Mission and History
New students, faculty, and staff at Drexel Dornsife are presented with the school's pin, which reads, "Public Health, Human Rights."
Our Mission to Improve the Health of Communities
Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health improves the health of communities and populations through:
The School prepares professionals to develop, implement and evaluate strategies to address the wide range of public health programs faced by the world today, from infectious disease to nutrition, violence, and healthcare inequality. Our students experience all of the benefits of studying public health in Philadelphia.
Our belief is that professionals can best meet the needs of today and tomorrow with a blend of scientific rigor, real-world know-how, and practical application of all disciplines of public health.
Our Commitment to Health As A Human Right
Dr. Jonathan Mann served as the school’s founding dean. Arguably one of the greatest health and human rights experts in American history, Dr. Mann also founded the World Health Organization HIV/AIDS Program.
Dr. Mann is world renowned for linking public health and human rights, and his philosophy remains as one of our core values. We are committed to creating rigorous interdisciplinary academic, research and community programs that emphasize the unique role of human rights in public health science and practice.
Consistent with our history and values, Dornsife created the Jonathan Mann Global Health and Human Rights Initiative, guided by our Office of Global Health.
Learn more about Dr. Jonathan Mann
Celebrating Over 25 Years of History and Impact
The Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University recently celebrated 25 years of providing education, conducting research, and partnering with communities and organizations to improve the health of populations, with a significant focus on urban health.
The School’s history is marked by forward thinking, tremendous growth, and substantive community impact.
Today the school is reaching new milestones in student enrollment, faculty recruitment, research grants, and community and policy engagement.
Within the past decade Dornsife has tripled its research expenditures while continuing to reaffirm a commitment to health and human rights, to eliminating health disparities, and to translating evidence into policy and practice.
Read a reflection on 25 years by Dean Diez Roux, meet 25 outstanding DSPH alumni to celebrate 25 years, and learn more about the school's 25-year timeline: