Ke’Shon Newsome is part of Drew’s new college that’s reimagining higher education
September 2026 – In November 2025, Drew University announced the creation of a new college as a learning innovation hub to reimagine higher education by supporting students seeking individualized learning pathways.
During the fall 2026 semester, a small cohort of Drew undergraduates who had expressed interest in the college took part in a prototype program, allowing them to experiment with a new, affordable, and accessible approach to learning that stays true to Drew’s core academic principles.
Ke’Shon Newsome C’28 is one of those students and has thrived within the Innovation Scholars curriculum. He has flourished in the program and even presented to Drew’s Board of Trustees about his experiences.
“We’re creatives,” said Newsome. “We solve problems. We’re the living proof that education can be transformative while being outside the norm.”
For Newsome, who plans on becoming a multi-modal artist, the nontraditional experience has made an impact.
“Our mentors put us in place to do hands-on work,” he explained. “They feel students should be able to experience their passions and lead a career, and that taking a traditional class and studying to get an A isn’t the only path. A day could look like us mentoring students or doing projects that were pitched and put into action, like the reimagining of the WMNJ Radio Station on campus. It gives us the opportunity to take an idea that may start as just a thought and actually work toward making it something real.”
To grow his brand, Made N Infinity, Newsome knew he needed both business and art skills, which he has gained as an Innovation Scholar.
“The program helped me develop new skills, sharpen and hone those I already had, and discover ones I didn’t know existed. I’ve done everything from public speaking to sewing to getting my clothing in a store to creating art with unorthodox mediums. Each experience showed me another part of what it means to build something of my own and gave me a chance to explore different sides of my creativity.”
Newsome’s experiences have given him a running start to his post-Drew plans.
“The best part about this is that I’m already doing the work now while in college and learning the nuts and bolts of my career path. Those hands-on experiences I’ve had, and ones I haven’t experienced yet, will only develop me into the person I want to be. The fact I’m in school gaining this high-level knowledge pushes me way forward. I’m not waiting until after college to figure out what I want to do. I’m getting the opportunity to explore it now, make mistakes now, meet people now, and learn the skills that can help me build the future I see for myself.”
Newsome’s primary takeaway from the program has been that there are multiple ways to reach a goal and that there are many ways to create impact while using his passions.
“While a traditional college experience isn’t at all bad, being an Innovation Scholar expanded it for me, and has been the right fit for me,” he said.
“I’m learning through experiences alongside teammates, collaborating on ways to solve real-world problems. We’ve talked about how AI is becoming implemented in daily life, and, instead of being fearful of it, we’ve explored ways to adapt and use it. Being an Innovation Scholar has made learning feel more connected to the world around me because we aren’t just talking about ideas, we’re learning how to apply them.”
