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“We are the people, we are the memory, we are the dream, we are the free,” sang Noah Slade, a first-year graduate student in the Music Therapy program.

Finding Slade at the Peoplehood Parade and Pageant was not surprising, given his love of community involvement and helping others find healing through music. As the co-musical director of the Pageant, Slade was responsible for composing and arranging the show’s music, including composing the annual liberation song.

On September 18, 2025, the College of Nursing and Health Professions hosted an end-of-program lunch and celebration for the first cohort of the 2025 DREAM Scholars. The event allowed participants in the inaugural spring/summer cohort to present their research findings, connect with professors and celebrate their hard work and dedication.

Most mornings, Kelsie Peters' alarm rings at 5:20 a.m. Within 40 minutes, she's already lifting weights, and by 7:45 a.m. she's on the field for softball practice. That's just a typical day for student-athletes studying nursing, health sciences and exercise science. The simple reason Peters and Flickinger challenge themselves to balance both academics and athletics is that they are passionate about their profession and they thrive on competition.

Carl Black's dream of getting a bachelor’s degree seemed far out of reach. In the distance, he heard people shouting and the sound of footsteps approaching him. A group of young students, wearing camouflage military uniforms, was on its way to a drill. When the group passed Black, he suddenly realized that he might have figured out a way to graduate.

Laura Baehr doesn't take long to find the words to describe what motivates her. This young researcher has a wide variety of interests. It’s a long list of different experiences and studies that all involve one common theme — movement.

At age 53, Kristin Kelly, MSN, FNP-BC, earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from 91��Ƭ��, marking a bold return to academia after two decades in clinical practice. Her journey reflects a powerful blend of lifelong learning, professional growth, and personal fulfillment—proving it’s never too late to pursue new possibilities.

Hannah Brown was on track for a career in criminal justice when a child development class sparked a life-changing pivot toward medicine. Now a Drexel PA student, she’s gaining hands-on experience across the country—including an unforgettable emergency medicine rotation on Navajo Nation.

Amid a bustling city like New York, the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is the last place parents want to be. The constant chaos of monitoring, unfamiliar faces, and uncertainty can feel like a parent’s worst nightmare. Working 12-hour shifts is no easy feat, but Elle Fried, MSN, RN, finds a deep sense of fulfillment and pride in helping patients, and she aims to teach others the same.

Mariah Watkins faced a challenging first year at 91��Ƭ��, undergoing two knee surgeries and playing only seven basketball games, but she remained resilient and found strength through rehab and academic focus. Despite the setbacks, she embraced the support from the Drexel community and is now healthy, motivated, and excited to return to the court alongside her younger sister for the upcoming season.

Stephanie Boye-Doe '27, Jieni Chen '27, Tamilia Francis '27, Tiffany Guo '28, Tkeyah Johnson '27, Chaz Neidig '28, Simran Rai '27 and Catherine Zhuiko '27 have been selected to receive a $15,000/year scholarship until their graduation. This award comes from the William E. and Theresa M. Rubert Memorial Trust. Mrs. Rubert was a graduate of the Hahnemann School of Nursing, which has now become the 91��Ƭ�� College of Nursing and Health Professions. The Trust provides scholarships for pre-junior, full-time students attending 91��Ƭ��'s College of Nursing and Health Professions. Mrs. Rubert was so appreciative of the financial assistance she received for her nursing education, she wanted to give back to other students what had been provided for her.

Shaya Cohen switched from a pre-med track to nursing after discovering that cadaver labs conflicted with his religious beliefs. Now enrolled in 91��Ƭ��'s emergency-focused NP program, Cohen is thriving in both his studies and volunteer EMS work in New York, where he faces intense patient loads. Despite the challenges, he finds the program’s real-world relevance and faculty support invaluable, and looks forward to a career in emergency medicine helping those in need.

Being a health care professional while in college can be exhausting — classes, clinicals or co-op all day long. On top of that, homework, class projects and exam stress. But after a 12-hour clinical shift taking care of others, who is taking care of you?

It’s a stereotype that most college students live on ramen, but three Drexel Culinary Arts and Science students are breaking the mold by using social media to show what they learn at Drexel.

Andrea Irvine, Drexel Athletics’ dietitian, supports over 450 student-athletes while also teaching nutrition at Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions. After a winding career path through coaching and clinical nutrition, she now thrives in her dual role, building bridges between academics and athletics through co-op programs and hands-on student engagement.

91��Ƭ��’s College of Nursing and Health Professions, in collaboration with Duke Health, has launched a new degree and certificate program in Complementary and Integrative Health. Through this dual-degree and certification pathway, students will gain comprehensive knowledge and practical skills grounded in evidence-informed practices, preparing them to lead in the evolving landscape of whole-person care.

Sebastian Smith took a deep breath. He got ready for his big moment. In the distance, he could hear the roar of the crowd. A few moments later, the stadium announcer called out his name. Through the huge curtains Smith got a glimpse of the Lucas Oil stadium, the home field of the Indianapolis Colts. As he walked onto the stage, it suddenly got very hot. Huge flames flared up next to him and made his entrance look quite dramatic. His heart was racing. The excitement started to take over. Smith took one last deep breath, locked in and got ready to dive into the water at the biggest swimming competition of his life.

Stella Willoughby needed a moment to herself. Everything felt too much. She just got notice that she lost her job as the rowing coach at Lake Washington Rowing Club. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of uncertainty. Many industries were shut down, and many people lost their jobs. Willoughby was one of them, but she used the time of uncertainty to her advantage.

What does it take to turn ambition into action? First-year graduate student Grace Delice might know a thing or two.

Daisy Rivera, PA-C, serves as a dedicated clinical preceptor and director of Physician Assistant Education at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, where she mentors PA students through immersive, multidisciplinary clinical rotations. Motivated by personal experiences and a passion for equity in healthcare, Rivera strives to inspire future providers to deliver culturally competent, compassionate care while encouraging them to grow beyond the clinical role into advocacy and leadership.

Congratulations to the 2025 Rubert graduates!

When asked to sum up her freshman year at Drexel in one word, Nora Cumiskey paused for a moment and settled on eye-opening. Eye-opening might be an understatement. In only her freshman year, the 19-year-old health sciences major already has three years as an emergency medical technician (EMT) under her belt and has her sights set on joining the growing number of physician assistants practicing in the U.S.

Danielle Ruffin sat in her dorm room at the University of Hartford as she watched the 2008 WNBA draft on her computer. All of a sudden, her heart started to race. She started to panic and just couldn’t absorb what happened. In the third round of the draft, she heard her name get called out. The Atlanta Dream selected the then-21-year-old as the overall 32nd pick in the 2008 WNBA draft, making her dream of becoming a professional basketball player come true.

Aaron Pitt Jr. lives a super hectic life. Between juggling classes, a part-time job and three student organizations, he seems to do it all.

For the sophomore nursing major, the choice to become a nurse was simple: he loves caring for others.

On April 3, 2025, the Promise Zone Research Connection (PZRC) hosted its inaugural West Philly Research Day to help address these concerns and create an environment that fosters trust and collaboration amongst research institutions and community members based in West Philadelphia. The event aimed to connect research institutions, local organizations and community members to engage in meaningful conversations to promote mutually beneficial outcomes of research for community residents.

Five practices, three lifts and two games per week. All of this is done while maintaining a regular class schedule and having to deal with homework, quizzes and exams. Student-athletes face lots of responsibilities. Drexel soccer goalkeeper Ben Hanas knows all about that. The 18-year-old majors in sxercise science at the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) and gives up a lot of his free time to be successful on and off the field.

Ever wonder what the intersection between psychology and human development and counseling is? Sophomore Mayako Kawashima ‘27, a double major in both, could give you some insight.

Azarhis Smith is a second year culinary student who also works at Fork, a James Beard Award winning restaurant. We asked Azarhis about the culinary arts and science program and some of the experiences he’s had at the college so far.

Established in 1967, there are currently more than 178,700 physician assistant (PA) practitioners in the United States. Sophomore health sciences major Anuj Patel ’28 aims to become a licensed PA upon his graduation.

For sophomore undergraduate nursing major Treyonni Brown ‘28, diversifying your career is crucial to success.

A wise person once said if you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life. For Valentine Van Hellemont ‘27, the ambitious Division I field hockey player is studying exercise science at the College of Nursing and Health Professions to become a physical therapist for professional athletes.

According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, only three percent of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are Black or African American. Sophomore undergraduate nursing student Mercedes McCall’s long-term goal is to join those numbers.

How does a nursing student at Drexel find herself in the middle of chest compressions at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) during her third week of co-op? Meet Hannah Stetson, a junior undergraduate nursing student in Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions.