Graduating Senior Blends Engineering, Storytelling and Social Purpose

Andrew Galitzer has always gone above and beyond. A graduating engineering technology major with a concentration in electrical engineering and a minor in product design, he’s also a published author and illustrator, tackling both engineering and societal problems.

Though Andrew was admitted to Ivy League and top design schools, he chose Drexel for its interdisciplinary options and co-op opportunities. “I was drawn to the strong connection between the College of Engineering and the design school, as well as Drexel’s emphasis on real-world experience through its co-op program,” he said. “Looking back, I’m incredibly happy with my decision – Drexel has provided me with amazing opportunities, hands-on learning, and a strong foundation for my career.”

One of the experiences that most shaped his Drexel journey was the course Speaker Making with Mike Glaser. “It perfectly combined my passions for engineering and product design,” Andrew said. While the class taught students how to build a speaker cabinet, Andrew took it further, creating an honors project to design and build an amplifier to complement it. With the help of Professor Eric Carr, he developed a custom amplifier design, drawing on his knowledge of circuits, product design, signals, and power systems. “This hands-on experience reinforced my prototyping skills and deepened my understanding of interdisciplinary design principles.”

Drexel Engineering’s senior design projects build on the skills students accumulate across coursework and co-ops. Andrew’s project is a partnership with Innovation Africa, a nonprofit NGO creating solar-powered wells in African villages. These villages often depend on external donations for maintenance costs, and Andrew and his team wanted to create a more sustainable model. Their project, Sustain-A-Well, is an electronic water access system that allows communities to self-fund their water supply. Water flow is regulated by micro-payments – after a small payment, an electronically measured amount of water is released and tracked by digital flow meters to ensure accuracy.

Andrew brought real-world experience into this project. He worked at Southco as a design engineer and industrial designer for over a year, then completed his final co-op at Leonardo, an aviation defense company. “Despite the differences between industries – latches and aircraft – I discovered the critical importance of integrating design and engineering,” Andrew said. “This experience reinforced that the best solutions come from collaboration between disciplines, a lesson I will carry with me throughout my career.”

In between co-ops and classes, Andrew also pursued his passion for storytelling and visual art. Under the name AND-i-DREW, he is a published author and illustrator who began his Torah Comics series in sixth grade and fulfilled his dream of publishing the book in his first year at Drexel . Through AND-i-DREW, he teaches cartooning workshops both in person and online.

Andrew has also been deeply involved in Drexel’s Jewish community, participating actively in Drexel Meor, Drexel Chabad, and the Orthodox community at Penn. He serves as a Mashgiach (kosher supervisor) at Penn Hillel. His experiences, including visits to Auschwitz in Poland and to Israel with Drexel Meor, strengthened his commitment to Jewish education and advocacy. Inspired by these experiences, he expanded his Torah Comics brand into a larger mission to combat antisemitism through education and storytelling.

After graduation, he plans to continue integrating his faith with his engineering degree. “I am committed to ensuring that ‘never again’ is not just a phrase, but a reality,” he said. “Whether through teaching, designing, or building, I will use my talents to create a future where my people, the Jewish people, can live safely and freely at home. My goal is to apply my skills towards safeguarding communities and advancing a vision of resilience and security.”

As for advice to incoming students? “Realize that everything you do is shaping your future. If you don’t give it your all, you’re only holding yourself back,” Andrew said. “College is an incredible environment where you have the freedom to learn, grow, experiment, and have fun. There’s nothing quite like it, and the time flies by – so make the most of every opportunity!”