We NeeDU

Your gift to distinctlyDrake makes a significant difference in the lives of students and the future of the University. Your generosity—whether it comes in the form a one-time $25 donation or a $25,000 endowment—helps ensure the success of current students and allows the University to continue to evolve and confront new challenges in a changing world. Visit www.distinctly.drake.edu to make your contribution and to read about the people and projects that are making a difference.

Bulldog Family Advances distinctlyDrake

Since the public launch of distinctlyDrake two years ago, the University has raised $113.3 million—more than half of its $200 million goal. And while corporations and foundations have made significant contributions to advancing the vision for Drake University, distinctlyDrake is mostly driven by the thousands of members of the Bulldog family.

Strength in Numbers  

Nearly 90 percent of the gifts made to distinctlyDrake are from alumni, trustees, parents, and valued friends (see Source of Gifts chart, p.39). These are the people closest to Drake—the ones who have invested their hearts in the University and who have chosen to invest their dollars as well. They are also the ones who understand that even the smallest gifts make a difference. That a single $100 gift—combined with many other $100, $300, $500, and $1,000 gifts—can elevate the Drake experience to the highest level of excellence for every student, every day.

This is the collective strength of the Bulldog family: individuals coming together to create outstanding results.

The Momentum Builds 

As funds for distinctlyDrake accumulate, so do the opportunities to transform the campus landscape. In recent months, Drake has broken ground on the Morgan E. Cline Atrium and has completed the construction of Cowles Library After Hours, including Cowles Café, and the renovation of Bulldog Theater (see related articles, pgs. 35–37).

Other capital projects completed and funded through distinctlyDrake include Hubbell Dining Hall, Patty and Fred Turner Jazz Center, and several renovations in the science buildings.

As the momentum for distinctlyDrake continues, the focus for capital projects will include the construction of a new Center for Collaborative Learning building which will house the School of Education, renovations and expansions to Cartwright Hall and athletic facilities, additional renovations to Cowles Library, and new construction and renovations in the sciences.

Passion Spurs Opportunities

distinctlyDrake is turning the passion for academic excellence shared throughout the Drake community into extraordinary opportunities for faculty and students. These opportunities are being realized through the development of academic centers, endowed faculty positions, and scholarship funds.

Funded through generous gifts to distinctlyDrake, The Principal Financial Group Center for Global Citizenship and the William M. and Jean M. Buchanan Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership are already providing students with exceptional learning experiences designed to grow their interests and skills and prepare them for success in a rapidly changing world. More than 101 scholarship funds have been created—a huge step toward ensuring that a Drake education is affordable to all highly qualified students. And the six, newly endowed faculty positions will ensure Drake continues to attract and retain the very best faculty now and well into the future.

For the Good of the Pack

More than 20,000 members of the Bulldog family have contributed their time, talent, and financial resources to distinctlyDrake. Like you, they understand what’s at stake— keeping our promise to students: ensuring that every Drake student is provided with the opportunities that come with a stimulating, innovative, and truly exceptional learning experience from which they benefit for the rest of their lives.

You are already part of the promise—now you can help keep it. Give to distinctlyDrake and advance the University toward achieving its vision to be—and be recognized as—one of the best institutions of higher education in the nation.

Alumna Marks 30 Years of Consecutive Giving

Karen Branding, LA’82, has a motto that she likes to share with Drake University students and alumni: “Learn and return.” It means, simply, to learn all you can at Drake—and, once you’ve graduated, return that privilege to the next generation of students by giving a little back.

Branding attended Drake on scholarship, studied public administration, and spent three years as a Resident Assistant in Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall. Since graduation, she’s created a legacy of 30 straight years of giving. She’s now a member of The Bonnie and Lewis McNurlen Consecutive Giving Society, a recognition program exclusively for Drake’s most loyal alumni donors.

But Branding’s legacy was almost a nonstarter; it took someone older and wiser than she to instill a spirit of philanthropy.

“I remember getting something in the mail right after graduation and telling my mom, ‘I can’t believe Drake is already asking me for money,’” Branding recalls. “My mom wisely said, ‘Karen, now is the time for you to start giving back so the next person can go to Drake on scholarship like you did.’ It changed the way I saw everything.”

Branding’s first gift to Drake was just a few dollars. She’s increased her contribution as she could over the years. In 2002, she created the Branding Resident Assistant Leadership Retreat, an annual retreat for students who serve as supervisors in Drake’s residence halls. She’s also given back to Drake as a member of the National Alumni Association Board of Directors.

“You go through college and you think it’s all about you,” Branding says. “But then you get out of college and realize, ‘I’m part of a larger world. I have to give back.’ It’s because of Drake that I am who I am and that I went on to have a very robust career. Learn and return.”

Visit www.distinctly.drake.edu to read more about the progress of distinctlyDrake.

Tisleen Singh, JO'10

Alumna logs thousands of miles for DU

Months away from home. Thousands of miles behind the wheel. Work days lasting 14 hours or more, and dozens of  fast-food meals on the go. It’s all part of the job for Drake University admission counselor Tisleen Singh, whose  passion for her alma mater keeps her smiling during long  days on the road.

Singh, JO’10, is entering her third year as a Drake admission counselor. She spends up to four months a year in the city  of Chicago and its western suburbs, where she introduces Illinois students to Drake.

Visiting nearly 100 high schools and college fairs in a season takes a lot of preparation, to say the least—her new SUV, purchased specifically for the job, is always full of Admission viewbooks, pamphlets, brochures, personal items including a nail file, pens, ChapStick, bottled water, and mouthwash.

“Life on the road is tough,” Singh says. “Your car becomes your world. The personalities on the radio become your friends. But without fail, every day, you meet a student who makes the traffic and terrible drivers worth it. When I can share my story, my experience, and what we have to offer a student—and I see that light in their eyes, that they get it—that is truly a joy.”

When Singh arrived at Drake as a first-year student six  years ago, she was “shocked” by the diversity of ethnicities, opinions, and opportunities that she found on campus. In the classroom she encountered a range of unfamiliar theories  and beliefs, while her cocurricular activities with Alpha Phi, the Student Activities Board, student government, and other organizations challenged her leadership skills and exposed her to a range of career fields.

“Drake changed my life,” Singh says. “Drake allowed me to explore so many areas beyond my major, and I reached a potential that I didn’t even know. Now, when I’m sitting in a campus visit and I hear a current student explaining how amazing Drake is while I sit there in silence, it just makes  me smile. That’s when I love my job most.”

—Aaron W. Jaco, JO’07, AS’07

Despite my financial situation, however, I didn’t mind that solicitation—but there were other recent graduates who were not as understanding. Many of my peers were irritated that the school in which they had invested so much over the years had reached out to them for money so soon after graduation. And as a recent grad myself with monthly student loan bills starting to arrive in my mailbox, I understand this.

To say that our generation has a complicated relationship with paying for college is an understatement. I think many of us feel like we’ve paid twice for our education—once when the tuition bills arrived and again when our student loan payments began.

The reality is that the tuition we pay is not a donation to Drake but a payment in exchange for a service received—our education. Our student loan payments do not support Drake; they’re going straight to the lender. And while it may seem to some as if they’ve already paid their dues to Drake, tuition costs don’t come close to covering what the University provides to students.

If Drake provided you with an exemplary education—if it provided you with the skills you need to survive after college or helped you find your passion or an internship or a job—there is a real cost associated with that. And those benefits you reaped will only become more expensive for future generations. Supporting your university through scholarships can provide financial support to the students who need it most, making it possible for more students to share the life-changing experience you had despite socioeconomic status or financial hardship.

Sometimes we feel that because we are young, we are somehow excused from giving back. Could you spare $5 or $10 each month? Consider giving that to Drake. Additionally, the gift of your time or your expertise is equally valuable—speak to a Drake class about your career, sit down for coffee with a current Drake student, hire a student as an intern. It’s easy to say, “I’ll support Drake when I have more money, more time—when I’m older.” But if you want to be the type of person who contributes your time and financial support to Drake, start being that person now, in any way you can—otherwise, you’ll always find obstacles or special circumstances to stand in your way.

Living in Des Moines, I’ve found plenty of ways to give to Drake: as a guest speaker, as a mentor for current students, as an advisory board member. And this spring I set up a monthly payment plan that allows me to give a little bit each month back to Drake. It’s not much, but when compounded with the gifts of other alumni, even small donations can make a difference. I’m so thankful for the alumni whose support made my own Drake experience possible, and I can think of no better way to show that gratitude than to pay it forward myself.

—Norah Carroll, JO’11, AS’11

Cline Atrium: It’s About Connections

With only a few students on campus, it still was a noisy summer for faculty in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. In June, the University broke ground on the construction of the Morgan E. Cline Atrium, which will join Cline Hall of Pharmacy and Health Sciences with Harvey Ingham Hall and connect hundreds of students to each other and to faculty for social learning opportunities and collaboration.

The atrium is made possible through the leadership and generosity of Morgan E. Cline and gifts from Hy-Vee and the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust. Scheduled for a move-in date of late January 2013, the atrium brings the vision for Drake’s science complex closer to reality.

Sussman Theater Better Serves Bulldogs

When Richard Sussman, LA’51, committed to giving a gift of $1 million to Drake University in honor of his late wife, Lila, he wanted to ensure that it had a direct impact on students and fostered leadership opportunities at the University.

Perhaps no other place on campus fit this requirement as well as the Bulldog Theater in Olmsted Center. The theater is regularly used by students in the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute (DVALI), student organizations, and for presentations and lectures from both students and guest speakers. Additionally, this space often provides the first impression of Drake’s facilities for new and prospective students who visit campus at orientation and through a variety of programs hosted by the Office of Admission.

The space, built in the 1970s, had never been renovated. Its location next to the new students-only Underground Fitness facility provided a stark contrast that made the need for a facelift apparent.

“The way the Bulldog Theater looked and functioned did not really represent the University correctly,” says Paul Secord, director of development.

The newly renovated Lila and Richard Sussman Theater (formerly the Bulldog Theater), however, is more representative of Drake and reflects the University’s commitment to an exceptional learning environment.

Work on the space began in June. The theater was gutted and refitted with new seats and walls, updated with a state-of-the-art audiovisual system, and rewired with new electricity. Additionally, the bathrooms outside the theater were completely remodeled, and the lobby leading into the theater has been modernized, as well. All of this makes for a seamless transition into the modern student fitness center.

The project was completed in September.

In addition to renovating the theater, Sussman’s gift has also been used to create the Sussman Endowment for Leadership, which will support DVALI and create other leadership ventures and opportunities for students.

Sussman has also generously pledged $10,000 per year for the next five years to sponsor the fall and spring DVALI conferences, which have been renamed in his honor.

After Hours—At Cowles Library?

The venue may be conducive to socializing, but the new After Hours space in Cowles Library is designed for more than idle chitchat. The open floor plan, movable walls, collaboration stations, and portable whiteboards have a purpose: to support social learning strategies.

“The nature of students’ assignments is changing—there are more group projects and collaboration,” says Marc Davis, technology coordinator. “After Hours is a response to changing pedagogies.”

The renovated space is also a response to student feedback.

In 2008, when library staff initiated the creation of a new master plan, they wanted to ensure that the library continued to meet the needs of all campus constituents well into the future. They started the process by soliciting ideas from students, faculty, and staff.

“Students spoke loud and clear to us,” says Rod Henshaw, dean of Cowles Library and professor of librarianship. “Two needs immediately rose to the top: a group study space and a late-night study facility.”

Located on the library’s main level, After Hours incorporates another recent successful renovation: the Cowles Café, which serves coffee drinks and snacks and contributes to the space’s intentionally relaxed atmosphere.

“When students feel welcome and comfortable, they become more engaged in the learning process. This is how social learning environments are linked to academic success—they provide an environment that stimulates learning and promotes collaboration and learning from peers,” says Davis.

Funded by the Cowles and Kruidenier foundations, Drake University Board of Trustees member Mark Ernst, and University allocations, After Hours marks the first step toward realizing the vision for Cowles Library.

Plans for the library’s next phase of renovations, the Upper Commons Project, will start this academic year and involve many members of the campus community. The focus for phase two is engaged learning. Second-floor renovations will include classroom space and new technologies designed for structured learning activities and consultations with librarians.

The third floor (which includes the beloved Reading Room) will continue to be dedicated to individual, quiet study. This ensures that when completed, the library’s master plan will incorporate all learning modalities: social, structured, and solitary.

“The new projects are simply the physical manifestation of what [Cowles] Library has always done, which is to meet the changing needs of Drake students,” says Henshaw.

The visit, co-sponsored by the Slay Fund for Social Justice at Drake University, also included a session during which the Carters spoke with students of social justice and Associate Professor of Law, Politics and Society Renee Cramer in the Cowles Library Reading Room.

In the fall of 1926, Ruth had just finished a 47-home run, .372-batting average season with the American League champion New York Yankees. Stopping in Des Moines for a postseason exhibition game, The Babe was invited to try out America’s other favorite pastime.

According to a 1990 Los Angeles Times article, Drake Coach Ossie Solem extended an invitation, and Ruth “gleefully” came to Drake Stadium to suit up. He scrimmaged, passed, punted, and played offense and defense. Ruth even took down Bulldog star and The Des Moines Register Iowa Sports Hall of Famer Chuck Everett on a rushing attempt.

Ruth soon reverted to his Yankee pinstripes, but not without leaving an intriguing mark on the history of Drake Stadium—and some very interesting photos—behind. Ruth led the Yankees to back-to-back World Series victories in 1927 and 1928.

Eighty-five years after the Sultan of Swat left his footprints on the Bulldogs’ home turf, a new group of champs huddled on Johnny Bright Field at Drake Stadium. The 2011 Drake football team hefted the Pioneer Football League trophy after besting the University of Dayton at home (see Now photo spread on preceding pages).

Paul Morrison, a Drake fixture for more than 65 years, was on hand for the latest addition to the history of Drake football.

Amber Arnett-Bequeaith, GR’03, isn’t afraid of anything.

Spiders, snakes, heights, failure … none of the common—or uncommon—phobias even phase her. But given that she lives and works at the Edge of Hell and spent her childhood lounging in a coffin as part of the family business, this is probably not surprising.

“I don’t scare easily,” says Arnett-Bequeaith, vice president of Full Moon Productions in Kansas City. “It’s always the goal of my staff and volunteers to scare me. Sometimes if someone is really good they can kind of startle me. But it really just doesn’t happen.”

In addition to running four nationally acclaimed haunted houses, a ghost and gangster tour, and ghost hunting excursions, Arnett-Bequeaith is also organizing a tour of Civil War spots in Kansas City. Beyond that she is also the national spokesperson for America Haunts, an organization that represents the best Halloween attractions in the country.

Basically, she is the spokesperson for Halloween. And there is no one more qualified.

The Psychology of Fear

As a five-year-old, Arnett-Bequeaith worked at the original Edge of Hell haunted house, created by her great-grandfather in 1975. Her job was to lie in a coffin, sit up slowly, and drop rose petals on the heads of visitors. As the night ended and the family was closing up shop, she would simply lie down in the coffin and sleep until it was time to go home.

Since then, the thrill and joy of scaring others has never left her.

After earning a master’s degree in marketing and integrated communications and public relations from Drake in 2003, Arnett-Bequeaith stayed in Iowa and worked in marketing for Hy-Vee for four years.

Ultimately, however, the family business called her back. She returned to Kansas City to take the reins of the company in 2009. In addition to the original Edge of Hell, Full Moon Productions runs three other haunted attractions: The Beast, the largest haunted house in the country; the Chambers of Edgar Allen Poe; and the Macabre Cinema. All take the art—and science—of scaring people to a new level.

“People don’t really understand what goes into this,” she says. “Each attraction and scene is built on the psychology of fear.”

For instance, visitors to the Macabre Cinema find themselves in a haunted 1930s theater where the smell of popcorn wafts through the air as they become the victim on the movie set.

“We’re not about gore and blood,” she says. “Each attraction has true antiques in the sets, and that really transports the person to another place and time.”

The company also keeps a trainer on staff to work with the many live animals incorporated into the attractions. The headless horseman sits atop a real horse, live alligators snap at the heels of visitors, and live snakes—including Medusa, at 25 feet 2 inches, the largest reticulated python in captivity in the world—slither underfoot.

In The Beast, visitors are forced to find their own way through a thunderstorm on the cobblestone streets of Jack the Ripper’s London, through a deadly, alligator-filled swamp, and a disorienting maze. For those who don’t make it out in time, a pack of werewolves is released to chase visitors out through a heart-wrenching, four-story slide to freedom.

“Scaring is not easy. It’s all in the timing,” she says. “It’s all about how to put a twist on the experience.”

Beyond the Ghosts

Not all the work Arnett-Bequeaith does is creepy, however. Her company also owns 14 buildings that it leases for commercial space and is working diligently to help revitalize the West Bottoms area of Kansas City.

“We’ve worked for a lot of years on infrastructure and worked directly with the mayor to get funding. We’re seeing real progress there,” she says.

The area currently has about 25 antique stores and boutiques and continues to develop.

Full Moon’s attractions, long recognized as among the top haunted attractions in the country, are also gaining attention in other circles. The Beast is the location for a feature film currently in production and there has been talk of a reality TV show based around the business and Arnett-Bequeaith’s role.

Despite the haunted houses and ghost hunts that make up such a large part of her life, Arnett-Bequeaith says she’s not a believer in the supernatural.

“My family started this when I was five years old,” she explains. “I create ghosts. You cannot be in this position and get the heebie jeebies every time something strange happens.”

So what does a woman who runs the Edge of Hell do to unwind when she’s had a rough day?

For one, she does not watch scary movies. She’s never seen Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, or any of the other well-known films from the horror genre. But then, why would she? Arnett-Bequeaith sees this sort of thing every day.

“When you’re having a bad day, there’s nothing better than going to the control room and watching the monitors,” she says. “There are cameras everywhere that capture reactions of guests. You laugh so hard you cry.”

These recipes are so delicious you’ll want to keep them after you graduate. Many can be made with only a microwave, while others require chefs to reserve the residence hall kitchen. Drake’s Pinterest board, “Out of Bulldog Bucks?” features:

• Healthy snacks like make-your-own goldfish crackers, single-serving blueberry muffins, and strawberry/cream cheese sandwiches
• Comfort foods like tomato soup mac and cheese, cinnamon swirl pancakes, pita pizzas, and bacon-cheddar mashed potatoes
• Breakfast items like pancake cupcakes, fruit bruschetta, and French toast bites
• Creative dishes like make-at-home falafel, microwave ratatouille, and scallion pancakes,
• Cold drinks including blue raspberry lemonade slush and strawberry smoothies
• Desserts – too many to list!”

Drake University’s Pinterest presence is curated by students. In addition to recipes there are collections of eye-catching blue attire, tips for sporting your Drake pride in the office, more than 100 cute bulldogs, and many other surprises.

And yes, in true college fashion, you’ll also find more than 100 variations on ramen noodles.

Tom Henderson, LA'77, LW'80, with a portrait of his grandmother, Florence Myers Wallace

Tom Henderson came to Drake University with a secret

Unbeknownst to his peers, Tom Henderson, LA’77, LW’80, began his undergraduate career as the grandson of Florence Myers Wallace, a 37-year member of Drake’s board of trustees (BOT). Despite his connections, Henderson was determined to make his own way, and by his junior year Henderson had been elected student body president. As a student leader, Henderson had the opportunity to share his thoughts with trustees at an annual banquet hosted by the board’s student life committee—and his grandmother.

Wallace, the first woman on the board, was instrumental in creating the student life committee and establishing the banquets in 1970.

“That time was very turbulent for the country and on campus, and the most important thing we needed was to trust each other,” says Don Adams, professor emeritus of education and retired vice president of enrollment management and student life, who was vice president of student life at the time. “Florence had a great reputation for listening to students and bringing their concerns to the board of trustees. She helped us regain the students’ trust with those meetings and dinners.”

In 2000, Adams recruited former student leaders at Drake, including Henderson, to be part of a new institution: the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute (DVALI). Centering on experiential learning, DVALI helps prepare students to take on major leadership roles after graduation. Along with the Adams Academy, a cocurricular leadership development program for upperclass students, DVALI reinstated the student life committee banquets.

Today, the banquet concept has evolved into the Florence Myers Wallace Leadership Lunch. Henderson—who attended the banquets 40 years ago as a student—and his family sponsor and host the annual luncheon.

“As a BOT member, she really felt it was important to talk to students, find out what was on their minds, and try to make Drake a better place as a result,” Henderson says. “We’ve seen a lot of results from those meetings. It’s a terrific opportunity for the board members to meet with students and talk about Drake, and we hope to create lasting connections.”

—Danny Akright, JO’10, AS’10

Lindsay Whorton, AS'09, ED'09, Rhodes Scholar, Fulbright recipient, trustee

Lindsay Whorton, AS’09, ED’09, Rhodes Scholar, Fulbright recipient, trustee

Former Drake women’s basketball standout and present Drake University Board of Trustees member Lindsay Whorton recently concluded her time as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. Her academic ambitions have taken her to Finland for a year, where, with the help of a Fulbright grant, she is pursuing a doctorate in education and labor relations. Drake Blue magazine caught up with the globetrotting Bulldog while she was still in England.

I am currently a student for life. I am looking forward to coming down from the ivory tower soon and bringing theory to practice.

My passion now is to try to learn as much as I can to maximize the opportunities that I have been given. Ultimately, I hope to contribute to improving the educational opportunities of American students.

I’d like to impact the lives of students whose sense of what’s possible is limited by the quality of education they have received.

Being at Oxford has changed my life. It is certainly a magical place, but it is the people who have impacted me deeply. I have had the privilege of living in a community of young, passionate people who truly inspire me. They have convinced me that more is possible, and their lives challenge me to use what I have been given in service of others.

I’m looking forward to seeing the Northern Lights in Finland. I am excited about experiencing a new culture and trying to understand a world-leading education system. I might be nervous about the cold winter months, but I have a serious winter coat, so I think I’m ready to go!

Drake taught me to make the most of the opportunities that you have been given, cherish the people in your life, and to set high goals. Even when I fell short of the mark—on the court or off—I learned and grew more than I would have otherwise.

Mark Kende, James Madison Chair in Constitutional Law, professor of law, and director of the Drake Constitutional Law Center

Internet advances First Amendment rights

Mark Kende is the James Madison Chair in Constitutional Law, professor of law, and director of the Drake Constitutional Law Center. Elizabeth Ford Kozor, Drake Blue editorial staff member, sat down with Kende to discuss the internet’s effect on free speech.

How has the internet changed free speech in this country?

“The internet has made speech more available to people by reducing barriers. Before the internet you may have had to get the newspaper to publish your letter to the editor. Now you can just start a blog and say whatever you want.”

How does the Supreme Court view speech on the internet?

“The United States is known as having the strongest speech protection in the world—or at least close to it. The United States is unique because we protect all kinds of terribly offensive speech. The Supreme Court has a history of being very protective of the print medium. The internet has been treated as deserving the highest protection, akin to how the Supreme Court has protected print, and that is a significant development.”

What are the issues currently surrounding free speech and the internet?

“Congress has tried on several occasions to pass restrictions on sexually explicit speech that children can view online. The Court has struck down most of their attempts to do that. There is also a debate about net neutrality. The premise of net neutrality is you don’t want the people who control access to content on the internet to use their biases to influence or censor speech. But to be fair, there are biases built in. For example, if you are a Google user and you live in Des Moines, Google is going to be more likely to give you information about what is happening in Des Moines. That’s not really censorship, but it’s not neutral speech. Everyone is getting something that is slightly tailored.”

Are there major issues looming on the horizon?

“I think a lot of the future internet cases are going to be in this murky area of ‘Is this terrorism or encouraging criminal activity, or is this speech?’ For example, we have a law that says you can’t support terrorist organizations, so if there is a website that says some positive things about al-Qaida, is that a violation of the law? Or is the law in violation of free speech? There is a similar issue with bullying. What’s the line between being able to say you don’t like so-and-so or you don’t like your teacher and harassment? There have been several cases where students have posted nasty things about their teachers on websites while at home, and they get disciplined at school. Does that infringe on their free speech rights? The lower courts are working their way through that.”

—Elizabeth Ford Kozor, JO’07, AS’07