Drake University

What are the popular events and traditions at Drake University?

The Drake Relays are the university's signature recurring event: the annual track-and-field meet brings competition and related campus activities to Des Moines. Founded in 1910, the Relays connect the university's athletics history with a broader event that students can experience beyond regular varsity games.

Drake also holds Homecoming and Family Weekend. Homecoming brings alumni and current students together around scheduled events, while Family Weekend gives visitors a structured opportunity to see campus and attend activities. Specific programs change by year, so an event calendar is more useful for planning a visit than assuming a particular concert, competition, or celebration will recur in the same form.

What are the student housing and dining options at Drake University?

Drake offers university-operated undergraduate housing, including coeducational residence options. Housing is available, but a student should confirm eligibility, any first- or second-year residency rule and exemptions, application dates, and assignment procedures for the term they intend to enter. Availability should not be interpreted as a guarantee of a preferred building or room type.

Campus dining includes meal-plan options intended to work with residential life. A prospective resident should compare plan requirements with their likely schedule and ask how meals or dining dollars can be used at current campus locations. Students considering off-campus housing need to budget for leases, utilities, transportation, and meals separately; the university's published room-and-board figure is not a quote for a private apartment.