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. Reflecting the spirit of Arts & Lectures’ Justice For All initiative, it also affirms the essential role of higher education in cultivating ethical leaders and engaged individuals prepared to shape a more just future.