In June 2014, Michael V. Drake became the 15th president of Ohio State University. He is the first African American to be president of Ohio State.
Now the board of trustees of the university has extended President Drake’s contract through June 2021. In explaining the decision to extend the contract, Alex Shumate, chair of the board of trustees said, “it is no exaggeration to say we’ve got the best university president in the country. We didn’t want to wait to secure a new agreement that would result in extending Dr. Drake’s tenure as president of Ohio State. We on the board are thrilled to be able to demonstrate our enthusiastic support for him.”
Before being named president at Ohio State, Dr. Drake was chancellor of the University of California, Irvine. He had held that post since 2005. Earlier, he was the director of education and research for the 15 health science schools of the University of California system.
Dr. Drake began his higher education career at Sacramento City College but transferred and graduated from Stanford University. He earned his medical degree at the University of California, San Francisco. An ophthalmologist, he began his academic career as an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco.
OSU is fortunate to have Dr. Drake! Nice job Mr. Shumate.
As a graduate of THEE Ohio State University (BA ’67), I was more than pleased to learn that the Board of Trustees has extended the contract of the Best Damn President In The Land, Michael Drake. With everything that OSU is currently doing, in all areas during his tenure, I always feel free, as a current resident of South Florida, to go out and tell everyone within the Sound of my Voice that I am a Proud Buckeye from the No. 1 School In The Nation!! GOD Bless
I am very proud of the Presidents of OSU since I graduated with PhD in 2000. Thanks for a great job Dr. Drake–Buckeyes Forever!