All In 2026

In celebration of the 13th year of All In, 1,300 gifts in 24 hours will unlock $130,000 in matching funds for Drake! This match is made possible through the generosity of Joe Aiello, BN’80, Mark Ernst, BN'80, Peggy Fisher, FA’70 and Larry Stelter, Doug Zinser, AS’96, and an anonymous alumni couple. Every gift, no matter the size, brings us closer to unlocking these critical funds. Let’s rally together and open doors for future generations of Bulldogs!

Drake’s young alumni are stepping up and All In is your chance to be part of it. Ben Weinberg, AS’17 and Isabelle, PharmD'22 and Alex Ghekas, BN'19, are challenging graduates from 2016 and beyond to show their Bulldog pride in action. When 100 young alumni make a gift, they’ll unlock an additional $1,800 to support Drake. Every gift makes a difference. Your participation fuels opportunities for today’s students, strengthens our campus community, and proves that young alumni are already leading the way.

Drake University faculty and staff go All In for our students every day, opening doors to opportunity and shaping the moments that define their Drake experience. During All In, there is an opportunity to demonstrate that same commitment through collective support. If 150 faculty and staff members make a gift, an additional $3,500 will be unlocked for Drake, thanks to the generosity of Deneen Dygert, AS'87, MSE'96, Associate Director of Admission and Jeffrey A. Kappen, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Management and International Business. Their generosity reflects a deep belief in the strength of the Drake community. Join colleagues in helping reach this goal. Every gift, no matter the amount, moves Drake forward.

We’re in the final two hours of All In and every gift counts! From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the President’s Circle Board will match all gifts up to $13,000, doubling your impact in these crucial last moments. This is your last chance to be part of something big and open doors for the next generation of Bulldogs. Let’s finish strong, make an impact, and show how Bulldogs can rally together!

During All In, every student gift will be matched up to $2,000 through The Caldbeck Challenge, doubling your impact and showing the power of student giving! The Diane K. Caldbeck Student Philanthropy Challenge was funded through the generosity of Kelly Caldbeck, PharmD’01, Peter Caldbeck, JO’03, and Megan Caldbeck, JO’05, in honor of their mother, proud Drake retiree, alumna, and 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Diane Anagnos Caldbeck, ED'72.

The President’s Circle represents Drake’s most dedicated leaders, whose generosity drives the university forward. During All In, your leadership gift of $1,000 or more to support the operational needs of Drake makes an even bigger impact! If 50 donors step up with a President’s Circle-level gift, an additional $20,000 will be unlocked—thanks to the generosity of our President’s Circle Board. The President’s Circle Board represents a cross section of our leadership donors and is made up of 17 loyal Drake donors. Learn more about the Board here: https://alumni.drake.edu/PCBoard

Fifty years of memories, friendships, and impact—now it’s time to pay it forward! In honor of their 50th Reunion, the Class of 1976 has a special challenge: Thanks to the generosity of Doug, BN’75, and Peggy Behrens Person, BN’76, MSE’96, all gifts will be matched up to $5,000 during All In! Let’s make this milestone count—give today and leave a lasting legacy for future generations of Drake students.

In celebration of the Emeritus Faculty members whose distinguished careers have shaped the fabric of Drake University, Dean Emerita Dr. Renae Chesnut, PH'85, MBA'85, EdS'96, EdD'98 will match all gifts made during All In by Emeritus Faculty members up to $1,500. Our Emeritus Faculty are invaluable, highly distinguished scholars who continue to drive innovation, research, and mentorship even after retirement. We are grateful for this group of thought leaders and their contributions to the University we all love so much.

Go All In…Again! We are grateful to all of you who have already given to Drake this fiscal year. If you’d still like to be counted for All In, this challenge is for YOU! If 100 donors who have already made gifts to the University this fiscal year (7/1/25 – 6/30/26) make an additional gift during All In, an additional $9,000 will be unlocked for Drake! Thank you to our generous donors for making this challenge possible – Nikki, JO’03, and Jay Syverson, BN’02, JD’09, Karen Branding, LA’82, and Mark and Susan Becker, proud parents of 2016 Drake graduate, Alyssa.

Friends of Drake Arts (FDA) supports exceptional fine arts education for Drake students while bringing inspiring arts opportunities to the region. During All In, your support will go even further! Thanks to $4,000 in matching funds from an anonymous donor, gifts are doubled to elevate the arts and inspire the next generation of artists, musicians, and performers!

The first gifts of All In set the stage for a powerful 24 hours! In celebration of the 13th year, every donation made from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $13,000, thanks to the generosity of Board of Trustees Chair, Paul Schickler, BN’74, MBA’83, and his wife Claudia. Your gift builds momentum, inspires others, and helps make All In a success. Let’s start strong and fuel the excitement of All In!

There’s no better time to make your first-ever gift to Drake! During All In, President Marty Martin will match all first-time gifts up to $5,000, doubling the impact of your contribution. Take your first step in being counted among our generous donors – make your gift today!

A Bulldog education wouldn’t be possible for our students without the love and support of their parents and families. All In is the perfect time to honor your student’s efforts and celebrate all that makes their Drake experience exceptional. When you give back to enhance the experience for all Drake students during All In, Jayson and Amy Bales, proud parents of Bennett, class of 2027, and Sher and Joel Thomsen, proud parents of Heath, class of 2027, will match your gifts up to $3,500!

It’s time to turn up the spirit! From 6:30–7:30 p.m., your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $2,000, thanks to the generosity of Tom, BN’14, MBA’16, and Sarah Florian, AS’12 and Niki, JO’08, MCL’15 and Ryan Smith. Show your spirit, rally your classmates, and help us unlock this challenge before the hour is up!

Pulling an All Nighter? Here’s your chance to make it count! If 70 donors make gifts between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., a $5,000 challenge gift from Lloyd, JO'75 and Colleen Fry and the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation will be unlocked. Make your gift and turn those late hours into lasting impact!

Let’s keep the momentum going! Every gift made between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. will be matched up to $6,000, thanks to the generosity of Carrie Huff, BN ‘85 and Rachel, AS ’08, JO ’08, BN ’10 and Jordan Bruns, PH ’10. Your support in these early hours fuels the day ahead—make your gift now, double your impact, and help push All In even further!

Drake University is a proud tradition for the Farmer, LeFort, and Verlengia families, spanning generations of Bulldogs. Now they’re inviting you to help carry that legacy forward. During Legacy Hours (2:30–4:30 p.m.), every gift, up to $10,000, will be matched by these generous legacy families, doubling your impact for Drake. Let’s honor our history, fuel our future, and show what Bulldogs can achieve together. The following are the 2026 Legacy Challenge family members: Jim, ED ’90, ED ’95 and Patti Verlengia; Chris, JO’06, MCL ’13 and Ayden Verlengia, ED ’06, MSE ’13; Toni, JO’99 and Christopher White; Andy, JO’02 and Marina Verlengia; John, AS ’92 and Jill Farmer, JO ’91; Peyton, PH ’19 and Mark Reiter, JO ’15; Jane Farmer, BN ’22; Paul, JO ’91 and Christine LeFort, ED ’92; Quinn LeFort, BN ’24; Ryan LeFort, JO ’21.