Drexel University held an inauguration ceremony Thursday to mark the formal installation of its new president. Dr. Antonio Merlo, a political economist, officially began his tenure as the 16th president of Drexel University on July 1, 2025, after serving as dean of NYU’s Faculty of Arts Scienc es. “It is through education that from the darkness we emerge to see the stars,” Merlo said during his inaugural speech on April 16, 2026. According to a release, Merlo, a first-generation college graduate who grew up in Milan, Italy, came to the United States on a scholarship to earn his PhD. The president has served on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Minnesota and Rice University, and he has been recognized as an accomplished scholar, an innovative administrator an da transformational leader. During his inaugural speech, Merlo made sure to talk about Drexel University’s rich history and to tout the institution’s accomplishments. “What has defined us from the beginning and makes us so many different than most other university, is that first and foremost, we are dedicated to an education accessible and available to anyone willing to work for it,” Merlo said. Thursday’s ceremony highlighted a week of activities across the university celebrating Merlo’s inauguration, including a Fireside Chat with former NYU president Dr. Andrew Hamilton, a day of civic engagement at Drexel’s Dornsife Center for Community Partnerships and series of academic, cultural and social activities and events throughout the week. To learn more about Merlo’s academic journey, visit this website. ...read more read less