Tuition Exchange, Inc. is offering free webinars over the summer for those wishing to learn more about how the program works. The webinars are scheduled for June 24 and July 16. Visit https://tuitionexchange.org/family-webinars to view the available sessions and to register.
— Ryan Zantingh, Financial Aid Office
Apply for the DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville program through Via Global.
Priority deadline: Monday, September 1
Scholarship deadline: Monday, September 15.
Drake is currently accepting applications for DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville, where you can study abroad in Spring 2026 in the vibrant capital of the Andalusia region of southern Spain.
This upcoming spring, a cohort of Drake students will study at the University of Seville with Drake Professor of Environmental Science and Sustainability David Courard-Hauri. Students enroll in one Drake course and round out their semester credits taking a variety of courses taught by Spanish and international faculty. University of Seville courses can be pre-approved to count towards your major(s), minor(s), concentration, and/or AOIs.
Drake course offered:
ENS 050: Sustainable Food Systems in Southern Spain (AOIs: Engaged Citizen or Scientific Literacy)
When studying abroad on DU Spain: Drake Semester in Seville, students are charged Drake tuition and keep their financial aid package, making your experience abroad comparable in cost to staying right here in Des Moines. In addition, we award over $100,000 in global learning scholarships every year!
If you have any questions, please reach out to studyabroad@drake.edu or schedule a study abroad advising meeting through Starfish.
— Emily Erschen, Global Engagement
Father’s Day is June 16, and at the Bulldog Shop you’ll find thoughtful gifts to celebrate the Drake dad in your life. Need a little inspiration? Check out these favorites:
Drake University Dad Crewneck – A cozy favorite he’ll wear with pride.
Drake Nike Polo – A timeless piece that brings Bulldog style wherever he goes.
Drake University Dad Mug – A daily reminder of his Bulldog pride—perfect for his morning routine.
Shop now—Father’s Day will be here before you know it!
— Bulldog Shop
Drake is proud to host 25 Mandela Washington Fellows for six weeks this summer as part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Join us to welcome the Fellows at a reception on Tuesday, June 24, at 5 p.m. in Fischer Stelter Hall, Johansen Center (Ballroom). The Drake community, along with the community partners who are interacting with the Fellows, are welcome to attend. Appetizers will be served. For questions regarding the reception of YALI, contact yali@drake.edu.
— Sara Heijerman, Student Services Center
Professor Sally Frank was honored by Princeton University with a café named after her, recognizing her perseverance and excellence. As a student in 1979, she challenged the exclusion of women from three all-male eating clubs. After a prolonged legal battle, the clubs began admitting women by 1991, and she officially won her lawsuit in 1992. Congratulations, Professor Frank – we’re proud of your impactful work!
Drake and The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center will host an event to celebrate the expansion of no-cost Character Counts! early childhood resources to nearly 1,700 classrooms in Polk County.
WHO: Students, Faculty, and Staff
WHEN: Thursday, May 15, from 9 to 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: The Gregory & Suzie Burt Boys & Girls Club.
The initiative is made possible by generous grant funding from four major community partners: the Lauridsen Family Foundation, Prairie Meadows Legacy Grant Program, Polk County Community Development and Community Betterment program, and the Gartner Family Foundation.
The campus community is invited to attend the event and hear from Walter Lauridsen who will speak on behalf of the four organizations responsible for the grants and from Cassidy LeCroy, director of The Bob & Billie Ray Child Development Center. Scott Raecker, executive director of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University, and Marty Martin, Drake University president, will also deliver remarks.
— Amy Smit, The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center
Thank you to all who have given time and input on the Drake.edu redesign project. We are excited to offer our future prospective students and families a website that helps them find the information they’re searching for quickly, and one that strongly positions our brand with compelling imagery and content.
Over the summer months, external partner Carnegie will be working on front-end development, while internally, we’ll be focused on content updates and creation. The content audit is nearing completion, thanks to the help of many. As was noted in the last update, the evolution of internal sites and Teams has provided a more intuitive home for external-facing content that is better suited for our internal audience. With that in mind, our project team will be reaching out to those campus partners who have been involved in the audit process to talk through the next phase of the work. This phase will involve talking through the best options available for that content in the future, as well as the training necessary to move the content into the selected destination.
Our website receives more traffic than any physical space, so we are incredibly grateful to all who are helping ensure it serves us strongly as a warm and helpful welcome to the transformative Drake experience that lies beyond its “doors.”
— Leslie Maynes, executive director, University Communications and Marketing; and Keren Fiorenza, deputy CITO & chief information security officer
Students: Before you begin your summer break, I want to inform you of a change to the University’s billing schedule. Tuition and fees for the Fall 2025 semester will be due by August 11, instead of the first day of classes on August 25. By moving the due date up two weeks, we can provide earlier outreach and even greater support in your tuition planning and financial aid needs before the semester begins.
Here’s what you need to know
We recognize that paying for college is a major investment, but one that will propel and serve you for the rest of your life. Drake has resources and dedicated staff ready to help with all your financial questions. Students can connect with our Financial Aid Office to learn more about the various scholarships, grants, loans, and need-based employment programs that Drake offers. For payment plan or billing questions, please contact the Student Accounts Office.
Thank you for your continued commitment to Drake. Enjoy your summer and we look forward to seeing you back on campus next fall!
— Julia Gwebu, Director of Student Account Services
The cost of long-term care has nearly doubled from the early 2000s to 2024, both for at home care and nursing home care. These costs are out of reach for everyone except the wealthiest households. Long-term care costs are internalized by caregiver families in some combination of the following: diminished or lost earned income, early retirement, direct caregiving expenditures, and mental and physical health issues. There are a variety of policy options to address this economic burden on families across the income distribution. Join us for a free webinar featuring a panel of leading experts on LTC policies to learn more about current state, national, and international policies addressing long-term care needs.
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
Time: 2:00–3:00 p.m. CT
Location: Zoom Webinar (link will be sent to attendees closer to the event)
Cost: Free, but registration is required.
Accommodations: Live-captioning in English will be provided for attendees. American Sign Language interpretation is only available upon request due to interpreter shortages throughout Iowa. ASL and other accommodation requests can be made by emailing harkininstitute@drake.edu.
— Kathryn Kuckelman, Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement
Join Drake’s Corporate Games team! This annual company-based competition for organizations in central Iowa runs from May 18 through July 31. With over two dozen events to choose from, Des Moines Corporate Games (DMCG) is a great way to meet new people and have fun.
Events range from team-based to individual and competitive to recreational. Try everything from pickleball, ping pong and golf, to a fitness walk and 5K run. You may participate in as many events as you want.
All in-person activities will be held in the evenings and on weekends and are free (except golf cart rental). ALL Drake faculty and staff, student employees, interns, and retirees are invited and encouraged to join Drake’s team.
To participate in this year’s Des Moines Corporate Games, please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu for registration instructions.
— Linda Feiden, Human Resources
