President's Insider Blog

October 2022

Hello,

The past two years I have had the unique opportunity to engage in virtual discussions with loyal members of Drake’s President’s Circle. I have enjoyed connecting with you in this way and appreciate our conversations about progress on and around campus. We will continue to extend an invitation to virtual conversations throughout this year as we have much to share about The Ones Campaign and other exciting initiatives at Drake University. You should have received an invitation for two of these sessions in September from Emily Weaver. If you did not receive this invitation, please contact her at emily.weaver@drake.edu to update your contact information. Thank you for your enthusiastic response to these opportunities and I look forward to future virtual discussions with you.

We have much to look forward to as we celebrate the start of the new academic year. The students are diving into their fields of study, friendships are being formed, and campus events are well underway. Every year I encourage our Bulldogs to take full advantage of being a student at this world-class institution. As part of that charge, I challenge them to build relationships with our dedicated faculty and staff who are committed to helping them reach their highest aspirations, to get involved in an activity or organization, and to take advantage of experiences that allow them to make a difference in the lives of others. This is a remarkable place for our students to find success in their personal and professional lives while on campus and throughout their lives after graduation.

The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave & Bold is making significant progress since it’s public launch nearly one year ago. Thanks to the generosity of our loyal supporters, the campaign has secured more than $147 million against our $225 million goal. This three-year campaign was formally launched in October 2021 and is scheduled to conclude in October 2024. Thank you for being instrumental in this progress. Together with your support, we are leading Drake University into its next great era.

Continued support from generous donors like you will help us secure our position as a leader in affecting positive change through education, research, and service. Every gift you make to the University is recognized in The Ones campaign. Our seven priorities keep us grounded in our mission. Over the coming year, I plan to provide an in-depth look at each of these areas. Visit our website at theones.drake.edu to follow the progress of the campaign and to see the priorities in action.

I hope to see you at the Francis Marion Drake Society Dinner on Oct. 22, where we will celebrate you, our President’s Circle members. We look forward to hosting you in the Knapp Center, where phase one renovations – that will enhance the gameday atmosphere – are complete. I also encourage you to visit campus this fall to witness our progress, catch an athletics event, or enjoy one of our many fine arts performances.

As always, thank you for your generosity to Drake University. Your leadership-level investment in Drake allows us to change lives every day and plan for the bright future ahead.

Sincerely,

Marty Martin

President, Drake University