Drexel University Main Campus
Encyclopedia
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
is located just west of the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
and is Drexel's largest and oldest campus. It stretches from Chestnut St. in the South to Powelton Ave in the North, and from the Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
rail yard in the East to 34th St in the West. The campus originally consisted of just the Main Building and its additions. In the 1960s the campus expanded greatly and several new buildings were constructed, mainly in the International Style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
with orange brick. Since then the University has bought nearly all the remaining buildings within the campus and has reused
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...
many of them for academic and residential purposes. Also the university has built another wave of new buildings mainly in the Modern
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
and Postmodern
Postmodern architecture
Postmodern architecture began as an international style the first examples of which are generally cited as being from the 1950s, but did not become a movement until the late 1970s and continues to influence present-day architecture...
style in metal and glass. Since North of Drexel's campus lies Powelton Village
Powelton Village, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Powelton Village is a neighborhood of mostly Victorian, mostly twin homes in the West Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is a national historic district which is part of University City...
, a neighborhood of primarily Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
homes. Drexel's continued efforts to expand the university and the dormitories have brought them into conflict with the Powelton Village Civic Association, which has attempted to block university projects on several occasions.
Student life
On the south end of campus the Creese Student Center has a cafe, information desk, and sitting areas and tables for students. In the basement are the commuter lounge and the Greenawalt Student Development Center, which houses offices and meeting rooms for many student organizations such as the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA).
Food
All first year resident students are required to purchase either a Gold, Blue or Platinum dining plan. The Gold plan entitles them to unlimited visits to the recently renovated Handschumacher Dining Center on Chestnut Street, while the Blue and Platinum plans allows 12 meals per week. They also receive a per-term allowance of dining dollars which can be spent at any of several campus locations including TAKE 3! featuring Freschetta at Ross Commons, the Creese Cafe at the Creese Center, the Taco Bell at Hagerty Library, Starbucks located on the ground level of the Pearlstein Business Learning Center. ThirtyOne41 in the Main Building and the Northside Dining Terrace, featuring a Subway, Chik-Fil-a and Currito, on the first floor of Kelly Hall. Upperclassmen may purchase dining plans that allow them a limited number of visits and a different amount of dining dollars.Non Drexel-owned food options include more than 10 lunch trucks
Department of Public Safety
Since Drexel has a large, urban campus there is always the risk of crime. Drexel's solution to the issue of crime is a three-layer defense: Drexel Police, Philadelphia Police, and Drexel Public Safety (staffed by Allied Barton). Police and Public Safety conduct regular patrols on campus and within a few blocks of campus on foot, bicycle, and police vehicles. In addition to Philadelphia Police, Drexel has its own police force. Drexel Police Officers are armed and have the same powers as the Philadelphia Police. Drexel also has hundreds of constantly monitored cameras around campus linked to an on-site security headquarters. In conjunction with these surveillance cameras, Drexel operates over over fifty emergency call boxes located around campus. Should a student feel endangered, he or she can simply press the button on these boxes, and they will be immediately connected with a security officer. The officer will be able to see the person and speak with the person via camera and phone. An officer will be dispatched to their location. Students may also request a walking escort 24 hours a day, from or to any location on or around campus. With all these measures in place, Drexel's campus remains a safe area for both students and local residents.Art galleries
Drexel maintains several art galleries on its main campus. The Drexel Collection is housed primarily in the Westphal Picture Gallery, on the third floor of the Main Building. The collection was established by the university's founder, Anthony J. Drexel, who collected many types of art. The collection continued to receive donations after his death from family, friends, and alumni. The collection has a large variety of artifacts, including porcelains and furniture.The Leonard Pearlstein Gallery is an aluminum and slate structure connected to Nesbitt Hall (the building for the College of Media Arts and Design) in which art exhibitions are frequently held. The slate side of the building is frequently covered with chalk messages about upcoming events.
Queen Lane Campus
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
is located at 2900 Queen Lane in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
giving it its name. The Queen Lane Campus is the home of Drexel University College of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine is the medical school of Drexel University. The medical school has the nation's largest enrollment for a private medical school, and represents the consolidation of two medical schools: the nation's first medical school for women and the first U.S. college of...
and houses first and second-year medical students as well as biomedical graduate students.
The Queen Lane campus was formerly a part of the now defunct MCP Hahnemann University until Drexel acquired it in a $7.25 million purchase from MCP on July 23, 2003.