May

Last term, Drexel University’s colleges, schools and departments received funding, created partnerships and otherwise contributed to the success of Drexel’s academic enterprise.

This guide will help future #ForeverDragons plan for the big day.

As more people turn to artificial intelligence chatbots for emotional and mental health support, a new study from Drexel University suggests that most users see these tools as supplements to — not substitutes for — human therapy. Drawing on millions of Reddit posts, the study highlights both the growing appeal of AI support tools for emotional reassurance, coping and practical guidance, as well as the concerns users express about emotional dependence, misinformation and overreliance on the technology.

Faculty and professional staff have several professional development, mental health and vacation benefits and opportunities coming up.

Public Safety & U — May/June 2026

Academic coaches from Drexel University’s Center for Learning and Academic Success Services shared why your unhinged study hacks might work, and how you can make them healthier, too.

At the annual event held at the University last month, Drexel students connected with the generous donors behind the scholarships that support their journeys at the University.

Joseph P. Shovlin, OD ’80, the senior optometrist at Northeastern Eye Institute in Scranton, Pennsylvania and an adjunct faculty member at his alma mater, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Drexel University, will deliver the keynote address to the PCO class of 2026.

The Honorable Arianna J. Freeman, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, will address the 2026 graduates of Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law in a ceremony held at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, May 29.

In a paper recently published in Nature Physics, researchers from Drexel University took a closer look at the most successful models for teaching physics. Their findings suggest that group work and lessons based around problem solving could be key to helping students engage with the material.

In an effort to tailor medical education for learners seeking a more efficient pathway to a medical doctor (MD) degree, Drexel University’s College of Medicine is planning a three-year degree program that aims to enroll its first cohort in the 2028-2029 academic year. The college will maintain its traditional four-year MD program.

Drexel faculty members received funding for sponsored research as well as external recognition and honors last term.

"Dorm Objects 101" shows what Drexel students have sat on, looked at and otherwise used in student housing, both in the current day and more than 50 years ago.

Students in Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design and the University’s student-operated record label MAD Dragon Records revived a new album out of Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios nearly four decades after the iconic recording venue’s closure.

Drexel’s Entrepreneurial Game Studio reactivates the world’s largest architectural video game display with Tetris, new games designed by middle school students.

Katalin Karikó, PhD, co-inventor on mRNA-related applications of non-immunogenic, nucleoside-modified RNA for vaccines and therapies, including the FDA-approved COVID-19 mRNA vaccines by BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna, will address the Drexel University College of Medicine class of 2026 during its commencement on May 14.

In the last two decades coastal urban areas have taken steps to better minimize flooding and runoff by creating more permeable surfaces and encouraging residents to participate in water retention and use-reduction programs. These efforts, ranging from adding rain barrels and cisterns, to installing water-efficient fixtures, are making a difference, according to new research from Drexel University. And they may play an even more important role as sea level rise and the extreme weather effects of climate change increase the threat of flooding in these communities.

Jacquelyn Malcolm Bailey, EdD (BS '97), will join Drexel University as Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective June 1, 2026.

Students have earned fellowships, scholarships, awards and more over the past quarter.

URBN Professor of Biomedical Engineering and alumna Kara L. Spiller, BS/MS ‘07 and PhD ‘10, has dedicated her career to furthering knowledge of immune engineering and other advanced therapies.