Drexel Delegation Celebrates Translation of Book on University Founder in Mandarin

Photo credit:Karl Seifert. Caption: Drexel President John Fry greets attendees at the book signing.

Drexel University and the Pennsylvania Center in Shanghai celebrated the launch of the Chinese translation of The Man Who Made Wall Street: Anthony J. Drexel and the Rise of Modern Finance. The biography of Drexel University’s founder, Anthony J. Drexel, reveals the life of a man who selflessly laid the foundation for later Wall Street giants JP Morgan and others, making possible the United States’ transition from an agrarian society to an industrialized nation. The mandarin translation of the book will be available in China this month. Drexel President John Fry, who is in China leading a delegation of University administrators, was at the celebration announcing the launch of the book.  

“Anthony J. Drexel looked at a time of great economic and technological promise and saw a unique path to success for his nation, just as the Chinese people are doing today,” said Fry. “Mr. Drexel’s life and work still inspire us, and we are proud to introduce the first translation of The Man Who Made Wall Street.”

Anthony J. Drexel led an extraordinary life of unsung success and generosity.  His greatest achievements garnered him fortune, but not fame. “There is no limit to what a man can accomplish if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit,” he said. In 1891, he founded Drexel University as an institution uniquely fitted to answer the needs of a growing industrialized nation. Today, the University is a world leader in science and engineering with an internationally recognized business school, and continues his vision of preparing students for productive professional and civic lives while also focusing the University’s collective expertise on solving society’s greatest problems.

The launch of The Man Who Made Wall Street, Chinese language edition, is timed in the “Year of the Dragon,” which complements Drexel’s dragon mascot. Students from Jiaotong University and Fudan University were invited to partake in the celebration along with Drexel students and alumni from Shanghai. Each student was presented with a copy of the book.

This marks the second trip to China for Drexel President Fry during this academic year. In October 2011, Drexel University signed an agreement with the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute (SARI), Chinese Academy of Sciences to launch the Drexel-SARI Center. Drexel alumnus and President of the Shanghai branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Dr. Jiang Mianheng was instrumental in the formation of this partnership. Mianheng received a doctoral degree in electrical and computer engineering from Drexel’s College of Engineering in 1991. His father, Jiang Zemin, former president of the People's Republic of China, made a major international visit to Drexel during his presidency in 1997.

The Drexel-SARI Center will be a home for Drexel’s research collaborations and educational partnerships with SARI and other institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, offering Drexel faculty insight into the latest technology and innovation in China. The Center will also serve as a base in Shanghai for other Drexel educational endeavors including internships and co-ops, and symposia.

In May 2011, Fry and Drexel officials visited Shanghai Jiao Tong University, celebrating Drexel’s dual doctoral program in biomedical engineering and strong partnership with SJTU. Fry also visited partner Tsinghua University in Beijing, promoting student exchanges and faculty collaborations.

To read more about the Drexel delegation in China, visit the Office of International Programs website.

On-site Shanghai contact:
Heidi West, Drexel Office of International Programs510-520-2784 (mobile) 215-895-1204 (office) or heidiwest@drexel.edu