Lucy Kerman, PhD

Lucy Kerman is senior vice provost for University and Community Partnerships at Drexel University, where she is responsible for providing strategic direction for Drexel’s neighborhood initiatives and directs the University’s civic engagement efforts. A primary role is to align Drexel’s academic and administrative resources to create a coordinated and comprehensive approach to community revitalization, including investments in housing, economic development, retail, clean and safe initiatives, education and health/wellness. Among many projects, Kerman leads the planning and implementation of the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships and oversees the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement. She also works closely with Drexel’s School of Education and the School District of Philadelphia to improve the public schools near Drexel’s campus. 

Before coming to Drexel, Kerman served as vice president of Policy and Planning at the Urban Affairs Coalition and was also a member of Judith Rodin’s staff at the University of Pennsylvania, where she helped to coordinate Penn’s West Philadelphia Initiatives, a comprehensive community revitalization effort in University City near Penn’s campus.

Kerman is a graduate of Wellesley College, and earned a PhD in history from the University of California, Berkeley and a business certificate from the Wharton School.