Jan 23, 2006 • Vol 58. No 21

 
    

Former Coastal Corp. exec re-joins Drake Board of Trustees
Exhibit documents pain of childhood abuse through adolescent art
Drake students to perform at regional theater competition
Goldstien to speak Wednesday during Mornings @ Drake
CHARACTER COUNTS! founder to visit Drake Law School Friday
President Maxwell to address Des Moines School Board Tuesday
Transportation moves Des Moines students to art
Drake celebrates Year of the (Bull)dog
Constitutional Law Series speaker looks at children's rights
Chen receives Tiffany Foundation Biennial Award for his prints
Meredith chief discusses company's future in Let's DU Lunch lecture
Magazine editor, convenience store magnate close out Executive in Residence series
New programs aim to sharpen PC skills

Former Coastal Corp. exec re-joins Drake Board of Trustees


Jack Pester

A retired senior vice president with Coastal Corp. has rejoined the Drake University Board of Trustees as a trustee emeritus.

Jack Pester, a 1957 alumnus of the Drake College of Business and Public Administration, was first elected to the Drake governing board in May 1972 and served as chair from 1986 to 1988 before stepping down in April 2001.

Pester's return as trustee emeritus will give the governing board both a sense of history and bring another forward-thinking Drake booster into the University's leadership fold.

"We are all excited that Jack Pester is returning to the Board as a trustee emeritus," said President David Maxwell. "He brings invaluable knowledge of and insight into the governance of the University, and his vision and enthusiasm for Drake's future are most welcome as we move the University toward its future."

Pester, 70, lives with his wife, Barbara, in Houston, Texas.
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Exhibit documents pain of childhood abuse through adolescent art


This collage, titled "Frightened Child," will be on display as part of the "Trauma Reflected in Art" exhibition.

Through the most wrenching pain shines the light of hope.

That is the theme of "Trauma Reflected in Art," an art show of works and essays created by students at the Iowa Juvenile Home in Toledo, Iowa. The home is the state training school for delinquent girls and also serves some boys and girls who are victims of abuse and neglect.

"Some of the pieces show incredible pain and tragedy," said Kathy Fejes, professor of education. "Others are very hopeful and demonstrate resilience. The display will haunt visitors, but they will walk out with a better understanding of the experiences of some of the young people in their state."

The show begins with an opening reception set for 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, in room 214 of the Drake University School of Education.. The exhibit will be on display Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through March 3.

The young artists - ranging in age from 14 to 17 - hail from all corners of Iowa and most have been identified as Children in Need of Assistance. Most qualify for special education with the most common disability being emotional and behavior disorders.

"Trauma Reflected in Art" is a display of 30 works produced through the juvenile home's therapeutic art program. Each work is accompanied by the artist's essay detailing emotions and events that impacted their lives and prompted creative expression.

"The essays open a framework for interpreting the pieces, which are always highly personal," Fejes said. "With the words and the artwork combined, it's really a tremendously moving experience."

The artists are completely anonymous, though the students did offer their works for public display. The show is designed to showcase the students' artistic talents, demonstrate the effectiveness of art therapy as a rehabilitative process and educate the public about the Iowa Juvenile Home.

The Drake School of Education, GeoLearning, and Alliant Energy are co-sponsors of the exhibition.
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Drake students to perform at regional theater competition

A scene from Drake's fall production of William Inge's "Picnic" has been selected to be performed at the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival on Tuesday, Jan. 24, in Fargo, N.D.

The performance will feature theatre arts majors Ashley Sinclair and Matt Roth in the powerful and poignant scene in which Rosemary begs Howard to marry her. "Picnic," which was directed by Deena Conley, assistant professor of theatre arts, is one of 12 scenes selected for the festival out of 193 entries from Midwest colleges and universities.

"Congratulations to Ashley, Matt and Deena and the Drake Theatre Arts Department," said Jean Samson, chair of Friends of Drake Arts.
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Goldstien to speak Wednesday during Mornings @ Drake

Abe Goldstien, JO'76, creative director of Trilix Marketing Group, will give an entertaining and informative presentation on creativity and advertising as part of the Mornings @ Drake series, which begins at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, in the upper level conference rooms in Olmsted Center.

The cost is $5, which covers parking and beverages. For reservations, call x2769. For more information on the spring series, visit www.drake.edu/alumni.
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CHARACTER COUNTS! founder to visit Drake Law School Friday


Michael Josephson

Michael Josephson, founder and president of the Josephson Institute of Ethics and the popular CHARACTER COUNTS! program, will visit the Drake University Law School on Friday, Jan. 27.

Josephson will speak to 140 first-year law students on ethics and professionalism at 9 a.m. in room 213 of Cartwright Hall. He will be available for media interviews beginning at 10 a.m. in the Dean's Conference Room. He will also tour the Drake Law School facilities and have lunch at noon with Law School faculty during his visit.

Drake Law School is the first law school in the country to partner with CHARACTER COUNTS! Scott Raecker, executive director of the Iowa Institute for Character Development at Drake, met with first-year law students several times during the fall semester.

Josephson is the founder and president of the Josephson Institute, which he named for his parents after retiring from successful careers in business, law and education. A graduate of UCLA and the UCLA School of Law, Josephson had a 20-year career as a law professor and businessman. In 1985, he sold his legal publishing company and national bar exam preparation chain, left academia and devoted himself to the institute, which he serves without a salary.

Through the institute, Josephson founded CHARACTER COUNTS!, the nation's leading character education system. It now reaches 5 million youngsters through the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition, a partnership of schools and youth-serving organizations.
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President Maxwell to address Des Moines School Board Tuesday

President David Maxwell will make brief remarks to the Des Moines School Board at its Tuesday meeting, which will include a presentation on the Teacher Quality Partnership developed by Drake the Des Moines Public Schools and Des Moines Area Community College to increase the number of high quality teachers of color in schools that enroll large numbers of low-income students who are from ethnic minority groups.

Appearing with President Maxwell will be Jan McMahill, dean of the School of Education, and Eric Johnson, assistant professor of education. Both of them are involved with the partnership, which is funded through a U.S. Department of Education Teacher Quality Enhancement Recruitment Program grant.

The goals of the project include supporting the minority teacher candidate recruitment efforts of the three partner institutions, fund forgivable loans and other supports as selected candidates complete their teacher preparation programs at DMACC and Drake, and create four professional development schools that will become demonstration sites for quality urban education for practicing teachers and centers for intensive clinical experiences for pre-service teachers. Another goal of the project is to support professional development for teachers in the areas of reading, math, science and instructional technology.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and agree to teach in Des Moines Public Schools upon receiving their Iowa teaching license one year for every year of receiving a Teacher Quality Project forgivable loan.

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Transportation moves Des Moines students to art

Hundreds of Des Moines high school students will visit Drake University this semester to learn first-hand about art, music and theater at the university level, thanks to a $10,000 grant awarded to the Drake School of Fine Arts by Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino through its 2005 community betterment grant program.

The grant provides money for transporting students from Des Moines' five public high schools to the Drake campus to attend performances and exhibitions and interact with Drake faculty and students. Drake is collaborating with the Des Moines Public Schools on the year-long project, which is titled "Shakespeare, Opera and Fine Art: Connecting High School Students with University Fine Arts."

The project will begin this week when a total of 250 students from East, Hoover, Lincoln and North High Schools explore the visual arts at Drake. On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, groups of 50 students will take guided tours of the "Doubletake" exhibition at the Anderson Gallery, visit Drake's art studios and talk with college students majoring in fine arts. Leading the tour will be Nora Wendl, director of the Anderson Gallery.

"We are pleased to benefit once again from our first class educational partnership with Drake University and the generosity of Prairie Meadows," Des Moines Superintendent Eric Witherspoon said. "I can think of no better opportunity than to expose our high school students to the outstanding artistic talents of Drake faculty and students."

Drake also appreciates the Prairie Meadows grant, said John Burney, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "Collaboration with the Des Moines schools benefits us all," Burney added. "High school students will be exposed to fine arts programming that their schools could not afford in any other way. Drake students will find a new audience and get a chance to better learn the cultural and social role played by the arts in our city. Prairie Meadows' support for buses to provide this connection helps further our service to the community and enhances the learning of all the students involved."

Several other campus visits are planned for the spring semester:

  • Feb. 24: "The Duo Shakespeare," adapted from many of the bard's most famous plays by Michael Rothmayer, assistant professor of theatre arts.
  • April 13: Drake's production of the opera "Pirates of Penzance," directed by Ann Cravero, assistant professor of music.
  • April 27: Drake's production of "The Importance of Being Earnest," directed by Clive Elliott, the Daniel B. Goldberg artist in residence.

Additional fine arts experiences for students in Des Moines high schools are being planned for the fall semester.

Friends of Drake Arts, a private group that supports the arts at Drake, was instrumental in developing and coordinating the grant and will provide additional support for grant implementation. Friends of Drake Arts board members Vicki Goldsmith and Ruth Anne Gaines, both high school teachers in the Des Moines Public Schools, originally conceived the idea for the Des Moines Schools-Drake Fine Arts connection. Friends of Drake Arts board members worked with school district administrators to develop the program and will coordinate the grant with Drake throughout the spring and fall semesters.
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Drake celebrates Year of the (Bull)dog


More than 500 people attended last year's celebration at Drake.

Drake University and the Chinese Association of Iowa will celebrate the Chinese New Year - which is the Year of the Dog, or Bulldog for Drake fans - in a series of celebrations set for Saturday, Jan. 28, at Drake's Olmsted Center and Sheslow Auditorium in Old Main.

All events, which are free and open to the public, are co-sponsored by the Drake Chinese Cultural Exchange Program, Central College, Iowa Sister States, Gift of Love International Adoption Inc., Iowa Realty, Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. and Wells Fargo.

Schedule of Activities

1 - 6 p.m. Olmsted Center

Chinese Cultural Show: Event features photographic art exhibits, tea exhibits, paper-cut exhibition, painting exhibits/demo, calligraphy exhibits/demo, Chinese Chess, feng-shui, face painting, martial arts, arts and crafts, folk arts, dance, music and other entertainment.

6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Sheslow Auditorium

Cultural displays, performances by Chinese artists from the Des Moines area, Ames, and Pella: Folk dance, singing, comic cross-talk, music, comedian shows, children's dance, Peking opera, family show, violin solo, Tai-chi, food and other entertainment.

For more information call 988-0901 or send an e-mail to iowachinese@yahoo.com. For a complete schedule of Chinese New Year events, visit www.iowachinese.org.
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Constitutional Law Series speaker looks at children's rights


Emily Buss

The Drake University Law School Constitutional Law Series continues this spring with Emily Buss discussing constitutional issues and children's rights at 4 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2, in Cartwright Hall.

Buss, professor of law and Kanter director of Chicago Policy Initiatives at the University of Chicago Law School, will deliver a lecture titled "Constitutional Fidelity Through Children's Rights." The talk is free and open to the public.

Buss received her bachelor's degree summa cum laude from Yale University in 1982 and her law degree from Yale Law School in 1986. After several years of clerking, including a stint with former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun, Buss worked as a staff attorney in the child advocacy unit of the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau. In 1990, Buss joined the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia and served as the center's deputy director from 1993-1996.

Buss's research interests include children's and parents' rights and the legal system's allocation of authority and responsibility regarding parent, child and state. She teaches civil procedure, evidence and courses addressing the law's treatment of children. She was the faculty director of academic affairs at the University of Chicago Law School from 2001 to 2003.

As Kanter director of Chicago Policy Initiatives, she heads a two-year project aimed at improving the legal system's treatment of children arising out of foster care.

Future lectures in this series include U.S. District Court Judge Mark Bennett on Wednesday, March 1.
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Chen receives Tiffany Foundation Biennial Award for his prints


Phillip Chen

Drake University art professor Phillip Chen is one of 30 visual artists nationwide selected to receive a Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation 2005 Biennial Competition Award of $20,000 based on their talent, promise and individual artistic strength.

Chen was among those chosen from nominees proposed by the foundation's trustees, previous recipients, artists, critics and museum professionals throughout the United States. This year, 409 submissions were reviewed by a seven-person jury that included New York gallery owner Angela Westwater and artists Charles LeDray, Martin Puryear and Cindy Sherman.

"Sizeable individual artist awards are truly scarce. Rarer still is that such an award be
given to a print artist," Chen said. "Though I draw regularly and have made series of paintings, I received the Tiffany Award for my prints, and my prints alone.

"In that 'highart' culture has traditionally categorized multiples as less desirable than quantitatively singular works that are solely possessed by the privileged individual, I
am most pleased that my primary creative medium, printmaking, has been amply acknowledged. Those of us who recognize printmaking as a primary means of dissemination of knowledge throughout world history, as having been critically juridical in oppressive regimes, as a powerful influence upon individual and collective cognition and behavior, we have reason to celebrate."

The Louis Comfort Tiffany Biennial Award comes without restrictions of any kind.

Chen said his wife, Lenore, and their children, Cora and Shaye, are luxuriating in the prospects of making a charitable contribution. "This will be a family decision," he said.

He added that he would like to use the remainder of the funds for a publication project.
The Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts has offered matching funds for the production of a book of Chen's prints accompanied by commissioned text.

"I am indebted to a family of Drake colleagues, departmental and college-wide, whose scholarly and creative work has set admirable standards for my future endeavors," Chen added.

Chen's artwork has been supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council, Drake University and Friends of Drake Arts. His prints have been exhibited widely and are held by numerous museum, university and private collections.
This spring, Chen's work will be proposed to the acquisition committee of The Museum of Modern Art for inclusion in its permanent collection of prints and illustrated books.

Chen is represented by Nicola Rukaj Gallery in Toronto, Canada; Roger Ramsay Gallery in Chicago and Karolyn Sherwood Gallery in Des Moines.
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Meredith chief discusses company's future in Let's DU Lunch lecture


Steve Lacy

Steve Lacy, president and chief operating officer of Meredith Corp., will discuss the publishing giant's future in a talk titled "Meredith Corporation: Expanding Our Reach" at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the Iowa Events Center, Hy-Vee Hall (lower level), 730 Third St.

Lacy's lecture is the first in the spring series of Let's DU Lunch, a Drake University outreach program designed to bring interesting people together to discuss the topics that affect the community, society and the future. The event, which is co-sponsored by the Greater Des Moines Partnership, is open to public.

Lacy joined Meredith in 1998 as vice president and chief financial officer and later became president of the corporation's publishing group. In his current position, Lacy is responsible for the strategic direction of the publishing group, which includes the magazine, book, integrated marketing, interactive media and brand licensing operations. Lacy also directs Meredith's broadcasting group, which features 14 local television stations serving approximately 9 percent of U.S. television households.

The luncheon is $15 per person. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended due to limited seating.

Future Let's DU Lunch lecturers include Bob Janeczko, chief executive officer of Innovative Injection Technologies on Wednesday, March 1, and Dan Miller, executive director and general manager of Iowa Public Television, set for Wednesday, April 5.

For more information or to make a reservation, call x3848 or e-mail dottie.johnson@drake.edu.
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Magazine editor, convenience store magnate close out Executive in Residence series


Charla Lawhon

W.A. Krause

The School of Management and Communication will host the final two Executive in Residence programs of the academic year this month. All events are set for 7 p.m. in Bulldog Theater and are free and open to the public.

On Wednesday, Jan. 25, Charla Lawhon, managing editor of InStyle magazine, will speak.

Lawhon is 1978 graduate of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. InStyle, published by Time Inc., is a celebrity lifestyle magazine with 1.6 million monthly readers. InStyle combines ideas and news about beauty, fashion, decorating and entertaining with details of swanky Oscar parties and elegant celebrity weddings.

Lawhon joined Des Moines-based Meredith Corp. as an intern while at Drake, where she was a public relations and advertising major. After her internship at Meredith in Des Moines, Lawhon transferred to the New York office as a secretary at Apartment Life magazine, which became Metropolitan Home in 1982. She served as the managing editor of Metropolitan Home until its sale in 1992.

Lawhon joined the InStyle staff as a freelancer when the magazine was still in the planning stages in 1993.

On Tuesday, Jan. 31, W.A. Krause, co-founder and owner of Krause Gentle Corp., owners of Kum & Go convenience stores, will visit.

Krause, originally from Eldora, Iowa, is a 1957 graduate of the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication. In the late 1950s, Krause entered into a small business partnership with his father-in-law, Tony Gentle. The two entrepreneurs were pioneers in the convenience store concept.

In May 1998, Krause introduced the Krause Challenge to the four primary universities in Iowa: Drake, University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa. He gave each of the four universities $100,000.

The finance class at each university that studies the stock market invests the donation in the stock market. The four universities compete to see which delivers the highest return.

Today, Krause Gentle owns more than 420 Kum & Go convenience stores in 13 states. In addition to Kum & Go stores and Liberty Bank, Krause Gentle also owns Solar Transport and the Des Moines Menace professional soccer team along with 17 other companies under the KG umbrella.
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New programs aim to sharpen PC skills

Dive into the point-and-click generation with a new series of courses at Drake University.

For people with limited to moderate computer skills, Drake's Center for Professional Studies now offers three programs designed to enhance understanding of personal computer software applications used in today's office environment. There's the Certificate in Business Technology I, Certificate in Business Technology II and a full-day workshop in Excel Proficiency.

These innovative programs provide an excellent understanding of cutting-edge personal computer software applications. Marcia Laugerman, an experienced faculty member in Drake's Department of Information Systems and Statistics, developed these programs to offer the most efficient and cost-effective way to master critical skills.

The Certificate in Business Technology I begins Friday, Feb. 3. It will focus on Windows programs, managing documents and e-mail, mastering Word and PowerPoint and include an introduction to Excel. One class will meet Friday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m. Another session will meet Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning Feb. 4. The cost is $299, which is less than $20 per hour.

The Certificate in Business Technology II will emphasize mastering Excel, database management with Access and Web authoring with FrontPage along with strategic problem-solving. Students also will delve into research, security and e-commerce on the Internet. The class will meet from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday afternoons beginning March 31. The cost is $299. Those who sign up for Business Technology I and II will receive a discounted total price of $499, a savings of $99.

Excel Proficiency is a five-hour course designed for those who want to master Excel. The class will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18. The cost is $75.

For more information and registration, call x2592.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 24
  • Drake University Jazz Honor Band, 7 p.m., Jordan Stage, Sheslow Auditorium. Admission is $5 at the door or free with a Drake ID.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25
  • Mornings @ Drake featuring advertising executive Abe Goldstien, JO'76, 7 a.m., upper level conference rooms, Olmsted Center, $5. For reservations, call x2769.
  • College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Development Workshop: Collaborative Learning and Group Work, 3:30 to 5 p.m., room 103, Meredith Hall.
  • School of Management and Communication Executive in Residence Program: InStyle Magazine Managing Editor Charla Lawhon, JO'78, 7 p.m., Bulldog Theater.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26
  • Drake women's basketball vs. Indiana State, 7:05 p.m., Drake Knapp Center.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27
  • CHARACTER COUNTS! founder Michael Josephson speaks to first-year law students about ethics and professionalism, 9 a.m., room 213, Cartwright Hall.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28
  • Iowa Chinese New Year Celebration, 1 to 6 p.m., Olmsted Center, and 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Sheslow Auditorium.
  • Drake men's basketball vs. University of Northern Iowa, 3:05 p.m., Drake Knapp Center.
  • Drake women's basketball vs. Illinois State, 7:05 p.m., Drake Knapp Center.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29
  • Opening reception of "Trauma Reflected in Art Exhibition," 4 to 6 p.m., School of Education. The exhibition may be viewed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31
  • School of Management and Communication Executive in Residence Program: Krause Gentle/Kum & Go Co-founder and Owner W.A. Krause, 7 p.m., Bulldog Theater.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1
  • Drake Neighborhood Improvement Task Force, 3:30 p.m., Drake Room, Olmsted Center.
  • College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Development Workshop: Classroom Assessment Techniques, 3:30 to 5 p.m., room 103, Meredith Hall.
  • Guest Recital: The Regimental Brass Quintet from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, 8 p.m., Jordan Stage, Sheslow Auditorium.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2
  • Drake Constitutional Law Center Distinguished Lecture Series: "Constitutional Fidelity Through Children's Rights" by Emily Buss of the University of Chicago Law School, 4 p.m., room 213, Cartwright Hall.

Steve Scullen, associate professor of management, had his research on forced ranking systems used to measure employee performance mentioned in a Jan. 9 BusinessWeek article titled "The Struggle to Measure Performance." He also was quoted on the subject of job evaluations in a Dec. 15 Chicago Tribune Worklife column by Carol Kleiman. "Job evaluations often conceal a tangled web of agendas - from being linked to a pay raise to establishing a paper trail to fire someone," Scullen said.

Kristi L. Bowman, assistant professor of law, attended portions of a recent high-profile trial in Dover, Pa., in which a judge struck down an effort to require teachers to teach intelligent design in the public schools. She was quoted in a New York Times article on the trial and was the focus of a column in the Rockford Register Star, the newspaper of her native Rockford, Ill. Bowman's writing on the intelligent design issue will appear in the next issue of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy.

Edward Bell, associate professor of pharmacy practice, spoke on "Antibiotics for the Treatment of Ear Infections" at the Eighteenth Annual Infectious Diseases in Children conference in New York on Nov. 19. The audience included pediatricians and pediatric nurse practitioners.

DeDe Small, assistant professor of education, recently presented at the International Reading Association Plains Regional conference in Minneapolis. Her presentation was titled "Thinking Like a Reader and a Teacher of Reading: Literature Circles and Pre-Service Teachers."

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