Lorie and Nick Howley have given Drexel University $112 million, the largest gift in its history Drexel UniversityDrexel University announced today that it’s received the largest gift in its history — $112.6 million from the Howley Foundation, founded by Drexel alumnus and trustee W. Nicholas “Nick” Howley and his wife Lorie. The gift will be recognized by establishing the Nick Howley College of Engineering and Computing, which will be the largest of Drexel’s academic units, comprising the School of Engineering, School of Computer and Information Sciences and School of Biomedical Engineering and Science. More than 5,000 students will be enrolled in one of the College’s 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including a new undergraduate degree in artificial intelligence and machine learning, The commitment by Howley, Lorie and their daughter Meg Howley, is the largest pledge in Drexel’s history. About $36 million of the gift will be used to renovate more than 55,000 square feet of classroom, laboratory and collaborative learning spaces in Drexel engineering facilities, supporting the university’s well-known emphasis on co-op experiential learning. The remaining $76 million will be dedicated to an endowment supporting student scholarships and programming.“We are profoundly grateful to Nick, Lorie and Meg for their extraordinary generosity, their enduring belief in Drexel and their commitment to ensuring that future generations of Dragons have the opportunity to learn and lead,” said Drexel President Antonio Merlo, in a news release. “This investment is a powerful affirmation of Drexel’s strength and leadership in fields where innovation and impact are deeply intertwined. It will not only bring excitement and a new look to our campus, but it will also provide generations of students with access to state-of-the-art facilities, as well as set them on course for a transformational educational experience at Drexel.”Drexel will transform more than 45,000 square feet of an existing facility into engineering and computing teaching labs and collaborative workspaces. This new space will be called the Howley Family Immersive Learning Center and will include a robotics facility, a flight simulator, a jet engine lab and a soil and concrete analysis lab, in addition to wet labs for chemical engineering, materials science and cell and gene therapy education. MORE FOR YOUIn addition, another 10,000 square-foot space will be converted into the Walter N. Howley Jr. Innovation Garage. Named in honor of Nick’s father, who was also a Drexel alum, it will provide students with various spaces where they can learn by doing — from building race cars, electric vehicles and airplanes, to constructing rockets, steel bridges and concrete canoes. Drexel plans to begin work on the new facilities in the spring of 2027.The gift will also add financial support to the Howley College Scholars program, which was was established in 2022. It provide scholarships for students from designated schools primarily in Philadelphia and Cleveland to be able to attend Drexel, regardless of their financial circumstances. About The Howley Family After graduating from Drexel with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Nick Howley earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is the co-founder and board chairman of TransDigm Group Inc., a global designer, producer and supplier of aircraft components. He is also the founder and co-chair of Perimeter Solutions, a provider of products and services in various industries, including firefighting products, lubricant additives, electronic components and machinery for the medical device industry.“I am proud to support Drexel’s mission as a global leader in experiential education. The University’s model provides a true return on investment for all students who earn a Drexel degree and I believe it is the best way to encourage upward social and economic mobility,” said Howley, in the university’s release. “The combination of its academic rigor and co-op program make Drexel’s a unique educational experience that goes farther than any other university in propelling its graduates toward their career objectives.”The Howley Foundation was founded by the Howley couple in 2013, According to its website, it’s guided by the belief that the "best way to create social and economic mobility and improve lives is to provide quality educational opportunities."Nick Howley, whose net worth Forbes recently pegged at $2 billion, has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including Case Western Reserve University, Washington and Jefferson College, Cleveland Clinic, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Saint Martin de Porres High School (Cleveland), and St. Joseph’s Preparatory High School (Philadelphia). He is the past chair of Cristo Rey National Network Board — a collection of dozens of Catholic, college preparatory high schools operating in two dozen states.Lorie Howley holds a bachelor’s degree in ornamental horticulture and a master’s degree in communication arts, both from Cornell University. Across a 15-year tenure at Longwood Gardens in Philadelphia, she taught post-secondary and continuing education programs. She is co-founder of The Howley Foundation, serving as its executive director from 2003 to 2013 and currently as an active member of its board of directors.Meg Howley is the executive director of The Howley Foundation’s Philadelphia operations. She earned a master’s degree in psychology from Drexel, an undergraduate degree in psychology from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and a master’s in school psychology and educational specialist certification from Rowan University. ​​