College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is committed to modeling an inclusive community in which individual faculty, staff, and students are celebrated, accepted, respected, and valued for diverse perspectives in an environment in which everyone belongs.

Cultural humility and diverse learning experiences are important parts of the curriculum across the CPHS programs. It is crucial to prepare future healthcare professionals to serve and address the unique needs of diverse populations. 

Dean's Statement

The College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion for all of our members, and stands for inclusion and against injustice. As part of that commitment, we continue to seek for ourselves – as professionals, as individuals, as the CPHS community – what more we can do to shape our College to be a welcoming environment for all and to assure equitable healthcare for all citizens. 

As health care professionals, we have an important role in addressing disparities in our communities. To prepare future healthcare professionals to serve and address the unique needs of all populations, CPHS incorporates cultural competency, healthcare disparity learning, and diverse learning experiences in our programs.  Our alumni, faculty, students, and partners work to better serve patients from all cultures and backgrounds.

We realize that we are a part of the solution to a wider problem - we can and will do more. 

- Erik Maki, Dean of the Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Additional Resources

Points of Pride

These CPHS individuals have gone above and beyond in fostering an environment of belonging within our campus community or in modeling equitable practices in their field of healthcare.

Lisa Kuriakose poses with her Diversity Catalyst Award plaque
Each year at Health Professions Day, CPHS honors a student, a faculty member, and a staff member with the Diversity Catalyst Award for their contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion within the College. The 2026 recipient of the student award was Lisa Kuriakose, a Pharmacy student.
Drake OT students smile in front of their booth with a Safe Spaces poster and rainbow pride flags
Occupational Therapy students co-hosted a campus-wide event with Drake Access & Success, where they offered mental health resources and education. At the event, they held booths for students to learn about topics such as Safe Spaces and Gender as an Occupation.
A group of Drake students and Indian medical students and staff pose outside the Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences
As part of the International Health Topics J-Term course, CPHS students traveled to Loni, Maharashtra, India to gain an understanding of healthcare systems in different cultures.
Drake students stand in front of a table with an Eid Mubarak poster and breakfast items
CPHS students helped organize a partnership between the College and Drake's Muslim Student Association (MSA) to host a breakfast for Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast after the month of Ramadan.