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"It was amazing the number of people I saw that I didn't expect," said Chris Lore, BN'93, who returned to Drake during Relays to attend her 10-year class reunion. Lore and thousands of other Drake alumni and friends converged on campus to be a part of the dozens of activities associated with Relays Week. In addition to the running of the 94th Drake Relays, alumni representing five classes spanning 30 years celebrated reunions, visitors enjoyed the annual Paul Morrison Relays Lecture, and a series of ceremonies was held to dedicate campus projects. Des Moines celebrated the Relays with a number of events, including the Beautiful Bulldog Contest, a "Fake Relays" for local celebrities and a Court Avenue celebration. Alumni gatherings Friends revived old memories and renewed relationships at reunions for the classes of 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993 and 1998. "It has been 10 years since I was really back to campus in terms of being an alum. Although the conversations were brief, it was still amazing to see everyone again. It almost felt as if we were back in school again," said Lore. "The reunions were fun," said Chris Rupp, BN'82. "My wife was a graduate of the class of 1983. It was good to see old friends. This year, I went to see a professor who had a major influence on me back in the olden days."
Dedication ceremonies were held during Relays Weekend to celebrate the completion of four Helmick Common projects and to honor the memory of Drake alumnus Robert H. Helmick. The projects were: Professor Paul and Dorothy Helmick Courtyard at the southwest corner of Harvey Ingham Hall. The courtyard serves as a memorial to Robert H. Helmick's parents. His father, Paul, was a physics professor at Drake from 1923 to 1964. His mother, Dorothy, earned her bachelor's degree at Drake in 1927 and a master's degree in 1949, and was a mathematics instructor at Drake for many years. The Kragie Newell Agora, a unique structure made possible by a gift from Liz Newell, ED'69, and her husband, Jack Kragie, LA'65. The agora, located at the north end of Helmick Commons, provides a gathering place for students. It was designed for a variety of events ranging from jazz concerts to political rallies to lectures, as well as for students to informally meet and relax. The Wells Fargo Financial Reflecting Pool, which is a key element of the quiet oasis at the north end of Helmick Commons. The pool was given to Drake by Wells Fargo Financial in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the company's predecessors, Dial Finance Corp. and Norwest Financial. The Wells Fargo Bank Garden, which surrounds the Wells Fargo Financial Reflecting Pool. The garden, made possible by a gift from Wells Fargo Bank Iowa, includes natural limestone walls where students may walk along the narrow ledge between the water and the limestone outcropping and sit in various spots around the pool and garden. Branson Plaza, another component of Helmick Commons, was completed and dedicated last fall. Additional projects to be completed include Lane Plaza, Principal Plaza and Quad Creek. Relays Lecture Barbara Robinette Moss, author of Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter, gave the 2003 Paul Morrison Relays Lecture. Moss, who received her master of fine arts degree from Drake, won a Gold Medal for Personal Essay in the 1996 William Faulkner Creative Writing Competition. This essay serves as the first chapter in her book. Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter is the story of Moss' survival of poverty-stricken youth, growing up in the hills of Alabama with an alcoholic father and heroic mother. Pulitzer Prize-winning screenwriter Marsha Norman is writing a screenplay of the book, the film will be produced by Goldie Hawn. Interim dean named for College Of Pharmacy And Health Sciences Raylene M. Rospond, associate dean for external pharmacy affairs and professor of pharmacy practice at Drake University, was named interim dean of Drake's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, effective July 1. She succeeded Interim Dean James Reynolds, who accepted the position of vice president for academic affairs and academic dean of Midland Lutheran College. Rospond will serve as interim dean until a new dean is appointed through a national search. Rospond holds a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from Creighton University and a doctorate of pharmacy from the University of Texas. She joined the Drake faculty as associate professor and associate dean in 1997 and became chair of the pharmacy practice department in 1999. She has received numerous honors, including the Innovations in Teaching Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and the Pioneer Award from Progress Industries. Biochemistry students analyze forensic evidence While viewers around the country watched CBS's hit series "CSI," biochemistry students at Drake were using forensic evidence to conduct their own "crime scene investigation." A semester-long project in Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory, instructed by LaRhee Henderson and Charm Russell, had Drake students working in small groups to solve a hypothetical crime using forensic evidence. The hypothetical scenario: An unidentified subject broke into Henderson's office, took grades and tests off the computer hard drive and trashed the entire office. Various forensic samples, including hair, fingerprints, saliva and blood, were left behind. The investigation: Each student was given the samples "found" in the office and forensic samples from three suspects. All samples were carefully controlled to ensure students were not exposed to anything harmful. The samples were analyzed using biochemistry techniques to identify one of the suspects as the culprit. Consultation with the State Crime Lab helped the faculty select appropriate analytical techniques. Henderson believes this approach gives students a way to find a connection with the material. "I think the students had a lot of fun while learning basic biochemistry," she said. "They showed a lot of initiative, and you can tell it's engaged their thinking." Commencement Weekend brings 50-Year Club members, alumni award winners to campus It was a weekend filled with honors as Drake celebrated its 122nd commencement ceremony May 9-10. More than 1,000 students graduated from Drake at separate law, graduate and undergraduate ceremonies. Members of the 50-Year Club wore special gold robes and attended the undergraduate ceremony, faculty received teaching awards, and outstanding alumni were recognized at the annual Alumni Award Dinner. Class reunions Members of the classes of 1933, 1943 and 1953 celebrated milestone reunions on campus during Commencement Weekend. Reunion events included a dinner, tours of campus and Des Moines, and the opportunity to be recognized by the entire university during commencement ceremonies. "I really enjoyed the commencement part of the reunion. It was all very exciting! Also, seeing classmates and meeting other classmates for the first time was very interesting and fun. Many memories, including my classes, friends, professors, bookstore happenings, formals, were rekindled," said Lila Jean Stackhouse Kline, AS'53. "The most meaningful part of the reunion for me was simply being back on campus and seeing Old Main still standing proud. I recall being one of four leaders in my graduation class marching proudly down the sidewalk from Old Main to the church across the street," said Jean Hytone Rubinsky, FA'43. Chief Lavorato honored Chief Justice Louis A. Lavorato, LW'65, was presented with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the undergraduate commencement ceremony. The son of parents who emigrated from Italy to the U.S. in 1920, Lavorato graduated first in his class from Drake University Law School, served as assistant editor of Drake Law Review and was named to the Order of the Coif. His father, Charles, worked as a shoe repairman by day and a janitor at Drake by night while Lavorato and his siblings attended Drake. Lavorato worked in private law practice in the firm of Williams, Hart, Lavorato and Kirtley in West Des Moines until he was appointed to the 5th Judicial Court in 1979. In 1983, he was elected Chief Judge of the 5th Judicial District Court. Lavorato was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court in 1986 and has presided over the Court since 2000.
Faculty honored Faculty were also honored during the undergraduate ceremony. Drake's most prestigious awards for faculty and staff recently were presented to Carol Spaulding, associate professor of English, and Mark Vitha, assistant professor of chemistry. The Madelyn M. Levitt Outstanding Mentor of the Year Award and Madelyn M. Levitt Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award were established in 1994 by Madelyn M. Levitt, a member of the Drake Board of Trustees and special assistant to President Maxwell. Spaulding received the Madelyn M. Levitt Mentor of the Year Award, which recognizes the faculty or staff member who best demonstrates excellence in advising and outstanding commitment to student success, and integrity in personal relationships. Spaulding, who joined the Drake faculty in 1996, teaches fiction writing and American ethnic literature. As chair of the Drake Writers and Critics series, she has organized lectures and readings by esteemed authors and critics. In this past year, she launched the Drake Writers' Seminar and served as faculty adviser for Periphery, Drake's art and literary journal. "In my experience," Spaulding said, "mentoring involves an interesting dynamic in which I perform simultaneously the tasks of being both colleague and teacher as the student moves from the status of apprentice to professional." Vitha was honored with the Madelyn M. Levitt Teacher of the Year Award, which recognizes the faculty member who best demonstrates excellence in teaching, inspirational leadership and intellectual rigor. Vitha, who joined the Drake faculty in 1998, teaches chemistry as well as quantitative and instrumental analysis. He serves on the Faculty Senate and is the Barry M. Goldwater Science Scholarship campus coordinator. He has obtained research grants from organizations such as the National Science Foundation. A student who nominated Vitha wrote that "Sometimes I see how much Dr. Vitha undertakes on a daily and yearly basis and am completely amazed. He is able to juggle so many things in his career. Then if I take a closer look and notice how much he enjoys everything that he does, I realize why the juggling is so easy for him. He wants to be a great teacher; he wants students to learn; he wants to do excellent research; and he wants to learn himself." Alumni awards recipients
Morgan Cline, PH'53, a founding partner of Cline, Davis & Mann Advertising, received the Distinguished Service Award for his many contributions to Drake and to his hometown of Centerville, Iowa. Cline has endowed a major scholarship fund for Drake pharmacy students and funded the renovation of numerous buildings in downtown Centerville. Brian Harms, AS'89, was presented with the Young Alumni Loyalty Award for his service to Drake. He has been a class representative, participated in two class reunion committees, helped organize Los Angeles alumni events and assisted with student recruitment. Blaine Briggs, LA'46, and Laverne Briggs, FA'47, shared the Alumni Loyalty Award for their numerous contributions to Drake and the Des Moines community. They have created scholarships for Drake students, served on reunion committees and actively supported Blank Children's Hospital and the Boys and Girls Club. Laverne Briggs also has served on Drake's Board of Trustees. The Young Alumni Achievement Award was given to John August, JO'92, in recognition of his successful career in screenwriting. From the 1999 film "Go" to the recent success of "Scooby Doo" and "Charlie's Angels," August has become a hot Hollywood commodity. Susan Neely Jones, GR'89, received the Alumni Achievement Award for her work as assistant secretary for public affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as well as her contributions in the political arena with former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, LW'74, and her volunteer service with the Washington Rotary Club.If you'd like to nominate someone for an alumni award, contact the Office of Alumni and Parent programs by phone at 515-271-3152 or 1-800-44-DRAKE, x3152, or by sending an e-mail to julia.helm@drake.edu. |
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