Hosted by Clayton Morris of FOX 29's Good Day Philadelphia, the Gala will be held in the stunning Crystal Tea Room, on the top floor of the historic Wanamaker Building (100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia). The evening will include dinner, dancing to the big band classics of the Fred Hall Orchestra, a silent auction, and a special one-of-a-kind Wilma Cabaret.

Individual tickets are now on sale. Corporate sponsorships and advertising opportunities are also available. For more information, contact Amanda Ditsky, the Wilma's Special Events Manager, at (215) 893-9456, Ext. 109.

The Wilma Theater is delighted to present Dr. Papadakis with the inaugural Galileo Award for "Innovation in Building Community" in recognition of his commitment and efforts toward establishing Drexel University as a prominent educational institution along with his dedication to serving the greater Philadelphia community.

Gala proceeds allow The Wilma Theater to continue its mission of producing creative, thoughtful and challenging theater and to attract promising playwrights through its commissioning program. Committed to artistic excellence and quality educational programs, the Wilma also conducts outreach programs with youth and cultural community groups throughout the Philadelphia area.

Dr. 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. Utilizing a unique approach to higher education, Dr. Papadakis combines the historic strengths of the University (cooperative education, Drexel's focus on technology and the rich resources of its Philadelphia location) with pioneering business practices. Today, Drexel educates 18,500 students, is the sixth largest employer in Philadelphia with 5,300 employees and has an annual budget of more than $550 million.

Dr. Papadakis holds a doctorate in Civil Engineering and began his career in the corporate world, with engineering positions at such major institutions as Bechtel Power Company, STS Consultants, and Tetra Tech. Realizing that strong management could revolutionize an institution, he returned to academia with leadership positions at Colorado State University and the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering.

Recognized for his work in education and engineering, Dr. Papadakis is the recipient of over thirty awards and honors, including the 2006 Interdependence Day Philadelphia Award, Penn Club Award, Roman Catholic High School Philadelphia Leadership Award, Chevalier de la Commanderie des Costes du Rhone, YMCA of Philadelphia Ambassador Award, Justinian Society Award, Education Award of the Consular Corps of Philadelphia, American Creativity Association Achievement Award, U.S. Department of Treasury Medal of Merit, the Heart of Philadelphia Award from the American Heart Association, and the George Washington Medal of the Engineers Club of Philadelphia.

Dr. Papadakis presently serves as a member of the Business Higher Education Forum and the Council on Competitiveness. He also serves on the board of directors of the National Commission for Cooperative Education and the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia. He is a member of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee, the Board of Directors of the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Hellenic College/Holy Cross Board of Trustees, and the Judicial Council of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

This year's Gala Co-Chairs are Roger and Georgeann Ballou. Support is provided by event sponsors American Financial Realty Trust; Aqua America, CDI Corporation; Ted & Stevie Wolf; Commerce Bank; Met Pro Corporation; Rohm & Haas; Drexel University; Historic Landmarks for Living; Independence Blue Cross; Pennoni Associates, Inc.; Philadelphia Stock Exchange; Rich & Peggy Greenawalt; SCP Private Equity Partners, LLP; Sovereign Bank; Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen, LLP; Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll; Chimcles & Tikellis, LLP; KMPG, LLP; Mark Dichter; Jeffrey Harbison; and Harvey Kimmel.

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To request more information and interviews, please contact:
Megan Wendell, Canary Promotion
office: 215.242.6393, email: megan@canarypromo.com