Spring Break
Letter to the Editor
Aluma pride
Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Ed-Op
- Page 1 of 1
Dear Editor:
"Today Drexel, tomorrow world domination."
That's what my mortarboard reads from my graduation cap when I was in the second class to shake Taki's hand. It was an homage to him when I heard he either wanted to run a university or be president of Greece.
Taki is larger than life and I wanted to share my experience with Drexel students past, present, and in about 13 years when my son is old enough, what it means to be a Drexel Dragon.
For all you Drexel students who may just be entering this fall or are getting ready to graduate, here's my 10 year reflection on the direction I see the University heading:
There are two values Drexel University has. First is that the Drexel family were and are Catholics. How many universities can claim to have a saint canonized? I'm not Catholic, but I like their values. They are charitable, they hold on to their core values and they're minorities in our society. They're also very political, can be dogmatic in an ever-changing world, but think through the process carefully to see how they adjust to change. Drexel Dragons go out into the world wanting to make it a better place.
The second value is that Anthony Drexel was a banker. To be a banker, or any type of businessman, takes the skill sets of being shrewd, knowing how to give proper service to your customers and treating your employees well. During co-ops you'll discover many types of businessmen and women. Some will help you while other will be jealous of you and undermine your opinion. Some will be patient and others will be annoyed if you spend all your time on e-mail and your cell phone. Some will treat you like you're their daughter or son and others will treat you like the unwanted Cinderella stepdaughter.
But at Drexel, how close of a relationship do you have with the adjunct professors and grad students who teach your labs? Do you get a personal service like I got when I studied under Dr. Spotila in Las Vegas running after endangered tortoises? Dr. Spotila gave me a chance to be on a project because my first choice, going to the Ecuadorian rainforest fell through.
Here's my advice to you having been through five years of Drexel, three years at Thomas Jerfferon University for grad school, miscellaneous time at other universities, and 10 years in corporate America: How you allow yourselves to be treated will be how you will be treated in later life. If you and your professors are unhappy then the Six Sigma StudentsFirst model Taki is using, you should be empowered to say what it is you want.
I hope to someday soon see the Drexel Dragons get to the NCAA basketball tournament again.
Nicole Spiese
Alumna, 1997
"Today Drexel, tomorrow world domination."
That's what my mortarboard reads from my graduation cap when I was in the second class to shake Taki's hand. It was an homage to him when I heard he either wanted to run a university or be president of Greece.
Taki is larger than life and I wanted to share my experience with Drexel students past, present, and in about 13 years when my son is old enough, what it means to be a Drexel Dragon.
For all you Drexel students who may just be entering this fall or are getting ready to graduate, here's my 10 year reflection on the direction I see the University heading:
There are two values Drexel University has. First is that the Drexel family were and are Catholics. How many universities can claim to have a saint canonized? I'm not Catholic, but I like their values. They are charitable, they hold on to their core values and they're minorities in our society. They're also very political, can be dogmatic in an ever-changing world, but think through the process carefully to see how they adjust to change. Drexel Dragons go out into the world wanting to make it a better place.
The second value is that Anthony Drexel was a banker. To be a banker, or any type of businessman, takes the skill sets of being shrewd, knowing how to give proper service to your customers and treating your employees well. During co-ops you'll discover many types of businessmen and women. Some will help you while other will be jealous of you and undermine your opinion. Some will be patient and others will be annoyed if you spend all your time on e-mail and your cell phone. Some will treat you like you're their daughter or son and others will treat you like the unwanted Cinderella stepdaughter.
But at Drexel, how close of a relationship do you have with the adjunct professors and grad students who teach your labs? Do you get a personal service like I got when I studied under Dr. Spotila in Las Vegas running after endangered tortoises? Dr. Spotila gave me a chance to be on a project because my first choice, going to the Ecuadorian rainforest fell through.
Here's my advice to you having been through five years of Drexel, three years at Thomas Jerfferon University for grad school, miscellaneous time at other universities, and 10 years in corporate America: How you allow yourselves to be treated will be how you will be treated in later life. If you and your professors are unhappy then the Six Sigma StudentsFirst model Taki is using, you should be empowered to say what it is you want.
I hope to someday soon see the Drexel Dragons get to the NCAA basketball tournament again.
Nicole Spiese
Alumna, 1997
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