Campus Life
All work and no play? Not at Drew. All the classics of college life—clubs, athletics, campus events and hanging out—are here, but with a Drew twist.
That spirit of exploration and reinvention—the one that fires your intellectual life at Drew—also inspires your student life. English majors are as likely to run cross-country as to run the student newspaper; poli-sci majors can take a role in a play as well as a role in student government. And students of every major carry their convictions into service-oriented projects with the help of Drew’s Volunteer Resource Center.
Got some free time? There’s plenty to do at Drew. Catch a play at the brand-new Dorothy Young Center for the Arts. Check out an up-and-coming comedian at The Space. Discuss Pascal’s wager over muffins and mochaccinos at The Other End. But don’t get too busy to venture beyond Drew’s gates: Go on, explore! Small-town Madison is a two-block walk, hipster-historic Morristown is a four-mile jaunt and the ultimate big-city adventure—Manhattan—is a mere 45-minute train ride. Here’s a Drew promise: This is not the middle of nowhere.
More than 90 percent of students live on campus all four years. (And housing is guaranteed for all.) Choose from residence halls, townhouses, apartment-style suites and theme houses for students sharing special interests. Undergraduates also may choose to reside on wellness floors that promote healthy living.
Location
Location
When you’re at Drew, you’re at the center of everything. Our hometown of Madison is in the rolling-green hills of northern New Jersey’s Morris County. That puts you 15 miles from New York City and right in the middle of the powerhouse Boston-to-Washington corridor. But wait, there’s more!
The Jersey Shore is as close as the Pocono Mountains. Newark Liberty International Airport is only a half-hour away. And more than 50 Fortune 500 companies call Morris County—one of the 10 wealthiest counties in the nation—home.
So take advantage of it! New York beckons with a morning in Central Park, an afternoon on Museum Mile or a night in Greenwich Village. Weekend day trips could take you to the beach or the ski slopes in 90 minutes. And a free Friday night might mean catching a movie in downtown Madison, cheering your favorite pro team at the Meadowlands Sports Complex or attending a live taping of a late-night comedy show in New York.
“Drew is located in a region rich with history, culture, science, business and endless opportunity. You can see a Broadway play, intern at a major pharmaceutical corporation, conduct research in wetlands habitats or get involved in the civic life of great urban centers like Newark and New York.”
FRED CURTIS professor of economics and environmental studies – explored local versus global environmental policymaking in a paper published in the journal Ecological Economics
Drew’s unbeatable location means tons of fun now—and lots of advantages later. Imagine these on your résumé: an internship on Wall Street, a semester at the United Nations, an apprenticeship on Theatre Row or a summer R&D job at an area pharmaceutical company. The world’s most talented, powerful and influential people flock to the New York–New Jersey metropolitan region—and you can too. Start here—there’s no telling where you’ll go.
Profiles
Student Profiles
Major | Chemistry
"I conducted research on osmium complexes with Professor Mary-Ann Pearsall through the Drew Summer Science Institute. The DSSI is a summer research internship in which students work one-on-one with professors on full-time research projects. It’s a great opportunity to get your feet wet in a research setting." - Read more
Major | Political Science
"Drew professors—and even the president—are so accessible. When I was raising funds for my trip to Uganda, I just called President Weisbuch’s office, made an appointment and got his support from the Presidential Initiatives Fund." - Read more
Major | Psychology
"I would like to go to graduate school and ultimately become a clinical psychologist. I’m into the clinical aspects, such as therapy and I also really like working with children so hopefully I’ll work in that area." - Read more
Major | English
"The people at Drew really are amazing: passionate and creative. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to get to know them and work with them. Especially the English department faculty—there were times when I felt more like a colleague than a student, and that was wonderful." - Read more
Major | Biology
"The academics are really challenging here, but the small environment plus open professors means that students get lots of individual attention. When I graduate I will be well prepared for anything I want to do." - Read more
Alumnus | Assistant Professor of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
"I wouldn’t be in this field if it weren’t for my interest in economics and environmental economics, in particular my introduction to the field at Drew. My advisers prepared me for a research career, helped me find a good graduate program for my interests..." - Read more
Major | English and French
"I love theatre—seeing it and being in it—and I always knew I wanted to take courses on Renaissance drama. The medieval literature courses, however, were not something I had foreseen taking. From my first course in that area, my interest in linguistics was sparked." - Read more
Major | Neuroscience
"Unlike large schools, where you might only know people in your classes, at Drew you pretty much get to know the entire campus—from the first-year students through the seniors, from the staff through the faculty—all by name. And professors treat students as peers deserving of the utmost respect." - Read more
Major | Spanish
"When I came back from Spain, I was such a better speaker of Spanish that I was asked to be a translator and serve on the planning board of the Drew Honduras Project." - Read more
Major | Economics
"My First-Year Seminar showed me how to tie together concepts normally seen as separate and unrelated. It not only reinforced my desire to major in economics but inspired me to think of economics in a new way: as an aspect of everyone’s life." - Read more
Alumnus | Shareholder, Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney PC
"I always found the economics faculty to be particularly welcoming and inclusive as I progressed with my economics major, culminating in their valuable support and assistance with my honors thesis. But Drew’s commitment to excellence in teaching is uniform across all of the departments." - Read more
Major | English and Theatre Arts
"My first year I was in constant turmoil over whether to major in English or theatre arts, until I decided to go for it and do both. I just followed my heart and did what I love—I couldn’t be happier." - Read more
Major | English
"Coming to Drew from high school, it was a new experience to have a professor who treated us not as students but as interesting people to have intellectual conversations with." - Read more
Major | English
"My English professors have changed the way I view everything. In the very first English class I had at Drew, my professor showed me how to examine things with a slant. Since that course, I can’t read anything without watching the narrator with distance and suspicion, which is essential to being both a close reader and writer." - Read more
Major | Psychology
"The professors really want you to talk to them. If you have any questions about your future and what you’re going to do in the field, they’re great about telling you about options you might not have considered. That’s been really helpful for me." - Read more
Major | Psychology
"This summer, I start work as an electroencephalogram (EEG) technician at the Yale Child Study Center. While there I will try to get as much experience as possible and conduct some of my own research." - Read more
Major | Neuroscience, Music
"I constantly found connections between music and neuroscience during my four years here... It really helped me explore my two passions more deeply. " - Read more
Alumnus | SEC Staff Accountant
"I love my job. I love the work and the people who do it alongside me. Some of my colleagues are extremely important in the financial services world, and I’m proud to have them be part of my rolodex. Yeah, I definitely get excited about work when I wake up in the morning." - Read more
Alumnus | Special Assistant to the President and Director, Office of the Chief of Staff
"Drew gives you the greatest chance to become a strong, well rounded, knowledgeable person with the creativity to find what will make you happy in life—and the skills to make that life a success in the real world." - Read more
Major | Political Science
"If I had written a personal ad seeking my ideal college, it would have read, “High school student seeks small, liberal arts school with excellent, personable professors; must have terrific political science and writing programs and a reputable student-run newspaper; close proximity to a major city essential.” Drew fits that description to a T." - Read more
Alumnus | AmeriCorps VISTA Worker
"My economics professors taught me that if I learn enough about enough, I will find what I love. It went beyond “learn a little about everything.” That is what a liberal arts education is all about." - Read more
Major | Theatre Arts
"Drew has such a collection of unique minds and big personalities. The students are dedicated, and the professors are accessible. I even directed a play written by a professor with whom I’d also been cast in The Tempest." - Read more
Diversity
Diversity
Community is very important at Drew, and to truly support a beneficial, educational and fulfilling campus climate, diversity has to be a top priority.
In recent years, Drew University has strengthened its commitment to diversity. Our goal is to further an understanding of diversity as it is defined in our diversity statement. In exploring Drew, you’ll find an appreciation of diversity represented in our curriculum, the admissions process, student-run organizations and among our staff.
Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee consists of members of the Drew community (faculty, staff and students) who maintain the charge of enhancing a culture of diversity on campus. This goal is accomplished through five sub-charges…
- Share information about best practices to simultaneously educate and sensitize the community to issues of diversity and create an excellence of inclusion across campus.
- Collaborate with all three schools at Drew and administrative departments to construct goals and expectations to promote diversity throughout the university.
- Assist in recruitment strategies for students, faculty and staff.
- Create, solicit and assist the university with projects that pertain to issues of diversity.
- Promote inclusion of diversity across the curriculum.
Diversity Statement
Drew University is committed to seeking academic excellence while striving continuously to be a welcoming, diverse, and socially just campus. Read our full diversity statement.
Theme Houses
Theme Houses not only offer students an alternative living arrangement on campus, they embrace various cultures and characteristics, offering a unique living situation. Drew University houses has Theme Houses, which include La Casa, Asia Tree, Spirituality House, Umoja House, Earth House and Womyn’s Concerns House.
Education Opportunity Scholars Program
The Educational Opportunity Scholars Program is a partnership between the NJ Commission of Higher Education and Drew University. Within this partnership, the program provides access to higher education and support for highly motivated students who exhibit the potential for success, but come from families of low income and lack access to the quality educational preparation necessary to attend college. The program provides direct services designed to promote persistence through degree completion. Furthermore, the program supports innovative educational initiatives, support services, and leadership development activities to enhance the student’s chance for academic success.
Services Offered
- Individual bi-weekly conferences
- Tutorial referral (Educational Affairs)
- Big brother/sister peer mentoring
- Financial aid liaison
- Life planning
- Leadership development
Workshops
- Health and Well-being
- Time/Self Management
- Drug and Alcohol
- Study Skills Management
- Body Image
- Women’s Concerns
- Career Development
- Male Concerns
- Debt Management
- Leadership
Athletics and Recreation
Athletics
At Drew, we recognize that student-athletes are just that—students and athletes. We make every effort to ensure that they have what they need to succeed, both in their sport and the classroom. In fact, our athletes traditionally post a better cumulative GPA than the student body as a whole. The University is a member of the NCAA Division III and sponsors 18 varsity sports.
Our Philosophy
Drew subscribes to the basic tenet of equal opportunity for all sports teams. Policy decisions are consistently applied to each program, and team budgets reflect an equitable distribution of resources. As a result, all teams can achieve excellence.
We can also brag about the quality of our coaches and staff. Since 2000, Drew’s coaches have won 25 conference Coach of the Year awards.
Starting in the fall of 2007, Drew began competing in the newly created Landmark Conference. The name reflects the significance of the institutions’ decision to align themselves with other colleges and universities of similar size, educational philosophies and high academic standards. It highlights the Landmark Conference’s intention to stand out not only in athletics, but also in academics, emphasizing educational achievement and the important role athletics plays as part of the undergraduate experience—and as a defining characteristic of the member institutions.
Simon Says Get Fit
The state-of-the-art Simon Forum and Athletic Center houses Drew’s NCAA regulation basketball court; a 25-yard, eight-lane, NCAA regulation swimming pool; a 200-meter indoor track; volleyball, racquetball, squash and tennis courts; dance, free-weight and fitness rooms; and a forum with seating for 4,000.
Campus Recreation
Campus Recreation’s programs are designed to meet the athletic and recreational needs of the whole community–all students, staff, and faculty. Programs provide opportunities for the worthwhile use of leisure time and maintenance of high-level health and wellness. Activities are held in the Simon Forum and associated outdoor facilities, and include:
Clubs
Student Clubs
Service-learning comes easily at Drew: from the Drew University Crocheting and Knitting Society’s blankets for a local battered women’s shelter, to the campus Habitat for Humanity chapter’s annual trip to the Gulf Coast, to the Honduras Project’s constructive effect on the orphanages of that country.
When Drew students arrive on campus, they bring their unique interests and curiosities. With over 50 active and varied extracurricular organizations, undergraduates explore their interests with groups of their peers. Among other themes, Drew’s clubs focus on athletics, religion, politics, environmentalism, music, culture and volunteerism. Students who wish to do so are encouraged to start new organizations.
A full list of clubs is available on the Student Activities site.