April 14, 2010

The history of the Westphal College will be the subject of the University Archives’ spring exhibition on display from April 14th- May 15th on the first floor of the W.W. Hagerty Library. An opening reception will kick off the exhibition on Wednesday, April 14th at 4 PM. The exhibition will include posters, photographs, floor plans, yearbooks, correspondence and records showcasing our long history of successfully educating designers and artists. Photographs of the recently deceased Arts Administration program founder Edward Arian, Antoinette Westphal’s 1959 yearbook and decades old music programs and memorabilia are just some of the wonderful objects on display.

Anthony J. Drexel envisioned the Drexel Institute as a place for rapid, intensive and practical business and industrial education.  Initially, his idea was to establish an industrial college for women, but later decided that the school would be open to all, declaring, “I know that the world is going to change, and therefore the Institute must change with it.” With that vision in mind, we believe that Mr. Drexel would be quite pleased with the changes and accomplishments from the original 1891 Department of Domestic Economy to today’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, home to 14 majors, 12 minors and 5 graduate programs.  For more information about the University Archives click here.