UC President Emeritus Michael Drake, M.D. to speak on campus in a free event

What's in store for higher education and healthcare in America, and who is responsible for upholding and advancing these twin pillars of our society?

These questions lie at the heart of physician and educator Dr. Michael V. Drake's life's work. As a physician and as University of California president, Drake dedicated years of leadership to expanding access, fostering inclusion and strengthening democracy within the university and beyond.

To reflect on the challenges of leadership in divided times, the moral responsibilities of public institutions and the role of universities in shaping a more equitable society, Drake will take the stage at UC Santa Barbara's Campbell Hall in conversation with Professor Susannah Scott on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. This free, public event is part of UCSB Arts & Lectures' Justice For All programming initiative, which amplifies voices working at the intersection of equality, leadership and social justice.

Scott, UCSB's 2025-26 Academic Senate Vice Chair and a leading researcher in sustainable chemistry, will join Drake onstage following his opening remarks. Their dialogue promises to provide valuable insight into how virtuous leadership can translate to lasting structural change.

On Friday, Jan. 23, Drake will extend the conversation, meeting with UCSB students in the health sciences and humanities for a Q&A focused on pathways into the medical field and health professions. Students from Los Curanderos and the Health Humanities Initiative will convene with Drake to hear from him about careers in healthcare and medical research, the role of mentorship and the human stories behind medical practice. The discussion will offer students a unique opportunity to engage directly with a leader whose career bridges clinical medicine, academic scholarship and public service at the highest level.

The events reflect the spirit of Arts & Lectures' Justice For All initiative. Bringing Drake to campus as both a lecturer and mentor affirms the essential role of higher education in cultivating ethical leaders and engaged individuals prepared to shape a more just future.

About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.