Bao Ngoc Tran, BSBA accounting and business analytics ’28, speaking during the Celebration of Scholarship event on April 8.
“Learning that I earned three scholarships was a moment of both joy and relief. It meant that my dream of pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Drexel wasn’t just a possibility; it was a reality,” shared Bao Ngoc Tran, BSBA accounting and business analytics ’28, during the Celebration of Scholarship event on April 8.
This year, the Celebration of Scholarship event brought together 56 scholarship supporters, 42 student recipients and 23 University leaders to honor a goal at the heart of Drexel: an education that is accessible to all students through scholarships.
Drexel scholarship recipients come from all walks of life, spanning from first-generation and historically underrepresented students to students who rely on co-op and part-time work for income to those facing personal hardship. During the event, attendees heard from several of these students, including a marketing student whose grandparents attended Drexel; a computer engineering student who recently lost her mother; and Bao, an international student from Vietnam.
In her speech, Bao shared, “Scholarship support alleviated the financial burden that weighed heavily on my family and me. It has catapulted me into realms I had only imagined and emboldened me to dream without limits. Whether through innovative research, community service or leadership, I aim to one day pay forward the incredible support I have received.”
Attendees also heard from President John Fry, Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement David Unruh and Jerry Martin, chair of the Drexel University Black Alumni Council, Drexel trustee and scholarship supporter.
“It’s always a privilege to celebrate and witness the powerful impact of generous student scholarship support,” said President Fry. “By supporting student scholarships, you are investing not only in great future global citizens and leaders, but also in all the innovations, accomplishments and solutions they will contribute toward a better world.”
During the 2022-2023 academic year, Drexel awarded a record $15 million to over 3,000 students. Such extraordinary generosity allows students to achieve a high-quality education, participate in career-building co-ops and embark on post-graduate endeavors free from financial burdens and fear of failure.
“I want to see young people have the opportunity to not just accept the first job they are offered but to really take risks in their careers and make decisions that are right for them,” said David Dorsey, BS ’04, PhD ’15, who established the Renee Dorsey Memorial Scholarship for engineering students.
David met his future wife, Renee McClure Dorsey, BS ’09, during his time at Drexel. David recalls that, as a senior, Renee balanced her final design project with a full load of undergraduate and graduate courses while pregnant with their twin daughters, June and Parker – and still ran the New York City Marathon the following year.
Tragically, Renee, June and Parker passed away in November of 2022. David established the Renee Dorsey Memorial Scholarship to celebrate Renee’s passion, curiosity and spirit. He shares, “I think Renee typified a particular kind of successful Drexel engineering student: working class background, first-generation to go to college, hard-working and eager to learn, humble and full of hope. And when I spoke with the inaugural recipient of Renee’s scholarship at the event, it reinforced my impression that she shares many of these traits.”
Scholarships are a uniting force through which supporters uplift the next generation of engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists and innovators. Though we recognize the critical importance of scholarships year-round, the Celebration of Scholarship event represents one night that these individuals can come together and witness the dreams that are becoming reality here at Drexel.
View photos from the Celebration of Scholarship
Contact a gift officer here to learn more about supporting student scholarships.