Graduates of three historically black universities will be guaranteed scholarships upon admission to Drake University's law and pharmacy programs under a new agreement announced this week.

The scholarships are part of an ongoing effort to increase diversity among the student body at Iowa's largest private university.

“As Drake University continues to prepare students for successful careers and meaningful personal lives, it is vital that we attract dedicated and passionate degree-seekers from all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds,” said Sue Mattison, Drake's provost, said in a news release.

Drake's Law School and College of Pharmacy have partnered with Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky; Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri; and Lincoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Under the agreement, all prospective law students who graduate from those universities and who meet Drake Law’s admission requirements will be guaranteed admission and a renewable scholarship covering at least half of the annual cost of tuition. Graduates who are accepted as full-time students in Drake's Pharm.D. program will be awarded renewable scholarships of at least $10,000.

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"After hearing from the deans about their interest in enhancing diversity on campus, it just made sense to me to reach out to select (historically black colleges and universities) to see if they would be interested in an articulation agreement with (Drake),” said Mary Wohlford, who directs sponsored programs and grants management for Drake’s provost’s office.

Black students continue to be underrepresented nationwide in the fields of law and pharmacy. About 6 percent of lawyers and 10 percent of pharmacists are black, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Founded in 1854 as the Ashmun Institute renamed after the death of President Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln University in Pennsylvania is the nation's first degree-granting historically black college or university. The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall was one of its most prominent graduates.

Lincoln University has similar agreement with other schools in Pennsylvania — including Penn State, Temple and the University of Pittsburgh. But the agreement with Drake is the first of its kind with a school in the Midwest.

“This opportunity will be very positive for our students,” said Richard Green, the university's president.

The new agreement for prospective pharmacy students will begin for the 2018-19 academic year. Graduates from the three schools can apply to the Drake Law School, however, starting in the 2017-18 academic year.

“Just because of the timing, we may not be able to have any graduates of our partner institutions on campus this fall,” Wohlford said. “But I am quite certain will have a number of them the following fall.”

The scholarships will be in place for prospective law and pharmacy students enrolling through fall 2020. At that point, university officials will evaluate whether to continue offering the scholarships for new students.

In recent years, Drake has implemented several other programs designed to increase enrollment, retention, and career outcomes among underrepresented students, including the Crew Scholars program and Catalyst Fund.

Drake Law also is partnering with Des Moines-area employers to establish the Law Opportunity Leadership Program. The program, which will begin in fall 2017, provides internships, mentorship, and leadership training for five qualified Drake Law students from underrepresented groups.