Drexel University alumnus Patrick McGonigal, ‘86, has made a $2.5 million donation toward the expansion of the university’s Academic Resource Center. The gift will allow the ARC to expand and occupy an additional 5,500 square feet within the Korman Center, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal. The renovation is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2026.
The center will now be known as the McGonigal Academic Resource Center. McGonigal, who has sat on Drexel’s Board of Trustees since 2018, made a $1 million contribution towards establishing the ARC in 2023, bringing his total contributions to $3.5 million.
The university describes the ARC as “an integrated hub of on-campus academic support services focusing on providing tutoring, academic coaching, workshops, specialized courses, and more.”
Prior to establishing the ARC, these resources were scattered and administered separately by program or college advisors.
The McGonigal Academic Resource Center will continue to feature the Drexel Writing Center, Academic Center for Engineers and more, while the renovations will bring additional study spaces and “state-of-the-art” technology designed to support STEM majors.
“I imagine this space being one that alumni return to years from now, noting its transformative impact on their lives,” Interim President Denis P. O’Brien envisioned.
After graduating with a bachelor’s in finance and accounting, McGonigal worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers before moving into the healthcare sector. A medical payment management company he co-founded in 2000 was later purchased by Goldman Sachs. He continues to be a private investor focused on early-stage companies.
He previously donated $840,000 towards scholarships for the LeBow College of Business in 2008, citing the pathway the university’s co-op program provided him.
“This is an exciting moment in the history of an institution that has meant so much to me, dating back to my time as an undergraduate,” McGonigal told DrexelNEWS. “Drexel’s unique experiential education model is the future of higher education, so I’m honored to be able to support it and the many students who will benefit from pursuing a Drexel education.”