June

On June 17, members of the Fall 2020 COVID-19 Task Force highlighted how Drexel’s academics, student life, research, human resources, facilities and health measures are adapting for the fall quarter.

Learn more about events, resources and opportunities related to the Drexel 403(b) plan, voluntarily retirement and wellness offerings from HR, as well as the new Drexel Communications Playbook for Faculty and Professional Staff and a list of what merchants are reopening around campus.

A new report from the George W. Bush Institute and the innovation consulting firm Opus Faveo Innovation Development named Drexel the most innovative mid-sized research university in the country.

Research from Drexel professors and a recent graduate paved the way for “upcycled food” to be defined in the industry, and possibly come to a grocery store near you.

Drexel University’s Expressive and Creative Interaction Technologies (ExCITe) Center will join a network of organizations across the city to help ensure all Philadelphians have access to the devices and internet connections they need to learn and work remotely amid the coronavirus pandemic. With support from a Philadelphia Digital Literacy Alliance initiative, Drexel will be one of three partners to provide support on accessing low cost Internet options, connecting wireless devices, and providing computers to ensure access to internet service for community members in need.

On June 17, members of the Fall 2020 COVID-19 Task Force highlighted how Drexel’s academics, student life, research, human resources, real estate and facilities and campus health are adapting for the fall quarter.

One week ago, we lit up the Main Building, Boathouse Row and other Philadelphia landmarks in blue and gold in a city-wide tribute to the Class of 2020. That evening, June 11, we broadcast a University-wide virtual graduation celebration to honor our newest, history-making Drexel alumni. To our graduates, I know that you were disappointed not to be able to attend your Commencement, but we will honor you next June when we gather at Citizens Bank Park. Between now and then, we have a great deal of work to do.

Though forced to celebrate from afar this year, the University’s colleges and schools created diverse, robust and meaningful virtual celebrations for their 2020 graduates.

Last week, Dragons came together — online — to recognize the achievements of this year’s graduates through videos, photos, social media posts and even a special song.

This academic year will feature a hybrid approach to learning, research and student life designed first and foremost to support the health and safety of students, faculty and professional staff, while also fulfilling the University's mission of teaching, research and service. Classes will be taught both in person on campus and remotely.

In hopes of helping more people understand the political, economic and sociological forces that shape urban communities, game designers from Drexel University are turning Philadelphia’s open data into a SimCity-style urban planning game. With support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Open Data initiative, Drexel’s game, called Simulated Interactive Management of the City of Philadelphia (SIM-PHL), will be set in the city’s Mantua neighborhood, an area that is part of a national initiative to support and restore marginalized communities.

As the coronavirus pandemic forces so many to reckon with growing food insecurity and increased health challenges, the Building Wealth and Health Network program of Drexel University’s Center for Hunger-Free Communities is reducing food insecurity and improving mental health – without distributing any food or medicine. How? By focusing on group experiences that promote healing and help people save money and take control over their own finances.

A new report from the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University highlighted the financial challenges facing households of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States. According to the report, households of children with ASD experience higher levels of poverty, material hardship and medical expenses than households of children with other special health care needs.

The classroom experience was different this term, but faculty found creative and innovative ways to translate the physical learning environment digitally for students, with the help of colleagues and professional staff members from across the University.

Be sure to follow new recommendations now that Philadelphia has entered the “yellow” phase of pandemic response, and congratulate the Drexel Emergency Medical Services student organization for its national recognition in emergency response planning.

The Class of 2020 is an historic one. Here are their thoughts during graduation week.

DrexelNow provides the full transcript of a virtual community discussion convened by Drexel to answer questions about how the University is building an antiracist and inclusive culture.

Lindsay Matias, assistant director of the Center for Learning and Academic Success Services (CLASS), shares her views on the strategies, pitfalls and benefits of online final exam taking for Dragons this term.