Drake receives $10 million for scholarships, stadium project Drake University President David Maxwell announced today that Drake has received a $10 million gift from retired Walgreen Co. Chairman and CEO Dan Jorndt and his wife, Patricia McDonnell Jorndt, both of whom are Drake alumni. The gift will provide $5 million to endow scholarships and $5 million for the Drake Stadium revitalization project. The commitment enables the University to begin construction on the stadium project in May 2005, pending city approval of needed infrastructure changes. President Maxwell said Drake is continuing to seek additional support for the stadium revitalization, in order to ensure the quality of the project and its impact on Des Moines. "A gift of this magnitude has a huge impact on the University's ability to serve our students and the community, and we are very grateful to Dan and Pat Jorndt for their remarkable generosity," President Maxwell said. "This gift reflects their active engagement in the University that began the day that the Jorndts entered Drake as undergraduates. Since their graduation, they have affected the lives of generations of Drake students with their commitment to creating opportunities -- scholarships, internships and careers -- and their willingness to share their experience and their wisdom as mentors, advisers and guides." "Dan and I hope our contribution will open similar possibilities for future Drake students and also help ensure a strong athletic program," said Patricia McDonnell Jorndt. "We're thrilled to add to the Walgreen Pharmacy Scholarships, establish the Patricia McDonnell Jorndt Liberal Arts Scholarships and participate in the renovation of Drake Stadium." "Attending Drake was a wonderful experience," said Dan Jorndt. "I received a meaningful education both at the University and working at Williams Pharmacy on Center Street. I so enjoyed the campus life and great Midwestern atmosphere and, most importantly, I met Patti McDonnell. She's been my adviser and sweetheart for 44 years." The stadium revitalization will reconfigure the track to meet international standards, address structural concerns, provide new throw and jump venues, install artificial turf and field lighting, relocate and upgrade the scoreboard and renovate the press box. These improvements will position Drake and Des Moines to bid successfully for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, both regionals and nationals. "The gift from the Jorndt family is incredibly generous," said Relays Director Mark Kostek. "The stadium renovation will give Drake and Des Moines a facility of world-class caliber that will attract NCAA and USA events and make the city the track and field capital of the Midwest. We believe that if we build it, they will come. The Jorndts are making that desire a reality and we couldn't be more pleased." In addition to benefiting Drake athletics, the Jorndts' gift will substantially increase the University's ability to provide financial aid for students by establishing a $5 million endowment that will generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in earnings each year to fund student scholarships. Half of the scholarships will be designated for students in Drake's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and half for students in the College of Arts and Sciences. "The cost of a pharmacy education has been increasing dramatically due to the required six years of instruction along with increasing requirements from the health care systems," said Raylene Rospond, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. "The impact of such a large scholarship gift is life-changing for students in the pharmacy program." "We are thrilled with the generosity of the Jorndt family," said John Burney, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "The Patricia McDonnell Jorndt Scholarships will help arts and sciences students across a number of disciplines and significantly enhance our ability to keep higher education affordable." Dan Jorndt, PH'63, held various management positions for Walgreens before being named company president in 1990, CEO in 1998 and chairman in 1999, the same year he received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Drake. Pat Jorndt, LA'64, has been active in community service and charitable organizations for four decades. In 2000, the Jorndts, who live in suburban Chicago, gave $1 million to establish the Walgreen Scholarships for Drake pharmacy students. Dan Jorndt stepped down as Walgreen CEO in 2002 and retired from the board of directors in 2003 after a 40-year career with the company. Faculty, staff and students are invited to celebrate a successful season with our Pioneer Football League Champions Drake Bulldogs from 3:15 to 4 p.m. today on the Pomerantz Stage in Olmsted Center. There will be a short program with comments by President David Maxwell and Coach Rob Ash followed by cake and a make-your-own ice cream sundae bar. This event is free. Instead of writing term papers for a sociology class, Drake University students are organizing several special events from Monday, Nov. 29, through Thursday, Dec. 2, to raise awareness about the human rights crisis in Sudan, which the U.S. Senate has labeled "genocide." In preparation for Sudan Awareness Week, students in Darcie Vandegrift's Development and Alternatives class have researched the situation and learned that a government-backed Arab militia known as Janjaweed has been engaging in campaigns to displace and wipe out communities of African tribal farmers. Villages have been razed, women and girls are systematically raped and branded, men and boys murdered, and food and water supplies targeted and destroyed. Government aerial bombardments support the Janjaweed by hurling explosives as well as barrels of nails, car chassis and old appliances from planes to crush people and property. Tens of thousands have died and well over a million people have been driven from their homes and humanitarian agencies have only limited access to the affected region. "It's a huge atrocity, but a lot of people aren't aware of it," said Erin Obermeier, a senior psychology major from Minden, Iowa. Obermeier added that she's glad to have a chance to work with some of her classmates to raise awareness of the problems in Sudan. "I feel like I'm making a difference," she said. "When you write a paper, you learn a lot yourself. By doing a project like this, you become more of an activist and increase learning opportunities for many people." Sudan Awareness Week began Monday, Nov. 29, and today (Tuesday, Nov. 30), with students speaking in various classes and distributing educational information during the lunch hour and evening in Olmsted Center. On Wednesday, Dec. 1, they will show the video "The Lost Boys of Sudan" at 7 p.m. in room 101 in Olin Hall, 27th Street and Forest Avenue. On Thursday, Dec. 2, a panel of faculty members and Sudanese refugees will discuss the crisis in Sudan at 7 p.m. in room 101 of Olin Hall. Those who attend events on Wednesday and Thursday will have the opportunity to write letters protesting genocide in Sudan and to donate to the Green Ribbon Campaign, which supports relief efforts for Sudanese refugees. "We've planned a variety of events to help raise people's awareness in an effort to generate concern and help for the conflict in Sudan," said Heather Cole, a senior from Osceoloa, Iowa. "Most people do not know there is a conflict, or do not understand the dynamics of it. We want people to know that they can make a difference and getting educated is the first step." A memorial service will be held for Ruth Doty, associate professor emerita of English, from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1 at Hoyt Sherman Place. Friends and former colleagues are welcome to share their memories of Doty or read a favorite poem that she might have liked. Donations may be made in her name to the Animal Rescue League or World Wildlife Fund. Professor Doty died in her Des Moines on Monday, Nov. 22, at the age of 71. She joined the Drake faculty in 1972 and taught here until her retirement in 1992. She was the recipient of a Pushcart Prize and two Borestone Prizes for her poetry, and she was the editor of the Blue Buildings literary magazine. Her work appeared in many widely respected literary journals, including Nimrod, Ironwood and The Chicago Review. “I knew Ruth as both a colleague and a friend during her time at Drake,” said Bruce Martin, the Ellis and Nelle Levitt professor of English. “She was a very funny and lively person who was richly interested in her students.” For the second year the Drake Student Senate and Drake University are sponsoring a Christmas wish tree for 40 families in need. All 106 wishes displayed on ornaments on the wish tree in the Olmsted coffee shop area already have been claimed by Drake students, faculty and staff, said Dolph Pulliam, director of community outreach and development. "We are asking that each gift be wrapped and labeled with ornament number," he added. "All gifts should be returned to the Student Life Center by Friday, Dec. 3. The party for the families will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, in the dining area on the lower level of Olmsted Center." Drake University's annual Christmas Madrigal Dinners on Dec. 4 and 5 offer the opportunity to celebrate the holiday season in the tradition of Elizabethan England. Guests will be entertained by the Drake Chamber Choir, as well as jugglers, dancers, a magician and Musica Antiqua. The menu includes Cornish game hen, rice pilaf, harvest greens, baked apples, flaming figgy pudding and wassail. Vegetarian meals are available. "Drake's madrigal dinners provide a fun 'Back to the Renaissance' experience," says Aimee Beckmann-Collier, professor of conducting and conductor of the Drake Chamber Choir. "We take people completely out of their everyday lives and transport them, with generous helpings of humor, music, dancing, gorgeous costumes, delicious food and beautiful images, to another time and place." Tickets are $40 per person and all seats are reserved. For reservations, call the Drake Fine Arts Box Office at x3841. Faculty and staff are invited to join staff of the Drake TeleMedia Center as they explore some of the latest and greatest classroom and presentation technology from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Dec. 3, in room 2 of Meredith Hall. The schedule for the presentations is listed below: Chiu-Ling Lin, professor of piano, will be featured in Prokofieff's Piano Concert No. 2, in the Drake Symphony Orchestra's concert under the direction of John Canarina at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, on the Jordan Stage in Sheslow Auditorium. The program also includes Menotti's "Sebastian" Ballet Suite and Christmas music by Bach and Handel. Admission is free. The play details a disastrous attempt to produce Anton Chekhov's drama "The Three Sisters" at a small San Antonio, Texas, theater. The cast includes a surgically enhanced TV starlet attempting to earn credibility, an Off-Off Broadway queen who acts in anonymity for love of the art and a bright-eyed ingÈnue who was a third-grade teacher until "the Lord himself" bid her to return to the stage. Playwright Martin is a mystery. Although she has won awards from the American Theater Critics Association for her plays "Anton in Show Business," "Talking With," "Jack and Jill," and "Keely and Du," and has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, she has never made a public appearance or given an interview. The Drake production is directed by Deena Conley, assistant professor of theatre arts. Performances start at 8 p.m. Dec. 2, 3 and 4 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 in Studio 55 of the Harmon Fine Arts Center. The production contains adult situations and language, and may not be suitable for children. Those with smoke allergies are advised that there will be smoking onstage during the performance. Tickets are available at the Harmon Fine Arts Center Box Office, x3841. Tickets are $5 for the general public, $3 for non-Drake students and senior citizens and $1 with a Drake ID. Iowa Insurance Commissioner Terri Vaughan has been named the Robb B. Kelley distinguished professor of insurance and actuarial science at Drake University, where she served as director of the Insurance Center and chair of the Insurance Department from 1988 to 1994. The professorship is funded by EMC Insurance Companies. "Dr. Terri Vaughan has a remarkable record of accomplishment in the insurance industry and higher education," said Charlie Edwards, dean of Drake's College of Business and Public Administration and School of Journalism and Mass Communication. "She will bring those experiences to her new position at Drake and be a tremendous resource for students while continuing to be a resource for the insurance profession." "I am delighted to be returning to Drake," Vaughan said. "Having been there before becoming commissioner, I know well the quality of the faculty and their commitment to doing the best for Drake students." Vaughan, who received the Outstanding Teacher Award in the College of Business and Public Administration in 1994, will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in insurance and actuarial science and be involved with Drake's Kelley Insurance Center. During the spring 2005 semester she will teach a graduate class in Risk Management and Insurance. Vaughan is the longest-serving commissioner in Iowa history and the youngest person inducted into the Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame. She manages a staff of 95 employees and a budget of $8.5 million. The Drake Chapter of Kappa Psi has been awarded the Nicholas W. Fenney Industry Scholarship Award, which recognizes the chapter with the greatest percentage improvement in grade-point average over the past year. Eric Schewe, a first-year student at Drake Law School and a resident of Des Moines, was named the First Place Outstanding Mediator in the fourth annual National Law School Mediation Tournament, which was hosted by Drake Law School Nov. 19-20. Three more Drake law students were among the Top Ten Outstanding Mediators. They are Adam Gill, a third-year student from Lake Forest, Ill., who placed fifth; Betsy Kellner-Nelson, a third-year student from Des Moines, who placed sixth; and Sarah Russell, a second-year student from Des Moines, who placed ninth. A total of six teams from four law schools -- Drake, Loyola University Chicago, John Marshall and the University of South Dakota -- competed in the tournament, which was sponsored by the International Academy of Dispute Resolution. "The goal of the tournament is to train law students to be mediators as well as litigators," said Richard Calkins, organizer of the competition and former dean of Drake Law School. "It's important to help people resolve their differences through peacemaking rather than adversarial court battles, especially after 9/11." Drake University students recently competed in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) State Collegiate Artist in Voice Competition. The competition, which was held at Central College in Pella, requires singers to perform a 35-minute program of varied repertoire. Ten Drake students participated in the competition and three received top awards. Competitors are required to be between the ages of 19 and 26. A panel of three judges selects one winner, one alternate and notable honorable mentions. "The requirements of this competition are rigorous," said Leanne Freeman-Miller, associate professor of voice at Drake. Kristin French, a junior from Clinton, Mo., majoring in music performance, was named the alternate. French will move on to the district competition at a regional location. The winner of the district competition advances to the national finals. Honorable mention awards were presented to Blake Justin Blessey, a senior from Wichita, Kan., who is majoring in music performance, and Stephanie Johnson, a senior from Des Moines who is majoring in music performance. Drake students also delivered award-winning performances at the recent Iowa State National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Competition held at Drake University. More than 350 singers competed in the event and eight Drake students received awards recognizing their outstanding performances. Competitors are divided by gender and their year in school. First, second and third place awards are given in each division, as well as two honorable mention awards. Drake students who received honors in their division are: The Drake students participating in the competition study with Drake voice faculty members Ann Cravero, Dina Else and Leanne Freeman-Miller. The Drake Choir, a professional chamber orchestra, and faculty and alumni soloists, under the direction of Aimee Beckmann-Collier, will perform Handel's "Messiah" at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, on the Jordan Stage in Sheslow Auditorium. At its premiere in Dublin in 1742 and in many subsequent performances, the "Messiah" was used to raise funds for charitable organizations. The Drake Choir wishes to participate in that tradition by inviting audience members to make cash donations to the Des Moines Area Religious Council's Food Pantry, Beckmann-Collier said. Cash contributions to the food pantry will be collected before and after the performance, as well as at intermission. Tickets for the concert, which are $5 for the general public and $3 for students with a Drake ID, are available at the Drake Fine Arts Box Office, x3841. President David Maxwell invites faculty and staff to offer their personal congratulations and best wishes to mid-year graduates at the President's Reception for December Graduates, which will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12. in Levitt Hall in Old Main. "Dress is casual, there will be refreshments and spirited conversation, and there will be no long speeches!" President Maxwell said. "I hope that you'll plan to join us and help to extend a relatively new tradition at Drake. I know that the students and their families will appreciate your presence and support." |
|
