September 18, 2025

By Emily Gallagher

During Drexel University’s 2025 Welcome Week, the Dornsife School of Public Health hosted its annual Welcome and Pinning Ceremony to formally greet new students, faculty members, and several professional staff. This year, a special welcome was extended to faculty and staff from the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, which is integrating into Dornsife.

Dornsife's founding Dean, Dr. Jonathan Mann, a humanitarian, advocate and visionary who highlighted the intersection of health and human rights, first initiated this tradition in 1996. 

Held in Nesbitt Hall's Stein Auditorium and livestreamed online, the event opened with remarks from Melissa Kaufman, EdD, associate dean for education, and Gina Lovasi, PhD, MPH, Dana and David Dornsife dean and professor of epidemiology, who highlighted the School’s commitment to health as a human right and the collective responsibility to advance that mission.

The keynote speaker was Marian W. Wentworth, president and chief executive officer of Management Sciences for Health, who serves on Dornsife's Dean’s Impact, Advancement, and Learning Council.

Wentworth is a global health leader with decades of experience blending strategic vision and operational discipline to deliver organizational results. She connected with attendees by sharing her story, her motivation to do the work she does, and highlights from her career. She drew on current global events to illustrate why supply chains are critical to public health—ensuring access to essential medicines, vaccines, aid, and services for the people who need them.

New students, faculty, and staff then received Health and Human Rights pins from departmental representatives and joined in reciting the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights pledge, affirming dignity, freedom, and justice for all:

“Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge.”

And from the Charter of the World Health Organization:

“The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”

A lively reception in the Nesbitt Hall lobby concluded the celebration with photos, conversation, and light refreshments.

View photo album

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