Timeline of Drexel History
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1889 | Work begins on the Main Building at 32nd and Chestnut streets and plans for the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry are made public |
| 1891 | First school president, James MacAlister, appointed Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry is dedicated Departments are organized under the following academic divisions: Art Department, Scientific Department, Department of Mechanic Arts, Department of Domestic Economy, Technical Department, Business Department, Department of Physical Training, Normal Department for the training of teachers, Department of Lectures and Evening Classes, Library and Reading Room, and Museum |
| 1892 | Classes begin Third school in the country to train librarians opens at Drexel |
| 1893 | Houses on 32nd Street purchased for lab and classroom space School founder Anthony J. Drexel dies in Carlsbad, Germany |
| 1894 | Department of domestic science and arts offers three specialized programs: domestic science, cookery, and dressmaking Technical department and science department merge to form department of science and technology Howard Pyle begins School of Illustration School incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania First school-wide commencement; commencement previously held at the department level |
| 1895 | Athletic association is formed Thomas Eakins teaches briefly First alumni association is formed |
| 1896 | First two class books, The Hanseatic and The Eccentric, are published Department of Free Public Lectures and Entertainment established, previously affiliated with the Evening School Evening architecture extends requirements for certificate |
| 1897 | Free evening classes in choral music are offered Violet Oakley attends classes in School of Illustration Lucina A. Ball, first secretary and registrar, resigns Marie J. Goddard is president of the Drexel Institute Architectural Club and becomes first woman to complete the architecture program |
| 1899 | Virginia Castleman writes lyrics to "Drexel Ode," which is performed at commencement for the first time Houses leased on Chestnut Street, above 32nd Street for the School of Architecture Formal committee appointed to oversee social activities for students |
| 1900 | Department of Electrical Engineering opens William Pittman, African-American scholarship recipient from Tuskegee Institute, completes architecture program Courses are offered in mathematics, physics, and chemistry Domestic Science and Arts are separated into junior and advanced programs with technical-level courses in Domestic Science and Domestic Arts as separate departments Howard Pyle resigns from Drexel |
| 1902 | Randell Hall (originally called East Hall) opens Picture gallery opens in Randell Hall |
| 1903 | Engineering course becomes School of Electrical Engineering grouped under the Department of Science and Technology Training for nurses is briefly offered Library school requires entrance examination Choral Music Department is reconstituted as Department of Evening Classes in Choral Music |
| 1905 | Architecture becomes independent department Fine and applied arts is officially terminated Board of Trustees decides not to offer a degree Evening School offers course to prepare students to pass State Board of Examiners of Public Accountants Marble bust of A. J. Drexel, done by Moses Ezekiel, is presented to school by Sarah Drexel Van Rensselaer, daughter of the founder |
| 1906 | Science courses become School of Science School of Electrical Engineering becomes School of Engineering under the Department of Science and Technology, offering electrical, mechanical and civil engineering New alumni constitution is prepared |
| 1907 | First alumni day is held |
| 1908 | Training for nurses is discontinued Choral music course is discontinued Industry subsidizes employees' attendance at Drexel Evening School Board of Trustees president James W. Paul, son-in-law of the founder, dies; Alexander Van Rensselaer becomes board president |
| 1909 | Architecture offers three-year course Frances MacIntyre replaces Frances J. Dill as school's secretary |
| 1910 | Evening School alumni form separate group Associated alumni of evening classes form constitution |
| 1911 | First yearbook is offered Charles E. Etting Fund established as the first general scholarship fund |
| 1912 | Men's student government is formed |
| 1913 | The Lexerd published under present name President James MacAlister resigns, then dies shortly after President James Horace Churchman serves pro tem |
| 1914 | Hollis Godfrey becomes president, implements a major restructuring of academic divisions Academic departments reorganized under four schools: Engineering School, Secretarial School, Evening School, and School of Domestic Science and Arts Technical training becomes a division under the School of Domestic Science and Arts Architecture drops from day curriculum, becomes division of Evening School Secretarial School created through the dissolution of the Department of Commerce and Finance Department of Domestic Science and Department of Domestic Arts consolidated under School of Domestic Science and Arts Courses in pure and physical science, technical courses, and electrical engineering consolidate to form School of Engineering State grants rights to offer Bachelor of Science in Engineering Free lectures and public concerts discontinued Library School is discontinued Henry V. Gummere heads newly established Evening School, lengthens course offerings with policy of non-duplication with area schools |
| 1915 | Controlled summer program begins, predecessor to cooperative education program |
| 1916 | First home management practice house opens for the School of Domestic Science and Arts Lower school is discontinued |
| 1917 | Bachelor of Science in Secretarial Studies is offered Bachelor of Science in Domestic Science and Arts is offered State grants rights to offer Master of Science in Domestic Science and Arts Twenty-fifth anniversary convocation held |
| 1918 | Students' Army Training Corps (SATC) begins War course for women initiated in dietetics, occupational therapy, and preparatory work for the civil service First student houses for women under direct Drexel control are set up |
| 1919 | First regular summer school begins Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) begins Terms become quarters Four-year engineering co-op is established Harold C. Bales is appointed first director of co-op Elizabeth L. Cowan and Ruth E. Green are the first women to receive bachelor's degrees in domestic science and arts Evening diploma school is organized |
| 1920 | Evening School offers preparatory curriculum M.J. McAvoy, first full-time coach, is hired |
| 1921 | Hollis Godfrey resigns Administrative board runs the Institute in the interim between presidents |
| 1922 | Kenneth Gordon Matheson becomes president Evening School faculty consists of regular college faculty, secondary school teachers, and persons from industry John Arnett comes to Drexel as physician New Home Management House opens Cecil A. Kapp is appointed new director of cooperative work Two-year dietetics course is offered Helen Goodspeed is director of home economics and advisor to women First alumnus, Horace P. Liversidge, is elected to Board of Trustees Seven scholarships are granted to students from local schools Secretarial School is retitled School of Business Administration Women's student government is formed Office of dean of men is created and dean of women's functions are expanded Faculty council of president is formed, composed of deans and directors, department heads, and chairman of committees Functions of registrar and comptroller are divided Preparatory nurses course is started Library School is re-established under directorship of Anne Wallace Howland |
| 1923 | Drexel alumni write new constitution Grace Godfrey succeeds Helen Goodspeed as director of home economics and advisor to women Dietetics becomes four-year major Four-year cooperative degree in chemical engineering is offered, as are business administration, four-year commercial teaching, four-year secretarial studies, and two-year secretarial course for diploma |
| 1924 | First evening diploma to woman in accounting is offered Five-year commerce and engineering course is offered Robert C. Disque becomes academic dean Endowment drive begins Evening College alumni amend constitution John Arnett begins systematic program of student health Faculty athletic council is formed |
| 1925 | Chemical engineering becomes five-year co-op |
| 1926 | Department of Education and Psychology is established The Triangle begins publication |
| 1927 | Nursery playschool is developed Walter H. Halas hired as full-time coach, responsible for baseball, basketball, and football State grants charter amendment for Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Secretarial Studies, Commerce, Home Economics, Library Science, and Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering |
| 1928 | Cyrus H. K. Curtis gives pipe organ to Institute Edith M. Rood becomes first woman editor of The Triangle |
| 1929 | Annuity plan for faculty is approved by Board of Trustees Home economics offers textile merchandising Curtis Hall is completed |
| 1930 | Home Management House and nursery school building open Nurses course is established |
| 1931 | Drexel Lodge, gift of A. J. Drexel Paul, is dedicated Cornerstone is laid for Sarah Drexel Van Rensselaer Dormitory for Women Charter is amended to give honorary degrees Graduate work begins in home economics President Matheson dies Executive committee runs Drexel: academic dean (R. C. Disque), comptroller (W. R. Wagenseller), dean of men (L. D. Stratton), and director of Evening School (W. T. Spivey) Sarah Drexel Van Rensselaer Dormitory opens |
| 1932 | Parke R. Kolbe becomes president Open house for high school students, parents, and faculty is held Alexander Van Rensselaer starts first loan fund for Evening School students |
| 1933 | Home Economics holds first vocational conference Faculties with broad self-governing powers are formed in each school: business administration, engineering, home economics, and library science; administrative head of school is to be called dean Business administration offers retailing management |
| 1934 | Men's faculty club room is established, with corresponding Ryder Club for the women of the faculty and administrative staff Provision of indefinite tenure for the faculty with rank of assistant professor and higher is passed by the Board of Trustees |
| 1935 | Home economics offers general home economics course |
| 1936 | Name is changed to Drexel Institute of Technology Carl Altmaier undertakes history of Drexel Marie Hamilton Law succeeds Anne Wallace Howland as director of Library chool Engineering Council for Professional Development accredits School of Engineering |
| 1937 | Alumni help in selecting promising students |
| 1938 | George C. Galphin starts guidance clinic Library School discontinues non-credit summer work Technical Journal begins publication |
| 1939 | Student Building opens New alumni association constitution subordinates class and school interests to those of the Institute as a whole |
| 1940 | Engineering Defense Training program offered |
| 1941 | Training begins in the Engineering Defense program and the Engineering, Science, and Management of War program |
| 1942 | George Peters Rea becomes president Edward D. McDonald and Edward M. Hinton's history of Drexel, covering the first 50 years of the Institute, is published |
| 1943 | First women enroll in the School of Engineering |
| 1944 | Financial crisis caused by falling enrollment during World War II forces the sale of Drexel's collection of art and original manuscripts; the auction for the material brings in $75,000 President Rea resigns; Dean Disque serves as acting president |
| 1945 | James Creese becomes president Athletics becomes a recognized department under the dean of faculty |
| 1946 | Drexel Society of Women Engineers (SWE) founded |
| 1947 | Day College and Evening School unite, making credits from both of equal value Don Yonker appointed men's soccer coach, beginning a 30-year career |
| 1948 | Evening students receive their diplomas with the day colleges in a combined ceremony |
| 1950 | Evening School becomes Evening College |
| 1955 | Stratton Hall (originally called the Basic Sciences Building) is completed Men's football team goes undefeated for the first time |
| 1956 | Tidewater Grain elevator explosion causes considerable damage to Drexel buildings The United States Army Corps of Engineers report on the educational qualifications of engineering graduates ranks Drexel alumni second |
| 1958 | Men's soccer team wins national championship after a 12-0 season |
| 1959 | Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering and Science is offered New library (currently Korman Center), which includes space for the Library School and an audiovisual center, opens |
| 1960 | Red Lion Warehouse, adjacent to the Main Building, is purchased |
| 1961 | Rush Hospital on 33rd Street is purchased |
| 1962 | Drexel graduate Paul Baran (class of 1949) invents "packet switching," a key component in the development of the Internet John Semanik (class of 1956) becomes athletic director, the first alumnus to hold that position |
| 1963 | William Walsh Hagerty becomes president Creese Student Center opens Commonwealth of Pennsylvania grants Institute the right to confer the PhD in physics, chemistry, materials engineering, applied mechanics, and mathematics |
| 1964 | Red Lion Warehouse is converted into classrooms and reopened as Commonwealth Hall with a bridge over Ludlow Street connecting Commonwealth and the Main Building |
| 1965 | Mary Semanik becomes Drexel’s women’s director of athletics |
| 1966 | Rush Hospital is converted into classrooms and opens as the Graduate School of Library Science (Rush Building) A. J. Drexel statue moved from Fairmount Park to the Drexel campus |
| 1967 | Women's basketball team completes its second consecutive undefeated season Disque Hall opens Richard J. Mortimer earns the first PhD awarded by Drexel |
| 1968 | College of Engineering and the College of Science are founded out of the previously established College of Engineering and Science |
| 1970 | Drexel Institute of Technology is renamed Drexel University Nesbitt Hall is completed |
| 1972 | Drexel four-oar crew wins the school's first gold medal at the Dad Vail Regatta |
| 1973 | Mandell Theater opens |
| 1974 | Lancaster Avenue (between 32nd and 33rd streets) is converted to a sidewalk The Educational Activities Center (later renamed MacAlister Hall) opens |
| 1975 | The Physical Education Athletic Center (later renamed Daskalakis Athletic Center) opens; "Running Free" sculpture of three horses is installed |
| 1981 | Men's soccer team wins its first East Coast Conference (ECC) championship |
| 1983 | Drexel announces plan to require all students to have personal access to a personal computer |
| 1984 | W. W. Hagerty Library opens First Macintosh computers distributed to Drexel students President Hagerty retires William S. Gaither becomes president |
| 1987 | Harold Myers begins his service as interim president Wrestling team has its winningest season ever (17-5-1) |
| 1988 | Richard Breslin becomes president Academic Building is purchased to be used for administration Neuropsychology PhD program approved |
| 1989 | LeBow Engineering Center opens Michael Anderson (class of 1989) becomes first Drexel alumnus to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) |
| 1990 | The Center for Automation Technology opens College of Science becomes the College of Arts and Sciences |
| 1993 | One Drexel Plaza is purchased at a December auction; it later becomes the home of the College of Evening and Professional Studies |
| 1994 | Chuck Pennoni serves as interim president upon the resignation of Richard Breslin |
| 1995 | Constantine Papadakis becomes president |
| 1996 | Men's basketball team sets a record by winning 27 games |
| 1997 | School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems begins School of Education begins |
| 1999 | North Residence Hall opens |
| 2000 | Caneris Residence Hall (formerly East Hall) Dormitory opens |
| 2002 | Drexel University College of Medicine established, successor to MCP Hahnemann University School of Medicine Pearlstein Business Learning Center Business building opens University Crossings opens as a dormitory |
| 2005 | Bossone Research Enterprise Center Scientific Research opens for biomedical engineering courses Classes begin in the College of Law |
| 2007 | College of Law building opens Race Street Residences opens |
| 2009 | Constantine Papadakis dies; Chuck Pennoni resumes service as interim president Millennium Hall opens |
| 2010 | John Anderson Fry becomes president Recreation Center opens |
| 2011 | Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building opens The Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry, part of Pennoni Honors College, offers the custom-designed major Drexel affiliates with the Academy of Natural Sciences |
| 2012 | Men's basketball team sets a record by winning 29 games The URBN Center, new home of Westphal College, opens in the former Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) building |
| 2013 | Gerri C. LeBow Hall opens The College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) is created, combining the College of Information Science and Technology (the iSchool), the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering, and the Department of Computing and Security Technology in Goodwin College The Center for Hospitality and Sport Management is established Women's basketball team wins the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT); Hollie Mershon is named Tournament MVP Men's and women's crew teams combine to win the overall points trophy at the Dad Vail Regatta; Drexel continues this victory 2014–2017 Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship is launched |
| 2014 | The College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) enrolls its first class of students The School of Public Health moves from the Center City campus to Nesbitt Hall in the University City campus Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships opens President Obama announces the first of five Promise zones, one of which is in Philadelphia, with Drexel as a partner |
| 2015 | School of Public Health is renamed the Dana and David Dornsife School of Public Health after the Dornsifes donated $45 million to the school |
| 2016 | Drexel and Brandywine Realty Trust unveil plans for Schuylkill Yards, a $3.5 billion investment to create a new fourteen-acre neighborhood immediately west of 30th Street Station |
| 2017 | Men's and women's crew teams win fifth consecutive overall team title trophy at the Dad Vail Regatta |
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