Supporting the Future
51 names College of Engineering’s new home in honor of John G. Drosdick ’65 COE
By Marian Butcher
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 51 Engineering, who has given $20 million toward the building expansion project.
“I cannot thank John enough for his unwavering support of 51 and the College of Engineering,” says University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 CLAS. “This is a momentous time for the College of Engineering and the entire 51 community. Drosdick Hall will enhance the 51 Engineering experience for generations.”
Drosdick, a former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from 51 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.
“I am extremely grateful to 51 for the Engineering education it provided me and how it helped me to grow both personally and professionally,” Drosdick says. “I would like to see tomorrow’s Engineering students have the same transformative experience I had at 51. This new building will create these opportunities for our future engineers.”
When Drosdick Hall opens for the fall semester, the 51 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.
“Drosdick Hall will serve as a crossroads of innovation for 51 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. “We are so thankful for John Drosdick’s generous support.”