10 Memorable Quotes from Drexel University’s 2026 Commencement

Moogega "Moo" Cooper, MS '08, PhD '09, addressed the crowd at Drexel's University-wide Commencement June 11 as the keynote speaker. All photos in this story credited to Kelly & Massa Photography.

Before the Class of 2026 heads out into the world beyond Drexel University, Drexel leaders, alumni and graduates reminded them that they're ready for this next step. At the June 11 University-wide ceremony at Citizen's Bank Park, several speakers praised the hard work of Drexel alumni, and encouraged them to shoot for the stars.

1. Drexel University President Antonio Merlo, PhD:

“Literally, ‘olio di gomito’ translates to ‘oil of the elbow.’ Or as we say here in America, good old fashioned elbow grease. When I was a child growing up, my parents would say to me, just as all Italian parents say to their children – ‘Mettici un po’ di olio di gomito!’ – put some elbow grease into it! Do the hard work. And that, dear Class of 2026, is exactly what you have done.”

2. Rohit Varma Nadimpalli, former president of the Graduate Student Association, who graduated with a master’s degree from the College of Computing and Informatics:

“Once a Dragon, always a Dragon.”

3. Moogega “Moo” Cooper, MS ’08, PhD ’09, Planetary Protection Lead for the Mars rover Perseverance and group supervisor at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who was the keynote speaker at the University-wide ceremony:

“Norman Vincent Peale once famously said, ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.’ And he is technically correct. But to be honest, this saying always bothered me because the moon is roughly 239,000 miles away and the nearest star, Proxima Centauri, is about 25 trillion miles away. So, the moon is far closer! So instead, I would like to implore you to aim for the stars and who knows, someone here may be the next person to miss and land on the actual moon.”

Drexel University Antonio Merlo, PhD, addressed the crowd at the University-wide ceremony.

4. Joelyne Jacob, computer science and mathematics ’26 and former president of the Undergraduate Student Government Association:

“Philly has always reminded us that a voice is not just something we hold, but something we use. As this city marks 250 years of the nation’s history, we are reminded that change has always depended on people willing to speak, question, imagine and push for something better.”

5. Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success Subir Sahu, PhD, who served as the Grand Marshall at the University-wide Commencement: 

“This ceremony is a tribute to your dedication, and I hope you embrace each moment with joy and pride. As you listen to today’s distinguished speakers, I encourage you to reflect on the journey that led you here — the challenges you faced, the growth you experienced and the memories you created. And when the time comes to turn your tassel, know that you are not just concluding a chapter — you are stepping forward as a proud alum, having fully earned that distinction. It is something that you will carry … forever as a Drexel Dragon.” 

6. President Antonio Merlo:

“I need not tell you what a special place Drexel University is. We educate not for pedigrees, but for purpose. At Drexel we say, ‘An education should not only be good, but good for something.’ Those are the words of our founder, A.J. Drexel. You’ve heard them before, but they especially resonate.

Rohit Varma Nadimpalli at the podium.

7. Moo Cooper:

“What I didn’t realize until recently is that when you launch from Drexel, you’re on a trajectory. And if there’s anything that we know about space exploration, it’s that trajectories are constantly adjusted. You don’t launch a mission and just hope for the best. We course-correct, we adapt, we respond to new data and sometimes … things go off script. The unknown unknowns. So, if your life doesn’t go exactly to plan, then congratulations … you are operating exactly as designed.

8. Rohit Varma Nadimpalli:

“A sword is not born strong. It starts as an ordinary metal. You throw it into the fire hot enough to destroy it. You hammer it again and again: every strike reshaping it, every scar making it sharper. And just when it’s time, it can’t take it anymore, you plunge it into the cold water. And there, finally, it learns balance. That was us! The fire was the deadlines and the sleepless nights. The hammer was every rejection email, every night we doubted we belong here. And the cold water was each other.”

Joelyne Jacob on stage at Commencement.

9. Joelyne Jacob: 

“Truthfully, I never imagined I would be standing here today. The closest I got to leadership in high school was being president of the astronomy club, where watching ‘Star Wars’ was the main curriculum. But somewhere along the way at Drexel, leadership started to feel less like something I achieved and more like something I owed to the communities that had shown up for me. I found community in a few different ways at Drexel — in student organizations, classrooms and even in study groups where nobody had studied, but we all came together last minute to make sure we were prepared enough.” 

10. President Antonio Merlo: 

“Fundamentally, a Drexel education delivered something more. We are dedicated to preparing students not just for your first job, but for your culminating last job as well. What has defined us from the beginning and makes us so very different than most other universities is that first and foremost, we are committed to an education accessible and available to anyone willing to work hard for it. And that’s where you come in. That’s what your family and friends and all of us are here to celebrate today. ‘Olio di gomito.’ You’ve done the hard work. This is a day of celebration you have truly earned.”