Top 10 College of Arts and Sciences Moments of 2025
December 18, 2025
This year, students and faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences explored the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences through interdisciplinary research, creative projects, experiential events and more. 2025 provided new opportunities for innovation and collaboration, like the inaugural Dr. Francis K. Davis Endowed Lecture, and saw the return of the college’s signature events including Honors Day and Research Day. Read more about some of the highlights of 2025 in the list below.
The Department of Physics welcomed physicist and jazz musician Stephon Alexander to deliver the 24th Kaczmarczik Lecture. Along with Drexel students, faculty and staff, over 600 students from local high schools attended the lecture and participated in a science fair.
Drexel’s Department of Criminology and Justice Studies, in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, hosted a Reentry Simulation that allowed participants to step into the shoes of someone transitioning from incarceration back into society.
Students in each cohort of the DrexLab program present their final projects to students, faculty and alumni during a round of lightning talks and poster presentations. By participating in DrexLab, students gain vital skills through field experiences, laboratory settings and special workshops on using qualitative data, statistical analysis, preparing a case study, conducting community outreach projects — and so much more.
The College of Arts and Sciences' annual Honors Day event gives our faculty, staff and alumni an opportunity to honor our students’ achievements in the classroom, lab and community. Over 80 students were recognized with awards at this year’s Honors Day, underscoring the value of the scholarship and research students conduct in the college year after year.
This year’s Research Day featured 23 oral presentations and 79 posters from tenured, tenure-track, teaching and research faculty; postdoctoral fellows; graduate and undergraduate students and research trainees, reflecting the breadth and depth of the exceptional scholarly activity that takes place across our college.
The College of Arts and Sciences celebrated the class of 2025 during this year's commencement ceremony at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts. Tasneem Siddique, BS biological sciences ’25, addressed her fellow graduates as this year’s student speaker. The college welcomed alum Colleen Wolfe, BA communication ’08, to deliver the keynote address.
Eric Zillmer, PsyD, the Carl R. Pacifico Professor of Neuropsychology and director of The Happiness Lab at Drexel University, asked students in his Psychology 101 “General Psychology” class to think of a happy place in Philadelphia. The resulting exhibit was hosted by Drexel University Libraries, Collections & Archives, the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and the Atwater Kent Collection at Drexel.
Recent College of Arts and Sciences graduates Asad Baig and Alexandra Goodin were awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants for 2025-26. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for one year of graduate study, research, creative projects or teaching English worldwide.
Since 1980, Drexel University's English Language Center has provided expertise and service to prepare new international teaching assistants (ITA) for life, academics and work at Drexel. Over the past 45 years, the ELC has trained more than 1,000 doctoral students from over 20 countries.
The inaugural Davis Lecture introduced students to a new course being offered in the college, Journeys in Arts and Sciences, which will begin Winter 2026. The College of Arts and Sciences welcomed psychologist, podcaster and author Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, to deliver the keynote lecture.