Brittany OrtegaCollege: College of Pharmacy & Health SciencesMajor: Public HealthHometown: Norwalk, Iowa Q: Why did you choose to attend Drake? A: I chose Drake because of the incredible community here. My sister is a Drake graduate and watching her have such a wonderful experience made me want to be a part of it, too. Knowing...
Keira O’BrienCollege: College of Arts and SciencesMajor: Law, Politics, and Society (LPS)Hometown: Oak Lawn, Illinois Q: Why did you choose to attend Drake? A: I chose Drake because of the Law, Politics, and Society major—it was a program I really didn’t see anywhere else. And the faculty was absolutely amazing when I first came. Those...
Tiya (Ty) WallsCollege: Zimpleman College of BusinessMajor: Information SystemsHometown: Chicago Q: Why did you choose to attend Drake? A: I chose to attend Drake because of the school’s traditions and the ability to move freely through the curriculum. I also really wanted to be a part of the Crew Scholars Program—that was a big draw...
Emerson WhittemoreCollege: College of Arts and SciencesMajors: Sociology and SpanishHometown: Brooklyn Park, Minnesota Q: Why did you choose to attend Drake? A: I chose Drake because of the incredible academic community and the opportunities it offered to pursue my passions in sociology and Spanish. The interconnected academic and extracurricular environment at Drake really stood out...
Eli BensonCollege: College of Arts and SciencesMajors: American Government and Politics, and Law, Politics and Society (LPS)Hometown: Normal, Illinois Q: Why did you choose to attend Drake? A: I chose Drake because I was looking for a university with “big-school” opportunities but on a “small-school” scale. I wanted to chase my dreams, build a strong resume,...
Drake University announced today the appointment of Jessica Vanden Berg as Executive Director of the Ron and Jane Olson Institute for Public Democracy (OIPD). A senior strategy and public affairs executive with more than 25 years of experience leading complex national initiatives, campaigns, and governmental offices, Vanden Berg will assume leadership of the Institute to...
Recent graduate to serve as cultural ambassador from March through November 2027 Emerson Whittemore, a recent Drake University graduate, has earned a prestigious Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award and will travel to Uruguay next year to serve as a cultural ambassador for the United States. She is among more than two dozen Drake University graduates...
Newly released 2025 Economic and Community Impact Report details strong numbers In a newly released 2025 Economic and Community Impact Report, Drake’s total annual economic impact was $424.1 million during 2025. This comprehensive analysis underscores the University’s commitment to being an engaged higher educational institution — serving not just as a center for academic excellence,...
Emerson Whittemore will receive the Oreon E. Scott Senior Legacy Award. Drake University will award 1,319 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees at its 2026 spring commencement ceremonies. Drake will host the undergraduate ceremony at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 17, and the graduate and doctoral ceremony will follow at 2 p.m. Both ceremonies will take...
Drake University bid a fond farewell to Griff II during a formal retirement and “Changing of the Harness” ceremony at Old Main today. The event honored Griff II’s more than six years as the University’s beloved live mascot while also appointing his successor, Griff III. Drake University President Marty Martin presided over the event, ceremonially removing the harness around Griff II and placing a custom-fitted “Griff III” harness around the one-year-old English Bulldog, marking...