Celebration Video Table of Contents
- 0:00 Class of 2020 Celebration Video
- 2:30 A Moment of Silence
- 3:36 Welcome and Remarks from the President
- 9:59 Greetings from the Board of Trustees
- 11:56 Remarks from the Interim Nina Henderson Provost
- 14:37 Greetings from the Undergraduate Student Association
- 16:58 Greetings from the Graduate Student Association
- 17:51 The Drexel University 2020 Keynote Address
- 28:50 The Conferral of Degrees
- 30:47 A Congratulations to the Class of 2020
A University-Wide Celebration: A Historic Graduating Class
Your journey to graduation began long before you stepped foot onto Drexel University’s campus. It started with your desire to do something and be someone you have always dreamed of. You are probably feeling sentimental about the many experiences you have gone through to get to this moment. You have made memories, built long-lasting friendships, and gone after goals and met them. As a culmination of your entire academic career thus far, you should be proud and excited to reach this point.
While we can’t celebrate in person this month, we are committed to honoring the accomplishments of our historic Class of 2020. Now, celebrate all of this and more as you explore this page, which exists as a tribute to you and your amazing accomplishments. Watch videos featuring Forever Dragons making a difference, scroll through our Class of 2020 social media feed, and toast to your future with us. And as President Fry confers your degree, it is time for you to turn your tassel to the left and celebrate.
You Are Now A Forever Dragon
More than 125 years ago, Drexel's founder, Anthony J. Drexel, had a vision to create an institution where every person would be able to receive a quality education that was not only good, but good for something. And you are now joining the ranks of alumni who benefit from that vision. We know you have worked hard, overcome challenges, and pushed beyond the limits of what’s expected to reach this memorable milestone. Our Alumni Board of Governors and more than 155,000 Drexel alumni worldwide welcome you into the alumni community as a Forever Dragon.
As you take this step in your Drexel journey, we know that you will continue to make an impact on the world, and we can't wait to see what you will do. But you're not alone. Wherever you go in life, personally or professionally, Drexel will always be a home for you and our expansive alumni network will help you stay engaged with us.
To learn more about alumni programs, benefits, and services, visit Drexel's Alumni website.
Welcome, Drexel Alumni!
Amish Desai '03, chair of the Alumni Board of Governors, welcomes our Class of 2020 graduates into the alumni community and shares words of encouragement to this historic class.
Check out these videos and see what past alumni have done after graduating from Drexel! What will your legacy be?
Achille Vallorani – Forever a Drexel Dragon
Drexel Alumnus Achille Vallorani ’46 illustrates how his experiential education prepared him for success, spanning from his original co-op to his service in World War II, his career, and much more. He is a Forever Dragon, just like you.
Chris McKendry – Little Cracks
Chris McKendry ’90 graduated from Drexel with a desire to challenge expectations in sports journalism and began her career as a full-time female sports anchor for ESPN. No matter where you go after Drexel, you are encouraged to continue to push beyond expectations like McKendry did.
Jim Bean – A Crazy One
After graduating from Drexel, Jim Bean ’91 took his background in business and entrepreneurship to Apple and later found his passion for civic engagement. Whether you plan to make a lasting impact on your local community or work for a Fortune 500 company, we know you will also do amazing things as Drexel alumni.
Jeffrey Stockbridge – Every Picture Tells a Story
Jeffrey Stockbridge ’05 studied photography during his time at Drexel and found it to be as much social commentary as it is art. At Drexel, our stories don’t define us but inspire change for social good around the world. Every Dragon has a powerful story to tell. How do you tell yours?
A City-Wide Tribute to Forever Dragons
Drexel calls the city of Philadelphia home not just because of our physical location, but because we are all part of this city. That is why it only made sense to share the opportunity to honor you with our city by turning the town’s lights blue and gold. On June 11th, 2020, we lit up Drexel’s Main Building and the iconic Mario statue, as Philly’s Boathouse Row and other beloved landmarks highlighted their pride in, and unwavering support for, the Class of 2020. See how Drexel University honored the resilient Class of 2020 by turning the lights in Philadelphia blue and gold to celebrate our #ForeverDragons.
Images last updated: June 12, 2020 at 10:40 a.m.
Class of 2020: A Message from President Fry
Congratulations, Forever Dragons! You are members of a truly historic class, and it is time for you to turn your tassel to the left. Enjoy this special message from Drexel University's President John Fry offering words of encouragement to the 2020 graduating class.
Traditions Are Forever
You have hopefully received, or will be receiving shortly, a special congratulatory package from Drexel in the mail. Online students around the world will also be mailed a special kit designed for them. No matter which package you received, we hope you will use these items to engage in commencement traditions of the past and toast to your future as a 2020 graduate. Your next adventure awaits.
#ForeverDragons on Social Media
Scroll through our social media feed to view Class of 2020 tributes from graduates, parents, siblings, friends, and Drexel community members as they share their memories on social media using #ForeverDragons.
Video Congratulations from Dan Baker
The voice of baseball in Philly, and on behalf of the Philadelphia Phillies, proud Drexel Dragon parent Dan Baker congratulates our Class of 2020 graduates. We invite you to join Dan Baker and the rest of the 2020 graduating class as we will specially honor you at next year’s 2021 University-wide Commencement at Citizen’s Bank Park.
20 Thoughts from the Drexel University Class of 2020
The Drexel University Class of 2020 is an historic one, which means they’re bound to have some meaningful thoughts, perspectives, and advice. DrexelNow asked 20 members of the Class of 2020 about how they’re feeling about graduating in this historic moment and what their advice is for their fellow Dragons. Read the article now.
Drexel's Class of 2020: A Song for You
Drexel's LeBow College of Business Interim Dean Vibhas Madan shares his encouraging words to our Forever Dragons with his guitar and a special song written to inspire all Dragons wherever they go.
Philly, Drexel, and You
In 1891, Drexel University opened in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the nation. Home to national symbols such as the Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, and Independence Hall — Philadelphia is brimming with artifacts from many of the nation's most significant milestones. You are now a piece of Philly’s history as you graduate from Drexel and venture out into the world as a Forever Dragon.
A City of Brotherly Love: Philadelphia
The City of Brotherly Love and home of Drexel University, Philadelphia is known for its cultural diversity, rich history, and passionate residents. At the heart of Philly is the idea that there is always room for change, innovation, and expanding the boundaries of what we can achieve. As you graduate from Drexel, we know you, too, are ready to live out those ideas.
Building Drexel: Celebrating 125 Years
This short video documentary celebrating the 125th anniversary of Drexel University highlights some of the major events, people, and eras of Drexel history (celebrated in 2016). The video is narrated by Scott Gabriel Knowles, co-editor of the book "Building Drexel: The University and its City, 1891-2016." You are now part of this historical legacy as alumni.
Celebrate on Social
Get Started
We are excited to see what you will do with your passion, commitment, and ambition. And we want you to tell the world how proud you are to be a #ForeverDragons on social media. We encourage you to check out our Class of 2020 downloads and Celebrate on Social!
Get Creative With Your Virtual Cap!
In light of the 2020 celebration going virtual, we’ve created a graduation cap Instagram template [JPG] for you to (virtually) decorate and share on social media! Save the template, decorate your cap with GIFs, stickers, text, and whatever else you want to add, then post your decorated cap to your Instagram story. Make sure to tag @drexeluniv and use #ForeverDragons so we can see and repost your creations!
Share your Dragon Pride on Animal Crossing™
Now, you can start wearing a Drexel cap and gown (and more!) to celebrate your pride in Animal Crossing! Simply download your official Drexel swag in Animal Crossing from the download codes below, and you'll be on your way. A paid subscription to Nintendo® Switch™ Online is required to access this feature.
For detailed instructions, visit Nintendo's website.
Simply search for these Design IDs on the Custom Design Portal in the Able Sisters Shop to download.
Item Number: MO-1281-XDNJ-6WD8
Item Number: MO-MVXF-X03K-YHB6
Item Number: MO-31HF-K985-TC3F
Scan these QR codes with NookLink in the Nintendo Switch Online app on your mobile device to get each outfit.
Drexel Fight Song
The original Drexel Fight Song was written by Gay V. Piercy (Class of 1939) and Todd Groo (Class of 1941) and appeared for the first time in the October 1938 edition of the Drexel Athletic News. We encourage you to listen to this track whenever you’re feeling a little nostalgic about your time at Drexel!
Download MP3 [ZIP] | Fight Song Lyrics [PDF]
Source: Drexel Libraries eRepositry and Archives.
Pomp and Circumstance Performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra
First heard at American graduations in the early 1900s, it’s a tradition to play this song as graduates walk across the stage. While we all wish we could see this together, we hope you can recreate this tradition in some small way.
Download MP3 [ZIP]