Laura Drake

As the Director of Continued Enrollment, Laurie oversees Mississippi State University's student retention programs Bulldog Rebound and Bulldog Bounce Back, both housed in the Center for Academic Excellence. She is the coordinator for Bulldog Rebound. Outside of the CAE, Laurie serves as the Faculty Advisor for Hillel, the Jewish Student Association at Mississippi State University.

She has a Ph.D. in Early American History, after she completed her dissertation "British Subjects of 'ye Jewish Religion': The Negotiated Identities of the Levy-Franks Family." Under the direction of Dr. Judith Ridner, Laurie's project focused on the blended identities of a Jewish family as they sought opportunity and inclusion in the society, politics, and economics of the Anglo Atlantic world. Her research focused on the family's claim to a "British-while-Jewish" identity and the ways they negotiated their religious and family life with their socio-political and economic roles in the transatlantic world.

PhD in Early American History, May 2026.

Master of Arts in English, focus on historical literature (pre-nineteenth century). May 2009.

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with concentrations in Biological and Cultural Anthropology. December 2007.

Office Location: 1430 YMCA