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Upcoming Events

Bulldogs don't always stay in Des Moines! The Office of Alumni Relations hosts events all over the country to bring the Drake experience to you! Browse our list of events to find one in your area!

Upcoming Events By Date

March 5-8, 2026
Men's Basketball Pre-Game Gatherings at MVC Tournament
Join us for Arch Madness, the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball tournament and cheer on the Bulldogs. Fans are invited to a pre-game get-together at Ballpark Village, located a few blocks from the Enterprise Center where the tournament is being held. Gatherings will start three hours prior to tip-off for each game Drake plays in the tournament with food and drink available for purchase. These gatherings are the place to be for Drake Alumni and Friends before each game. Join us as the Pep-Band and Cheer Squad attend and perform and don't miss your chance to high five our team as they walk through before heading to the arena!

March 5-8, 2026
Women's Basketball Pre-Game Gatherings at MVC Tournament
Join us for the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball tournament and cheer on the Bulldogs. Fans are invited to a pre-game get-together at the Watermill Kitchen + Bar. Gatherings will two hours prior to tip-off for each game Drake plays in the tournament. These gatherings are the place to be for Drake Alumni and Friends before each game. Join us as the Pep-Band and Cheer Squad attend and perform and don't miss your chance to high five our team as they walk through before heading to the arena!

March 10, 2026 - Noon CT - Virtual
BAA Presents: A Mid-Day Conversation with Kovie Biakolo, BN'11: Is Anyone Anywhere Having A Good Time? On the state of our Culture, Media and More
Join us for an exclusive virtual mid-day conversation with Kovie Biakolo, BN’11, about her perspectives on a changing world using a lens of journalism to view politics, culture, and identity. Biakolo is a journalist, writer, and lecturer specializing in culture, identity, and multiculturalism and whose work has been published in The Atlantic, Essence Magazine, The Nation, New York Magazine, The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Vulture, etc., and is a Contributing Editor at The Conversationalist. She is also currently the Distinguished Lecturer/Director for the Arts and Culture reporting program at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York. Through her work in journalism and academia, she has gained a particular lens on the changing cultural and socio-political landscape where many of us are expressing a general sense that our future or our children’s future might not be better than it is now. A grounding text for her conversation will be her 2025 article, "Is Anyone, Anywhere Having a Good Time?" The conversation will be facilitated by Black Alumni Association Board Member, Yaa Gyamfuah Nsiah AS’13.

March 12, 2026
Kansas City Black Alumni Social n' Serve
Join fellow Bulldogs for the Drake University Black Alumni Social n' Serve at The Combine KC in Kansas City. Hosted by the Black Alumni Association, enjoy a family-friendly evening of connection, community, and service with conversation with fellow alumni and friends. All attendees will also have an opportunity to create cards for seniors in the community with partnership of the Harvesters Community Food Network. You will help make the day brighter for a senior by writing them an uplifting positive message. Drake will provide all materials and mail the cards.

March 18, 2026 - 7:00 PM CT - Virtual
Everclass - The Power of Local Media: Insights from Nielsen's Paul LeFort, JO'91
Local media continues to evolve rapidly, reshaped by shifting audiences, new technologies, and the power of data. In this Everclass session, Paul LeFort, JO’91, Managing Director of Local Media Client Solutions at Nielsen, offers an insider’s view of how local TV, cable, and sports organizations are adapting. Drawing on years of guiding media clients through transformation, he shares how data-driven insights uncover growth opportunities and fuel success. Paul’s career began in Des Moines radio, sparking a passion for local storytelling and the business impact it creates. Join us as he reflects on how audience measurement is evolving, what innovation looks like in local media, and the lessons he’s learned across three decades in the industry.

April 23-25, 2026
Relays 2026 - Alumni Events
Whether on the Blue Oval or on campus, Relays Week is where Bulldogs celebrate together. Mix road races, stadium action, and athletic feats with alumni tent parties, reunions, and on-campus events for the complete alumni Relays experience.

April 24-25, 2026
Class of 1976 - 50th Reunion
Join the Drake community and your fellow classmates for the Class of 1976 50-Year Reunion. It’s a weekend of reconnecting with classmates, celebrating Drake, recalling college days, and making new memories. You'll rediscover Drake and strengthen your connections to the Drake community as you attend a host of events, including the the 50-Year Club Induction Luncheon, the All-Alumni Painted Street Party, the 50-Year Club Reception and more. To top it all off: the reunion takes place during Relays, so you know the Drake spirit will be all around.