Founded by the Joseph and Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics, the Character Counts! initiative focusing on the Six Pillars of Character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship) is currently the country’s largest character development initiative, used in thousands of schools, youth organizations and communities in the United States and several other countries. Drake also assumes the rights to the institute’s Pursuing Victory With Honor building character through sports programs, both domestically and internationally.

As the new global headquarters for Character Counts!, the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake will manage all services, training, licensing, merchandising and communication for both programs.

“Gov. Ray’s initial vision for our work was to enhance civility through character development and he saw Character Counts! as a pathway to positively impact the lives of Iowans,” said Scott Raecker, executive director of the Ray Center at Drake. “We are now privileged to have the opportunity to build upon our success in Iowa as we honor the legacy of Michael Josephson and the Josephson Institute with enhanced worldwide impact.”

The program was brought to Iowa by the state’s late former Gov. Robert Ray in 1997. For more than a decade, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley has been the lead author of a bipartisan resolution that has passed every year since 1993 declaring the third week in October as National Character Counts! Week. The initiative has also received bipartisan support from every Iowa governor since 1997.

In executing the agreement, Michael Josephson, 76, founder and president of the institute that’s named for his parents, said that as he approached retirement, it was vital to identify an organization to be a steward of the institute’s programs. 

“Our long experience with Drake University and very positive relations with university President Marty Martin and the Ray Center executive director, Scott Raecker, made Drake the natural choice,” Josephson said. “And I am proud and enthused that our important work will continue through Drake University and our preeminent partner, the Ray Center.”