Cooperative Education

For over 100 years, cooperative education has been the cornerstone of a Drexel education.

The Drexel Co-op program has immersed generations of students in real-world work experience, giving them the opportunity to test-drive careers and develop a professional network of potential employers and references. As Drexel has grown into one of the nation’s leading comprehensive universities, co-op has expanded with it. Our students co-op not only in traditional STEM and business fields, but also in nonprofit and cultural organizations, as researchers and entrepreneurs, and in countries around the world.

With forces like technology and the innovation economy transforming industry and society, the future of work demands the skills that students are honing on co-op today.

Celebrate over 100 years of co-op by shaping an even brighter future for this quintessential Drexel program.

Gifts of every amount have an impact on the Drexel Co-op program and our students.

Ready to make a difference? Make a gift to The Co-op Opportunity Fund!

  • $50 covers the first day of a co-op stipend for 1 student 
  • $150 covers the first day of a co-op stipend for 3 students
  • $250 covers a week's co-op stipend for 1 student 
  • $500 covers a week's co-op stipend for 2 students
  • $1,000 covers the co-op stipend for 1 student for a full month

The future of co-op depends on greater access, greater opportunity … and you!

Today, every student can find placements that match their passions and goals. It also means that nearly 20 percent of students pursue opportunities that are not appropriately salaried, whether they’re at:

  • nonprofits,
  • abroad,
  • high-cost-of-living cities.

Too many of our students make a difficult choice: the best co-op opportunity for their career or a less relevant but more affordable option.

While Drexel encourages all employers to offer competitive compensation, we are also committed to increasing access to these invaluable experiences by providing funding when co-ops are unpaid or underpaid.

You make the difference.

Donor investment in co-op creates opportunities where industry funding doesn’t exist.

By investing in co-op, you enable Drexel to provide compensation and living-expense stipends that unlock career-defining opportunities – for students of all backgrounds – in every industry and across the globe.

Contact Us

Mail your gift to

Drexel University
P.O. Box 8215
Philadelphia, PA 19101-9684