7 Reasons to Cheer for Drexel's New Fundraising Campaign

Drexel University is racing into the future, a future filled with functional fabrics and batteries that open up new possibilities, where people live healthier lives and get the treatment they need, one in which cities rise to meet the unique challenges of life in the 21st century. It’s a future that will be built by the students right here on campus and others like them.

With that in mind, Drexel has just announced a new campaign to raise $750 million over the next four years to help make it all possible by continuing to support the groundbreaking, difference-making work Dragons do every day. At a launch event over the weekend, Drexel President John Fry emphasized the campaign's importance.

“In the decades to come, quality of life for people around the globe will be determined by choices we make right now about issues like the cleanliness of the air we breathe; the accessibility of health care; our options for transportation; how we safeguard sensitive data; and how we spur inclusive development of the economy,”
Fry said. “Drexel’s academic strengths, our industry and civic partnerships, and our graduates, who supply talent regionally and globally, uniquely position us to define the course of these and other critical areas. This campaign’s success will be essential to our ability to fulfill our potential.”

But how does it all affect you as a Drexel student?

Supplying Scholarships

Because paying for college is a challenge for many families, Drexel offers scholarships for students from all kinds of backgrounds, whether they’re tied to financial need, academic achievement or participation in certain activities. Drexel wants to make those scholarships available to as many students as possible, opening the doors to education for thousands of students each year.

Get Your Co-op Funded

The co-op experience is an integral part of Drexel’s fabric, but not every employer can afford to pay their co-ops, especially for students interested in the arts or working at nonprofit organizations. The University is always searching for ways to fill any gaps left by employers so students don’t have to sacrifice an income while they build platforms to their future careers, and the $750 million target will go a long way toward that aim.

Go International

Donor support helps Drexel sustain the international programs that are such a big part of life as a Dragon — whether that means global classrooms, study abroad, international co-ops or intensive courses in places like Norway or Cuba. Providing students with more opportunities abroad is one of the campaign’s biggest priorities.

Research, Research, Research

Drexel prides itself on being one of the foremost urban research institutions in the country, constantly churning out new ideas from the bright minds that fill its classrooms and lecture halls. Through programs like STAR Scholars, Dragons are able to get into the research game right from the jump. This campaign will create more opportunities for students to explore their ideas and set themselves up for life after college.

Veterans Welcome

Drexel is committed to making the University a welcoming home to military veterans — there are more than 900 student-veterans and military dependents on campus. Increased funding will mean that they can continue to access high-quality campus services and events.

The Finest Faculty

So much of what makes Drexel students stand out is the relationship they have with the school’s faculty, a group of people who are among the brightest minds in their fields. Named professorships are a campaign priority because they allow Drexel to attract and retain the world’s foremost experts, like Yury Gogotsi, PhD, the materials science researcher who may be the reason you can charge your phone in seconds someday. In May, Gogotsi was installed as the Charles T. and Ruth M. Bach Professor thanks to a gift of $2.2 million that will fund his current and future research.

Startup Central

Not every college can offer the type of opportunities for entrepreneurship that Drexel provides to students. Whether it’s starting a business that can fix your fear of public speaking or breaking into the world of virtual reality, Dragons are encouraged to think big and make their vision a reality. Donor support helps foster more spaces and opportunities for student entrepreneurs to launch and grow their own businesses, like the Baiada Institute, an incubator and resource for students ready to break out.