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December 3, 1999 - Vol.53, No. 26

Drake gains new research program, computer lab

Ken Kopecky, professor of mathematics and computer science, has formed a relationship with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) that has led to development of a research program under the auspices of the Iowa Space Grant Consortium. Drake is a member of the consortium and professor Kopecky is the Drake campus coordinator.

The new "Higher Education Base Program" deals primarily with WebWinds, a scientific visualization project for rapid analysis of large scientific databases.

To help get the program started last summer, two Drake students spent a week working at JPL in Pasadena, Calif., and a third student helped perform tests of the software from Drake. The students who worked at JPL are Casey O'Donnell, a junior computer science major from Leon, Iowa; and Daniel Ramaley, a junior computer science major from Des Moines. Eric Holtam, a senior computer science major from Fremont, Neb., tested the software at Drake.

"I was shocked and pleased at the level of preparation and expertise that the two students showed up with at JPL," said Lee Elsen, JPL's director of the project. "These students continue to work on the project and it is planned that some or all will work at JPL in the summer of 2000."

Funds for the base program (approximately $45,000) provided $25,000 for the new Sheppard Cluster Linux Laboratory that was established in room 214 of Howard Hall last summer.

The laboratory was initiated under a proposal written by Luz DeAlba, professor of mathematics and computer science. The cluster of 10 PCs was built under the direction of Daniel Alexander, assistant professor of mathematics, with contributions from David Oakland, associate professor of mathematics and computer science, and professor Kopecky.

Three students installed and set up the administrative software and applications software for the lab. The students are Tom Kula, a senior mathematics major from Anamosa, Iowa; David Loveall, a senior computer science major from Sheldon, Iowa; and Brian Bosse, a junior mathematics major from Omaha, Neb. These students are continuing to administer the cluster throughout the academic year.

The cluster is used for the WebWinds research, general mathematics and computer science research, the Supplementary Instruction program, some mathematics courses and in virtually all the computer science courses.
President Maxwell's Reception for graduates set for Sunday

Faculty and staff are invited to the President's Reception for December graduates from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, in Levitt Hall in Old Main.

The reception will be an informal gathering where faculty and staff may offer their personal congratulations and best wishes to the graduates. Approximately 260 students are expected to graduate in December.
Vision document to be discussed

President David Maxwell has announced two town meetings for faculty, staff and students will be held on Thursday, Dec. 9, to discuss the vision document for Drake's future that is available on the Drake Web site at www.drake.edu/president/future. The town meetings will start at noon and 5 p.m. in Bulldog Theater in Olmsted Center.
Charitable Campaign tops $35,000

The final tally for Drake's Charitable Giving Campaign shows total contributions of $35,798, with $29,596 donated to United Way of Central Iowa and $6,202 donated to Iowa Shares. United Way of Central Iowa and Iowa Shares would like to thank all participating Drake faculty, staff, professors emeriti and staff retirees.
Legal expert to discuss Web

Rosemary J. Coombe, professor of law at the University of Toronto and an expert on cultural and intellectual property, will speak at Drake University at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 6, in the Honors Lounge of Medbury Hall.

Her talk, which is free and open to the public, is titled "Image is Everything: Consumer Politics and the Corporate Persona on the World Wide Web." Coombe is the author of The Cultural Life of Intellectual Properties: Authorship, Appropriation and the Law.
Check Web for cancellations

To aid faculty, staff and students in learning about winter closing or cancellation decisions, announcements will be placed on the Drake Web site.

To find Web announcements, go to Drake's home page (www.drake.edu) and if this picture appears in the lower right of the first page, then there is information available on closings and cancellations.

Web announcements will be in addition to the announcements on the cancellation line (x4545) and on local radio and television stations. When weather is severe enough to consider closing the University or cancelling classes, every effort is made to announce a decision by 6 a.m. for daytime operations and classes, and by 2:30 p.m. for evening classes, according to Interim Provost Stephen Hoag.
Meredith professorship created

Professor Patricia E. Prijatel has been named the E.T. Meredith distinguished professor of journalism at Drake University. Prijatel is head of the magazine sequence in Drake's School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The newly established distinguished professorship is part of a $1.1 million grant to Drake's Journalism School from Meredith Corp., the E.T. Meredith Family Foundation and the Bohen Foundation. The Meredith grant is focused on Drake's magazine sequence.

Professor Prijatel has taught at Drake since 1984. A native of Pueblo, Colorado, she came to Des Moines to work for Meredith's Better Homes and Gardens book promotion department. She also wrote for Better Homes and Gardens magazine and several of Meredith's Special Interest Publications before joining Drake. Prior to that, she was editor of Earth Matters, published by the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in Des Moines.

Meredith Corp. is one of America's leading media and marketing companies operating businesses centered on magazine and book publishing, television broadcasting and integrated marketing.
Drake wins programming contest

A team of three Drake students solved five of six problems and finished first in the recent Association for Computing Machinery Programming Contest at William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

The winning team consisted of Brian Bosse, a junior mathematics major from Omaha, Neb.; Casey O'Donnell, a junior computer science major from Leon, Iowa; and Mike Schumacher, a senior physics major from Lake Elmo, Minn. The team went on to finish ninth in the Midwest Region.
Sechser may be Marshall Scholar

Former Student Body President Todd Sechser, AS'98, has been selected as a finalist in the Mid-Atlantic Region for the British Marshall Scholarships. He is one of 20 finalists from the Mid-Atlantic Region selected from a field of 165 applicants.

The Marshall Scholarships bring intellectually distinguished young Americans to the United Kingdom to study for a degree.

Sechser, who also was named a Truman Scholar in 1998, is now a junior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. He completed his interview for the Marshall Scholarships in November. The Marshall Scholarship recipients are expected to be announced soon.
Grigsby named Miss Iowa USA

Jensie Grigsby, JO'95, was crowned Miss Iowa USA Saturday and will represent the state at the national Miss USA pageant, which will be telecast live from Branson, Mo., on the CBS network on Feb. 4.

"I entered the Miss Iowa USA pageant because I believe in creating your own opportunities and experiences," Grigsby said.

After graduating from Drake, Grigsby worked as an advertising account representative for a newspaper in the Quad Cities. She's now a marketing project manager for American Media Inc. in West Des Moines.

Besides work, she performs in musicals at the Des Moines Playhouse, dabbles in modeling and is a member of the Iowa Barnstormers' Fliteline dance team. A former Drake track team member, she also enters occasional road races.
Professor Root earns honors

Scott Root, assistant professor of voice, was a semi-finalist in the 10th annual Friedrich Schorr Memorial Prize in Voice competition in Adrian, Mich. The winners receive opportunities to perform in the professional opera productions of the Adrian Symphony Orchestra and OPERA!Lenawee. He will perform the role of Don Alfonso in Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte" in May of 2000.

Last summer Root and his wife, Renée Root, assistant professor of voice, accompanied Drake students to the International School of Performing Arts in Doylestown, Penn., where she gave two presentations on vocal health.

Chad Ballantyne, a senior voice performance major, and Colleen McNally Jennings, a Drake graduate and an instructor in the Drake Community School of Music, were coached by Charlie Riecker and Kathy Olsen of the Metropolitan Opera and Gildo DiNunzio, vocal coach to Luciano Pavarotti.

Ballantyne received a $1,500 William B. Warden Scholarship for full tuition to return to the International School of Performing Arts next year. In addition, he and Jennings earned cash awards.
Students win music awards

About 45 Drake students participated in the recent Iowa State National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition at the University of Northern Iowa.

The students of Leanne Freeman-Miller, assistant professor of voice, competed in three rounds of competition, with five emerging as finalists.

Rachel Cazavilan, a music performance major from Ankeny, won first place in the freshman women division, and Stephanie Curtice, a music performance major from Wichita, Kan., placed second. Thomas McCargar, a music performance major from Des Moines, took third place in the freshman men division. In the sophomore women section, Jennifer Rissman, a music education major from Urbandale, won second place, and Justine Humphrey, a music performance major from Gilman, Iowa, placed third.

Drake students also performed in a Nov. 1 contest sponsored by the Iowa State Music Teachers National Association at Iowa State University. Rissman placed first and will compete in the regional contest at Drake in January. Alison Beaird, a junior music education major from West Des Moines, was named alternate.
A Student-Centered Learning Environment

Students in professor Birgit Wassmuth's Advanced Advertising Copywriting class recently developed advertising campaigns to promote the Drake Summer Program.

The class of 22 students was divided into five teams. "Each team introduced a catchy theme and then developed an advertising and promotional campaign around that theme," said Wassmuth, professor of journalism and mass communication. "The emphasis was to be placed on non-traditional approaches to strategic and persuasive communication."

The students made formal campaign presentations to Sandi Smeltzer, director of summer programming; Stephen Hoag, interim provost; Forrest Meyer, director of marketing and communications; Janet Keefer, dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication; and Barry Foskit, professor of advertising.

During a presentation review the next day, the theme "2000 Options" was selected. "Since then," Wassmuth said, "students of the winning team have been working with Sandi to streamline and fine-tune the campaign."

The "2000 Options" theme was developed by the Ace Marketing team, which consisted of Creative Director Erica Basofin, a junior from Palatine, Ill.; Carrie Blumenfeld, a senior from Ballwin, Mo.; Aaron Masterson, a senior from Des Moines; and Myles Thompson, a junior from Elmhurst, Ill.

"Almost every team came up with an idea that we've implemented or will implement," Smeltzer said. She added that she especially likes the "2000 Options" theme because it conveys the multitude of opportunities offered in the Drake Summer Program, which serves young children to adult learners. Most important, however, was the students' suggestion to use voices of Drake students in all promotions, she said.

Class members also suggested using x2000 and simplifying the Summer Program's Web URL to www.drake.edu/summer. These two suggestions already have been implemented, Smeltzer said. She's also planning to follow additional suggestions to promote the Summer Program through KDRK Radio, high school radio stations and feeder high schools in contiguous states.

Professor Wassmuth presented Certificates of Achievement to all five teams for their accomplishments. The Ace Marketing team received a certificate for Best Concept for the "2000 Options" theme.

The Aurora Communications team was honored for Best Radio Promotion. The Matrix Creative team was recognized for Best Direct Mail Piece. The Prospects Inc. team received a certificate for Best Billboard. The certificate for Best Client Research went to the rkeb2 Agency team.

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