.

The event was the second of its kind; the inaugural Philanthropy @ Drake Week was held in February 2011. A third event was held in February 2012.

“The goal was to raise awareness that everyone at Drake is touched by philanthropy,” says Blake Campbell, GR’05, director of alumni relations, “and to help students understand that Drake is what it is because of a 130-year history of giving back.”

Access to Opportunities

Scholarships allow friends, alumni to pave the way

Some 98 percent of Drake students receive financial aid — a total of $48 million in 2011. The funds are available thanks in large part to the generosity of the alumni and friends who want to pave the way for future generations of students.

Each fall, many scholarship benefactors receive letters of thanks from the recipients of their generosity. These letters from students, a few of which are excerpted on this page, speak for themselves. They serve as testimony not only to the life-changing power of education but also to the opportunities made possible by giving back.

“… my dad passed away when I was 11  … the burden of paying for my education was lightened considerably when I received a very special letter saying I had been awarded the Gaudiner scholarship … [it] was a dream come true. “

“I do not even begin to know how to express my gratitude for the spectacular opportunity you have given me.”

“I know that none of the experiences I am privileged to partake in at Drake would be possible without your scholarship gift. I am putting myself through school and have the desire to attend veterinary school after I graduate from Drake … You are making a wonderful difference in my life!”

“I am an international student from South Korea and I came to Drake University looking for a better education … My goal is to become a successful actuary and support my younger brother’s tuition.”

Lasting Impact

Daughter’s scholarship moves father to provide opportunity for others

Pay it forward. It’s a familiar phrase used in casual conversation — but how many people have actually done it?

“Phil” has. We’ll call him Phil because his modesty dictates that he remain anonymous.

Last fall, from what seemed like out of the blue, Phil called Drake’s development office; he wanted to repay the tuition scholarship his daughter had received more than 15 years ago.

“The scholarship program was excellent — it really helped my financial situation when my oldest daughter was going to Drake,” says Phil. Without the tuition scholarship, his daughter would not have been able to attend Drake, the only school to which she had applied.

Phil’s daughter graduated from Drake in the mid-’90s and went on to pursue a graduate degree at Harvard. By that time, Phil was in a better financial situation and able to support both his daughters’ educational pursuits.

“Helping my daughters get the best education possible is the best investment I ever made in my life,” says Phil. “And now, with both of them having their own families and my financial obligations no longer being a burden for me, I feel like it is the right time for me to pay back Drake and society.”

Phil did more than “pay back” Drake. He gave the University twice the amount awarded to his daughter to establish the Minnesota Scholarship Fund for Excellence, an endowed scholarship that will provide financial assistance to Minnesotans attending Drake who demonstrate a financial need.

“I hope my support for the [scholarship] program at Drake reminds others of the importance of higher education,” says Phil.

On the topic of remaining anonymous, Phil says, “I’ve been fortunate to move up in my career and retire without financial worries. I don’t need any more recognition.”

Carlyn Crowe, School of Journalism and Mass Communication Internship Coordinator

With an average of 18,000 people attending the Downtown Farmers’ Market every Saturday from May through October and hundreds more attending smaller farmers’ markets throughout the city, there is obvious enthusiasm for local foods and products in the Des Moines area. But even Carlyn Crowe, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s internship coordinator and adjunct instructor, and her business partners were amazed by the passionate response they received when they opened the Tallgrass Grocery Co-Op in West Des Moines last September.

“We met with consultants and they told us we would be lucky to get 200 members before we opened. We had 500 sign up in the first month. That was a sign that people were really interested in this entity,” says Crowe.

Nestled in the Valley Junction shopping district, Tallgrass Grocery Co-op provides locally grown, organic and hormone-free items to shoppers year-round. Crowe believes the enthusiasm for the co-op is derived from a desire people have to “know where their food comes from and support local producers.” Because of the plethora of farmers’ markets and roadside stands, people in Iowa are used to getting their food directly from the suppliers. Crowe says the co-op is simply an extension of that concept.

Since opening, the member-owned store has continued to add to the number of items it offers. It sells fresh produce, meats, dairy products and other merchandise from more than 80 local producers, including well-known operations such as The Homestead and Grinnell Farms as well as local artisans who make crafts like soap and teas at their home.

“We have more producers that are local than we ever thought there would be,” she says.

In addition to providing another avenue for Des Moines shoppers, the store has served as a learning opportunity for Drake students. This semester, Crowe used the co-op’s business plan to teach about small business ownership in her Business Fundamentals for Communication Professionals course. Last fall, the advertising capstone course, taught by Sandy Henry, assistant professor of journalism and mass communication, developed several conceptual creative plans to promote the co-op, and students in Crowe’s introductory public relations course developed public relations plans around those concepts. The project gave students at various stages in their Drake careers the chance to collaborate on a real-world project.

While Crowe is pleased with the opportunities her undertaking has given Drake students, she is also happy with the support the organization has received in the Des Moines community.

“I wanted to help create this entity to give people more access to fresh, healthy, local foods,” Crowe says. “I like the idea of having a community of people who support locally grown food.”

Sharon Wegner, AS'06

First-year Law student receives scholarship for her past commitment and future plan for serving others

Teaching English to immigrants in Iowa. Coordinating a holiday donation drive in Orange County, CA. Educating rural South Africans about diseases such as HIV/AIDS while learning Zulu. These three experiences have driven Sharon Wegner, AS’06, a first-year law student, to pursue a career in public service. But as a student with limited means — at one point earning just $3,000 over a two-year period to follow her dream of helping others — law school seemed out of reach for the former AmeriCorps VISTA and Peace Corps volunteer.

Deciding that she would likely make the biggest difference for at-risk communities and individuals by developing and influencing public policy, Wegner took the LSAT exam while still a Peace Corps volunteer in South Africa. She applied to a number of law schools hoping to be accepted by at least one where she could set the tone for her career while not plunging deep into debt.

Drake Law School responded on both fronts: In addition to an offer of admission, the scholarship committee awarded her a full-tuition scholarship through the Public Service Scholarship Program based on her extraordinary history of public service work. In exchange for the scholarship, Wegner agreed to work in a public interest job after graduation for at least one year for each year of scholarship assistance. The program also requires her to meet certain public service requirements during her time at Drake, which Wegner admits she would have done regardless of the scholarship.

The scholarship program is an example of Drake Law School’s commitment to educating future public servants. The school encourages its students to take an active role in providing public service as an important component of their legal education. Up to ten students receive assistance through the program each year, with six receiving full tuition benefits. An additional four receive three-quarter tuition scholarships.

“I want a job where I feel good about who I am and the difference I am making,” says Wegner, who wants to keep working in a public interest job long after her commitment expires. “Acquiring six-figures of debt to get a low-paying job would not have been ideal. Receiving this scholarship was a game-changer.”

With 102 years of history, the Drake Relays has had plenty of great moments. Here are the top five, according to Brian Brown, the Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays:

1. 1994 — Carl Lewis, already an international star, helps shovel snow from the track before running in and winning the 100-meter dash.

2. 1996 — Michael Johnson competes in the 200 Special Invitational just months before winning the event (as well as the 400) at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA.

3. 1935 — Jesse Owens of Ohio State wins the 100-yard dash and the long jump a year before dominating the Olympics in Berlin, Germany.

4. 1979 — Steve Scott becomes the first athlete to break the 4-minute mark at the Relays with a time of 3:55.26.

5. 1961 — Wilma Rudolph, who in 1960 became the first woman to win three Olympic gold medals, wins the 100-yard dash with a time of 11.1, becoming the first woman to win a Drake Relays event.

More Top Relays Moments

A few more of the most memorable moments in Drake Relays history — with contributions from our Facebook fans.

1910 — The first ever Drake Relays takes place on April 23. Fewer than 100 fans are in attendance and are forced to huddle around bonfires to stay warm in an unexpected blizzard.

1922 — The Relays expands to a two-day event for the first time.

1961 — Three-time Olympic gold medalist Wilma Rudolph wins the first women’s race at the Drake Relays, a 100-yard dash she completed in 11.1 seconds. (See more on Rudolph and her amazing life).

1967 — Jim Ryun breaking away from the pack to lead his Kansas team to a come-from-behind victory in the four-mile relay. — Rose Tobler Sparks, PH’70

1970 — Frank Shorter and his friend Jack Bacheler joining hands as they crossed the finish line to tie for the six-mile run title in 1970. “One of top five sporting events I’ve witnessed ever.” — Tom Thoma, JO’71

1970 — Brigham Young’s Ralph Mann sets a Relays, American and national collegiate record in the 400 hurdles. He returned to Drake a month later to set the world record at the 1970 NCAA Outdoor Championship.

1988 — Following a campaign for his release, Mugsy — the then recently-anointed Beautiful Bulldog — is pardoned from impound after having accidently cut a student’s nose with his teeth. — Denise Rathman, AS’88

1993 — Iowa’s Anthuan Maybank is named outstanding performer of the Relays after becoming the first person ever to run a sub-45-second 400, and complete a long jump of more than 26 feet in the same meet.

1995 — “Dressing as the mascot to sneak onto the infield and shake hands with Carl Lewis.” —Donald Feinstein, JO’95

2001 — The Illinois women’s shuttle hurdle relay team sets a world record with a time of 52.85.

2007 — Alan Webb breaks the 30-year-old Drake Relays record in the mile with a time of 3:51.71. (Watch it on YouTube)

Every Year — “Street painting, tent party, mud volleyball, West End Breakfast and so much more.” — Laurie Coats Hayes, PH’95

Tyler Schwiesow, AS'99, Doug Schaefer, AS'99, and Rob Fornoff, AS'97

Through endurance events, a trio of Drake alumni have cemented their bonds of brotherhood

When Doug Schaefer, as’99, and Rob Fornoff, as’97, first met in 1995, theirs was an informal acquaintance, forged by the bonds of a shared university and a fraternity. Although Fornoff was two years older, he and Schaefer kept in touch after graduation, staying casual friends for a dozen years.

And then came the Hy-Vee Triathlon.

Unless you’ve been living in forested backwoods with no television or Internet access, you’ve probably noticed that endurance competitions such as triathlons have exploded in popularity; there are currently more than 3,500 sanctioned events nationwide. So Rob and Doug were intrigued when they received an email from another Drake alumnus and avid triathlete, Nolan Mitchell, as’95, gauging their interest in the Hy-Vee Tri.

Fornoff, Schaefer and another friend, Tyler Schwiesow, as’99, all thought it “sounded really cool,” says Schaefer, who lives in the Omaha area and is a middle school principal. “We all did sports in high school and participated in intramurals. When you finish college, the opportunities aren’t there anymore to get back in shape.”

Before and after that first race in 2007, Fornoff, Schwiesow, and Schaefer shared tips, logging workouts at www.beginnertriathlete.com and posting comments to shore each other up. That year was a learning experience.

“I didn’t know how to run, bike and swim well for endurance,” says Fornoff. “Going up and down in a pool a few times is different than doing it for 1,500 meters.”

Since then Fornoff, a pediatrician, and Schaefer have lost count of the tris they’ve done, but it numbers at least 30. Fornoff has competed in the Hy-Vee Tri four of the last five years; Schaefer has competed in them all. They’ve participated together, as a trio with Schwiesow, who is a doctor of internal medicine, and individually.

But beyond the sweat and the aching muscles, the recharge time and the camaraderie of race days, there’s something more for these three. They are all married and have at least two kids and busy careers. They started five years ago with a distant, tenuous connection and have built that into something more than simply exercising postcollege.

“It’s turned into a way to stay connected,” says Fornoff. “We did this to get in shape, and that’s a good goal. But even more than that, it’s about us getting together and staying in touch, and we are better friends for it.”

— Kelly Roberson, JO’92