As students in Drexel University’s graduating class of 2023 step into new careers, they are joined by several new members of Drexel administration who will directly impact the lives of current and future Dragons. 

On Thursday, June 1, Drexel released a statement officially naming Aroutis Foster as the School of Education’s new interim dean. Over 14 years, Foster has raised $5.63 million in external funding for educational science and technology research and led various Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives including the Drexel University Anti-Racism Task Force. He replaces Eric McNamara Horvat, who took the role of interim dean in August 2022 following the passing of former dean Penny Hammrich. 

From 2016-17, Foster was also one of Drexel’s Provost Solutions Fellows, a group of faculty experts selected for two-year terms to develop strategies to enhance educational and co-op opportunities. This fellowship welcomed a new cohort of eight new members this January. These inductees represent schools including Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Nursing and Health Professions, Arts and Sciences, Education and Media Arts and Design.

Drexel installed Youngmoo Kim as Vice Provost for University and Community Partnerships on April 1, 2023, making him the position’s second appointee after long-time vice provost Lucy Kerman. Kim’s new responsibility to foster communication between Drexel and Philadelphia residents is familiar to him as the founder of Drexel’s ExCITe Center, which aims to promote digital equity through community-based technological literacy programs. His timely appointment followed a 35 day sit-in by students protesting the planned redevelopment of University City Townhomes, a West Philadelphia housing complex.

Drexel also named Melvin Singleton Jr. as its Chief of Police and Vice President of Public Safety in Nov. 2022 following a string of robberies on and around campus. Singleton was selected after a nationwide search to replace interim chief Robert Lis, and previously served as First Deputy Commissioner in the Philadelphia Police Department, a rank he achieved after 30 years in Philadelphia’s 19th District. Drawing on this experience, he entered with the goal of making Drexel police as accessible as possible via community engagement and cellular networks. 

A final notable addition for students was the announcement of Steven Weber as Vice Provost for Undergraduate Curriculum and Education, also in November 2022. A Drexel professor for 19 years and former head of the Electrical and Computer Engineering department, Weber is tasked with raising Drexel’s academic standards and innovating undergraduate programs across majors. 

The Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design hosted a farewell party for their outgoing seniors on June 6 at 3 p.m. Hosted at The Post, a local bar and grill at Cira Green in University City, it celebrated the last week that these students would be seeing each other and their professors. 

“This is our annual celebration for our graduating students,” said Dayana Marshall, the events coordinator for Westphal. “Every year we throw a celebration. We do it differently each year, but we always want to have a send-off for the seniors.” 

After over four years of studying that had been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Westphal’s graduates were relieved to finally be on their way out with their degrees. 

“It’s pretty unreal to graduate,” said film and television senior Jorge Orozco. “We were one of the last classes that went through COVID at Drexel. I think that I’m pretty proud of what I’ve been able to do with my time, and it’s time for all of us to take the next step.” 

Westphal’s graduating seniors spent their time enjoying catering supplied by The Post, having drinks comped by tickets, playing arcade games and entering their names into a prize raffle.

“We chose The Post for its location and ease of hosting,” said Dayana. “We figured that, with the larger class, it would be a good space to provide food and drinks. It’s also a one-stop shop for games as well.” 

Students also spent the time hanging with their fellow classmates, talking to their professors and meeting various other graduates from different Westphal studies. 

“This is a really good opportunity to meet other Westphal majors,” says Jorge. “I wish it was something we could have done more often.”

As the years have gone by, students have come and gone. COVID-19 has affected classes and how students study. But the celebration at The Post showed off the persistence and commitment of Westphal’s Class of 2023. After four long years, Westphal seniors had earned a celebration of achieving their educational goals.

Subir Sahu, PhD, once again addressed the Drexel community on May 18 regarding a University-wide Commencement — only this time, it was to announce that the celebration was back on at Citizens Bank Park for Friday, June 16 at 5 p.m. In the email, the Senior Vice President for Student Success explained that “with recent changes to the Phillies’ concert schedule,” Drexel was able to schedule the University-wide Commencement.

This large-scale event will honor the Class of 2023 in addition to the traditional college-specific ceremonies at the Mann Center and the Academy of Music, as well as a kick-off event at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Tuesday, June 13. 

When contacted, Sahu expressed excitement about the new celebration being held at the museum as it “opens one of the city’s premier venues for our graduates.”

Students received an email from Sahu over a month prior, on March 31, announcing that commencement at the ballpark was canceled due to “unavoidable scheduling conflicts.” In Drexel’s partnership with the Phillies, they were unable to find another venue with the “size and dates required to host our entire graduating class and their families.” 

In a recent email, Sahu explained that there were “several concerts scheduled for commencement week at Citizens Bank Park.” 

Both Sahu and Drexel students expressed disappointment when it was announced that the tradition of a University-wide commencement was canceled. According to Sahu, the University always wants “to do all that is possible to honor our graduates and their families.”

Since then, one of the concerts at Citizens Bank Park has been canceled and the “Phillies and Drexel teams immediately connected to see what was possible,” according to Sahu. 

Each graduating student can invite up to six guests to the University-wide Commencement. With tickets, graduates and guests can enter the ballpark starting at 3:30 p.m.

Sahu reported that the University is “thrilled that we can continue our tradition of a university-wide commencement ceremony at Citizens Bank Park.”

Subir Sahu, PhD, once again addressed the Drexel community on May 18 regarding a University-wide Commencement — only this time, it was to announce that the celebration was back on at Citizens Bank Park for Friday, June 16 at 5 p.m. In the email, the Senior Vice President for Student Success explained that “with recent changes to the Phillies’ concert schedule,” Drexel was able to schedule the University-wide Commencement.

This large-scale event will honor the Class of 2023 in addition to the traditional college-specific ceremonies at the Mann Center and the Academy of Music, as well as a kick-off event at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Tuesday, June 13. 

When contacted, Sahu expressed excitement about the new celebration being held at the museum as it “opens one of the city’s premier venues for our graduates.”

Students received an email from Sahu over a month prior, on March 31, announcing that commencement at the ballpark was canceled due to “unavoidable scheduling conflicts.” In Drexel’s partnership with the Phillies, they were unable to find another venue with the “size and dates required to host our entire graduating class and their families.” 

In a recent email, Sahu explained that there were “several concerts scheduled for commencement week at Citizens Bank Park.” 

Both Sahu and Drexel students expressed disappointment when it was announced that the tradition of a University-wide commencement was canceled. According to Sahu, the University always wants “to do all that is possible to honor our graduates and their families.”

Since then, one of the concerts at Citizens Bank Park has been canceled and the “Phillies and Drexel teams immediately connected to see what was possible,” according to Sahu. 

Each graduating student can invite up to six guests to the University-wide Commencement. With tickets, graduates and guests can enter the ballpark starting at 3:30 p.m.

Sahu reported that the University is “thrilled that we can continue our tradition of a university-wide commencement ceremony at Citizens Bank Park.”

Commencement is quickly approaching, and graduating students have many school ceremonies to look forward to, including the university-wide celebration at Citizens Bank Park. 

After Drexel University decided on May 18 to reinstate the university commencement ceremony at Citizens Bank Park, details about the event were kept under wraps.

However, on Wednesday, June 7, Drexel’s keynote commencement speaker was revealed as Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Nézet-Séguin has led the Philadelphia Orchestra for eleven years, including during 2022 when the ensemble was presented with their first Grammy award for Best Musical Performance. According to Niki Gianakaris, Vice President of Strategic Communications for Drexel’s Marketing and Communications team, Nézet-Séguin will be presented with an honorary doctorate degree from Drexel University for “his leadership in elevating the arts in Philadelphia and beyond.” 

As for individual school and college ceremonies, here is a comprehensive list of keynote speakers: 

School of Education: 5 p.m. June 14 at the Academy of Music 

Warren Hilton, Educational Leadership and Management EdD ‘13 alum 

Dr. Hilton is currently serving as president of Onondaga Community College. He’s worked for several higher institutions, including Kutztown University, the Community College of Philadelphia, Johns Hopkins University and more. Most notably, he worked as the Associate Dean for Student and External Affairs in the School of Public Health and in the School of Education at Drexel University. 

College of Computing and Informatics: 5 p.m. June 14 at the Mann Center

Rick Rioboli, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Comcast Cable

Rick Rioboli’s extensive career at Comcast Cable has seen him lead technological transformations for their strategic initiatives in customer experience, digital-first, data privacy and artificial intelligence. He has been recognized as a Forbes CIO Top 50 Innovative Technology Leader and is an active member of Drexel University’s College of Computing Executive Advisory Council.

Bennett S. LeBow College of Business: 8:30 a.m. on June 15 at The Mann Center

K. Blair Christie, Business and Administration Management ‘94, MBA ‘99

Christie is a leader in global technology who is the founder and CEO of the business equity and strategy company Denim USA. Her work at Denim centers on reimagining the modern hourly workforce through holistic solutions.

Pennoni Honors College Custom-Designed Majors: 9 a.m. on June 15 at the Mandell Theater in the Creese Student Center 

Maura Jarvis, Sustainable Product Development ‘16

Jarvis is a leading public affairs specialist at the Philadelphia Water Department who is a recipient of the 2022 US Water Prize and other awards. After graduating in 2016 with a degree in her custom-designed major, Jarvis has been dedicated to fighting water pollution in Philadelphia. 

School of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems: 9 a.m. June 15 at the Academy of Music

Paul Citron, Electrical Engineering BS ‘69 alum

Dr. Citron is an innovator in medical technology, holding ten patents for ten globally utilized inventions including the tined cardiac pacing lead. Since implementing these inventions, Citron has gone on to serve as a professor at Georgia Tech and UC San Diego, as well as Founding Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. 

College of Engineering: 1 p.m. June 15 at the Mann Center 

Margaret C. “Peggy” Burns, Electrical Engineering BS ‘79 alum 

Margaret Burns serves as senior director and program manager for Transportation Solutions in the Civil Group of Leidos. During her extensive career, Margaret has been a staunch advocate of diversity and representation in STEM. She is heavily involved in the Drexel community, serving on the Drexel University President’s Leadership Council and as chair of the Drexel Engineering Dean’s Executive Advisory Council. 

Dana and David Dornsife School of Public Health: 1 p.m. June 15 at the Academy of Music 

Valerie A. Arkoosh, Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

Before Governor Josh Shapiro appointed Arkoosh to her current role, she served on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. Arkoosh focused on strengthening services for veterans, children, and seniors and other public health initiatives during Covid-19. She has previously taught at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship: 1 p.m. June 15 at the Mandell Theater in the Creese Student Center 

Stanley Silverman, Chemical Engineering BS ‘69, MBA ‘74 alum

Stanley Silverman is the former president and CEO of PQ Corporation, a large manufacturer of industrial chemicals and materials. Silverman is a long-time supporter of Drexel’s Close School, serving on its External Advisory Board and contributing multiple philanthropic gifts. 

Goodwin College of Professional Studies: 5 p.m. on June 15 at the Mandell Theater in the Creese Student Center  

Nona Lee, founder and CEO of Truth DEI Consulting

Nona Lee champions diversity at Truth DEI Consulting, which helps organizations develop strategies to enhance their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Lee is also the former executive vice president of the Major League Baseball team the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

College of Arts and Sciences: 5 p.m. June 15 at the Mann Center 

Elizabeth Lombardo, Clinical Psychology PhD ‘02 alum

Dr. Lombardo is a high-profile psychologist who’s published several books, made numerous television appearances and coached several celebrities. In her keynote address, she will share her expertise, advice and career experiences with the CoAS graduating class. 

Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design: 12:30 p.m. June 16 at the Mann Center 

Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

Dr. Jackson is a tenured professor at the Institute for Design and the Arts and Arizona State University with a 25-year-long career supporting and elevating arts and culture in communities. She is passionate about social science and humanities-based approaches to the arts and is the first Black and Mexican-American woman to serve as chair of the NEA. 

College of Nursing and Health Professions: 8:30 a.m. on June 16 at The Mann Center

Rev. Lorina Marshall Blake, president of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation

Rev. Blake is both president of Independence Blue Cross and its vice president of community affairs, a role in which she has served the Philadelphia community and worked closely with Drexel. She has served as a mentor within and a dedicated donor to Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions as well as Drexel’s 11th Street Family Health Services clinic.

Commencement is quickly approaching, and graduating students have many school ceremonies to look forward to, including the university-wide celebration at Citizens Bank Park. 

After Drexel University decided on May 18 to reinstate the university commencement ceremony at Citizens Bank Park, details about the event were kept under wraps.

However, on Wednesday, June 7, Drexel’s keynote commencement speaker was revealed as Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Nézet-Séguin has led the Philadelphia Orchestra for eleven years, including during 2022 when the ensemble was presented with their first Grammy award for Best Musical Performance. According to Niki Gianakaris, Vice President of Strategic Communications for Drexel’s Marketing and Communications team, Nézet-Séguin will be presented with an honorary doctorate degree from Drexel University for “his leadership in elevating the arts in Philadelphia and beyond.” 

As for individual school and college ceremonies, here is a comprehensive list of keynote speakers: 

School of Education: 5 p.m. June 14 at the Academy of Music 

Warren Hilton, Educational Leadership and Management EdD ‘13 alum 

Dr. Hilton is currently serving as president of Onondaga Community College. He’s worked for several higher institutions, including Kutztown University, the Community College of Philadelphia, Johns Hopkins University and more. Most notably, he worked as the Associate Dean for Student and External Affairs in the School of Public Health and in the School of Education at Drexel University. 

College of Computing and Informatics: 5 p.m. June 14 at the Mann Center

Rick Rioboli, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Comcast Cable

Rick Rioboli’s extensive career at Comcast Cable has seen him lead technological transformations for their strategic initiatives in customer experience, digital-first, data privacy and artificial intelligence. He has been recognized as a Forbes CIO Top 50 Innovative Technology Leader and is an active member of Drexel University’s College of Computing Executive Advisory Council.

Bennett S. LeBow College of Business: 8:30 a.m. on June 15 at The Mann Center

K. Blair Christie, Business and Administration Management ‘94, MBA ‘99

Christie is a leader in global technology who is the founder and CEO of the business equity and strategy company Denim USA. Her work at Denim centers on reimagining the modern hourly workforce through holistic solutions.

Pennoni Honors College Custom-Designed Majors: 9 a.m. on June 15 at the Mandell Theater in the Creese Student Center 

Maura Jarvis, Sustainable Product Development ‘16

Jarvis is a leading public affairs specialist at the Philadelphia Water Department who is a recipient of the 2022 US Water Prize and other awards. After graduating in 2016 with a degree in her custom-designed major, Jarvis has been dedicated to fighting water pollution in Philadelphia. 

School of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems: 9 a.m. June 15 at the Academy of Music

Paul Citron, Electrical Engineering BS ‘69 alum

Dr. Citron is an innovator in medical technology, holding ten patents for ten globally utilized inventions including the tined cardiac pacing lead. Since implementing these inventions, Citron has gone on to serve as a professor at Georgia Tech and UC San Diego, as well as Founding Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. 

College of Engineering: 1 p.m. June 15 at the Mann Center 

Margaret C. “Peggy” Burns, Electrical Engineering BS ‘79 alum 

Margaret Burns serves as senior director and program manager for Transportation Solutions in the Civil Group of Leidos. During her extensive career, Margaret has been a staunch advocate of diversity and representation in STEM. She is heavily involved in the Drexel community, serving on the Drexel University President’s Leadership Council and as chair of the Drexel Engineering Dean’s Executive Advisory Council. 

Dana and David Dornsife School of Public Health: 1 p.m. June 15 at the Academy of Music 

Valerie A. Arkoosh, Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

Before Governor Josh Shapiro appointed Arkoosh to her current role, she served on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. Arkoosh focused on strengthening services for veterans, children, and seniors and other public health initiatives during Covid-19. She has previously taught at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship: 1 p.m. June 15 at the Mandell Theater in the Creese Student Center 

Stanley Silverman, Chemical Engineering BS ‘69, MBA ‘74 alum

Stanley Silverman is the former president and CEO of PQ Corporation, a large manufacturer of industrial chemicals and materials. Silverman is a long-time supporter of Drexel’s Close School, serving on its External Advisory Board and contributing multiple philanthropic gifts. 

Goodwin College of Professional Studies: 5 p.m. on June 15 at the Mandell Theater in the Creese Student Center  

Nona Lee, founder and CEO of Truth DEI Consulting

Nona Lee champions diversity at Truth DEI Consulting, which helps organizations develop strategies to enhance their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Lee is also the former executive vice president of the Major League Baseball team the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

College of Arts and Sciences: 5 p.m. June 15 at the Mann Center 

Elizabeth Lombardo, Clinical Psychology PhD ‘02 alum

Dr. Lombardo is a high-profile psychologist who’s published several books, made numerous television appearances and coached several celebrities. In her keynote address, she will share her expertise, advice and career experiences with the CoAS graduating class. 

Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design: 12:30 p.m. June 16 at the Mann Center 

Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

Dr. Jackson is a tenured professor at the Institute for Design and the Arts and Arizona State University with a 25-year-long career supporting and elevating arts and culture in communities. She is passionate about social science and humanities-based approaches to the arts and is the first Black and Mexican-American woman to serve as chair of the NEA. 

College of Nursing and Health Professions: 8:30 a.m. on June 16 at The Mann Center

Rev. Lorina Marshall Blake, president of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation

Rev. Blake is both president of Independence Blue Cross and its vice president of community affairs, a role in which she has served the Philadelphia community and worked closely with Drexel. She has served as a mentor within and a dedicated donor to Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions as well as Drexel’s 11th Street Family Health Services clinic.

A new class of Forever Dragons are about to take flight! The 2023 Drexel college and school specific ceremonies, along with a university-wide Commencement at Citizens Bank Park, are happening from June 14 to June 16. Location, schedule and ticket information for the ceremonies are detailed in this guide:

University-wide Commencement

Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Friday, June 16, 2023

5 p.m. ET

Tickets will be allotted to graduates to distribute to their guests. Each graduate will receive six (6) guest tickets.

More information can be found on Drexel’s commencement website.

College and School Specific Ceremonies 

School of Education:

Academy of Music, 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

5 p.m. ET Wednesday, June 14, 2023

College of Computing and Informatics:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

5 p.m. ET Wednesday, June 14, 2023 

Lebow College of Business:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

8:30 a.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

Pennoni Honors College (Custom Design):

Mandell Theater, 3220 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

9 a.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems:

Academy of Music, 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

9 a.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

College of Engineering:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

1 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

Dana and David Dornsife School of Public Health:

Academy of Music, 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

1 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship:

Mandell Theater, 3220 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

1 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

College of Arts and Sciences:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

5 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

Goodwin College of Professional Studies:

Mandell Theater, 3220 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

5 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

College of Nursing and Health Professions:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

8:30 a.m. ET Friday, June 16, 2023

Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

12:30 p.m. ET Friday, June 16, 2023

A new class of Forever Dragons are about to take flight! The 2023 Drexel college and school specific ceremonies, along with a university-wide Commencement at Citizens Bank Park, are happening from June 14 to June 16. Location, schedule and ticket information for the ceremonies are detailed in this guide:

University-wide Commencement

Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Friday, June 16, 2023

5 p.m. ET

Tickets will be allotted to graduates to distribute to their guests. Each graduate will receive six (6) guest tickets.

More information can be found on Drexel’s commencement website.

College and School Specific Ceremonies 

School of Education:

Academy of Music, 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

5 p.m. ET Wednesday, June 14, 2023

College of Computing and Informatics:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

5 p.m. ET Wednesday, June 14, 2023 

Lebow College of Business:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

8:30 a.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

Pennoni Honors College (Custom Design):

Mandell Theater, 3220 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

9 a.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems:

Academy of Music, 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

9 a.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

College of Engineering:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

1 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

Dana and David Dornsife School of Public Health:

Academy of Music, 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

1 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship:

Mandell Theater, 3220 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

1 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

College of Arts and Sciences:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

5 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

Goodwin College of Professional Studies:

Mandell Theater, 3220 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104

5 p.m. ET Thursday, June 15, 2023

College of Nursing and Health Professions:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

8:30 a.m. ET Friday, June 16, 2023

Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design:

The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131

12:30 p.m. ET Friday, June 16, 2023

On Saturday, April 29, the Drexel University Asian Students Association (ASA) hosted its third annual Asian American Philadelphia Advocacy Conference (AAPAC) in Nesbitt Hall. It was the second AAPAC the ASA had hosted in person.

“Our theme of the year was to recapture the Asian American identity,” said Yi Huan Yang, a first-year UX design major and AAPAC marketing and outreach chair. “A lot of time when people think about Asians or Asians, in general, they think about East Asians and light-skinned people, but we want to express that it’s a lot more than that because there are Eurasians, Southeast Asians, South Asians and West Asians [so] we are a very diverse group of people, and we want to celebrate the diversity of that and let people know what their identity is [to] recapture that for them.” 

With four workshops and six performances, AAPAC explored several issues within the Asian-American community and highlighted several underrepresented and marginalized Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) groups in Philadelphia. 

One issue covered in AAPAC’s workshops is mental health. For this, the AAPAC team brought in Mandy Zhen, M.S, an associate psychotherapist at the pro-Asian-American mental health resource center Mango Tree Counseling and Consulting, to conduct a lecture about mental illnesses.

 “We are one of the few pan-Asian mental health group practices nationally and locally [that] offers free and accessible community education programming and affordable therapy for AAPI folk who need psychotherapy services,” said Zhen. “We are on a mission to answer essential questions about the AAPI psyche and find ways to contribute to the larger canon of mental health by incorporating our experiences, insights and resilience as a community of clinicians.”

Another workshop AAPAC had was about combating the under-exploration of cultural identities using performing arts. For this, the AAPAC team brought in Francis Aquas, a professor in Drexel’s Westphal College of Media Arts and Design.

“[The power of the performing arts] has become a saving grace and a place for salvation and deliverance from the challenges of living in the United States, particularly in an urban environment like Philadelphia,” said Aquas.

When it came to performances, several Drexel students volunteered their time to showcase their individual traditional cultural artistic talents at AAPAC. Audi Sotetiono did a traditional Indonesian dance, Dorothy Li did a traditional Chinese dance and Henry Hyunh did a Wushu martial arts demonstration. 

Additionally, there was a traditional Cambodian Coconut Dance by six members of the Khmer Performing Arts and Culture (KPAC). 

“Being invited out here to come to perform for this conference and convention is a big deal for KPAC [given that] we are a group that is relatively small, and we are trying to get more people to be interested in the culture and for us to be here is a great opportunity to showcase that,” says Ryan Thach, a KPAC performer. 

AAPAC also featured more modern performing arts, including two K-Pop cover dance performances. One was by Drexel K-Pop Club (DKPC)’s dance team Prism while the other was by a local dance team called Hope 4 Tomorrow (H4T). 

“I think it was a great experience, it was nice to see all the workshops, and it was very professional, and the community had made me excited to perform,” says Sarah Peng, one of H4T’s four dance directors. “We try to latch on to every opportunity we get to perform for the Philadelphia community.”

While some ASA e-board members headed the team, various first-year ASA members volunteered to become AAPAC chair members to make the conference possible, all for the love of their community.

As Jaira Marcos, a first-year psychology major who is an AAPAC marketing and outreach chair, explained, “In high school, I used to do a conference, and it was similar to AAPAC… I didn’t want to just stop at a high school or college level because being part of a community is really important to me…even though we are all from different places and have different backgrounds we all have these similarities because we are all Asian-American so AAPAC does a good job at putting it all together and keeping in mind, we are not just focusing on one ethnicity. We are taking into account everyone,” 

These chair members had to persevere through several logistical and budgeting challenges.  “There was definitely a lot of improvisation on the spot, and so in the future, we can take more actions to be prepared, but overall [we did okay],” said Mel Tonogbanua, a first-year marketing major and an AAPAC Programing and Logistics committee chair.

AAPAC’s future doesn’t stop with just being a Drexel event. According to Shirin Chong, a fourth-year marketing and business analytics major, the ASA’s co-conference chair, and one of AAPAC’s directors, “My dream goal would be to make this a whole Philadelphia advocacy conference right now this is Drexel-based, and in maybe three years or even next year I would like to see AAPAC become a level where people all around the community know what is, and it becomes a common name, and people go just because they live in the Philadelphia area and know what it’s about.” 

In the eyes of the ASA e-board, the conference is on the next level of what local Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community advocacy should be about.  

As third-year architecture major, ASA co-conference chair, and AAPAC co-director Kody Cheung said, “Today we did an excellent job on maintaining the theme as well as inviting so many people here, and moving forward, we just want to hope that more people keep coming and keep this thing tradition.”

On the morning of Sunday, May 21, Lancaster Walk was crowded in anticipation of the annual University City 5K. This year, 324 participants from Drexel University and the surrounding community signed up to run or walk the race. Drexel Police vehicles blocked off streets around campus for the morning. Due to the limited size of campus and jurisdiction of the police department, the loop only measured about 2.5 miles, shy of the 3.1 that make up a true 5K.

The University City 5K has been a yearly tradition since 1993. The year before, a Drexel University undergraduate student, Nick Pipino, was fatally stabbed while responding to a disturbance at Cavanaugh’s Restaurant & Bar, where he was a bartender part-time. The race was organized by Pipino’s family and friends to fundraise for the Nicholas P. Pipino Memorial Scholarship, which seeks to help students gain an education without the need for part-time employment.

This year’s race took place on a sunny morning. An electric time clock counted down towards 8:30 a.m., when the race would begin. Racers stretched their legs, tightened their ponytails and pinned on their numbers. People wished each other luck. Others put on headphones and kept to themselves. A team of volunteers checked people in and offered water and snacks. As the timer neared zero, participants lined up in front of the race arch. With a “Ready, Set, Go,” the group set off.

Less than fifteen minutes later, the race was won when Ethan Hermann crossed the finish line. Hermann had maintained a solid lead throughout the race. He finished with a time of just 13 minutes, 30 seconds. A fifth year economics major at Drexel, Hermann last ran the race as a freshman in 2018.

As more and more people finished their final lap, Lancaster Walk once again became crowded. Supporters cheered as their friends and family crossed the finish line. Each participant received a medal to celebrate completing the loop. Hermann also stuck around to congratulate other runners. 

“Winning’s always fun,” he said, “but seeing other people have a good time makes it worth it.”