The Jay N. Darling Institute

As we bring the campaign-focused issues to a close, we celebrate the incredible work being done through the Jay N. Darling Institute.

The Jay N. Darling Institute is built on a strong history, dating back to June 7, 1926, when Drake awarded Jay N. Darling—a tireless advocate for the preservation of America’s great natural ecosystems, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist—an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Law to recognize his cultural achievements.

The mission of the Jay N. Darling Institute is to provide educational and scholarly expertise for rural communities so that citizens have improved access to quality health care and education, nutritious food, unimpaired natural resources, and ongoing economic and cultural opportunities. It serves to honor Darling’s legacy by inspiring others to create sustainable change through collaboration and action, creating partnerships between Drake and the people of rural communities to help bolster the economic, social, and cultural vibrancy of rural America.

These collaborations deliver transformative change through student service, faculty research, and policy advocacy.

Drake students who receive scholarships through the Darling Institute join the Student Conservation Corps, known as the DarlingCorps. Under the supervision of faculty mentors, DarlingCorps students partner with rural communities to complete a service or applied research project that addresses challenges in fields like healthcare, food security, economic development, community improvement, justice, the performing arts, and resource management.

Lastly, the Institute builds and stewards the authoritative archive of Darling’s legacy to approach leadership and civil discourse while driving rural communities toward a more sustainable future.

We are immensely grateful to those in the Bulldog community whose generosity has helped us honor Darling’s legacy and made this powerful work possible.

The Visionaries

Jay N. Darling – Journalist and conservation activist, Darling was a two-time Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist for the Des Moines Register. Known for: Federal Duck Stamp Program that has raised more than $1 billion to acquire art and protect wildlife habitats.

“I’m learning one thing the hard way, and that is that you have to re-educate the public mind every 15 or 20 years, or it forgets everything learned a while back.” – Jay N. Darling

Keith Summerville – Paul and Claudia Schickler Executive Director of the Jay N. Darling Institute and professor of environmental science and sustainability. Known for: connecting rural communities and organizations with passionate Drake students interested in environmental studies.

“The purpose of the Darling Institute is to connect rural communities facing challenges with Drake University students to foster collaborative solutions.” – Keith Summerville

Paul, BN’74, MBA’83, and Claudia Schickler – The couple has supported the University in numerous ways over the years. Through The Ones campaign, the couple donated $6 million to support the Jay N. Darling Institute, men’s basketball program, and Knapp Center renovation. Paul serves as an advocate for the Jay N. Darling Institute, bringing awareness to its mission. Paul is also a member of the Drake University Board of Trustees.

“Rural Americans were our customers for the more than four decades when I worked for Pioneer. Claudia and I are driven to give back to the hardworking people in rural America. We are working with Drake faculty to shape a program which makes concrete, positive changes in the lives of rural residents.” – Paul Schickler, 2019

Back to Issue