Drake University

Drake University is a private university located in Des Moines, Iowa. Founded in 1881, it offers more than 140 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across colleges that include business, education, law, pharmacy and health sciences, journalism and mass communication, and the liberal arts and sciences. The university competes in NCAA Division I athletics as the Bulldogs and is widely recognized for hosting the annual Drake Relays track and field event. Drake University attracts students seeking a mid-sized institution with professional preparation integrated into a liberal arts foundation, as well as those interested in careers in law, business, public service, health professions, and communication.

Drake University was founded in 1881 in Des Moines, Iowa, by George T. Carpenter and Francis Marion Drake, a Civil War general and former Iowa governor whose financial support helped establish the institution. Originally affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Drake University enrolled 77 students in its first classes and constructed Old Main in 1883 as its first permanent building. The university expanded steadily in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, adding professional programs and establishing a law school that traces its origins to 1865 before becoming part of Drake. In 1910, the first Drake Relays were held, becoming a longstanding collegiate track and field tradition. After World War II, Drake University experienced campus growth, including buildings designed by prominent architects. Over time, it broadened graduate and professional offerings and evolved into a comprehensive private university serving students from across the United States and internationally.