Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences

09/09/2026

Volcanoes are one of the great wonders of nature. Their power and reputation precede them, and the fact that no one really knows exactly when they will erupt adds to their mystery. The curiosity, and sometimes misinformation, about volcanoes is only increased with social media and the internet. Understanding what is factual and what isn’t is crucial as people respond to an eruption during a crisis situation.

Loÿc Vanderkluysen, PhD, associate professor of biodiversity, earth and environmental science, recently co-authored a paper in the Journal of Applied Volcanology to try to help volcanologists, journalists, decision-makers and the general public get the story straight when the next volcano erupts. He sat down with the Drexel News Blog to discuss some of his findings.

Volcanoes are one of the great wonders of nature. Their power and reputation precede them, and the fact that no one really knows exactly when they will erupt adds to their mystery. The curiosity, a…

09/08/2026

We are so excited to welcome our newest Drexel Dragons to campus this fall! Welcome Week is your chance to kick off your Drexel University journey, meet fellow students, explore campus, connect with faculty and staff and begin building the friendships and experiences that will shape your college years.

Mark your calendars for Welcome Week, Drexel's new student orientation program, taking place Monday, September 14 through Sunday, September 20. You must register for Welcome Week events by logging into DrexelOne and following the registration prompts.

09/04/2026

Thinking about visiting Drexel? 💙🐉

Join us for an Undergraduate Open House to explore our campus, connect with current students and faculty, learn how our renowned co-op program prepares students for successful careers, and discover what life in Philadelphia is all about.

Register today through the link below!

https://drexel.edu/admissions/visit-tours/undergraduate-events/open-houses

09/02/2026

After being selected for NASA's High-Altitude Student Platform project, Drexel students have spent months developing and testing experiments that will fly to the edge of space on a high-altitude research balloon — and now it's time to launch!

The balloon will stay in the air for 15 to 20 hours and reach an altitude of 122,000 feet. Drexel and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy were allotted one of 12 student payload spaces and developed an experiment to test technologies for imaging the subsurface of the moon (muon tomography).

Tune in to the livestream here as we eagerly await the launch:

HASP 2026 Flight Video

08/31/2026

Drexel University English Language Center (ELC) recently partnered with Generation Colombia to support learners in developing the language proficiency required to succeed in the workforce. For many participants in this online program, free daily access to English classes taught by instructors from a U.S. university was a unique opportunity.

The ELC’s Assistant Director of Student Services, Hilary Bonta, developed the English language course with the objective of training participants for IT/helpdesk support positions. Bonta leaned into creating content-based instruction, involving communicative language tasks that mimic situations participants would face in a remote helpdesk position.

Participant Heidy Valencia liked that the instructors “didn’t just teach me general English, it was tailored [to] what we are studying, which is exactly what we’re going to need when we start working in IT.”

Read more about the program:

Through this pilot initiative, Generation Colombia aimed to determine whether combining English language training with technical instruction in English would increase participants’ job placement rates.

08/28/2026

Congratulations to this year's STAR Scholars, who presented their projects to the Drexel community at yesterday's Summer Showcase! This end-of-summer celebration recognizes the work completed by students in the STAR (Students Tackling Advanced Research) Scholars Program, which encourages students to take a hands-on approach to their education through participating in a faculty-mentored research, scholarship or creative experience during the summer after their freshman year.

08/25/2026

Cursive is making a comeback. But does it deserve one?

Mary Jean Tecce DeCarlo, EdD, clinical professor in the School of Education, authored a column about the history of teaching cursive handwriting in school.

More than 25 states require students to learn to read and write in cursive.

08/24/2026

Congratulations to Jahzeel Martinez, who received a Society of Physics Students scholarship for the second year in a row! Jahzeel, a physics and mathematics double major, was awarded the Peggy Dixon Two-Year Scholarship for 2026-27. He is currently the Outreach Coordinator for Drexel's chapter of the Society of Physics Students and is involved in research on campus.

Read more: https://drexel.edu/pennoni/news-events/news/2026/August/2026-jahzeel-martinez-sps-scholarship

08/24/2026

Before graduating from Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences, Paige DeAngelo '23 launched a sustainability-minded cosmetics startup producing mascara that is affordable, accessible and reduces the carbon footprint of the beauty industry.

DeAngelo was selected for the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship's Entrepreneurship Co-op, which gives students funding to be their own boss and develop their own company.

Learn more about Paige's experience at Drexel: https://bit.ly/4oipfNP

08/21/2026

We're looking forward to the the STAR Scholars Summer Showcase on Thursday, August 27!

The STAR Scholars Summer Showcase is an end-of-summer celebration of the research, scholarship, and creative work completed by students in the STAR (Students Tackling Advanced Research) Scholars program. STAR Scholars present their projects during the last week of the Summer Term each year to friends, family, and the Drexel community.