For Drake Christianson DC ’27, a visit to Yale during high school marked a bittersweet moment. It was his seventeenth birthday, and he had chosen to celebrate by traveling to New Haven from rural Pennsylvania with his family.
As an infant, Drake had been treated by a Yale-trained doctor. “She gave me the ability to walk and has been an inspirational figure to me for most of my life,” he says. “I wanted to study at Yale so that I could eventually help people in some way, too.” But after visiting campus that summer, he remembers feeling doubtful about whether he would get in—and if Yale would be affordable. “I figured that visit would be the last time I ever saw Yale,” Drake recalls. “I worried it wasn’t going to happen for me, that it was too amazing there.”
But it did happen. The following fall, Drake returned to Yale, this time as a member of the Class of 2027. As a first-year student, Drake is immersing himself in Yale’s unique academic environment and exploring opportunities for learning and enrichment on campus and beyond. “I’m happy every day here,” he says. “The Yale community is very supportive. People want to collaborate and build each other up.”
With his sights set on a career in astrobiology—specifically developing food systems in space—Drake is seeking out course offerings in fields as far ranging as philosophy, religion, and environmental science. “My goal for this year is to develop as holistic a view of the world as possible by studying past, present, and future perspectives,” he says. “A solid philosophical foundation will allow me to better navigate ethical questions that could arise as I dive deeper into science and cutting-edge technologies.”
Drake is grappling with big questions already, including what is the meaning of science? And what is existence? “One of the best things about Yale is the ability to have engaging debates about different thought collectives,” he says. “It’s wonderful to share an idea in class and to hear so many unique perspectives on it. I love the diversity here.”
Drake is grateful for what financial aid has made possible for him. “At Yale, you can take advantage of opportunities regardless of your financial situation. In addition to helping communities in need, I look forward to giving back to Yale in the future because Yale has given so much to me.”