Top Drexel Stories of 2024
This year, Drexel Dragons read about everything from a milestone 40th anniversary to breaking news. They wanted to learn more tips and updates about their campuses, and they also read about Drexel-backed research that could affect their everyday lives.
Suffice to say: there was a lot to be read, and they read a lot.
Below are the top 10 most-read stories about Drexel University, as produced by the Strategic Communications team in University Marketing & Communications.
10. Drexel University Names 2024 Commencement Speakers and Honorary Degree Recipients
Every year, Drexel holds a University-wide Commencement featuring one main speaker and individual ceremonies for colleges and schools with their own speakers. This story rounding out the top 10 provided details for both.
9. Drexel Names Trustee and Area Business Leader Denis P. O'Brien Interim President
The alumnus and former executive of the Exelon Corporation had served on Drexel’s board for 20 years before he was announced as the University’s interim president in July.
8. Campus Construction & Renewal Update — September 2024
Vice President of Real Estate and Facilities Alan Greenberger has been writing these quarterly must-reads for over a year. This one was published around the start of the new academic year — a perfect time to make sure new and returning Dragons knew what to expect on campus.
7. A Closer Look at Cannabis Use and Binge Eating
Nearly a quarter of binge eating study participants had used cannabis in the past three months, according to research from the Center for Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Science (WELL Center). The lead author was Megan Wilkinson, a doctoral student in the College of Arts and Sciences.
6. Drexel’s Self-Heating Concrete Is One Step Closer to Clearing Sidewalks Without Shoveling or Salting
Another story about Drexel research with real-world implications! College of Engineering experts have been developing and studying a cold-weather-resilient concrete mix over the last five years — including a patch installed on the University City Campus.
5. Get Your Mid-Quarter Life in Order With These Tips
It’s probably safe to say that students were behind the high ranking of this story, which was written in response to the viral GYLIO trend (GYLIO is short for “get your life in order”).
4. Your Brain in the Zone: A New Neuroimaging Study Reveals How the Brain Achieves a Creative Flow State
How does the brain get “in the zone” when you’re creating something? The answer was discovered in this research led by John Kounios, PhD, professor in the College of Arts and Sciences and Creativity Research Lab director, and David Rosen, PhD, a recent graduate from the college.
3. 40 Years Ago, Drexel Made Computer — and Apple — History
A retrospective look at how the University became the first one in the country to require students to have a personal computer. The decision made national news in the early 1980s and then again when Drexel fulfilled the promise, partnering with the then-fledgling Apple company to offer discounted, early bird access to the revolutionary Apple Macintosh computer (complete with special Drexel branding!).
Also: The University posted the story on LinkedIn and received over 900 likes and 230 comments, mostly from Dragons reminiscing about that period of their lives. Some even shared photos of their ‘80s Macintosh computers they kept for decades!
2. Drexel Welcomes University of the Arts Students with UArts-Drexel Pathway Program
Both this article and its focus were made in response to the abrupt closure of the University of the Arts back in June. Drexel quickly assembled ways to support students thinking about transferring to the University, resulting in a UArts-specific admissions portal.
1. Does Self-Checkout Impact Grocery Store Loyalty?
Shopping for groceries is one of the most everyday of everyday activities, so it makes sense that the findings from this Drexel research appealed both to Dragons as well as a larger external audience (it was covered in outlets like CNN and CBS News). Pay attention next time you’re lining up to pay for your purchases, because you might be more likely to remain loyal to the grocery store when using regular checkout service. The study was conducted by Yanliu Huang, PhD, a professor in the Bennett S. LeBow College of Business, and former Drexel graduate student Farhana Nusrat, PhD (now an assistant professor at the University of San Diego).