“This is a difficult day at Drexel. Dr. Papadakis's lasting impact on the University will be profound,” Chairman Richard A. Greenawalt stated. “Dr. Papadakis's 13 years at the helm of our University represents one of the most remarkable and sustained periods of success in the University's history. Today's Drexel in many ways reflects his leadership: bold, innovative and committed to the highest level of excellence.”

Philadelphia Mayor Nutter hailed Mr. Papadakis as an "incredible visionary" who had "more of a hands on impact" that any other university president he could recall.

“Dr. Papadakis was a stellar personality and a model of creativity and inspiration in the administration of the university,” Ted Spyropoulos, Coordinator of the SAE USA Region, pointed out in a written statement. “He was a pioneering figure as a university leader who contributed greatly to the growth and upgrading of Drexel, even as he served with pathos Hellenic ideals and Hellenic culture.”

A Greek-born engineer and former Bechtel Corp. executive, Mr. Papadakis was known for starting his days at 6 a.m. and staying after everyone else left. In the days leading up to his leave, he worked from the hospital while he underwent treatment. He and his family then decided it was time to focus on recovery.

Dr. Papadakis received his diploma in Civil Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens in Greece. He holds a master's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a doctorate from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Constantine, or Taki, as his friends call him, was a Professional Engineer registered in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Greece. A member of numerous professional and honorary societies, he is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Society for Engineering Education and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. He is author or co-author of 80 articles and technical publications.

Constantine Papadakis, an innovator in higher education with extensive experience in both academe and the corporate world, has been president of Drexel University since 1995. Since then, Dr. Papadakis has used the historic strengths of the University (cooperative education, Drexel's focus on technology and the rich resources of its Philadelphia location) to grow full-time undergraduate enrollment from 4,500 in 1996 to more than 11,000 today, freshman applications from 3,500 to 22,000, grow the endowment from $90 million to $650 million and research funding from $14 million to $105 million. Today, Drexel educates 21,000 students, is the sixth largest employer in Philadelphia employing 5,300 people and has an annual budget of $650 million.

Dr. Papadakis joined Bechtel Power Company in 1974, where he served in several engineering positions. He managed a group of engineering specialists who did pioneering work in flood-control systems, hydroelectric power and cooling systems for nuclear reactors. He was recruited by STS Consultants, one of the top 150 engineering design firms in the nation, as vice president in charge of the Water Resources Division of the company, which had 17 offices. His accomplishments there included privatization of small hydroelectric power plants in the early 1980s. Tetra Tech, a Honeywell subsidiary in Pasadena, attracted him next. As vice president of the company he led FEMA and Superfund environmental projects.

Dr. Papadakis was lured back to academia when he realized that strong management could revolutionize an institution. In 1984 he agreed to head up Colorado State University's civil engineering department, then the second largest in the nation and known for water resources research and an entrepreneurial faculty. Two years later, he became the dean of the University of Cincinnati, College of Engineering. There, he built top-quality graduate programs, more than quadrupled research contracts and grants and established relationships with leaders of local industry. During his tenure he increased the size of the faculty from 94 to 170 and commissioned architect Michael Graves to design a research center, completed in 1995.