Projects made possible by gifts to The Ones are already making a difference at Drake. Nearly four months after launching, the University’s comprehensive campaign is now more than halfway to its $225 million goal.

Donors have gifted $125 million to The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave and the Bold. The gifts will fund new scholarships that create opportunities, institutes that strengthen communities, and facilities that expand possibilities.

Some major gift highlights from the initial round of contributions:

• Campaign co-chair and Drake Trustee Suzie Glazer Burt has donated more than $8 million to the campaign. Her generosity will help the Drake women’s basketball program reach new heights. She also changed the Drake campus, and the lives of thousands of local children forever, by funding the creation of the Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Boys & Girls Club at Drake University.
• Campaign co-chair and Drake Trustee Mark Ernst, BN’80, and his wife, LeighAnn Davis, believe so strongly in the mission of Drake University they have pledged $3 million for the University to use with no restrictions.
• Peggy Fisher, FA’70, the chair of the Drake University Board of Trustees, and her husband Larry Stelter, are giving $3.325 million to the campaign. Their gift will be felt throughout the university including the Burt Club, the men’s basketball program, and the University’s annual fund and endowment. They will also help create the University Center, the future focal point of the Drake Campus.
• Drake Trustee Paul Schickler, BN’74, GR’83, and his wife Claudia will make a difference in the health and viability of rural communities with a $6 million gift that will be used in part to create the Jay N. Darling Institute. The Schicklers’ gift will also help fund the men’s basketball program and Knapp Center renovation.
• The Drake University Law School Refugee Clinic will be able to provide free legal services to individuals applying for asylum in the United States thanks to a $1 million gift from Karen Shaff, LW’79, and her husband Steven Jayne, LW’78.
• Every year, one student with exceptional potential and a financial need will be able to attend Drake University Law School due to a $1 million gift from Sheldon Fleck, LW’75, and his wife Terry Fleck, PH’74. The chosen scholar will receive full tuition and additional financial support.
• Honorary Campaign Chairs, Bill, BN’57, and Jean Buchanan, are inspiring entrepreneurs through the Buchanan Center. The Buchanans are gifting an additional $2 million to the Center to enhance its programming.
• The University Center is coming closer to fruition with a $2 million gift from Gary Porter, BN’72, and his wife Melissa. In addition, the Porters have contributed a $100,000 endowed gift to the Changemaker Scholars program, which will help students use their talents to create positive change in the world.
• Generations of Drake students will benefit from a $3 million collective gift from Meredith Corporation (now Dotdash Meredith) and the Edwin T. Meredith Foundation to renovate and enhance Meredith Hall, the home of Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Renovation work begins this summer.
• Students who are the first in their families to attend a four-year university will benefit from a $1 million gift from the David J. Noble Foundation to the Noble Center in Drake’s College of Business and Public Administration. The gift will be used to create scholarships and fund the programming of the Center. In 2014, the late David Noble and American Equity committed $1.5 million for the CBPA to create the Noble Center.

Read the full press release, or for more information on the campaign, visit: theones.drake.edu.

Arrival testing and reporting for residential students
Residential students: If you are back on campus, you should have completed a PCR test upon arrival. Please submit your test results through the Report Return-to-Campus Test Results form. Failure to report your test results, may ensue deactivation of your key card. Until students receive their results, they are asked to avoid close contact with others and, as always, adhere to the University’s mask policy.

Residence hall guest policy
From Jan. 24–Feb. 6, residents may not have guests in their residence hall, with the exception of assistance provided during move-in.

Masks
KN95 masks are available to non-residential students, faculty, and staff and can be picked up in the Student Life Center in the Olmsted Center (one per person, while supplies last). Residential students will receive two KN95 masks upon arrival to their residence hall. These masks are to be worn during the first two weeks of the semester.

Student Life: Through Feb. 7
In-person student activities will be limited until in-person classes resume Feb. 7. Please help keep Drake safe and healthy by restricting social activity during these crucial two weeks, including informal social gatherings. Athletic events will continue as scheduled during the first two weeks of the semester. Please note: Drake athletic teams follow extensive testing and safety protocols recommended by the NCAA. Dining halls, the Bell Center, Underground Fitness, Student Health and Counseling, and the libraries will remain open following masking and safety protocols.

How to get a test kit on campus
Self-administered saliva-based PCR test kits through Test Iowa are available at the Student Services Center in the Olmsted Center. Students, faculty, and staff can pick up a test kit at no cost. Students with COVID-19 like symptoms are asked to notify contacttracing@drake.edu before administering a test. Please refer to the COVID-19 Testing FAQ for additional information.

— Chris Nickell, Environmental Health and Safety; Jerry, Dean of Students