A Historic Celebration for a Historic Group: Drexel Virtually Honors the Class of 2020 | Now

This yr, Drexel College’s College-wide graduation was not held in Residents Financial institution Park, because it has in the previous few years, however the house of the Philadelphia Phillies nonetheless lit up in help of Drexel and Philadelphia legend Dan Baker nonetheless began off the celebration with a celebratory message. The particular Drexel-branded champagne glass and commencement cap have been mailed to Dragons at house; the glasses would have been stuffed throughout the College’s annual champagne toast for seniors and the cap would have been worn with a robe as its wearer walked throughout a stage and attended graduation ceremonies.

However selfies and photos of the Class of 2020 and their household had been nonetheless taken and shared on-line. Levels had been nonetheless conferred onto individuals who labored very laborious to earn them throughout their time on the College. Faculties and faculties nonetheless held particular person ceremonies that college students may attend along with the College-wide graduation occasion. And, most of all, time was nonetheless reserved to honor these college students and their accomplishments, in addition to everybody that supported them alongside the way in which, and welcome these new alumni to the following phases of their lives.

As a result of, sure, the College was not have the ability to maintain this yr’s graduation in individual, however that didn’t cease Dragons from displaying off — and sharing — their Drexel delight collectively, on a particular evening.

At 6 p.m. EST on June 11, Drexel hosted a digital celebration for Dragons around the globe to return collectively (on-line) and have fun all that this yr’s graduating class achieved through the years — particularly all the pieces that was achieved throughout, and regardless of, the previous few months. A video that includes President John Fry, alumni, college students, members of the administration and the board of trustees was launched at the moment; it was hosted on a commencement website that Dragons may use to reminisce on Drexel traditions, stay linked to their new alma mater and be taught extra concerning the College’s prestigious alumni community.

DrexelNow compiled the highlights of the digital celebration beneath — however earlier than you get to that, press play on this video for a particular introduction.

Now that you just’ve been correctly welcomed by Dan Baker, the voice of baseball in Philly and a proud Drexel Dragon mother or father who has served because the emcee of previous Drexel graduation ceremonies in Residents Financial institution Park, learn on:

The central hub for all issues Class of 2020 will be discovered on the virtual celebration website. It’s crammed with movies, photographs, messages, songs, downloadable pictures to make use of on social media, a social media feed of the #foreverdragons hashtag and key components of the Drexel legacy. You must undoubtedly take a look at this assortment of tributes to this yr’s graduates.

“Within the digital world particularly, digital means a synthesized or simulated actuality. However there may be nothing synthesized concerning the laborious work and self-discipline you all have invested in incomes the levels we have fun tonight,” President Fry stated in his address to graduates, which was included within the nearly 33-minute-long video tribute featured on the homepage. “There’s nothing simulated concerning the delight felt by your mother and father, family and friends. And there may be definitely nothing synthesized concerning the gratitude I really feel for the way in which the Class of 2020, together with all of our college students, school {and professional} workers, responded to the COVID-19 problem.”

Throughout his message, which will be read in full here, Fry associated that the resiliency and grit that the graduates displayed whereas adapting not simply to the short pivot to distant studying that occurred throughout the spring quarter, but in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic and public reckoning of racial inequity, is simply one of many many indicators that they’re well-equipped to alter society and the long run by turning into each energetic residents and specialists of their chosen fields.

“As so typically occurs in historical past, you’ve got inherited an issue you had no hand in creating — however which it’s essential to and can take the lead in fixing,” he advised the Class of 2020, later including, “These are unsure occasions in some ways. However I really feel a lot extra assured about our future — just by figuring out that you just, our graduates, might be a part of it.”

Fry was simply one of many many audio system who recorded messages to graduates both on the podium positioned within the Nice Courtroom of Predominant Constructing, or from the comforts of their houses. These Dragons who additionally congratulated the Class of 2020 in that video included:

• Senior Vice President Subir Sahu, PhD, who recounted a few of the traditions and experiences that college students lived via throughout their time at Drexel. Sahu additionally affirmed the College’s dedication to creating the campus group a extra welcoming and inclusive place, and supporting these addressing institutional racism, police brutality, inequities and injustices plaguing right this moment’s society. He then led a moment of silence to honor, as he movingly described, “the reminiscence of all black lives misplaced to this mindless and systematic violence.”
• Board of Trustees member and famous alumna Chris McKendry ’90, who shared greetings and congratulations on behalf of the Board of Trustees and welcomed the brand new class of alumni.
• Interim Nina Henderson Provost Paul Jensen, PhD, who implored the Class of 2020 to remain linked to the College and its community of Dragons, and return for an official graduation ceremony subsequent June.
• Undergraduate Scholar Authorities Affiliation (USGA) President Apoorva Selvaraj, BS/MS ’20, who urged her fellow graduates to make use of their Drexel training and experiences to step up, communicate out and be an advocate and ally going ahead.
• Graduate Scholar Affiliation (GSA) Vice President of Tutorial Affairs Guillermo Ibarrola Recalde, PhD ’20, who inspired the Class of 2020 to have fun each their failures and accomplishments and stay up for what the long run can maintain.
• Former Philadelphia Inquirer editor and two-time Pulitzer Prize recipient Bill Marrimow, who gave the Drexel College 2020 Keynote Handle that highlighted the advantages of mentorship via the tales of alumni and his personal experiences.

The “Drexel College’s 2020 College-Extensive Celebration” video then ended after a conferral of degrees and final congratulations to the Class of 2020.

There was additionally a particular in-person part to the June 11 celebration which was possible seen by Dragons in Philly and likewise shared on the web site for all to see, and bear in mind.

Notable landmarks in Philadelphia — from the Mario the Dragon statue and Predominant Constructing on the College Metropolis Campus to Boathouse row and the Heart Metropolis skyline to Residents Financial institution Park and the Wells Fargo Heart — had been lit up in blue and gold lights the evening of June 11. Video and photographs of these blue and gold sights had been proven on WPHL-TV (PHL-17) and WCAU-TV (NBC-10) segments; CBS-3 even despatched out its information helicopter to shoot breathtaking aerial footage of the Philly skyline lit up in blue and gold, and when gazing at a photograph of the Mario the Dragon, 6-abc’s legendary news anchor Jim Gardner remarked, “That’s a beautiful dragon in blue and gold, darn proper.”

Right here’s a photograph sideshow compilation of all the very best photographs of Philadelphia carrying blue and gold that had been taken that evening:

And, after all, there was the remainder of the digital celebration that may be discovered online. You possibly can learn messages from alumni and find out about their tales; obtain pictures to share on social media; take heed to the Drexel combat music; watch movies exploring the College’s historical past and particular house within the metropolis of Philadelphia and even learn to put on a Drexel cap and robe on the favored Animal Crossings sport. It’s price trying out here.

However earlier than you go, let LeBow Faculty of Enterprise Interim Dean Vibhas Madan play you out with a particular music he’s written and performed on his guitar referred to as “Drexel’s Class of 2020: A Track for You.”