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Religious Holidays Calendar

In December of 2020 the University Faculty Senate passed the following motion:

Drake University values diversity, equity and inclusion. As part of our commitment to these values, we must support and embrace our students’ various religious traditions and faiths. To ensure equity, Drake University will make a good faith effort to provide reasonable religious accommodations to students whose religious beliefs and practices conflict with an academic requirement unless such an accommodation would create an undue hardship on the university community.

Please consult the following list of religious holidays where observance may compete with the demands of the academic calendar. This list is not a designation of all religious holidays recognized by the University; it is simply an aid for planning purposes. Any instructor with concerns regarding a given holiday, or the academic implications of a particular student’s religious observance, may seek guidance from the chair of their department, dean of their school, or their Provost.

Students can inform instructors of classes they will miss due to religious holidays via this form.

 

2024

 

   

September

2

Labor Day

 
  17

Mawlid-al-Nabi* (birthday of Mohammad) (Islamic)

 
  22 Fall Equinox  
 October

2-4

Rosh Hashanah* (New Year) (Jewish)

 
 

15-24

Navaratri (Hindu)

 
 

12

Dasara (Hindu)

 
  11-12 Yom Kippur (Jewish)  
  14

Indigenous People's Day

 
  16-23 Sukkot* (Jewish)  
  31

Samhain (Wicca)

 
 

31

Diwali (Hindu)

 
November 1 -2

Dia de Los Muertos

 
 

3

Birth of Baha’u’llah* (Baha’i)

 
 

11

Veteran's Day

 

 

26-27

Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha* (Baha'i)

 
 

28

Thanksgiving Day

 
 

29

Native American Heritage Day

 

December

1 - 24

Advent (Christian)

 

 

8

Bodhi Day (Rohatsu)* (Buddhism)

 
 

21

Winter Solstice – Yule* (Wicca)

 
 

25

Christmas Day (Christian)

 
 

25- Jan 2

Hanukkah* (Jewish)

 

2025

     

January

1 New Years Day  
  7

Orthodox Christmas (Christian Orthodox)

 
  14

Mahayana New Year** (Buddhism)

 
  20 Martin Luther King Day  
  29 Lunar New Year  
February 14 St. Valentine's Day (Christian)  
  15 Nirvana Day** (Buddhist)  
  17 President's Day  
  25 Maha Shivaratri (Hindu)  
March 1 Beginning of Ramadan (Islamic)  
  5 Ash Wednesday/Beginning of Lent (Christian)  
  14 Purim (Jewish)  
  14 Holi (Hindu)  
  19-20 Naw Ruz (Bahai'i)  
  20 Spring Equinox  
  27 Laylat al Qadr (Islamic)  
  30 Eid al-Fitr (Islamic)  
April 6 Rama Navami (Hindu)  
  9 End of Ramadan (Islamic)  
  12-19 Passover* (Jewish)  
  14 Vaisakhi (Sikh)  
  18 Good Friday (Christian/Orthodox)  
  20 Easter (Christian/Orthodox)  
May 5 Buddha's Birthday (Buddhist)  
  27 Memorial Day  
June 1-3 Shavuot* (Jewish)  
  16-17 Eid al-Adha* (Islamic)  
  19 Juneteenth  
  26 Muharram (Al Hijrah New Year) (Islamic)  
July 4 Independence Day  
August 16 Janmashtami (Hindu)  
       
       

 

 

Source: Interfaith Calendar

Please Note:

* Indicates Holy days that commence at dusk on the evening before the dates given.

** Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date.


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