With the end of fall term — and the end of 2020 — fast approaching, there’s still time to look ahead to important bus service updates for the rest of term as well as what 2021 at Drexel University will bring, including a new “Climate Year” initiative and a relaunched wellness program for faculty and professional staff.

Here’s what was heard around campus in December:

Congratulations to Drexel’s 2020 Service Recognition Honorees!

Drexel University celebrates the dedication of faculty, professional staff and retirees who have achieved significant service milestones — in five-year increments — during their careers at Drexel. This year’s 634 honorees represent over 7,900 hours of combined service to the University. To view congratulatory videos, a full list of award recipients, a feature on 50-year honoree Barbara Schindler, MD, and more, please visit the HR website. 

Video: Highlights From Drexel’s MED Week Events

This year, Accounts Payable and Procurement Services, in collaboration with the Office of University and Community Partnerships, the LeBow College of Business and Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, participated in Philadelphia’s 36th annual Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week. MED Week highlights minority businesses and the resources that help them grow. Throughout the week, organizations from across the region hosted virtual events focused on this year’s theme, “Preparing for the Next Normal.” Drexel hosted four events focused on diverse businesses. Check out highlights from these events on the Procurement website.

Announcing 2021 as Climate Year at Drexel

2021 will be known as “Climate Year” at Drexel University and the Academy of Natural Sciences. Over the next 12 months, Drexel will celebrate, support, build and catalog climate work at all levels of the University in an effort to make these central to institutional identity, operations, curricula, research and civic engagement. Faculty, professional staff and students all play an important role in this work. To learn more and get involved, visit the Climate Year website or email sustainability@drexel.edu.

Welcome Back Wellness in 2021!

Ring in the new year with Drexel's employee wellness program! January 1 marks the first day of the award-winning Wellness Incentive Program. Full-time and part-time benefits-eligible faculty and professional staff enrolled in a Drexel medical plan, or full-time employees who participate in the medical coverage opt-out waiver, will be eligible to earn up to $400 in their pay for completing a wide range of wellness activities. The spouse or domestic partner of an employee who receives medical insurance through Drexel, or who participates in the medical coverage opt-out waiver, can receive an additional $250 for completing wellness activities — that’s $650 per household! From tracking steps to working out or receiving a flu shot or preventative care exam, there is something for everyone.

In order to receive your first payout, you will be required to complete your annual PHP (Personal Health Profile). Completing this step will help you track your health and wellness progress year over year. The program goes live at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

The winter months are expected to be tough for many of us. Drexel Human Resources has created a full calendar of winter mental health offerings to help you enhance your overall well-being:

• NEW! Yoga for Anxiety (15 points): Gentle, slow flow movement to help you relax and re-energize, especially if you’ve been sitting at your desk. No equipment needed. If you have a yoga mat, that could be helpful.
• NEW! Take a Deep Breath (15 points): This workshop will feature an accessible hour of short guided meditations, skill building, and practice that will help you access full, satisfying, and expansive breath.
• NEW! The Happiness Workshop: Cognitive-Behavioral Strategies to Get You Through Winter (15 points): Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychological intervention that can improve your mood and wellbeing. What CBT strategies can you adopt to assist in addressing stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Chair Yoga: Stretches for Office Workers (15 points): Learn how to use your chair as a friend rather than a foe to realign your posture and incorporate some movement into your day.
• Pilates Breath and Balance (15 points): Breathe your way to better health with this simple class, perfect for beginners and more experienced students of Pilates.
• Ten at 10 (1 point per activity completed; record participation on Health Advocate): Don’t forget to Ten at 10! Feeling stressed? Need some colleague connection? Ten at 10 is here to take care of you.

For all events on Career Pathway, please register 24 hours in advance to attend. Any points earned for Drexel workshops in December will be applied to our 2021 Wellness Incentive Program. Get a head start on earning your wellness dollars today!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week of Service and Reflection

Mark your calendars: this year, the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement will be honoring Dr. King’s legacy with a week of service and reflection, which will be observed from  Jan. 18 (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service) through Jan. 22. There will be a mix of virtual and in-person opportunities to the larger Drexel community — stay tuned for more information!

Introducing DEI Spotlights From the Office of Equality & Diversity

The Office of Equality and Diversity (OED) proudly presents a new monthly feature: DEI Spotlight. Each month, OED will recognize different individuals and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) committees across campus for their work to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at Drexel. In this inaugural edition, the following Drexel professionals share details about their role and accomplishments, as well as what motivates their DEI work: Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the College of Nursing and Health Professions Veronica Carey; Director of Diversity Initiatives & Community Relations for Undergraduate Admissions, Enrollment Management & Student Success Bernetta Millonde; Administrative Coordinator of the Art & Art History Department in Westphal College of Media Arts & Design Shell Myers; and Assistant Vice President for Inter-College Advising & Center for Learning and Academic Success Services (CLASS) Rebecca Weidensaul. We asked our featured colleagues to share details about their roles and accomplishments, as well as what motivates their DEI work. Read the feature on the OED website.

Campus Bus Service Updates: Winter Break

Drexel University shuttle bus service along all routes will be suspended from Dec. 23, through Jan. 3, 2021. The Dragon Route (Center City), Queen Lane Route and Powelton/Spring Garden Route will all begin operating on their modified schedules beginning Jan. 4. You can always visit the Real Estate and Facilities website for the modified schedules and the latest shuttle service. Additionally, the Shipping and Receiving department will operate on Dec. 28–30, from the hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Jan. 4, 2021, Shipping and Receiving will return to its normal hours of 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. If you have any questions, please contact transitinfo@drexel.edu.

Updates from Campus Dining

[Editor's note: this information was provided before the Dec. 21 notification of the University's delayed start to the winter term. Any updates related to the delay will be communicated in the coming weeks.]

To best serve you, Drexel Campus Dining is happy to announce several locations will be open for winter term with abundant choices of hot, healthy vegetarian and vegan options. New this winter, Urban Eatery will offer all-you-care-to-eat dining! It will continue to feature current favorites like fresh Java City® coffee and pastries at Downtown Grounds and a gourmet vegan/vegetarian lineup at U.C. Veg, with a newly added salad bar. Additional options will include made-to-order sandwiches, panini and pizza; and a grill boasting a rotating variety of classics. All of this will be available with single entry, seven days a week. Handschumacher Dining Hall will be providing order-ahead dining options with a vast array of choices Monday through Friday! Northside Dining Terrace, featuring Chick-fil-A® and the Market convenience store, will also remain open throughout the term. The Market will be open seven days a week, while Chick-fil-A® will be closed on Sundays. For added convenience, the Market will continue to offer a robust assortment of grab-and-go items from Good Uncle. Cash and credit will be accepted at all locations. All members of the University community will also be able to order ahead via the GET® Mobile app using payment methods currently tied to their DrexelOne account.

The safety and well-being of the Drexel community are the top priorities of Aramark, which shares in the University’s efforts to closely monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and is taking the necessary steps to stay informed and aligned with direction from public health officials. If you have any questions or concerns about dining on campus, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Drexel Campus Dining at campusdining@drexel.edu.

Meet With a Registered Dietitian via Zoom

Drexel Nutrition Sciences Services’ dietitians are now offering individual nutrition counseling via telehealth. Meet with a registered dietitian from the comfort of your own home to discuss topics such as general health and wellness, weight loss, topics related to COVID-19 or any other nutrition-related subjects. Nutrition Sciences Services accepts most major insurance plans so that sessions come at no cost to you. Drexel employees can earn 15 wellness incentive points per visit through the Drexel Wellness Incentive Program. Dietitians are offering sessions between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. To schedule an appointment, please email nutritionappts@drexel.edu.

Peer Ambassador Program: Volunteers Needed

Starting a new job is exciting, but it can also be stressful due to the uncertainty that comes with acclimating to a new workplace culture. Drexel’s Peer Ambassador Program offers a proactive way for new hires to become acquainted with life at Drexel, while providing a familiar face outside of their immediate department. The program pairs each new hire with a peer ambassador, who will meet with the new hire regularly during their first few months (in person and/or through phone and email) to:

• Provide information on where to find policies/procedures;
• Answer questions and refer the new hire to the appropriate resources;
• Familiarize the new hire with Drexel’s culture and norms; and
• Introduce the new hire to others at Drexel.

If you are interested in becoming a peer ambassador, please supply your contact information via this link. A peer ambassador must receive supervisor approval to participate in the program and must attend training before they are paired with a new hire. If you have any questions about the Peer Ambassador Program, please email Lindsay Norlen at les37@drexel.edu or visit the HR website for more information.

Reminder From the Payroll Department

This year and going forward, faculty and professional staff on monthly payroll will receive their final pay of the year on Dec. 31 instead of the day before Winter Break. Please feel free to contact payroll@drexel.edu with any questions.