Food and Land Security in Philadelphia, an intensive community-based learning course offered each year in the College of Arts and Sciences, explores an urgent issue affecting our community alongside the people who are impacted. 

Associate Teaching Professor of Mathematics Dimitri Papadopoulos, EdD, recently sat down with Dean David Brown, PhD to discuss classroom techniques, how math translates to other fields and more. 

Research in the Department of Criminology and Justice Studies could give Pennsylvania the unique opportunity to serve as a model for other states as it reimagines its guidelines for sentencing people convicted of crimes.

During her visit to Drexel, Joyner-Kersee spoke with students in the BRIDGE programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, LeBow College of Business and Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. 

Professor of Physics and Science Education Eric Brewe, PhD, was recently appointed to the role of Associate Dean of Graduate Education in the College of Arts and Sciences.

As the oldest natural history museum in North America, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University has a long and varied history. And even with the many well-known figures, works and stories found in its phenomenal Library and Archives, there are more that need to be researched, uncovered and revealed to help shape a brighter, more equitable future.

The new program bolsters interdisciplinary collaboration at Drexel, drawing on the expertise of College of Arts and Sciences faculty members while partnering with other programs across the university that involve the various applications of statistics. 

The College of Arts and Sciences is excited to welcome 14 new faculty members to our learning community this fall. 

A childhood love of birds inspired Emily Griffith to pursue a career in ornithology. As she enters her third year in Drexel’s Ecology, Evolution and Earth Systems PhD program, Griffith has been awarded over $10,000 in grant funding to further her research on the differences in plumage between male and female ducks.

Before coming to Drexel, history major Sophia Stutte resided in the Washington, D.C. area, where their fondness for archives and libraries blossomed through countless visits to the renowned Smithsonian museums. A co-op with the Drexel University Archives has allowed them to further explore this passion. 

At Drexel, LaBelle has strived to excel academically in physics while contributing to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the field and even encouraging the next generation of scientists. They hope that more Drexel students will get involved in making their community a better place. 

Decked in Dragon Blue, hundreds of graduates joined us on June 15 for the College of Arts and Sciences commencement ceremony. Before graduates walked across the stage, speakers took to the podium to share personal stories of their time at Drexel and send off the newest class of Forever Dragons with encouragement and inspiration.

The English Language Center (ELC) was recently awarded a five-year renewal of its Fulbright Pre-Academic program grant. This has been the ELC’s signature summer special program since 2009.

Assistant Teaching Professor of Global Studies and Modern Languages Steve Vásquez Dolph, PhD, was recently appointed to the role of Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the College of Arts and Sciences. Learn more about him in this Q&A. 

Students of color have higher rates of success when they have a community of peers. The College of Arts and Sciences’ BRIDGE program seeks to foster a sense of community for students of color and ease the transition into college life. Throughout the year, students participate in workshops and study groups, attend social events, work with peer mentors and more.

Daouda Njie, BS environmental science '22, was awarded a study/research grant to Fiji. Neha Chongtham, biological sciences '23, will serve as an English teaching assistant in Malta.

Monique D. Clark will represent graduate students as a student speaker at the 2023 College of Arts and Sciences commencement ceremony on Thursday, June 15. Clark graduates with her MFA in creative writing. Learn more about her in this Q&A. 

Communication major María Paula Mijares Torres will represent undergraduate students as a student speaker at the 2023 College of Arts and Sciences commencement ceremony on Thursday, June 15. Learn more about her in this Q&A. 

Drexel University Graduate College recently announced the recipients of the 2023 Graduate Excellence Awards. These awards recognize high-achieving graduate and professional students across disciplines in mentorship, scholarship, civic engagement, service, research and teaching assistance. Congratulations to the College of Arts and Sciences students who were honored with these awards! 

According to Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, our mental health is our superpower. Lombardo will share her science-based knowledge and advice with the class of 2023 as the keynote speaker at the CoAS commencement ceremony on June 15. She speaks more about her career path and offers words of wisdom to graduates in this Q&A.

The Office of Research & Innovation and the Office of Faculty Advancement recently announced the recipients of the 2022-2023 Research, Scholarship and Creativity Awards and the Provost Awards for Teaching, Scholarship and Professional Service. Congratulations to the College of Arts and Sciences faculty who were honored with these awards!  

Congratulations to the College of Arts and Sciences faculty and students who were honored at the 11th annual Celebrating Drexel Authors event. Hosted by the Drexel University Libraries and the Office of the Provost, this event recognized members of the Drexel community who authored or edited books or highly-cited journal articles in 2022. 

Moncho Alvarado, a Cihuayollotl trans Xicanx poet, published her debut poetry collection and Saturnalia Book Prize recipient “Greyhound Americans” in 2022. She will join us for a poetry reading at the Drexel Writing Festival on Monday, May 8 from 12–12:50 p.m. in the Stern Room on the third floor of Hagerty Library. Learn more about Alvarado in this Q&A.

Fiction writer Molly Antopol published her first book of short stories, “The UnAmericans,” in 2014, and is currently working on a novel. Antopol will lead a discussion and workshop at the Drexel Writing Festival on Tuesday, May 9. Learn more about her in this Q&A.

Students in “Science and Religion: From the Big Bang to Neuroscience” spent the winter term exploring the development of science and religion through known human history. The course, taught by Professor of Chemistry Fraser Fleming, PhD, culminated in a nine-day trip to Switzerland, Germany and Italy over spring break. 

The College of Arts and Sciences proudly welcomes Elizabeth Lombardo, PhD '02, as its keynote speaker for the 2023 commencement ceremony on June 15. With over two decades dedicated to assisting high-performing executives, entrepreneurs, athletes and celebrities address stress by accessing reserves of untapped potential, it is no surprise that Dr. Lombardo is often called “America’s Most Trusted Celebrity Psychologist.”

The College of Arts and Sciences' research-rich summer institutes offer dynamic learning experiences that help high schoolers develop real-world skills. Working side-by-side with our faculty experts, students gain valuable experience that will support their academic and professional futures.

Journalist and author Kim Kelly published her first book, “Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor,” in 2022. Kelly will lead a discussion and workshop at the Drexel Writing Festival on Wednesday, May 10. Learn more about her in this Q&A.

Professor of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science and Biology Sean O'Donnell, PhD, regularly works as an expert science consultant with natural history film crews. He shares more about his recent experience working in the rainforest of Costa Rica in this blog post. 

The College of Arts and Sciences recently welcomed author and environmentalist Terry Tempest Williams to Drexel to deliver our 10th Annual Distinguished Lecture. Williams also led an intimate masterclass for students and faculty at the Academy of Natural Sciences.

Associate Professor of Psychology Pamela A. Geller, PhD, and her team have been supporting new mothers with postpartum depression (PPD) since 2016 through their Mother Baby Connections program. Now, they're developing MommaConnect, a mobile app that would facilitate virtual treatment for those struggling with PPD. 

Through two virtual exchanges per year, students in the Department of Global Studies and Modern Languages' Japanese program connect with students across the world and hone their language skills.

Realizing that too many films by young or up-and-coming women directors were not getting the recognition they deserved, Jacqui Sadashige, PhD, developed a course that explores recent films written or directed by women that center topics relevant to women’s lives today. 

Lashae Williams, a PhD candidate in clinical psychology, received an inaugural Internship Scholarship from the Society for Black Neuropsychology. She is one of two trainees to receive this award, which eases the financial burden of the internship application process.

Mary Madsen, MS public policy ’21, started her master's program before Covid and graduated with the pandemic in full swing. Originally from Texas, the culture shock of moving to Philadelphia with her husband and child was difficult to begin with, but especially challenging when she realized that she would be stuck in the city with no prospect of returning home due to travel restrictions. But Madsen made the most of her time here. As someone interested in education policy, it was a great opportunity for her to learn about how city councils and school districts work in times of crisis.

'Judaism and Christianity: Two Religions or One,' taught by Professor of Philosophy Marilyn Piety, PhD, introduces students to a myriad of viewpoints from scholars of different faiths to identify common and separate philosophical ideologies between the religions. This article originally appeared in the Jewish Exponent. 

Greg Loring-Albright, PhD '22, has always loved games, but when he decided to pursue this interest professionally, finding the right graduate program wasn't easy. The interdisciplinary model of Drexel’s Communication, Culture and Media (CCM) program proved to be the foundation he needed to pursue his unique path of study. Now, he's an assistant professor in the Interactive Media Department at Harrisburg University, where he teaches game studies and game design, while also working as an independent game designer.

A French course has brought together students and West Philadelphia's native French-speaking West African community, both in and out of the classroom. Students came from different majors and countries to speak and write in French with native speakers and consume Francophone West African works of literature and film in this community-based class.

Congratulations to all 10 of Drexel's clinical psychology doctoral students who matched for internships at high quality sites! Congratulations also to their mentors. Matching is a highly competitive process and 100% match rate to top-notch sites is another important metric of the strength of the clinical psych doctoral program at Drexel.

Nigerian writer Altine “Jojo” Elhassan, creative writing ’24, is the inaugural recipient of a full tuition scholarship from the MFA Gift Fund for Marginalized Writers. The scholarship aims to support diverse literary voices by funding writers whose personal experiences of marginalization—including but not limited to race, class or disability—inform their work. 

We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Alexandra J. King Pile, BA international studies '07, who is currently working as a diplomat for the United States Department of State. Read on to learn about the challenges and opportunities of her role, and how her time at Drexel prepared her for this path.

Kathleen Powell plans to use the $544,000 grant from the William T. Grant Foundation to explore how the legalization of recreational marijuana in New Jersey affects Black, Hispanic and White young adults. 

Drexel’s College of Arts and Sciences is home to one of the most rapidly changing professional fields—communication. In order to keep students on the cutting edge of this highly sought-after field, Drexel’s Master of Science in Strategic and Digital Communication (MS-SDC) program has reinvented its curriculum to accommodate the needs and desires of today’s communication industry.

"The new year provides us with an opportunity to not only review our past year, but also to prepare for the future," says Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences Carl R. Pacifico Professor of Neuropsychology Eric Zillmer, PsyD. Zillmer shares eight tips for staying on track with your goals in 2023.

A co-op with the nonprofit Keep Music Alive not only allowed Ryan Shaw to explore his lifelong passion for music, but inspired him to pursue a career in music therapy after he graduates from the MS-SDC program. 

For the first time since the pandemic, the Department of Sociology will present its annual Sociology Film Series in person this winter. The series, featuring three films focused on medical sociology, underscores key concepts being taught in the classroom and provides a platform for people living with disabilities to share their stories.

As the Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science (BEES) celebrates its 10th anniversary, we spoke with department head David Velinsky, PhD, about the history of the department, its many success stories and how it has grown over the last decade in this Q&A.