Drew University has announced the launch of a new college designed to transform the way students engage with higher education. The new college will enable students to follow individualized learning pathways supported by emerging technologies, helping them prepare for personal, professional, and civic growth. It will join the College of Liberal Arts, the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, and the Drew Theological School in offering expanded academic opportunities for a wide range of learners, including high school students, working adults seeking new skills, and those pursuing advanced degrees.
The university stated that this initiative comes at a time when public confidence in the value of higher education is decreasing and the cost of earning a degree continues to rise. At the same time, employers are navigating shifting workforce needs where skill sets and job functions evolve rapidly. The new college aims to offer a learning model that is relevant, flexible, and affordable, while deepening Drew’s commitment to meaningful educational innovation.
The university emphasized that the new college aligns with Drew’s mission to prepare students to thrive personally and professionally while addressing complex societal challenges. The model focuses on mentorship, applied learning, and real-world engagement, drawing on Drew’s history of preparing students to lead in times of change.
The first cohort will commence in spring 2026 and comprise 12 to 15 current students. These students will devote half of their coursework to a program that accelerates their ability to design cross-disciplinary academic paths rooted in their personal interests and connected to real-world problem-solving.
Drew’s work in redesigning the higher education experience has already garnered external recognition. The Milken Institute has selected Drew as a strategic partner in its Future of: Education and Workforce Initiative. Through this collaboration, Drew and other partner institutions will analyze the evolving higher education landscape and contribute to the development of future-oriented programs focused on problem-solving, creativity, and resilience.
This launch continues Drew University’s 159-year history of evolving academic offerings to meet changing educational needs. From its origins in the 19th century to its current status as a university with over 2,200 students, Drew has consistently developed new academic structures to expand opportunities and respond to evolving societal demands. With the introduction of the new college, the university states that it is once again preparing students to help shape the future.
KEY QUOTES:
“We’re building a radically different school – one cohort at a time. We will unleash the power of individual purpose by driving the future of learning through the use of ever-evolving enabling technologies to promote access and center students working on urgent societal problems through deep mentorship, authentic engagement with real-world challenges, and a broader definition of learning.”
“We are thrilled to join this nationally prestigious collaboration with Milken Institute to deepen our work. The Milken Institute partnership will further shape Drew’s new model and prototype development with an emphasis on complex problem solving, applied creativity, and building personal resilience, providing students the flexibility to build the degree that is right for them and their futures.”
Hilary L. Link, President of Drew University
