The merge of Philadelphia University and Thomas Jefferson University, announced on December 17th, was a huge announcement to the students of both universities. With PhilaU being a design, engineering, and fashion school and Jefferson being a medical school, it’s safe to say that the students here at Philadelphia University are extremely ecstatic for what is to come. The aim of the merge is to blend design and engineering with health and science. This conclusion is based off of the wide range of specialties from PhilaU and the health-focuses degrees at TJU.
Both presidents did not express a whole lot on the matter, leaving students and parents a little more than confused. Personally, I’m not completely sure on what exactly is going to happen. Here are a few facts that I found that may help explain what is to be expected:
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- It will be the 5th largest university in Philadelphia.
- PhilaU students can take classes in Center City.
- Jefferson students can play on PhilaU sports teams.
- It will offer more programs focused on real-world problems.
- Campus culture is expected to remain the same.
- Will have a 78,000 combined alumni base.
- The plan is to continue to grow and invest in Center City and East Falls, and maybe other places.
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President of Thomas Jefferson University Stephen Klasko put it best, saying that “we want them, within constraints, to design some of their own curriculum because they know what they need. Some people learn by watching somebody do a PowerPoint presentation, some people don’t learn that way. Instead of saying ‘this is how we do it,’ we’re gonna basically say ‘you pay us a tuition to help you achieve your goals.’ That’s such a different model than exists in other universities.” [quote via phillymag.com] This goes along great with PhilaU’s motto, Powered To Do Whats Next!
This merge will draw in an increasing number of interested incoming students for the upcoming years. Both presidents are excited for the new and improved university to become something that other universities envy, and the merge is set to close by the end of June.
If this hasn’t answered your questions, hopefully the presidents will shed some light on the matter soon. Below are some articles that you can find online to gain some more knowledge on the mater.