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VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2

P D D

DR EX EL
JULY 2013

DRAG O N

2.0

The Reimagined Goodwin

By the PDD Staff

THE REIMAGINED GOODWIN

WE ARE SATURDAY SCHOLARS

In the spring of 2013, a letter was released from the Office of the Provost briefly outlining new initiatives of the strategic plan for Drexel University. Included in these strategic initiatives was a reimagined Goodwin College and the notion that Goodwin would be moving back to its future. Prior to this announcement, the School of Education had separated from Goodwin. Not being clear on what that statement meant, and what precipitated the withdrawal of the School of Education from Goodwin College, the Philanthropist and Drexel Dragon scheduled a meeting with Goodwins Dean, Dr. William Lynch to clarify questions we had about the changes being made to Goodwin. Note: Dr. Lynch is now Dean of the School of Education and interim Dean of Goodwin while the search for Goodwins next

Dean is being conducted. The meeting with Dean Lynch brought forth the following explanations for the changes being made to Goodwin: In 1994 the School of Education had four faculty members and few students. (Dean Lynch) was hired to, among other duties, strengthen the School of Education. In 2007, the School of Education merged with the School of Technology and Professional Studies to form the new Goodwin College. The School of Education had grown enormously through its relationship with Goodwin and is now strong enough to stand on its own. The administration felt it was time for an independent School of Education. This move would also give the School of Education a higher profile in the community.

Another factor in this change was the beginning of a new strategic plan (2012-2017). Drexel has a new president, John Fry, who has new visions, new goals, and a new strategic plan in mind for Drexel. President Frys vision is to have Drexel become the most civically engaged university in the country by working with local communities and providing a lifelong and desirable choice of education for these communities. We also asked Dean Lynch what the future held for Goodwin College. At that time the decision of the PAR (Program Alignment and Review) Committee had not been published, so Dean Lynch could only speculate on what their findings and recommendations would be.
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GOODWIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

ALL THINGS CHANGE: GOODWIN COLLEGE AS A MEMORY RATHER THAN A FUTURE UPCOMING EVENTS

We Are.Saturday Scholars
If you happen to be on campus on Saturdays and wander down to One Drexel Plaza, you will see something you dont normally expect to see on a college campus. There is a small group of us who are a little older than the traditional college student. Some of us are married or married with children. Some of us are grandparents or even great-grandparents. A few of us are younger, but still older than the typical college student. We are the Saturday Scholars. We come to Drexel every Saturday, usually from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. We spend our day learning because we cant get here during the week or at night. We work fulltime jobs and after work, a lot of us go home to our families, which, could be another full-time job.

By Angela Amico Olchaskey

I was afraid that when I walked into my first class two years ago that I was going to be the oldest in a class full of young kids never in my life was I so wrong about something. We are a community of people, friends really. We are a very close knit circle because we are all in the same place in life. We want to learn. We want to be examples to our children. We want to make our life and the world around us a better place. My world
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GOODWINS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

By Linda Freer

Many students are unaware of the fact that Goodwin College of Professional Studies has its own alumni association. The Evening College, as it was once called, started this organization in the 1920s when the day college became a developing reality. According to Joseph L. Vetter, Awards Committee Chairman of the Executive Board, Goodwins alumni association has always been under siege, but the strength of the graduates has fought off its demise these many years. Our association now is calling on you for your help. In recent years, this organization has experienced some setbacks. Membership has dwindled to a point where our once active organization is now in hibernation. With your help, our once thriving group can return to its original purpose to encourage and coordinate alumni activities and interests; uphold and extend the influence of Drexel and its alumni; strengthen the bonds among alumni and between alumni and the University; reflect alumni opinion on mailers affecting Drexel; create an ongoing relationship between the students and the alumni so as to develop future active alumni; and foster moral, spiri-

tual and material support for the University (taken from the Richard C. Goodwin College of Professional Studies Alumni Association By-Laws). Attempting to maintain a flourishing alumni association has been no easy task for our predecessors. Records have shown that many attempts had been made to dissolve our group even as far back as the early 1930s. At that time George Childs Drexel established the Mary S. Irick Drexel Medal in honor of this wife. Out of respect for the graduates of this school, this endeavor was initiated to help solidify the Evening Colleges existence. It also served as a way for George Childs Drexel to continue his fathers idea of an evening college. To this day, the Mary S. Irick Drexel Medal is awarded to an exceptional Evening College alumnus. In 1933, the Evening College Alumni Association established its own award as well. This honor also continues to be awarded annually to prominent a Goodwin alumnus. Many people do not know that our Association was instrumental in acquiring a degree program within the Evening

College. In the early years of the Evening Colleges existence, this organization applied pressure to secure such a program. This did not happen overnight. In fact, it took over three administrations before some action was taken. Finally, 1950, permission was granted for the inclusion of a Bachelor of Science degree. This was the beginning of a complete degree program which is still enjoyed today. In 1956, then president of the Evening College Alumni Association, Joseph L. Vetter, established an awards committee whose only purpose is to honor and recognize Evening College alumni who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments with their degrees received from our school. This honor is bestowed on outstanding alumni even today! As pointed out by Joseph L. Vetter, there have been at least three attempts in the past 40 years to remove the Evening College as a permanent college of the University. Mr. Vetter also noted that the Alumni Association has been hindered and many of our activities were curtailed, but through the efforts of our Alumni, the

demise of the College has been prevented. He further stressed that without their efforts many graduates who now enjoy a degree from Drexel would not have had this great opportunity. In support of the purpose of our Alumni Association and in keeping their dream alive, we are reaching out to you to help support this organization. Anyone who is interested in volunteering a few hours a month or anyone interested in holding a office, please contact: Lamont R. Wilson, Director, Student Services Goodwin College of Professional Studies Drexel University One Drexel Plaza 3001 Market St., Suite 100 Philadelphia, PA 19104 Tel: 215.895.2173 | Fax: 215.895.4988 goodwin.drexel.edu Your support is appreciated in our ongoing effort to keep Goodwin a driving force within our academic community.

A Word From the Editor

3 The Drexel Dragon and the Goodwin Student Council are looking for students who are interested in becoming a part of their university. There are many changes happening at Goodwin now. Give some of you time and become a part of Goodwins future. Students interested in joining the Goodwin Student Council can contact the president, Amelia Wiggins at goodwinprez2014@gmail.com Students interested in joining the Drexel Dragon publication can contact the editor, Karen Shinn at ks437@drexel.edu. Comments and recommendations are always welcome.

W E A R E . . S A T U R D A Y S C H O L A R S (CONTINUED
became a whole lot bigger in January 2010. of life. I have met people from all different walks We all look out for each other and are each others support group and advocates. It really is true that friends you make in college will be your friends for life, it just that sometimes those friends come a little bit later in life.

FROM PAGE 1)

4 Reimagined Goodwin (continued from page 1) One possible growth area for Goodwin could be online education. Enrollment for the online programs offered through Goodwin has seen steady increases in recent years. It is anticipated that a possible growth strategy for Goodwin could be to further develop online course/program offerings to make them more robust and competitive with other universities. Once the new initiatives to the strategic plan are implemented, the direction that Goodwin will take in the upcoming years will be better understood. The evening and Saturday Scholars programs have had a decline in enrollment, while the enrollment in online classes has increased. As for adults and online vs. face-to-face learning, there is more growth in the online venue. Online education is able to reach consumers who would not normally come to Drexel for classes. Dean Lynch referred us to the Office of the Provost for further explanation. The Office of the Provost is committed to constant evaluation of the structure and alignment of all programs offered by Drexel. The PAR (Program Alignment and Review) Committee www.drexel.edu/provost/ par/ makes recommendations to the Provost to correct alignment issues that they have found in their studies of Drexels course offerings. One task of the PAR Committee this year was to charge a task force with making recommendations on the future of Goodwin. The chair of the task force is John DiNardo, Ph.D and Sr. Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. Dr. DiNardo agreed to meet with us to further discuss the changes being made to Goodwin. The task force made the general recommendation that Goodwin should be a center for non-traditional students taking courses face-to-face, blended, or online. On June 20th 2013, representatives from all of the Goodwin Student Organizations; Goodwin Student Council, the American Institute of Architectural Students at Drexel (now a Westphal student organization) and your Philanthropist/Drexel Dragon met with John DiNardo. The meeting was informal and we discussed the plans for Goodwin and also brought to his attention the matter of student life. An effort is being made to bring Drexel University into the 21 st century by offering online classes for adult learners who are pursuing their degree or otherwise continuing with their education. Hybrid classes (a combination of face-to-face and online sessions) is one of the aspirations of this new Goodwin realignment. These measures focus on satisfying the ever-changing needs of todays working adults. The full time, undergraduate programs in Goodwin will be moved to the schools that are the best fit for those programs. The School of Education has been made its own entity; the Architecture program will also be removed from Goodwin and absorbed by the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. The other full time programs will be absorbed by the appropriate schools. The part-time and online, undergraduate students will remain with Goodwin. The real world experience of adjunct professors is valued by Drexel; however professional development of adjuncts must be part of the final plan. Tuition is always a concern to students. With full time Goodwin programs being absorbed by other Drexel schools, the tuition concern must be factored into any realignment decision suggested by the administration. Along with the realignment of programs and reimagining of Goodwin, we discussed one aspect of the non-traditional student experience that had not appeared to be a factor student life. The realignment and reimaging of Goodwin makes sense academically and may well move Goodwin College into the 21th century, as intended by the administration. However, we impressed upon Dr. DiNardo that we are a unique group which has little in common with the full time Drexel students. I know this quite well because I spent most of my time at Drexel with the younger full time Drexel students. I felt left out and alienated from an institution that I very much wanted to be a part of. Fortunately, I found the Goodwin Student Organizations and they provided a connection with Drexel that I will appreciate, and remain a part of for the rest of my life. If it werent for these organizations I would have been just a statistic at Drexel. We believe that the meeting provided an increased awareness of the administration that reimagining Goodwin should also include reimagining student life for all of Drexels non-traditional students. The rumors that Goodwin was to become an online college had caused concern with the Goodwin Student Organizations. We understand the need for growth but do not want to see Goodwin College become little more than a server connected to virtual students who have no physical connection to their university. Hopefully this will not happen because many of Drexels adult students value the sense of community gained in part from all the wonderful campus and local area activities that endear students to Drexel, the surrounding area and each other. The adult community will miss out on a great, life changing experience. It is hoped that no matter how courses and programs are delivered, opportunities for student engagement will continue to be provided to make the educational experience at Drexel more meaningful and productive.

All Things Change: Goodwin College As A Memory Rather Than A Future.

ByJoe Reilly, Ph. D.

I always valued opportunities available to me in the Delaware Valley. The food is better here than anywhere I have lived or visited. The entertainment venues are more varied than anywhere I have ever been yet. Most importantly the educational opportunities were always first rate. I grew up a block from Temple University then lived in Northeast Philadelphia for 3 years. My family moved to the Harrisburg area when I was 14. I spent 9 years there and realized how limited life is outside of a major metropolitan area. I went to graduate school in Bowling Green, Ohio on a faculty members recommendation. Then I worked at the University of Toledo in Ohio. I earned my Masters degrees then my Doctor of Philosophy there. I always had my sights set on returning to Philadelphia. I even convinced my fianc to come with me. She has liked it very well in professional and personal terms. Opportunities for higher education are better here than anywhere else I know. It has been particularly true for adult learners. That social fact is now changing in a more limiting way. Drexel Institute was founded by Anthony J. Drexel in the 1890s to educate the working people of Philadelphia. His idea was an idea whose time had come. Drexel Institute opened as our society changed and more collegeeducated workers were needed in all areas. An explosion of information and organization required it. He was not the only one who recognized this practical need and fulfilling that need. Russell Conwell established Temple University for the same mission. Drexel Institute then Drexel University educated the people of West Philadelphia. Temple University educated the people of North Philadelphia. When I was growing up all of my mothers family lived in North Philly. One of my uncles went to night school at Temple in the 1950s on his GI Bill benefits. He became an accountant and improved his familys life immeasurably. The individual and social benefits of adult education have been vast. The flip side of this parable is that my father did not go to night school. He had the same GI Bill benefits and expectations of upward mobility. He watched a lot of TV during those years. He had good jobs but not jobs as good as my uncle. Therein lies the value of a practical education for the adult learner. I begin my 40th year of teaching this September. I taught in a series of colleges and universities. I will always cherish my teaching experience at Drexel. My students were always motivated and energetic in Drexel even at 8a.m .The class materials were always intriguing to the students and to me. I say my students because that it how I always saw adult learners. They chose to leave home and attend class and schedule their life for education. Their jobs and families and other demands received adequate attention. Their education always received its required attention. Only rarely did a student need an extension on a deadline for a paper. My Drexel adult students were well organized and on time. .

I have the greatest respect for the adults who began in their 40s or 50s. These are the people who make a society develop and advance. Each of them could have stayed home and watched television I taught part-time in Goodwin from 1998 until 2000. I was hired in 2000 full-time as an administrator and instructor. I was an administrator and instructor until I retired in 2011. Those years were heady and optimistic. I taught standard courses, I taught other facultys specialty courses.I developed some original courses that I taught. I was involved in the Faculty Senate and Academic Affairs for 10 years. My standard operating procedure is that I must do three things in class: Be on time, be prepared and have bathed recently. It was the least I could do to meet these expectations. I considered my position as a public trust. Each student was paying one hundred cents on the dollar for each class. I made sure each student received one hundred cents on the dollar for each class. I began work in 2000 in The Professional and Evening School. The unit became The Goodwin College. The biggest change was the reduction in class scheduling. I had taught off campus at The Presbyterian Pension Board, CIGNA Insurance and The Philadelphia Police College. All of these venues had great students. The students wanted to be there and to achieve their educational goals. When I retired in 2011 Goodwin was mostly an online operation. I do not know if Goodwin has educated all of the adult learners in the area. Apparently most or all of the adult learners want to attend class online. Online education is interesting and has its advantages. You can check on it any time of day. Every week has 168 hours in the week and any of them is fits that activity. My minor in my doctorate was Higher Education Administration. One of the cardinal rules of higher education is networking. One of the reasons to attend school is to make friends and make networks. I have been told the average freshman mixer results in two marriages. Maybe or maybe not: the concept proves the idea of networking. Many students make lifelong friends in classes or cafeterias. Online education eliminates that human contact. I spent hours reading and answering online postings in my last 3 years at Drexel. I was not doing classroom teaching but I was doing a lot of typing. One of my faculty friends volunteered a positive point of view one day. He told me I should be teaching in a classroom. He had seen me doing it and thought I should interact with students. I agreed but I had not taught in a classroom for two years at that point. There was no opportunity for me to teach but only to type. I had solid interactions online with students online but I never met them.

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All Things Change: Goodwin College As A Memory Rather Than A Future.

Ironically I taught a summer class last year. One of the students had taken an online class with me. She saw I was in the classroom and signed up immediately. She believed I could run an interesting classroom class. When it was over she thanked me. She also asked when will I be teaching in a classroom next? I could not tell her. I know now: I am teaching in Drexels summer term of 2013.I hope to continue doing that. Our Drexel students deserve committed teaching.

Upcoming Goodwin Events The Membership of Goodwin Student Council is pleased to Announce
Our Annual

GOODWIN COLLEGE WELCOME BACK CRUISE 2013-14

On

The Spirit of Philadelphia

September 27, 2013 at 7:00 PM

Dinner, Soft Drinks, Dancing and Dessert and Cash Bar (Only 21 AND Older will be served) Open to: Part-time, campus-based, undergraduates, Goodwin faculty and Staff; guests $20.00 Please send your RSVP by September 19, 2013 with your Drexel ID # To: Ms. Alba Berberene at ab43@drexel.edu Bus Provided: Leaving 3001 Market, One Drexel Plaza at 6:00 PM; Please request seat with your RSVP Free Parking* Delaware River Front Corp Lot Only Please advise the attendant that you are with Goodwin College