See You Later, Drake

A Bulldog and a future Bulldog (Class of 2033)

I’ve been at this place before.  I’ve said goodbye to Drake, knowing that this campus will always have a special place in my heart.  This time is different though.  When I graduated, I pretty much had to leave and this time, the choice was a little different.  There are no hard feelings here; just a realization that it is time to move on to the next chapter in my journey called life.

I like to think that my Drake experience is unique.  I’m sure my mother had no idea that her daughter would walk the same campus she did nearly 25 years after her, let alone end up working for her alma mater.   I would often get asked if my mother forced me to come to Drake and the answer is no.  She always referenced her time at Drake as the best four years of her life and as it turns out, I had some pretty amazing experiences as a student myself. 

During my time as an undergraduate, I came into my own.  I ultimately decided that I wanted to attend Drake because no one else from my high school class would be there.  I wanted to start fresh and that is just what I did.  Within the first week of classes, I met Barack Obama and truthfully, I didn’t even know who he was.  Looking back, that moment was priceless.  By the time my first year of college ended, I met him again and I also had the chance to meet Michelle Obama.  The pictures I was able to take with them will be cherished forever.  There are countless other moments, memories and experiences that would take forever to recount, but have shaped me into the person I am today.

My time at Drake, as both a student and an employee, is shaped by my academic experience, of course, but also by the relationships that I was able to create and maintain.  When meeting prospective students, I often share with them the fact that I could call President Maxwell and he knows exactly who I am.  He even shared running tips with me during an alumni event in Phoenix back in 2011.  I think the transition back to Drake in 2012 was so effortless because of the relationships I made as an undergraduate. Coming back felt like I never left.

I will be physically absent from Drake on a daily basis, but that is just fine.  The memories, the people and these two degrees are with me forever.