Learning shouldn’t be limited to the walls of a classroom. Temple students are encouraged to explore their interests, pursue their passions and make the most of their talents by taking advantage of Temple’s world-class facilities; experiential programs; dynamic professional and academic networks; and supportive communities of like-minded creators, thinkers and doers, both in Philadelphia and around the world. 

The Temple experience connects students with the tools and resources they need to become all they can be. Read their stories and see how our incredible students are thriving here and will for years to come.

Building a Better Robot

This year, Temple Robotics joined 47 other collegiate programs as competitors in NASA’s Lunabotics Artemis Student Challenge held at the Kennedy Space Center. They designed and built a robot entirely from scratch in the College of Engineering’s IDEAS Hub, a cutting-edge facility for engineering technology.

Pathway to Entrepreneurship

Cory Matthews, a North Philadelphia native and Fox School of Business student, began his Temple experience as a member of the first cohort of Cecil B. Moore Scholars, an academic pathway to Temple for students who live in the university’s eight neighboring ZIP codes. His path to success began when he started his own sneaker cleaning business, The Sole Surgeon 215, as a senior in high school.

At Temple, we continuously evolve our teaching methodology by experimenting with emerging technologies and strategies so our students can engage in their education in a more holistic and authentic way.

Our future-oriented and interdisciplinary curriculum leads to career readiness, active global citizenship, valuable credentials and lifelong learning. We achieve this through wildly creative experiential learning techniques; international education opportunities; and thoughtful courses rooted in the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. See how Temple’s innovative curriculum prepares students not only for their future, but inspires them to play a role in it.

Learning in the Metaverse

Bora Ozkan, assistant professor of finance in the Fox School of Business, believes that virtual reality teaching has the potential to be a better experience for students than in-person learning because of the flexibility it provides, as well as the ability to give every student a front-row seat.

OT Students Create Adaptive Technology for the Disability Community

Temple occupational therapy graduate students in the College of Public Health teamed up with TechOWL (Technology for Our Whole Lives) to create custom designs improving the functional capability of children and adults living with disabilities. Students used inexpensive everyday materials and donations to make these products with the goal of showing how we can create devices that make the world more accessible without spending a lot of money. Projects included

• a cardboard slant board allowing a man struggling to use his television remote to easily manipulate the buttons; 
• a redesigned bicycle with a built-in seat and harness for a 4-year-old boy with several health conditions such as cerebral palsy and hip dysplasia; and 
• a rocking chair with reinforced cardboard and soft materials for individuals living with autism. 

Temple is a top-tier research enterprise, where discoveries and advancements with real-world applications regularly happen. 

Today, Temple is seventh in the nation among fastest growing research universities from 2010 to 2020, and it has been recognized by the Carnegie Classification as an R1 institution—the highest research activity among institutions of higher learning. As such, Temple attracts and cultivates experts in their fields who are making discoveries that impact economic development, solve societal problems, open new fields of inquiry, and create sustainable technologies and businesses for the next generation. Efforts like these—and many more—reflect Temple’s commitment to making the community and the world around us a better place.

Closing in on a Cure for HIV

Excision BioTherapeutics, a company co-founded by Temple microbiologist Kamel Khalili, announced earlier this year that it received funding to conduct clinical trials on an experimental HIV therapy. Researchers used the new therapy to successfully eliminate the HIV virus from human and mice cells in preclinical trials. The treatment was accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an investigational new drug, paving the way for it to be used in human trials and, potentially, its discovery as the first functional cure for the HIV virus.

A Leading Lung Transfer Program

Temple University Hospital is one of just three hospitals in the state with an adult lung transfer program. Because of the staff’s expertise, the hospital can regularly take on some of the most challenging cases and provide a potentially life-saving transplant to patients who couldn’t receive treatment elsewhere. It has earned the distinction of highest volume lung transplant program in the country for the last seven years. The program is led by renowned pulmonologists Gerard Criner and Francis Cordova, and transplant surgeons Norihisa Shigemura and Yoshiya Toyoda.

A Bold Vision for Drug Discovery

John Karanicolas has been named director of the School of Pharmacy’s Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research. Karanicolas brings to the center his years of experience researching anti-cancer drugs at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Together with Associate Director Wayne Childers, a medicinal chemist who has been with the Moulder Center for 10 years, he will oversee the center’s efforts in advancing new drug candidates closer toward clinical use, where they can have a real-world impact.

Sonia Sanchez Awarded 28th Annual Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize

Poet, activist and scholar Sonia Sanchez was the recipient of the 28th annual Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize—one of the most prestigious honors given to artists in the country. The former Laura Carnell Professor of English and Women’s Studies earned the award in October 2021 for her achievements in inspiring change through the power of the word.

Commercializing Temple Discoveries

Throughout the year, various spinout companies have commercialized Temple discoveries and prepared to expand the sale of products developed by our researchers.

• Thrombolex has seven FDA-approved products based on new catheter devices co-invented at Temple and received $1.2 million to grow its warehouse in support of increased catheter production. 
• ExpressCells has licensed and successfully commercialized the gene editing system for accelerating cell-based research. 
• Melzi Surgical, which has developed a new device for surgeons to find needles and other sharp objects lost in the body during surgery, has begun an expanded marketing and sales effort to hospital systems after receiving a $4 million investment in April 2022.

Temple University’s foundation of community-building was laid at the onset by founder Russell H. Conwell, who encouraged people to support their communities because that’s where our treasures lie. Today, Temple continues to foster connections with Philadelphia’s corporate, civic and government communities, with the residents of our city, and with our North Philadelphia neighbors.

Senator Casey and President Wingard Discuss Gun Violence

Senator Bob Casey visited Temple to host a roundtable discussion on the gun violence epidemic with middle and high school students.

He noted the importance of Senate voting on common sense legislation such as background checks and extreme risk protection bills. Casey also highlighted a bill he’s working on with Representative Dwight Evans that would help connect gun violence victims with resources.

Breakfast With Local Faith Leaders

In May, faith leaders from churches, synagogues and mosques in North Philadelphia near Main Campus gathered at Temple for breakfast in Shusterman Hall. They connected with Temple President Jason Wingard for the first time and discussed ways to collaborate to best support one another and the community.

Attendees learned about the university’s programs and services such as the Pan-African Studies Community Education Program and youth engagement opportunities like summer camp.

Temple Safety Net

Amid the gun violence crisis, the trauma center at Temple University Hospital has created Temple Safety Net, which comprises various innovative outreach initiatives. Scott Charles, trauma outreach manager at Temple University Hospital, oversees the hospital’s violence prevention and intervention programs, which include Cradle to Grave, Fighting Chance and Safe Bet.

Temple Hosts Free Jazz Concert for the North Philadelphia Community 

Kenny Garrett, a Grammy award-winning saxophonist, headlined a free jazz concert held at the Temple Performing Arts Center in February. The concert also featured a performance by the Temple Faculty Jazz Sextet, which is made up of faculty members from the Boyer College of Music and Dance. More than 800 people attended the event, which created a space where students, faculty, staff and members of the community could celebrate music and feel welcomed at Temple.

Temple’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) stems from its deep and longstanding mission to provide accessible, high-quality education to one of the nation’s most diverse student populations. Increasing students of color and first-generation students in our first-year class and our intentional recruitment of international students as well as the test-optional entrance requirements have achieved the desired effects of diversifying our student population and fulfilling the mission that Russell Conwell set out for us.

In addition to installing the first African American president in its history, the university established a new position of vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion—currently held by Valerie Harrison, CLA ’07, ’14—and welcomed the largest class of African American and Latinx first-year students in more than two decades.

Strengthening DEI Understanding and Commitment

Sean Yom, associate professor of political science, and Lee-Ann Chae, assistant professor of philosophy, teamed up to introduce a new class of its kind at Temple—one focusing on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

Center for Anti-racism Research Receives $1.3 Million Grant

Pennsylvania State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, KLN ’12, awarded Temple a $1.3 million grant for the construction of its Center for Anti-racism Research as well as to help pay for renovations to the Department of Africology and African American Studies.

The center will work to dismantle racial hierarchies and help people who are impacted by structural racism.

As cases of COVID-19 continued to spread across the globe over the past two years, Temple University faculty, students and staff pulled together in support of our community, our city of Philadelphia and beyond. From building a working COVID-19 hospital in the Liacouras Center, to supporting healthcare workers, to searching for the origins of the virus, to finding innovative ways to teach our students, the Temple community perfectly exemplified what it means to be Owls. As our motto says, Perseverance Conquers.

Weathering the COVID-19 Storm

In the early days of the pandemic, the Liacouras Center was quickly transformed into a surge medical facility—providing a place for patients to receive treatment when the city’s hospitals were overwhelmed. Though most of the beds went unused, the energy brought by the folks who pulled the makeshift hospital together in just two weeks served as a catalyst for continued collaboration and heroism by members of the Temple community. The resilience of healthcare workers, facilities personnel and volunteers alike made this an unforgettable moment in university history.

#VaxUpTU

When vaccines began to roll out, Temple sprung into action. In conjunction with the #VaxUpTU campaign, the Temple community swiftly organized multiple clinic sites with the goal of providing as many people with the vaccine as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

By November 2021, more than 97% of the Temple community reported as fully vaccinated, representing nearly 41,000 students, faculty and staff.

Providing Protection

Faculty, staff and students from various disciplines and initiatives across campus unified to create much-needed personal protective equipment for front-line healthcare workers at Temple University Hospital who were risking their own lives every day to care for those who had fallen ill.

Transforming Education

With the abrupt switch to remote instruction, Temple faculty leaned into an unfamiliar situation and created innovative solutions to deliver an excellent education in digital spaces and COVID-19-friendly environments. From safety precautions for Tyler’s glass blowing classes to the university’s jazz band recording an album remotely to Klein students discovering new ways to continue their storytelling, these professors forged their way and demonstrated what is possible during unprecedented times.

Returning to the Nest

Many of Temple’s essential staff members faced new challenges as they worked to keep campus running while adhering to strict safety protocols, but it didn’t slow them down.

At Temple, the safety of our students, faculty, staff and neighbors in North Philadelphia is a top priority. And this year, as cities around the country experienced an increase in gun violence, Temple President Jason Wingard reaffirmed the university’s commitment to creating a safe and healthy environment for all members of the Temple community. In an opinion piece published in The Chicago Tribune, President Wingard outlined both immediate and long-term actions universities can take in response to rising homicide rates on or near urban college campuses around the nation.

Engaging Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey

In February, the university began a partnership with the former commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department Charles H. Ramsey, who will audit all of Temple’s current campus safety services and make recommendations. The audit is scheduled for completion in September 2022.

Ramsey’s tenure as commissioner, from January 2008 to January 2016, saw the city’s homicide rate drop 37% while violent crime decreased 31%. Ramsey previously co-chaired President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

Listening to Parents

Parents were invited to meet with university and campus safety leaders at Temple for a series of roundtable discussions where they could voice their thoughts and concerns and share their ideas about improvements. In addition, the discussions provided a forum for Temple to inform and update parents on our evolving safety enhancements, including the introduction of the RAVE Temple Guardian app.

President Wingard Engages With North Philadelphia

President Wingard, parents, students and staff members from Campus Safety Services embarked on a bike tour of the neighborhoods surrounding Temple University to connect with the local community.

The president made several stops at local community centers around North Philadelphia, where he discussed upcoming safety initiatives and received input from members of the community.

Temple’s New Task Force

A newly launched Task Force on Violence Reduction Strategies will maintain a focus on campus safety across the university, elevate Temple’s anti-violence research and programs, and devise new solutions to help address Philadelphia’s gun violence epidemic.

Temple’s Campus Safety Team

The Campus Safety Services (CSS) team is recognized by Temple students, faculty and staff for their hard work and dedication, patrolling campus both physically and virtually 24/7. In July of this year, several members of the team shared their stories, describing the impact that Temple has had on them professionally and personally, and what inspires their dedication.

Brianna Witherspoon currently works as a dispatcher with CSS. She was introduced to Temple at a young age by her father, a former Temple officer who now works as a facilities superintendent. Brianna hopes to follow a similar path as her dad, with plans to enter the police academy to become a Temple police officer.

As a student at Temple, Lauren Boone remembers being intrigued by the bike cops she saw around campus. Before her 2006 undergraduate graduation, she took the police academy test and passed. Since then, Boone has worked in CSS and currently supervises the dispatch unit.

Security Officer Gary T. Price wants incoming students to know that “a dad is still here.” As a security officer, he feels that one of his most important responsibilities is welcoming incoming students, as many of them are on their own for the first time. Price has been with Temple for 15 years and also aids the CSS external relations team. 

Monica Hankins-Padilla expected a long career in engineering after studying the subject at Temple. Right before graduation, Hankins-Padilla took a job with CSS and a fellow officer immediately noticed that it was a natural fit for her. Hankins-Padilla became an officer shortly after earning her undergraduate degree in 2000. She’s been with Temple since then, working to create and maintain connections with the university and the surrounding neighborhoods.

This year Temple Athletics celebrated a return to a sense of normalcy. We witnessed a return to athletic competition with fans in the stands—along with numerous accomplishments, including records set both in the classroom and on the field of play.

We welcomed Arthur Johnson as our new vice president and director of athletics and three new head coaches: Stan Drayton took over the football program, Diane Richardson was named the women’s basketball head coach and Linda Hampton-Keith became the new women’s volleyball coach.

A New Director of Athletics

On Oct. 7, 2021, President Wingard announced that Arthur Johnson, a veteran administrator from the University of Texas, would take the helm of the Owls’ athletics program. 

As the news made the rounds, athletics program leaders from around the country commented on the leadership skills and integrity Johnson brings to his new role.

Calling the Shots

Vice President and Director of Athletics Arthur Johnson announced on April 6 that Diane Richardson was named head coach of Temple women’s basketball. Boasting an 80-66 overall head coaching record, Richardson led Towson to a record-breaking 2021–2022 season and the school’s second berth in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament in school history.

NIL Opportunities

• NBC Sports Athlete Direct, a new platform launched by NBC Sports, will link college student-athletes and advertisers through a trusted marketplace, enabling student-athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness.
• In an opinion piece published in the New York Daily News on June 9, President Wingard weighed in on the topic, suggesting that NIL could be the great equalizer when it comes to leveling the playing field across the Division I athletics landscape.

Temple alumni enter the world prepared to take on challenges, make changes and build a better future for all of us. Many remain engaged with and support the university by returning to campus for events and programs. This year, our alumni and friends provided financial support at record levels. We are honored to showcase the accomplishments of our inspirational alumni and express our gratitude for the generous gifts to the university from our donors.

Temple Brings in Record-breaking Funds

This year, donations made to Temple University totaled $114,579,981. With the help of our supportive alumni, donors and friends, 2022 marks the third consecutive year funds made to Temple exceeded $100 million. It was also the largest amount of funds raised in the last five years. Gifts made to Temple continue to go toward the university’s efforts to educate a vibrant student body and create new knowledge through innovative teaching, research and other creative endeavors.

Wilkes Gifts Scholarship Fund to School of Medicine

Toni Wilkes, MED ’82, and David Wilkes, MED ’82, have committed a $2 million gift to the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. The gift will establish the Drs. David and Toni Wilkes ’82 Endowed Scholarship Fund and will award scholarships to students who are underrepresented in medicine.

Alumnus Wins MacArthur Genius Award

Ibram X. Kendi, CLA ’07, ’10, was recently named a MacArthur Fellow, a grant awarded by the MacArthur Foundation to individuals who exemplify “extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction.” The honor is commonly referred to as the “Genius Award.”

Our Outstanding Alumni

Since their time at Temple, these alumni have taken their industries by storm and have exemplified what it means to be Temple Made.

Will Bubenik, STH ’18, was inspired to start a company providing more accessible webpages after witnessing his three siblings, all with cognitive disabilities, struggle to access online information.

Sydney Carpenter, TYL ’74, ’76, is a Philadelphia sculptor and professor whose powerful work focused on African American farms and gardens has been honored and displayed all over the world.

Ayodele Duyile, CST ’15, an Emmy-winning product manager at Google, spends his free time outside of the office mentoring people of color seeking leadership roles in the tech space.

Victor Alos Rullan, CPH ’13, has served for 40 years in public health at the federal, state and local levels. He has made major impacts in healthcare areas such as COVID-19 contact tracing, HPV vaccination, Type 2 diabetes research, infant mortality prevention and more.

Ameena Soliman, FOX ’17, STH ’19, made history last spring as the first-ever Muslim woman to become a pro scout for the NFL, working for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Carol Watson, STH ’02, has used her 20 years of experience, her passion for people and a mind for business to make a lasting impact on her customers, employees and other women in the hospitality industry while serving as a role model and community leader.

One of Temple University’s core values is affordability. This institution was founded by Russell Conwell on the notion that everyone should have access to a high-quality education.

This past year has not been without its challenges. In January, we incurred financial losses when the surging omicron variant dictated that we delay the start of in-person classes and move-in to residence halls by two weeks. Thankfully, we were able to mitigate losses through aggressive budget management—without layoffs—and strategic application of Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) support which, coupled with financial aid, has allowed us to help our students immensely.

During the past year, we also worked to strike the balance between minimal tuition increases (approximately +2.5%)—Temple’s first in-state tuition increase since the 2018–2019 academic year—and budget reductions (approximately -3%). This balanced approach ensured minimal impact to our students’ educational experience.

Making the Case for Commonwealth Support

The commonwealth appropriation for Temple University during fiscal year 2022 (as well as fiscal year 2023) was $158.2 million, which is the same rate it has been since fiscal year 2020. The impact of the appropriation is considerable, as it goes directly toward the in-state tuition discount.

To make Temple more affordable and accessible for our Pennsylvania residents, the university effectively doubles the value of the state appropriation; further increasing the tuition discount available to all Pennsylvania residents. As a result of this investment, in-state residents received a tuition discount of more than $13,000 (approximately 45%) off the out-of-state base tuition rate.

Supporting Students in Financial Need

Through three rounds of COVID-19 federal HEERF stimulus, which occurred between 2020 and 2022, the university received and provided $67.9M directly to its students. These funds helped cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance such as food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare and child care.

During fiscal year 2022, HEERF, provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, enabled Temple to assist students at a greater level than normal.

• As part of the third round of federal stimulus, Temple University provided students who demonstrated financial need and have been affected by COVID-19 with $39.2 million of emergency student aid. Priority was given to students who displayed exceptional financial need.
• Approximately 7,600 students from Temple’s undergraduate population have received a Pell Grant. This includes 1,368 first-year students—28% of Temple’s Class of 2025. The Pell Grant is awarded to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor’s, graduate or professional degree.

New Campus Developments

In September of 2022, Temple University welcomed many students back to campus for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the pandemic, many students had not visited Temple for a year and a half. They were greeted by a different-looking campus than the one they remembered.

If they traveled to campus via SEPTA Regional Rail, one of the first things they noticed was the newly repaved and landscaped Polett Walk and the East Gateway to the university at 11th Street. It is a top highlight of the many projects that helped reshape Temple’s vibrant and beautiful campus during this past year.