²έΑρΙηΗψ

Supporting the Future

²έΑρΙηΗψ names College of Engineering’s new home in honor of John G. Drosdick ’65 COE

By Marian Butcher

A rendering of Drosdick Hall with its stone facade and many windows
RENDERING: ROBERT A.M. STERN ARCHITECTS, LLP

When the newly expanded home of the College of Engineering opens this fall, it will have more than 235,000 square feet of state-of-the-art space for teaching, research and innovation. It will also have a brand-new name: Drosdick Hall.

The building is named for John G. Drosdick ’65 COE, retired CEO and president of Sunoco Inc. and a long-standing champion of ²έΑρΙηΗψ Engineering, who has given $20 million toward the building expansion project.

β€œI cannot thank John enough for his unwavering support of ²έΑρΙηΗψ and the College of Engineering,” says University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 CLAS. β€œThis is a momentous time for the College of Engineering and the entire ²έΑρΙηΗψ community. Drosdick Hall will enhance the ²έΑρΙηΗψ Engineering experience for generations.”

Drosdick, a former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from ²έΑρΙηΗψ and a master's in Chemical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has long been committed in his support of College of Engineering initiatives. An early supporter of the building project, he made an investment in the Drosdick Innovation Lab, where students will have opportunities for hands-on, experiential and collaborative learning. Previously, he endowed the College of Engineering deanship through the Drosdick Endowed Dean’s Fund, which supports the ongoing strategic priorities of the College, as well as the John G. Drosdick Endowed University Scholarship, which supports Engineering students with demonstrated financial need.

β€œI am extremely grateful to ²έΑρΙηΗψ for the Engineering education it provided me and how it helped me to grow both personally and professionally,” Drosdick says. β€œI would like to see tomorrow’s Engineering students have the same transformative experience I had at ²έΑρΙηΗψ. This new building will create these opportunities for our future engineers.”

When Drosdick Hall opens for the fall semester, the ²έΑρΙηΗψ Engineering community will be united under one roof for the first time, in a building that has been thoughtfully designed to promote discovery and collaboration.

β€œDrosdick Hall will serve as a crossroads of innovation for ²έΑρΙηΗψ Engineering students, faculty and staff, and transform the education experience for the mid-century and beyond,” says Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE, Drosdick Endowed Dean of the College of Engineering. β€œWe are so thankful for John Drosdick’s generous support.”

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