Drake University celebrates opening of new student center

Drake University students, staff, alumni and community members celebrated the opening of a new student center this week, the culmination of one of the missions behind its capital fundraising campaign.

The private university, located in Des Moines, held an opening celebration for the Johansen Student Center Thursday, according to a news release, housed in the renovated former Morehouse Residence Hall.

A portion of the largest gift in the university’s history, a $28 million donation from alum and board of trustees member Greg Johansen and his wife, Cie, along with other donations allowed for the $16.2 million project to be completed debt-free, according to the release. The rest of the $28 million was split among other capital projects, scholarship funds and athletics.

The center was completely funded by donations through “The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Brave and Bold,” a $225 million fundraising campaign launched in 2021 that had amassed more than $265 million by October 2024.

“We are extremely grateful for the generosity of Greg and Cie Johansen, making it possible for the University to convert Morehouse Residence Hall into a vibrant new student center,” said Marty Martin, Drake University president, in the release. “After serving Drake and our students for nearly 100 years as a residence hall, we’re pleased to enhance the historic building and make it a space that can continue to serve our campus community.”

Included in the new center are casual and formal meeting spaces, an outdoor plaza and areas utilized by the Olson Institute for Public Democracy, Darling Institute and Adams Leadership Institute. According to the release, the university’s first intercultural center will also have a home in the center, and more than 150 student organizations will use it for their operations.

According to the release, Drake Student Body President Ashley Dyson said during the event the new center will help bring students together just like Morehouse Residence Hall did in the past.

“On behalf of the student body at Drake, I want to thank the many donors whose support has made this project a reality,” Dyson said in the release. “For almost 100 years, these walls [Johansen Student Center] have served as a place of community amongst our student body. Now the building will continue that legacy by providing a dedicated space for students to build relationships, hone leadership skills, collaborate with community partners, and get plugged into the causes and issues they care about for generations of Drake students to come.”