A radical reframing of the liberal arts

, /PRNewswire/ – Today Drew University announces a new college created to reimagine higher education that will support students who seek individualized pathways enabled by emerging technologies to thrive in their personal, professional and civic interests.

The new college joins the College of Liberal Arts, Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, and Drew Theological School in delivering its nationally ranked academic programs. From high school students to retired professionals and industry upskilling to advanced degrees, this will expand access to an affordable Drew University education no matter where a student is in their academic journey.

This launch takes place within a backdrop of a declining public perception of the value of higher education and a cost model increasingly out of reach to so many. Simultaneously there is a need to prepare for a workplace where both roles and needed skills are rapidly changing. Drew is stepping up to disrupt the sector, put real meaning behind educational innovation, and be relevant and affordable for individual, community and employer needs.

“We’re building a radically different school - one cohort at a time,” says Hilary L. Link, president of Drew University. “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.”

Drew is bringing its mission to life in this next chapter to “prepare its students to flourish both personally and professionally as they add to the world’s good by responding to urgent challenges of our time.” This new college’s vision leans into Drew’s history of not just adapting to a changing world but cultivating the leaders who shape it.

The first cohort will launch spring 2026 with 12-15 current students devoting half of their course schedule to a program that will fast track their ability to design their own cross-disciplinary path of study, focusing their individual passions and learning to tackle real-world problems in real-time.

Drew’s commitment to reimagining higher education is already being recognized. Recently, the Milken Institute invited Drew University to be a strategic partner and join its Future of: Education and Workforce Initiative. Through this year-long initiative, Drew and other Milken Institute partners will explore the rapidly shifting landscape of higher education through a future-focused lens.

“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,” according to Link.

The process of launching this new college follows and modernizes the 159-year history of Drew as an innovative institution meeting students where they are on their educational journeys. As educational needs have changed in the US and around the world, Drew has launched new organizations to meet the moment. From Drew Theological Seminary’s launch in 1867 with 12 students to today’s Drew University of 2,200 students, the newly launched college builds upon a rich history.

Starting anew with a small group of innovative students, Drew is once again at the forefront of innovative education.

About Drew University

Drew University, a Phi Beta Kappa liberal arts university, includes the College of Liberal Arts, the Drew Theological School, and the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies. Drew is located on a beautiful, wooded campus in Madison, New Jersey, a thriving small town close to New York City. It has a total enrollment of more than 2,200 students and has 143 full-time faculty members, 98 percent of whom hold the terminal degree in their field. The Theological and Caspersen schools offer master’s and doctoral degrees, and the College confers BA and BS degrees in 40 disciplines, and offers 69 minors, 17 Dual-Degree programs, and seven New York Semesters.

About Milken Institute

The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank focused on accelerating measurable progress on the path to a meaningful life. With a focus on financial, physical, mental, and environmental health, we bring together the best ideas and innovative resourcing to develop blueprints for tackling some of our most critical global issues through the lens of what’s pressing now and what’s coming next.

SOURCE Drew University