Celebrate the legacy of Governor Robert D. Ray with an ice cream social on Friday, Sept. 26, from 2:30–4 p.m. on The Ray Promenade outside of Collier-Scripps Hall. Ice cream novelties will be served. The rain location will be inside Collier-Scripps Hall on the lower level.

Governor Robert D. Ray, Drake University’s 11th president and Iowa’s 38th governor, made an impact that reached far beyond the state, touching lives around the world. Best known for his humanitarian efforts and transformation of state government, his legacy continues through the work of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University.

The Ray Center invites the entire Drake campus community to join in celebrating September 26 as Governor Ray Day in the state of Iowa.

To learn more about Governor Robert D. Ray’s life and legacy, click here. 

— Emily Brown, Robert D. & Billie Ray Center

Drake students, faculty, and staff are invited to get their annual flu shot courtesy of Drake’s APhA chapter and Broadlawns on Sept. 26 or Oct. 3 from 12–3 p.m. in the Cline Atrium.

You can sign up for an appointment slot or walk-in and fill out paperwork the day of. Please be sure to bring a physical ID and prescription insurance card.

Please reach out to nora.stelter@drake.edu with any questions.

All recreational facilities (Bell Center, Tennis Center, and Underground Fitness) will be closed on Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 6–10 p.m.

— Allison Bjork, Rec Services

Join us for family weekend Oct. 2–5! Family Weekend is an opportunity for families to connect with their student’s experience on campus and show off their Bulldog pride.

Family Weekend is more than a celebration for students and families; it’s a time for our entire community—faculty, staff, students, families, and alumni—to come together and enjoy everything that makes being a Bulldog special. 

Check out an overview of this year’s lineup. For the full weekend schedule, ticket links, and more, visit the Drake Family Weekend website.

Thursday, October 2 

• 🎡 SAB Fall Carnival–games, music, food, and inflatables 
• 🏀 Hoops Fest downtown Des Moines – free youth basketball clinic, team introductions and drone show 

Friday, October 3

• 🗺️ Guided Tour of Dogtown 
• 🏐 Drake Volleyball vs. Murray State Discount Tickets 
• 🎶 Live Performances – Kansas City, Here We Come   
• ✨ Family BINGO Night–Lights, music, campus celebrity bingo callers and prizes!  

Saturday, October 4

• 📣 Youth Cheer Clinic  
• 📝 President Martin Welcome and Information Sessions 
• 📸 Legacy Photos & Campus Tours 
• 🎉 Tailgating & Football Game as the Bulldogs take on Valparaiso Discount Tickets 
• 🎶 Sweetheart Sing–Fraternity Sorority Life Philanthropy Lip Synch Battle!  

Sunday, October 5

• 👟 Bulldog Fun Run/Walk for all ages and fitness levels 
• 🧘 Stretch & Restore Yoga sessions on Helmick Commons 
• ⚽ Drake Women’s Soccer vs. Indiana State

This weekend is truly designed for everyone! We encourage you to bring your loved ones and experience the joy of Drake together.

— Lynne Cornelius, Associate Dean of Students

Grab your walking shoes and join the Healthiest State Walk on Wednesday, Oct. 1.  All faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to meet at noon at the start of the Bulldog Mile.  This one-mile path begins outside the Olmsted Center (just southeast of the building).  Pick up a sticker at the beginning of the walk and wear it. If you still have it on at the end of the walk, you will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win a prize.  If that’s not enough, you can earn additional raffle tickets with a deck of cards and a little luck.

If it is raining, we will move the event to the indoor track at the Knapp Center.  Come alone, bring a friend, or make it a team or department event!  Let’s get moving!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Did you know that you can request compost bins for your events? See the links below to each guide to learn how to request a compost bin for your next event. Linked in the guide is a graphic explaining what is compostable in our industrial compost system. Email sustainability@drake.edu with any questions.

Here is a link to the Student Event Compost Guide.

Here is a link to the Faculty/Staff Compost Guide.

Beginning Oct. 1, all Drake students, faculty, and staff will be required to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) when signing in to Google Workspace accounts. This affects access to Google Drive and other Google apps associated with your Drake account. 

MFA strengthens the security of your personal and university information. You can use the Microsoft Authenticator app—the same app currently used for other Drake systems—to complete this authentication step. When signing in, simply approve the prompt or enter a code from Microsoft Authenticator before accessing your Google resources. 

This change aligns Google resource access with existing security standards across most Drake systems. 

If you have any questions or concerns about this change, contact the Support Center by submitting an online ticket through our support portal, visiting the lower level of Carnegie Hall, or calling 515–271–3001. 

On Oct. 7, the Varsity Theater (1207 25th Street) will be showing The Librarians, a 2025 documentary about librarians on the frontlines in the fight against censorship, the impact of book restrictions on students, and the essential role of intellectual freedom in democracy. Following the showing, a small group will share how the issues raised in the movie are being experienced in Iowa and what communities can do. Showtime is at 6:30 p.m. with tickets for $12, $9 for seniors and students, and $7 for Varsity Cinema members.

The following day, Oct. 8, Drake University is proud to host Amanda Jones, activist, author, and librarian. Her book, That Librarian: Fighting Book Banning in America, explores the importance of libraries serving a wide range of perspectives and the pushback she and other librarians have faced speaking up for the right to read. The fireside chat will be moderated by the current American Library Association president, Sam Helmick.  A book signing will follow the presentation, and a range of challenged and censored titles will be available for purchase from Beaverdale Books.  The event is at 7 p.m. in the Olmsted Center, Parents Hall.  The event is free, and free parking passes (if needed) can be obtained through registration on Eventbrite.

— Hope Bibens, Cowles Library

Attend a special Meet the Author event with renowned investigative journalist John Dinges on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m. at the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center. He will discuss his new book, Chile in Their Hearts: The Untold Story of Two Americans Who Went Missing after the Coup, which uncovers the lives and deaths of Charles Horman and Frank Teruggi during Chile’s 1973 military coup and reexamines long-held assumptions about U.S. involvement. The conversation will be moderated by Alejandro Hernandez, former dean of Drake University’s Zimpleman College of Business. This event is presented in partnership with Beaverdale Books. Learn more about the event.

— Kathryn Kuckelman, Harkin Institute