The first time I stood in front of a classroom, I was still in kindergarten. I didn't know it then, but that moment planted something. From that point on, I knew I wanted to be a teacher.

Years later, I got to relive that feeling, this time as the one leading the room. Drexel's in-person education program gave me the chance to step into a real classroom as early as my first year. I still remember standing there, heart full of excitement and anticipation, thinking about the kindergartner who'd once stood in front of a class and decided this was what he wanted to do with his life. Drexel made that dream possible.

Pennsylvania is already in what officials have called a teacher shortage crisis: the state now certifies roughly 6,000 new teachers a year, down from about 20,000 a decade ago. Philadelphia carries an outsized share of that gap — the city has about 10% of all teachers in Pennsylvania but accounted for roughly 47% of the state's teacher vacancies in 2025. Drexel pausing its in-person education undergraduate major means students coming up behind me may never get to feel what I felt, standing in front of that first classroom, watching a childhood dream become real. At the exact moment, Philly and PA need more people making that choice, not fewer

Let us rally together to advocate for a future where Philadelphia’s schools are resourced with competent educators who are products of an immersive, practical, and esteemed university program. I implore you to sign this petition to show Drexel University the importance of reinstating their in-person education major.

Together, we can ensure that Drexel University continues to prepare capable, well-rounded teachers who are essential to Philadelphia and beyond. Please sign the petition and support our community's educators.