Drake & Des Moines

State capital, business hub, and friendly Midwestern hometown, Des Moines offers the Drake community a world of opportunities, all easily within reach.

For students, life in Des Moines means the chance for endless explorations beyond campus, with opportunities including internships, dining, shopping, professional, cultural attractions, and special events.

For faculty and staff, the city is a great place to live and raise families, with amenities such as strong schools, beautiful parks, and world-class medical facilities.

For visitors to Drake, seeing Des Moines is the chance to turn a campus tour into a mini-vacation and cultural exploration.

For the 19,000 Drake alumni who live and work in the area, the city and region are both a great home and a place of professional opportunity.

University-Community Connections

Drake is a powerful presence in Des Moines—by the most recent estimate, generating 3,200 jobs and contributing more than $260 million annually to the regional economy. Through the work of our legal clinics, the business development services of the University’s Entrepreneurial Center, Head Start and other programs administered by our School of Education, and many other initiatives, Drake touches the lives of thousands of citizens across the region.

A Center for Business

The anchor of a metropolitan area of more than a half-million people, Des Moines has been designated No. 1 among “Best Places for Business and Careers” by Forbes magazine and offers a wealth of internship opportunities. Employers include corporate leaders such as The Principal Financial Group and Meredith Corporation; more than 60 insurance companies; science- and health-related organizations, including five area hospitals; and the agencies headquartered in the State Capitol complex.

Art, Architecture, Dining and More

Des Moines is worth discovering—from Drake’s own neighborhood, affectionately nicknamed “Dogtown,” to the business hub of downtown and the cultural center of the Western Gateway. Visitors find world-class art and notable architecture, both modern and century-old. Dining options include award-winning barbeque, four-star haute cuisine, and everything in between. And the region is home to signature events to be found nowhere else, from the Iowa State Fair and the Des Moines Arts Festival, to the Iowa Caucuses—a unique opportunity for Drake students and faculty to study electoral politics up-close.