Meet Drexel’s 2022 Commencement Speakers and Honorary Degree Recipients

The Drexel University 2022 commencement speaker has already been revealed: Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. 

Now, Drexel is announcing the 14 keynote speakers chosen to address graduates at individual college and school ceremonies in May and June, as well as the two honorary degree recipients who will be honored at the University-wide commencement ceremony on June 9. 

Notably, 11 of those 16 distinguished leaders being recognized at those ceremonies have ties to the University, either as alumni with Drexel degrees, faculty, trustees or other key roles as participating members of the University community. Whether returning to their alma mater or former place of employment, or visiting the University for the first or an additional time, those speakers will share words of encouragement and advice to the Drexel undergraduate and graduate students who have completed their last years at the University under unique and challenging circumstances. 

Here are the speakers and honorary degree recipients for this year’s commencement ceremonies:

Commencement speakers:

College of Medicine: May 13 at 9 a.m. at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

• Keynote speaker: Sarah S. Long, MD, renowned authority on pediatric infectious diseases who took her first job in 1975 as chief of infectious diseases at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, where she has spent her career (while teaching in the College of Medicine).

Thomas R. Kline School of Law: May 23 at 10 a.m. at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

• Keynote speaker: Dana Remus, assistant to the president of the United States and White House Counsel who was formerly an inaugural faculty member of the Kline School of Law.

College of Engineering: June 8 at 8:30 a.m. at the Mann Center.

• Keynote speaker: Moogega Cooper, MS ’08, PhD ’09, planetary protector responsible for key NASA missions.

Pennoni Honors College ceremony for Custom-Designed Majors: June 8 at 9 a.m. at the Mandell Theater in the Creese Student Center.

• Keynote speaker: Collin Cavote, BS ’15, entrepreneur advancing a sustainability mission.

Bennett S. LeBow College of Business and School of Economics: June 8 at 1 p.m. at the Mann Center.

• Keynote speaker: Raj L. Gupta, MBA ’71, accomplished chairman and CEO who elevated corporate leadership.

Dana and David Dornsife School of Public Health: June 8 at 1 p.m. at the Drexel University Recreation Center Gym.

• Keynote speaker: Saleem Chapman, Philadelphia’s inaugural chief resilience officer, who is advancing equity amidst climate change.

Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship: June 8 at 1 p.m. at the Mandell Theater in the Creese Student Center.

• Keynote speaker: Paul Melchiorre, MBA ’93, global strategist in a fast-changing business world.

College of Arts and Sciences: June 8 at 5 p.m. at the Mann Center.

• Keynote speaker: Jayatri Das, PhD, a dynamic educator who teaches the public about biological sciences.

Goodwin College of Professional Studies: June 8 at 5 p.m. at the Mandell Theater in the Creese Student Center.

• Keynote speaker: Craig Loundas, PhD, seasoned professional development leader and educator.

College of Nursing and Health Professions: June 9 at 8:30 a.m. at the Mann Center.

• Keynote speaker: Melanie Cataldi, BS ’98, who is fighting food insecurity to enhance public health.

College of Computing & Informatics: June 9 at 9 a.m. at the Academy of Music.

• Keynote speaker: Kisha Hortman Hawthorne, PhD ’18, who provides executive leadership in a changing health care environment.

School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems: June 9 at 9 a.m. at the Recreation Center Gym

• Keynote speaker: Raphael C. Lee, MSBmE ’75, MD, ScD, a surgeon and research scientist pioneering treatment for burns and other traumatic injuries.

Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design: June 9 at 12:30 p.m. at the Mann Center

• Keynote speaker: Richelle Parham, BS ’91, savvy global marketing strategist.

School of Education: June 9 at 1 p.m. at the Academy of Music.

• Keynote speaker: Sharif El-Mekki, who is advancing teacher diversity and educational excellence.

Honorary degree recipients:

• Freeman Hrabowski, III, PhD, president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
• Lynn Yeakel (posthumously), champion for women’s leadership and gender equity.