Drexel to Expand and Name Its Academic Resource Center With $3.5M in Support From Alumnus, Trustee Patrick McGonigal

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Drexel to Expand and Name Its Academic Resource Center With $3.5M in Support From Alumnus, Trustee Patrick McGonigal

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Drexel University will expand its Academic Resource Center thanks to continued support from trustee Patrick McGonigal, '86. The Center, which opened in 2023, with a $1 million gift from McGonigal, serves as a hub for Drexel's academic services, including tutoring, academic coaching and specialized courses. His additional pledge of $2.5 million will enable further renovations to create a state-of-the-art learning space, which will now be named the McGonigal Academic Resource Center, in recognition of his generosity.

"The McGonigal Academic Resource Center has already become a staple for our students and I am eternally grateful for fellow alumnus and trustee Patrick McGonigal's commitment and support," said Interim President Denis P. O'Brien. "These improvements provide students with an accessible location to work with dedicated staff and it ensures they will have access to all the tools they need to succeed on and off campus during their time at Drexel. I imagine this space being one that alumni return to years from now, noting its transformative impact on their lives."

Drexel launched the Center in January of 2023, as part of its 2030 Strategic Plan, to better meet the growing need for strong support systems for matriculating students following the COVID-19 pandemic. Located in the Korman Center building at the heart of campus, the McGonigal Academic Resource Center co-located a number of the University's existing academic support services, such as the Office of Inter-College Advising, and academic support for math, science, engineering, nursing/health sciences, writing support, and academic coaching and learning specialists. The ARC also collaborates closely with other campus support services, including disability resources and those that support first generation and neurodivergent students.

"Meeting the needs of students has always been at the core of Drexel's mission as an academic institution," said Rebecca Weidensaul, PhD, assistant vice president for Enrollment Management & Student Success, who oversees the Academic Resource Center. "But the creation of the Academic Resource Center has dramatically changed how we provide this support, making it more accessible and dynamic enough to evolve with changing needs of our students. We strive to help students achieve their goals by helping them build up and use their network of support, increase their confidence and resilience and prepare to navigate the challenges they'll encounter after graduating as lifelong learners with transferable life skills."

In the next phase of expansion, enabled by McGonigal's generosity, Drexel will renovate additional spaces in the Korman Center to provide greater support for students in STEM majors and a place to collaborate on research and engage with faculty through mentoring. It will also include modern study spaces, in addition to state-of-the-art learning technology throughout the Center.

"This is an exciting moment in the history of an institution that has meant so much to me, dating back to my time as an undergraduate," McGonigal said. "Drexel's unique experiential education model is the future of higher education, so I'm honored to be able to support it and the many students who will benefit from pursuing a Drexel education."

McGonigal graduated from Drexel in 1986 with degrees in finance and accounting. He worked at Price Waterhouse as a CPA and transitioned into the health care industry in the 1990s. With his partners, he founded iHealth Technologies, an Atlanta-based medical payment policy management company, in 2000. He is currently a semi-retired private investor whose portfolio focuses on early-stage companies.

"This gift to the Center continues a legacy of support by Patrick McGonigal that has already touched so many Drexel students," said Subir Sahu, PhD, Drexel's senior vice president for Student Success. "As an alumnus, Patrick understands that Drexel's academic rigor produces graduates who are ready to meet the moment and become leaders in their field and it is heartening to see his steadfast support of future Dragons."

McGonigal has served on Drexel's Board of Trustees since 2018. He has been recognized for his philanthropy in support of the University's mission with Drexel's Silver Dragon Society Award in 2011 and was inducted into the Drexel 100, Drexel's alumni hall of fame, in 2019.

Renovations in the Center are currently underway, with the goal of opening its new spaces in fall of 2026.

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