2011 Drake Alumni Award winners

The following individuals were recognized for their efforts to live out the ideals of the University by making a positive impact in their professions, communities and the world. (From left):

Michael Emerson, FA’76, Alumni Achievement Award

Peggy Fisher, FA’70, Distinguished Service Award

Paul Doucette, BN’97, Young Alumni Loyalty Award

William S. Duffey Jr., LA’73, Alumni Achievement Award

Jill Nickols Haug, PH’99, GR’99, Young Alumni Achievement Award

Jeffry R. Jontz, LA’66, Alumni Loyalty Award

(Not pictured) Christopher Goode, BN’98, Young Alumni Achievement Award

A reception held in the Cowles Library Reading Room kicked off the evening, which brought together alumni, faculty, staff, administrators, family, friends and Student Alumni Association members to celebrate the accomplishments of this year’s award winners.

The reception highlighted the professional achievements and University involvement of the dedicated alumni, who credited Drake with setting the stage for many of their successes. Young Alumni Loyalty Award winner Paul Doucette, BN’97, searched for just the right anecdote to sum up the impact Drake has had on his life:

“Do I talk about lessons in leadership I learned during late night Student Senate meetings?” he asked. “Or from campus leaders like Don Adams and Mick Ferarri and Jan Wise and Tom Tronick and Jerry Price? Or was I going to talk about gaining a better understanding of friendship, justice and learning from my Sigma Chi fraternity colleagues? Or many I should talk about how becoming active in politics, both on-campus in student government and off-campus with the Iowa caucuses have gotten me to where I am today…It was the totality of my four years here. It was the challenges, the lessons, the opportunities ,but most importantly, the friendships that are why I remain committed to Drake today.”

Alumni Achievement Award winner Michael Emerson, FA’76, (an old pro at acceptance speeches, given his two Emmy awards) kept his remarks short and sweet, to the delight of the crowd:

“It’s nice to be back on the campus,” he said. “I will just offer this up in tribute in a spirit of gratitude and amazement to my parents Ron and Carol Emerson of Grinnell, Iowa, who never batted an eyelash when I said I was going to major in theater. Thank you for letting me be impractical. Cheers.”

Distinguished Service Award winner Peggy Fisher, FA’70, shared her own journey toward reconnecting with Drake. Co-chair of the distinctlyDrake campaign, Fisher found philanthropy opened up exciting opportunities to engage with students on campus.

“Inspiring a young person to want to give back is the biggest gift of all,” she said.

Visit alumni.drake.edu/2011alumniawards for more information on the event, including honoree biographies. Footage of the ceremony is available at ustream.tv/channel/alumni-awards-2011. View a photo gallery of the 2011 Alumni Awards Reception on Flickr.

The Burnham Ballroom at the JW Marriott in Chicago was the venue for the April 2011 distinctlyDrake event.

The event brought Drake downtown by both showcasing campus life and connecting current members of the Drake community with regional alumni and friends.

Campaign co-chair Peggy Fisher, FA'70, catches up with alum Vinaya Sharma, BN'93.

View a slideshow of distinctlyDrake Chicago photos.

Alumni enjoyed sharing their stories in the video booth.

Alumni were encouraged to share their Drake “love stories” in a special video booth set up at the event. Watch even more videos or share your own at distinctly.drake.edu.

Models sporting the 2011 RAGBRAI College Jersey's at a press conference announcing Spirit Day.

“For many years, our riders have been showcasing their college spirit while riding through our great state of Iowa and it was our goal to create a special day of fun that we could recognize the nation’s colleges and universities, starting with the universities of Drake, Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa,” said TJ Juskiewicz, RAGBRAI director. “We invite all riders to show their support for their favorite schools on Friday, July 29.”

Organizers are continuing to plan festivities around RAGBRAI College Spirit Day. One exciting event planned is the “RAGBRAI Mascot Challenge” in Coralville. All mascots are invited to participate in the fun and celebrate their school spirit.

Student Jason Musick represents Drake.

In true college spirit, RAGBRAI has launched a new collegiate merchandise collection. The collection includes a men’s and women’s jersey by Primal and technical tees and baseball caps for Drake, Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa. Merchandise can be purchased at shop.ragbrai.org.

RAGBRAI, the world’s oldest, largest and longest annual bicycle ride across Iowa. RAGBRAI is an Iowa tradition held annually the last week of July. It celebrates the sights, sounds, friends and the hospitality of the warm and friendly people of Iowa.

Brenda Hartig, Sally PH'74 and Allen PH'72 Sounhein and Dick Hartig PH'73 at the 2011 All Pharmacy Reunion

Pharmacy alumni gathered throughout Relays weekend, rekindling old friendships in a tented area a little more than a shotput distance from the action in Drake Stadium.

“I’ve seen lots of my friends — mostly Phi Delta Chi gals,” said Kim Joyce, PH’99, of Emmetsburg, Iowa. “Most of my friends were in the pharmacy school, and it’s great to realize that many of the faculty still do remember us.”

Joyce and many others lingered at the lantern-lit tent party late Friday evening, until fireworks signaled the end of races across the street, and the reception drew to a close.

The intergenerational event continued Saturday, with a breakfast honoring the late Dr. Lon Larson, campus tours and tours of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences facilities, a sample class, lunch and an evening reception. Sunday, The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and the Collaboration Education Institute (CEI) hosted Diabetes Update 2011, a continuing pharmacy education opportunity.

See who else attended in a photo gallery from the event.

More than 100 guests attended the gala. The two-day celebration featured an alumni jazz reunion jam session, an afternoon ribbon cutting ceremony and an evening concert performed by Drake Jazz Ensemble One and the newly formed Drake Alumni Jazz Band. See a gallery of the events online.

Due to illness, Fred Turner was unable to attend the gala. His daughters, Teri Turner-Hartman and Paula Grasso, participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony and attended the evening concert.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony served as the official dedication of the Turner Center.

“This gala was our chance to celebrate an incredible new facility and thank the Turners for all of their support of Drake’s jazz program,” said saxophonist Stella Hart, a junior English and music double major from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “There aren’t words to express how grateful all of the students are. We used our music to convey our appreciation.”

Devin van Holsteijn, a saxophonist and sophomore music business major from Spencer, Iowa, said that the Turner Center has become an invaluable and inspiring learning facility for students.

“The Turner family’s contributions to Drake’s jazz program have created many opportunities for students and enriched our college experiences in numerous ways,” said van Holsteijn, who serves as student general manager of the Turner Center. “Besides being a great place to perform and rehearse, the center has provided students with the chance to learn the business management and recording skills necessary to running a successful jazz venue.”

Drake alumnus Fred Turner, retired senior chairman of McDonald’s Corp., provided Drake’s jazz program with a $1.5 million gift to build the Turner Jazz Center.

Completed in December, the facility includes a state-of-the-art 40-channel recording studio, a sound booth and an isolation room. The center also includes Patty’s Place, a 70-seat jazz club named after Turner’s late wife and Drake alumna Patty. Patty’s Place provides a venue for jazz performances by Drake ensembles, touring professional musicians and local jazz groups.

"Patty's Place," a 70-seat jazz club, provides a venue for performances by Drake ensembles, touring professional musicians and local jazz groups.

In 2008, Turner endowed the Fred and Patty Turner Professor of Jazz Studies. Andrew Classen, the inaugural holder of the title, directs Drake Jazz Ensemble One.

“Our vision for the Turner Center was for it to be a multi-purpose facility and jazz club,” Classen said. “Not only has the Turner family contributed to the enhancement of student experience here at Drake, but this facility promises to be a musical and educational focal point for the entire community.”

At the gala, Drake Jazz Ensemble One performed nine tunes, including two pieces composed by Classen.

The first, “Blues for Jimmy,” was dedicated to Drake President David Maxwell’s late father, legendary trumpeter Jimmy Maxwell. President Maxwell joined the band to perform a blues guitar solo.

Classen’s other composition, titled “The Gospel According to Patty,” was written to honor the memory of Patty Turner, a talented musician noted for her love of music and her extensive philanthropic work. Fred and Patty Turner met as students at Drake in the 1950s.

Read more about the Patty and Fred Turner Jazz Center.

Drake jazz alumni called to stage for encore performance

The opening and dedication of the Turner Center provided an opportunity for Drake jazz alumni to reconnect with old friends and reassemble their instruments.

A reunion and jam session was held the night of Friday, April 15. On Saturday, approximately 30 alumni rehearsed as a big band and, under the direction of Classen, performed three tunes to open that evening’s concert.

Participants ranged in age from the newly graduated to alumni who played in Drake’s jazz ensembles in the 1960s.

“Everyone seemed to really enjoy being back on campus,” said Nancy Strutzenberg, Drake’s development events coordinator. “The alumni were also excited to play in the new Turner Center facility. This reunion was wildly successful, and we look forward to hosting future jazz reunions.”

Caydence, Amanda and the late James Justice

Married to alumna Amanda (Sand) Justice, JO’05, James was known on campus as a devoted boyfriend. The couple met at The Library (the University Avenue Library, not the Cowles), and their courtship became something Amanda shared with her sisters in the Alpha Phi house.

“James was around campus and he did have a close tie to Drake through Amanda,” sorority sister Laura Zieske said.

Their pledge class and the classes a year or so ahead and behind had started an e-mail chain to keep in touch. News of Justice’s death traveled quickly. The Des Moines Register reported Justice was killed while trying to rescue the crew of a helicopter that crashed in eastern Afghanistan.

When Zieske heard of Amanda’s tragic loss, she remembered the days in college when James would send videos from his deployments and the Alpha Phis would gather to watch them.

“It’s awful that something like this would being us back together, but it really is a testament to the high caliber of the individuals and of Drake,” Zieske said. “There’s a sense of community with Drake and Alpha Phi that you want to help those who are going through a tough time.”

Although Zieske currently lives in Philadelphia, she and other Alpha Phis have joined together in a fundraising effort to help support Amanda and the Justice’s 3-year old daughter, Caydence.

Left to right: Amanda (Sand) Justice, Kati (Jurgens) Davis and Laura Zieske at Alpha Phi Phiver

“There’s a sense of giving — a sense of community that is always a part of being a student at Drake,” Zieske says.

Drake’s current Alpha Phi members feel compelled to contribute. The organization set out a donation box for the family at their annual Relays Alumnae Luncheon and at Drake Stadium; funds will go toward Caydence’s future academic goals and college aspirations. Donations are also being accepted through Veridian Credit Union, James Justice Benefit Account, 5910 University Ave., West Des Moines, IA 50266.

“Our chapter strives to maintain bonds with our alumnae membership,” said Molly Bassford, president of Drake’s Alpha Phi chapter. “Part of the bond of sisterhood is feeling pain when our sisters feel pain. This is an extremely grievous time for Amanda, and we’d like to try and lessen her pain if at all possible. We’d like to let her know that she and her daughter are not alone; her sisters are here for her.”

Bassford said this kind of very personal philanthropic effort is in keeping with the Alpha Phi mission of “a sisterhood of outstanding women supporting one another in lifelong achievement.”

“When we take the vow of sisterhood, this extends to all women who are Alpha Phi’s in all places and of all ages,” she said. “This means that we support each other in times of crisis as well as times of celebration.”

A highlight of the undergraduate ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday will be the presentation of honorary degrees to Des Moines philanthropists John and Mary Pappajohn. They were nominated for this honor in recognition of their extraordinary support of educational opportunities, entrepreneurial development and art appreciation initiatives.

John and Mary Pappajohn

John, one of the most recognized business leaders in the Midwest and beyond, will receive an honorary Doctor of Business Administration. His wife, Mary, a community leader and ardent supporter of the arts, will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

“The awarding of an honorary doctorate is the highest honor that a university can bestow, and Drake is proud indeed to grant the Pappajohns this acclaim for their extraordinary contributions to Drake University, to our community, the state and the nation,” said Drake President David Maxwell.

John Pappajohn has organized and financed the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers at five universities and colleges in Iowa (including Drake). These centers have helped create and launch more than 1,000 new companies.

Pappajohn’s family emigrated from Greece when he was an infant and settled in Mason City, Iowa. He worked his way through the University of Iowa, graduating in 1952 with a bachelor’s degree in business. After graduation he launched his own insurance agency and subsequently founded Guardsman Insurance Investors, a public insurance holding company.

In 1969, he organized Equity Dynamics Inc., a financial consulting entity, and Pappajohn Capital Resources, a venture capital firm, in Des Moines. As one of the early venture capitalists, he has served as a director in more than 40 public companies.

A native of Minneapolis, Mary Pappajohn graduated from the University of Minnesota, where she earned a degree in related arts, a field similar to interior design. Drawn together by a shared love of art, John and Mary Pappajohn married in 1961. She has served in board positions and assisted acquisitions for both the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Des Moines Art Center. She also is a former president of the Goodwill Industries Auxiliary.

Her passion for the arts has not only resulted in countless charitable involvements, board positions and awards, but has made a tremendous impact in the community. In September 2009, the 4.4-acre Pappajohn Sculpture Park opened in Des Moines’ Western Gateway Park, made up entirely of pieces from the couple’s personal collection. It is considered to be one of the most accessible major sculpture collections in the country.

In 2009, the Pappajohns were named in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Philanthropy 50, an “annual list of the most-generous people in America.”

David and Maddy Maxwell

Maddy, who describes herself as a full-time volunteer in her role as Drake’s first lady, was one of two presidential spouses selected to talk about their lives during a session about “The Many Faces of the Presidential Spouse/Partner.” The other speaker was Betty Neal Crutcher, wife of Ronald A. Crutcher, president of Wheaton College in Norton, Mass.

“Each of us presented our remarks and we had very different perspectives because we’re from different schools with different endowments and needs,” Maddy said. “We also talked about issues that we had in common. Some of them were painful and some of them were funny. The goal was to help one another.”

While the specifics of what was covered in the session remain confidential, Maddy is free to talk about how she sees her role at Drake.

“What a life!” she said. “It is routinely un-routine. I have no idea what to expect from day to day. My experiences at Drake have brought me so much joy. I’ve developed more empathy and learned not to judge people. I derive a lot of strength and energy from people, and there’s nothing better than watching students bloom.”

President Maxwell shares his insights on leadership

ACE invited David to speak about “Renewing Oneself/Remaking the Position” at the ACE Commission on Effective Leadership, which met on Presidents Day during the annual meeting.

David noted that his role has changed as Drake transitioned through different stages during his nearly 12 years as president: sorting out financial concerns, implementing an ongoing strategic planning process and culture of evidence-based, collaborative decision-making, encouraging a community of aspiration as Drake strives to establish itself as a premier national university and playing a leadership role in the distinctlyDrake campaign to fund those aspirations.

Remaking the University remakes the president, he said. “Institutions need different things from their presidents at different times in their history,” he added. “If you’re thinking strategically about the institution’s future and your role in it, at any given moment you should have a pretty good idea of your next incarnation as president.”

He sees his current role focused on realizing Drake’s vision for the future through strategic planning, fundraising and laying the groundwork for his successor when he eventually retires.

To remain energized through the changes and keep in touch with the various constituencies, David said, presidents need to constantly “recharge.” Recharging, he said, “is about taking care of yourself, physically, emotionally and spiritually, so you’re fit for the rigors of the job, and enthusiastic about doing it.

David noted that his recharging ranges from being an avid runner for 30 years, to listening to and playing music, and reading, to hosting students and faculty for dinner at the Maxwells’ Des Moines home. He looks forward to getting away to their log home in Maine each summer for “reading, writing, running, kayaking and just staring at the water.” For the last three months, David has added working out with a personal trainer as he prepares to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with the Drake football team at the end of May.

Weighing in on difficult dialogues

Earlier this year, the Ford Foundation invited David to join three other college and university presidents to discuss campus issues as part of the foundation’s Difficult Dialogues Initiative. This initiative is designed to promote academic freedom and religious, cultural and political pluralism on college and university campuses in the United States.

In his remarks to the group in Chicago last January, David described Drake’s Statement of Principles, which declares that the University “upholds freedom of thought and freedom of expression as central to its educational mission.”

These principles, he said, guided the University’s response to a federal grand jury subpoena demanding that Drake turn over records about a campus gathering of activists planning to protest the invasion of Iraq in 2004. Drake officials expressed concern that complying with the subpoena without notifying individuals whose education records might be produced would violate the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

In response, a federal judge granted a request from the U.S. Attorney’s Office to impose a nondisclosure order forbidding Drake employees from discussing the existence of the subpoena or its contents. The situation quickly attracted national and international media coverage.

David described how he conferred with legal counsel, and then submitted an affidavit to the court citing the University’s Statement of Principles and protesting both the subpoena and the nondisclosure order.

More than 100 protestors rallied outside the federal courthouse to denounce the subpoena and nondisclosure order. It was announced at the rally that, in response to the affidavit, the U.S. attorney had withdrawn the subpoena and a federal judge had vacated the nondisclosure order.

“The good news is that we were able to resolve the situation by working through the system, and without putting the institution at risk,” David said. “The bad news is that a U.S. attorney mounted and a district court chief judge allowed such a challenge to individual liberties, and to one of the most important roles of a university in a civil society.”

"War on the Floor" exposed Drake SJMC students to elements of the broadcast and multimedia production industry.

Drake was one of two universities whose student teams were selected through a nation-wide audition process to compete in “War on the Floor,” a technology scavenger hunt and video production competition.

Seniors, Lauren Staller, Rebecca Altenhofen, Eamonn Cogan, and Rachel Yancey were selected to compete against the team from Frostburg State University in Western Maryland. Professor Todd Evans served as the Drake team’s sponsor.

The opportunity exposed the students to elements of the broadcast and multimedia production industry that they were not familiar with and gave them an opportunity to hone their skills.

“Our greatest practice came in learning how to produce content on a strict deadline,” Yancey said. “Our group’s writing improved as we worked to create and deliver a cohesive package. We learned tips and tricks from the editors to help speed up the process.”

Students began their days with assignments that required them to capture an element of the multimedia and broadcasting industry. To complete their assignment, they had to explore the exhibits at the conference and utilize their equipment to the best of their abilities.

The students wrote, produced, edited and submitted a final piece to the “War on the Floor” producer at the end of each day. Their videos were shown online and on monitors around the conference.

“It was so rewarding to watch everyone’s reaction in the room while our piece aired live,” said Yancey.

When they weren’t in production, students attended a meeting with Sony Inc., after-parties associated with the show and a wrap-up dinner party with the production team.

The National Association of Broadcasting provided the students with Sony and Panasonic cameras, microphones and support gear for production, lighting equipment and Apple computers outfitted with Final Cut Suite for post production.

The National Association of Broadcasting provided the students with Sony and Panasonic cameras, microphones and support gear for production, lighting equipment and Apple computers outfitted with Final Cut Suite for post production.

The “War on the Floor” producers set-up a viral campaign that allowed people to vote for their favorite team. Voting ran for a week and closed at midnight on Saturday, April 31. The Drake team then received an email announcing that they had won by popular vote.

“Winning this competition is the icing on the cake to choosing my major,” said Yancey. “Nothing quite compares to the opportunity I had to experience this conference.”

Magazine Students Network in NYC

RTV seniors weren’t the only students in the journalism school jet-setting across the country to network.

Eight magazine students traveled to New York City in April to meet with industry professionals and gain exposure to the inner-workings of titles such as “Glamour,” “Esquire,” “Fast Company” and “Food Network.” Jeff Inman, assistant professor of journalism, was responsible for leading the group.

Juniors, Jessica Anderson, Skylar Bergl, Clara Haneberg, Alex Masica, Lindsay Scarpello, Andi Summers and Joe Stych, and senior Kate Foley participated in this year’s trip.

The complete agenda is posted on the School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s website.

Chip Miller

Q: What led you to become a professor of marketing?

Miller: I earned a bachelor’s in biology, an MBA and a master’s in Chinese studies from the University of Kansas. When I considered what to pursue for my PhD, I thought about a number of fields of study including Chinese and biology. I have even applied to study toxicology because of my interest in the medical field. In the end, I chose to earn my PhD in marketing with a minor in international business because it interested me and schools were actively recruiting for the position.

I really can’t imagine myself doing anything else. When I took a career test years ago, my results were dead on and predicted that I would be either a marketing manager, army officer, or professor. I worked in marketing for some time, but my job required me to move east and I would rather not live on the East Coast.

Being a professor is a perfect fit. I enjoy everyone I work with and I have students for whom I would do anything. I really like Des Moines, too. It’s a great city. There is not too much traffic, but it’s big enough that we have things like the Des Moines Symphony and great restaurants downtown.

Q: What have you found to be the most interesting challenge facing the marketing industry today?

Miller: Social media. With people my age, sometimes it’s hard to make the connection between businesses having social media like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and seeing how it is relevant to the consumer or beneficial to the organization.

The rise of social media is advantageous for college students, though. Students live on social networks. From what I’ve seen, they are social media experts.

Q: I hear that you are particularly interested in East Asian countries. Why do those regions catch your interest?

Miller: My interest in the culture is nothing new. I used to be a martial arts practitioner, I have achieved a Master Level in Gung Fu, and I pursued a minor in international business when I was working towards my PhD because I wanted to have the flexibility to address global issues that I knew would be crucial in the future. I knew that with the education behind me, I would be able to serve as the regional expert on Asian culture. Also, my wife is Filipino, so the culture is part of my family, too.

Q: What has been the most rewarding aspect of your role as an educator at Drake University? What are you looking forward to?

Miller: My favorite part about teaching at Drake is hearing from my students who say “I got a job and you helped”, or “I’m so glad you taught me this or that because I’m using it on the job now.” It makes me feel better about pushing my students so hard in my classes.

Q: What does it mean to you to be the recipient of these two awards?

Miller: It was a complete shock to win the undergraduate award. I have coveted it since I walked in the door, so this is a huge accomplishment for me. I like teaching, listening to students’ concerns and making sure that they leave my classroom having learned something useful.

The research award was less of a surprise because of all that I have been working on. I am lucky in that I have a very prolific co-author, James Reardon, from the University of Colorado.

As for the future, I am looking forward to being associate dean of academic affairs next year. It will be an exciting change for me.

Q: How do you stay informed about what is going on in marketing around the world? Do you rely on any news sources in particular?

Miller: I read academic journals to stay up to date with the most current research, I am on several marketing email lists, and I keep up with the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. It’s important to stay current with changes in the marketing field, especially with all the technology we have today.