What to Expect at the Inauguration of Drexel University’s 16th President
The inauguration and official investiture of Drexel University’s 16th President is fast approaching. To celebrate the official installment of Antonio Merlo, PhD, as president, the University will have a week of inauguration events, from speakers around the University City Campus to a day of civic engagement to the actual investiture ceremony itself on April 16.
The celebrations begin April 14 with Drexel Giving Day, a 24-hour giving campaign during which supporters donate to various initiatives around Drexel. There will also be a slate of events exhibiting student work from around campus. It’s a special day to showcase and celebrate a variety of Drexel interests and offerings.
During Merlo’s investiture ceremony, which begins at 10 a.m. on April 16, classes will be suspended for three hours to encourage student and faculty attendance in commemoration of this historic University moment. Professional staff are also encouraged to attend and should speak with their supervisors about managing their schedules.
Merlo became Drexel’s 16th president on July 1, 2025, having most recently served as the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science at New York University. He’s originally from Italy and is a first-generation college graduate with a degree from Bocconi University and a doctoral degree from New York University, along with an honorary Master of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
He has spent the majority of his career in academia, studying, researching and teaching economics and social sciences, publishing numerous articles in leading economics journals and a political economy textbook for undergraduates, “Political Economy and Policy Analysis.” Merlo is also a former water polo coach and received the Coach of the Year Award for the Collegiate Water Polo Association in 2013.
At Drexel, Merlo has spent time getting to know the students, faculty and professional staff through his monthly “office hour” gatherings, and attending events including during Welcome Week, Homecoming and more.
Since July 1, Merlo has been building his vision for Drexel, reaffirming the University’s dedication to experiential education and prioritizing the student experience while also seeing through the finish line Drexel’s Academic Transformation, leading to more flexibility, more interdisciplinarity and a renewed focus on what makes the University distinct.
Fireside Chat with Andrew Hamilton, PhD, and Antonio Merlo, PhD
From 5–6:30 p.m. on April 15 at the Mandell Theater, the Drexel community is invited to hear Hamilton and Merlo speak about important topics in higher education today.
Hamilton is a chemist and the immediate past president of New York University. The pair’s chat will be moderated by Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence and Academic Culture Leslie Ashburn-Nardo, PhD.
Merlo greeted students at a Welcome Week event in September 2025, speaking in the Daskalakis Athletic Center. The Investiture Ceremony will also take place at the DAC.
Investiture Ceremony
The main event of the week will happen at 10 a.m. on April 16 at the Daskalakis Athletic Center, when Drexel’s 16th President, Antonio Merlo, PhD, will be officially installed in a formal ceremony. Students, faculty, professional staff, trustees, alumni and friends are invited to attend. Expect to see academic regalia, a procession of marshals, faculty, trustees and other distinguished guests, and ceremonial objects such as the and the University’s mace.
At the Elkins Park Campus, there will be a livestream of the ceremony with a coffee reception from 9 to 11 a.m. at the University Café. For those who wish to attend in person, shuttles will run from the Elkins Park Campus to the University City Campus and back.
An investiture is a formal ceremony held to celebrate the installation of a leader — in this case, a University president. Drexel has held investiture ceremonies for decades and while elements differ from time to time, there is nearly always an honored speaker. During Merlo’s investiture, Daniel Diermeier, PhD, an internationally renowned political scientist and management scholar and the chancellor of Vanderbilt University, will be featured.
After the ceremony at the DAC, there will be a reception for the entire Drexel community outside on Lancaster Walk featuring food and music.
DU Civic Engagement Day
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 17 at the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships, the Drexel community is encouraged to join and help for food insecurity and STEM education, assist with cleanup at the community garden and more. There will be food and music at this event, as well as tours of the Dornsife Center. The community is encouraged to wear their Drexel gear to show off Dragon pride.