Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

As scholars and teachers, we in the liberal arts and sciences are uniquely positioned to examine the causes and effects of racism, homophobia and other injustices, and to offer solutions. Yet we must not remain dispassionately at arm’s length from these issues. In the best Drexel tradition, we are called to engage with them directly, to amplify the voices of the marginalized, to call out the wrongs, and to do everything in our power to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in all of its forms.

The College has taken numerous concrete steps in response. The charge of the Faculty Council, a conduit between the College of Arts and Sciences (CoAS) faculty and its leadership, is to focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) issues. Each of our 13 academic departments and affiliated centers has established diversity councils and/or committees.

Taking Action: Research, Academics and Community

We invite you to explore the many stories that demonstrate the impact of the College of Arts and Sciences' efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion through faculty research, coursework, community engagement and more.

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Giant Swallowtail butterfly sticker created by Mary Donnelly, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Drexel in 2022.

Getting Creative in the Field

Mary Donnelly –who recently earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Drexel’s Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science (BEES) department — loves fieldwork. But instead of marshlands, forests, plains or deserts, Mary has been busy working right here in Philadelphia. Besides getting out into the field, her interests lie particularly in wildlife conservation. So, for her senior research project, Mary found a fun, collaborative way to do both while also sharing her findings with the community.

poster for confronting antisemitism through storytelling event with Star of David and blue text

Drexel Community Confronts Antisemitism by Telling Their Stories

Pennoni Honors College Dean Paula Marantz Cohen’s hope is that Confronting Antisemitism Through Storytelling, a collaborative event April 28 among Pennoni, Drexel Hillel, Jewish Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences, will spark conversations that are so often dampened by our current society. Rather than taking the form of a panel discussion or conference, the event will focus on the deeply personal, real-life stories of those who have experienced antisemitism first-hand, whether as Jews or allies.

smiling woman standing beside a yellow research board outside on a sunny day

Be Who You Want to Be, at Drexel

Growing up in South Brunswick, New Jersey, psychology major and student advisory board member Sanjana Oak rarely saw herself represented on the television screen. When she did, that character was grossly stereotyped or there only for comedic relief. What was worse, in real life, her peers expected her to behave in that same way. Curious about whether her experience was unique, she set up a research project through the STAR (Students Tackling Advanced Research) Scholars Program in the Pennoni Honors College.

Featured Programs

Students, faculty and staff in the College of Arts and Sciences have long collaborated with campus colleagues, forged external partnerships across sectors, and built relationships with community neighbors to advance diversity, equity and inclusion. Through our teaching, scholarship and engagement, we continue to explore and implement new ways of reducing injustice. The programs below are a sample of these efforts.

Each year, the Drexel SIM program partners with the School District of Philadelphia to serve a racially and ethnically diverse group of 10,000 students who attend economically disadvantaged schools.

Access to Science Education

Each year, through its partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, the Drexel Science In Motion (SIM) program increases access to science education for a racially and ethnically diverse group of students. Drexel SIM provides teachers with technical support and offers students attending economically disadvantaged schools hands-on, ‘real science’ laboratory experiences.

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The Spanish for Health Professionals Certificate is available to Drexel University students

Hispanic Health Equity

Nearly 6 in 10 Hispanic adults in the U.S. have a difficult time communicating with a healthcare provider because of a language or cultural barrier. The Spanish for Health Professionals certificate program prepares Drexel University's health professions students to effectively communicate with and provide culturally competent care for patients who speak Spanish as their native language.

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Literary Arts for Social Justice

Launched in 2014 as a university-community literary arts program, Drexel Writers Room is engaged in creative placemaking and art for social justice. With the help of its members—a diverse intergenerational group of community residents and Drexel students, faculty, staff and alumni— Writers Room offers classes, visiting writers, cultural events and monthly workshops that are free, inclusive and open to all.

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Mother Baby Connections is a specialty service of the Drexel Psychological Services Center

Helping New Mothers to Cope

Within the Drexel Psychological Services Center, Mother Baby Connections is a specialty service designed to help new mothers who are pregnant, or have given birth within the last year, to better cope with feeling stressed, depressed, or anxious. It is the only intensive outpatient program of its kind in the Philadelphia area dedicated to supporting vulnerable mothers.

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Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab strives to advance better outcomes for youth and communities by working to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, to reform juvenile probation systems, to protect youths’ rights during police questioning, and to reduce racial and ethnic disparities within the justice system.

Reforming Juvenile Justice

Drexel's interdisciplinary Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab has collaborated with community stakeholders for more than 20 years to advance better outcomes for youth and communities by working to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, to reform juvenile probation systems, to protect youths’ rights during police questioning, and to reduce racial and ethnic disparities within the justice system.

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Story Medicine is Community-Based Learning Course in fiction writing and collaborative creative processes that engages pediatric patients receiving treatment at local hospitals.

Engaging Pediatric Patients

Lights, camera, Story Medicine! Drexel students enrolled in Story Medicine (WRIT 215-001) —a community-based learning class— produce live shows, create YouTube videos, and write fiction for read-aloud stories that engage pediatric patients receiving treatment at local hospitals. Students explore the enrichment needs of hospitalized children through creative collaboration with them.

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