The University is pleased to formally announce that the Center for Public Democracy, one of the priorities Drake is advancing through The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave & Bold, will be co-directed by Rachel Paine Caufield, department co-chair and professor of political science; Renée Cramer, deputy provost for academic affairs and law, politics, and society professor; and Scott Raecker, executive director of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center. Caufield, Cramer, and Raecker will lead the Center in addition to their current responsibilities at Drake.

The three co-executive directors are the champions of the Center for Public Democracy Big Idea that brought the concept to realization. They are working to achieve a shared vision: to build upon Drake’s already strong tradition of civic engagement to create a hub for democratic discourse, dialogue, and action focused on supporting a healthy democracy.

Caufield said she sees Drake being a place where policy is created, where practitioners gather, and where students are involved in it all. “It positions Drake as a convener,” she said.

“I’m not sure there has ever been a greater appetite in contemporary society for solutions to help our democracy function,” said Raecker. “Drake is already owning this space. The Center for Public Democracy will formalize it, help it grow, and engage more Drake students in our efforts.”

“Drake is a place where people can come to learn to have the difficult and crucial conversations that democracy requires,” said Cramer. “We are located in the center of the political universe and can be an example of behavior in a healthy democracy.”

The Center for Public Democracy seeks to generate and disseminate knowledge about American democracy through sponsored events, initiatives, research, and hands-on opportunities for students to engage in the political process. One of its initiatives is The Public Democracy Scholars program—making Drake the school of choice for politically minded high school students. The four-year program will prepare students to be civic leaders through dedicated coursework and immersive engagement.

The Center for Public Democracy will host the first annual National Civility Summit for Local Government on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. The online summit is organized in partnership with the National League of Cities and the Iowa League of Cities. Registration for the event is open.

Also in the works is a summer institute with the theme, “Talking Politics, Practicing Democracy.” The event will bring together civic leaders, policy makers, journalists, scientists, activists, scholars, and citizens. Additionally, it will include leadership training for high school students who will actively engage in the institute with summit participants.

Visit drake.edu/center-for-public-democracy/ to learn more about the Center for Public Democracy. Also follow theones.drake.edu for progress updates on the comprehensive fundraising campaign. 

Ray Walton, an accomplished leader and business executive with public and private sector experience, has agreed to be the interim director of the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement at the invitation of Drake University, The Harkin Institute’s National Advisory Council, and Sen. and Ruth Harkin.  

The appointment comes following the conclusion of Joseph Jones’ tenure as executive director of the Institute. Joseph served as executive director starting in August 2016, and since that time, the organization experienced tremendous growth in programming and research and celebrated the opening of the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center on Drake’s campus. 

Ray’s connections to Senator Harkin and his commitment to Iowa are strong. Early in his career, Ray served as a staff member for then-Congressman Harkin. He spent more than two decades in several leadership roles at General Growth Properties, until 2008, when Governor Chet Culver appointed him director of the state’s Department of Administrative Services. Ray previously served in a similar capacity as interim director of the Culver Center at Simpson College. 

We are pleased to welcome Ray into this interim role as the search for the next permanent executive director progresses. 

If you have not lately, I’d encourage you to review Drake’s Continuous Improvement Plan site. As a reminder, this is our strategic plan and lists out all of the objectives in each of the plan’s commitment areas.  Please take time to explore how each of those objectives are embodied in many ways across our campus life. You can do so by clicking on the “+” in each objective area or the “Learn more” link to see more on student, faculty, and staff successes.  

In addition, you’ll see more information on all the major initiatives the University has underway as well. This site is continuously updated and can be also found any time by going to the drake.edu home page, clicking on ‘Campus Links’ at the top and selecting “Strategic Plan”. Thanks for your review and engagement.

— Nate Reagen, President’s Office