Dear members of the Ohio State community:
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee, it is our great pleasure to announce that Dr. Michael Drake, current chancellor of the University of California, Irvine, will serve as the 15th president of The Ohio State University. Dr. Drake will assume the Ohio State presidency on June 30.
As chancellor of UC Irvine, Drake led an impressive decade of academic expansion and development, enhancing the breadth and reach of program offerings at UC Irvine. Drake was responsible for the creation of the first new public law school in California in more than 40 years, and successfully led the launch of several new programs in public health, pharmaceutical sciences and nursing science. The UC Irvine School of Education was also established under his leadership. He is a passionate advocate for higher education, diversity and inclusion and has demonstrated a commitment to the ideals that are core to a modern land-grant institution.
Prior to Chancellor Drake’s arrival at UC Irvine, he served for five years as vice president for health affairs for the University of California system, overseeing academic program policy for the system’s 15 health science schools, located on seven campuses. He is a member of both the Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and has received numerous honors and awards for teaching, public service and groundbreaking research. An ophthalmologist, he received his medical degree from UC San Francisco and his undergraduate degree from Stanford University.
Chancellor Drake’s wife Brenda is an attorney and community leader. She has led several foundations and nonprofit agencies, serving as either a trustee or executive director. The Drakes have two grown sons. More information about Chancellor Drake can be found on
Ohio State’s home page.
We want to thank the other members of our selection subcommittee: Janet B. Reid, Alex Shumate and Michael J. Gasser, for their tireless efforts over these past months. We also want to thank Professor Deborah Merritt, who led the Advisory Subcommittee, along with the members of that subcommittee, for their input and guidance. It was important to us that faculty, staff, students, alumni and members of the community had an opportunity to participate throughout the search process. We are grateful for the support and insight we received.
We also want to take this opportunity to thank Interim President Joseph A. Alutto for guiding the university forward with a clear vision and a steady hand. His leadership and understanding of the university have enabled us to build upon the momentum generated over the past years.
The selection of a new president is a milestone in the 140-year history of this university. It has been a great privilege and honor for us to have led this collective process. We are grateful to everyone in the Ohio State community, and we thank you for your support and participation.
Sincerely,
Robert H. Schottenstein
Chairman, Ohio State Board of Trustees
Chair, CEO and President, M/I Homes, Inc.
Jeffrey Wadsworth
Chairman, Presidential Search Committee
President & Chief Executive Officer, Battelle
We hope you will join two campus events on Friday (1/31) in order to welcome the 15th president of The Ohio State University. Each event will include some of our proud Buckeye traditions, as well as a chance to celebrate this milestone.
12:45 p.m., Ohio Union Lobby
2:00 p.m., Thompson Library, Buckeye Reading Room
And tune in on Sunday (2/2) at noon at osu.edu for a conversation between Alumni Association President Archie Griffin and President-Designate Michael V. Drake.
