Real-world skills. Bulldog mindset.
At Drake University, your education extends beyond what you learn in the classroom—it’s also about how you show up in the world. True-Blue Skills are the essential, career-ready traits that help you stand out to employers and thrive in every part of your life. These are the skills that shape confident communicators, ethical leaders, and thoughtful collaborators.
True-Blue Skills are infused into every part of your Drake experience. Whether you’re presenting in a class, solving a problem at an internship, or leading a student organization, you’re building a foundation of skills employers value—and skills the world needs.
What Are True-Blue Skills
True-Blue Skills are a set of ten core soft skills that reflect how you think, interact, and lead. Developed with input from employers across a wide range of industries, these skills are behaviors that help you grow into the job candidate and employee who gets noticed and makes a positive difference.
Drake students develop these skills through hands-on learning, mentorship, leadership experience, and reflection. By the time you graduate, you’ll have more than a degree. You’ll have a story to tell about who you are and what you can do.
The True-Blue Skills
We don’t expect you to master all of these on day one, and some you may already have experience in. These are the skills you’ll grow throughout your time at Drake:
Use reason, evidence, and creativity to tackle challenges and make informed decisions.
Work effectively with others—especially those with different or unique perspectives—to achieve shared goals.
Own your choices, act with integrity, and contribute to your community with care and accountability.
Express your ideas clearly and respectfully—whether you’re writing, speaking, or simply listening.
Use technology ethically and effectively. Stay curious and adaptable in a fast-changing digital world.
Inspire others, build trust, and guide teams and peers with empathy and clarity.
Respect diverse backgrounds, challenge biases, and engage with the world through a lens of equity and inclusion.
Think creatively, take smart risks, challenge the status quo, and embrace feedback as part of the process.
Keep an open mind, ask questions, and emphasize learning, even when it’s uncomfortable or difficult.
Align your actions with your beliefs. Let your passions guide your academic, professional, and civic life.
How We Nurture These Skills
True-Blue Skills aren’t just something you check off a list. They’re built over time, through real experiences. At Drake, we help you nurture these skills by:
- Seeing where you’re already strong and where you need to grow.
- Offering co-curricular events tagged with True-Blue Skills to help you grow intentionally.
- Providing workshops, tools, and one-on-one support through with our Career Services team.
For Employers
We know what employers are looking for—because we asked them. True-Blue Skills were developed in partnership with professionals who hire and lead in a wide range of industries. Drake students graduate with real-world experiences and the habits of mind that turn potential into impact.
Want to connect with our students or support skill development through a partnership or event? Contact our team, we’d love to work with you.