Incoming 16th Drexel University president, Antonio Merlo, Ph.D. shared some of his goals for his tenure at Drexel in an exclusive interview with The Triangle on Friday, Jan. 31. 

The new president-elect, current Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of New York University’s Faculty of Arts & Science, considers himself an “academic entrepreneur” and has always admired Drexel’s experiential education that provides “students with both theoretical, but more importantly, practical skills that are going to be so critical.”

Merlo also praised Drexel’s “ability to constantly pivot and innovate, as the landscape in higher education keeps evolving.” 

Though, Merlo is no stranger to academic change himself, as “under his leadership, NYU Arts & Science established five new centers: innovative hubs for cross-disciplinary, cross-school research and unique opportunities for students,” stated the press release shared earlier Friday morning. 

He expressed that his first priority upon taking office at Drexel is to make sure that the switch to semesters, the redesigning of the curriculum to focus on core competencies and the academic transformation are “not just implemented for the sake of checking boxes, but really implemented in the right way, so that they’re really going to set up the university for success.”

Merlo also believes that these academic processes will increase Drexel’s declining enrollment. 

“As we invest in this great university…rethink our structure…refocus on our energy, along the lines of all these initiatives that are already in place, we’re simultaneously going to provide a message to the population of people who are looking and applying for college that really emphasizes what is unique and distinctive about Drexel that should really increase our profile and reputation, and therefore generate an increase in the…pool of applicants,” Merlo expressed. 

Merlo has a scholarly academic background, holding a doctorate in economics from NYU. He believes that this background will help him lead students at Drexel along their academic journeys. 

“I’m a huge believer that a scholar leading scholar[s] is a very important component. It is my hope and desire to leverage my scholarly background and my own experience as a scholar to help Drexel achieve its full potential and increase and grow its reputation, which is already excellent,” he said. “But like every institution, there is always room for growth. And really aim at having each person be that a student or a faculty achieve the best that they can.” 

That being said, he wants to set “ambitious goals” for Drexel in the next ten years, having it be a model for other universities, but stay authentic to its values and foundations. 

There have been growing concerns surrounding Drexel’s investments in property and real estate. While Merlo cannot properly speak on how he will use Drexel’s budget directly until he takes office, he understands that “the relationship between Drexel and the city of Philadelphia and West Philadelphia in particular is a critical one. One always has to keep an eye toward making sure that this symbiotic relationship between the university flourishing and the city flourishing is very important.” 

Merlo is also a big proponent of student life and extracurricular activities.

“Every job I’ve ever had at every university I’ve been affiliated with, I’ve always tried to engage with the students…The students are our critical constituents in a university, and it’s so important that we really keep in mind student success as a fundamental goal for us and certainly for a university where I’m about to become a president of,” Merlo said. 

During his higher education career, Merlo has not only been a professor and dean, but also a water polo coach at Rice University, University of Pennsylvania and NYU. His passion for student sports will continue as he enters his Drexel presidency. 

“I have huge, tremendous respect for student athletes, and I would love to understand also what the needs are and…areas for improvement,” Merlo added. “But, in general, I would love to engage in a conversation with all the student groups and clubs and their various aspects, to make sure that their experience as students at Drexel is the best that it could possibly be.” 

Drexel students are extremely passionate about their right to free speech and protest, as there have been several protests on campus in the last year. Merlo understands the universal importance of this right. 

“One thing that I would love to absolutely reassure you and everybody else is that free speech is a tenant of what universities stand for. Our mission as a university is teaching and learning. Those are the two primary focuses. I want to really be able to keep the dialogue open and the possibility for everyone to express their views and opinions,” Merlo stated. 

Though, he also emphasized keeping safety in mind when students express their varying views. 

“At the same time, this has to be done in a respectful way where there is an understanding what are the rules of engagement. And how can we achieve a situation where we can disagree and we can all express our views? But at the same time, we are doing it without really crossing the bounds that would all of a sudden have safety concerns, or tensions that would not be desirable in a university or academic setting,” Merlo continued.  

Merlo expressed some hopeful parting words at the end of the interview for students in the Drexel community. 

“Look up, the sky’s the limit. Together we can accomplish great things…I want every student who walks through our campus to really feel that they’re a part of something bigger than they are, where they understand both what is the overall mission, but also they understand what their role and responsibility is to achieve those great ambitions,” he stated. “I’m looking forward to meeting the students, interacting with them of course, welcoming them, next year when we have the first convocation. This is a new chapter in the history of this great university and I think that together we can really make this special and truly transformational.” 

It is stressful enough worrying about classes, assignments and homework while in school. In addition, college is even harder, with even more elements at play– we need to keep our devices charged, watch the weather outside, know the bus schedule and track the amount of time it takes to get to each class, so we are not late or too early. So, losing our DragonCards in the hustle and bustle is not built into our busy schedule.

Imagine being late to a class and then realizing you cannot find your DragonCard. Now, not only are you guaranteed to be late, but you also have to stand awkwardly outside the building until someone lets you in. Then, when you get back to your apartment, you realize it is after 5 p.m. on a Friday. The only way to get a replacement card is to go to the DragonCard office when they are open and pay an additional $20. Without your DragonCard, you no longer have access to the Dragon Dollars that you have added to your account nor any of the Drexel buildings. While the office is open on weekends, it is only for four hours, so you need to make time to go there if you want access to the library, recreational center or any of the other Drexel buildings. Also, Drexel asks that if you do lose a DragonCard, you disable it from your account. So, if you end up finding your DragonCard in the future, you have to contact them again to get it re-enabled. Not to mention, you may not get the $20 you paid for the new one.

While losing a DragonCard seems to be an extreme inconvenience, DragonCards in general seem to be the problem. To have access to any Drexel resource, a DragonCard is necessary, which means that every Drexel student and faculty member wanting to come to work or school needs to remember to bring their card everywhere they go and every time they leave. In addition, DragonCards expire; while this is a safety measure to ensure that all the Drexel buildings are secure, this creates an additional disruption of the Drexel community as they have to take time to visit the office to get a new card. Even if people do everything correctly (keep their DragonCard safe), they still have to visit the office to get a new one, adding an extra disturbance to Drexel life.

However, there is an easy solution to the physical copy of DragonCards, and that is to use the DrexelOne app. The app already displays student ID, along with all the information that is on a DragonCard. The only aspect that the online version of the card is missing is the barcode that allows access to the Drexel facilities. Moreover, this solution is more convenient as most students and faculty bring their phones to work and classes daily. If DragonCards spread to online access, they could be renewed through the Drexel software rather than each student individually reaching out to the office. The online access would also decrease the amount of money students and faculty would be spending if they lost their card and decrease the amount of time students are spending on dealing with the additional issues from the physical DragonCard.  

History tends to soften the blow upon former presidents after they have left office. As time goes on, it is easier to judge the overall efficacy and outcome of a president’s term as we witness the long-term effects of their policies bear fruit. This causes the placement of presidents upon the scale of “best to worst” to frequently shift when we revisit the scale with the gift of hindsight.

If you read the obituaries for Jimmy Carter, America’s 39^th president, who passed away in late December of last year at the age of 100, you will notice a pattern in the way he is described. That he was a “no-frills, steel-willed” man, the “real deal,” so to speak. You will read how he was limited to one term due to “disillusioned voters” after the 1980 presidential election and how he went on to live an extraordinary post-presidential life with his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn. Yes, Carter will be remembered living life as “the ideal former-presidency” given his focus on initiatives that were more beneficial to mankind, such as The Carter Center and his work with Habitat for Humanity.

Despite some of his post-presidential activities, his term in office from 1977 to 1981 was simply a failure.

Starting with his international image, Carter displayed weakness, which America’s enemies exploited. His ideology of a “peaceful coexistence” allowed Iran’s government, led by Mohammad Pahlavi, the “Shah of Iran,” to be overthrown by radical Islamic revolutionaries. The Shah’s authoritarian practices and abandonment of his position in early January 1979 during the height of the Islamic Revolution. In October that same year, Carter decided to allow him to enter the U.S. for medical treatment. This was seen as an insult to the revolutionists, and in response, they stormed a U.S. Embassy in Tehran, capturing 63 American diplomats as hostages. This lasted for the last 444 days of Carter’s presidency, in what is known as “The Iranian Hostage Crisis.” Six months later, in April 1980, Carter ordered the military to rescue these hostages, which resulted in a humiliating failure in an Iranian salt flat. Three helicopters experienced mechanical failures, and eight servicemen were killed when their helicopter collided with a transport plane during the evacuation. As images of his failure flooded headlines across the globe, Carter somberly accepted responsibility.

His incompetence in hostage diplomacy also spoke to his inability to recognize who America’s true friends were. While Carter is rightfully credited with laying the foundation for an Egyptian-Israeli peace agreement through the Camp David Accords in 1978, his post-presidential activities sing a different tune. In January 1996, bona fide terrorist leader and murderer Yasser Arafat became the president of the Palestinian Authority. According to CIA director Jim Woolsey, “Arafat was essentially ‘elected’ the same way Stalin was, but not nearly as democratically as Hitler, who at least had actual opponents.” For a man to dedicate so much of his life to election monitoring, you would think Carter would criticize an election even the Israeli left would describe as a sham. Sadly, Carter would rather be described as the PLO Chairman’s biggest fan. During the 1990s, Carter would come to see Arafat as a friend and pupil, teaching him how to speak as more of a moderate to seem more appealing to Western Civilization, even as Arafat simultaneously led attacks on Israel and started the Second Intifada in 2000. Later, in 2003, Carter declared he could have secured peace between Israel and the Palestinians, telling the New York Times, “Had I been elected to a second term, with the prestige and authority and influence and reputation I had in the region, we could have moved to a final solution.” Judging by the previous “Final Solution” to take place, I think it’s safe to say that Israel is blessed Jimmy Carter lost.

Well, maybe Jimmy Carter did not have the best foreign policy record, but what about the economy?

Unsurprisingly, Carter was not much better. While the unemployment rate was high during the Carter administration, it peaked at 8.3% in 1983, well into Ronald Reagan’s first term. In November 1976, the inflation rate was 4.8%, and would climb to a suffocating high of 14.38% in June 1980. 30-year mortgage rates went from 8.8% in November 1976 to a staggering average of 18.45% in October 1981, only months into Reagan’s first term. If the Carter years were an index fund, it would be called the “misery index,” and rightfully so. As such, the American people voted out misery in the 1980 presidential election after Ronald Reagan famously turned to the camera and asked, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” With that, Carter left the White House, like the Prodigal Son returning to his humble, modest roots in Plains, Georgia.

Sort of.

The Carter Center, a non-profit dedicated to advancing human rights as well as partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for the poor, was founded by Jimmy and Rosalynn in 1982, and undeniably deserves every accolade received from across the world. But in 1990, Carter wrote letters to U.N. officials aimed to withdraw their support of joining George W. Bush’s coalition aimed to roll back the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait’s oil reserves, also known as The First Gulf War. After “Operation Desert Storm” in 1991, The U.S. successfully expelled the Iraqi forces. Imagine today if Donald Trump wrote letters to the U.N. disavowing Joe Biden’s attempt to prevent Kuwait, which America has a tremendous relationship with, from being invaded by foreign adversaries? No doubt the media would be throwing the word “treason” around like football on Sunday.

Jimmy Carter should be remembered for living a successful life, but a failed presidency. While I have never met him, I have no doubt that Jimmy Carter was, at heart, a good man who had the best intentions for mankind. To quote Anne-Marie Bigot de Cornuel, “No man is a hero to his valet,” and Carter is no exception. As I’ve stated above, the long-term effects of his policies have borne fruit, and I am sorry, but they are spoiled.

The second annual Big 5 Classic tips off on Saturday, and The Triangle has you covered with our Big 5 preview and predictions.

Drexel vs. University of Pennsylvania

Drexel finds itself back in the fifth-place game for the second year in a row. The Dragons were hopeful for a higher finish this season, but two tough losses against Temple and La Salle marked another disappointing round of Big 5 pod play. Now, the Dragons look to replicate their fifth-place win against Villanova last year, this time against 33rd Street rivals, the University of Pennsylvania.

Drexel Dragons:
The Dragons offense is a three headed “Dragon” spearheaded by Kobe MaGee, Yame Butler and Cole Hargrove, who make up 40.5 points of the Dragons 75.1 average. Jason “Deuce” Drake has averaged 12 points per game over the last five games, and has provided a nice scoring and playmaking boost, filling that point guard role that Drexel has needed since starting point guard Kevon Vanderhorst went down with an injury in the preseason. The Dragons are a good, yet inconsistent, offensive team. That being said, what will they need to do to win? Well, as previously stated, they need to find consistency. The Dragons offense finds themselves in too many “ruts” — long stretches of time with too many misses and not enough aggressiveness. Against a rival opponent like Penn, that cannot happen. The same can be said on the defensive end. In both the Temple and La Salle game, the Drexel defense was virtually nonexistent for long periods of time, allowing both opponents to go on runs and extend the lead. Yes, the Dragons clawed back in both of those games, but you do not want to be fighting from behind in every big game, especially against your rival team. The Dragons need to find consistency in both their offense and defense. Coach Zach Spiker will also need to quickly figure out his rotational lineups, as that has been a problem for the Dragons this year so far — where three point shooter Horace Simmons and 7’1” big man Ralph Akuta confusingly on the bench for most games, only just giving Simmons some minutes the last two games. That being said, playing a Penn team that has really struggled to find a rhythm this year, the Dragons may just need to play a decent game to take this one. 

University of Pennsylvania Quakers:
There is not much to say about the Penn Quakers this season. After a disappointing 11-18 season last year, the Quakers looked to bounce back.  Unfortunately this season has not started as planned, going 3-5 in their first eight games. This team is the weakest of all the Philadelphia schools, ranking 307th in the Ken Pomeroy rankings, and it is not hard to see why. From watching their games, it may seem like there is a heavy emphasis on establishing the three point shot, and then shifting to attack the basket. However, Penn’s reliance on the three ball has ultimately been their downfall this season, shooting just over 29 percent as a team on the season. To win this game, they need to get their threes to fall, and simply can not shoot under 30 percent. They will also need big play from their frontcourt, namely Nick Spinoso and Ethan Roberts. Roberts has been their best player all year, and they need him to continue to shine, especially from beyond the arc, posting a 39 percent three point percentage in his career. Spinoso has been having a career year, but many of his big games have come against weaker opponents like Navy and Maine. He had just 6 points against Villanova in what was nearly 50 point loss, and 14 against St. Joe’s at the Palestra, although most of those came when the game was already lost. The team needs him to be dominant on the inside, pressuring Drexel’s big men. 

Prediction: The Dragons take this one handedly against a struggling Penn team, 74 – 60. 

Temple vs. Villanova

After many years of being the heavy hitter amongst the Philly teams, Villanova now finds themselves playing for third place, a year after finishing sixth in the Big 5 Classic. Temple looks to capitalize on the Wildcats struggles this season by notching a third place finish.

Temple Owls:
The Temple offense is centered around their fifth year senior, Jamal Mashburn Jr., son of legendary NBA star Jamal Mashburn Sr.. Mashburn Jr. comes into this game having his best year yet, posting career highs in points, field goal and three point percentage, shooting a staggering 50 percent from three point land. Mashburn Jr. is backed up by another fifth year senior — big man Steve Settle III and breakout sophomore guard Zion Stanford. When their offense is clicking, they are a force to be reckoned with. But, that is just the issue, offensive consistency is not there all the time. The Owls as a team average just about 80 points per game, but through seven games this year, they have failed to hit that average four times. A big reason for this is their over-reliance on Mashburn Jr. to carry them through the game. In those four games, Mashburn has underperformed, shooting just 36 percent from the field, 35 percent from three,  70 percent from the free throw line and scoring just over 19 points a game, with a significant chunk of those coming from the free throw line, where he averages six made and eight attempts a game. When he is off, Temple is then forced to look to guys like Stanford and Settle III for offense — but the offensive prowess is not there with these guys like it is for Mashburn. So, to win this game, it is obvious that they need Mashburn Jr. to be at his best on the offensive end, and allow the other guys to play complementary roles. 

Villanova Wildcats:
It is tough to pinpoint what exactly is going on with the Wildcats this year. When they are winning, they are blowing teams out, boasting an impressive 30 point win margin. In losses this year, they are only losing by around seven points, with two very close losses to St. Joe’s and Maryland, by seven and one respectively. In wins, they hold teams to an average of 53 points per game, while in losses, they hold opponents to 80 points per game — a 27 point difference. Meanwhile, in wins they average 83 points per game, and in losses that number drops only slightly down to 73. Just looking at these numbers, you will see that the offense is certainly not the issue. Eric Dixon, the team’s leading scorer at 25 points per game, currently second in the country, is posting career highs across the board. The team itself averages 78 points per game, and averages 46.4 percent from the field, 38.6 percent from three and 80 percent from the free throw line. All that being said, their defensive effort comes and goes from game to game, and has gone missing against stronger opponents while it has thrived against weaker ones. The team averages just six steals a game, and two blocks. The team is just not consistently engaged on the defensive end, and going against an offensive minded team like the Owls, they are going to need to bring the energy on both ends of the floor. 

Prediction: It is a back and forth game with many lead changes, but the Temple Owls pull through on top, 80-76. 

St. Joseph’s v.s. La Salle:

Now, onto the big one. After a successful campaign in the Big 5 Classic last year culminating in winning the first place game against Temple, the St. Joe’s Hawks look to take home the trophy and hang another banner, this time against both a Big 5 and A10 Conference rival. La Salle, on the other hand, look to pull off the upset, and bring home their first Big 5 classic championship in the new format and give head coach Fran Dunphy his first Big 5 title since heading further up North Philly from Temple to La Salle.

La Salle Explorers:
The Explorers are a team with very few faults. They play both sides of the ball at a high level. On the defensive end, they hold teams to just a little over 73 points per game, and score about 80 a game. They typically win games fairly convincingly. The Explorers found themselves in the final by beating inner city opponents Drexel by three and Temple by eight – two very tough and gritty wins. The offense is well spread out, with six players averaging at least eight points a game, and three of them averaging over 10. They’re led offensively by senior guard Corey McKeithan – who has increased his offensive production by 11 points per game, going from eight to 19 in one year. All things considered, the Explorers do just about everything right, led by legendary Philadelphia coach, Fran Dunphy. Against any other opponent, I believe the Explorers would win this game pretty handedly. The only issue is, they are running right into the buzzsaw that is the St. Joseph’s Hawks. The Explorers are not only going to have to play at their best for this game, but they are really going to have to elevate their game if they want to have any chance at winning this one. 

St. Joseph’s Hawks:
The Hawks are easily the best team in Philly this year. After a disappointing loss to Central Connecticut early in the season, the Hawks never looked back, going 4-1 over their next five, including a huge win over a good Texas Tech team (the Big 5’s only Quadrant 1 win this season as of writing), and a close loss to another great University of Texas team. They handedly beat Villanova and Penn, going 2-0 in pod play, remaining undefeated in the new format. This team is a well oiled machine. The Hawks offense is led by a dynamic guard duo in Xzayvier Brown and Erik Reynolds II, with breakout phenom stretch power forward Rasheer Fleming backing them up. These three make up 45 of the 75 points the Hawks average. Both Reynolds and Brown have had their fair share of struggles early this season, but it has hardly mattered, as SJU has corrected one of their longest running weaknesses: bench production. The Hawks run a unique lineup style – typically opting for their signature 3 guard plus 2 forward rotation, and shifting from man-to-man to matchup zone to straight zone defense from possession to possession, oftentimes confusing opposing offenses.  Former Sixers assistant coach, Billy Lange has the Hawks rolling. However, St. Joe’s biggest weakness comes from their biggest strength: confidence.  They have a knack for settling for low percentage shots early in the shot clock.  They have a tendency to play almost too fast at times, turning the ball over in transition far too often.  Despite some questionable lineups and some streaky shooting from the field and at the free throw line at times, the offensive and defensive prowess may be too much for La Salle to handle.

Prediction: The Hawks grit their way to a win, taking a close one over the Explorers, 79-71. 

The Big 5 Men’s Classic is this Saturday 12/7 at the Well Fargo Center. The fifth place game will begin at 2:00 p.m. where Drexel will take on Penn. The third place game will begin at 4:30 p.m. where Temple will take on Villanova. And finally, the championship game will kick off at 7:00 p.m., where St. Joes will take on La Salle. 

Two members of Drexel University Emergency Medical Services leadership, Chief Mathew Habib and Captain Morgan King, announced their resignations on Sept. 23 at 10:00 p.m.

DUEMS is a student-run organization operating under the supervision of the Department of Public Safety as a registered Pennsylvania Quick Response Service. Licensed emergency medical technicians and CPR-trained members arrive at incidents within Drexel patrol jurisdiction to provide emergency medical care as needed. Their mission is to start lifesaving care within minutes before the Philadelphia Fire Department can arrive with an ambulance capable of transport, more advanced equipment and potentially emergency medical personnel with higher levels of training.

Although DUEMS is unable to transport patients, the medical care provided by the organization is free and done by fully trained emergency medical technicians. Drexel community members in need of emergency medical attention should call the DPS dispatch center at (215)-895-2222 or call 911 to reach the Philadelphia emergency system. The Drexel Guardian app also offers one-touch dialing to the DPS dispatch center. DPS advises all Drexel community members to save the dispatch number in their contacts.

In his letter of resignation, Chief Habib recommended to the DUEMS membership, who will be selecting a new chief, that “none of the three current line officers are recommended for further leadership beyond their current capacity.” His recommendations are based on allegations that the line officers fail to meet standards of clinical competency, leadership acumen and professionalism.

In addition, he recommended a review of disciplinary histories of candidates with a particular emphasis on revocations of Field Training Officer status. A Field Training Officer in DUEMS is an officer who can conduct training and supervise new members. Field Training Officer status can be revoked as a disciplinary action for failures of clinical competency, leadership or professionalism.

Lieutenant Kristina Kauffman declined to comment. The other two line officers Lieutenant Annabelle Ludka and Lieutenant Michelle Yiu did not respond to requests for comment concerning these allegations.

Chief Habib did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication.

Director David Hollinger, Fire and Emergency Services, is the advisor for DUEMS and will be ultimately responsible for maintaining standards of clinical care and overseeing leaders within the student organization.

This weekend on Oct. 5, Drexel University students will join residents of the Mantua neighborhood for “Clean, Green and Serene,” a community street cleanup. This event is being organized by local nonprofit Mantua Worldwide Community. It will kick off at 8:30 a.m. at the James L. Wright Recreation Center at 3331 Brandywine Street. The Triangle spoke with Mantua Worldwide founder and executive director Gweny Love. She is a lifelong Mantua resident with a deep devotion to her neighborhood as well as involved students.

“My motivation for starting Mantua Worldwide was to bring to our awareness that we all must act as agents of positive social change in order to create a just and sustainable world for ourselves and future generations,” Love said. She also acknowledges its pragmatic origin: “I am a native of Mantua, and I got tired of being surrounded by filth and the most abhorrent and despicable forms of refuse. One day, I asked myself, ‘Is this it? Is this how we will live indefinitely? Does anybody see this madness?… Will anyone do anything about this?’ Seeing myself as just the ‘girl next door’, I thought that perhaps if I asked neighbors to come out with a broom, we could make a difference. So, I scheduled a date for a cleanup and invited the neighbors on my block.  They showed up. We cleaned up. And we kept meeting consistently for what has become Clean, Green, and Serene.”

Beyond cleaning up the streets, Love was driven to promote public health, sustainability and Mantua residents, formally establishing Mantua Worldwide in 2021. 

“In the deepest core of my heart, my desire has been for university students, young professionals, and children to be able to live a life of freedom and acceptance with vast opportunities. I want the doors of opportunity to open wide for them, so that they can be free and feel confident that the world is theirs for the taking… [and] to be happy and confident that their knowledge and character are enough to take them wherever their imaginations want to go.”

In keeping with this, Love emphasizes that “Mantua Worldwide is focused on creating partnerships to make our global community healthy, beautiful and sustainable. To accomplish that, we formed Trailblazers, which is a network of university students and young professionals who are excelling in the STEM/STEAM arena with a focus on public health and environmental sustainability. The goal is to cultivate their leadership skills and position them in the forefront to maximize the green industry jobs and opportunities which include technology, business, and biomedical sciences. To that end, I am personally utilizing my platform to bring together a nucleus of future leaders and empower them so they can use their knowledge, enthusiasm, and  passion to bring awareness to public health and environmental issues that could negatively impact our planet now and many years to come.”

Kacy Gao and Keira Earley are two Drexel students who connected with Mantua Worldwide through their involvement with Toxic Free Philly, an organization that seeks organic, herbicide-free solutions to land management. Toxic Free Philly Drexel is partnering with Mantua Worldwide for the event. Per Earley, “This is the first event us at Toxic Free Philly Drexel have been involved with, but other Drexel [organizations], such as SHARP (Sanitation Health Aid Relief Project) [and Drexel Sierra Club] have worked with [Love] in the past.”

As for Drexel TFP’s involvement, “…In addition to park beautification activities, students and community members can look forward to discussions around herbicide safety, organic turf care, relevant policies in our communities, as well as ways to get civically involved in these issues,” Gao added.

For those interested in participating in the cleanup, Love explains that the event is “a regular community cleanup effort that meets in the backyard playground and garden area of James Wright Playground. Before starting the cleanup, donuts and coffee are provided, as volunteers gather to meet and mingle. Then, we go out into the community sweeping, weeding, planting, and picking up trash. This upcoming cleanup will be more robust with some formal activities like guest speakers, a DJ, pizza, wings, sign-in tables, T-shirts, and a few tents. Some of the speakers include the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Toxic Free Philly, University City Green, and others.”

Love noted that Drexel students are especially welcome, as “Over the past three years that we’ve been hosting Clean Green & Serene… university students and young professionals have been the most consistent [presence,] more than any other group. I am looking to grow and have more student and young professional engagement. In addition, those who attend would be invited to become a part of our Trailblazers, who meet monthly in-person as much as possible. The Trailblazers’ meetings consist of social mixers or networking on the second Friday of each month during happy hour at local restaurants or other locations. The monthly meetings would include parties, special events, guest speakers, panel discussions, open mic, movie night, game night and more.”

For more information, Mantua Worldwide can be found online at mantuaworldwide.com, and Love can be reached via email at GwenyUSA@gmail.com.

What even is a co-op??” – someone posted on the Drexel reddit about 2 weeks ago.

A student co-operative experience is a hands-on working experience in a company whilst being actively enrolled in college, for the purpose of gaining experience as a part of your degree. Most people, especially incoming freshmen, are unaware of all the available facilities at Drexel to help conquer this unfamiliar territory and make the best use of it.

SCDC – Steinbright Career Development Center

The Steinbright Career Development Center, located at 3201 Arch St, is a dedicated office at Drexel for all your co-op and career-related needs.

What Can SCDC Help You With?

• Career Counseling

• Resume Development and Review

• Professional Workshops

• Employer Information Sessions

• Career fairs

• Peer Mentorship

• Pre-law and pre-health advising programs

• Getting FREE formal attire (yes!)

Click here to browse through the services available at SCDC!

If you log on to DrexelOne and open the “Co-op + Career Services” tab, you will also see your co-op advisor assigned to you even before your classes begin. This dedicated co-op advisor fulfills the role of serving your individual mentorship and guidance needs, and you can make an appointment with them to discuss your career goals to tailor your individual plans. Under this same tab, you will see additional resources, such as resume development aids and job-hunting options.

So, although Drexel’s co-operative education system can seem challenging, the university does equip you with a strong support system to assist you with all your needs when you feel lost. It is natural to lose direction while navigating the professional part of your college life and it’s highly advisable to keep in touch with SCDC for any concerns or advice. If you find it too daunting to reach out to the SCDC advisors, you can also reach out to the Peer Mentors — who are affiliated with SCDC to find the right resources for you.

Navigating the co-op process at Drexel might seem overwhelming at first, but with the wealth of resources at your fingertips, you do not have to go it alone. The SCDC is your go-to hub for guidance, from refining your resume to acing your interviews and beyond. Scan the QR code, explore the services and take the first step towards making the most out of your own unique Drexel co-op journey, which would lay the foundation for a strong professional career post-graduation.

First time commuting to or from campus? Here is your Go-to Guide to all things commuter.  As someone going into their third year of commuting, I feel qualified enough to give some tips and tricks to make this transition as seamless as possible for you. This guide is based on the many challenges that I, and my fellow commuters, have experienced, and hope to share some helpful advice!

Am I going to make any friends?

This question haunts commuters, specifically incoming freshman and transfer students who are new to campus. The number one concern most students seem to have revolves around their fear of not making any friends, and as a commuter, it can sound even more daunting. However, I guarantee you, you will make friends! Although it may be a bit more difficult since you are not on campus 24/7, there are plenty of opportunities to meet and connect with new people. Participating in Welcome Week is a great first step into meeting people, as well as orientation, classes and clubs. I met one of my best friends during orientation for our major, and two of my closest friends in a random sociology class during our fall term of freshman year. I am a firm believer that the people you are meant to meet will come into your life one way or another, so do not stress!

I have so much time in between my classes, where should I go?

As a commuter, there can be many long gaps between your classes with nowhere to go, especially if you are a freshman who is not in control of creating your schedule. Not to worry! Thankfully Drexel is a pretty big campus so there are plenty of places to sit down and relax. If you want to sit down, get some work done or even close your eyes, there are a couple of places you can visit such as PISB and Korman. If you prefer to enjoy the weather and sit outside, you can visit the volleyball benches, race lawn, Drexel Park, Lancaster Walk, Paines Skating Park, Schuylkill River, Cira Green and much more! If you have time and energy, I would suggest taking a trip to Center City with friends and exploring. You can take the SEPTA or the campus shuttle bus! And if you do not feel like lugging a bookbag all around the city, bring a lock and leave it in the gym lockers. If you are feeling hungry there are plenty of dining options on and off campus, make sure to check out food truck alley. But I would suggest packing a lunch occasionally because eating out can get expensive fast.

I’m worried I’ll be late to class. 

As someone who hates walking into class late, as a commuter, it’s inevitable. Sometimes there are things beyond your control and all of a sudden it’s 8:45 am at the train station and you’re frantically emailing your professor that you will be late to your 9 am. However, there are a couple of things I would do to ensure that this is rarely the case. My tip? Double your commute time. If your commute is roughly 30 minutes, leave the house an hour in advance as a buffer. Public transportation can be very unreliable at times, and you cannot always depend on the schedule that is shown, always factor for delays! If you are driving to campus, you must consider traffic and parking. I highly suggest leaving the house earlier than you need to, especially the first couple of weeks, to establish a routine and see what works best for you.

As someone who has successfully navigated commuting to campus for years, junior biology major Anum Hassan shares some insight regarding her experiences. 

When asked about maintaining a work-life balance as a commuter, Hassan claims, “I’ve had days where I’ve had a final at 8 p.m. and another one at 8 a.m. the next morning, and I’ll always lose some time for studying when commuting. So what I do is study in the car or train, and always leave my house 15 minutes earlier than any normal school day to be extra wary of delays so I’m not late for my exam.”

Hassan recounts feeling disconnected from campus life her freshman year, “Students living on campus get to see a different aspect of college and experience things like dorming and staying out very late for events, but I don’t think I care anymore partially because I don’t have as much time lately to go out. But I definitely put myself out there by staying late when meeting up with friends or attending random campus events once I realized I was limiting myself. It helped that I had friends trying new things with me and exploring Philly. For social life, a lot of my friends live on campus so they know most people, and it’s easy to quickly make connections, have people to go to fun spots in the city with, and try out new clubs so I don’t think I’m missing out on much anymore.”

Do not forget to take care of yourself!

Commuting is hard, and can even take a toll on someone mentally and physically. You can spend up to 8-10 hours on campus between classes and club meetings, and by the end of the day, you still have to commute all the way home. Waiting endlessly for the train, or using valuable time that you could use to study or decompress, to instead commute, can be draining. But, it is important to remember that commuting does not define your college experience, you do. Your experience is what you make of it. So, remember to take care of yourself, find a balance and make the most out of your time at Drexel.

Welcome to Drexel!

The Triangle welcomes you (back) to campus! If you are a freshman, you are entering a new and exciting time in your life that will go by so fast you will have no idea how it happened. You will soon learn that Drexel is not like other schools. When explaining the quarter system, co-op or the fact that you may have willingly chosen to attend school for five years to your peers, you will be met with a mix of horrified, confused and intrigued looks. This will not go away throughout your entire Drexel career. 

But, during this time of confusion – The Triangle has your back. 

The Triangle is Drexel’s financially independent, student-run newspaper. Founded in 1926, The Triangle is rapidly approaching its 100 year anniversary of providing news to and amplifying the voices of the Drexel student body. The Triangle publishes every two weeks online (and twice per term in print!) with the help of an amazing and resilient 70+ member student staff.  

In this travel magazine-inspired edition, you will find how-to guides and advice from our more seasoned student-staff members. Grab a copy of the paper and explore fall activities around the city, find out how to get involved in student organizations (like The Triangle!), seek out student resources, learn about the Drexel and Philadelphia sports scene and so much more! For returning Drexel students, this edition is a good information refresher, but can also make you nostalgic of how much you did not know as a freshman. 

For more information on how to join The Triangle, please visit www.thetriangle.org/join-the-triangle/. While we are a newspaper, we are not only looking for writers. We also have positions available in IT, photography, social media, business and graphic design! The Triangle was the first organization I joined on campus as a freshman back in 2020 and I have never once regretted it. It has brought me many forever friendships, great professional experience and a passion for journalism that I did not know I had. 

Have a great school year and be sure to keep The Triangle on your radar to stay updated and informed on campus happenings! Follow our instagram @drexeltriangle for real time updates and more! See you next edition! 

Best,

Sophia Mattia 

Editor-in-Chief