How This Philly University is Empowering the Next Generation of Changemakers

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Drexel has secured a spot in U.S. News & World Report’s list of the nation’s top 100 colleges for the past 10 years for good reason. By combining traditional classroom-based learning with hands-on, real-world experience through an academic model that incorporates cooperative education (co-op), the university provides its students with the knowledge, opportunity and connections they need to succeed. In 2019, Drexel’s Co-op program will celebrate its 100^th anniversary. That means for a century, Drexel students have entered industries, disrupted them, then headed back to campus to share what they’ve learned and apply it to their studies.

Not only has Drexel evolved with industry, it has evolved industry. Here’s how the cycle of success will continue…

Creating Change Through Co-op

On campus, Drexel students mingle with the leaders of tomorrow; on co-op they connect with the leaders of today. We’re talking influential C-suite executives from Apple, Johnson & Johnson, Boeing, NBC Universal and Crayola — just to name a few. By partnering with more than 1,600 employers in 30 states, Drexel has opened the door for students to test drive their careers in paid positions in these organizations. The professional insights students learn not only enhances their academic studies — it differentiates them from the pack. However, it’s not just the exposure to these top-tier employers that pays off—there’s tangible results that prove just how effective co-op is. Of Drexel’s 2016 graduating class, 48 percent of grads received a job offer from former co-op employers. Better yet — Drexel grads also earn 14.3 percent more than the national average within one year after graduation.

Reaching the Masses Through Research & Innovation

By connecting businesses with students and faculty, Drexel is fostering a space for collaboration and innovation. Aside from its dedication to startups, Drexel is also home to world-class comprehensive research that makes an immense local and international impact. Current efforts include: improving transportation infrastructure, moving alternative energy sources into the mainstream, and devising a plan to improve medical care while reducing costs. Beyond Philadelphia, Drexel research reaches the masses through the transfer of technology into mass markets. Inventions that have real-world applications like a coffee cup lid that prevents germs from seeping in, a smart faucet which conserves and purifies water, and crafting 3D printed models as a research tool in finding a cure for cancer. Last year alone, Drexel students created 118 new inventions, 51 of which have approved patents.

Grooming Global Leaders

Drexel students aren’t just putting Philadelphia on the global map — they’re making their own mark internationally. Each day, students put their ambition to good use and achieve inventive solutions to real-world problems—like championing communities across the world by sharing innovative scientific methods and improving healthcare options in developing countries. Add to that the more than 200 students currently working abroad on Co-op in 51 countries, international undergrad and Fellowship programs, and Drexel’s growing number of partnerships with universities all over the globe—it’s easy to see how their research, resources and knowledge is impacting other world markets. Students can truly turn their ambition into achievement and change the world for the better, thanks to an immersive educational model that helps students find their way while making an impact.

For more information on Drexel University’s co-op program and innovative research, visit drexel.edu/AmbitionCantWait.