Free screening of The Fault in Our Stars to take place at Varsity Cinema on April 1 Drake University is honored to welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author John Green for the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lectureship. The event, “An Evening with John Green,” will take place on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the Knapp Center on Drake’s campus. The lecture is free and open to the public and will be moderated by Associate Dean, Dr. Lindsay Woodward. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for John Green here. John Green is a bestselling author whose novels include...
Drake University Announces Upcoming Retirement of Beloved Live Mascot, Griff II
Celebrations to continue through the spring, Griff III to be revealed later this week Drake University announced today that Griff II, the cherished English Bulldog who has served as the University’s official live mascot for the past six years, is retiring in May 2026 at the end of the current academic year. Drake has prepared a variety of celebrations to recognize Griff II’s tenure and his dedicated service before he settles into a well-deserved retirement full of snoozing, snacks, and snuggles. “Griff II is an extraordinary ambassador for Drake University and the City of Des Moines,” said Drake President Marty...
Drake Leads in 2025 U.S. News & World Report National University Rankings
Drake named a top 200 school, and #1 in Iowa for “Best Value School” Drake University was once again ranked among the top 200 best colleges in the nation — this time in the U.S. News and World Report national university rankings, competing against the largest universities in the country. The news comes just weeks after receiving similar accolades from The Wall Street Journal’s 2025 College Pulse Ranking. U.S. News also ranked Drake as the #1 private school in Iowa within its national university rankings. According to the U.S. News national university ranking methodology*, Drake also secured high marks in several...
Law School News
Drake University Law School Earns Top Ranking for Trial Advocacy
Drake University Law School was awarded an A- ranking for trial advocacy by The National Jurist, placing Drake among the top schools in the nation for this category. The publication based the rankings on law schools’ offerings in trial advocacy, including programs and opportunities that allow students to develop their ability to deliver arguments, evidence, testimony, and substance. Students gain this experience through a range of opportunities, including participation in trial advocacy courses, mock trial competitions, and clinics that place them directly in the courtroom. These experiences allow students to refine their litigation skills, build confidence, and learn from experienced faculty and...
Terry Branstad Concludes Tenure as Ambassador-in-Residence Following Years of Global Impact at Drake University
Drake University announced today thatcwill conclude his service as the University’s Ambassador-in-Residence. Ambassador Branstad, a distinguished alumnus of the Drake University Law School, has served in the residency role since November 2021. During his tenure, Ambassador Branstad leveraged his decades of public service to enrich the Drake community through his unique insights into leadership, international relations, and global citizenship. His work has been particularly impactful in fostering citizen-to-citizen diplomacy during a period of increasing geopolitical complexity. “It has been an honor to have Ambassador Branstad return to our campus community to serve as Ambassador-in-Residence,” said Drake University President Marty Martin....
Resolved: TouchNet Issue
ITS has resolved the communication issue impacting TouchNet and Banner. Thank you for your patience. If you’re still experiencing issues, contact the ITS Support Center for help by visiting service.drake.edu/its, calling 515-271-3001, or visiting the lower level of Carnegie Hall with your device. To receive ITS news posts via email, opt in by completing this form. To receive SMS outage notifications, opt in by texting DrakeITSALERTS to phone 226787. Make sure you’re signed up to receive text Bulldog Alerts; check your settings via myDrake.
TouchNet Issue, April 1
ITS staff are aware of and investigating an issue with communication between TouchNet and the Banner system. We’ll provide updates as we work to resolve this issue. If you’re being affected by this issue, contact the ITS Support Center by submitting a TouchNet Issue ticket, calling 515-271-3001, or visiting the lower level of Carnegie Hall with your device. To receive ITS news posts via email, opt in by completing this form. To receive SMS outage notifications, opt in by texting DrakeITSALERTS to phone 226787. Make sure you’re signed up to receive text Bulldog Alerts; check your settings via myDrake.
Planned ProcessMaker Maintenance: March 31
ITS vendor partner ProcessMaker will be performing routine maintenance on the system starting this evening, Tuesday, March 31, at 6:45 p.m. and lasting approximately 8 hours. During this time, brief disruptions of a few minutes at a time may happen sporadically. Additionally, automated processes may be interrupted but will be queued to run after the work is completed. If you experience issues after the maintenance is complete, contact the ITS Support Center for help by visiting service.drake.edu/its, calling 515-271-3001, or visiting the lower level of Carnegie Hall with your device. To receive ITS news posts via email, opt in by completing this form. To see the full 2026 maintenance schedule, visit drake.edu/its/maintenanceschedule. To...
Law School News
Drake Law School to Host Constitutional Law Symposium on Executive Power
Drake University Law School will host its annual Constitutional Law Symposium April 11, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the James Albert Classroom, Cartwright Hall. Details and registration at drake.edu/conlaw/events. This year’s symposium, “The Roberts Court, Executive Power, and the American Experiment in Self-Government,” brings together four notable scholars and legal experts to discuss the unitary executive theory, separation of powers, and what developments in executive power might portend for the American experiment in self-government. Proceedings will be published in the Drake Law Review. Panelists include: · Andrea Scoseria Katz, associate professor of law, Washington University School of Law · Aaron L....
The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center Seeks Nominees for Annual Iowa Character Awards
Nominations for the 2026 Iowa Character Awards presented annually by The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University are now open. The Iowa Character Awards honor individuals, organizations, or communities who consistently demonstrate the Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship. Since 2005, the organization has recognized more than 250 Iowans for serving as exemplars of good character in their communities. Nominations must be submitted online by May 1, 2026. Get started on a nomination. All nominees will receive a congratulatory letter and certificate. Award recipients will be honored at the Iowa Character...
Law School Spotlights
Faculty Spotlight: Professor Kristi Harshbarger
This year, Drake University Law School welcomed Professor Kristi Harshbarger as an assistant professor of law and director of the Entrepreneurial and Transactional Legal Clinic. With experience spanning government, contract, corporate and administrative law, as well as public policy and clinical legal education, she brings a practical, student-focused approach to the classroom. In this Q&A, she discusses what stands out about Drake, how her professional background informs her teaching, and what she hopes students gain from their time in her courses. How does your prior work experience in the legal field influence the way you teach? The work I did...
Drake University Director of Athletics Brian Hardin Recognized as NACDA Athletics Director of the Year
Drake University Director of Athletics Brian Hardin has been named a winner of the 2026 NACDA Athletics Director of the Year Award, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics announced on March 16. Hardin is just the second Drake Athletics Director to earn this award, which was first presented in 1999. Hardin joins Sandy Hatfield Clubb, who was a recipient in 2013–2014, as Bulldog representatives among the 633 all-time winners in the award’s history. “I’m honored to have my name mentioned with the other recipients this year, but this award is not about athletics directors, it is about athletics departments,” Hardin...
Law School News
Drake Constitutional Law Center hosts Aziz Z. Huq for Distinguished Lecture Series
This year’s Constitutional Law Center Distinguished Lecture Series guest speaker is Aziz Z. Huq, Frank and Bernice J. Greenberg Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School. Huq will present “Into the Dual State,” exploring contemporary constitutional challenges as part of the Center’s annual lecture series. The lecture will take place April 2 at 3 p.m. in the James Albert Classroom at Drake University Law School. The in-person event is free and open to the public. Details and registration at drake.edu/conlaw/events. “Professor Huq is a world-renowned expert on the rule of law, the problem of democratic erosion, and...