15th President. 15 Transformational Years.
When Angela L. Walker Franklin, PhD, became Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences’ 15th president in 2011, few could have predicted how transformative the next 15 years would be for the university.
What followed reshaped the university’s campus, culture and trajectory.
“I came to a place with high hopes and aspirations of coming and doing a great job and being of service to this institution,” Franklin says. “We’ve actually transformed this entire organization in a way that I don’t think anyone would have ever imagined back then.”
Under Franklin’s leadership, DMU launched its first comprehensive campaign(opens in new tab), expanded programs and research initiatives, boosted clinical and community partnerships and completed one of the boldest moves in its history: relocating to a new campus in West Des Moines.
But the defining thread running through Franklin’s presidency may be something else: a consistent willingness to pursue what others believed impossible.
That willingness was evident to Larry Baker, DO’77, FACEP, before Franklin arrived on campus. A member of the presidential search committee and later chair of the DMU Board of Trustees, Baker recalls seeing what stood out about her during the interview process.
“She had prepared herself for this role,” Baker says. “She is uniquely skilled in all the aspects of leadership that you find attractive in a university president. Dr. Franklin came with the total package.”
One Bold Decision
Franklin still remembers the moment she floated the idea of moving the university. “Deciding we need room to grow, and being bold enough to say to my board, ‘What if we just picked the whole thing up and moved it?’ And for the board to say, ‘OK, let’s do that.’ I think that was the one decision that just put us in a whole new stratosphere,” she says.
Today, DMU’s campus is a symbol of institutional growth and a physical expression of Franklin’s leadership philosophy: think beyond limitations.
“I still get goosebumps when I walk onto our campus,” Franklin says.
Baker believes the move will remain one of the defining accomplishments of Franklin’s presidency. “If we wanted to grow the university for future programs and future vision, we needed another place to be,” he says. “We entered this endeavor with a fair amount of confidence and a certain amount of respectful trepidation. But we got it done. It was largely due to her magnificent leadership.”
15 Years of Dreaming Bigger
Franklin’s leadership philosophy was especially clear during the university’s Purple & Proud Campaign — a fundraising effort many initially believed was too ambitious for DMU.
Launched with a $25 million goal, the campaign marked the university’s first true comprehensive fundraising effort.
Franklin recalls the skepticism distinctly.
“I remember that $10 million was the first number batted around, and people laughed and said there’s no way we could do that.”
What followed propelled DMU into an entirely new era.
At the public launch of the campaign, DMU announced it had already surpassed the halfway point toward its goal. The campaign later doubled its target to $50 million following the decision to build the university’s new campus in West Des Moines. In 2024, DMU announced the campaign had raised an impressive $57.1 million.
For Franklin, the campaign signaled a shift in what others believed was possible for DMU.
“People doubted us, but we just kept pushing forward,” she says.
15 Years of Proving the Doubters Wrong
Few people witnessed Franklin’s journey more closely than James A. Grekin, DO’62, MACOI, former chair of the DMU Board of Trustees and the leader of the presidential search committee that selected Franklin in 2010. Grekin says he knew immediately that Franklin was the right choice to lead DMU — despite resistance from some who questioned both her experience and the historic nature of the appointment.
“She struck me as being very positive and very impressive,” Grekin says. “And I said, ‘As chairman, there is no choice here. We are going to appoint Dr. Franklin as president.”
The vote was unanimous in her favor. Fifteen years later, Grekin remains unequivocal, calling the decision the most significant accomplishment of his board service.
“She’s done a marvelous job,” he says. “The new campus — absolutely — that’s the biggest accomplishment.”
Franklin credits Grekin’s confidence and support as instrumental during her early years as president.
“He was all in,” Franklin says. “He told others, ‘Get on board. This is our president. We’re going to follow her lead.’”
Baker points to another achievement that may be less visible than a new campus but equally important to the university’s future — an achievement that has far-reaching implications.
“She has unified DMU into a one-university mindset,” he says. “She has endeavored to bring all the components of the university together to function in concert with each other. That’s not a small accomplishment.”
15 Years of Evolution
Franklin’s presidency has unfolded during one of the most disruptive periods in higher education and health care. From the pandemic to artificial intelligence and increasing public scrutiny, the challenges have evolved dramatically.
“I don’t think any leader in higher education would have ever expected to be under the microscope in the way that we are now,” Franklin says.
At the same time, she believes DMU’s core identity has remained remarkably consistent. Long before “whole-person care” became a national conversation, Franklin says DMU emphasized prevention, wellness, nutrition and human connection.
“We’ve always been a place where everyone would feel welcome and supported,” she says. “There’s something unique and special in how osteopathic medicine is practiced. That human-to-human connection, that has power.”
DMU’s mission continues to resonate with students today, even as the ways they learn rapidly evolve.
“Our students are eager to embrace new technologies,” Franklin says. “They’re teaching us something about how they learn that’s a little bit different.”
15 Years Later and Still Looking Ahead
Franklin says the role of university president is more consuming than many people realize. “There’s no downtime. I’m always thinking of the university.” Yet, the title itself has never defined her. She remains humble, as a small-town girl, and often says: “I’m still Angela from McCormick, South Carolina,” she says. “I’m still Junior Walker’s daughter.”
Even after 15 years, Franklin sees only opportunities ahead, including continued growth of the DMU32 Health and Business Complex, expanded clinical operations and new partnerships.
For Grekin, that forward momentum is exactly what makes Franklin’s leadership stand out. Asked to describe her in just a few words, he answers without hesitation: “Intuitive and progressive.”
Asked what advice he would offer DMU’s 15th president after 15 years of leadership, his answer is simple: “Keep going.”
Franklin intends to do just that.
A 2026 Trailblazer in Higher Education
Angela L. Walker Franklin, PhD, president and CEO, was named a recipient of Insight Into Academia Magazine’s 2026 Trailblazer in Higher Education Award.
This national honor recognizes higher education leaders whose bold, strategic innovation advances institutional excellence, strengthens community and belonging, and delivers measurable impact for students, employees and the broader academic ecosystem. Insight Into Academia selected Franklin for her bold redefinition of what a modern medical and health sciences university can be.