This past Saturday, Drake officially broke ground on Collier-Scripps Hall, the new building that will be home to the School of Education, the department of mathematics and computer science, and The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center. The building derives its name from lead donors Jim Collier, who received his Master of Arts in Education from Drake, and Ric Scripps and Debbie Engstrom Scripps, who received their Bachelor of Arts in Teaching degrees from Drake; Debbie is also a former member of the Drake Board of Trustees.

As the first free-standing academic building construction in 20 years, this is certainly a monumental and exciting project. The STEM@DRAKE complex will enable us to offer new academic programs in the sciences, including kinesiology, occupational therapy, and athletic training, bringing in new students and bolstering our efforts to meet the community’s needs in the fields of science, education, technology, and math. It also brings the School of Education on to campus, a move that has long been anticipated and will ensure that our mission of providing an exceptional learning environment for all of our students is being met.

This new complex and the renovations to existing buildings that comprise the STEM@DRAKE project will not just benefit those students, faculty, and staff engaged in the specific departments or programs that will be housed there. This initiative will provide new study and collaboration spaces for students and faculty alike. The Collier-Scripps building will be home to The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center, an important part of our continuing commitment to engage in our surrounding community and to advance our values of civility and leadership. The gender neutral bathrooms and nursing and lactation rooms that will be included in both Collier-Scripps and the science connector building represent our priority to provide an inclusive learning and living environment for faculty, staff, and students.

Many members of our campus are hard at work to ensure the STEM@DRAKE project is completed on time and on budget, and I extend my thanks to them. Throughout the process we will have some growing pains, and I appreciate the community’s understanding that some temporary disturbances due to construction are a necessary function of progress. I encourage you to visit www.drake.edu/buildingstem for more details about STEM@DRAKE and for updates on progress. This investment in Drake’s future is one that will benefit the University for years to come, and your support is greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Marty