A Family of Bulldogs

A love for Drake University is contagious.

For the Noyces, it started with family matriarch and patriarch, Patricia and Richard, who moved to Des Moines from Kansas nearly 60 years ago for a job opportunity.

The couple valued community involvement and began their relationship with Drake by attending basketball and football games and the Drake Relays.

Their relationship deepened as, one by one, their three children attended the University. The Noyce family now counts six Drake alumni among its ranks.

While Richard passed away in 2008 and Patricia in 2013, their legacy will remain strong at the University through a bequest that created the Richard J. and Patricia A. Noyce National Alumni Scholarship and the Richard J. and Patricia A. Noyce George A. Carpenter Scholarship, which will ensure a Drake education for generations of Bulldogs.

"When I think of what was important to my parents, I think: family, friends, faith, and community," said son Jim Noyce, BN’78, as he recalled Richard and Patricia’s turn as Drake’s 1984 Parents of the Year.

"They believed strongly that the college experience should extend beyond the classroom—that community is a key aspect of a holistic education. They also believed that Drake provided that back in the '70s and '80s when my siblings and I attended, and that it continues today."

Celebrating Generosity
Richard and Patricia were honored at the 2015 Scholarship Luncheon, where the recipients of their scholarships paid tribute to their legacy. First-year Musical Theatre major and Noyce Alumni Scholar Jackson Kealy performed a number from Broadway’s Mary Poppins.

"I picked 'Anything Can Happen’ because I felt it encapsulated the possibilities that have been opened up to me," said Kealy. "Drake is my dream school, and it is only possible for me to attend because of the Noyce family’s generous support.

Kevin Maisto, senior Marketing and Management double major, current student body president, and the Noyce Carpenter Scholar, spoke about the life-changing opportunities Drake has provided him: seeing two U.S. presidents, examining policy debates in the nation’s capital, participating in a Model European Union in Brussels, serving on the Student Senate, and landing a seat for the national Democratic presidential debate in Sheslow Auditorium. All, he underscored, made possible by support from the Noyce family.

"Receiving this scholarship has reinforced my perspective of giving back," said Maisto, who arrived at Drake hoping to make a difference, and who will make his first gift to the University next year in order to help bring similar opportunities to new students.

Share Your Drake Story
If you would like to ensure that your Drake story is carried on to the next generation, contact John Amato at 515-271-2849 or john.amato@drake.edu to discuss your giving options.