The 2013 Commencement Ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at Central Campus in Blue Bell.
Graduates should arrive no later than 5:30 p.m. Please report to the lower level of College Hall (Cafeteria). Be aware that traffic surrounding Central Campus can get extremely congested, so allow extra time for travel that evening.
College personnel will be on hand to check students in and assist with the student procession line up. Students will line up in pairs within their degree programs: A.A. students, A.S. students, A.A.S. students, A.F.A. students, A.G.S. students, and Certificate students. (If you are a degree and certificate recipient, you will line up with the appropriate degree category.)
The entrance for family and guests will open at 5:30 p.m. There will be concessions available for purchase on site.
The Commencement Ceremony will be webcast LIVE on the College website for those who are unable to attend the ceremony.
For your safety and security, no backpacks, coolers or any soft sided bag larger than 16”x16”x8” will be permitted in the event area. Guests bringing these items will be asked to return them to their vehicles. Thank you.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement at 215-641-6581 or view our Commencement Packet.
John A. Fry was appointed as Drexel’s 14th president in 2010, after serving the higher education sector for his entire professional career. Under Fry’s leadership, Drexel aims to set a new standard for co-operative education, transform its online and hybrid offerings, and become a powerful force for economic development in the Greater Philadelphia region.
In addition to serving as president of Drexel University, Fry serves as president of the Drexel University College of Medicine and chairman and CEO of Drexel e-Learning, Inc., the University’s for-profit subsidiary marketing online Drexel degree programs.
Prior to Drexel, Fry served as president of Franklin and Marshall College, where he was instrumental in the college’s academic growth, campus and neighborhood development and improved finances. Under his leadership, Franklin and Marshall made a long-term commitment to increase its financial aid to attract and enroll the most highly qualified students. Fry forged new partnerships with the city and neighbors, improving the surrounding business district and neighborhoods.
Fry also served as executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania from 1995-2002.
He serves on the boards of the Shipley School, the Milton Hershey School, Lafayette College, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Select Greater Philadelphia and US Squash. He is also a director of Community Health Systems, Delaware Investments, The Hershey Trust and NASDAQ-OMX.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., President Fry studied American civilization at Lafayette College and received the George Wharton Pepper Prize, the highest honor awarded to a graduating senior. In 1986, he earned a master's degree in business administration from the New York University Stern School of Business. John and his wife, Cara, an art historian, have three children: Mia, a senior at Williams College; Nathaniel, a senior at The Shipley School; and Phoebe, a sixth grader at The Shipley School.
