AREAS OF RESEARCH INTEREST

The Collections of the Office of the President touch on a variety of subjects which will be helpful to a diverse group of researchers. These include the effect of the World Wars on the homefront and specifically on curriculum and attendance at Drexel, the connections between Industry and education, and the many changes to the educational curriculum at Drexel.

For scholars looking at education, changing roles of women, athletics, the development of cooperative curriculum, inner city colleges throughout the twentieth century, administrative roles of college President’s during the twentieth century, and many other topics, the Office of the President Administrative Records will assist with your research.

Click here to see a comprehensive list of the Library of Congress Subject Headings for these collections.


Research Topics

Cooperative Education
Engineering in Higher Education
History of Higher Education
Women and Higher Education
World War II


Cooperative Education -top-

The collections document the central role of the cooperative education system in Drexel’s Academic vision. The Retail Management degree at Drexel required that the President contact storeowners across the region for opportunities for students to work at local stores. The connections between industry and engineering students are even stronger. The Presidents of Drexel were very aware that they were teaching the next generation of scientists and industrialists. Undergraduate participation in the industrial sector was crucial to success, for students and their employers.

Related collections:

UR 1.2 Hollis Godfrey Administrative Papers (Series II)
UR 1.3 Kenneth G. Matheson Administrative Papers
UR 1.5 Office of the President Papers
UR 1.7 James Creese Administrative Papers (Series I, sub-series A, H, I, K)

Selection of Related Library of Congress Subject Headings:

Business and education
Education, Cooperative--United States
School of Business


Engineering in Higher Education -top-

Engineering is an important factor in these collections. Almost all of the Drexel Presidents represented in this collection wrote about the importance of engineering for society and were deeply involved in professional organizations dedicated to the promulgation of engineering in industry. The President’s of Drexel were directly involved with different engineering societies.

Related collections:

UR 1.2 Hollis Godfrey Administrative Papers (Series II)
UR 1.5 Office of the President Papers (Series IV, V, and VIII)
UR 1.7 James Creese Administrative Papers (Series I, sub-series, A, D, F, K; Series II)

Selection of Related Library of Congress Subject Headings:

Engineering research
Engineering--Societies, etc.
Engineering--Study and teaching


History of Higher Education -top-

There are a number of ways to look at the history of education through the use of these collections. They document the day-to-day activities of university presidents during a long span of time. These show how the President interacts with faculty, deans, students, and other staff members. The changing of both curriculum and other programs for students demonstrates what is considered important by the school for the education of young people. There are also series which demonstrate how involved the President is in outside organizations benefiting Drexel through important connections for resources and development.

Administration-The daily administration of a large academic university is shown through office memorandum, meeting minutes, correspondence, publications, reports, telegrams, and other materials in the collections.

Faculty-The Office of the President dealt regularly with faculty issues such as salary negotiations, offers of employment, sabbaticals, and curricula.

Students- The many different areas in which students engaged with the administration are highlighted in these collections. There is correspondence on issues such as military training, academic standing, withdrawals, scholarships, social activities, and healthcare. There is curricula, correspondence, and office memoranda on how to best teach female students to be employees and homemakers.

Relevant Collections:

See all collections, particularly:
UR 1.3 Kenneth G. Matheson Administrative Papers
UR 1.4 Parke R. Kolbe Administrative Papers (Series I)
UR 1.5 Office of the President Papers (Series IV and VIII)
UR 1.7 James Creese Administrative Papers (Series II)

Selection of Related Library of Congress Subject Headings:

Alumni and alumnae
Campus planning
Curricula
Development
Faculty
Planning
Public relations
Sports
Students
Students, foreign
Student participation in administration
Universities and Colleges--Pennsylvania--History


Women and Higher Education -top-

Women students have a very interesting history at Drexel. There were specific programs designed for the education of female students. The schools most frequently attended by women were the School of Home Economics and the Library School. The Office of the President records contain curriculum reports, correspondence, and office memoranda on how to teach women to be employees and homemakers. For women during this time there was a diverse curriculum of languages, history, and other subjects specifically designed for women. There is also data on student life for women including health exams, extracurricular activities, dorm life, and student administration.

Related collections:

UR 1.3 Kenneth G. Matheson Administrative Papers
UR 1.4 Parke R. Kolbe Administrative Papers (Series II)
UR 1.5 Office of the President Papers (Series IV, V, and VIII)
UR 1.7 James Creese Administrative Papers (Series I, subseries A, C, I, K)

Selection of Related Library of Congress Subject Headings:

Home economics--Study and teaching
Deans of women
Library schools
Women educators
Women engineers
Women--Education (Higher)


World War II -top-

The Second World War caused many changes at Drexel. This is evident in how the programs were publicized and what types of students they wanted to attend. Many young men were fighting abroad and Drexel responded to this demographic fact by soliciting female students to enroll, both new and in already established programs. Women entered the engineering program for the first time. The public relations and admissions departments increased attendance by using patriotism to enhance student enrollment.

Related collections:

UR 1.5 Office of the President Papers, Series IV and Series V

Selection of Related Library of Congress Subject Headings:

Students and war
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945--Pennsylvania--Education and the War