Powerful Partnerships

• The College of Engineering, through its Academic Industry Partnerships, is helping develop talent at several partners such as Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE), a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, through the Power Systems Engineering Graduate Certificate program and Lockheed Martin through the Graduate Certificate in Electronic Warfare.
• Further, the College of Computing and Informatics' Corporate Partners Program bolsters the development, recruitment and retention of top tech talent, including for global media and technology company, Comcast.
• The School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, in collaboration with the College of Medicine, has partnered with pharmaceutical company, Bristol Myers Squibb, to support the education and training of diverse and talented students looking to pursue careers in cell and gene therapy through the creation of a new Cell and Gene Therapy Technology, Engineering, Analytics, Manufacturing, & Science academic program, known as CGT-TEAMS. Philadelphia Business Journal recognized the Bristol Myers Squibb-Drexel partnership as one of this year’s 25 honorees in their “Partners in Philanthropy” annual special publication. Each year, the publication recognizes impactful partnerships between two organizations that are benefiting the Greater Philadelphia community.
• The recent merger with Salus University (pending U.S. Department of Education approval) allows for new educational and training opportunities in new health sciences fields such as optometry, audiology, speech language pathology, occupational therapy and orthotics and prosthetics.
• Through an award by the Department of Education (DOE)'s inaugural Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Clean Energy Education Prize Partnerships Track, Drexel’s Environmental Collaboratory and Howard University are developing a cross-university exchange program to train students through experiential learning activities in the areas of building decarbonization, clean energy and smart building resiliency and electrification. The program will bring together students and educators from multiple colleges/institutions with the goal of enhancing their understanding of science and technology needed to devise the next generation of clean energy.

Drexel University's Office of University and Community Partnerships is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections between Drexel and the broader community, pursuing innovative solutions that address real-world challenges. Through authentic partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and government entities, we leverage our academic expertise and resources to drive positive social change and economic development. Initiatives span education, healthcare, economic development, sustainability, and beyond, embodying Drexel's commitment to civic engagement and local impact. Read the Civic Engagement Report 2024: Our Shared Community.

• The Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships is Drexel's community-based resource center, where the Drexel community and West Philadelphia residents and partners collaborate on issues of shared importance. The Center also provides health information, resources, and health-promoting activities to the community with a goal of advancing community health, particularly in West Philadelphia in partnership with local clinics and sites. The Center is celebrating its 10th anniversary and will undergo a site expansion.
• The Lindy Scholars program connects Drexel student organizations with local middle school students for after-school STEM/STEAM enrichment and mentoring activities, with the goal of enhancing their education and helping them realize their full potential.
• The ExCITe Center is Drexel’s transdisciplinary hub for research and creative collaboration between Drexel faculty and local neighborhood partners to advance civic engagement through innovative technology, education, and cultural pursuits. The Center hosts the Drexel Digital Navigators, our University’s nationally-recognized program for digital equity and inclusion in Philadelphia. The program has helped hundreds of Philadelphians obtain free computers and low-cost broadband access at home.

The Environmental Collaboratory's community-partnered initiatives co-fund, co-design, and co-implement on-the-ground solutions with community partners to drive systemic change that align climate, environmental justice with on-the-ground realities.

The College of Nursing and Health Profession's healthcare practices provide comprehensive health services to the underserved and promote community-based opportunities in education and practice. The Stephen and Sandra 11th Street Family Health Services provides an exemplary model of nurse-managed, community-based care for the education of health professions students and for faculty practice.

Drexel University is signing several contracts with partners in India for a new transfer program at the master’s level called Direct Pathway. Students from high-quality international partner institutions will transfer to Drexel to complete master’s degrees in biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things and other STEM fields. This program includes the new graduate co-op model that will go into effect for the 2024­–2025 academic year. These agreements strengthen revenue, research and reputation with top international institutions (#1 university in India and joint master’s program, #1 university in Europe).

Drexel launched its first study abroad program in South Africa in partnership with CIEE Cape Town. In addition, student exchange agreements are in development with Wits University in Johannesburg and Stellenbosch University. These partnerships diversify Drexel’s student mobility offerings to an important region and align with the University’s anti-racism commitments.

The Drexel Solutions Institute (DSI) draws from the resources across Drexel University to bring interdisciplinary solutions directly to our industry partners. DSI is uniquely positioned to connect industry to the greater University community through interdisciplinary industry and research-based solutions. Our industry partnerships lead to powerful innovations and long-term growth for our partners as well as Drexel students, alumni, and faculty alike. Current initiatives include:

• Alignment of university processes that remove barriers to productive partnerships (financial, legal, and contractual barrier)
• Implementation of new procurement software (SAP Ariba), which is part of Drexel's ongoing commitment to improve efficiency, ease of use and cost-effectiveness in the University’s procurement activities
• Implementation of Salesforce as a university-wide partner tracking tool to manage and enhance external partnerships