Message from the Dean
Welcome to the Charles D. Close School graduating Class of 2025. Together, we join you in celebrating this milestone and share in your sense of pride as you join the ranks of our Close School alumni. Graduation is a moment of change, growth, and transition — and we are certain that you will embrace this new step in your life with an entrepreneurial spirit, with resilience, optimism, and the knowledge and skills that you developed during your time here at the Close School. You are entrepreneurs in the true sense of the word, and we couldn't be more excited to see you start the next phase of your entrepreneurial journey.
With best wishes,
Donna Marie De Carolis, PhD
Founding Dean
Silverman Family Professor of Entrepreneurial Leadership
About the Keynote Speaker
Nicole Melchiorre, co-founder and president of Shore House Canna, the first legal cannabis dispensary on the Jersey Shore, began her career in New York City as a journalist. She helped launch CBS News Online, worked with both the news and entertainment divisions, and was part of the pioneering team that developed and maintained the original Survivor website, one of the earliest integrations of broadcast media and the web.
Mrs. Melchiorre later moved to Atlanta to join accounting firm Arthur Andersen at the height of the early 2000s tech boom. There, she focused on business development and managed events and marketing initiatives for the firm’s technology practice. It was also in Atlanta that she met her husband, Paul.
After marrying in 2003, Nicole took a hiatus from corporate life to take on her most rewarding role yet — CEO of the Melchiorre Family! She was fortunate to be home full time to raise their four children: Kristen, Paolo, Alexis and Graziella.
In 2021, Mrs. Melchiorre embraced an unexpected opportunity: ownership of an adult-use recreational cannabis dispensary. Over the next two and a half years, she immersed herself in the cannabis industry — learning not only about the plant, but also how to navigate the complexities of a highly regulated and rapidly evolving market.
In September 2023, after overcoming significant obstacles, Mrs. Melchiorre and her partners opened Shore House Canna in West Cape May, New Jersey. Since then, she has worked to build both a trusted brand and a more informed consumer base. Shore House is now recognized as one of the most successful independent dispensaries in the state.
You're a Forever Dragon Now!
Don't Miss the University-Wide Commencement on June 12!
We hope you'll join us for this special event at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, June 12 at 5 p.m. ET. We look forward to celebrating our graduates at the University-wide Commencement ceremony, where our newest Forever Dragons will get the chance to participate in a procession around the baseball field and have their degrees conferred before being officially welcomed into the ranks of Drexel alumni.