The exhibition runs August 14 through December 19, 2025. Building Men: Philadelphia College Students as World War I Military Engineers is an exhibition featuring artifacts from various collections, including the Atwater Kent Collection at Drexel, the Drexel University Archives and the archives of the 103rd Engineer Battalion Armory. Along with an array of related artifacts, the exhibition features photographs and sketches from local members of the American Expeditionary Force on the ground in France during World War I. Aiming to draw connections between current college students and those of similar age in Philadelphia during World War I, this exhibition draws from the military career of a young corporal, Edward Shenton, and the changes that higher education institutions - such as Drexel - made to encourage young people's involvement in the war. 

 

This exhibition was curated by Emma Johnson, History '25.

 

The exhibition is free and open to the public. Click here for more information.

 

Image caption: Soldiers in the Mud, Cpl. Edward Shenton, c. 1918