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Fry addresses two “troubling incidents” involving Temple students 7 May 1:33 PM (yesterday, 1:33 pm)

Updated May 7 at 8:40 p.m. EST.

The university condemns the “reprehensible” views and language used in two separate incidents involving Temple students that circulated online this week, President John Fry wrote in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

“While Temple is committed to honoring the principles of free speech and fostering an environment open to a diversity of thought, opinion and peaceful expression, the language and views expressed in these instances are reprehensible and not in keeping with our university’s values,” Fry wrote.

In one instance, Temple student Mohammed Khan was involved in an antisemitic incident where he filmed and posted a video of a sign that read “F–k the Jews” in an off-campus bar Saturday night. The Division of Student Affairs opened an investigation into the incident, resulting in two students being placed on interim suspension.

Khan later appeared Tuesday on the Stew Peters’ show, hosted by an internet personality known for spreading antisemitic hatred and conspiracy theories, to defend himself against “Jewish supremacy” and to promote his online fundraiser to pay for a lawyer.

“Do you think that now is the time for humanity to join forces and become tribal against Jewish supremacy?” Peters asked Khan during a livestream Tuesday. Khan replied, “Absolutely.”

Fry also wrote about a second, unrelated incident. Rishi Arun, who was a member of the former Temple Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, appeared on a panel hosted by Samidoun, a network of activists which aims to “build solidarity with Palestinian prisoners,” on April 27. They discussed student activism and honored Mumia Abu-Jamal’s 71st birthday. 

Abu-Jamal is a journalist and former Black Panther who was convicted of the 1981 murder of a Philadelphia police officer, but maintains his innocence. He is currently serving life in prison after his death row conviction was overturned in 2011, due to jurors in his original trial having received potentially misleading instructions. His most recent attempt for an appeal of his conviction was denied on March 26.

During the panel, Arun answered a question regarding why freeing Abu-Jamal was important.

“We will free Mumia because it is our job to destroy imperialism, destroy the United States and destroy capitalism and the system of extraction that it relies on to perpetuate itself,” Arun said. “And we will do it by organizing in a manner that actively undermines and destabilizes the legitimacy and the power of the state, and the power and legitimacy of capitalism.”

Fry stressed that Temple’s SJP chapter is still suspended, which applies to all operations using Temple’s name and resources.

Temple SJP was put on interim suspension in October after holding a protest at a career fair which Temple said violated on-campus demonstration guidelines.

“We [SJP] find Fry’s conflation, of our struggle with Nazism, as at best laughable and at worst deeply insulting,” Arun wrote in a statement to The Temple News. “The Zionist entity parallels European fascism in every way – from its rhetoric, to its ghettoization, to its engagement in genocide. The Palestinian struggle against Zionism is one against fascism and imperialism. It is not one against the Jewish people.”

Arun also stressed that Khan is not associated with SJP and that Arun himself is not representative of SJP as a whole.

“[Graduation] is a time of celebration for our students and community,” Fry wrote. “As we come together over the next few days to applaud the accomplishments of our graduating students, let us remember to stand strong with the entire Temple University family against all forms of ignorance and hate.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was updated after publication to include a statement given to The Temple News.

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Mitchell Morgan, John Fry speak at Temple’s 138th commencement 7 May 8:20 AM (yesterday, 8:20 am)

Updated May 8 at 9:01 a.m. EST.

Temple held its 138th commencement ceremony at The Liacouras Center Wednesday morning, celebrating 8,482 students who finished their studies during the 2024-25 academic year.

Among those graduating, 5,683 earned undergraduate degrees, 2,050 earned graduate degrees and 749 finished their professional studies, according to the university.

President John Fry delivered opening remarks, celebrating his first graduating class as Temple’s president. 

“Our time together in Temple has been much too brief,” Fry said. “Still, I did have enough time to see the sterner stuff that you are made of. I saw how extraordinarily talented, determined and resilient you are. Time and again, I witnessed how you responded courageously to adversity and applied creativity and critical thinking to the broadest range of challenges.”

He congratulated graduating seniors Ray Epstein, Andrew Tran and Jasmine Villaroel for their studies and achievements in advocacy, AI development and musical theater respectively. 

Provost Gregory Mandel followed up on Fry’s remarks to give his final commencement speech as Temple provost, acknowledging the range of demographics and academic journeys that graduating students make up and took this year.

“Remember that you didn’t arrive at graduation because it was easy,” Mandel said. “You arrived at graduation because you worked hard and you believed in yourselves.”

Dr. Shohreh Amini, president of the faculty senate, spoke on behalf of faculty to the graduates, encouraging those entering “the real world” to continue learning after university.

“Today, express gratitude,” Amini said. “Thank the professors, to mentors, to the community for their support and guidance. Celebrate the present. Acknowledge the joy and accomplishment of reaching this level of study. Embrace the unknown. Pursue your leadership and continue learning and always, always strive for excellence.”

Senior advertising major Arianna Watkins was the student speaker and shared her journey throughout Klein. She honored her family and those she found at Temple, her student job and her sorority. 

“I urge you all to reflect on your time here,” Watkins said. “Think about the people who have shaped you during your time, the classmates, the professors and the staff who made this campus feel like home. Be the people who create spaces for others to go, see where community thrives and where no one feels as if they’re just passing through. If there’s anything that Temple has taught us, it’s that we are the people who make a place to be like home.”

Board of Trustees Vice Chair Phillip Richards took the stage to award Temple’s 2025 honorary degrees to Tina Sloan Green and Mitchell Morgan.

Green was Temple’s first Black head coach in women’s intercollegiate sports, co-founded the Black Women in Sports Foundation and has received several awards, most recently including NCAA’s highest honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Award. Morgan was honored as a “Temple Made” story for his journey from a Temple student to the CEO of Morgan Properties, with a networth of 5.5 billion dollars, and a philanthropist. 

Both Green and Morgan received degrees of Doctor of Humane Letters.

Morgan also gave remarks at commencement’s main and last speaker. He spoke about his origins as a Temple student working as a shoe seller and his aspirations for business throughout his student career.

Morgan talked about being a first generation student in his family, earning his degree and making minimum wage at $1.65 an hour after graduation until he found a job as an accountant. After returning again to Temple through its law school and earning another degree, Morgan “lost [his] first and only case” but found connections with a client in real estate.

Morgan Properties is now one of the top apartment owners in the country.

“My success in business and life is that I surround myself with people who are smarter than me,” Morgan said. “I didn’t need to be the smartest person in the group. I can learn something from almost everyone.”

Morgan advised students to take small steps towards their planned futures, to keep their eyes open to opportunity and to stay engaged with their alma mater.

“Class of 2025, Temple University has given you the skill sets you need to go out to the world and be successful,” Morgan said. “You are smart, you are hardworking and you are capable. You are lifelong learners. You are guided by values and principles. I wish you great success as you embark on this next chapter of your life.”

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article contained an incorrect statement about Morgan Properties’ size and business. It has since been corrected.

The post Mitchell Morgan, John Fry speak at Temple’s 138th commencement first appeared on The Temple News.

LETTER: Mitchell Morgan is unfit to represent Temple 6 May 1:00 PM (2 days ago)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following letter is written by a reader of The Temple News. The content in this letter is not reflective of the opinions of The Temple News. All students, faculty, staff and readers are encouraged to send letters to the editor to have their voice or opinion heard. 

Temple University graduation ceremonies will take place this week amidst an unprecedented attack on higher education, a key piece of which includes the direct targeting of international students on college campuses nationwide. In selecting Board of Trustees Chair and billionaire landlord Mitchell L. Morgan to be commencement speaker, upper administration has chosen to honor an individual who has donated to, voted for, and long supported the forces driving these very attacks. 

This is an affront to graduating seniors, international students, and all who seek to uphold the principles of higher education. Morgan is not only an unfit commencement speaker but someone who has no business leading Temple if we expect our university to weather this ongoing crisis. 

Morgan and his family are not just in the top 1% of wealthiest households in the U.S., they are in the top 0.00018%. He has for years used his $5.5 billion fortune and social prominence to support the very individuals and ideas that are currently attacking our institutions and deporting our colleagues. 

In 2005, he hosted a fundraiser for the openly homophobic and anti-immigrant Senator Rick Santorum that violated the Federal Election Campaign Act, and in 2008 he was one of three signatories on a letter sent to Jewish voters in Pennsylvania warning that the election of President Barack Obama would bring about “a second Holocaust.” 

Since 2000, Morgan has donated nearly $700,000 to Republican Party candidates and PACs – including 2016 presidential candidate Marco Rubio, who, as current Secretary of State, is now ordering the revocation of student visas. 

Yet Morgan’s connections to the current White House run even deeper. In addition to partnering with Trump on the latter’s failed Philadelphia casino project in 2006, Morgan and his family attended Christmas Eve dinner alongside the President at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in 2019. And after Trump spent years attacking both higher education and immigrants, making his intentions very well known on the campaign trail, Morgan voted for him in last November’s election.

In response to the Trump administration’s policies, other universities are proactively defending their students and employees by issuing unequivocal public statements in support of academic freedom, mobilizing legal resources, refusing to comply with unjust federal mandates, and committing to act in defense of peer universities. 

Meanwhile, Temple administration has taken none of these actions, opting instead to send a few newsletters offering vague assurances and little else. Given Morgan’s political record, it is reasonable to wonder whether Temple’s lack of meaningful action is in part a result of the convictions of those in charge.

Such values are present not only in Morgan’s political involvement but in his business practices as well. With over 100,000 rental units, Morgan is the third-largest owner of apartments in the U.S. Though the Temple graduate frames himself as self-made, legal records show that his vast wealth has come at the expense of his tenants’ wellbeing. His company, Morgan Properties, has a long history of lawsuits from renters who have become sick and whose homes have been rendered unlivable due to bed bugs, rodents and trash, and leaks and mold. 

Morgan Properties has also been sued for colluding to raise rents, charging exorbitant and illegal fees, and repeatedly violating the Fair Housing Act by refusing to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled tenants.

With such a history, it is not surprising that the Temple community has previously called for Morgan to step down. In the weeks following the resignation of former Temple President Jason Wingard in 2023, nearly one thousand faculty members (81% of voters) voted no confidence in Morgan as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Despite this overwhelming rejection of his leadership, he not only remains in office but is somehow now being celebrated with an honorary degree and a leading role in graduation ceremonies. 

The political agenda of the likes of Trump and Morgan does not serve Temple faculty, employees, or students, especially its international students. The Class of 2025 deserves a commencement speaker who upholds the values and mission of our university, and the Temple community needs leadership that believes in our institutions and does everything they can to defend them. 

Esmeralda Soriano is a graduate student and Research Assistant in the Psychology department at Temple. She currently serves as Vice President of TUGSA (AFT Local 6290), the labor union for Temple’s Graduate Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants. 

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Sustainable Living, Styled with Design and Amenities! 6 May 12:20 PM (2 days ago)

Looking for a place where sustainable living meets chic design and all the perks? Say hello to Copper Flats! Nestled in the vibrant Fishtown and Norris Square neighborhoods of Philadelphia, this 88-unit residential gem is redefining what it means to live green. With sleek architecture, smart amenities, and eco-friendly vibes, Copper Flats is the total package—and it’s surprisingly affordable, too!

Next-Level Design & Eco-Savvy Features

Designed by the architectural wizards at Onion Flats, Copper Flats is a testament to innovation. Think two nearly identical four-story beauties topped with a gleaming ~120 kW photovoltaic solar canopy. These buildings were originally crafted to meet PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) certification standards—basically the gold medal of energy efficiency!

Built using prefabricated, panelized materials with pre-installed mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, the construction process was speedy, waste-conscious, and downright impressive. This eco-friendly blueprint is the future of urban living.

Location Goals

Address: 2009 N Howard St, Philadelphia, PA 19122

You couldn’t ask for a better spot! Copper Flats is just a three-minute walk to the Berks station, making commutes a breeze. Whether you’re craving artisanal coffee, planning a night out, or hitting up the coolest boutiques, Front Street and Frankford Avenue are right around the corner. Convenience? Check.

Apartments That Get You

Cozy, modern, and designed with your lifestyle in mind, Copper Flats offers one-bedroom apartments ranging from 420 to 520 square feet. Expect stylish kitchens with floating shelves, deep cabinets for all your culinary gadgets, and plenty of natural light. Want a little fresh air? Opt for a unit with a 40 SF outdoor balcony and soak up those city vibes.

All the Perks, Please

Life at Copper Flats comes with some pretty sweet extras:

● Rooftop Deck: Catch the sunset from a comfy lounger or dine under the solar canopy with unbeatable city views.

● Indoor/Outdoor Gym: From treadmills to squat racks, this fitness space has everything you need to keep moving.

● Coworking Spaces: Work from home without actually working from home with breakout spaces and spacious communal tables.

● Entertainment Zone: Movie nights and game sessions just got a whole lot better in the community media room.

● Secure Parking & Smart Locks: Safe and seamless. No keys? No problem!

● Amazon Hub Locker: Your packages are secure and ready when you are.

And for the creatives out there, Copper Flats offers 8 live-work units with ample closet space, making it the perfect spot to blend business with leisure.

Sustainability that Saves

Eco-living shouldn’t break the bank. With energy-efficient technology and innovative design, Copper Flats minimizes utility costs, so you can enjoy the benefits of a green lifestyle without the hefty price tag. Affordable, beautiful, and sustainable? Yes, yes, and yes!

Ready to Make the Move?

If you’re looking for a home that champions sustainability, modern design, and an all-around good time, Copper Flats is calling your name. This isn’t just living—it’s living smart. Come see what the future of urban living looks like in Philadelphia.

www.copperflatsphl.com

The post Sustainable Living, Styled with Design and Amenities! first appeared on The Temple News.

A deep dive into Temple’s energy and emissions 5 May 10:02 AM (3 days ago)

In the past year, Temple released more than 150,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Both student activists and Temple faculty members working behind the scenes hope to change that, but their ideas on how to achieve this differ.

Emission rates rose 1.5% in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to the most recent Annual Sustainability Report. The buildings with the largest carbon footprints include the Medical Education and Research Building and Tyler School of Art and Architecture.

However, new projects initiated by the Energy Office during the past year aim at reducing emissions in the long term, including one that plans to reduce emissions on Main Campus by 20%.

EMISSIONS AND HEALTH

Kaitlyn Lupole, a senior health professions major, believes the university must continue to address the issue because of the effect excessive carbon dioxide emissions have on health.

“I feel like it’s very important because it affects future generations, and I do want to have a family one day,” Lupole said. “So I feel it’s important to try and help the environment as best as we can for future generations.”

High carbon dioxide emissions contribute to rising global temperatures. Urban areas like North Central, where Temple is located, experience even higher temperatures due to the “urban heat island effect,” where heat-retaining buildings, roads, and infrastructure can increase temperatures up to 12 degrees.

Prolonged exposure to heat waves can lead to heat-related illnesses — for students that can happen while sitting outside or going to classes and can highly affect those with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, Lupole said. 

Heat-related illnesses include heat exhaustion or heat stroke and symptoms can range from headaches and dizziness to vomiting and loss of consciousness, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Health is why Kathleen Fink, director of Utilities and Energy Management, believes it is important to work on energy efficient projects.

“I want to make sure that our air is clean, air that we’re breathing,” Fink said. “There are lots of studies done on areas with cleaner air that actually have less health issues, breathing issues.”

EFFICIENCY UPGRADES

The Energy Office upgraded the chiller plants at the Health Sciences Campus in the last year. Chiller plants cool water by using coolants like Freon and then circulate it around a large building to remove heat, like a refrigerator. This water is then recirculated to start the process all over again. 

The upgrades consisted of using new computer programming and different drives, which control the compressors speed and optimize energy efficiency. This was made possible by the Green Revolving Fund, a Temple fund that supports sustainable, energy efficient projects that save operational costs in the long run.

When completed in Fall 2026, this project alone will save Temple two million kilowatt hours of energy and $100,000 a year, Fink said. The university will also earn a $200,000 rebate from PECO for installing energy-efficient technology.

The Green Revolving Fund is a joint initiative between the Energy Office and the Office of Sustainability at Temple. Together, the two offices decide where funds should be invested and what projects should be prioritized. However, they have advocated for more funding to accomplish more projects.

“The projects that are most expensive are the ones that traditionally have the best payoff and the highest energy savings,” said Rebecca Collins, director of sustainability. “So the little ones are great, it’s not that they’re not worth doing, but if we really want to move the needle, we have to have more capital to invest in those larger projects.”

Energy-saving technology is considered when planning new building design, like Charles Library, which contains energy efficient, motion sensing lights that helped it earn a LEED Gold award in the 2020-2021 academic year. The new Paley Hall will also be designed to achieve WELL certification, a building sustainability standard that focuses on health and well-being.

“Since 2006, when we started to really measure our carbon impact, the campuses have grown by over 3 million square feet, and we’re still continuing to reduce energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions and that sort of thing,” Collins said. “So you know, that is something that I continue to be like, really proud of.”

The Green Revolving Fund has allowed Temple to improve on energy-efficient lighting in older buildings as well. This past year Annenberg Hall and Montgomery Garage received lighting upgrades. Students and faculty can submit requests for new energy efficiency projects by filling out the Green Revolving Fund form.

The Energy Office has also explored solar and geothermal energy, a method that picks up cold water beneath the Earth’s surface and requires several large, 100-foot deep wells. Fink believes those renewable energies are a possible initiative for the Ambler campus, though not practical for the urban landscape.

THE FIGHT FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY

While the Energy Office focused on technological upgrades to address Temple’s carbon footprint, the transition to renewable energy – specifically the installation of at least 100 kW of renewable energy systems at Temple’s facilities – has been a longstanding goal set by the Office of Sustainability. 

The target was originally set for completion in 2022, but it is yet to be met. In the recent sustainability report, Temple identified potential locations for renewable energy projects.

To meet carbon emissions goals, Temple has purchased renewable energy credits which diverted more than 5,000 greenhouse gas emissions. 

Nina Hall, a junior environmental science major, appreciates the energy efficient technology initiatives at Temple, such as motion sensing lights and sinks, but believes in a different approach. Her idea of a more energy efficient campus involves an increase of green space and solar panels. 

“It’s kind of absurd to not listen to what the voices of the students want, and the fact that they want their money that they put into their tuition not to go towards investments for fossil fuels,” said Hall, who is also a member of Temple Climate Action. “So I think in that aspect, [Temple] could definitely focus on renewable energy more.”

TCA has collected more than 2,000 signatures advocating for Temple to divest from fossil fuels. The university has yet to acknowledge the petition.

“PECO doesn’t have the capacity for us to be able to electrify our entire campus,” Collins said. “They just don’t have the infrastructure that would be able to support the delivery of electricity to make those buildings 100% electric. So there are constraints that are out of our control.”

Collins stressed that to see change, individuals should contact their state representatives to invest in better infrastructure that is outside Temple’s control. For example, Conservation Voters of PA maintains a portal for individuals to send a message to lawmakers to invest in clean energy. 

Temple intends to expand campus green space, mainly by demolishing and relocating Beury Hall to create a large quad adjacent to the Bell Tower – a plan the university has had for 10 years. President John Fry reiterated his administration’s commitment to this plan during a speech at his Investiture Ceremony April 4.  

However, Hall also wished Temple would be more transparent about their partnerships with fossil fuel corporations. 

“What does our future really look like?” Hall said. “We continue to let these fossil fuel companies basically do whatever they want unchecked by people because they have so much money, you know? How can you breed thinkers that you want to be creating renewable energy, creating things like this, but then, you send them to career fairs where ExxonMobil is like ‘Oh, come work for us.’” 

Some of the many companies that invest in Temple include ExxonMobil Foundation and The Vanguard Group, Inc., an investment firm that has reportedly invested more than 500 billion dollars in the fossil fuel industry, according to the university’s Giving website. Last year TCA protested Vanguard’s appearance at a STEM career fair.

TRANSPARENCY

The Energy Office works in conjunction with the City of Philadelphia’s benchmarking program to send audits of energy usage such as electricity, water, steam and gas. Buildings at least 50,000 square feet must comply with the Philadelphia Code’s Benchmarking Energy and Water Use ordinance that took effect in 2012.

Property managers who do not comply with the ordinance receive hefty fines, starting at $300 which increases after 30 days.

The City of Philadelphia collaborates with the Green Building United group for compliance support and to gather data. When data appears to have errors, the team is in communication with property owners or, for Temple, the Energy Office.

The most recent large building energy benchmarking dataset was published at the end of 2024 and many buildings were unreported, but according to Charlotte Shade, program manager of Building Energy Programs at the City of Philadelphia, the dataset has another round of updates to be completed.

The current system at the Energy Office ensures that there is a check and balance when it comes to energy usage and data reporting.

“If I see something that sticks out in our system, like it’ll tell us it’s up 100%, I’ll flag it and tell somebody,” said James Foley, a senior environmental studies major and data coordinator for the Energy Office. “But, somebody else above me who [has] a different title actually does the month in on tracking to make sure everything’s in line.”

Foley believes his practice of accurate data reporting helps target inefficiencies in Temple’s buildings for better improvements. He points to the energy efficiency upgrades made in Ritter Hall and Annex in 2022 as an example, highlighting the impact of new windows in regulating indoor temperatures.

“You could target those buildings more easily if you know that they’re shedding a lot of heat, and that’s shown in the data,” Foley said. “So I think if we are trying to be like a model university, one of those Med Eds that’s making progress in sustainability, having that data is an important first step.”

LOOKING AHEAD

The Energy Office is currently leading one of its most ambitious and energy-efficient projects to date: replacing a more than 60-year-old boiler system. Four of the seven boilers located at the Main Campus Central Steam Plant are from 1962 — and inefficient.

“I came here two and a half years ago, we’ve been working on this project from concept to engineering to product,” Fink said. “It’s a really exciting time for us.”

Currently, all the boilers run on natural gas. They still will, but instead of solely creating steam, the new boilers will also produce electricity. These types of boilers are referred to as cogeneration units which capture and utilize heat that would otherwise be wasted.

The cogeneration units will reduce boiler emissions by almost 50%, overall campus emissions by 20% and save millions of dollars, Fink said.

“I always say every dollar I can save is $1 less tuition,” Fink said. “But the greater thing is it’s going to have a huge carbon impact for us. It’ll [make us achieve] carbon goals, around five years worth of goals that we’re going to hit in one fell swoop when we get it going.”

Installing cogeneration is the first thing many universities do to maximize energy efficiency efforts and save money, Fink said, like Penn State, which made renovations more than a decade ago. 

At the end of March, the Energy Office gained Board approval for the cogeneration project, and equipment purchasing is underway. Construction will begin in early May on 10th Street near Montgomery Avenue, across from Kardon Atlantic Apartments.

“It is scary to me how much the environment and the climate has changed since I was a kid, and it’s important that we do something – we do something now, especially because the technology exists to change things, and we need to do everything we can to save the environment,” Fink said.

The post A deep dive into Temple’s energy and emissions first appeared on The Temple News.

Temple student on interim suspension after antisemitic incident 4 May 2:35 PM (4 days ago)

Updated May 5 at 6:33 p.m. EST

At least one Temple student is on interim suspension after the university was made aware of an antisemitic incident that occurred off-campus Saturday night, President John Fry wrote in a statement Sunday.

“In the strongest terms possible, let me be clear: antisemitism is abhorrent,” Fry wrote. “It has no place at Temple and acts of hatred and discrimination against any person or persons are not tolerated at this university.”

The statement comes after Stop Antisemitism, a non-profit organization founded to expose individuals for antisemitic behavior, reposted an Instagram video that Temple student Mohammed Adnan Khan reportedly posted at a Philadelphia bar Saturday. 

The video showed a crowd of people and a bar sign typically used for bottle service purchases, that read “F–k the Jews.”  

Khan did not immediately respond to The Temple News’ request for comment.

The Division of Student Affairs is investigating the situation, which identified and placed a student on interim suspension, Fry wrote.

Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports and the owner of Barstool Sansom Street where the incident occurred, posted on his X account that he was aware of the situation and two Barstool Sansom Street bottle service workers were fired, according to a social media post.

Portnoy wrote in a social media post that he received a statement from Khan Monday which denied that Khan paid for the sign or supported its message.

“I know that incidents like this do not represent our community and its values,” Fry wrote.

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MBB guard CJ Hines commits to Temple 2 May 8:20 AM (6 days ago)

Former Alabama State guard CJ Hines has committed to Temple, the program announced Friday morning. Hines gives the Owls their fourth commitment as the team has retooled their roster in the offseason.

The 6-foot, 2-inch guard spent two seasons with the Hornets after spending three seasons at NAIA program Faulkner. Hines averaged 16 points per game across his three seasons at Faulkner before transferring to Alabama State in 2023.

He became one of the Hornets’ best scorers during his time at Alabama State. Hines averaged 14 points per game during the 2024-25 season, a five-point increase from the previous season. He finished second on the team in scoring and helped lead Alabama State to a NCAA Tournament appearance.

Hines comes to Temple with just one season of eligibility remaining. He joins guards Gavin Griffith, Masiah Gilyard and forward Jamai Felt as new additions to the Owls roster heading into head coach Adam Fisher’s third season.

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Jameel Brown commits to Delaware 1 May 4:00 PM (7 days ago)

Former Temple guard Jameel Brown has committed to Delaware, he announced on his social media Thursday night. 

Brown played just one season at Temple after playing his first two years at Penn State. The guard appeared in just eight games for the Owls as he missed the final 24 due to what was described as “personal reasons.” He averaged 5.3 points and 1.9 rebounds per game in his time on North Broad Street. 

Brown provided a spark off the bench on the defensive end and recorded a season-high four steals in Temple’s game against Florida State on Nov. 22, 2024. He averaged 16 minutes per contest as an Owl and helped spread out the floor as he shot 37% from three-point range. 

While a Nittany Lion, Brown spent 10 minutes on the court in his 27 games and made his mark from beyond the arc. He connected on 29 three-pointers on 32% shooting in the 2023-24 season. 

Brown is now the fourth former Owl to find a new school following guards Zion Stanford and Quante Berry and forward Dillon Battie, but is the first committing to a school outside of the conference or the Big 5. Temple has begun to retool its roster, reeling in guards Gavin Griffiths and Masiah Gilyard and forward Jamai Felt.

The post Jameel Brown commits to Delaware first appeared on The Temple News.

April 30: 2025 Commencement Edition 30 Apr 7:36 AM (8 days ago)

Commencement is inching closer for Temple seniors. It is tradition at The Temple News for graduating staff to write a senior essay. So, the graduating staff come on to explain their essay.

The post April 30: 2025 Commencement Edition first appeared on The Temple News.

What to know about Temple’s 2025 Commencement 29 Apr 2:02 AM (10 days ago)

Temple will hold its 138th commencement ceremony alongside more than a dozen individual schools and colleges holding their own ceremonies for their graduating students in early May.

Board of Trustees chairman Mitchell Morgan will be the main speaker at commencement, where he and former lacrosse coach Tina Sloan Green will also receive an honorary degree.

Multiple schools have also announced famous alumni who are speaking at individual college commencements, including Steven Levy at the College of Liberal Arts and Merrill Reese at the Klein College of Media and Communication graduation. 

Seniors received four guest tickets for the university-wide event at The Liacouras Center on May 7, but certain colleges and schools have different ticket limitations. 

Temple’s Parking Services has designated parking areas for each school. Graduates will receive a complimentary parking pass with their graduation packet from their school. The university encourages guests to use public transportation or carpool.

For finding shuttle services, ceremony locations, public transportation and photo opportunities, the university recommends using its interactive map.

With ceremonies beginning May 5, here is a list of locations and times for each commencement.

University Commencement

WHEN: Wednesday, May 7 at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: The Liacouras Center

ACCESSIBILITY: Doors open 90 minutes before the ceremony. The main entrance to the Liacouras Center is wheelchair accessible and the ceremony will be open-captioned and live streamed. An American Sign Language interpreter will be available for those who need the service. 

SECURITY INFORMATION: Balloons, signs, noise making devices, flags, wrapped gifts and outside food and beverages are not permitted. Large bags and backpacks are not permitted and a clear bag policy will be in place. Professional camera equipment and detachable lenses or lenses longer than 2.5 inches are not permitted. Small clutch and belt bags are permitted. 

School of Podiatric Medicine

WHEN: Monday, May 5 at noon

WHERE: Temple Performing Arts Center

School of Theater, Film and Media Arts

WHEN: Wednesday, May 7 at 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Temple Performing Arts Center

College of Education and Human Development

WHEN: Wednesday, May 7 at 2 p.m.

WHERE: McGonigle Hall

College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate

WHEN: Wednesday, May 7 at 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Liacouras Center

Boyer College of Music and Dance

WHEN: Wednesday, May 7 at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Temple Performing Arts Center

School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management

WHEN: Thursday, May 8 at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Temple Performing Arts Center

College of Public Health and School of Social Work

WHEN: Thursday, May 8 at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: The Liacouras Center

College of Engineering

WHEN: Thursday, May 8 at 10 a.m.

WHERE: McGonigle Hall

College of Liberal Arts Graduate

WHEN: Thursday, May 8 at noon

WHERE: Mazur Hall 17

University College

WHEN: Thursday, May 8 at 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Temple Performing Arts Center

Klein College of Media and Communication

WHEN: Thursday, May 8 at 2 p.m.

WHERE: The Liacouras Center

Tyler School of Art and Architecture

WHEN: Thursday, May 8 at 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: McGonigle Hall

College of Science and Technology Graduate

WHEN: Thursday, May 8 at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Temple Performing Arts Center

Katz School of Medicine

WHEN: Friday, May 9 at 9 a.m.

WHERE: The Kimmel Center

Fox School of Business and Management

WHEN: Friday, May 9 at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: The Liacouras Center

School of Pharmacy

WHEN: Friday, May 9 at 2 p.m.

WHERE: Temple Performing Arts Center

College of Science and Technology Undergraduate

WHEN: Friday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Liacouras Center

Kornberg School of Dentistry

WHEN: Friday, May 16 at 4 p.m.

WHERE: The Academy of Music

Temple University Japan Campus

WHEN: Friday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Hitomi Memorial Hall

Beasley School of Law

WHEN: Thursday, May 22 at 4 p.m.

WHERE: The Liacouras Center

The post What to know about Temple’s 2025 Commencement first appeared on The Temple News.

How Temple’s Department of Education investigation was resolved 29 Apr 2:01 AM (10 days ago)

Temple is working through implementing the actions demanded from a resolved federal investigation into alleged antisemitism on campus last year, as another new investigation into similar allegations, conducted by the Trump administration, opened last month.

Through the resolution of the original investigation conducted by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, Temple must provide additional training on harassment and discrimination for students and staff and analyze current student and staff experiences with discrimination based on shared ancestry.

“This resolution allows us to focus on our essential work in addressing all complaints of discrimination and harassment, including antisemitic, anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim and all unlawful discriminatory incidents that create a hostile environment for members of our community,” wrote President John Fry in an announcement to the Temple community regarding the resolution on Dec. 2, 2024.

The university is required to continue reporting to the OCR how it handles ongoing discrimination complaints until the end of the 2025-26 academic year. 

As a university that receives federal funding, Temple legally must comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The OCR would proceed with administrative enforcement or judicial proceedings if the university doesn’t comply with the resolution agreement.

Here is what has already come from the resolution and what Temple is required to do next based on the OCR resolution letter.

STUDENT AND STAFF TRAINING

Students received a notice on April 17 that they were required to complete a self-guided anti-discrimination course, similar to other mandatory Temple courses like one on safe drinking and drug habits, as a part of the first resolution agreement between Temple and the OCR.

All students and staff are required to complete this training so the university can provide documentation proving this action item was completed by June 30.

The training course identifies potential instances of discrimination, harassment and how one can report them. Through the investigation, the university identified 50 instances of antisemitic harassment on campus between August 2022 to February 2024. Only one was further investigated by the Equal Opportunity Compliance office. 

In the training course, the EOC office and the ethics and compliance hotline are identified as pathways to file a harassment complaint.

The OCR also requires the training to provide specific examples of harassment based on shared ancestry and how it manifests off-campus and on social media. Both “test” portions of Temple’s training asked students to identify instances of harassment related to a hypothetical person’s Jewish or muslim identity.

One example in the training was similar to a real instance, which involved a Jewish student contending with someone drawing swastikas on their dorm room door. While incidents like this and others listed in the resolution letter were technically handled, the OCR concluded that Temple did not resolve them consistently or thoroughly enough, lending to the need for student training and other measures.

“OCR is concerned that the University appears not to have consistently taken steps to assess

whether the incidents about which it had notice individually or cumulatively created a hostile

environment for students, faculty, or staff, and, if so, taken steps reasonably calculated to end the hostile environment, as required by Title VI,” the OCR wrote in its resolution letter to President John Fry on Dec. 2, 2024.

The university was also instructed to implement training for all staff involved in investigating discrimination and harassment complaints, specifically those based in antisemitism, and how to determine harassment and conduct investigations and interviews with witnesses. This training was disseminated in January, to be reported to the OCR on May 15. 

OTHER STEPS TO TITLE VI COMPLIANCE

Temple was instructed to develop a climate assessment to analyze student and staff knowledge and experience of discrimination on campus for the OCR to review by Jan. 15. From there, the university must complete it and report back to the OCR its findings.

“Information gathered during the climate assessment will be used to inform future proactive steps taken by the University to provide an environment that is safe and supportive to all students and staff in compliance with Title VI,” the OCR wrote.

By April 1, the university delivered a review of its response to all discrimination and harassment reports during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic school years. The review holds the university responsible for determining whether the alleged incident created a hostile environment for any affected person.

The university will also be required to provide a similar review of the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years by their respective August deadlines.

The post How Temple’s Department of Education investigation was resolved first appeared on The Temple News.

Trying to find the right words and hoping they’re simple 29 Apr 2:01 AM (10 days ago)

I’ve lived my college experience with one proverb in mind at all times.

“One day I’ll find the right words, and they will be simple.” 

Those 12 words, written by poet Jack Kerouac and amplified by country singer Zach Bryan, inspired me to “burn, burn, burn and never settle” so much that it’s tattooed on my right forearm.

I’ve carried the mantra with me through every life experience, every time I was mad, annoyed at a friend or feeling like life was unfair. And especially when I pondered my career and what my life would look like in the future. It helped ease my mind when I was stressed or overwhelmed and reminded me that all things — good and bad — will pass.

So, as I thought about what I wanted to write in my final byline in The Temple News, I couldn’t help but recall the mantra one more time.

One day, I’ll find the right words. But for now, I’ll say this.

My first “holy shit” moment as Editor-in-Chief of TTN was June 14, 2024 when news broke that President Donald Trump would be holding a rally at The Liacouras Center in just nine days.

While sitting in my short-term apartment in Boise, Idaho, while working an internship, I immediately started strategizing how to tackle what was likely the biggest event we would cover all year. Before I had a chance to decide what kind of leader I wanted to be, give my staff a first impression or learn about the students I had hired just weeks prior, I was handing out assignments to reporters and photographers for a major, high-stakes story.

I spent the weeks leading up to Trump’s Liacouras rally preparing for the year in every way I could think of. I made our schedule for the year, decided what I wanted to talk about at our staff orientation that was still months away and contemplated what newsroom strategies I wanted to implement that I had picked up from fellow EICs and editors at past internships.

I thought I had everything mapped out perfectly and laid the groundwork for what would be a smooth year at TTN. I prepared myself for every possible outcome of our coverage, thought about how I would react to unexpected situations and practiced delivering tough feedback to a potential struggling staff member.

It took about 10 days of the fall semester to realize nothing would happen how I thought it would. 

I took it extremely personally when people made mistakes or coverage didn’t pan out as I hoped. I thought it was my fault for not being a strong enough leader and failing to set up my staff for success. When I disagreed with other staff members about content decisions, I thought that giving in meant I was getting a diluted version of my plan and vision for the paper. 

But I grew closer to members of staff as time went on. Instead of viewing every mistake made at TTN as a direct representation of my leadership ability, I started to view them as opportunities to help everyone improve. 

I take great pride in the fact that staff members asked me to write them letters of recommendation and came to me to talk about internship opportunities or ways they could improve their chances at landing a job in the journalism industry.

My biggest goal when I found out the publications board voted me as TTN’s next EIC was to have the same impact on the paper as those who came before me. I can’t help but think back to all the times former staff members helped me improve.

My freshman year, I was nervous to show up to my first-ever TTN Sports freelancer meeting and was quickly pitched a story by then-Sports Editor Bella DiAmore. I remember seeing computers with the names of staff members on them and how badly I wanted that.

I often close my eyes and envision my first print production as an Assistant Sports Editor. My fellow section members Nick Gangewere, Javon Edmonds and Chris Duong are making me laugh. We’re talking about which quarterback would make the jump to “elite status” this year and Javon is explaining why the Baltimore Ravens will finally make it back to the Super Bowl. (They didn’t, sorry Javon.)

I remember meeting, to this day, two of my closest friends in the world during my sophomore year in Lawrence Ukenye and Oliver Sabo.

We laughed in the newsroom, which led to nights out at the bar, which led to Lawrence and me visiting Oliver’s hometown of Richmond, Virginia. I remember one chaotic night in the “beer shed” that the three of us will remember and look back on with laughter forever.

I remember all the people I’ve met — the ones who will be lifelong friends and those I won’t talk to much after graduation. But I’m thankful for them all.

Lawrence, Oliver, Nick, Javon, Chris, Julia Merola, Maggie Fitzgerald, Sarah Frasca, Pablo Rouco, Molly Fiske, Emily Lewis, Bella DiAmore. These people made my TTN experience. 

I watched an entire era of staff members at TTN come and go. I then watched a new group of underclass students and less experienced staff members join our team and blow me away with their dedication and drive. I learned to appreciate that every year at the paper is so different from the one that came before, so there’s no point in wishing things would stay the same.

Our newsroom holds so many memories. I’ve always been a nostalgic person, and sometimes I wish I could just go back because this school has been so damn good to me. These were the best years of my life, and it’s hard to grapple with the fact that I’ll never get these moments back.

As I put the finishing touches on this essay, I’m still struggling with what to say as I prepare to leave the newsroom for the final time. Maybe one day I’ll find the right words to reflect on my TTN tenure, and they will be so damn simple.

The post Trying to find the right words and hoping they’re simple first appeared on The Temple News.

Optimistic nihilism: The art of realizing nothing matters 29 Apr 2:01 AM (10 days ago)

I still remember the day I realized that nothing really matters. It was the spring before I started college. That moment of clarity — or maybe confusion — came after the death of a family friend. 

He was someone I saw as a brother, someone I still think about often, even if I rarely speak of the situation. Like most teenagers, I didn’t know how to talk about grief or emotions that felt too big to hold. So I stayed quiet. 

But the loss shook me.

My perspective on the world shifted. Suddenly, everything felt fragile. Leaving the house became difficult because I couldn’t stop thinking about how quickly things could fall apart. Around that time, my imagination started to spiral about everything that could go wrong. 

Maybe I’ve always had an overactive mind, but it began to feed off fear. I’d picture myself accidentally veering off a bridge on my drive home from school. I stopped going on walks alone, something I once loved, because I worried I’d collapse from some mysterious illness.

Minimizing my life and staying in my room felt like the safest option. Of course, my parents noticed the changes — how I lost interest in everything and how I had retreated from life. 

That’s when I started seeing a therapist, someone I still talk to today who has effectively helped me gain new levels of confidence. After months of sessions and pushing through my fears with exposure therapy, I began to develop a new outlook on my life.

I realized the only controllable in life is the meaning I give it. I began to do things as simple as picking up a new hobby, like playing the guitar, to give my mind something to think about other than my anxiety. My friends and I began to take last-minute unplanned trips to different states – something that would’ve left me in tears before. 

By exposing myself to uncertainty and leaning into spontaneity, I began to understand that life is malleable. What I do day to day, and how far I allow myself to stretch, is entirely up to me. Not everything I do has to be life-changing for it to be meaningful.

That was when the idea that “nothing matters” was reinforced, not in a nihilistic way, but in a freeing one.

For some, that mindset sounds extreme or even harmful. But for me, it means the opposite: since nothing matters in a grand, cosmic sense, everything matters in the here and now. Life stopped being something to win and became something to experience. 

Saying that I no longer picture an untimely death or imagine the worst-case scenario would be untrue. My imagination can still be my greatest vice, but now I let the bad thoughts flow past. Situations of disproportionate magnitudes may happen and may change my life, but I can’t control the when, where or how.  

Now, in college, I’ve come to accept that I can’t control most things. The only constant I have is how I choose to respond. When I started writing for The Temple News, that realization clicked. Writing became my anchor. It gave me a way to process my experiences, to reflect on what it means to be human and to advocate for what I care about. 

December of my sophomore year is when I first got to write for The Temple News. It was an essay titled, “An acorn’s purpose: my new outlook on life,” which touched on comparable themes I still believe. 

Since then, I’ve found a voice in opinion writing through telling the stories of others and sharing my personal experiences. Writing gave me something to put value on — it made me find the importance of little things. By writing and interviewing, I found a voice and a clearer picture of what I find important.

Understanding that nothing matters pushed me to produce stories I was passionate about, no matter the topic or backlash they may experience. I dove into divided politics, controversial Temple history and division within unions and administration.

Life has become lighter and more exciting since I accepted that I define my own existence and purpose. Nothing in life matters, which is exactly why every little thing does. Life is absurd and painful, but that’s why defining your own meaning and finding the things that bring joy is so important.

Taking chances, big or small, is necessary to enjoy life, whether the outcome is what you expected or not.

The post Optimistic nihilism: The art of realizing nothing matters first appeared on The Temple News.

Graduating couple finds a match in medicine and each other 29 Apr 2:01 AM (10 days ago)

Nicki Karimi-Mostowfi entered medical school with lofty goals: to become a doctor and to fall in love somewhere along the way. 

It didn’t take her long — on the first day of orientation, she introduced herself to a fellow classmate who caught her eye.

Her interest was sparked right away, and kismet stepped in when they were paired in the same anatomy lab because their last names started with the same letter.

“I knew from the beginning it was gonna be something,” said Karimi-Mostowfi, a fourth-year medical student. “On white coat ceremony, which was that Friday, five days after we met, I made a little bit of an effort for my parents to meet him really briefly.”

Karimi-Mostowki’s confidence to approach her now-fiance, Daniel Kotas, paid off and helped her achieve her goal of finding love at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. After four years balancing time with noses stuck in textbooks and building a lasting relationship, the couple is set to tie the knot in Los Angeles on May 30, 2026.

Kotas got down on one knee in front of Karimi-Mostowfi in August during a quiet moment at the Morris Arboretum and Gardens at the University of Pennsylvania. After she said yes, he surprised her with dinner at Pizzeria Vetri, where friends and family from across the country were waiting.

Kotas tasked Alex Iancu, Karimi-Mostowfi’s best friend since medical school orientation, with sneakily getting her nails done before the proposal. This proved to be a daunting task, especially since the bride-to-be had a feeling Kotas was set to propose.

Iancu disguised the gesture as a birthday present for Karimi-Mostowfi’s birthday, which was the week before the proposal. But she had a sneaking suspicion anyway.

“I had one job to do, and I was just really stressed to make sure it got done,” said Iancu, a fourth-year medical student. “I didn’t want to be the one where something went awry. She had been kind of talking about it and anticipating it for a long time, so I just wanted it to be perfect for her.”

The couple sent in their postgraduate residency applications in September after getting engaged in August. Their journey to ending up in Los Angeles was not left up to them — medical school students are selected to match specific specialties for post-graduation residencies in cities spread across the United States by the National Resident Matching Program.

Karimi-Mostowfi’s family is from San Diego, making California the ideal location for them to move to be close to loved ones when getting married and starting a family. She and Kotas applied for their respective specialties through NRMP’s couple match program, an option that allows couples to coordinate their ranked list and have a higher probability of being matched to the same city.

The chances of the couple ending up in the same city were high, but not 100%. 

Karimi-Mostowfi still gets teary thinking about Match Day on March 21, when she learned she and Kotas both matched in Los Angeles. Though they pursued different specialties — neurology for her and internal medicine for him — their top priority was ending up in the same city.

“The next couple of days after [Match Day] we would be talking about plans over the next couple of years, and we would kind of have to remind ourselves that we’re going to be in Los Angeles,” Kotas said.

Karimi-Mostowfi is in a four-year neurology program, and Kotas is in a three-year internal medicine program starting in June, both requiring at least 60 to 70 hours of work weekly. 

They’ve been each other’s best friends and support systems throughout medical school, a foundational aspect of their relationship that they know will aid them in residency and their life after they get married.

“This is a first step for us that’s going to be for the rest of our lives,” Karimi-Mostowfi said. “So, it’s really nice to think about, and very exciting overall.”

As the couple prepares for their big move in just a few weeks, their apartment decor consists of haphazardly arranged moving boxes and an orphaned monstera plant named Phyllis, who will be adopted by a friend before the move.

But more than their items, they have each other: all they’ll need to get through the rigorous next three to four years of residency.

“They’re one of the very few couples that I know in real life that I genuinely look up to,” Iancu said. “Sometimes you see your friends and relationships that maybe aren’t the best, but the two of them are people that I really admire, both individually and together.”

The post Graduating couple finds a match in medicine and each other first appeared on The Temple News.

Year in Photos 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

The Temple News’ 2024-2025 coverage was shaped by unprecedented chaos and leadership changes on many levels.

In September, four protestors, including one student, were arrested after a Temple Students Justice for Palestine protest at the College of Engineering’s fall career and internship fair in the Howard Gittis Student Center. They protested exhibiting defense contractors and weapons manufacturers participating in the Israel-Hamas war. The protestors were later released with no charges and SJP was placed on interim suspension.

The fight continued into October when Temple’s SJP rallied with pro-Palestine organizations from other Philadelphia schools. They recognized and marched for the one-year anniversary since the initial Hamas attack.

November brought the country’s political tension to its peak in a strenuous presidential election, positioning Pennsylvania universities like Temple at its center. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris made a final plea to Americans on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art before ultimately losing to Republican candidate President Donald Trump.

Following the dismissal of Temple’s former head football coach Stan Drayton, December brought a new head coach to the mix, K.C. Keeler. He promised to improve Temple’s record, as he has the third most wins of any active NCAA coach.

Temple’s men’s basketball team continued on in January after a promising start to their season. Guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. became the nation’s second leading scorer at one point but the team would ultimately not find an NCAA berth for the sixth year in a row.

Philadelphia pride was at its highest in February after the Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC Championship and eventually the Super Bowl. The Temple community celebrated the Eagles Super Bowl Parade on Feb. 14 and school closed for the day.

In March, Lourdes Cardomone and Janeese Hochstetler won the Temple Student Government election. Cardamone and Hochstetler each had experience in TSG as the chief of external affairs and the deputy chief of communications during the 2023-24 school year, respectively.
Temple President John Fry was officially inaugurated in April. The former Drexel president outlined development plans, including constructing Klein College of Media and Communication and CPCA’s new building while strengthening the university’s relationship with the North Philadelphia community.

The post Year in Photos first appeared on The Temple News.

Temple Athletics’ biggest stories of the spring 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

So far, 2025 has been the year of change for Temple and multiple sports teams. 

A new era began for the football program, while the basketball teams both stumbled in the postseason and the department’s non-revenue programs are going through rebuilding campaigns.

With the academic year coming to an end, here is a look at the biggest storylines of the spring semester for Temple’s sports teams.

NEW VIBE ON 10TH AND DIAMOND

Temple Football was in dire need of a fresh face to close the 2024 season. Then-head coach Stan Drayton was ousted on Nov. 17, 2024 after three underwhelming seasons. Former Sam Houston State head coach K.C. Keeler was reeled in on Dec. 1, 2024 to give the program a breath of fresh air. 

Though just three months into Keeler’s tenure, the department is optimistic that things are headed in the right direction. Temple has kept nearly the same roster, but has overhauled their system on both sides of the ball. Keeler brought former Montana State coordinator Tyler Walker to run the offense, shifting to a more run-heavy scheme. 

Brian Smith was also brought in from Rice to run the defense and has converted Temple to a 3-3-5 look, which uses three linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs in the base formation. Temple has recruited players to help avoid its fifth consecutive 3-9 season, with running back Jay Ducker and quarterback Gevani McCoy on offense and Ty Davis on defense.

Despite a new staff and team identity, there’s still work that needs to be done before Temple kicks off its season in August.

“We’ve improved so much, it’s been dramatic,” Keeler said. “But we have a long way to go. We’re not shooting for okay. If we’re shooting for okay, we’re pretty close to being okay.”

UNDERWHELMING POSTSEASONS

Temple Men’s and Women’s Basketball both entered the 2024-25 season with high expectations. The men’s team came off four American Athletic Conference tournament wins in as many days before falling to UAB in the finals last season. The women’s team was one play away from making a conference championship appearance last year, but a bad inbound pass against Rice sent them home. 

Both teams hoped to build on their success last season, but were sent home earlier than expected instead.

The men’s team headed to Fort Worth, Texas, as the No. 7 seed after an inconsistent season. The Owls reached the program’s 2,000th win milestone and took down nationally-ranked Memphis on Jan. 16. However, they endured a six-game losing streak and leading scorer guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. missed the last seven games of the season. Temple held a 14-point lead in the second round of the AAC tournament against 10-seed Tulsa before ultimately losing 75-71.  

“Disappointed, obviously, that the season comes to an end, especially the way it did,” said head coach Adam Fisher after the season-ending loss. “Great credit to Tulsa. They made more plays than we did and dominated the second half. But I’m really proud of our team, we had injuries throughout this season, guys had to step up.”

The women’s team secured its second consecutive 20-win season and claimed the first-ever Big 5 Classic Championship, but it didn’t come without struggles. The Owls boasted head coach Diane Richardson’s famous “equal opportunity offense” but suffered stretches where no one was able to sink a shot, which caused them to drop multiple games they led by double-digit points.

They went into the AAC tournament as the No. 4 seed and cruised past No. 12 Charlotte by 31 points, but fell 67-49 to No. 9 Rice in the semifinals for a second straight year. 

GROWING PAINS FOR LACROSSE 

Temple Lacrosse was built around the same nucleus of players for the last four seasons. Following the 2024 season, when Temple made the AAC tournament, those four players and seven other seniors graduated and the team faltered.

The Owls struggled to score consistently and stop other teams on defense without attacker Mackenzie Roth, midfielder Belle Mastropietro and defenders Maddie Barber and Katie Shallow, who had become staples on the field.

Attacker Amelia Wright was expected to lead the Owls’ offense but went down with an injury after three games and missed the next eight. Temple went just 1-7 without Wright and scored single-digit goals five times. Taylor Grollman was named the AAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year, but has been inefficient and even pulled from multiple games due to stretches of her being unable to record any saves. 

Despite the difficult season, multiple underclassmen emerged as key building blocks for head coach Bonnie Rosen and are expected to play key roles next season. Midfielder Sabrina Martin and attacker Sarah Gowman are third and fourth on the team in goals, respectively and both can come back next season.

The post Temple Athletics’ biggest stories of the spring first appeared on The Temple News.

Senior to embark on national rock band tour 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Somewhere in the mountains of Virginia in January, salt, slush and snow piled along the dark road. The thrash metal band Traitor was on route to Harrisburg, Virginia, for the second-to-last gig of a 10-day tour. 

Twenty minutes from their hotel, their rented U-haul trailer, jam-packed with the band’s gear, threw a wheel. 

“It was great shit,” said Benny Glassman, a senior communication and social influence major and drummer for the band. “Unloading the trailer, it was like four in the morning in the middle of the mountains somewhere. It’s covered in snow everywhere. It was fun.”

Glassman joined Traitor as the drummer in the fall and toured for the first time with the “Unrest Across The Midwest” tour. Although a crumbling U-Haul and less-than-ideal touring conditions may deter others, for Glassman, it was all the more incentive to stay and create more memories with the band.

Glassman will go on tour through the United States and Canada with Traitor this summer after he graduates. The band will open for the British heavy metal band Satan and play festivals like Blades of Steel in Madison, Wisconsin. The band also has hopes — and tentative plans — for a brief European leg of the tour.

The tour will start in Providence, Rhode Island, on Aug. 24 and last for two weeks. Although all the stops are not entirely certain yet, Glassman is excited to travel parts of the U.S. that he has yet to explore, he said.

He met Traitor’s guitarist, Brian Mikus, at PhilaMOCA, an alternative music and film venue in Philadelphia. Glassman was playing with the punk band, Vile Enemy, and Mikus was singing for Rubbish, a rock band of Temple alumni. Traitor was on the lookout for a new drummer when Mikus offered Glassman the chance to audition. 

“I was wearing a Nuclear Cell T-shirt and a bullet belt, and I guess that was the ticket,” Glassman said.

Glassman got the gig after joining a few practice sessions with the band, and Mikus recognized in him the talent, drive and commitment that Traitor was looking for, despite being much younger than his other bandmates.  

“He’s very dedicated and has a great work ethic and definitely sees the big picture,” Mikus said. 

Traitor visited cities across the Midwest from Chicago to St. Louis during a 10-day self-booked tour in January. The trip was Glassman’s first time touring through many of the cities. The warmest day of the tour was the Chicago concert, where the temperature almost rose above freezing. 

“It seems like it was just one, giant, nine-day snowstorm,” Mikus said. “I will never ever think about snow the same way after that tour.” 

Faculty who have worked with Glassman attest to his work ethic and acknowledge the work it takes to balance school and drumming in the band. Jason Del Gandio, an associate professor of instruction in the Klein College of Media and Communication, had Glassman in several classes and appreciates how he pushes through.

“Balancing schoolwork, a job and band commitments is a challenge, no doubt,” Del Gandio said. “But Benny always did a great job negotiating these responsibilities. He’d be tired once in a while, or maybe more than once in a while, but he’d always push through.”

Glassman is no stranger to a busy schedule and held a six-month internship with the City of Philadelphia in a community outreach position, all while playing in the band. He is able to balance the work due to his long-time passion for the art.

Now gearing up for his second tour with Traitor, Glassman is also preparing to graduate from Temple. Although his drumming job is less traditional than an office job, he still hopes to use his degree in a community outreach position while maintaining his role with the band.

“[Going on tour is] something I’ve always wanted to do,” Glassman said. “And now that I’ve done it once, I know it’s the life for me.”

The post Senior to embark on national rock band tour first appeared on The Temple News.

How living in a city made me appreciate being outside 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

My mom grew up camping with her family in their pop-up camper almost every weekend. Being one of four, she’d squeeze into a bed with her older brother while her sisters slept on the foldable table and bench seat. 

She’s been to almost all 50 states and always has a story to share about their ridiculous adventures. They’d hike, ride horses, swim, fish and play with the other kids at adjoining campsites. My grandpa would birdwatch and drag everyone to different national parks as often as possible. He loved nature and was the driving force behind most of the trips they’d make as a family. 

But I still hated the thought of camping. I hated the thought of sleeping on some cold, hard ground; of waking up at dawn to go and walk around in the woods for hours, swatting bugs out of my face. My dad was more of a hotel and beach guy, and settled our family in a town 15 minutes from the Jersey Shore.

I love the beach, but the woods were different. The woods meant dirt and grime and bugs. Gross, creepy bugs. 

In middle school, I would come home from classes every day and run into my bedroom to play video games until dinner, then do it all again the next day. I’d use any excuse to be inside. 

When I moved to Philadelphia my freshman year, I didn’t expect my opinion about the outdoors to change much. I figured that less grass and more city cement meant fewer bugs, which inevitably meant my time here would be more enjoyable.

I wanted to escape suburbia. I wanted noise and chaos, and that concrete jungle Alicia Keys sings about. I was raised as a homebody, captivated by my material items and uninterested in what nature had to offer me, and at the time, that was enough. 

But my stubborn perspective quickly began to shift after a couple of months. As I met more people from unique backgrounds and cultures, I subsequently pushed myself to do things I wasn’t used to or typically found uncomfortable. I became friends with “outdoorsy” people who encouraged me to be outside more — something my younger self would cringe at. 

I quickly learned the value of green spaces because they were so hard to come by in the city. 

Warm weather days on campus were typically bustling with students, and I was persuaded to sit outside instead of staying indoors, where I’d have less chance of running into someone I knew. I noticed an improvement in my mood when I did homework outside in the sun. 

I realized that a good bed of grass in the sun could be just as comfortable, if not more, than the bed in my dorm. I started to learn how valuable trees and grass were, something I had taken for granted my whole life, and found the beauty in different plants and wildflowers. 

I didn’t have a car on campus, so I relied on my two feet to get me places. If I wanted to explore, I’d have to commit to hiking there on my own, and while they weren’t the typical kind of hikes I was used to, with hills and branches, these long-winded walks across the city made me develop a love for walking. 

Getting exercise while discovering new parts of the city became a favorite pastime for me. I had a moment in my day when my mind could relax and let my feet do the work. The natural warmth of the sun beating on my face was different from artificial heat coming from the central heating system in a building. It made me feel alive. 

Lately, I find myself being drawn to the outdoors. I gravitate toward reading outside or going on nature walks nearby. I’m starting to love bugs. I’d rather hike, swim in a dirty lake or camp on an uncomfortable meadow than sit in my room, scrolling on social media.

When I want a moment to myself, I go to my favorite spot on campus and lie sprawled out on the grass. When I stare at the leaves of the tree hanging above me, I typically find my mind wandering about the future and the nature I desperately want to see. A cross-country road trip is on my bucket list, along with seeing the Swiss Alps in person. 

Maybe being outdoors is just in my blood, after all. My grandpa passed away when I was 14. I like to think that he’d look at me now with the cutest grin he’d always have plastered on his face, happy his granddaughter loves the Earth just as much as he always did.

The post How living in a city made me appreciate being outside first appeared on The Temple News.

Gary leaves everlasting impact on Owls’ culture 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

At the end of Tarriyonna Gary’s sophomore year, her college career was in flux. She had just wrapped up her second season at Towson when then-head coach Diane Richardson opted to leave the Tigers to take the head coaching job at Temple.

While Richardson’s departure threw an unexpected wrench into Gary’s career plans, she didn’t think twice about where she should play next.

“I wanted to follow the staff,” Gary said. “Your freshman year coming to college, that’s just like your prep year. My sophomore year, I really felt an improvement in my game, so I knew I wanted to go to Temple with Coach Rich and the staff.”

Gary, alongside former Towson teammates guard Aleah Nelson and forward Rayne Tucker, followed Richardson and the staff to Temple and helped establish a new culture in Philadelphia. Together, they were part of an Owls’ roster that captured a share of the American Athletic Conference and had its first 20-win season since the 2016-17 season.

Nelson graduated and Tucker transferred after the 2023-24 season, but Gary stayed for her fifth year of eligibility. Gary made the record books in her final season in the Cherry and White, hitting the fifth-most three-pointers in a season and ending her Temple career with the second-most three-pointers. Now, Gary leaves as one of the most decorated Owls and has helped usher in a new era of Temple basketball.

“I just felt like I was just doing whatever I could for us to be successful, to win,” Gary said. “No matter what, I was going to come out every night and give my all. [Whether that was] shots falling, being more vocal, [or] trying to get somebody else who was on fire that game the ball. I was just trying to do whatever I could to make the team successful and win.”

Gary grew up playing basketball in her hometown of Brooksville, Florida. Per school rules, she couldn’t play recreationally until sixth grade, so she played against kids in her neighborhood instead. She eventually found a love for the game while playing against the boys she grew up with.

The guard could never find a groove on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit and bounced around from one team to the other. But Richardson saw her playing at a tournament in Florida during her junior year and a relationship quickly formed. 

“I was walking around and I went to one of those small back gyms and I saw T-Mac,” Richardson said. “I saw how she rolls up on her jump shot. I said, ‘Man, she can get up. There are some things that we can teach her to make her a better basketball player.’ Even though she was on a team that wasn’t the greatest, just seeing her and being able to evaluate players —  from all the years I’ve been coaching, I knew she could be really good and we took a chance on that.”

That chance paid off and Gary quickly committed to Towson — the first school to give her a collegiate offer. When she drove up to Maryland from Florida to move onto campus, her 15-seat minivan was packed with 21 family members, and they were all welcomed with open arms by Richardson — and vice versa.

There were learning curves for Gary once she got to campus, and she made a goal with assistant coaches Cheyenne Curley and Myles Jackson to improve each year. Gary became glued to the gym and continuously tried to change her game. Each year, she changed the way she played, and she kept evolving on the court.

“A​​ lot of times when freshmen come in, they run around with their heads cut off, just trying to figure out the college game,” Curley said. “That’s how she came in her first year. She was a big contributor, as far as just the 50/50 balls and hustling. Just wanting to help everybody on defense. But as she continued to grow in her college career, she really honed in on the details and just her skill development.”

Gary’s development propelled her to become a viable third option for the Owls once the 2023-24 season came around. The Owls went on a tear by winning 20 games and advancing to the AAC tournament semifinals. Gary was part of a three-headed monster with Nelson and guard Tiarra East.

The tandem of East and Gary returned in 2024 and they took on an increased leadership role following Nelson’s absence. Gary came out of the gate slowly but picked up the pace once conference play began. She averaged 14 points per game in AAC action and whenever Temple needed a bucket, Gary delivered it.

“I feel like in the summer session one and summer session two, basically just learning how to handle the ball,” Gary said. “Just putting myself out of my comfort zone when it came to handling the ball and I feel like that helped with my confidence, wanting to score the ball at all three levels. It kind of didn’t have that effect when we first started playing in the non-conference games. But when it came to conference time, something just clicked all of a sudden.”

Without any college eligibility remaining, Gary’s focus is now shifting to her professional career, where she hopes to continue playing basketball overseas.

Despite her Temple basketball career concluding, Gary’s bond with Richardson is still as strong as it was during her time on the court with her. Gary is the first player to play her entire career with Richardson and their relationship will continue outside of the court. 

“She was presenting somewhere at the student-athlete showcase and I was there, like a proud mom,” Richardson said. “We’re going to continue to do that with her playing overseas and all of that. We’re going to continue to feed into her and her to feed into us because our relationship is going to last a lifetime.”

The post Gary leaves everlasting impact on Owls’ culture first appeared on The Temple News.

Reading “Macbeth” at two ends of life 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

I’ve read “Macbeth” twice, once at fifteen, and once on the edge of twenty-two. 

When I was a teenager, I understood “Macbeth” to be about fate and ambition. I devoured it like all the books teachers handed me, eager to prove I could understand Shakespeare. To show I was insightful, gifted and promising. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone in particular, I was trying to earn approval from some invisible judge always watching and doubting me. 

I believe this is because I used to be special. I didn’t have any evidence, but living in that assumption was enough. Every bit of praise only solidified this belief. Therefore, anything that suggested I wasn’t special sparked a quiet indignation, a fierce need to prove otherwise. This binary felt intuitive. So I clung to signs, books and anything that mirrored what felt true within me could become a ritual of reverence and reassurance that I was on the right path.

College quickly unraveled that belief system. I was like a bird freed from the cathedral of Delaware — flinging myself into city nights, unwise hands, chasing light through stained glass windows and ignoring the time passing in their reflections. The future glimmered at me like a murky ocean I might run into eventually, though too far off to name. Still, it felt like the last time I was honest about what I wanted. Maybe because I wanted nothing. Nothing felt meant for me.

The reckoning came slowly. Too many indiscretions. Too many worried friends. It did not feel very special at all. 

So sophomore year, I made some rules. A well-behaved version of me — some wayward sister — took the lead and presented me with my new fate. I would declare an English major, become disciplined, contained, obedient; regain my intuition. I could at least perform it. I thought that self-denial was noble at the time. But discipline is not the same as devotion.

I recently came across an article that described teenage depression not as a desire to die, but as the realization that childhood has ended. That soft, stupid hope is dead. Or maybe murdered. I saw some light through those words. I think freshman year was in part a funeral for a part of my life that I didn’t know how to mourn, because I stopped myself from wanting it. 

When I read “Macbeth” again in my final English class before graduation, I understood it differently. It wasn’t a story about destiny anymore. It was a story about mercy denied. Macbeth’s tragedy wasn’t just that he murdered Duncan; it was that he killed the voice inside him that begged him to choose differently. He severed himself from the part of him that might have saved him. And once that part was gone, he wasn’t just evil, he was completely lost.

There’s a stereotypical scene in the movies that always catches me off guard: a child believes they’ve done something unforgivable, an effective murder of their life. An adult kneels beside them and says something like, “It’s not ruined. It gets better.” The child finally breaks down in catharsis. Not because anything’s been fixed, but because someone has offered them mercy.

I didn’t understand why those scenes bothered me until recently. I think I’ve been denying myself mercy for a while. 

In the midst of my self-destruction, it became nearly impossible to believe the world was conspiring for me. I stopped meeting it with open arms and moved like a paranoid murderer, convinced everyone could see my rot -– my loss of self.

I reach into my memories now, searching for the precise moment the belief faded, and am met with a vast blankness. I believe this void is not accidental, but a result of how thoroughly I severed the belief’s memory after deeply failing to meet myself that year. I did not meet my expected fate. I met dark, hungry witches lurking inside me. 

As memories of fifteen came flooding back, I felt like both the crying child and the adult kneeling beside them. I have become disciplined, better. I have everything I once wanted, or what I told myself to want. But I miss the time before I tried to prove anything. Before, I was afraid to swim in the dark. Before I looked at that ocean and thought, I have to become something great. I miss when I assumed that I was. 

So, I have changed again. I suspect I may continue, though it no longer worries me to the point of disillusionment. Because mercy, I have learned, must not be an isolated act. It is a necessary way of being as one shifts through life, moving like water and subverting stagnant fate.

I don’t want to undo what college gave me. But I do wish I could go back and sit with that fifteen-year-old girl who laughed when people asked what she would become. I wish I hadn’t rushed her to choose. Because now I have answers. They land heavy and full in my mouth. But sometimes I miss the question more than I love the certainty. 

What I thought was self-effacing, sacrificing my unfounded belief in myself for some higher ideal of it, wasn’t noble. It was a quiet kind of forgetting. A denial of mercy. Change driven by shame. Macbeth chased an abstract greatness, too. 

I lost the girl who used to assume people asked about her dreams because they believed in them. When that feeling began to fade, I didn’t know how to fight for it. So I let it go. I think I have to show myself some mercy for that.

The post Reading “Macbeth” at two ends of life first appeared on The Temple News.

Temple collaborates with Habitat for Humanity to address abandoned furniture 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Temple is establishing a new partnership with Habitat for Humanity to assist with waste and recycling efforts when students move out of their off-campus apartments.

The new Habitat for Humanity program allows students to sign up for pick-up times to donate furniture in good condition from their curb for reuse at ReStore locations around Philadelphia.

TUmove, which is leading the partnership, was created in 2022, when North Central residents complained about trash management after students moved out of their off-campus apartments. It started with daily trash removal from an outsourced company and grew into a larger initiative. 

“I was thinking that it would be better for us not to be reactive to the problem and be proactive,” said Mark Gottlieb, senior associate director of operations and logistics, who helped establish TUmove. “I came up with the idea of having students actually contact my office with their move out dates, then we developed a calendar and rationalized what was a scatter shot operation into a more regulated, professional type of operation.”

Now, TUmove operates four dumpsters and allows students to schedule trash collection at specific dates. 

Gottlieb noticed that many students move out at specific times — mainly the week before Memorial Day, the last week in June and the weeks around August 1, which is typically a student’s lease end or start date.

“A lot of the material gets removed and put on the curb, and then after August 1, there are students who come in starting new leases,” Gottlieb said. “What I’ve seen from that time frame after August 1 is that they’re moving out furniture, they don’t like the furniture left behind by other students so they put that on the street. That’s by far the largest phase, the largest activity of material.”

The program mainly focuses on the off-campus housing section West of Broad Street. They’ve reduced the number of dumpsters from seven in 2024 to four this year to prevent neighbors from adding more trash than they can handle, Gottlieb said.

The dumpsters are available from between May 12 to May 23 and again from July 14 to August 8. No registration is needed for the dumpsters and they are regularly emptied. Gottlieb recommended students utilize the pickup system, either for donations or waste, to best benefit students and the community.

“I was walking to the gym [yesterday] where a lot of students walk around, and there were couches, dirty rugs, I’ve even seen toilets thrown away because of construction in the area too,” said Mackinley Dowson, a junior risk management and insurance major. “It’s nuts what people just leave on the street and don’t even expect to clean up after themselves.”

Littering and dumping are frequent issues in Philadelphia, where 10% of all households report small or large amounts of litter and trash on their block, according to the biennial 2023 American Housing Survey. Mayor Cherelle Parker established the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives in May 2024 to assist with sustainability and clean neighborhoods.

Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore shops will resell the student donations, with all profits going towards building and repairing homes in Philadelphia. 

Jordan Knaub, a senior psychology major, lives off-campus on 17th Street near the dumpster locations. Knaub noted that some off-campus students don’t throw trash in cans, especially during move out. They believe more students should donate their furniture and used items instead of putting them in the landfill.

“For people that are off campus, I know that getting to donation centers here in Philly is a little hard,” Knaub said. “But it’s like, [either] go to a donation center which is going to be a little inconvenient, or pollute the environment. It’s like, girl, just go to the donation center.”

The post Temple collaborates with Habitat for Humanity to address abandoned furniture first appeared on The Temple News.

West Craft Fest brings community spirit and creativity to The Woodlands 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

The Woodlands’ cemetery sprung to life for a day of crafts, food and performances at the annual West Craft Fest on Sunday, April 27.

Founded 15 years ago by West Philadelphia artists Mike and Wilder Scott-Straight, the West Craft Fest started as a small neighborhood gathering in Cedar Park before outgrowing the space and finding a new home at The Woodlands. Today it brings together more than 100 local vendors, performers and food trucks each spring.

“We wanted to do a fair from a vendor’s perspective,” Mike said. “What would we want to vend at where fees are affordable and where we can have entertainment?”

This year’s festival featured more than 100 vendors selling everything from felt creatures to mushroom-themed pottery to handmade jewelry. People gathered around after shopping to watch aerial acrobatics from Tangle Movement Arts. Performers spun in the air, supported by harnesses.

“I’ve been coming here as someone walking around and shopping for years, but this is my first time vending and it’s been really wonderful,”  said Laura Mecklenberger, a ceramic and mixed media artist and owner of Earth Witch Armory. “I’m a lifelong witch, and I’ve been putting that into the content of my work, like the things in nature that inspire me and that I feel like have power.”

Some attendees are regulars, like Nora Rosengarten and Emma Jacobs, who come back season after season.

“We love living in West Philly and it’s nice to support local creators,” Rosengarten said. “It’s nice because you start to see the same vendors. It’s fun, you see people’s artistic development.”

Despite the stress of organizing such a large event, for Wilder, seeing it all come together on a beautiful day makes it worth it.

“We are the craft fair organizers, but we don’t do this as a business,” Wilder said. “It’s just a thing for our neighborhood, and it’s a beautiful, beautiful feeling to see all these different people come together in one space.”

The post West Craft Fest brings community spirit and creativity to The Woodlands first appeared on The Temple News.

Lost and found: My college journey 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

If there’s one thing college taught me, it’s that the best things in life rarely happen according to plan. 

I came to Temple as a marketing major in the Fox School of Business, ready to follow a path that, if I’m being honest, never truly excited me. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, that uncertainty became impossible to ignore.

The switch to online classes made me realize just how disconnected I felt from my coursework — and from my own future. I had no passion for what I was studying and no real drive to push through the chaos. So, I stepped away. I took time off to reset, unsure if I would even return.

When I came back in 2023, I transferred to the Klein College of Media and Communication to study journalism. Writing had always been a strength of mine, and for the first time, I chose a path that felt right. Still, even after switching majors, I carried the heavy feeling that I had lost something, that COVID-19 had robbed me of a real college experience. School now felt like something I had to get through, not something I could actually enjoy.

For a long time, I felt like my college experience had been ruined for me. The years I lost to the pandemic were just gone, and I’d never get them back. But in hindsight, I realize those “lost” years actually led me to where I was always supposed to be. 

The pandemic forced me to rethink what I wanted to do with my life, and it sure as hell wasn’t marketing. Without that disruption, I might never have found my way to The Temple News.

I had barely started freelancing for TTN when I found out they were looking for a new assistant features editor. I didn’t expect anything to come of it. So when Samuel O’Neal, our editor in chief, asked if I would interview for the open position, I was stunned. I felt like I had nothing to stand on — no experience to boast about, no clear reason to believe I deserved a leadership role.

But somehow, Sam saw something in me. He trusted my motivation and willingness to learn, and gave me a chance. That opportunity completely reshaped my college experience.

Being a part of The Temple News gave me the structure and purpose I had been missing for so long. For the first time in what felt like years, I had real goals to reach for: improving my writing, growing as an editor and seeing my work published. It wasn’t just about filling out a resume, but about becoming someone who could be passionate and proud of their work.

TTN offered me a space where growth was encouraged, not judged. I wasn’t expected to be perfect. I was expected to learn.

I owe a lot of that feeling to the people around me. Jadon George, our features staff writer, and Bayleh Alexander, our features editor, welcomed me in from day one. They shared their early mistakes and frustrations, reminding me that no one starts knowing everything. Journalism is a craft you build piece by piece, not something you’re supposed to master overnight.

Having people I could ask advice from and laugh with made an enormous difference. They made the transition into my new role feel manageable, and more importantly, they made me feel like I belonged.

My first story as an official staff member of TTN was about Queer Bible Study at Temple, a group in which students could come together and talk about balancing their religious and LGBTQ+ identities. After the article was published, the group reached out to personally thank me. They were excited to see their story told and hoped it might help others find their way to the group.

That moment hit me hard. It was the first time I truly understood the impact that journalism can have. My writing connected with people. It mattered.

Even now, I’m still the assistant features editor — a title that once felt so far out of reach. I’m not sure exactly where I’ll take my journalism degree yet, but for the first time in a long time, I feel I have a real skill set I can bring to the table. More importantly, I have a network of people who believe in me and a sense of confidence that I never would have found without The Temple News.

When I look back on my college experience, I know The Temple News was the turning point, where everything finally clicked. It gave me purpose. It gave me a community. And it showed me that even when the path feels uncertain, sometimes all you need is one person to take a chance on you.

The post Lost and found: My college journey first appeared on The Temple News.

How moving across the country changed me 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

In 2020, I sat on my parents’ living room couch in San Jose, California, staring at my laptop and trying to come up with a list of potential colleges to apply to. 

All the hours of Zoom classes and online assignments made time blend together and I had barely planned my future. I couldn’t even comprehend a future outside of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After hours of conversation with my family, I chose to leave the West Coast and come to Temple. I was desperate to get out of the place I grew up and felt locked down in. Though Philadelphia was so foreign, I took comfort in knowing my aunt, the biggest cheerleader of my journalistic career, lived nearby in Washington, D.C., which made my decision a bit less intense. 

I had always loved the East Coast when I had visited my aunt as a kid. When I was young I had a fantasy of working in a large city like New York. However, I questioned how realistic it was when the time came to actually commit. People from my high school scattered mostly around California state schools and some ended up in different states or in another country. However, I still was set on this chance to travel.

The weeks leading up to my big move were filled with mixed emotions. There was a lot of excitement for change, followed by an intense fear of the same thing. In a tearful goodbye, I hugged my three best friends early that morning before my flight. Then, I was on my way to San Francisco International Airport. 

Once my family and I touched down in Philadelphia, I couldn’t help but think, “What have I gotten myself into?” There was no way I could have predicted the changes and lessons I would experience over the next four years. 

As I started to meet people, I realized that though people were from out of state, there were few from as far away as I was. Part of me felt alienated. 

After the first week of awkward class icebreakers, I didn’t pay as much attention to my differences. I was learning things in my classes for the first time, as was everybody else. It felt unifying sitting in the large lecture hall for journalism and society. I found a love for school I never had before. I was able to lose myself in my studies and not feel my anxiety when I was anonymous in a large classroom. 

As I gained friendships through my roommates and other students, I realized I should try to connect more deeply with the journalism department. It was extremely intimidating as somebody who felt their skills were no match. All I had done in college to that point was create short videos on my iPhone about relevant news topics. 

On a whim, I decided to join the crew for TUTV’s Queer Temple. I took on the role of floor manager for the show, shot in the same studio I was enamoured by on my college tour. This snowballed into editing segments and taking a more permanent role as floor manager for other shows. 

Working there opened my eyes to all the ways I could assist in a larger project, and showed me the ways to help are endless. This mindset carried me through college.

I felt like I was a part of something meaningful for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

At the end of my turbulent sophomore year, I needed more security in my career path. It felt like I had not applied myself in extracurriculars as much as my peers, as I was just focusing on completing my studies. A new opportunity revealed itself to me in an email with an application for The Temple News. 

As I sat in the Charles Library 24-hour section on a May afternoon, I applied for the Multimedia section as an assistant multimedia editor. When I was on vacation in Ocean City, New Jersey, with my closest college friends after the end of the school year, I received an email from Fallon Roth, the previous editor in chief and my roommate’s elementary school best friend, asking for an interview. 

Entering the newsroom, it was apparent that everyone fell into whatever skill they felt called to. I could finally focus on what I did best: video. Being in a space full of motivated and talented young people provided a support system I didn’t know I needed. 

During my time at Klein, The Temple News and various internships, I’ve interviewed numerous people and experienced many different communities I would never have seen if I hadn’t dared to step out of my comfort zone. 

I craved connection when I found myself alone in Philadelphia, and I found it in community members who allowed me to tell their stories.

When I walk the stage on May 8 for graduation, I’ll look back on the young woman who made the wild decision to move to Philadelphia, who was frightened and unsure. I will feel gratitude for the chances I was given to try new things and build friendships within the journalism world.

The post How moving across the country changed me first appeared on The Temple News.

Congratulations to the Class of 2025! 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Congratulations to the Class of 2025! 

All of the strenuous years of schooling have amalgamated to this celebratory moment and students should take this opportunity in stride as they walk across the stage and accept their diplomas. 

For many 2025 graduates, the past four years have been filled with unprecedented challenges within and outside the university walls. Many started their college career in masks and virtual classes, beginning what is supposed to be the most liberating period in their lives confined to boxes in a Zoom meeting.

Through the past four years, the Temple community has endured a contentious election cycle, President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the welcoming of Temple’s 15th president, John Fry. Temple has faced challenges like turnover of multiple university presidents, numerous public safety issues on campus, student protests and the ongoing fears for international students. 

Despite the challenges, changes and cultural shifts, the Class of 2025 persevered. The dedication to education despite outside influences demonstrates the willpower of this year’s graduating seniors. The time has come for students to celebrate their achievement and commencement with their friends, family and Temple community.

This year’s graduates should use this time to revel in how far they’ve come and celebrate the final moments on the campus that shaped their lives for the last four years. Whether it be one last trip to Richie’s with friends or finally trying the food truck you’ve been curious about, take this opportunity to finally finish the college experience of your dreams. 

The Editorial Board would like to congratulate all of the students, family members and university staff who have helped the Class of 2025 reach this major milestone. Without the determination of students and the support of their communities, this would never have been possible. 

Regardless of whether graduating students are continuing their education in a graduate program, jumping into the job market or taking a well-deserved break in their hometown, we hope they take the memories they made on campus with them wherever they end up. 

Four years is a short period of time, though it may feel like an eternity when you first step foot in your freshman year dorm. But the people you meet and the experiences you share along the way make the time pass swiftly, so hold on tightly to the people and experiences that defined your time at Temple. 

The Class of 2025’s time at Temple is coming to a close, and as they revel in their final days of this chapter in their lives, The Editorial Board congratulates all Temple seniors and looks forward to seeing their future accomplishments.

The post Congratulations to the Class of 2025! first appeared on The Temple News.

Allison Slakoper carries beekeeping commitment through graduation 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, isn’t famous for its farmland. The names of its woodland parks and riverside trails don’t necessarily roll off the tongue or adorn tourism brochures. 

Yet the steady, formulaic suburban sprawl — which is to say, the transformation of the countryside into a long string of parking lots — leaves plenty of room for nature, just the same. White-tailed deer sprint across highways dark as marble; flora and fauna of every vibrant hue dot the shadows of treehouses and McMansions alike.

More to the point, there’s room to keep bees.

Senior horticulture major Allison Slakoper took a beekeeping class at Temple two springs ago. She wasn’t afraid, or nervous, or even unfamiliar as instructor Vincent Aloyo took strings of students through hives and honeycombs, bare-handed. Slakoper had been around bees since she was a child.

“I’ve kind of grown up pretty outside, so a lot of my time was just gardening and just being exposed to bugs and stuff like that,” Slakoper said. “So, when I got into actually beekeeping, there was really not much that freaked me out.”

A friend’s father maintained his own bee colony, on and off, a short walk from Slakoper’s house. One day, Slakoper and her friend moseyed through the grass and followed him among the bumbling swarms. 

Slakoper collected and worked with bugs as a member of her local 4-H club. And her love for nature moved her to study flowering plants and their impact on the world while a student at Temple.

The famed Boston sportswriter Bill Simmons wrote 13 years ago about “The Consequences of Caring.” He’d started attending hockey games with his eight-year-old daughter during his time as a sportswriter for “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” She fell — hard — for the Los Angeles Kings during their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. 

But the younger Simmons didn’t just find a team of masked skaters in draped jerseys to cheer for roughly 100 times a year; through her, Simmons the elder saw how sports fandom can feed the emotional connective tissue of a community. Westerners — rich in money and bombarded with desire — face enormous pressure to recklessly consume. Rare are the opportunities to consider how to form a symbiotic relationship with nature.

Case in point: Human beings’ relationship to bees. We mostly see the honey they produce and their power to inflict agony and even death with venomous stings. But there’s more to them than that: Their powers of pollination make possible many everyday foods.

That interconnectedness is part of what students learn from horticulturalists like Aloyo.

“I try to get them to appreciate that there’s all these other aspects that don’t immediately come to mind,” Aloyo said.

Greg Masters grew up in Upper Bucks County, another suburban realm where miles of lush forests and tucked-away wildlife bracket the winding banks of the Delaware River. At eight years old, Masters and a friend happened upon a yellowjackets’ nest in a log and hectored it. One ventured out of the downed branch, lodged itself in Masters’ ear, and stung him.

It was a honey-dripping kamikaze mission.

“I heard him in there buzzing around,” Masters, a senior jazz performance major, remembered. “I heard him leave, too, which was comforting.”

The incident changed Masters’ relationship to bees, for sure; passing hives along the trail became a hands-off experience afterwards. But he also says he’s developed a deeper relationship to nature — and its power to heal — in the years since.

Working in — and with — nature has changed the way Slaykoper thinks about her own life, she said. Volunteering with Temple’s community gardens at Ambler and in North Philadelphia has helped her see how her interest in plants could help others patch up gaps in their diets and cabinets. And she hopes bringing others deeper into the natural world helps them see it — and their place in it — more clearly.

“It does give me a lot of hope,” she said, “because even if my impact is small — just between people that I know and stuff — I could also spread the news to them and let them know that even small impacts definitely could make a change.”

The post Allison Slakoper carries beekeeping commitment through graduation first appeared on The Temple News.

How joining one club changed my college experience 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

One moment, I was sitting in my first club meeting, watching a slide presentation about graduation cords — and now, in just two weeks, I’ll be walking across the stage wearing one of those cords myself.

During my sophomore year, feeling lost after joining clubs that didn’t stick, a friend suggested we try a new one. 

I had seen their signage in the Mazur Hall and Charles Library bathrooms, a poster that screamed “TAKE OUR SURVEY” overhanging a tiny white bin with a bunch of period products sticking out. 

I took the survey, admiring their proactive activism, and thought to myself that I wanted to be a part of something like that. The clubs I had previously been part of focused more on discussing change within the Temple community rather than taking active steps to advocate for it.

So when I saw an E-board application open up for PERIOD., I wrote about how I wanted to have a proactive role and applied for the project manager position. I was nervous before the interview, but as I sat down with one of the then-co-presidents, I was immediately met with a “Congratulations!”

I was so perplexed. “Isn’t this an interview?” I asked. It was in the subject line of the email I received. The then-co-president told me they were so moved by what I wrote that they felt like I was perfect for the position. 

For the past two years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with PERIOD., becoming the person who restocks those white bins I found oh-so inspiring all that time ago. But I found that along the way, I’ve been inspired by the people I have worked with. 

Our treasurer, Conner, pushed me out of my comfort zone. During my junior year, he recruited me and our social media coordinator, Amelia, to be a part of the Professional Sales Organization at the Fox School of Business — something I never dreamed of doing. At first, we went for the free pizza, but with time, I learned how to negotiate and interview with professionals —  a skillset I realized I needed. 

I’ve carried the skills I have learned at the PSO into new opportunities. That being said, when I had the opportunity to interview for a position with The Temple News last summer, I rambled a lot, but I never would have had the confidence to show up for that Zoom call if it weren’t for the elevator pitches I practiced multiple times with PSO.

I landed the job as a Data Editor for TTN, and applying was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Since then, I’ve found ways to blend my data analysis and writing skills across a range of projects. I’ve gone from someone who filled out surveys to someone who now creates them.

If it weren’t for Amelia pushing me to attend PSO meetings and supporting me in my project manager duties, I don’t think I would’ve gotten nearly as far.

When I first started at PERIOD., I was pretty shy and only spoke up to give feedback reports. The girl sitting next to me would whisper funny comments during meetings — at first, I wasn’t sure she was talking to me. But her inability to stay quiet and her habit of sparking conversation helped me come out of my shell.

Amelia is one of the funniest people I know, and she made our club feel personable along with our other social media team member, Kathryn, who designed my good-bye card covered in messages from fellow E-board members. 

Lastly, PERIOD.’s president, Allanah Nelligan, has also been a great inspiration. She has balanced three jobs and has still been an excellent leader, providing support for every project. Without her guidance, our club would not have been as great. 

Reading the card and now passing the torch to another member of PERIOD., it feels odd to leave everything behind, as if my identity has been tied to this role.

When I first stepped foot on campus, I didn’t know that there would be a domino effect of opportunity, now leading me to work for Temple’s Office of Community Impact and Civic Engagement. While I’ll be sad to walk away from it so soon, I know that with the red PERIOD. cord draped over my shoulders, it won’t be easy to forget the memories I’ve made here.

The post How joining one club changed my college experience first appeared on The Temple News.

DeMasi leaves lasting legacy at Temple through advocacy 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Content Warning: This story contains mentions of sexual assault and eating disorders. If you find the content disturbing, please seek help at Tuttleman Counseling Services or click here to find resources for sexual assault and here for disordered eating. 

Natalie DeMasi was walking back to the sideline during a practice her freshman year when she suddenly collapsed. She had struggled with anxiety throughout high school but never fully understood what she was feeling until that moment. 

“I went to a trainer and they were like, ‘You’re having an anxiety attack,’” said DeMasi, a defender on Temple’s women’s soccer team. “And I thought, ‘Oh, this is what that is?’ I’ve been having these my whole life.”

This led DeMasi to TUWell counseling, where she finally got a diagnosis for what she had been experiencing for years. It was also where she discovered Morgan’s Message, a nonprofit that promotes mental health awareness among student-athletes. She immediately checked to see if Temple had a chapter, but there was none to be found.

So she decided to start one.

“I wanted it to be student-led,” DeMasi said. “It’s easy to hear it from a clinician or a therapist, but it’s different to hear it from someone who sits next to you in the locker room.”

DeMasi built the chapter from the ground up with guidance from TUWell and a small group of student-athletes. She formed an executive board, collaborated with other student organizations and hosted meetings that covered topics beyond general mental health. Even though DeMasi’s journey at Temple is coming to an end, her impact will be felt long after she graduates.  

“Natalie is one of the most caring people I’ve ever met,” said defender Phoebe Hollin. “She always puts others before herself. Everything she’s achieved is a testament to how hard she works. Nothing has come easy for her —  she’s faced so much adversity and she’s overcome all of it. She’s changed my life and the way I look at the world.”

DeMasi was determined to succeed from a young age. She was a multifaceted athlete growing up, excelling in lacrosse, soccer and dance. It was hard for her to decide which sport would stick for a while, but soccer eventually captured her heart. 

“My mom told me, ‘Dance won’t get you a scholarship, but soccer might,’” DeMasi said. “So I picked soccer. I was about 13 and that’s when my parents said, ‘If you’re going to do this, it’s time to get serious.’”

That reality check led her to Albertson Fury Soccer Club on Long Island, New York, one of the most competitive programs in the state. The tryout had more than 200 girls and only two made the cut. DeMasi was one of them.

DeMasi’s talent wasn’t questioned, but the tryout made her realize how demanding the elite level was. Showcases in Texas with more than 150 college scouts were no longer far-off dreams; they were real and they were happening.

As DeMasi began to experience success, a darker reality unfolded. One of her former club coaches, a figure she once looked up to, was convicted of sexual misconduct. This affected DeMasi’s outlook and drove her to get into law.

“Something actually happened between me and him and this is why I want to go into sports law,” DeMasi said. “I want to advocate for girls in sports.” 

DeMasi joined East Meadow SC shortly after Albertson Fury shut down following the incident. That’s where she found the support and coaching she had been missing. She started getting serious looks from colleges and eventually landed at Temple in 2021.

But college brought its own set of challenges.

“Freshman year was hard,” DeMasi said. “I struggled a lot with body image. I had a little bit of body dysmorphia in high school and what I was eating back then just didn’t match the physical demands of playing at this level.”

DeMasi’s relationship with food and her body became increasingly complicated as she tried to keep up with the demands of college athletics. She was barely eating during the day and her body couldn’t keep up — neither could her mental health. 

“I remember my coach saying, ‘You keep this up and you’ll start in the fall,’ and instead of motivating me, it freaked me out,” DeMasi said. “I wanted it so badly that I started spiraling.”

Everything going on in DeMasi’s life caught up to her during the panic attack at practice her freshman year, leading her to the realm of mental health initiatives. DeMasi was prepared to make a difference for her peers and got Temple’s chapter of Morgan’s Message up and running.

Topics like performance anxiety, disordered eating and the pressure to balance school and sport became important conversations for the chapter. What started as a group of 10 quickly developed into a community of more than 130 student-athletes.

“I’ve had teammates tell me it helped them through tough nights,” DeMasi said. “Trainers have said athletes came in the next day talking about what they learned. That’s when I knew it was making a difference.”

DeMasi had become one of Temple’s most reliable players by her senior year, not just for her consistency in games, but for the energy she brought every day.

“Natalie was really enjoyable to coach and be around,” said head coach Chris Shaw. “She had a great senior year. She worked hard, stayed consistent and always brought a good mood with her. Even when it wasn’t going to be fun, she’d put a smile on and make the best of it.”

DeMasi is now preparing for graduation and will be heading to Hofstra University to begin law school. As she departs North Broad Street, DeMasi is leaving behind a legacy that stretches far beyond the soccer field.

At Temple, DeMasi built something lasting — a mental health support system that will continue to help student-athletes long after she’s gone. Her next chapter will be in law, fighting for young athletes like herself. 

“I don’t care if people remember me as ‘nice,’” she said. “I hope they remember me as someone who cared. Someone who showed up. Someone they could talk to, without judgment.”

The post DeMasi leaves lasting legacy at Temple through advocacy first appeared on The Temple News.

How I found friends I can call family 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Growing up, I was pretty shy. I was so shy that my parents were surprised when I decided to take a risk and come to Temple, three hours from home, to pursue a career that involved talking into a microphone.

My shy personality traits made making new friends a daunting task. I never went to parties, joined clubs, drank or participated in class in high school, but I knew I had to find friends in college. So once I enrolled in Temple, I posted on some Facebook groups looking for a roommate. 

Part of the post read, “I love to hang out with friends, especially if it’s to go out to eat, go to DC, or just vibe to some music,” and that is not even the cringiest part, but it’s all I’ll share. 

One day, I found a post by a mysterious Jim Brady looking for a fourth roommate. So I reached out, got everyone’s Snapchat handles and messaged the group.

Jim never responded to the message, which I eventually learned would become a regular occurrence. But everyone else responded, so I threw caution to the wind and decided to room with them, hoping for the best. 

This turned out to be the best decision I have ever made.

I realized quickly that Jim was incredibly annoying, just that type of annoying where you act mad but can’t help but laugh because he’s so funny. Liam, one of my other roommates, had gone to high school with Jim. He was more reserved than Jim, but when they were together, they would laugh about nothing for hours. 

Meeting new people wasn’t something that came naturally to me when I got to Temple. I thought that would be the biggest challenge I would have to face in my new life at college, but it ended up being the easiest part of my journey. 

On the first Saturday of the school year, we knocked on every door in our hall early in the morning. We lived in a freshman-filled hall, where half of the students probably went to their first frat party the night before. Nevertheless, we invited them all to breakfast, and those not experiencing their first hangover or who had not instantly slammed the door in our face joined us. 

Just like that, a group was born: Jim Brady, Liam Swanick, Jack Dittbrenner, Ang Petrasso, Erin Batting, Izzy Tarsa, Jamie Harley, Morgan Hickernell, Patty Leardi, Sasha Erbeldinger, Tori Aurbach, Catherine Rae, her brother Aidan and me. 

While some have fallen out of touch, that is the group of names that stands strong, and I am beyond grateful for these people. 

Throughout the years, we have shared laughs, drinks, meals at Owl Breakfast and campfires in my backyard. Our family and friends outside of college have been intertwined in each other’s lives, and they can’t believe how close we are. 

What I admire most about my friends is their mental and emotional toughness. In our freshman year, Ang lost her mother to a battle with cancer. Although some of us had not met her mom, and we hadn’t been friends for very long, we all made it a point to attend the funeral to support her and her family, and we never left their side.

Last year, Catherine and Aidan also lost their father, Rob, to a battle with cancer. Rob was one of a kind, a true man, and a key presence at every family weekend tailgate. But being as tight as we are and with the help of an extra bouquet of flowers I accidentally sent to them, we surrounded Aidan and Catherine with as much love as possible. 

Some of them have been through more than I can ever imagine, but I think that speaks volumes about our group. We have fun, laugh and sometimes hit the bottle a little too hard. But at the end of the day, we look out for each other. 

Even as I write this, I’m thinking back to last night. My friends and I huddled around the fire I built and spontaneously played our own version of Charades. Someone would reenact an infamous moment in our friend group, and we would try to guess what moment it was and burst out into laughter. 

In that moment, warmed by the fire and everyone around me, I was living my favorite quote by Anthony Bourdain: “To sit alone or with a few friends, half-drunk under a full moon, you just understand how lucky you are; it’s a story you can’t tell. It’s a story you almost by definition can’t share. I’ve learned in real time to look at those things and realize: I just had a really good moment.”

The post How I found friends I can call family first appeared on The Temple News.

The best things come from nowhere 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Three years ago, coming to Temple was meant to be a temporary stepping stone to better things. I never imagined that it could actually be the better thing. 

My post-high school experience was nothing short of chaotic. After finishing my freshman year at a different college and a subsequent COVID-induced gap year, I applied to Temple on a whim at the end of July 2022 after my previous school ran out of on-campus housing. My goal was simple: complete some gen-eds for a year at Temple, then transfer again to a new school and finally have the college experience of my dreams. 

I got accepted, and just two weeks after applying, I was nearly 21, moving into Johnson Hall with a flurry of doe-eyed 18-year-olds. My internal ageism was palpable, and the notion I held that my time at Temple was temporary made my first semester miserable. I had an aloof roommate, struggled to make lasting friendships and was a public health major with very little passion or direction. 

I always knew writing was my strong suit, but I shut down the possibility that I could build a career out of a creative outlet, instead opting to stick it out as a STEM major. But by the end of my first semester, my premature quarter-life crisis had burst through the door, making it abundantly clear that I would regret neglecting what I truly wanted.

I remember texting my mom at the end of November, dropping the bomb that I wasn’t sure what to do — I couldn’t stick with Temple or public health, and I felt like I had done nothing so far in college but waste my time and money. 

My mom responded, as nurturing as ever, asking the question I had been too afraid to ask myself thus far in my college journey, “I believe, wholeheartedly, that it is not too late for you to have the college experience you are looking for. Regrets are a waste of time. Just move forward. What, in your heart, do you want?” 

I wrote back, terrified, “In my heart, I want to do something creative. I don’t know, maybe journalism or something in media or communications.” 

That was it. During winter break, I changed my major to journalism, and when I walked into Tuttleman at the start of semester two for my first journalism course, I knew I was finally exactly where I belonged. 

Despite my inexperience, I anxiously started exploring class material, working at The Temple News and trying to find my voice not just as a journalist, but as a person. The newsroom was a workplace, but ultimately a haven of learning and community, allowing me to challenge myself and meet people who shared the same drive, passion and purpose. 

So many people I met through journalism at Temple became more than classmates and coworkers — they became comrades to struggle with, but more importantly, friends to lean on and laugh with when I needed it most. 

The decision to change my major was pivotal, and everything in my life from that moment on shifted. Temple, something that once felt like a misstep, became the most defining chapter of my life. The campus that was initially a layover started to feel like a home, and the city I didn’t want to get to know became a place I never want to leave. 

I stopped comparing my experiences to the idealistic, linear college journey I dreamed of at 18, and instead took pride in the version I created for myself at 21. It wasn’t without its challenges — nothing ever is —  and it certainly wasn’t part of the original plan, but maybe that’s exactly why it worked out so perfectly. 

As I approach graduation, I look back on those texts with my mom from my first year as a reminder that it’s never too late to start fresh, to change your mind or to become the version of yourself that you were always destined to be. 

College taught me far more about myself than it ever did academically — it taught me resilience, self-determination, the importance of leaving my comfort zone and how to forge a place for myself when it felt like there wasn’t one. Looking back on my time at Temple, I can now say with conviction that I didn’t just find my place – I built it.

The post The best things come from nowhere first appeared on The Temple News.

Students, band together with a union when entering the workforce 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Mario Rodriguez Canuto is a member of the organization committee for the Temple Union of Resident Assistants, a collective formed in September 2024, fighting for fair wages and bargaining rights with university administration. 

Temple’s RAs were previously allocated around $1,000 in Diamond Dollars, a now-defunct campus currency. To replace the loss of Diamond Dollars, the RA’s modified contract included a $200 stipend — a disproportionate adjustment to their previous agreement. One of the goals of their unionization was to have the negotiating power to correct this imbalance and ensure fair contracts and treatment. 

“We needed to act on this because if they took away the Diamond Dollars, and the money that we thought we were gonna get, they can also do that with other stuff,” said Canuto, a senior media studies and production major. “And we don’t have any say or any power over that, if we don’t have the union.”

As students begin to navigate the job market after graduation, they face the dilemma of which workplace matches their career goals. When contemplating job offers, many factors may be weighed, but the question of a unionized workplace may fall to the wayside. Students should actively consider joining their workplace’s union, if they have one, for the best possible benefits, including salary and fair workplace treatment.   

Being a union member affords workers the right to negotiate with employers about contracts, wages and insurance benefits. Unionized workers receive 10-15% higher wages compared to their nonunionized counterparts, according to the Department of the Treasury. 

Additionally, many union workplaces implement a “just cause” clause, which prevents unnecessary termination and protects workers from job insecurity. For example, while workers across the country faced mass layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unions saw fewer job losses and terminations, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

Lynne Andersson is a management professor specializing in workers’ organization and corporate corruption. Though passionate about unionization’s material benefits, she also acknowledges their positive effect on workplace morale. 

“Every union member that I’ve ever interviewed, worked with or been a part of takes pride and joy in it,” Andersson said. “It’s hard, but you love your fellow union members. You get camaraderie. There’s all sorts of benefits that come for the union members, the employees, but even for the organization, because it creates a good culture.”

Being a member of unionized workplaces carries undeniable benefits for jobs in both the private and public sectors. Students must understand the positive aspects of union work and actively pursue unionization when they’re in the job market. 

Workers’ unions are one of the most vital institutions in American democracy. Through collective bargaining and employee unity, unionization ensures workers get fair treatment, livable wages and competitive benefits. 

On March 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that sent shockwaves through the community of federal workers. In an attempt to shave down the government workforce, the order effectively harmed government workers’ right to collective bargaining and resulted in backlash from federal union workers, The Guardian reported. 

Currently, companies like Starbucks have spent three years union-busting their employees, resulting in nearly 800 unfair labor practice lawsuits, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Other corporate CEOs, like Elon Musk, have a history of calling unions counterintuitive to worker productivity. 

Mary Stricker, vice chair of the practice, instructional, research and clinical faculty at Temple, encourages students to analyze the source of the information and determine whether it’s trustworthy or propagandic amid the media haze of defamatory statements towards unionization. 

“Look at the messengers that are telling you that unions are too political, or they’re just there to exploit you, etcetera,” said Stricker, a sociology professor. “You’re hearing those messages, messages from people who are the ones that are absolutely exploiting you and want to exploit you further in non-unionized workplaces.”

In the United States, unionization in 2024 went down to a staggering 10% from 21% in 1983, according to statistics from the Bureau of Labor. Though the numbers are less than ideal, finding unionized workplaces is still important than ever before. In the current state of political unpredictability, union jobs are crucial to maintaining fair workplace treatment. 

Despite the defamatory statements from billionaires and privately owned companies, workers’ collectives are necessary. They give anyone a fighting chance against oppressive bosses or corporations — a right any worker should have. 

As students enter the workforce and navigate the tumultuous job market, being protected by a union is key to ensuring their prosperity and well-being in the workforce. Though not all jobs come with a union membership, a collective of workers is powerful and something that should be celebrated and sought after, regardless of the industry.

The post Students, band together with a union when entering the workforce first appeared on The Temple News.

Owls’ rebuild season leaves room for growth 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Despite making the American Athletic Conference tournament last season, Temple Lacrosse head coach Bonnie Rosen knew 2025 was going to be a rebuild year. Just one of the team’s top five scorers from 2024 returned, but players and coaches still hoped they could make noise in the conference.

That hope was extinguished almost immediately when star attacker Amelia Wright suffered an injury against St. Joseph’s on Feb. 19, just the third game of the season. The injury sent the offense on a downward spiral and the defense followed suit. 

“I think this year we had to step up and do a much bigger role than we previously had anyway but losing Amelia really contributed to that as well,” said midfielder Sabrina Martin. “I think it forced us to step out of our comfort zones and have to do things that we wouldn’t have had to do if we were relying on Amelia.”

Temple finished the season with a 4-12 record and went just 2-4 in conference play. The Owls matched the program’s most losses in a season and missed the AAC tournament for only the second time in the last five seasons. 

Even though Wright played in just eight games, she still finished the season second on the team in goals with 22. Others stepped up in her absence, specifically the midfield duo of Erin King and Martin. They led the offensive production and finished first and third on the team with 36 and 21 goals, respectively. 

The Owls were forced to play more underclassmen on offense compared to recent years. Midfielder Sarah Gowman became a staple this season and only had four games without scoring a goal. Midfielder Lily Caravela and attackers Jenna Facciolli and Laura Conner also provided a boost at times of need. 

“We are a young group that’s playing fast,” Rosen said. “There is a lot of adjustment between being young and the style of play we’re playing that led to less shots.”

The defense struggled all season and allowed double-digit goals in all but one game. The Owls were outscored by 64 and gave up 14 goals per game, ranking them 97 of 120 teams in the nation. 

Temple couldn’t effectively halt any opposing offenses they faced and allowed 400 shots on goal on the season. The onslaught put pressure on Taylor Grollman, who was named AAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. Despite topping her career-best in saves twice, she wasn’t always consistent in the cage and recorded zero saves in back-to-back games against East Carolina on March 28 and Vanderbilt on April 5. 

Goalkeeper Colleen Berardino stepped in when Grollman struggled. Berardino saw action in seven games and made a career-high 11 saves against the Commodores. She’s expected to anchor the defense next season with Grollman graduating in May. 

“I think we just needed more communication,” Grollman said. “Especially from the top down, we’re pretty solid around the crease, but we kind of lose that communication up top and then once you get beat from that top side, there’s not much you can do about it.”

The Owls struggled with inconsistency all season. There were moments that showed signs of improvement, but they quickly faded as the clock ticked down. Temple was tied with UMBC on March 1 but allowed three straight goals in the final quarter to lose 11-9. The Owls had a four-goal cushion against ECU heading into the fourth quarter, but allowed the Pirates to take control and win 11-10 in overtime. 

Temple had a one-goal advantage against Vanderbilt and was tied with Saint Joe’s and Pitt through the first half, but ultimately collapsed and dropped all three games. 

“Our biggest thing is just playing a full four quarters,” King said. “We just have to stay focused and really not let up the pressure once we’re in games and then capitalize off our good moments, really just focusing on the little wins and making it a domino effect so we can get runs within games.”

The Owls hit multiple bumps in the road but started to correct their mistakes toward the end of the season and finished strong with a five-goal victory against Charlotte on April 26. 

A large portion of the roster is set to come back next season, so Temple hopes to return to form as a contender in the AAC once it gains more experience and finds its groove on both sides of the field. 

“Our motto has been to finish strong and start ahead,” Rosen said. “Meaning finish the season strong and everything we do right now sets the tone for being ahead of where we want to be next year.”

The post Owls’ rebuild season leaves room for growth first appeared on The Temple News.

Bunch ready to begin next chapter after impressive career 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

It was a regular Thursday practice for midfielder Julia Bunch last fall. Temple’s 2024 season was in full swing and the team was preparing to take on Penn the next day. 

Bunch was pursuing a pass from her teammate as the three-hour practice was coming to an end, but slipped. She had avoided injuries her whole career, but instantly knew something was wrong. 

Her knee had popped and Bunch knew a “horror story” was about to unfold. Following the game against Penn on Sept. 13, which she sat out, Bunch’s worst fears were confirmed. She tore the ACL in her left knee and her senior season was finished earlier than anyone could have expected. 

“I kind of instantly knew I tore my ACL,” Bunch said. “You hear horror stories about it and I’ve seen it happen before, so I kind of knew right away that was potentially something that happened. Of course, I hoped it would be something more minor, that I would have the opportunity to finish up the season. But throughout the next day, not being able to walk and how [my knee] looked, I knew that I was done.”

However, Bunch’s career was technically not finished. She had the option to use a medical redshirt and return for another season, but something was holding her back from jumping at the opportunity. 

Bunch worked off the field during her four years at Temple to build her professional career and had a full-time job as a tax consultant at Deloitte lined up after graduation. Bunch decided against playing the extra year to start her professional career. Although Bunch’s career came to a premature end, the impact she had on the program is evident and has set the stage for the next chapter of her life. 

“I sat with the opportunity and the idea of doing my fifth year for a little bit, but I realized that it’s time for me to start my career,” Bunch said. “I don’t want to delay these awesome opportunities that I created for myself. So ultimately, field hockey was life-changing for me and a huge part of my life, but I knew it wasn’t going to continue forever, so I didn’t want to delay that next step.” 

When Bunch first joined Temple in 2021 as a freshman, the coaching staff immediately fell in love with her hard-nosed attitude. She was hard-working and passionate, and that mindset translated on the field. She never racked up eye-popping stats but still became a natural leader for her teammates. 

That leadership earned her the honor of being a team captain for the 2024 season. Bunch easily could have sulked when she suffered the injury. Instead, she worked with her coaches to find a way she could help from the sidelines. Bunch built a support system for her teammates both on and off the field and tried to help in any way she could. 

Temple wound up having one of its most successful seasons in years, making a run to the Big East championship. Although Bunch had to be a spectator, her guidance and support played a major role in helping the Owls reach the conference finals. 

“We want to always be like, it’s not just one of us, it’s all of us mentality,” said associate head coach Carissa Vittese. “I think even those injured, who are still showing up and being there and putting the team first, that’s kind of the mentality that we want. I know it’s not easy for those injured, which shows the resilience and mindset that Julia had, being able to do that.”

While Bunch put in endless work for field hockey, she did the same off the field. 

Bunch’s family owns Shan-Gri-La Sod Farm, a small business that grows and delivers sod, and she got involved in the family business at a young age. She helped out with almost everything, but really gravitated toward the office side of the business. Bunch was always good with numbers and her brain clicked in the office, eventually leading her to become an accounting major at Temple. 

“She started to get into the numbers and the math of things,” said Beth Bunch, Julia’s mom. “Mentally, her brain works with the numbers. I’m more of an artsy person, but she loved that stuff. She loves spreadsheets and planning out things and doing all that. She was good at dealing with customers and dealing with credit cards and the QuickBooks program. She knew she was good at math and was good with the numbers.”

Bunch had a few internships while at Temple, but the biggest opportunity for her came in the summer of 2024. She landed an internship at Deloitte as a tax intern and managed to turn the experience into a full-time job with the company this coming fall. 

While Bunch loved field hockey, she knew everything she had worked for had led to this opportunity and she couldn’t turn it down. With her graduation just a couple of weeks away, Bunch has set herself up for success and her motivation to prosper has been evident.  

“I’m not sad, I think Julia is just getting started,” Beth Bunch said. “She is so motivated and so determined to be successful and to pursue the things she worked so hard for. So I’m not going to be sad. I’m going to be so excited for her.”

Bunch’s ACL recovery was supposed to take up to 12 months, but she is preparing to run the Broad Street Run on May 4, just seven months post-surgery. 

“I’m more so doing this just to kind of prove to myself that I’m healthy again and kind of wrap up my college career doing something through Philly with some friends,” Bunch said.

The post Bunch ready to begin next chapter after impressive career first appeared on The Temple News.

Couchsurfing, service, and how I (maybe) found my purpose 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Two years ago, I became what’s known as “housing insecure”: Gone from my childhood home for a number of complicated reasons, so I spent a handful of months sleeping on a friend’s couch.

The people who helped me at my lowest point entered my world from all walks of life. Their willingness to suffer inconvenience and intrusion cuts across every line we’re told defines American society: Seemingly every race and ethnicity. Old and young. Christians, Muslims, Jews, atheists, agnostics and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Men, women and literally every letter of LGBTQ+. Well-off and at the razor’s edge of sustenance.

A friend and her roommates decided to let me into their home for a quarter of the year. A professor of mine, noticing small changes in my daily routine, asked if everything was okay and what he could do to help. At the job I then held, my fellow college students, many of whom saved on groceries by stockpiling discounted or mildly-expired food, secretly cut back on their own searches to make sure I could both eat and afford to get off the couch. And Leah Paulson Dunmire, then-Temple’s director of student housing, amended her crowded, chaotic schedule to make sure I found a place to live.

I’ve told this story to only a handful of people — a sibling from a rural part of the state, two editors at this publication, a handful of friends, colleagues and professors. It’s not inspirational or empowering. I feel terrible about it.

See, I was extremely fortunate. For one, my parents, despite their imperfections, worked incredibly hard to provide for our family. Whatever I’ve done nobly or right today is inextricable from what they helped instill in me. And whatever this story is, 200 words about a terrible time for all of us isn’t a full or fair picture of who they are, or what they’ve been through themselves.

For another, I’d grown up Black, evangelical and homeschooled in a place where the Venn diagram of those three things was like a three-eyed binoculars. I often dove into niche projects and obsessions — work, work, work — to carry me through long stretches of loneliness and grief. At the time, I was still shedding a warped understanding of my faith — an interpretation that, perhaps inadvertently, taught me to fear difference instead of embracing it. So, I figured I’d be that way forever.

That so many people rushed to my side, many of whom I thought didn’t know me, was a shock. And I still feel like I owe them more than a simple, “Thank you.”

I became a journalist during that teenage disillusionment. Eli Baden-Lasar’s photo essay in The New York Times Magazine, Jane Coaston’s years reporting on America’s political culture and Eve Fairbanks’s profile of millennial nuns were part of a tapestry of tales that plunged me into love with the task of telling the human story. They reached across vast differences and returned with empathy and wisdom. I wanted to do the same.

The night I moved off my friend’s couch and into an apartment, a homeless man having a breakdown was choked to death in a Manhattan subway car. Yet this might be the first time I’ve written about homelessness. What took me so long? I’m eating regularly now. Yet my poverty reporting is but a double byline and an “Always Sunny” pun. And I’ve spent only a few sentences on immigrants — the strangers and wayfarers among us — or the queer community.

The people who saved my life are under attack, and I’m over here writing about myself.

My faith has evolved since my childhood. We’re here — at newspapers, in school, in cities — to accomplish greater purposes. It’ll get done, whether we join the work or not. But we’ll be judged on what we did with the opportunity.

My mind drifts to the promise James Baldwin made to student activists during the Civil Rights Movement. “If you will promise your elder brother that you will never, ever accept any of the many derogatory, degrading, and reductive definitions that this society has ready for you,” he pledged, “I … will never betray you.”

Walking across that stage won’t be easy. Yet staying here would be harder. Not because I’ve had my fill of this place, this program, this community, but the opposite: You who chase the truth, who live true to yourself and others, who practice grace and provide for others at extraordinary risk and cost. We left you something. We owe you more.

The post Couchsurfing, service, and how I (maybe) found my purpose first appeared on The Temple News.

My Tuesday morning doughnut excursion 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Every Tuesday morning, I wake up and walk 1.1 miles south down 7th Street to Federal Donuts. 

There’s a promotion to get a $1 coffee when you show your SEPTA key card. I saw an advertisement for it at the start of this school year and decided to begin my day with a warm doughnut and a coffee. Then, I would walk to my 9:30 a.m. lecture. For honesty’s sake, I have been about 10 minutes late every time I decide to do this.

The walk began as a fun start to my day. Then it became a time for me to call family, as I don’t get to see them as often as I’d like. Next, a time for me to listen to every Bob Dylan album. But eventually, I found myself walking in silence. No earbuds or voices to occupy my head. 

The designated time has given me space to think, and I keep coming back to the same question: Have I gotten to know Philadelphia?

It was important to me to feel I was a part of the city knowing I may leave after graduation. But it was a difficult question to answer. 

When I graduate, I will have only been here two years — not a long time in my head. Compared to some of my friends, I feel like I explored more areas of the city during my time in school. That wasn’t enough, though. If I left today, I would certainly not feel satisfied with what I had explored.

I pondered this question week in and week out while walking to and from my warm doughnut and $1 coffee. I began to feel frustrated that I might graduate without knowing the city. As I grew more irritable, my morning walks to Federal Doughnuts became increasingly important to me as an outlet for my emotions.

To sap this feeling, I began attending more social events, exploring more neighborhoods and hitting more bars, but nothing helped — until one brisk Tuesday morning. 

I woke up and began my walk as normal. On the way down, I picked up stamps from the post office on Thompson Street, chatted with the crossing guard, Dean, on Brown Street and caught up with the Federal Doughnuts counter worker, who poured my coffee before I had ordered. 

I stopped for a moment; on a random morning, I had spoken with a handful of individuals from the community, walked multiple neighborhoods and bought items from multiple establishments, all before 9 a.m. 

Maybe I already knew Philadelphia. I spent so much time on my weekly walk thinking about what I wasn’t doing that I was ironically blinded to what I was. The more I tried to get to know the city, the further away it seemed. But here, I had created my little ecosystem of rituals and people without realizing it. 

I failed to acknowledge that the process of familiarization is two-sided: I didn’t let the city get to know me. Mindlessly going to events wasn’t going to help me because I had no yearning to be there. 

But, I do like basketball, so I started sitting in the nosebleeds to watch my, albeit terrible, Sixers. I like to look at water, so I began venturing down the Delaware River. There are so many events that I can do here that it is important to remind myself to chase the ones I want, not for some superficial reason.

So now I don’t ask myself, “Have I gotten to know the city of Philadelphia?” because I figured out there will never be a simple yes or no answer to a complex question like that. But what I do know is today, on my last day of my undergraduate classes, I’m going to walk south 1.1 miles down 7th street to Federal Donuts and use my SEPTA Key Card to get a $1 coffee and a warm doughnut. 

And dammit, I am going to walk into that 9:30 a.m. lecture 10 minutes late.

The post My Tuesday morning doughnut excursion first appeared on The Temple News.

Experiencing college behind the lens 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Photography has become more than just a hobby for me, it’s the lens through which I’ve found purpose, confidence and connection. 

I didn’t go to school for it. I never had formal training, and I taught myself everything I know through trial, error and a lot of YouTube videos. What started as curiosity slowly turned into one of the most meaningful parts of my life.

There’s something powerful about being behind the camera. I can be involved without always needing to be the center of attention. Sometimes, I feel more at home behind the lens than in front of it. Capturing all different types of moments, quiet ones, chaotic ones, emotional ones, feels like freezing time. 

I started taking photos like many other people I know — by picking up an old camera I found. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I picked up my dad’s old Nikon that was buried in a closet at home. It was the same camera he used to take all our family photos growing up — birthdays, vacations, random moments — and holding it felt like holding a piece of our history.

I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I started taking pictures of everything around the house. It was awesome to learn something different and get immersed in all the details of the new gadget. By taking a bunch of photos and watching endless YouTube videos, I slowly built up my skills and confidence.

Joining The Temple News during my freshman year validated my skills and showed me the professional side of photography. Capturing moments for a newspaper was a completely different experience from just bringing my camera along to hangouts with my friends. I learned about framing, how to interact with subjects and how to tell a story through images.

At events, whether it be for a professional gig or just with my friends, my camera helps me stay calm. It gives me something to stay occupied with, and I don’t feel the need to always be talking and interacting. 

Being of service to others and doing something I enjoy at the same time gives me purpose. In social settings, I can sometimes feel awkward, especially with people I may not know that well. But with my camera, I have a reason to move through a crowd without feeling out of place. It’s like a shield sometimes — a way to be part of the energy without getting overwhelmed.

With money being tight as a college student, I’m extremely grateful for all the financial opportunities I’ve had because of photography. 

It’s amazing to be doing something I love while also making an income. But more than that, it’s helped me create memories for other people. It’s given me a chance to witness milestones and to give those back to someone else in a way that lasts. I love bringing my point-and-shoot film camera to birthdays and taking photos that can be shared to remember those times together.

When I’m not shooting for a client or an assignment, I turn to photography to decompress. Especially with film photography, there’s no pressure to get the perfect shot. It slows everything down. I’m not worried about editing or deadlines. 

There’s something freeing about not seeing the result right away. It forces me to be more present, to trust my instincts and to enjoy the process instead of the outcome. Shooting for myself reminds me why I fell in love with photography in the first place.

It’s also brought out a creative side of me that I didn’t always know how to express. The more I shoot, the more I experiment with angles, editing, light and color and storytelling. It’s helped me see beauty in places I used to overlook.

Photography has given me confidence. Confidence to say I’m good at something. Confidence to show others the way I see the world.

With time, photography has become something I’m known for. People associate me with the camera now, and I like that. It’s become part of who I am, not just a thing I do, but a way I experience the world. I can’t imagine my life without it.

The post Experiencing college behind the lens first appeared on The Temple News.

Senior to continue journey of film entrepreneurship 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Before stepping into the director’s chair, Victoria Wilcox recalls working in the lighting department for student films in her freshman year. Though she wasn’t at the forefront of these artistic endeavors, she was constantly absorbing the creativity and artistic drive of those around her. 

Witnessing her peers fulfill their creative desires sparked something within her to finally step into the spotlight and fulfill her dream of telling stories through film. 

“I got sick of just sitting around and letting my anxiety eat at me, because I realized everything that I want to do is possible,” said Wilcox, a senior film and media arts major. “It might take a lot of work, but I’m not asking to go to the moon. I’m asking to share stories of people who are literally around me in North Philadelphia.”

Wilcox founded the production company Torian Studios in 2020 to explore her love of photography and film directing. With the less burdensome workload after graduation, Wilcox intends to grow the business to produce commercials for local businesses. She’s most excited to step into the world of documentary filmmaking — a natural extension of her affinity for human storytelling. 

“When it came to COVID [I thought I needed] some structure in my life,” Wilcox said. “Like everything in the world is kind of crazy. Let me go to college. What is something that’s been in my life for all this time? It’s always been storytelling.”

Since childhood, Wilcox has always been attuned to the narratives of human life. She remembers her adolescent fascination with dolls and the stories she imagined and created for them. When it came time for college applications, Wilcox was at a loss for how to plan her future because committing to a university felt like a daunting task.

While deep in contemplation of how she wanted to proceed in her education, she remembered Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther.” The director’s surgical attention to detail in developing the film’s antagonist began to represent the transformative power of filmmaking and inspired Wilcox to dedicate her career to the cinematic arts. 

As a Black woman, Wilcox’s natural drive to tell human stories extended to her exploring narratives she felt her culture could relate to. Her coursework and exploration of Black life stuck out to her professors, as her depictions often had a refreshing perspective and depth of emotion.

Micah Magee was one of Wilcox’s professors during her junior year. She was struck specifically by Wilcox’s ability to portray both the struggles of her Black characters and the beauty of their everyday lives. 

After seeing Wilcox’s work, Magee nominated her for The National Princess Grace Foundation Scholarship Awards and awarded her the Deglin Scholarship, both of which celebrate student achievements in filmmaking. 

“She was willing to take a stand and negotiate the constraints of the project parameters in order to use her voice the way she wanted and to tell the story that she felt needed to be told, which wasn’t a single person story,” Magee said. “It was a story of a collective.”

Her cinematic achievements at Temple came to a peak after the screening of her senior thesis, “The Village It Took,” which took home four awards at Temple’s BFA Film Showcase earlier this month. The accolades she received include best directing, best cinematography, best producing and best lighting. 

Before instructing her course for the senior thesis, Neal Dhand was Wilcox’s professor for two other courses between her sophomore and senior year. Despite the success of her most recent project, Dhand still recalls feeling blown away by one of the first pieces she made in a collaborative project when she first enrolled in his filmmaking class. 

“That’s a really nice feeling when you can see a young filmmaker who [puts] themselves into the work,” Dhand said. “That was an early time. I didn’t know Victoria nearly as well as I know her now, but I think I felt then, ‘Here’s a filmmaker who’s got a style and something to say.’”

Though she’s sharpened her craft and artistic vision at Temple, Wilcox is eager to take her artistic talents to the next level. She wants to focus on finding a blend of her two passions of directing commercials and documentaries to best accomplish her goals of uplifting voices and aiding her community. 

“I do think that there is a space for documentary within commercials, like it doesn’t have to be this spectrum, there can be a mix of it,” Wilcox said. “So I’m really just excited to have more space just to be a student of life.”

The post Senior to continue journey of film entrepreneurship first appeared on The Temple News.

Temple to launch interdisciplinary cybersecurity and human behavior major 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

Temple is launching a new cybersecurity and human behavior major, an interdisciplinary program housed in the College of Liberal Arts, that will explore the psychological and ethical dimensions of cybersecurity threats starting in Fall 2025. 

The program was developed in response to cybersecurity becoming increasingly relevant across academic disciplines at Temple, from philosophy and psychology to economics and banking, said Sandra Suárez, deputy dean of the College of Liberal Arts and a professor of political science. 

“What we know is most security breaches have a human component,” Suárez said.
“Someone making a mistake.” 

The program draws from multiple departments, including computer and information sciences, philosophy, psychology and other social sciences. There are 178 cybersecurity degree programs in the United States, as a relatively new major. Temple’s new program is unique in its focus on the human behavior behind cyberattacks, the psychology behind them and how to design policies, systems and strategies to prevent them. 

The initiative was spearheaded by Suárez, alongside Hiram Aldarondo, senior associate dean for academic affairs at CLA, and Aunshul Rege, a criminal justice professor. Together, they led a committee pulling expertise from across all colleges to design the program.

Four new three-credit classes were developed for the major: Introduction to cybersecurity; social engineering and cybersecurity; cybersecurity governance, risk, compliance and policy; and community engagement and cyber hygiene.

Students will also take English courses in subjects like technical writing to meet the rising demand for professionals who can both understand technological systems and clearly communicate policies. 

“The need for cybersecurity has been incrementing over time,” Aldarondo said. “Since every company is going to need more and more expertise on cybersecurity, we know for sure students in this field are going to be able to find jobs right away.”

Brian Hutler, who contributed his existing ethics of artificial intelligence course to the new program, believes the growing use of AI in everyday life requires a deeper look at how these new tools intersect with human values and decision-making.

“I think it’s important for us to recognize how potentially game-changing and how much of our lives will be reshaped by the very sophisticated computer programs being developed today,” Hutler said. 

A key topic the program will cover is “social engineering,” the manipulation of individuals to access sensitive information. This is a critical topic for future cybersecurity professionals to understand and a focus that sets it apart from traditional cybersecurity programs, Aldarando said. 

“Most traditional cybersecurity degrees emphasize coding technology and software to prevent attacks,” Aldarondo said. “But the reality is that many of the breaches in insider security are due to human mistakes, manipulation and behavioral patterns. Hackers often exploit human psychology.”

Forty-nine percent of public-sector organizations indicated that they lack the necessary talent to meet their growing cybersecurity needs, according to a January 2025 World Economic Forum survey. 

Phillip Dames, a professor of engineering who guest lectured in Hutler’s ethics course, said while his work doesn’t usually overlap with ethics and behavior, engineers should think critically about who will use the systems they design and how those systems will affect people. 

Social engineering, a manipulation tactic for taking control of one’s computer and personal information, goes beyond simple scams. It has the potential to compromise national security, steal sensitive medical or academic data or even disrupt services like power and water, Dames said. 

“There’s all these ways you could be directly or indirectly affected by cybersecurity,” Dames said. “There’s good reasons to make technology more efficient for it. Thinking about the social impacts and disruptions due to improper cybersecurity plays a helpful role in those conversations.” 

The major is also rooted in the idea that digital identities are now inseparable from daily lives. 

“You don’t leave the house without your phone,” Suárez said. “You can leave your keys, but not the phone, because it’s part of who we are and our identity is in the cloud. It’s a whole new world that requires people who are keeping up with these behavioral changes and understand how to protect us from ourselves.” 

The post Temple to launch interdisciplinary cybersecurity and human behavior major first appeared on The Temple News.

“Wide Open Spaces”: White Hall and beyond 29 Apr 2:00 AM (10 days ago)

“Wide open spaces.”

Growing up in a semi-rural town, both The Chicks’ song and the general concept remain close to my heart. The group –– Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer –– belt about their personal independence on the album’s titular track, lamenting their yearning to leave home in pursuit of new places and fresh faces. 

Like The Chicks, my 18-year-old self was ready to find a dream and a life of her own. Unlike The Chicks, my “wide open space” wasn’t a place out west, but a mystical land less than three hours north: Philadelphia.

Almost four years ago, my mom and I hauled blue IKEA bags into White Hall, rain pouring down on our heads and all of my belongings as I took in the place I’d hang my hat for the next nine months. The future I’d been dreaming of had finally arrived. I knew I was ready.

What I did not know, and could never have anticipated, was what or who would change my life forever when I got there. 

My freshman roommate matchup was your typical modern love story: one that started on Facebook. In my opinion, our meeting was the best thing Mark Zuckerberg ever did. Jules and I never had to warm up to each other, and from the moment we met, we were friends for life.

As I put away my clothes in my shabby-chic White Hall dresser, or “bureau” as Jules would call it, I never could have known the subsequent years of shared bathrooms and diction discrepancies that would follow. 

Shortly after we put up our Twilight and Pitch Perfect posters, Jules and I walked down the hall to a dorm floor meeting with our coveted RA, Gabriel, where we met the mysterious girls living across the hall. In no time, the quiet girls sitting in the back of the room would become our best friends, and the five of us would terrorize White Hall and beyond for four straight years.

Jules, Kerry, Amber and Sofia became my favorite people in what felt like an instant. Dining hall dinners and Saturday nights spent figuring out where to cause our next scene bonded us like traveling soldiers. I couldn’t believe I got so lucky. I still can’t. 

I learned a thing or two in classrooms at Temple, but the most important lessons I learned were from my friends. Nobody else from my high school was going to Temple and I didn’t know a soul when I got there. My solo act was a big part of my Wide Open Spaces plan. 

I couldn’t help but leave my expectations unmanaged, and I had a vivid vision of what my time at Temple would look like. I needed a completely new start that was all my own. But my first collegiate lesson was one of the hardest to stomach: you take yourself wherever you go. 

To my dismay, my problems didn’t vanish the second I stepped foot on campus. It was still the same brain rattling around in my head after all. And the girls I met on my dorm floor weren’t the people I expected would become my best friends. But as it turns out, none of us judging each other’s books by their covers was the best thing we could have done. My place in the clouds was the infamous dorm on the edge of campus, and my foundation of stone was the people I met inside.

The Chicks don’t glamorize the transition into their new chapter of independence. Seeing my mom and dad waving in the rearview mirror and not knowing what to expect on the other side is half the journey, and the song’s chorus emphasizes making room for big mistakes and knowing how high the stakes are when one strikes out on their own.

As usual, The Chicks were right — there was plenty of room to make big mistakes. But luckily for me, my new friends were usually making those mistakes alongside me. At every peak and valley, I was at least in good company. The Chicks made me think I had to go far to find what I was looking for. But the best things, and people, are often right under your nose. You just have to look around.

After nine months of tumultuous life lessons, May finally arrived, and it was time for the five of us to say goodbye to White Hall. Fortunately, our fleeting remarks to each other were merely “see you laters.” In the three years that followed, our little corner of the world took the shape of off-campus apartments as we continued to grow up together and become our own little family.

We spent the dorm floor meeting where it all began, trying not to laugh uncontrollably, and haven’t stopped since. And quite frankly, as long as they keep me around, I don’t think I ever will.

The post “Wide Open Spaces”: White Hall and beyond first appeared on The Temple News.

Owls’ fourth-quarter surge pushes past 49ers 26 Apr 12:05 PM (12 days ago)

As the third quarter was coming to a close, Temple and Charlotte were knotted up at 10 and neither team could find an advantage all game. The 49ers forced a turnover and attacker Isa Torres scored an impressive shot with 44 seconds left to give them the lead entering the fourth quarter. 

Temple needed to bounce back and find any resemblance of offensive momentum in the final quarter of play after scoring just two third-quarter goals. With its season potentially on the line, Temple’s offense went full throttle. 

The Owls netted the first three goals of the final quarter to take a two-goal lead with 11 minutes left. Charlotte got one back to close the gap before Temple put its foot down on both sides of the ball. Temple scored the final four goals of the day, while Charlotte never got close to scoring again as the Owls picked up a senior day win. 

Temple (4-12, 2-4 American Athletic Conference) ran past Charlotte (6-10, 1-5 AAC) 17-12 Saturday afternoon at Howarth Field. The five-goal win for the Owls was their largest margin of victory of the season. 

“A couple of weeks ago, we set out to finish strong and start ahead, to finish the season strong in a way that is going to get us ahead of next year,” said head coach Bonnie Rosen. “The team just really dug in and focused and we’ve had a great few weeks of lacrosse. So to end today with a decisive win on Senior Day was just really special.”

Temple entered the day with a slim chance of making the AAC tournament and started the game well with attacker Jenna Facciolli beating Charlotte goalkeeper Katie Ling three minutes into the opening quarter. The 49ers leveled the game four minutes later after a free-position shot from attacker Katie Gorski. The offensive flurry continued as Owls’ midfielder Erin King and Charlotte attacker Avery Olsen traded goals in a 40-second span to keep the score tied at two. 

Charlotte finally took the lead when attacker Isa Torres beat Temple goalkeeper Taylor Grollman to the spot to go up 3-2. Temple midfielder Sabrina Martin and Gorski added a goal each to end the first quarter with the Owls trailing 4-3. 

The teams continued the back-and-forth trend and the 49ers managed to remain in front. Gorski and attacker Kylie Gioia both beat Grollman to swiftly take the 6-5 advantage. King responded a minute later, leveling the score once again.

Both teams’ defenses focused in and denied any goals for five minutes. However, Temple defender Madison Moten fouled Charlotte attacker Claire Schotta, who connected on the free position shot with less than two minutes until halftime. The Owls wanted the upper hand for the second half and achieved that as King and attacker Cathleen Moran scored back-to-back goals for the 8-7 lead. 

Charlotte came out of the locker room looking to regain momentum and turned to Torres to do so. She got the 49ers on the board 90 seconds into the third quarter to knot the game at eight. Another 90 seconds went by before Torres found the back of the net again and gave Charlotte the lead back.

Temple’s defense finally got Torres and the 49ers under control and both teams went scoreless for the next six minutes before Schotta snapped the drought to increase Charlotte’s lead. It was the first time all game that either team led by more than one goal and it caused Rosen to sub in backup goalkeeper Colleen Berardino. In her 21 minutes of action, Berardino allowed just two goals and made five saves. 

“I warm up being ready when my name is called and any chance to contribute to the team is exciting, so when my coaches told me to go in, I said ‘alright, make some saves,’” Berardino said. “When I come in, the defense and I have a close bond, so when we communicate together, we build off of each other’s energy.”

The 49ers’ defense began to turn up the heat late in the third quarter and forced three straight turnovers. The third turnover in the sequence was most costly as Gorski gained possession and sent a long pass downfield to Torres. She corralled the ball and put home her fourth goal of the game to retake the lead heading into the final quarter.

The Owls were looking for an offensive run to pull away and midfielder Sarah Gowman got the opportunity when she was fouled. Gowman converted the free shot, which opened the floodgates. Gowman and Martin also added a goal to give Temple a 13-11 lead. The 49ers attempted to stop the bleeding as Schotta responded with a goal, but it did not matter.

Temple completely took command from there and scored three straight goals with three-and-a-half minutes left. Charlotte switched goalkeepers, but it didn’t make a difference as attacker Amelia Wright found the goal and the Owls played keep away until the final buzzer sounded. 

“I think that today was the icing on the cake, we really took it to them and played an amazing game and everything came together today,” King said. “Not only was it a win, it was a really good win and it felt really good, so it’s awesome to be leaving on this note.”

Temple’s regular season has ended as it finished as the fifth seed in the AAC and only the top four make it to the conference tournament.

The post Owls’ fourth-quarter surge pushes past 49ers first appeared on The Temple News.

MBB guard Masiah Gilyard commits to Temple 26 Apr 8:05 AM (12 days ago)

Former Manhattan University guard Masiah Gilyard has committed to Temple, he announced on social media Saturday morning. Gilyard’s commitment marks the third transfer head coach Adam Fisher has gotten in the last three days, joining forward Jamai Felt and guard Gavin Griffiths. 

Gilyard spent one season with Manhattan after transferring in from Blinn College. In his lone season with the Jaspers, Gilyard averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per game while shooting nearly 50% from the field. 

Gilyard averaged eight points and four rebounds as a freshman at Blinn in 2022 before breaking out in his sophomore season. In 2023-24, he averaged 13 points, eight rebounds and shot 51% on three-pointers. 

Standing at 6-foot 3-inches, Gilyard’s rebounding ability as a guard will boost the Owls on the glass. Shane Dezonie was Temple’s top rebounding guard last season, averaging five rebounds per game and Gilyard will look to fill Dezonie’s shoes after he exhausted his eligibility. 

Gilyard is a senior, but could gain extra eligibility from the lawsuit that claims junior college should not count against eligibility. Temple’s roster for the 2025-26 season is slowly starting to take shape after losing all but three scholarship players in the offseason. Gilyard is now the seventh scholarship player on the Owls’ roster, with more additions still likely to come this offseason.

The post MBB guard Masiah Gilyard commits to Temple first appeared on The Temple News.

Visa revocations cause “fear and panic” among Temple’s international students 25 Apr 11:57 AM (13 days ago)

When a Temple student recently had their student visa revoked without warning on April 2, fear began to spread among the university’s international student community.

Twelve days later, President John Fry announced that several more student visas had been revoked with little to no warning. The university didn’t share official details about the students or what they may have done to have their status as a legal resident removed out of respect for the students’ privacy.

“At first, I didn’t react much because we’re at Temple, it’s not UCLA,” said B, an international student at Temple whose full identity is being protected due to safety concerns. “But when I saw that email that one student got their visa revoked, me and my friend, we panicked so much.”

Across the country, international students are facing heightened surveillance and restrictions from the United States government. The Trump administration has laid the groundwork for visa policies that penalize political speech and protesting, especially those related to supporting Palestine or issues in Gaza. Now, many students feel forced to choose between speaking their minds or maintaining their legal status.

Though the university has issued guidelines to help international students navigate these uncertain times, the fear of visa revocations has left many international students in a state of panic and wondering whether their voices will be silenced for the sake of staying in the country. The lack of clear information only adds to the confusion, making some students feel as though they are living in a constant state of vulnerability.

“Philadelphia is a progressive city,” said M, another international student at Temple whose full identity is being protected. “I thought, ‘I should be fine. I don’t think anything will happen to me or anyone that I know.’ But when I got that email, it actually became real, like, ‘Oh, this could happen to me.’”

The recent incidents at Temple are part of a larger, ongoing trend in the U.S. where international students face increased scrutiny. The Trump administration has relied on a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act to deport individuals with visas or green cards, granting the secretary of state complete authority to remove any non-citizen deemed a threat to foreign policy interests. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already terminated hundreds of international student visas using this provision, often without specific explanations to the affected individuals or universities. In Temple’s case, the Office of Global Engagement notified the student via email that their visa was revoked after they discovered the change in status during a routine records check. The student was unaware until the university reached out.

“Where is the line?” B said. “When is your speech against the country, and when is it your own political expression? Right now, it’s uncertain where that line is and what you can say. Every word can be used against you, and you can get deported for nothing.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Carilli told a federal court Friday in Washington, D.C., that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now developing a formal framework for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record terminations, Newsweek reported. 

In the meantime, all plaintiffs in the case, along with other affected students, will have their visa statuses restored. The reversal may offer some relief for international students, but it also adds to the confusion and unpredictability around the entire process. 

For international students, the fear of deportation can take a heavy toll, not just on their sense of security but also on their academic and personal lives. Many students interviewed by The Temple News are now questioning what they can and cannot say, creating a climate where self-censorship can feel like a necessity. 

Temple has attempted to reassure students by offering support through International Student and Scholar Services and hosting informational sessions with immigration experts. Fry has also acknowledged the severity of the situation and was vocal in his support for the university’s international community. 

Despite these efforts, the uncertainty felt by international students remains. Many fear that policies like this could be a precursor to broader, more harmful actions.

“Maybe we can expect a worse situation,” B said. “Authoritarian governments have the same method — starting with people who have less rights, like me. Like people who came here for a better future. If those people are against you, you just deport them.”

This skepticism was not unwarranted, as a handful of other Temple students received the same dreaded email telling them they no longer have a valid student visa. They were not given a reason. As revocations persist, the Office of Global Engagement continues to monitor the situation. 

Many of these students plan to travel during the summer, but legal experts are warning against international trips because of the amount of scrutiny on anything related to immigration.

“It’s not worth the risk,” said Emily Cohen, an immigration lawyer and partner at Green and Spiegel. “If you have to apply for a new F-1 visa, I’m advising my clients you need to think twice about taking that international trip.”

With so much uncertainty around this issue, traveling outside of the country could lead to administrative processing and other headaches when attempting to return. As the situation continues to unfold, Temple’s Office of Global Engagement said they will remain in contact with those affected and work with their attorneys to determine the best course of action. 

“[Trump] says he will solve all your problems instantly, and I know the people like it,” said M. “That’s why they elect him. They want big problems solved really fast. Of course it’s unreasonable, but people want change.”

The post Visa revocations cause “fear and panic” among Temple’s international students first appeared on The Temple News.

Trump administration to reinstate revoked student visas, including Temple students 25 Apr 11:18 AM (13 days ago)

Thousands of international student visas will be reinstated following recent sweeping revocations, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Carilli told a federal court in Washington, D.C. Friday that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement is developing a framework for investigating Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record terminations. In the meantime, all plaintiffs in the case and other affected students will have their visa status restored, Newsweek reported.

Several Temple students’ visa statuses were suspended from the SEVIS database in recent weeks, leading to active status terminations. One Temple student had their student visa revoked by the Secretary of State for unknown reasons leading them to self-deport, the university announced on April 2. Several more revocations, including one Temple alumnus, were reported by the university on April 14. 

“The university is closely monitoring the situation and is aware some SEVIS records have been reactivated,” a university spokesperson told The Temple News. “Given the sensitivity and personal nature of this issue, we are not providing further comment at this time.”

Around 5,000 students across the country are estimated to have had their visas revoked or legal status deleted thus far, Newsweek reported. Carilli said that while statuses are being restored, ICE maintains the authority to terminate the status of those who do not maintain their immigrant status or break any laws.

International students have been repeatedly encouraged by the university to utilize International Student and Scholar Services’ resources for support. 

The post Trump administration to reinstate revoked student visas, including Temple students first appeared on The Temple News.

Wimberly fosters community at Temple, North Central 25 Apr 10:28 AM (13 days ago)

Becoming a police officer was not something Leroy Wimberly envisioned for himself when he was a child. But when his plans to join the military fell through after high school, Wimberly took a chance on the police academy. 

That decision led him to the Temple University Police Department, where his legacy in the North Philadelphia community began to take shape.

“The opportunity came up about the ‘cop job’ and I was like, ‘No,’” Wimberly said. “But my uncle had just passed, and he was big in the police department, and he just kept talking to me to apply.”

Wimberly was named Citizen of the Week by The Philadelphia Citizen last month for his work with Philadelphia youth, which includes mentoring and recruiting students from Carver High School of Engineering and Science. He has even been dubbed the “Dad of Temple” by some students for his support and willingness to engage with them on an interpersonal level.

For Wimberly, growing up in the 1970s in Jamaica, New York was not easy, especially as a young Black man. Life in New York City was full of “hustle and bustle,” where earning money to get ahead was a normal part of everyday living. His neighborhood was rife with gangs and drugs, making it difficult to find positive influences, he said. 

Going to college was simply not in the cards for Wimberly — a life experience that differs from the students he now mentors at Temple. 

“Growing up in that era, I wanted to get my diploma and go to the military, that’s what I wanted to do,” Wimberly said, “I never had the thought process that ‘I want to go to college, or that I want to get a degree.’”

Instead, Wimberly worked hard to earn money, aligning with what he describes as his neighborhood’s popular “hustler” mentality. 

Wimberly’s life changed after welcoming his two sons with his wife, a Philadelphia native. After seeing how drugs and gangs affected his contemporaries, Wimberly knew he needed to become the man he hoped his sons would someday grow up to be, he said.

“I had my second son, and it was like, ‘Wow, I have two little people that gotta become men,” Wimberly said. “My life was my sons, trying to instill values, respect and show them what a real man is.”

Wimberly relocated to Philadelphia from New York City with his family, working at various jobs before finally enrolling in the police academy. The career shift put him in the center of North Philadelphia, putting him in contact with a diverse group of people. He worked as an undercover officer of narcotics and human trafficking at the Philadelphia Police Department for 15 years before coming to TUPD.

Wimberly has been with TUPD for the last two decades trying to be a positive role model for students and children in North Philadelphia. His work includes mentoring and recruiting North Philadelphia students to Temple from Carver High School of Engineering and Science at Norris and 16th streets by encouraging them to seek further education, which he is passionate about. 

Wimberly has also hosted “round table talks” geared toward giving teenagers an outlet — something he has been doing since his time in New York, he said.

Captain Michael Smith, deputy chief of TUPD, has collaborated with Wimberly on community outreach for the last two years. The department’s outreach initiatives include supporting local learning centers and public schools near campus through book donations, like the 3,000 donation to Tree House Books earlier this year and the 2,500 donation to Paul L. Dunbar School in February.

“He’s always out and about and wanting to get involved, whether it’s donating the books that we’ve donated or the bikes over the holidays, he loves to put smiles on young kids’ faces,” Smith said.

Wimberly’s outreach aims to create safety awareness and social connectivity in the community. In addition to donating to local schools and learning centers, he founded the Gang Resistance Education and Training program, which he’s been teaching in North Philadelphia schools since 2017.

Now, Wimberly works with Temple student athletes. He’s deeply invested in athletics and believes young Black children should be physically active, no matter the sport they choose.

Wimberly thinks it’s important that children are exposed to all types of sports, getting a chance to experience new things and discovering various interests along the way. Though never one to knock typical sports like basketball, he enjoys seeing the youth try new things, like the annual student bike ride to Atlantic City.

“I don’t ride down there on the bike. I’m in the car,” Wimberly said. “But they do it, and it’s great to see.”

Enoch McCoy, TUPD’s captain of engagement, has worked with Wimberly for the past 15 years and can attest to the mark he’s left on the department since he first joined.

”He’s had a phenomenal impact in our department from day one,” McCoy said, “His community engagement and his knowledge of the people who live and work and learn in this university community has been an asset to our department.”

But despite decades of policing at both TUPD and PPD, Wimberly, now in his mid-60s, can’t help but chuckle when he thinks about retirement.

“I can’t do that, man!” Wimberly said. “Doing this is rewarding, and to know I had a little bit of something to do with that, I don’t want to give that up, so I’m gonna keep going as long as I can.”

The post Wimberly fosters community at Temple, North Central first appeared on The Temple News.

Mitchell Morgan to serve as Temple’s 2025 Commencement speaker 25 Apr 10:08 AM (13 days ago)

Mitchell Morgan, chairman of Temple;s Board of Trustees and owner of Morgan Properties, will serve as the commencement speaker at Temple’s 2025 Commencement ceremony on May 7, the university has announced.

Morgan graduated from the Fox School of Business in 1976 and Beasley School of Law in 1980. He founded Morgan Properties, a real estate investment and management company headquartered in King of Prussia. He was also included on Forbes’ List of Billionaires earlier this year.

“I am honored to be chosen as one of this year’s honorary degree recipients, and I am excited to have the opportunity to share my experience with the Class of 2025,” Morgan said in the university announcement. “Every year, our new graduates never cease to amaze me, I know that will be the case with this year’s class, as well.”

Morgan and Tina Sloan Green, a former Temple lacrosse coach, will both receive honorary degrees at the 2025 Commencement at The Liacouras Center.

Green was awarded the 2025 NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award, the highest NCAA award given to an individual. She led the team for 18 seasons, bringing home two NCAA national championships under her helm.

The post Mitchell Morgan to serve as Temple’s 2025 Commencement speaker first appeared on The Temple News.

Commuter students, faculty brace for impact of proposed SEPTA cuts 25 Apr 9:33 AM (13 days ago)

Alex Murray recently moved from South Philadelphia to the suburb of Ardmore, Pennsylvania, with his girlfriend because she felt unsafe living in the city and wanted to live somewhere more suburban. He agreed — but only on the term that they’d move close to a regional rail line so he could commute to work at Temple.

Now, Murray’s reliable route may be cut due to SEPTA budget cuts. He wouldn’t have moved to Ardmore had he known his commute could be slashed, he said.

“I was [in the city] for about a decade, and I miss it already,” said Murray, a data verification analyst at Temple.

SEPTA is considering a 45% service cut, major fare increases, workforce reductions and 9 p.m. rail curfews, the agency announced on April 10. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s $168 million SEPTA funding plan would help avoid service cuts, but the status of that funding plan is up in the air amid a political football among state lawmakers.

Students and faculty who rely on public transportation to get to Main Campus are grappling with the proposal and some feel nervous about how it will impact them, especially financially. It raises uncertainty about how they’ll get to campus if legislators can’t agree on a budget by June 30.

SEPTA is prioritizing a plan to keep transportation available to Philadelphians, even if it means reduced service quality. The proposal aims to fill the funding gap left after SEPTA’s COVID-19 relief and a one-year reprieve from Shapiro ran out, said Andrew Busch, SEPTA’s director of media relations. Still, the agency has been warned it faces an annual budget deficit.

Busch does not have high hopes that the transportation company could restore full functionality if services are cut. Once service is suspended it becomes much more expensive to restore than if it had been maintained over time, he said.

“Unfortunately, these massive cuts are combined with a massive fare increase, and those are kind of the main elements of that death spiral, you’re providing significantly less service, less reliability, and the cost of it’s going up forever, so that we don’t want to be there,” Busch said.

The fare raise calls for a 21.5% increase, going from $2.50 to $2.90 for a one-way ride — this would tie Philly with New York City for the highest subway fares in the country.

Murray said his heart sank when he first heard the news — he doesn’t have a vehicle and would have to take an hour-long bus-train transfer or a $40 Uber if his route is terminated. He sympathizes with Philadelphia’s low-income residents and how they may also be impacted.

“If [SEPTA] is doing this for their job or for reasons that are important to them and their families, I think it really just hurts people,” Murray said. “And of course, that most vulnerable bottom half or bottom third again, gets squeezed a little harder than all the rest of us.”

Murray uses the city’s Indego bikes and his personal electric scooter to get around in the city, but acknowledges those as physical privileges that may not be as accessible for Philadelphia’s disabled population as the subway.

“Just given the other forms of mobility, those also imply that you are healthy,” Murray said. “So if you have a disability, this also just triples that kind of pain point. You can’t bike, you can’t do things that would undo this either.”

Some commuter students urge others to start respecting subway fares to help keep SEPTA in business moving forward. Anna Malanchuk, a sophomore public health major, used to jump the subway turnstiles to avoid the fares and sees why others choose to do the same.

Upon learning about the budget cuts, she now hopes the habit becomes less common so fares don’t continue to rise and routes can remain intact.

“It’s not fully reliant on the population of Philadelphia and Temple students to be paying every single time they get on the bus or the train,” Malanchuk said. “But I think that it would help a lot with the current situation.”

Busch knows how important it is for Philadelphia to have reliable transportation, especially in a densely populated area that largely contributes to the economy. He notes Philadelphia only takes up 5% of Pennsylvania’s land mass, but generates 40% of the state’s economy.

“If you don’t have a transit system getting people to where they need to go, to jobs, but also to medical appointments and everywhere else, you’re significantly impacting the ability to raise those tax dollars,” Busch said.

The post Commuter students, faculty brace for impact of proposed SEPTA cuts first appeared on The Temple News.

Two years later: Reviewing Temple’s public safety audit progress 25 Apr 8:10 AM (13 days ago)

Two years after the release of an audit conducted by 21CP Solutions on Temple’s Department of Public Safety, five of the 75 recommendations are not yet completed and another 14 are still in progress, The Temple News observed.

Twenty-one percent are marked as completed, one-time improvements and 63% of the recommendations are completed, ongoing efforts. Another 3% are still recommended and not in-progress yet.

“We’re going to leverage all our partnerships and be phenomenal public safety employees, as well as those at the university and beyond to successfully carry out [the recommendations of the audit],” said Vice President for Public Safety Jennifer Griffin after the audit was released in 2023.

Some completed recommendations vary from transparent communication for off-campus housing, enhanced safety training for students and new training-focused positions in TUPD.

Some of the incomplete recommendations include improving TUPD policy accessibility, improving collaboration between TUPD and Allied Security campus personnel and analyzing officer and department performance to determine if any of its approaches are having a disproportionate impact on certain groups.

The Department of Public Safety utilized 21CP Solutions, an assessment company for state governments and law enforcement agencies, to audit the department and recommend different policies and reformation tactics. Charles Ramsey, former police commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, is a founding partner of the group. 

Griffin regularly updates the dashboard, which is publicly refreshed with new information and plans. Griffin and TUPD use a Microsoft Excel sheet that adds links and attachments to different recommendations to ensure that each is archived for future use.

Here is an in-depth look at where things stand.

COMPLETED RECOMMENDATIONS

Since the audit’s release, a total of 56 recommendations have been implemented. 

Ten are completed in the strategy and administration category, four in the policies and procedures category, 12 in the training and development category, 11 in the collaboration and communication category, four in the technology and infrastructure category and one in the personnel category.

One completed recommendation focused on the management of on-campus protest and demonstrations and First Amendment right responses. Officers received new training in early 2025 on updated protest policies and scenario training, as well as the summer 2024 training that the entire university went through. 

“We did a tabletop last summer with all university leadership, so there were at least 40 to 50 university leaders in that,” Griffin said. “We walked through a progression of a tabletop exercise for the First Amendment and then reviewed all the university’s policies.”

Another recommendation encouraged a disciplinary matrix for fair corrective actions involving officers.

The captain of professional standards and advocacy is a new position added in the summer of 2024, which handles administrative and citizen complaints as part of addressing the fair corrective action recommendation. 

However, there are certain initiatives, like this matrix, that TUPD cannot fully implement the way that 21CP recommends. It was marked as complete due to the creation of the captain position fulfilling the recommendation as much as possible.

“Here at the university, policing falls under two types of policies: one is the department policy, the other is university policy,” Griffin said. “Within university policy, it’s called work rules. It tells us if somebody does this behavior and it violates the work rules, it’s [the university’s] discipline. We don’t have the ability within [DPS] to create our own matrix, so it’s a recommendation they gave that’s not implemental here because of the rules we fall under for the university.”

IN-PROGRESS RECOMMENDATIONS

Fourteen recommendations are still in the works. Most of the recommendations are ongoing TUPD plans, like recruitment plans and hiring policies. 

Two in-progress recommendations correspond with sexual assault responses. Temple Police does not generally lead sexual assault cases, which are typically transferred to the PPD’s Special Victims Unit. DPS is responsible for supervising university investigations into formal complaints of assault, domestic violence, stalking or exploitation. 

One of the most notable recommendations included a comprehensive staffing study, which is now underway through Healy+, a third party safety consultancy agency. The results of the study will be released this spring.

Three of the in-progress policies also include mental health response and interactions. TUPD has scheduled mental health and special needs training in their “roll call training” this summer.

“We’re still working on looking at a co-responder program here at TUDPS, but it’s a group project within the university,” Griffin said. “We’re looking at best practices, considering that we already have a lot of mental health resources here for our students, and we also implemented all of the mental health resources for faculty and staff into the TU Safe app.”

Other in-progress policies include an annual leadership retreat, which is planned for this summer to discuss progress and incorporate leadership training.

REMAINING RECOMMENDATIONS

Five recommendations still require TUPD evaluation before their implementation. 

“These are recommendations, not mandates,” Griffin said. “We’re not under any type of consent decree to do any of these things moving forward. Our engagement is that we’re moving through these on a priority list. Right now, we’re currently working on updating all of our policies and general orders, which is in the hundreds.”

A suggestion pertaining to transparency and accessibility to TUPD policies is still incomplete. The recommendation instructs the department to make its policies accessible online to the general public. DPS is only revising the policies at this point, Griffin said.

Another policy recommends that TUPD works to provide transparency on bias-related complaints and another recommends enhanced training on “cross-cultural competence,” both of which encourages TUPD to work with the Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy and Leadership department to train personnel on the effects of policing in the community and Philadelphia.

The final unimplemented recommendation in the audit encourages collaboration between TUPD and Allied Security personnel. 

Temple works with Allied Security, a Conshohocken-based company that provides private security. More than 300 of the company’s unarmed personnel conduct bicycle patrols in on-campus and off-campus areas, and staff desks at academic and administrative buildings.

“For the first time ever, DPS has a captain of the engagement unit and security operations,” Griffin said. “They’re a direct supervisor, a liaison with Allied. They meet at [minimum], monthly, but typically they’re talking almost every day on different things.”

The post Two years later: Reviewing Temple’s public safety audit progress first appeared on The Temple News.

MBB guard Gavin Griffiths transfers to Temple 25 Apr 6:53 AM (14 days ago)

Former Nebraska guard Gavin Griffiths has committed to Temple, CBS Sports reported on Friday morning. Griffiths’ decision comes just a day after former Bowling Green forward Jamai Felt also committed to the Owls.

Griffiths spent one season with the Cornhuskers after transferring in from Rutgers after the 2023-24 season. He was a former four-star recruit in the class of 2023 where he received offers from Iowa, Maryland and Michigan. The 6-foot, 7-inch wing averaged six points in 18 minutes of play per game during his freshman season with the Scarlet Knights.

His play took a dip once he transferred to Nebraska, with injuries keeping Griffiths on the sidelines. Griffiths missed summer workouts with a wrist injury before missing chunks of the season. He played just 16 games in a Nebraska uniform, averaging just two points per game in eight minutes of play.

The addition of Griffiths gives the Owls a three-point threat that they lost with the departures of guards Matteo Picarelli and Jameel Brown. Temple was second in the American Athletic Conference in three-point percentage, shooting 36.2% from beyond the arc. Griffiths is shooting 28% from deep on his career on a high volume, with 28 of his 38 shots last season being three-pointers.

Griffiths comes to the Owls with two years of eligibility remaining. Temple now has two spots filled on its roster that were vacant from transfer portal departures and will continue to add players for the 2025-26 season.

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Championship roundup: Spring seasons come to a close 25 Apr 5:00 AM (14 days ago)

A number of Temple sports teams are winding down their spring seasons as the semester draws to a close. Some of the teams have already kicked into conference tournament action, while others have a few games left before the postseason officially begins.

Here is everything you need to know about the teams that just finished their seasons or are looking to add some hardware this spring.

LACROSSE

Temple Lacrosse has struggled all season on both ends of the field. The season was expected to be a rebuild year after losing 11 players from last season’s roster and attacker Amelia Wright, one of the team’s best returning players, missed eight games due to injury.

The Owls hold a 3-12 record and have only been able to take down one American Athletic Conference opponent in Old Dominion on April 19. Midfielders Erin King and Sabrina Martin have carried the offense all season, along with a healthy Wright, but it hasn’t been enough to secure wins.  

The defense has had the most issues this season, allowing double-digit goals in every game except for the win against ODU. Temple ranks 101 out of 120 teams in the country in scoring defense, allowing 14 goals per game. The Owls’ 16-goal loss to No. 2 North Carolina on March 4 was their worst loss since 2012.  

The Owls endured a six-game losing streak at one point and currently sit at the bottom of the conference. There’s just one game remaining and they need to beat Charlotte on April 26 and Old Dominion needs to beat Vanderbilt by at least three goals for the Owls to win the tiebreaker and be one of the four teams to make it to the conference tournament. 

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Temple Women’s Tennis entered the season in its first season under new head coach Jeff Brandes with a roster of mostly freshmen, with just two returners from the previous year. 

Temple began the season just 3-8 due to an inexperienced roster but the youth of the team started to get their bearings as the year went on. The Owls received a boost from freshmen Irmak Ozurk and Nina Andreoni, who became a formidable tandem with a 9-3 record. Ozurk tied for the team leader in wins with Marianthi Christoforidou, with eight apiece.

Temple won three of its last four matches to end the regular season with a 7-12 record. They went into the AAC tournament as the 13th seed and fell to No. 4 Tulsa 4-0 in the first round on April 17.

MEN’S TENNIS

Temple Men’s Tennis was also in the midst of a culture change with Brandes taking the reins of the team. The Owls were led by Dante Russo and Maj Najvirt Kolaric, who picked up nine singles wins each on the year. The pair also won seven doubles matches together, the most on the team.

Temple won just seven games last season, but was able to have a bounce back year in 2025. The Owls rattled off 11 wins and went 7-2 in their last nine games to head into the AAC tournament as the No. 10 seed.

However, the season came to a close after just one match against No. 7 seed Charlotte on April 17. The Owls picked up two doubles victories, but came away with just one singles win in their 4-1 loss to the 49ers.

GOLF

Temple Golf had its fair share of ups and downs during its 2025 spring season. The Owls struggled to start the season, failing to finish in the top half of their first three meets. However, they soared to their peak at the ECU Intercollegiate at Brook Valley from March 17-18. 

Temple finished the event fourth out of 16 teams and got top-10 finishes from Jake Naese and Aiden Emmerich on the second day of the event to help catapult it up the standings. However, the Owls could not build on that success and turned in finishes of seventh out of 14 and 10th out of 14 in their final two matches before the AAC Championship. 

The Owls struggled again at the AAC Championship and finished 17 strokes over par to place last by 10 strokes. Emmerich was the only Owl to finish the three day event with a score under par as he finished at -1. 

The Owls were led by Emmerich, Naese, Ethan Whitney and Joey Morganti all season. The group was the most consistent golfers on the team, but the lack of other players stepping up made it difficult to finish near the top of most events. Only Emmerich is slated to return next year, meaning younger players will have to step into a bigger role next season. 

CREW

Temple Crew went into the season looking to carry the momentum from a third-placed overall finish at the Dad Vail Regatta in 2024. The ending pushed the Owls out of a chance at a spot in the IRA National Championship, which was the goal from the beginning of the season.

They started the season as No. 24 in the country before jumping to No. 18 later on. Temple picked up eight wins at the Schuylkill Invitational on April 12 and earned five first-place finishes with its varsity boats, with the first varsity boat winning both of its races.

Temple picked up its biggest win of the season by claiming the Quinn Cup after defeating No. 18 Holy Cross and No. 24 Marist on April 19. Both of the Owls’ first two varsity boats came in second place, both finishing after No. 12 Boston University.

Temple will now have one race remaining until another go around at the Dad Vail Regatta from May 9-10. A first-place finish guarantees Temple a trip to West Windsor, New Jersey IRA’s, which are held on May 30.

ROWING

Temple Rowing opened its season with the Doc Hosea Invitational on March 29 and had its four boats all put on solid performances. The Second Varsity 8 boat had the best outing with a third place finish. The Owls struggled in their next meet against Delaware on April 6, failing to place first in any of the five heats. 

Temple bounced back and earned bronze from its Novice 8+ boat in the Knecht Cup. The Owls continued their momentum in split-squad races against Old Dominion and the Kerr Cup. Temple’s Varsity 8 and 2nd Varsity 8 collected first-place finishes against ODU, while its Novice/Frosh 8 boat took home the Kerr Cup, beating out Maryland and Drexel. 

Temple has two more regattas left until the Dad Vail Regatta, which will take place from May 9-10. Due to the AAC folding in rowing there will be no conference championships. The Owls join the Mid-American Conference next season which will hold its first conference Championship in May 2026.

TRACK AND FIELD

Temple Track and Field entered this spring season after suffering a last-place finish in the AAC Indoor Championship. They looked to flip the script and raised expectations after two Owls won their event and three recorded personal bests at the Penn Challenge on March 22. 

Temple continued its momentum and took home 15 top-10 finishes at the Sam Howell Invitational on April 4. Nye Browne has been a standout this season and broke the program’s 37-year-old record in the 100 meters hurdles at the South Florida Invitational on April 12.  

The Owls will compete at the Penn Relays on April 24-26 and the Larry Ellis Meet on May 2 and 3 before traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina for the AAC Outdoor Championships on May 15-17.

The post Championship roundup: Spring seasons come to a close first appeared on The Temple News.

How SEPTA fare hikes, service cuts may impact Temple 24 Apr 1:54 PM (14 days ago)

Updated April 25 at 5:08 p.m. EST.

After SEPTA introduced major fare hikes and service cuts in its 2026 budget plan due to a significant financial shortage, Temple students and other members of the university community may be forced to make changes to their normal commute plan.

SEPTA’s 2026 budget plan includes a 21.5% average fare increase, a 45% reduction in service and a 9 p.m. curfew for service if additional state funding is not secured, SEPTA announced in its proposed operating budget on April 10. If Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed $168 million in supplemental state funding is approved by the General Assembly by June 30, the budget plan can be avoided.

The proposed reductions include the elimination of 56 bus routes, the shortening of 16 others, and a curfew of 9 p.m. for regional rail services. Additionally, 88 routes will face reduced service, and all special services such as those for sport events and concerts might be eliminated. 

Routes that run through Temple’s campus, like bus lines 3, 4, 16, and 23 are among those facing reduced services. The Temple University Regional Rail Station would also be affected by the early curfew. With night classes often ending around 8 p.m., many students would have a limited window to catch the last train home. 

Potential cuts could further disrupt campus well-being beyond students and faculty getting to class on time, said Titania Markland, the Clean Air Council’s Sustainable Transportation Program Manager. 

“We want well-rounded students who are gonna be leaders for the future,” Markland said. “That means not just going to class and campus. We want students to understand the city, be able to connect with different people, and [SEPTA] is a key path to help students get there.”

Approximately 86% of Temple’s community commutes to campus, according to a 2022-23 Sustainability Culture Survey conducted by the Office of Sustainability. While more than 7,500 students live on or near campus, they represent only 25% of the total student body.

SEPTA has been relying on federal COVID-19 relief funds in recent years but is now out of options, said Andrew Busch, director of media relations for SEPTA. Shapiro granted SEPTA a one-year reprieve last year, but without new, consistent funding, Busch warns it is heading into what he called a “transit death spiral.” 

“Without [funding], we will unfortunately have these massive cuts combined with a massive fare increase,” Busch said. “You’re providing significantly less service, it’s less reliable, and the cost is just going to go up forever.” 

Coalitions like Philadelphia’s Clean Air Council have previously advocated for Temple to adopt the SEPTA Key Advantage UPass Program. The program, launched in 2023, can provide students with a monthly transit pass, valid on all SEPTA services, at a discounted rate. 

Programs like Key Advantage would not only help Temple meet its sustainability goals, but would also increase ridership and create further incentive for increased government funding, Markland said.

“Let’s say Temple implements the program: everyone will start taking public transit, the carbon footprint for Temple based on how people commute goes down, and it will also benefit public transit [ridership and upkeep],” Markland said. “If this is one less cost for students, then they’re better able to come to school, learn and explore the city because they have this one thing.” 

Last year, Temple’s chapter of Student Activists Against Sexual Assault helped secure $200,000 in free Uber rides for Temple students navigating unsafe situations if unable to use other transportation. 

The program successfully aided students by providing accessible and affordable transport, said SAASA President Ray Epstein. However, she feels that such measures should be supplemental rather than depended on. 

“The Uber rides were great at alleviating the financial burden of safe transportation, but what’s happening with SEPTA now is going to be increasing it,” Epstein said. “Especially when we’re a commuter campus in Center City, it’s going to be problematic, and won’t help increase the student retention that Pennsylvania has been looking to see.”

Currently, Temple only participates in the SEPTA Semester Pass Program, offering a 10% discount on transit fares for students who opt in. About 50% of students surveyed in the 2022-23 Sustainability Report indicated they would use public transit more if a pass were included in their tuition, and 35% would if fares were generally more manageable. 

Beyond campus concerns, SEPTA estimated the proposed cuts could affect Philadelphia as a whole.

The city could see a $19.9 billion drop in regional property values, the loss of 76,700 jobs, and $267 million in social costs like reduced safety, higher emissions and increased vehicle ownership if SEPTA’s proposed cuts come to fruition, the agency said. 

SEPTA hiring freezes would also go into effect, particularly for bus operators — a critical entry-level position that feeds other positions within the agency, Busch said.

SEPTA usage dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has since recovered to about 72% of pre-COVID ridership as of January 2025. Busch warned that progress made in restoring ridership post-pandemic could unravel quickly under the proposed changes and eventually affect the implementation of future Key Advantage programs, which make SEPTA more affordable. 

The Clean Air Council is organizing rallies and encouraging students to advocate for transit funding and the adoption of Key Advantage. Busch also emphasized the importance of public engagement ahead of SEPTA’s upcoming public hearings scheduled for May 19 and 20. 

“We’re not done with this,” Busch said. “We are optimistic that something can get done in Harrisburg, so stay tuned to the latest developments. Participate in public hearings, and we hope that by the summer, we’re talking about a much better resolution.” 

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misstated Titania Markland’s title. It has since been corrected.

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MBB Forward Jamai Felt commits to Temple 24 Apr 7:31 AM (14 days ago)

Former Bowling Green forward Jamai Felt has committed to Temple, the school announced on social media Thursday morning. Felt now reunites with former Falcons head coach Michael Huger, who is now the Owls’ associate head coach. 

Felt committed to the Falcons before the 2022-23 season, but never laced up the boots until the 2024-25 campaign after tearing his ACL in back-to-back years. He played sparingly in nonconference play, but took a step up in production when the conference slate hit. The 6-foot, 10-inch forward averaged six points and six rebounds per game in his lone season at Bowling Green.

Felt gives the Owls a frontcourt presence that needed to be filled with forward Steve Settle graduating. Felt led the Mid-American Conference in blocks with 46 and was named to the MAC All-Freshman team for his efforts.

Felt comes to Temple with two years of eligibility and is expected to be slotted in the frontcourt with forward Babatunde Durodola. Temple has now filled one spot on the 2025 roster after losing 10 players due to graduation are the transfer portal. 

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Gevani McCoy transfers to Temple 24 Apr 7:06 AM (14 days ago)

Former Idaho and Oregon State quarterback Gevani McCoy is transferring to Temple, OwlScoop.com first reported Wednesday afternoon. 

McCoy joins the Owls with four years of collegiate experience, starting the last three seasons. He spent the first three years of his career at Idaho and was the primary quarterback in 2022 and 2023. McCoy’s most successful season came in 2022 when he threw for 27 touchdowns to just seven interceptions and won the Jerry Rice Award for the best freshman in the FCS. 

He followed that season up by throwing for 2,919 yards, 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2023. McCoy decided to enter the transfer portal after the 2023 season and committed to Oregon State. 

McCoy struggled in his lone season with the Beavers, starting in nine games but throwing for just three touchdowns and six interceptions. He did find success running the ball, collecting 328 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. 

McCoy entered the transfer portal again in the winter window and initially committed to Texas State. However, he re-entered the portal when the spring window opened and wound up with the Owls. 

Head coach K.C. Keeler was adamant during spring practice that he was going to add another quarterback to compete with Evan Simon. McCoy will be another option for Keeler and offensive coordinator Tyler Walker as the beginning of the season approaches.

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Owls’ third-quarter push isn’t enough in loss to Dragons 23 Apr 2:22 PM (15 days ago)

Temple seemed down and out at the midway point of the third quarter in its game against No. 22 Drexel Wednesday. The Dragons held a seven-goal lead after scoring nine unanswered goals in the first two quarters. However, the Owls fought back in a desperate attempt to close the gap.

Temple found the back of the net four straight times to head into the final quarter trailing by just three. Drexel scored again, but the Owls countered with back-to-back goals in quick succession to make it a two-goal game. But they were never able to get any closer and the Dragons went on a surge to put the comeback hopes to rest.

Temple’s (3-12, 1-4 American Athletic Conference) comeback was thwarted against Drexel (12-3, 6-0 Coastal Athletic Association) in a 17-13 loss Wednesday afternoon at Vidas Field. Temple has now tied the most losses in program history, matching the mark set in 2009.

“The first quarter we got a little shell-shocked by the timing of how we had to slide defensively and some of the pressures offensively,” said head coach Bonnie Rosen. “When we went into halftime, we had a very clear plan and I think the team took control of the game and weren’t just looking to the coaches to problem solve.” 

Temple midfielder Erin King put the Owls on the board first to break five minutes of empty offensive possessions from both teams. Temple’s lead was quickly erased as Drexel midfielder Caroline Senich knotted up the game a minute later. 

Senich’s goal opened the floodgates for the Dragons, whose offense began firing on all cylinders. Attackers Bea Buckley and Allison Drake got the better of Grollman with back-to-back goals in less than a minute to take a 3-1 lead.

Temple was unable to answer Drexel’s high-powered offense as it continued to pull away. Buckley, Drake and attacker Bridget Finley netted one goal each in a two-minute span to close the first quarter with a 6-1 lead.

The Dragons’ momentum carried into the second quarter as Finley grabbed her second goal of the afternoon. Midfielder Kate Quinn joined the party 52 seconds later to push Drexel’s lead to 8-1. Drake tacked on another goal to mark Drexel’s ninth unanswered goal. 

Temple found a pulse when attacker Laura Conner beat Drexel goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco with less than five minutes left in the second quarter. Attacker Amelia Wright followed it up with a goal of her own to bring the Owls’ deficit to 9-3. However, the momentum was short-lived as Buckley put home a buzzer-beating goal to give Drexel a 10-3 lead heading into halftime.

The Owls were desperate to find a spark coming out of the locker room and King relieved some worries as she scored 30 seconds into the second half. However, Drake quickly halted Temple’s hopes by burying another shot to bring it back to a seven-goal game.

Owls’ attacker Cathleen Moran seemingly found a groove to pull them back in the game as she found the back of the net. The newfound energy rubbed off on her teammates as Conner added back-to-back goals and midfielder Sabrina Martin scored to make it an 11-8 game to end the third quarter.

“It was a lot of getting used to the slides and what was happening in the speed of their plays,” said defender Madison Moten. “We fixed what we needed to in the second and took it into the third and fourth.”

Dragons’ midfielder Mary Claire Heubeck ended Temple’s 4-0 run with a goal less than a minute into the final quarter. The Owls refused to go away as King and midfielder Sarah Gowman added a goal each to bring them within two with 11 minutes left to play. 

Drexel didn’t let the Owls’ hopes get too high as its offense sped back up. Senich, Kate Quinn and midfielder Teagan Quinn all beat Grollman to push the Dragons’ lead back to 15-10.

Temple was still not ready to wave the white flag and Conner made that evident. She netted her fourth goal of the game, which marks a career-high for the sophomore who had never scored more than once in a game. Wright did her best to continue the Owls’ strong offense and got another shot past Cuocco to bring it back to a three-goal game. 

Drake didn’t take any chances and added two more goals to put the nail in the Owls’ coffin with a minute left. Wright made one last effort and notched her hat trick with 16 seconds remaining but it wasn’t enough to put the game in the win column. 

“We did a lot of subbing with fresh legs so we just gave 110% out there,” Conner said. “So putting it all on the line and I think everyone was determined to make this game closer and closer.”

Temple will conclude its season against Charlotte (6-9, 1-4 AAC) at Howarth Field on April 26 at noon.

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April 23: 2024-25 Season Finale 23 Apr 9:59 AM (15 days ago)

It is the final episode of The Playbook of the year, and freelancer Austin Boynes joins the sports editors in a trivia game! Dillon Battie commits to Wichita State to become the 3rd men’s basketball player to transfer out of Temple. As the Portal closes, the sports editors talk about what the future of Temple basketball looks like. All this and more on this week’s episode of The Playbook with Ryan Mack, Colin Schofield, Sienna Conaghan, and Austin Boynes.

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I don’t want to date anymore 22 Apr 11:04 AM (16 days ago)

I was scared of dating apps throughout my late teens and early 20s. I didn’t want to meet people I knew nothing about, especially when I felt their profile reflected a fabricated version of them. I had a highly singular view of how these apps worked; amidst never-ending profiles, I felt like the only real person. 

I rejoined the dating apps in 2022 after my last relationship ended, and I was an active app user for the next three years. I approached the apps with a “nothing serious” mindset that seemed cyclical, switching between satisfying and exciting to disappointment. 

I was meeting people from dating apps or at bars, and it would often be great momentarily. But in every situation, I quickly started to feel like the people I met didn’t view me as a person, let alone someone with complex emotions and thoughts. I was there to fill a void, but it didn’t matter to them who was acting as a placeholder. 

In modern dating culture with the big dating apps, people are given a threatening combination of instant gratification and never-ending options. We’re trying to forge a genuine human connection with the interference of data, statistics and algorithms. We’re set up to fail.

I can move on at a moment’s notice because I have so many options right on my phone. People aren’t working on their flaws anymore because they know they can easily find someone willing to accept their problematic behavior, myself included. Instead of working out my anxious attachment with someone I like who is slow at responding, I swipe until I find someone who responds at a pace I’m comfortable with. 

Sometimes, my standards may be too high. But when I write it all out, my list contains pretty basic criteria: “Do they ask me questions about myself?” and “Do they have friends they care about?” 

I find that more often than not, the answers are no, and the people I meet online fail to meet what I want in a relationship. My standards aren’t too high, but wading through infinite options to find what I want is time-consuming and unrealistic.  

However, meeting someone in real life typically isn’t much different. People don’t seem to care about the consequences of their actions because of the shift in dating culture. Dating apps take away individuality and humanity and condition people to view those they want to date as numbers. 

Even if I meet someone in real life, they don’t feel real. Communication immediately becomes digital, and people expect to have unlimited access to every detail because that’s the new standard. 

Dating apps have amplified our importance in other people’s lives by encouraging constant contact. They also take away access to anyone else who may be interested in the person you’re talking to. While one party gets emotionally attached, the other doesn’t even have their phone number saved. Maintaining a roster is a part-time job, and I already have three actual jobs.

I have found that dating apps allow people to create a person in their mind that doesn’t exist. Getting to know someone digitally makes it harder to learn their mannerisms and the cadence of their voice. They can’t live up to a manufactured expectation and will inevitably disappoint. 

Dating apps are also problematic in a heteronormative sense; men approach me as an object instead of a person. I often wonder when we decided it was okay to talk to people how we do on dating apps; saying “hello” is a dead art. 

It’s easy to see how many people are playing a numbers game on the apps. I receive multiple questions that are already answered in my profile, and it feels like my match isn’t willing to take just a few seconds to learn the basics about me. None of the conversations I have on apps feel original and often seem to follow a template that constantly has me repeating the same answers.

Being on these apps when you’re sapphic means navigating a tangled web of ethically non-monogamous people who are already partnered or couples who want to fetishize my sexuality. I haven’t been on a real date in more than six months because the options available leave me exhausted and aren’t appealing to me. 

Dating feels like a rapid-fire game of proving that you’re the most interesting and easiest option in a continuous competition that I’m no longer interested in. 

I’ve stopped using dating apps because I don’t think it’s realistic to find genuine connections on them. I know it works for some people, but it feels like the vast majority of users are stuck in a series of dopamine hits followed by rejection. 

I don’t choose to stay single because I’m bitter that the apps aren’t working. Realistically, I could find someone on the apps within a week who would be willing to date me as long as I’m amenable to accepting their problematic behaviors. I could settle for something less or choose peacefulness by staying off the apps. 

I think society should move away from dating apps as a whole and get back to meeting people at events like sports leagues, book clubs, concerts or even in-person matchmaking events. I won’t be returning to dating apps. I want to unlearn the behaviors I’ve internalized through these apps. I want to stop viewing people as data and start treating people like humans again. 

The post I don’t want to date anymore first appeared on The Temple News.

How social media ruined my personal style 22 Apr 10:35 AM (16 days ago)

Like many women who grew up during the social media renaissance, I spent much of my formative years browsing through Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Tumblr looking for style inspiration.

I spent many afternoons watching YouTuber Emma Chamberlain and often added the clothes she wore to my online checkout cart without buying them. I started a fashion board on Pinterest that quickly grew to have thousands of pins, making it impossible to even look through.

Developing a unique wardrobe usually consists of slowly acquiring quality pieces over a long period of time. This was the opposite of what I was doing. I bought clothes blindly and impulsively, as if I needed to immediately acquire more items to complete my ideal wardrobe. The items from these fast-fashion retailers were cheaply produced and sold, made to be bought in bulk but worn minimally.

From the time I began to understand fashion and my individual taste as an adolescent, I was bombarded with the fast-moving trends of the 2010s that dictated what I should wear and when. 

This determined the inevitable death of my personal style before it could even begin. 

These trends came with witty labels, like the “Art Hoe” aesthetic or the “Tumblr Girl” look. This made them more appealing to tweens and teens like me who had not yet developed their own tastes. Instead of learning to experiment with clothes like previous generations, social media could dictate our styles for us. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a resurgence of bored teens on the internet caused these trends to expand exponentially. I was drawn to the labeled “aesthetics” that were advertised on social media because of the sense of identity they provided me.

When I wore a long, flowing skirt, friends and strangers would call me “so cottagecore.” If I chose a lace blouse with Mary Janes, suddenly I was “coquette.” These labels allowed me to temporarily adopt an identity through my clothes, like trying on different personalities for the day to see what fit. 

I drew my style inspiration from these online platforms, and when I found desirable items or outfits, I immediately bought them from the fast-fashion sites that advertised them. However, I was never completely satisfied after the package arrived. Copying the outfits I saw on Instagram or TikTok never felt authentic because I was just duplicating other people’s styles instead of developing my own. 

After I deleted social media apps, I realized how much influence they had over what I wore. Suddenly, my high-rise Levi’s were just jeans, and my patterned sweaters from Urban Outfitters sat in my closet untouched for months at a time. The clothes I wore may have been my size, but they didn’t fit me at all. 

Deconstructing the labels I had branded myself with for years was not an easy task. Instead of accumulating more clothes because of my revelation, I began to donate everything in my closet that I wasn’t consistently reaching for: the ill-fitting pants, the cheap throwaway tops and the lace skirt I bought for a concert and hadn’t worn since. 

These items held no sentimental or monetary value because they weren’t representative of any expression of myself. They were an amalgamation of every “aesthetic” Instagram post I had seen, copied and pasted into my wardrobe. 

I started cultivating my own wardrobe from scratch, with a few exceptions. I went outside rather than going to socials for inspiration. I watched what real people wore every day. I watched movies from the 1960s and 1990s. If I came across a photo book at a thrift store, I would sift through the pages, taking note of the vintage silhouettes and fashions that women have worn for generations.

Inspiration came to me in the most sporadic ways. In my senior year of high school, I remember reading “The White Album” by Joan Didion. In one of her essays, she describes a packing list of necessities that she followed for years. It is a simplistic list that includes a few pieces of clothing and essentials, like “two skirts,” “two pullover sweaters” and “stockings.”

All of the pieces Didion chose to pack go together. The list’s precise nature is what makes it both cohesive and classy. Her timeless fashion and minimalism helped me realize that the method of mass consumption I was following was not the key to a good wardrobe — practicality, charm and simplicity were.    

Eventually, I found pieces that felt like me, instead of the carefully constructed facade I had sought to build for the public eye. Shopping secondhand greatly assisted me in this matter; I wanted clothes with personality and charm that matched my own — clothes that emanated history and vintage flair. 

Unlike clothes from fast-fashion empires, my five-dollar olive green midi skirt from Goodwill proved to be a chic and long-lasting wardrobe staple that will last many years beyond the trend-hopping, mass-production goods of today’s fashion market. 

Developing my style amid a social media-dominated world felt almost impossible at times, but finding quality pieces that felt true to myself was essential for my self-expression as I reached the precipice of adulthood. 

The post How social media ruined my personal style first appeared on The Temple News.

Owls still have long way to go after spring game 22 Apr 6:45 AM (17 days ago)

On the first play of Temple’s Cherry and White spring game on April 12, quarterback Evan Simon used his legs to dart for 33 yards on a read option. The play gave fans their first look at the Owls in game action since head coach K.C. Keeler was hired on Dec. 1, 2024.

However, the Owls’ offense didn’t do much else after the first play of the game, and each drive fizzled out before it was able to get going. The result wasn’t surprising — both the offense and defense got the best of each other at times during the Owls’ 14 spring practices. On Saturday, it was the defense that walked out on top.

Temple’s defense stuffed the offense at the goal line on two separate occasions and even came away with two interceptions. But take that performance with a grain of salt, as the outing is a mere exhibition between the squads and may not give a real indication of how the team will look come August.

“That was not indicative of the spring at all,” Simon said. “It was back and forth all spring. It’s good to see, iron sharpens iron is the saying. It was also good to see that out of them. We’re just making each other better day in, day out.” 

While the spring game gives fans a chance to look at the team for the first time since the end of last season, it’s also important to remember all the upcoming changes that will still impact the team. Both sides have also been practicing and playing against each other for the last month and are still adjusting to different schemes being installed.

One of the biggest takeaways from the game was the lack of offensive firepower once the offense got within the 20-yard line. The unit put up 391 yards on the afternoon, but was unable to punch the ball into the endzone until the final drive of the game. Simon found tight end Peter Clarke, who scampered into the endzone to close the day.

Despite the way the game ended, the performance was less than ideal for the offensive side of the ball, but there’s no reason to sound the alarm. The team is still working out the kinks in new offensive coordinator Tyler Walker’s scheme and learning curves are expected. The Owls dealt with numerous drops from their receiving core and mistakes on motions set them back even further.

“A lot of stuff we ran today was those early installs we got during the spring,” Simon said. “Obviously, there were a couple twists in there, a couple double moves, stuff like that. We showed a good bit, but we’re not too worried. We just went out there and played ball and had fun.”

The same hurdles apply to the defensive side of the football, which is entering its first season under coordinator Brian Smith. The group has been one of the most impressive parts of the team during the spring, especially the linebackers and defensive line.

The front seven spent the first month of practice getting to the quarterback and running back in a hurry. The most notable have been linebackers Tyrese Whitaker, Ty Davis and defensive tackle Sekou Kromah. Linebacker Curly Ordonez also impressed with a team-high eight tackles on Saturday.

“You saw the offense made some plays and then the defense did a great job, well enough,” Keeler said. “I think our defensive line is really good, they’re very physical. That is definitely the strength of this team. There are times I thought [running back Jay Ducker] ran really hard, but we need to get the extensions that on foot, that yard, that yard and a half.”

Ducker and Joquez Smith are the only two running backs who are healthy at the moment. The Owls still have last season’s leading rusher in Terrez Worthy, but he missed all of spring camp with a wrist injury. Freshman De’Carlos Young, who joined the team early, was also unavailable due to injury. With the pair out, it’s harder to judge a position that hasn’t displayed its full potential. 

“I always think just every practice we’ll get 1% better,” Ducker said. “It’s just having a mindset of what I want to get better this day. It’s like, you really focus on one thing at a time, and every day you get better, then you can eventually take a game where you want to be.”

The season is still five months away and there are kinks the team wants to work out before the first game kicks off. The second transfer portal window opened on April 16 and players who are currently on the team will likely be playing elsewhere by the end of the month. 

Temple will also add new players to the roster during the second portal period, Keeler said. He has been blunt about his desire to bring in another quarterback to compete with Simon as well as bulking up the cornerback room, which is the least experienced of the bunch. 

There’s a high chance that the Owls will look different from than they did this spring, come August. The team is still learning the ropes,  so hold off on setting expectations.

“We’re going to recruit a quarterback out of the portal,” Keeler said. “There’s a couple of spots that we will have to [recruit] just numbers-wise. Same thing with the offensive line. Same thing at the safety position. So just a couple of positions, you just need more manpower. There’s a good new business here. I think they like each other, they work hard to compete.”

The post Owls still have long way to go after spring game first appeared on The Temple News.

Tariffs may raise Temple students’ cost of living, limit job prospects 21 Apr 9:49 AM (17 days ago)

President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariff announcements could have immediate and long-lasting effects on Temple students, particularly in the form of managing higher living costs alongside tighter job prospects, according to economics and policy experts at the university. 

Tariffs are taxes imposed by a government on imported goods, designed to encourage consumers to buy domestic products. The added fees often result in higher prices for items many students rely on, like groceries and clothing.  

Trump’s initial plan, announced on April 2, introduced a 10% tariff on all imported goods, alongside steeper individualized tariffs for 86 other countries. The administration then paused most country-specific tariffs on April 9. At the same time, tariffs on Chinese imports were escalated to 125%, effective immediately. 

“The issue is business leaders don’t know what to do because [the administration] could reverse everything in the next minute,” said economics professor Joshua Mask. “The longer that uncertainty goes on, the more fragile our economy becomes. Who is the hardest hit by that? It’s going to be students. We need a good booming economy for them to have lots of opportunities.” 

Seventy-three percent of Temple students experience at least one form of basic needs insecurity, like difficulty affording food, housing, transportation, healthcare or internet access, according to the 2023-24 Basic Needs Survey conducted by Temple’s Hope Center. In the same survey, 41% of students reported experiencing food insecurity specifically. 

Many imported goods like seafood, tropical fruits, food oils, coffee and alcohol are especially vulnerable to price hikes. As existing inventories deplete, prices are expected to see a gradual rise. Local farmers markets who produce food domestically and secondhand thrift shopping could see a surge as more affordable alternatives for goods as a result, Mask said. 

The Trump administration exempted smartphones, computers and other consumer technology from China’s steep reciprocal tariffs on April 12, while stating one of the administration’s goals is to create domestic tech manufacturing projects. For students considering upgrading their tech, Mask advised doing so before November, during retail season where prices traditionally spike and tariff effects could deepen. 

Even if devices are assembled domestically as the administration hopes, most components still come from overseas, Mask said. 

“If there is a goal to create more jobs by bringing manufacturing back, companies aren’t going to dedicate decade-long projects when they know the administration is going to change,” Mask said. “It’s also kind of a question whether the new generation would even want manufacturing jobs back in that case. They’ve adapted to a new world, and we’d be asking them to adapt back.”

Graduating students may also face indirect consequences of tariffs beyond needs affordability, particularly in the job market. As companies face rising costs for imported goods and materials, they may scale back hiring, delay expansion or pass costs onto their employees. This could translate into fewer internship opportunities and more limited entry-level jobs for recent graduates. 

Though the latest labor report shows job growth remains steady, hiring is slowing and making this year’s grads particularly vulnerable, Mask said. He noted that job market conditions are always shifting, pointing to recovery patterns during the pandemic, where graduating students in 2021 entered one of the strongest job markets. 

“It’s all about timing, and also understanding that [the state of the hiring market] is not permanent,” Mask said.   

The threat of federal aid cuts adds to students’ financial challenges. While the COVID-19 pandemic brought stimulus checks and other relief programs, Bryce McKibben, senior director of policy and advocacy at the Hope Center, warned that new congressional proposals could shrink key safety nets such as Medicaid, SNAP benefits and student loan assistance. 

“What the Hope Center is doing right now is fighting to protect these programs,” McKibben said. “We’d love to look ahead and push for new ideas to reduce costs, but right now, we’re just trying to stop things from getting worse.” 

Temple President John Fry cited rising tariffs and potential federal aid cuts as major university budgetary concerns in an email to all staff and faculty on April 11. University departments will undergo spending evaluations, including restrictions on discretionary purchases, limit nonessential staff travel and collaborate with vendors to reduce costs, Fry wrote. 

“The overall impact of federal funding changes, tariffs and other actions is still unknown,” Fry wrote. “Therefore we must take an even more cautious approach moving forward.”

As students and their surrounding community face economic uncertainty, McKibben emphasized the importance of student advocacy. 

“What Congress is pursuing right now could be very deeply harmful to students and families and people already struggling to afford higher education to support themselves,” McKibben said. “People should believe in their own power to make a difference, especially right now. Reach out to our state officials and describe what it’s like to be a student right now.” 

The post Tariffs may raise Temple students’ cost of living, limit job prospects first appeared on The Temple News.

Four Temple students assaulted by “unsupervised” minors on campus, arrests made 20 Apr 6:48 AM (19 days ago)

Updated: April 21, 2025 at 4:33 p.m. EST

Four Temple students were assaulted on campus by a group of minors who gathered at Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue Saturday and Sunday nights, wrote Vice President for Public Safety Jennifer Griffin and Vice President for Student Affairs Jodi Bailey Accavallo in a message to the Temple community. 

Two students who were assaulted on Saturday required medical attention to evaluate their injuries and another was pushed to the ground but did not need any assistance, according to the email. The student assaulted Sunday was pushed to the ground and robbed but not seriously injured, wrote President John Fry in an email to the university community Monday afternoon.

One reported assault on Saturday occurred near Temple Towers on North 12th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, and the other incident occurred at North 12th and Montgomery Streets.

“Incidents like tonight’s are unacceptable,” Griffin and Accavallo wrote. “While we had no advance warning of tonight’s gathering, TUDPS has been in regular contact with PPD regarding planned and unannounced juvenile gatherings.”

Fry is meeting with Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel Monday evening about the assaults, Fry wrote.

“We are grateful that their injuries were not more serious, but we are fully aware of the trauma and anxiety these acts have caused,” Fry wrote. “We encourage any student who needs assistance to contact our Division of Student Affairs or Tuttleman Counseling Services.” 

Children and teenagers often gather in large groups around Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, and many of  them had no K-12 school this week for the Philadelphia School District’s spring break, Griffin and Accavallo wrote.

A TUalert was sent out around 8:35 p.m. Saturday that notified students and the community of a large gathering at Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue. A second TUalert stating the area was all clear was sent at 10:30 p.m.

Arrests were made throughout the evening as the crowd became disorderly, Griffin and Accavallo wrote. Seven more arrests were made on Sunday, Fry wrote.

The Philadelphia Police Department is leading the investigation, with TUDPS providing assistance. 

“Our Department of Public Safety is thoroughly investigating these incidents, along with PPD investigators, using video from university, city and SEPTA cameras,” Fry wrote. “We are also using social media in an attempt to identify these individuals. We are working tirelessly to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.”  

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Temple beats Old Dominion to snap six-game skid 19 Apr 11:50 AM (19 days ago)

Heading into the fourth quarter of its game against Old Dominion, Temple held a six-goal lead and was looking to land the knockout blow. The Owls scored 11 goals in the first 45 minutes of action and looked to maintain the upper hand to close out the game.

Instead, it was the Monarch who started to mount a comeback effort. They put home four goals in the final 15 minutes, including three straight in quick succession to cut the lead to four. However, Temple never allowed another goal for the final three minutes of the game. The Owls clamped down on defense and were able to snap their six-game losing streak.

Temple (3-11, 1-4 American Athletic Conference) defeated Old Dominion (8-8, 1-4 AAC) 13-9 at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex in Norfolk, Virginia Saturday. The win was the Owls’ first against a conference opponent since they defeated Cincinnati 13-9 on April 13, 2024.

KEY MOMENTS

• Temple midfielder Sabrina Martin needed just 43 seconds to get the scoring going, beating Monarch net minder Brynn Bowen for the opening goal. Temple midfielder Sarah Gowman quickly doubled the lead as she took advantage of the free position chance two minutes later.
• Temple’s offense continued to roll with a goal by midfielder Erin King to stretch the lead to three. Attacker Amelia Wright followed suit a minute later to add on to the Owls’ advantage.
• Defender Cassidy Brown and midfielder Emily Liberio joined the first quarter offensive barrage with a goal each as ODU’s defense couldn’t find an answer.
• The Monarchs finally got on the board in the late stages of the first quarter as midfielder Sylvia Mayo was the first to beat Owl keeper Taylor Grollman to make it a 6-1 game heading into the second quarter.
• King found the back of the net four minutes into the second quarter as the Owls’ offense picked up right where they left off to put them back up by six. The Owls wasted no time adding another goal as midfielder Kaitlyn Stankavage made the lead 8-1.
• ODU goalkeeper Hannah Shaddock replaced Bowen following Stankavage’s goal at the nine-minute mark of the second quarter and didn’t allow a goal for the remainder of the half.
• Monarch attacker Sydney Taylor took advantage of the Owls going cold and found the back of the net with nine seconds left in the half to put the score at 8-2. 
• The Owls’ offense maintained its momentum in the early stages of the second half as Stankavage got the best of Shaddock just three minutes in. 
• The Monarchs’ attacker Ella Bowen scored a rebuttal goal, but the Owls’ midfielder Lily Caravela had a counter-attack of her own to make the score 10-3 just 55 seconds later.
• Midfielder Sarah Murrell beat Grollman off of the free position opportunity to try and spark a comeback for the Monarchs. But Wright notched her second goal of the afternoon late in the third quarter as Temple continued to hold off ODU.
• Mayo scored her second goal of the game to send the Monarchs into the final quarter down 11-5.
• Wright achieved her hat trick a minute into the fourth quarter off a free position opportunity to try to seal the deal early for the Owls. Murrell responded to get the Monarchs back on the board to make it a six-goal game.
• ODU’s comeback attempt was stalled as Gowman found the back of the net for the second time on the afternoon to make it a 13-6 game. Murrell continued her efforts and got her hat trick to try to get the momentum going for the Monarchs.
• Midfielder Annalynn Pompetti pulled the game to within five for the Monarchs with five minutes remaining in the game. Murrell continued her strong afternoon as she found the back of the net for the fourth time, but ODU wasn’t able to find the back of the net again.

THE NUMBERS

• The Owls’ offense executed a well-rounded attack with eight different scorers.
• Temple showed out, racking up 30 shots with 24 of them reaching the Monarchs’ net minders. 
• Grollman finished the day with 10 saves, her first outing with double-digit saves since the Owls’ matchup against Rutgers on March 20.
• Bowen managed to save nine shots, but gave up 12 goals in the process, while Shaddock recorded just two saves in her 12 minutes. 
• Temple won the ground game as it picked up eight compared to ODU’s seven.
• This is the first game the Owls haven’t allowed double-digit goals since competing against Cincinnati on April 13, 2024.

WORDS FROM COACH

• “[The offense] is something that we really have been working towards for a month,” said head coach Bonnie Rosen. “Our motto all week has been to finish strong and start ahead, meaning finish the season strong and everything we do right now sets the tone for being ahead of where we want to be next year.”

ON TAP

Temple will return to action to take on Big 5 rival Drexel (11-3, 6-0 Coastal Athletic Association) on April 23, at 3 p.m.

The post Temple beats Old Dominion to snap six-game skid first appeared on The Temple News.

Lay Bankz, Rob49 star at STAR in energetic 2025 Owlchella 18 Apr 10:51 AM (20 days ago)

Mariam Elias-Danjuma, a freshman communication studies major, showed up at 7 p.m. Thursday night to the STAR Complex on 15th Street near Montgomery. After going through the block party set outside with funnel cake, hot dogs, mocktails and bubble tea, she entered the indoor athletic field as the sun was still just setting through the red-and white-tinted windows. 

“What the helly, that’s what I have to say,” Elias-Danjuma said after the show.

The 2025 Owlchella, featuring Philadelphia rapper Lay Bankz and New Orleans hit sensation Rob49, drew a crowd of almost 800 at its peak, with freshmen students excited to experience the 10th anniversary of the student-geared concert festival. At least 1000 people tapped into the event, said Samantha Ammons, Main Campus Program Board’s director of live entertainment.

Previous guests include Jack Harlow, Tory Lanez and Flo Rida. But the 20-minute set from Rob49, an artist known for his TikTok-viral song, “WTHelly,” had some students wishing original headliner N-’helle’ Choppa made an appearance. 

Rapper NLE Choppa canceled his Owlchella performance on April 9 due to circumstances outside of MCPB’s and his control. 

“I’m a little disappointed, can’t even lie,” said Laila Lee-Burns, a freshman media studies and production major. “I was looking forward to the songs and what NLE Choppa was gonna perform for us, but it’s okay. We can ‘what the helly’ it out.”

That didn’t stop the crowd of excited students from taking advantage of a free concert before they lock back in for finals. DJ Si started his set at 5 p.m. as the crowd trickled in from the block party outside. Right at 7 p.m., to add insult to injury, he played NLE’s song “SLUT ME OUT” for the nearly 100 people who had found their way inside. 

A few minutes past 7 p.m., Lay Bankz made her debut as the first artist to perform at Owlchella at the STAR Complex instead of The Liacouras Center, where the event is typically held. The athletic turf field made it comfortable for students to sit while waiting for friends or relaxing in between performances. 

Bankz drew the crowd in with energetic dancing, even inviting some students on stage for a dance battle. Her set was interactive and enthusiastic, even though some of the audience knew only one or two of her songs.

Bankz’s biggest hit, “Tell Ur Girlfriend,” made her an internet sensation after its release in 2024. After faking out the audience with the catchy synth, she finally gave them the moment they’d been waiting for. At parts, she went to the barricade to hand her microphone to students excited to sing parts of the lyrics.

Her 2023 “sassy man apocalypse” anthem, “Ick,” was one of her final performances before she left the stage after her 30-minute set, thanking Temple students for their time and energy.

They’d need to wait about another hour before Rob49 arrived.

DJ Si kept everyone entertained with music ranging from One Direction to Nicki Minaj. There were more dance competitions and tunes to keep everyone standing and ready. Some students left after realizing how long it would take between the two artists, or even used the field for its intended athletic purpose, throwing around their small water bottles like footballs.

Around 8:50 p.m., Rob49’s DJ set the stage and took almost no time introducing the new lead man. With very little preamble, the New Orleans native took the stage to his hit “WTHelly,” which brought the energy back to STAR. He came to the barricade multiple times to the glare of phone lights and cameras, catching the moment they’d all been waiting for. 

“I liked Rob49 better,” said Maria Malo, a freshman health professions major. “His songs are just more hype. The vibes were there more. Lay was cute, I loved her shirt and I loved how she interacted a lot.”

With a few more songs under his belt, Rob49 brought on more of the concert goers to the stage – and a birthday girl – for one of his last songs. He closed out the night with another round of “WTHelly” as he handed out and signed free t-shirts to students still left at the barricade.

Despite the chaos surrounding this year’s headliner and venue, a large majority of the crowd still left the scene with positivity and hope for the next year. Some students had recommendations for next year’s choices, including Elias-Danjum, who suggested popular artist Kevin Gates. 

“No hate to [Lay Bankz] but maybe they should ask the students because that would get people a little bit more hype,” Elias-Danjuma said. “I know the attendance, like there were people here, but maybe they’d have more people if people saw who they wanted on stage.”

The post Lay Bankz, Rob49 star at STAR in energetic 2025 Owlchella first appeared on The Temple News.

Dillon Battie commits to Wichita State 17 Apr 1:43 PM (21 days ago)

Former Temple forward Dillon Battie has committed to Wichita State, he announced on Instagram Thursday evening. Battie was the second Owl to enter the transfer portal on March 24 and is now the third to commit to a new school, after former guards Quante Berry and Zion Stanford did so earlier this month. 

Battie, who was a three-star recruit from Lancaster High School near Dallas, played just a single season on North Broad Street and averaged 3.6 points per game on 68% shooting from the field. He also contributed 1.8 rebounds in his 7.8 minutes per game. 

Battie was a part of head coach Adam Fisher’s first recruiting class, which ranked as the best in the American Athletic Conference. He earned AAC freshman of the week on Nov. 15, 2024 after scoring a career-high 16 points against Monmouth on Nov. 8, 2024. He appeared in 19 games and made his first and only start of the season against South Florida on Feb. 26. 

All Temple players who have committed to a new school will face the Owls next season, with Battie and Berry transferring to conference foes and Stanford going to Villanova. 

There are only two Owls still in the transfer portal who haven’t committed to new schools. The program has not landed a transfer of its own yet this offseason.

The post Dillon Battie commits to Wichita State first appeared on The Temple News.

Trojan’s playing experience guiding successful coaching tenure 16 Apr 3:27 PM (22 days ago)

When Liz Trojan was in the second grade, lacrosse started to grow popular in her hometown of Suffern, New York. So much so that she and her friends decided to pick up a lacrosse stick to see what the hype was all about. 

Trojan immediately fell in love with the sport and began to dream about playing at the next level.

Trojan chose to play for Villanova after her decorated high school career. She blossomed into a star for the Wildcats as a four-year contributor from 2017-20 and earned a First Team All-Big East selection in 2019. She even scored her 100th and final career goal against Temple in 2020.

Trojan was hit with adversity to close her career while finding success on the field. The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended her senior season, but she got the opportunity to stay at Villanova for an extra year once NCAA sporting events resumed in 2021. However, Trojan never got to play again after tearing her Achilles tendon just before the season opener.

“My coaches ended up giving me a different type of role as a student assistant, so I was able to take on that different type of leadership,” Trojan said. “That led me to where I am today.”

Trojan is in her fourth season as an assistant coach at Temple and her journey has been unlike any other. From establishing herself as a force on the field to COVID-19 challenges and injuries, Trojan is now helping guide the Owls from the sidelines as she grows as a coach.

Former Villanova Lacrosse head coach Julie Young witnessed Trojan become one of the best offensive options on the team during her time as a player and saw coaching potential in her right away. Young played on the United States National team with Temple head coach Bonnie Rosen and helped Trojan get her foot in the door when she noticed the Owls were looking for an assistant coach.

“We had an opening in our staff and I was trying to find the right person,” Rosen said. “It’s amazing how things come full circle. Julie reached out and said ‘I really think Liz might be a great coach for you. I know she’s young, but she’s super mature; players love her and she’s really smart.’” 

Trojan has used her playing experience to her advantage as a coach and has helped Temple succeed on the field early in her career. She helped guide the Owls to the American Athletic Conference tournament with an 11-6 record in her first season with the team.  

Trojan has coached a number of elite players while at Temple, including three-time AAC Midfielder of the Year Belle Mastropietro and All-AAC selections Quinn Nicolai, Mackenzie Roth, Riley McGowan and Maeve Tobin.  

“I was fortunate enough to come into a team where there were a lot of older girls on the team, so I was trying to figure out my coaching style and what I was looking to do and how to make my impact as a coach,” Trojan said. “I think Bonnie [Rosen] and our former coach [Jennifer Wong] did a really great job starting them off, so I, at the tail end of just being there for them and helping find some little skills and having those conversations with them.”

The players look to Trojan for guidance both on and off the field now that she has gained more experience on the sidelines. Her skills as a former athlete make it easy for current players to gravitate toward her, Rosen said.

Midfielder Erin King began her Temple career at the same time as Trojan and has been able to learn the game from someone who was just recently in her shoes. King has taken the mantle that Mastropietro left when she graduated in 2024 and Trojan has helped take the next steps as a lacrosse player.

“She has given me the confidence to go out and do the creative things that I can do,” King said. “Teaching me to be creative and to use the skills that I have and go off those rather than trying to make me do something that might not be one of my strengths, but really building on my current strengths and I think that’s really helped me.”

While Temple is having a down season this year, the team still feels Trojan’s impact on the sidelines. Her playing experience has guided her on the sidelines and she continues to evolve as a coach.

“I think she has learned how to really get the most out of players,” Rosen said. “She is willing to step in and try and find interventions that will help people play better, she knows how to put an arm around someone and make them smile and she knows how to push them and demand more of them. She started off as a young addition to the staff and she’s now invaluable to the program.”

The post Trojan’s playing experience guiding successful coaching tenure first appeared on The Temple News.

Owls look to “continue growing” at conference tournament 16 Apr 3:18 PM (22 days ago)

When Temple hired Jeff Brandes as its new director of tennis, the women’s roster underwent a complete makeover. They returned only two players from the 2023-24 season in Thamara Kawaratani and Marianthi Christoforidou, while adding five freshmen to fill the gaps. 

As a result, the team struggled to start the season and went just 3-8 in their first 11 games. But the Owls heightened their play and closed the regular season, going 4-4 in the final month.

The Owls faced nine teams that finished with winning records during the 2025 season. They fell to each of those teams except for their 4-0 sweep against Fairleigh Dickinson on April 8, which came in on a six-game winning streak. They are now looking to ride the end-of-year success into the American Athletic Conference tournament from April 17-20 to try to make noise as the 13th seed.

“Unfortunately, some injuries have been setbacks, but we are peaking at the right time for sure,” Brandes said. “We grow from every match and every match is an experience to grow your game and that’s what we’re looking to do and we’re on the right path. We are a really young team so it’s going to be a great experience to play against so much high-level competition.”

The players had to get through the challenges that come with an almost entirely new roster, which led to the early slump. To make matters worse, Kawaratani, the team’s captain, missed two matches with a chronic elbow injury and underclassmen had to step up. 

Freshman Irmak Ozturk’s consistency allowed her to take the reins at the top singles position for much of the season. She finished the regular season as one of the players on the team with a winning record in singles play and tied for first with eight wins. Christoforidou also holds eight wins and closed out the season on a five-match win streak.

“We played against really tough teams this season,” Ozturk said. “Every time we would fight for the ball, the other team did too and I had to keep my confidence because a big part of tennis is your confidence. I also had the support of my teammates and we encouraged each other a lot.”

Nina Andreoni also stepped up in her first collegiate season. The duo of her and Ozturk adjusted to the next level quickly and led Temple in doubles with a 9-3 record. Andreoni stood out by herself as well, finishing the season with a 4-3 record and and now she wants to build on her two-match winning streak. 

Kawaratani has been another huge asset this year, being named captain before the season started. She was part of a team that featured mainly upperclassmen and a nationally ranked doubles squad last season. She made her mark with 10 singles wins in the 2023-24 season while performing well in doubles action — she and Christoforidou won 11 matches as a tandem. She developed her play this season and picked up four singles wins and six doubles wins.

“I did not come into this season with any expectations, but I am pleased with the passionate and great people I have encountered [and in order to win] we are going to need teamwork and support from one another,” Kawatari said. “We have to be understanding that this is our last push for the season.” 

Temple’s doubles play has also been strong lately, as the team finished with an overall record of 24-23. Christoforidou has been a top doubles performer with seven doubles wins. 

Temple enters tournament action as the No. 13 seed, where it will take on No. 4 seed Tulsa on April 17 at 10 a.m. The Owls will face the winner of No. 12 seed ECU and No. 5 seed Wichita State on April 18 if they defeat the Golden Hurricane.

The conference tournament gives the Owls a chance to build on the end of their regular season. However, the year has been a learning experience for the team which had to overcome a tough start to reach its goals. Temple has shown it’s built for the future and the conference tournament will give it a chance to compete with the AAC’s best.

“This season has met expectations,” Brandes said. “The most important part is that your competitive spirit is high for every match, that’s one of the things you [always] have control over.” 

The post Owls look to “continue growing” at conference tournament first appeared on The Temple News.

TSG launching survey to improve Disability Resource Services 16 Apr 2:27 PM (22 days ago)

Temple Student Government is launching a campus-wide survey to evaluate Disability Resource Services accommodations, with a focus on classroom accessibility and maintenance of assistive  technologies, following ongoing concerns from students with disabilities received by TSG. 

The primary goal of the survey, which will roll out in the coming weeks, is to strengthen the feedback loop between students, professors and DRS, particularly in areas where students have expressed to TSG miscommunications or current systems preventing accommodations from being effectively implemented. The survey has been approved by Temple’s Institutional Review Board.

“Students may not know who to report their issues to, or not necessarily have the time or energy to figure it out,” said TSG President Ray Epstein, a senior English and communication and social influence double major. “It shouldn’t be a burden on the student to seek out how to make their studies accessible. It’s a feedback loop error we really want to close.” 

Accessibility on campus includes physical infrastructure as well as classroom and instructional practices. Temple currently has 165 automatic door controllers across campus, said Winford Hayes, DRS facilities manager. 

In addition to contacting DRS directly to report errors, students can use a hotline that dispatches certified technicians within 24 hours. 

An annual review process also checks every door controller across Temple’s campuses, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. DRS maintains logs of reported issues to identify long-term patterns. After business hours close, their phone line also redirects to Temple University Police to ensure 24/7 support. 

“In no way, shape or form should a door not be working on campus,” Hayes said. “We need to make sure individuals can get in and out of all buildings freely without any delay.” 

Epstein, who has utilized DRS throughout her college career, said she regularly receives surveys from the office seeking feedback on similar topics, but hopes that the TSG initiative can help close gaps the current system may overlook. 

One of the key goals of the survey is to collect feedback not only from DRS users, but from the wider student body to identify broader patterns that may go unreported. 

“It’s not only about DRS’ ability,” Epstein said. “It’s also about what people are observing in the classroom. Having that third party accountability can be important.” 

Commonly reported issues include pop quizzes that override scheduled testing accommodations or professors who refuse legally supported modifications, like allowing open-note or recorded test formats. Although these accommodations are documented and protected under federal law, some instructors may simply be unaware of their obligations, Epstein said. 

“I think DRS is lovely, and that seems to be the general consensus,” Epstein said. “It’s just that there’s so many professors and DRS has to handle so many different cases. The burden ends up falling on students to essentially ‘narc’ on their professor, who may not even realize they’re not meeting accommodations.” 

Sinh Taylor, a second-year master’s of secondary education student, said her accommodations were frequently dismissed during her first semester in graduate school, studying in the mastery of social work program.

In contrast to her undergraduate experience, where professors were generally responsive and regularly followed up after receiving her accommodation letter, Taylor constantly has to advocate for herself in the graduate program, she said. 

One professor claimed her accommodations, which included recording lectures and accessing materials in advance, did not apply to their course and described them as ‘intrusive.’ Other instructors flatly refused to provide early access to course materials, Taylor said. 

“Supposedly they’d never had a grad student that had DRS accommodations in my program,” Taylor said. “That just seems not real to me. Some professors were like, ‘We’re preparing you for the real world, and accommodations don’t exist in the real world.’”

Taylor ultimately changed her major and left the social work program altogether, citing the lack of support. She believed without proper accommodations, completing the program within the standard two-year timeline would have been impossible for her. 

“I wish more students knew they really do have access to accommodations in grad school, because a lot of them don’t,” Taylor said. “I think it would be helpful if professors had more knowledge about how to interact with students who have accommodations.”

TSG hopes the data collected will be shared with DRS staff, professors and students alike to inform more inclusive practices across campus. 

“The end goal is an all-around higher awareness,” Epstein said. “When you put language to a problem, people often become more aware of how to fix it. DRS is already full of really dedicated and willing people ready to fix these problems, we just need that awareness.” 

The post TSG launching survey to improve Disability Resource Services first appeared on The Temple News.

WBB forward Saniyah Craig transfers to Temple 16 Apr 1:02 PM (22 days ago)

Former Jacksonville University forward Saniyah Craig has committed to Temple, she announced in a social media post Wednesday afternoon. Craig becomes the first transfer commitment for head coach Diane Richardson this offseason after losing a number of graduating seniors from last year’s team. She will have two seasons of eligibility remaining. 

Craig spent two seasons at Jacksonville and earned All-Atlantic-Sun third team honors this past season. The 6-foot-1-inch forward averaged 11 points and 11 rebounds per game during the 2024-25 season. 

As a freshman, Craig averaged 10 points and eight rebounds per game and was second in the ASUN in rebounds. Her efforts earned her a spot on the All-Freshman team and was named ASUN freshman of the week three times

Rebounding is Craig’s calling card as she broke the Jacksonville program record for rebounds in a season with 332. She also led the ASUN in total rebounds and ranked ninth in the country in rebounds per game. 

Craig will be tasked with replacing forwards Anissa Rivera and Amaya Oliver in the frontcourt, who both just finished up their final year of eligibility. Craig will join forces with forward Jaleesa Molina to fortify the frontcourt for the Owls. Temple ranked sixth in the American Athletic Conference in rebounds per game last season and Craig will provide another boost on the glass.

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“You have to rise above”: TUPD’s Woltemate reflects on 40 years in law enforcement 16 Apr 10:39 AM (22 days ago)

Edward Woltemate was a cadet at the Police Academy and Osage Avenue was burning. 

It was 1985. The back-to-nature Black liberation sect MOVE, holed up deep in West Philadelphia, had come to the attention of those in power. Philadelphia Police Department officers erected barricades and hoisted heavy weaponry across several blocks of the neighborhood, intent on moving the group’s believers out of the building and into the waiting cuffs of local law enforcement. 

But MOVE’s members had erected a makeshift turret of sorts on the house’s roof and stockpiled guns of their own. After several days of standing off, the city’s mayor OK’d a plan to firebomb the group’s unofficial headquarters. The smoldering shrapnel began burning the entire house, in part because the police department had told firefighters to let it. Eleven people — five children — died in the flames. And nearly everyone on the block found themselves displaced.

Woltemate watched much of this through the grainy, pixelated windows of TV screens in his profession’s local training ground. Months earlier, he’d been working with the Social Security Administration. But the notion of a career at a desk bored him; law enforcement offered variety, action.

That day at the academy, his eyes were, in fact, fixed on the coda to a decades-long identity crisis in local law enforcement: A belief, embodied in former mayor Frank Rizzo Sr., that the institutions of an industrial Eastern city served as soldiers and battlegrounds in an ice-cold war. Those Rizzo called “white ethnics,” huddled masses woven into the fabric of America despite thick headwinds of bigotry, stood on one side. 

Many Black people in Rizzo’s Philadelphia often found themselves on the other side — singled out for punishment and violence in the name of law and order.

“I was kind of oblivious to the Rizzo years,” Woltemate said. “I knew they existed; I knew who he was.”

But he came to understand the police’s past through the eyes of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Rizzo-era veterans.

“We kind of didn’t—” Woltemate stopped himself. “All we knew going forward was: We’re here,” he finally said. “We’re in Philadelphia. We’re here to serve.”

Woltemate retired March 31 after four decades in local law enforcement — 23 with the Philadelphia police, 17 with Temple’s Department of Public Safety. By the end of his tenure, Woltemate was one of the most visible members of the force that bears responsibility for patrolling Main Campus. 

When the national outcry over George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis sent thousands of protestors into the streets of Philadelphia, Woltemate was among those TUPD dispatched to Broad Street, pacing the wide-windowed office buildings and businesses of North Philadelphia alongside demonstrators. Woltemate also found himself on duty for the first-in-the-nation graduate student union strike in early 2023 and the public demonstrations against the United States’ support of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Late last year, a pair of motorists collided in front of The Liacouras Center on a Friday night; once the drivers were out of their cars, one drew a gun and opened fire in what police later described as a road rage incident.

Well after most school officials left their offices, there was Woltemate — trundling from street corners to caution tape, explaining to passersby why a two-car crash had closed a city block.

For four decades, this has been Woltemate’s life. It’s given him a front-row seat to the transformation of law-enforcement work: Rumors of misconduct and oral histories of confrontation long sparked distrust of police, but little in the way of authoritative records. But the rise of cameras and social media has, slowly, sheathed each dispute in flesh and bone.

“He started in law enforcement before there were cell phones, email and the internet was barely a thing then,” wrote Temple Department of Public Safety Director of Communications Matt Petrillo in an email confirming Woltemate’s retirement.

Information became far closer, far more readily available in the decades of Woltemate’s police work. Questions that could only demystify themselves with the help of a librarian can now be answered with the click of a button. Journeys that demanded printers and map skills now require little more than an app and a few snaking lines. 

And the knobby little BlackBerry Woltemate remembers getting more than a decade ago birthed a million metallic children — everything from rectangles to wristwatches, engineered for comfortable communication and guaranteeing no one is ever again more than an arm’s length from work.

Police officers, in some respects, pioneered this way of working. Woltemate, more than once, received late-night calls involving deaths and disappearances during his time with TUPD. His wife learned to recognize the evenings when he’d leave on assignment and not return until the next day: The call would awaken them, and Woltemate would take it downstairs, he said.

In 2017, Woltemate helped lead Temple’s side of the investigation after a 26-year-old man lured a film student, Jenna Burleigh, from Pub Webb — a popular bar for Temple students just off campus — and killed her.

“Jenna was the same age as my daughter,” Woltemate said. “To see the manner in which she died, and how myself and my detectives were involved in the early part of that investigation — which was just a missing person — was really impactful.”

In 2023, a teenager from Bucks County shot and killed TUPD police sergeant Christopher Fitzgerald. Much of the force met the news with shock and grief. But someone still had to lead the investigation into what had happened: Woltemate.

“Again and again, that’s the role that police have,” Woltemate said. “When people are at their lowest, you have to rise above.”

The Palestinian cause at Temple slipped into the shadows after activists protesting the presence of military contractors at a career fair clashed, physically, with police. A photographer for The Temple News inadvertently captured Woltemate just past the melee, mouth slack as a phalanx of his colleagues hauled a keffiyeh-clad demonstrator through the student center’s rear doors.

Spectators, journalists and sign-wavers alike, phones out, guzzled frame after frame of career-fair chaos. It wasn’t quite as clarifying as one would think: TUPD and the largest of the antiwar groups, Temple’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, produced contradictory accounts of the encounter. News outlets and observers alike had to decide who to believe. Almost no one was happy with the results.

Woltemate couldn’t talk about Palestine, Petrillo said. And the protestors often find the political climate too dangerous to talk to the press about anything. Still, when Woltemate traded the dark suit he wore at the engineering fair for a hoodie and leaned against the wall outside a springtime teach-in, an Instagram account apparently run by pro-Palestinian students posted photos to its story accusing TUPD of intimidation.

Cameras, cameras, everywhere: Camcorders walking onto Los Angeles’ balconies in time to see the city’s police drubbing Rodney King at the roadside. Teenagers unsheathing smartphones as Minneapolis’s officers kneed Floyd against the ground. Body cams, illuminating Tyre Nichols in the Memphis, Tennessee night as an MPD “goon squad” beat him to death.

Few of these videos depict an officer restraining a colleague who draws an instrument of bludgeon or death. That police interests routinely lose battles to limit the scope of the public eye has nonetheless liberated their defenders. They say these videos cleave misbehaving enforcers from a righteous mass, dedicated to civic nutrition.

Yet law enforcement often sees itself as distinct from the rest of society, said political scientist Ife Williams, whose research touches on the relationship between the law and those tasked with enforcing it. There’s an understanding, across America’s culture, that the rules binding everyday people in their disputes and interactions simply don’t apply to the boys in blue.

“On the one hand, you’re being trained, yet it’s not entirely clear what you’re supposed to be doing in every situation,” Williams said. “In another sense, you’re being trained in terms of being isolated from the general society.”

If information’s granaries weighed the words of police and the public equally, the presence of boxy little HD cameras in every vest pocket and fanny pack would meet with hosannas on all sides. It does not. The data — the unique, abundant visual feedback made available by cameras and social media — is the rare cache of information technology that doesn’t force its way into the eyes or mind. It invites the viewer to see. It can’t force them to.

“Policing has been under a microscope all the time,” Woltemate said. “And that’s your realization as an officer. You don’t even need to know you’re being filmed. You always act professional, no matter what the circumstances are.”

The post “You have to rise above”: TUPD’s Woltemate reflects on 40 years in law enforcement first appeared on The Temple News.

April 16: Cherry and White game 16 Apr 8:38 AM (22 days ago)

Temple Football hosted its annual spring game on Saturday, showing fans what may be in store when the season kicks off. The sports editors talk about how the defense dominated the game. The basketball transfer portal is coming to a close and Temple has lost even more players. The sports editors talk about Quante Berry’s transfer to Memphis and Zion Stanford’s commitment to Villanova. All this and more on this week’s episode of The Playbook with Ryan Mack, Colin Schofield, and Sienna Conaghan.

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COO Ken Kaiser to retire at end of fiscal year 15 Apr 10:51 AM (23 days ago)

Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President Ken Kaiser will step down on June 30, the university announced in a statement Tuesday afternoon. 

Kaiser decided to retire due to health complications, Fry wrote. Kaiser was out on extended medical leave earlier this semester.

“The significance of Ken’s departure cannot be overstated,” wrote President John Fry in the message. “Ken has devoted his professional life to this university and in times of challenge, he’s been a constant — a calming force in any storm. His knowledge, leadership and genuine love for this institution have helped Temple thrive and grow, as he always made decisions with the best interests of the university and our students in mind.”

Kaiser has worked across different departments at Temple like institutional advancement, finance and administration and budgeting since he started at the university in 1991. 

David Marino, the current vice president for finance and treasury, will serve as interim COO while the university begins a national search for a replacement.

“Before I arrived at Temple, I knew Ken was a respected Philadelphia higher education leader, as his reputation preceded him,” Fry wrote. “In our time working together, he has lived up to every expectation and then some as a trusted colleague and advisor.”

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Owls eyeing consistency ahead of AAC championships 15 Apr 9:59 AM (23 days ago)

At the Ironwood Collegiate Classic on Oct. 1, Temple broke its all-time single-round record by shooting 14 under par and seemed to be heading in the right direction before the American Athletic Conference tournament.

Since joining the AAC in 2013, the Owls have struggled to find success in the conference tournament. Their best performance came in 2019 when they placed fifth, but they have endured four last-place finishes against their conference foes.

But the energy shifted after the impressive showing at the Ironwood Classic — giving reason for optimism heading into the spring season.

Instead, the season fell flat after their performance at the Ironwood Classic and now their outlook for the conference tournament is shaky. Even though recent results were less-than-ideal, the Owls are still remaining confident heading into the biggest tournament of the year.

“It’s just about being ready to go mentally, physically and just enjoying it,” said golfer Jake Naese. “Focus on each shot at a time and do the best we can do. That’s all we can do at the end of the day.”

The Owls had a promising start to the fall season by placing fourth at the Temple Invitational on Sept. 21 and 22. They followed that up with their historical performance at the Ironwood Collegiate Classic, where they finished seventh out of 15 and broke the school’s single-round mark.

But that momentum quickly faded as Temple suffered a 13th-place finish at the Elon Phoenix Invitational on Oct. 15 and fourth out of six in the Big 5 Tournament on Oct. 24. 

The spring season has mirrored the back half of the fall. The Owls kicked off the campaign tying for 11th out of 18 teams at the Wexford Intercollegiate on Feb. 17 and 18 and finishing 13th out of 15 at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate on March 10 and 11. 

Temple responded by putting together one of its best performances of the season at the ECU Intercollegiate at Brook Valley on March 17 and 18, where the team finished fourth out of 18. But that positive play was quickly washed away and the Owls plummeted back to the middle of the pack when they tied for seventh out of 14 at the Cutter Creek Intercollegiate from March 28-30. 

The Princeton Invitational on April 12 and 13 was the last opportunity to gain some momentum before the AAC tournament but Temple finished 10th of 14 teams. The Owls rank 228th out of 306 Division I schools, but head coach Brian Quinn’s faith in his team hasn’t wavered. He has focused on improving the team’s weaknesses, particularly their short game and bunker play.

“Putting and chipping is how you score,” Quinn said. “I think that’ll help us a lot and that is our big focus going into Princeton and the championships.”

Despite their inconsistency, the team’s overall confidence hasn’t faltered. The players have supported one another through challenges, emphasizing the importance of staying ready and lifting each other up. 

Joey Morganti has been one of the Owls’ top performers all season and has been a main catalyst in trying to keep the team together.

“I think we’ve done a good job of bouncing back,” Morganti said. “We’ve had a pretty tough year so far, but we are learning from our mistakes and continuing to grow as individuals and as a team.” 

Quinn has leaned on his core four of Naese, Morganti, Ethan Whitney and Aidan Emmerich to drive home positive results. While they have made their mark on the green, the Owls are still searching for a fifth contributor to make an impact in the final stretch of the season. 

Mason Tomé could be the missing piece the team is looking for, but his inexperience has prevented him from moving to the next level. The freshman made his debut in the fall season opener but didn’t make another appearance until the Cutter Creek Intercollegiate on March 30, where he finished the weekend with a +16 score. Quinn hopes Tomé will break out of his shell after he recorded three birdies at the Princeton Invitational.   

“We’re hoping to find consistency going into the AAC championships,” Quinn said. “I am really confident about the four players and finding that fifth in Mason could have us firing on all cylinders.” 

Though golf is an individual sport, the team has grown stronger together as the season progressed. From staying within the Philadelphia city limits to going all the way to Puerto Rico and a shared goal, team chemistry has become a strength that is expected to show in the conference tournament.

“I think we’ve definitely had our fair share of experiences this year,” Morganti said. “We’re going to come in the most prepared we’ve been, so hopefully we can give it a good go down there.”

The post Owls eyeing consistency ahead of AAC championships first appeared on The Temple News.

Temple buys building near planned residential site for $2 million 15 Apr 6:50 AM (24 days ago)

Temple has acquired a building on Carlisle Street near 15th for $2 million, adjacent to the site of project “Legacy on Broad,” a 28-story student housing and mixed retail development with more than 20,000 square feet, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported Thursday.

The purchase of the building was approved during the Board of Trustees’ first public meeting of 2025 on Feb. 19 after the university announced its plans for the “Legacy on Broad” project in Fall 2023. The Board authorized the acquisition using up to $2,095,300 from university reserve funds to complete the purchase. 

The building is currently occupied by event venue Ego Hall. With the acquisition, Temple now owns roughly half of the block between North Broad and North Carlisle streets. 

Ego Hall has leased the 6,765-square-foot building for about two years since replacing Masters Bar and Restaurant, and will continue to operate at the site, according to Ken Kaiser, Temple’s Chief Operating Officer. 

The announcement of the purchase comes as Temple is undergoing budget scrutiny. The university is reevaluating short-term spending, halting nonessential capital projects and tightening departmental budgets in response to concerns surrounding the university’s budget deficit, wrote President John Fry in a statement to faculty and staff on April 11. Temple’s plans to purchase on Carlisle Street came before Fry’s statement.

The post Temple buys building near planned residential site for $2 million first appeared on The Temple News.

Several more Temple student visas revoked, research funding pulled 14 Apr 3:09 PM (24 days ago)

Several additional student visas have been revoked and $3 million of federal research grants have been terminated at Temple, wrote President John Fry in a message to the Temple community Monday evening.

All students, faculty and staff will also undergo required discrimination training as part of their resolution with the Department of Education that Temple agreed to in November 2024. The training will be released this week.

The university agreed to these terms in their resolution after an 11-month investigation into Temple’s address of discrimination or harassment of Jewish students. Temple is required to follow all ED guidelines or face legal consequences. The ED distributes research funds and grants, including Pell Grants, which include approximately 30% of Temple students and 46% of the Class of 2028, The Temple News reported.

Temple will also adjust certain areas of its policies and practices according to guidance from the Department of Education. 

“Each week, we are witnessing universities across the country attempting to navigate this volatile environment through a myriad of approaches,” Fry wrote. “Temple is not immune to these challenges.”

The revoked student visas are from current and former Temple students. No further information was shared about their circumstances out of respect for their privacy.

The university’s $3 million loss in research grants is the result of 14 stop-work orders or termination notices from various departments, most from the Department of Health and Human Services. The Department of Energy also reduced its indirect cost reimbursement to 15%. 

The National Institutes of Health has threatened to pull indirect cost reimbursements by the same percentage, Science, an organization in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, reported.

“Temple is Philadelphia’s public research university, and the consequences of canceling life-changing research like this are dire,” Fry wrote. “We will continue to advocate aggressively with federal and state officials on behalf of our research community and we are committed to looking for ways to preserve impacted positions should funding be eliminated.”

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Zion Stanford commits to Villanova 14 Apr 12:25 PM (24 days ago)

Former Temple guard Zion Stanford has committed to Villanova, he announced on his social media Monday afternoon. Stanford entered the transfer portal on March 25 and is the second Owl to commit to a new program, following guard Quante Berry, who committed to Memphis on April 6.

Stanford spent two seasons with the Owls, maintaining his commitment after former head coach Aaron Mckie was replaced with Adam Fisher in 2023. The West Catholic High School alumnus showed potential during his first season, averaging seven points per game, including a 19-point game against UTSA on March 13, 2024 to give the Owls their first American Athletic Conference tournament win since 2018.

Stanford’s playing time increased heading into the 2024-25 season and he became the number two option behind New Mexico transfer Jamal Mashburn Jr. He stepped into the main scoring role when Mashburn went down with a toe injury that kept him out the final month of the season. Stanford averaged 13.1 points per game and helped keep the team steady when Mashburn wasn’t in the lineup.

Stanford will now attempt to bring the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2022. Both Berry and Stanford transferred to schools that will play the Owls next season, and Stanford becomes one of the first commits on newly hired Villanova head coach Kevin Willard’s team.

The post Zion Stanford commits to Villanova first appeared on The Temple News.

NLE Choppa out, Rob49 in at this week’s Owlchella show 14 Apr 7:55 AM (24 days ago)

With just one week left before Temple’s annual spring concert, Owlchella, Kaylah Coles is adjusting her expectations after a last-minute lineup change — rapper NLE Choppa is out, and Rob49 is stepping in to headline.

“I was really expecting NLE to be there, but I feel like Rob49 is a good replacement, and I hope he brings the same energy on stage that NLE would have,” said Coles, a freshman audio and live entertainment major.

Owlchella, Temple’s annual spring concert, will celebrate its 10th anniversary on April 17 in the STAR Complex after usually being held at The Liacouras Center. This year’s show will feature performances by Rob49 and Lay Bankz. The free concert remains a draw for students, even as a lineup change has sparked mixed reactions on campus.

The concert has evolved during the years and grown into one of Temple’s most anticipated events. Students have shown out to hear big names like Offset and Key Glock, who headlined last year. In 2023, the concert featured Lil Yachty, though it was marred by the no-show of G Herbo, much to the disappointment of students like Chris Pierre.

“I feel like the management of Owlchella has been one of the biggest factors in people deciding whether to go or not,” said Pierre, a senior finance major. “The first time I was gonna go, the main artist I wanted dropped out, G Herbo. He didn’t show up.”

The situation with NLE Choppa echoed past concerns about Owlchella’s changes with the lineup, and last-minute surprises have frustrated students, who’ve come to expect these disruptions. Pierre, in particular, remains skeptical about the concert’s consistency.

Owlchella has traditionally taken place in The Liacouras Center, Temple’s larger indoor basketball arena. But this year, Temple is moving the event to the STAR Complex, an on-campus rec center, and waiving ticket fees for students.

In previous years, students paid a small fee to attend, but this year’s concert is completely free for Temple students. For many, the change makes Owlchella feel more accessible and worth attending — even if the lineup wasn’t exactly what they were hoping for.

“It’s free,” said Antoinette Fitzgerald, a sophomore media studies and production major. “You can make anything fun, literally. If it’s free and I’m going with my friends, I’m gonna go.”

With the Main Campus Program Board’s decision to make the event free and limited to Temple students only, many are willing to attend despite changes in the lineup. This year’s approach appears focused on maximizing student turnout while previous concerts sometimes allowed guests or charged admissions fees. 

Still, with recent events raising the bar, some students are wondering how this year’s Owlchella will compare to last fall’s surprise concert featuring Gunna and GloRilla, which Temple won through Tinder’s 2024 Swipe-Off Challenge. That high-profile show, which drew a packed crowd and went viral on social media, was especially well received by students.

“I feel like [Owlchella] hasn’t been the main attraction at Temple,” Pierre said. “With the Tinder concert, it kind of put into comparison what we could have versus what we’re getting.”

As Owlchella marks its 10th anniversary, students are hoping the event will prove to be a fun and memorable celebration — one that’s worth the anticipation, even if the headliners aren’t exactly what they expected. Free admission means many are eager to make the most of the experience.

Whether that approach continues in future years remains to be seen. But for now, MCPB’s decision to keep tickets free and limit access to Temple students has helped renew interest in Owlchella after NLE’s unexpected exit.

“It’s free, and also the artists aren’t that bad,” Coles said. “I know a lot of people are talking about how they don’t like the artists, but you know at least one or two songs by them, so I think it’ll be fun.”

The post NLE Choppa out, Rob49 in at this week’s Owlchella show first appeared on The Temple News.

Defense shines at Owls’ Cherry and White spring game 12 Apr 3:38 PM (26 days ago)

Fans, students and alumni had the opportunity to get their first look at Temple’s new scheme on both sides of the ball at the program’s annual spring game at Edberg-Olson Hall on Saturday — the first under new head coach K.C. Keeler and coordinators Tyler Walker and Brian Smith. 

The roster likely won’t be the same when the season kicks off once another transfer portal window opens up on April 16. But Saturday showed a glimpse of who could make an impact when Temple starts its season this fall. There are still a lot of unknowns, but the Owls’ defense got the upper hand on the offense Saturday.

“The offense made some plays and then the defense did a great job,” Keeler said. “I think our defensive line is really good, they’re very physical. They can play six or seven or eight. So that is definitely the strength of this team.”

Temple has four quarterbacks on its roster but only Evan Simon and Tyler Douglas received game reps, switching off each drive. Simon had the better day of the two, going 16-25 for 138 yards while Douglas completed just four of his 15 attempts. 

However, Keeler has made it clear since the start of the spring season that he’s looking to pick up another quarterback once the portal opens. 

“I thought Evan had a really good spring,” Keeler said. “His leadership and his command of the huddle and taking charge of the clock going down. All those things are really exceptional.”

Walker plans to implement a run-heavy offense this season and it’s clear the Owls are still finding their footing in his scheme. Simon ran for 33 yards on the first play of the game but rarely used his legs after, aside from a rushing touchdown that Keeler called back to the five-yard line to see his offense in a short-yardage situation. The decision resulted in a goal-line stand, where running back Jay Ducker was stood up by defensive linemen Allen Haye and Sekou Kromah.

Ducker transferred to Temple from Sam Houston State and will likely be the team’s top option — he rushed for 66 yards on 21 carries and was unable to find the endzone. 

“I love [getting] the ball,” Ducker said. “I think Coach Walker’s offense is definitely, as a running back, what you want to do and where you want to go and you gonna get it. Whether it be in the backfield, you seeing a lot of empty, just catching, just a lot of inner spaces, like as a running back this is where you wanna be. I’m excited.” 

Simon had mixed results on his deep passes but tight end Ryder Kusch was the main beneficiary, racking up 55 yards on four receptions. One of Kusch’s bright spots came on a 32-yard pass in the fourth quarter.

The defense stood tall and denied multiple close yardage situations. Simon handed the ball to wide receiver Xavier Irvin in the fourth quarter when safety Javier Morton took him down at the three-yard line. Linebacker Curly Ordonez continued the defense’s momentum and tackled Ducker at the one-yard line to end the drive.

The secondary was also sound all game to continue the group’s strong spring. Cornerback Adrian Laing stepped in front of a pass from Douglas for an interception and safety Willy Love was right behind him and was in a position to pick the ball off if Laing was unable to.

Morton was the standout during the day, finishing with five tackles, including stuffing Irvin during the drive that resulted in a goal-line stand. He also stood up Ducker, which caused the entire defense to celebrate. 

“Coach Smith puts us in the best position for the defense to always evolve,” said defensive end Cam’Ron Stewart. “We have great guys in the front end and also in the back end. It’s night and day compared to last year.” 

The offense finally bested the defense on the final drive of the game which started at the 15-yard line. Simon faked a handoff to Ducker and gave it to tight end Peter Clarke instead. Clarke went four yards to the endzone to give the offense its only touchdown of the day. 

The spring transfer window will likely shake up the Owls’ roster, and Keeler noted there are positions he plans to recruit once it officially does on April 16. Keeler has seen immense improvement from the start of the spring season, but he knows there’s still a long way to go, he said. 

“We’ve improved so much, it’s been dramatic,” Keeler said. “But we have a long way to go. We’re not shooting for okay. If we’re shooting for okay, we’re pretty close to being okay.”

The post Defense shines at Owls’ Cherry and White spring game first appeared on The Temple News.

Rough first quarter leads to Owls’ sixth straight loss 12 Apr 2:18 PM (26 days ago)

Temple looked to snap its five game losing streak heading into its game against James Madison on Saturday. Despite the skid, the Owls’ offense had shaken off rust and scored double-digit goals in three consecutive games with a chance to continue the trend against the nationally-ranked Dukes.

It took all of 28 seconds for those hopes to be thrown out of the window.

James Madison attacker Maddie Epke got the scoring started for the Dukes, ripping a shot past Temple goalkeeper Taylor Grollman. The Owls allowed seven more goals before they were able to find the back of the net themselves. James Madison quickly responded with its ninth goal of the quarter to keep the scoring going.

Temple was never able to recover from the first quarter avalanche, as James Madison kept its foot on the gas pedal. The Owls’ defense couldn’t contain the Dukes’ offense and their losing streak was extended to six games.

Temple (2-11, 0-4 American Athletic Conference) fell to No. 11 JMU (9-4, 4-0 AAC) 18-4 Saturday afternoon at Howarth Field. The Owls recorded 12 shots all game, tying their lowest mark of the season which came in their game against Penn on Feb. 26. 

“We had a good week of practice prepping for this game,” said head coach Bonnie Rosen. “It’s been a group that comes back week after week under all of these challenges.”

Epke beat Grollman for an early 1-0 lead 28 seconds into the game, the first of nine in the opening frame. Midfielder Maggie Clark followed suit a minute later to double James Madison’s lead, forcing Rosen to call a timeout. 

James Madison’s offense kept the engine going as attacker Savannah Derey notched back-to-back goals in two minutes to push the lead to 4-0. Epke and attacker Payton Root scored two goals each to make it eight unanswered goals with three minutes left in the first quarter. Grollman, who had been pulled in each of the last two games, was pulled again during the first quarter in favor of Colleen Berardino. 

“When goals go in, maybe change it up a little bit,” Rosen said. “Colleen went in and did a nice job, with Taylor ready. I thought she did a really nice job when she went back in, and we’re fortunate enough to have two goalkeepers ready to play.” 

Temple midfielder Sabrina Martin attempted to weather the storm by scoring the Owls’ first goal of the game with two minutes left in the first period. The optimism was short-lived and Derey answered with 11 seconds left in the first quarter with her third goal of the period to cap James Madisons nine-goal first quarter.

Epke maintained the Dukes’ momentum with her fourth goal of the game to give them a 10-1 lead 90 seconds into the second period. The Owls’ defense began to settle in and held James Madison scoreless for 10 minutes. Temple’s offense wasn’t able to make the most of the Dukes’ dormant offense, scoring just one goal courtesy of midfielder Erin King.

James Madison attacker Olivia Mattis ended the Dukes’ cold stretch with three minutes left in the second quarter and Epke notched another goal two minutes later to make it a 12-2 lead entering halftime. 

Grollman re-entered the game to start the second half and her play improved, giving up just one third quarter goal. Once again, the Owls’ offense ran in place and scored just two goals during the quarter, failing to cut into the deficit and entered the last quarter trailing 13-4.

Grollman failed to match her third quarter performance in the final 15 minutes, as Devery scored her fourth goal of the game 31 seconds into the fourth quarter. Epke tacked on two more goals to finish the day with a career high of eight goals and push James Madison’s lead to 15-4.

The Dukes put home two more late goals for good measure and the Owls’ offense never found the back of the net to close out the game. James Madison finished the game with 34 more total shots than Temple and 21 more shots on goal. 

“Our theme all week was never satisfied and always grateful,” Rosen said. “All year round, this team has gotten better, players are getting better each week. We’ll reflect on today and really put in five days of work to get ready for Old Dominion.”

The Owls will head down to Norfolk, Virginia, as they take on Old Dominion (8-6, 1-2 American Athletic Conference) on April 19 at noon.

The post Rough first quarter leads to Owls’ sixth straight loss first appeared on The Temple News.

Bone fragments, caskets discovered at Klein, CPCA construction site 11 Apr 5:32 PM (27 days ago)

Human remains and caskets were found at the construction site of the Klein College of Media and Communication and Center for Performing and Cinematic Arts’ new building at Broad Street and Polett Walk, a source told The Temple News Friday night.

The site was formerly home to the Monument Cemetery, which spanned from Broad to 17th streets to the West and Montgomery to Norris Streets to the North, and was acquired by the university in the 1950s. The cemetery housed approximately 28,000 graves, and one of its walls still stands near Broad Street, according to the university.

Temple had prepared a detailed plan for the appropriate protocol in the event of the discovery of human remains, which includes notification of the Philadelphia Coroner’s Office, medical examiner, an archeologist and law enforcement.

Crews immediately halted work at the site when the remains were discovered, and the appropriate agencies visited the site and directed next steps, according to a statement from the university. 

“We followed [the university’s archeological consultant’s] guidance to ensure the remains were handled with the utmost care and respect and per the protocol, did not resume work in that area until directed by the appropriate agencies,” a university statement read.

The university broke ground on the site this spring and expects to complete construction by the Fall 2027 semester, The Temple News reported. 

The Monument Cemetery was active from 1839-1956, according to the Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

The post Bone fragments, caskets discovered at Klein, CPCA construction site first appeared on The Temple News.

Temple reinstates hiring review amid budget concerns 11 Apr 7:10 AM (27 days ago)

Temple will reinstate a hiring review process for all staff positions, halt nonessential capital projects and scrutinize department spending in response to concerns surrounding the university’s budget deficit, wrote President John Fry in a statement to all faculty and staff Friday.

“The overall impact of federal funding changes, tariffs and other actions is still unknown, and therefore we must take an even more cautious approach moving forward,” Fry wrote.

As part of the cost-control efforts, departments will undergo spending evaluations, including restrictions on discretionary purchases, limits on nonessential staff travel and collaboration with vendors to reduce costs. Departments may request exemptions from the hiring review process. 

Fry cited growing concern due to federal funding changes and recent tariffs, including evolving policy shifts from President Donald Trump, who on April 2 imposed a minimum 10% tariff on all imports and steeper, individualized tariffs on 86 countries. Those country-specific tariffs were paused on April 9 and standardized at 10% while tariffs on Chinese imports were increased to 125%. 

Temple began the year with a projected $85 million deficit, which has been partially offset through measures like eliminating more than 150 administrative vacancies, using reserve funds and implementing a hiring review in Fall 2022. However, new economic developments have heightened concern, Fry wrote. 

Despite financial strain, Fry expressed optimism following a recent enrollment increase, emphasizing that tuition and the commonwealth appropriation account for 84% of the university’s operating revenue.  

To generate a future profit margin, Fry wrote about other profit-generating initiatives including the launch of new online degree programs, a fundraising campaign and long-term deficit reduction strategies. 

“We understand that uncertainty is difficult and challenging,” Fry wrote. “Please know that we remain committed to consistent communication as we guide Temple through this complex landscape.”

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Temple Union of Resident Assistants recognized, set for election 10 Apr 11:56 AM (28 days ago)

Temple Union of Resident Assistants is officially being recognized by the university and is preparing for a union election, a union representative wrote in an email to The Temple News. A date has not yet been set. 

Following the election, the union plans to begin contract negotiations with Temple. TURA aims to secure fair wages and improved working conditions for student RAs, who say their current responsibilities exceed the compensation they receive. 

“TURA is thrilled to learn that Temple has finally agreed to a unit definition,” a spokesperson for TURA wrote in a statement to The Temple News. “After working tirelessly since before the school year, we could not be more excited to go on to an election and continue on our path to unionizing.” 

The organization’s scheduled hearing with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board on March 26 was canceled after the university agreed to recognize TURA’s bargaining unit.

TURA has been pushing for recognition since the fall semester. The union requested formal recognition and asked Temple’s administration to collaborate with them toward a bargaining process in a letter to President John Fry Nov. 20, 2024. An earlier letter had been sent for former President Richard Englert and the Board of Trustees on Sept. 30. 

The PLRB initially declined to direct a hearing in November, citing that TURA did not meet its standards for a union election. The university’s agreement to recognize the group now allows the process to move forward. 

“This would not have been possible without the efforts of each and every one of our members,” wrote the TURA spokesperson. “With the current political climate, this is a testament to the vitalness of community support and taking care of our own.”

The post Temple Union of Resident Assistants recognized, set for election first appeared on The Temple News.

Tariff talk dominates former commerce secretary’s Temple appearance 10 Apr 8:40 AM (28 days ago)

Perhaps former commerce secretary Wilbur Ross could have filled up Alter Hall’s seventh floor regardless. It’s not every day a high-level official from the first Trump administration offers his perspective on the president’s thinking to a roomful of businesspeople, after all.

Yet Ross’s remarks, delivered Wednesday night on Temple’s campus at the first climax of a Trump-ordered trade war that roiled markets and shook even many Republican officeholders loose from the White House’s side, couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.

“People often ask us if we have a crystal ball when we schedule these events,” said World Affairs Council of Philadelphia president and CEO Lauren Swartz to the crowd. “The answer is: Yes.”

Ross, who oversaw the Department of Commerce during President Donald Trump’s first term, was supposed to be in Philadelphia discussing the contents of his recent book, “Risks and Returns: Creating Success in Business and Life.”  Despite the self-help sounding title, it’s a memoir, detailing Ross’ six-decade career in the worlds of business and government. 

The night’s formatting seemed largely according to plan: Remarks by Fox dean Chip Hunter. An introduction by Swartz. A speech from Ross himself, recounting his work in hedge-funds and company revivals; the acrimonious — his word — haggling over an Atlantic City casino that brought him into Trump’s orbit; and his years in the cabinet. Then, a roundtable with Ross, Swartz and Haverford Trust president Keith Aleardi. Finally, audience questions.

Yet the Weehawken, New Jersey, native’s arrival on campus coincided with the latest dramatic sequence of events in a presidency already full of them: After the Trump administration levied tariffs of at least 10 percent — and often much higher — on imports from every nation-state in the world and some non-nation-states, coalitions of America’s erstwhile trading partners began responding in kind, sending financial markets spiraling towards the end of last week.

The whipsaw continued this week, augmented by reports both dubious and true describing a White House willing to negotiate taxes on imported goods.

The evening’s international tenor was augmented by the presence of several high-profile international guests, Swartz said in her introduction of Ross. Consuls from Mexico and Canada as well as Belgian consuls and students from six countries.

At one point, a so-called fireside chat onstage between Ross, Swartz and Aleardi found itself briefly interrupted by the telltale electronic screech of audio feedback. All three fell silent — but Ross, not for long.

“That’s someone who doesn’t like tariffs,” said Ross with an impish grin, before the high-pitched pulse had even fully subsided. Peals of laughter swept through the sold-out crowd, as they would at several of the commerce secretary’s other jokes.

On Wednesday, Trump moved to pause what he called “reciprocal” tariffs — those above 10 percent, designed to avenge “trade deficits” caused by the U.S. importing more from many countries than it sells there — for 90 days, leaving only the triple-digit, trade-war fees levied against the People’s Republic of China in place. 

The markets, which had crashed and lurched to the tune of tens of trillions of dollars a day, jolted upwards. By the time Ross took the stage on Alter Hall’s seventh floor, the S&P 500 index had sent investors home from its best day since 2008. It was like Denzel Washington’s “Flight,” for international economic policy.

Many financial analysts feel justified in viewing the tariffs as a temporary measure — a negotiating tactic, a mirage, a bluff designed to bend the nations of the world to Washington’s will. Ross acknowledged Trump could use high tariffs to extract concessions from other countries, but he also noted the president sees them as a tool to renovate America’s economy and accomplish several second-term policy priorities.

“If you are a trading partner of the U.S., a government or a company abroad, whoo — big sigh of relief,” said Swartz, Sweden’s honorary consul in Philadelphia, once offstage.

Average Americans might exhale too, Swartz added. But they also might be a little frustrated.

The opening months of the Trump administration have often seen the White House take so many actions at the same time — with such sweeping consequences — that members of the public have often been frozen in confusion and fear. 

Members of the public often struggle to tell which federal agency might soon find its work stopped, or which real or perceived threat — hairdressers mistaken for Venezuelan gangsters, collegiate op-ed writers decreed terrorists, gender-fluid grocery shoppers trying to find a bathroom that won’t get them arrested — might next draw the government’s attention.

In fact, the White House’s unpredictability impacted even the event’s organizers: Temple’s Center for International Business Education and Research, or CIBER, helped summon Ross to North Philadelphia. CIBER receives much of its funding through the Department of Education, noted Hunter — leaving its future uncertain amid cuts to federal agencies.

Most of the dean’s opening remarks appeared focused on promoting the center’s value to anyone who might have a say in its financial fate.

“This is an investment that will pay off — literally,” Hunter said.

But it’s not just activists, queer people or niche educators in the crosshairs. It’s money. And it is money that has roused Congress and other institutions to reassert themselves.

“From the American perspective, where every issue that is up for grabs in the new administration feels like it’s stopping and starting and changing — it’s really exhausting to track,” Swartz said. “Maybe that sense of relief is shorter-lived for the U.S. citizens and people focused on this economy, as compared to overseas.”

The unpredictability of Trump’s decisions, no matter how severe, gives him a degree of leverage on the world stage that would be tough to accrue otherwise, Ross said. Americans tried doing things differently for four years during Joe Biden’s quadrennium in the Oval Office. In the commerce secretary’s view, it didn’t work.

Still, the question remained: Why tariffs? Why now? For that, Ross pointed to the president’s political position: In his first term, Trump wrangled with a Republican Party that hadn’t fully accepted him or his modus operandi. His victory in the November 2016 presidential election had been far from decisive, Ross added, in large part due to unanswered questions regarding Russia’s role in influencing an already-volatile campaign.

“He was in a much weaker position,” Ross said. “Now, he is in total control of the Republican Party.” 

And the GOP, at least for now, counts among its members the main decision-makers in all three branches of government. Trump wants to take advantage of his strength while it’s still there.

Metalworkers, auto builders, middle Americans languishing in low-wage work — those left bereft by the exodus of the nation’s industrial might went unmentioned on Fox’s seventh floor. Ditto for the millions of factory employees in South Asia and other developing countries who make possible the modern service economy.

Yet, toward the end of the night, Ross did face a head-on challenge: Real estate agent Emily Qing Hui Wang, a real estate agent and member of the National Association of Realtors’ global committee. Tariff talk risks driving investors to seek refuge in other countries. So, Wang asked why every sector of the economy needed to suffer, in her view, when trade deficits often arose from specific industries.

Ross waved a hand. “Your premise is entirely incorrect,” he replied, in part; surely an imbalance in one sector would influence others.

Wang felt Ross answered her question fairly, she said afterwards. But she wasn’t quite convinced. 

“Everybody, we love America; we want it to be strong,” Wang said. “But this has to be fair trade. Otherwise, the whole environment, the whole global trade will not be fair and it will be not balanced.”

The post Tariff talk dominates former commerce secretary’s Temple appearance first appeared on The Temple News.

April 9: Mental Health Initiative 9 Apr 11:55 AM (29 days ago)

Journalist and television personality, Anthony Bourdain inspired millions. Opinions Editor McCaillaigh Rouse talks about how Bourdain reshaped her perspective on travel and confronting anxiety. Temple’s resource hubs track increased diversity, needs insecurity, and mental health concerns in incoming students and prepare to support them. Assistant News Editor Kylie Sokoloff talks about growing mental health concerns for the class of 2029.

The post April 9: Mental Health Initiative first appeared on The Temple News.

DOCUMENTARY: The Mental Health Initiative 8 Apr 7:45 AM (last month)

The Temple News spent the last several months putting together a staff-wide special issue to report on the mental health challenges faced by Temple students and those in the community.

This initiative is the result of months of rigorous reporting and conversations. The project began last year when The Temple News received a grant from the Solutions Journalism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONKyKKLQCqoNetwork as part of its Student Media Challenge. That grant helped fund the research, reporting, staffing and print costs to create the initiative.

With more than a dozen stories, this initiative sheds light on the mental health struggles of student athletes, international students, how faculty members are trained to be on the front lines of the mental health crisis, what Temple is doing, how students cope and so much more.

While this initiative isn’t going to single-handedly solve the overarching mental health problem among college students, hopefully it’s a step forward toward that future. We hope this project is a beacon of hope, a resource and a way to let students know that they aren’t alone.

Video shot by Kajsa Morse, Ava Campbell and Jeremy Shover. Edited by Kajsa Morse and Ava Campbell.

The post DOCUMENTARY: The Mental Health Initiative first appeared on The Temple News.

The Mental Health Initiative 8 Apr 2:02 AM (last month)

“Kind of stupid”: Temple bewildered by Signalgate 8 Apr 2:01 AM (last month)

Shane Leinhauser occasionally gets misdirected scam texts, mysterious messages of uncertain origin that prompt silence, or — at most — a confused, “Who’s this?”

But he’s never mistakenly been added to someone else’s group chat. And despite the strange messages Leinhauser does get, he says he’s not particularly concerned about his online safety.

“I don’t think of cybersecurity that often,” said Leinhauser, a junior biology and environmental science major. “I guess I just kind of assume it’s happening where it needs to happen.”

For United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and more than a dozen officials in the second Trump administration, “it” was apparently happening on a relatively famous commercial messaging app. The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, revealed in March that Hegseth had circulated detailed plans for airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi militia via a group text he was added to on Signal.

The revelations caused a sensation in Washington: Hearings with military advisors and spy chiefs, scheduled far in advance to discuss completely unrelated subjects, for days found themselves refocused on claims the Trump administration discusses government business through civilian channels — a longstanding no-no in the laws and rules governing the use of classified information. And the watchdog overseeing military officials and national secrets says it’s investigating Hegseth’s texting habits, specifically. It’s arguably the first incident in the new White House to hold the public’s attention for more than a day or two.

President Donald Trump hasn’t fired anyone in connection with what can only be called a breach. Even so, this particular incident boasts a moniker colored by the dust of 1972: “Signalgate.”

The first idea for this article was that someone, at some point, would say they weren’t sure what was wrong with sending battle plans on Signal. It’s end-to-end encrypted; hackers, in theory, can’t intercept and read messages sent on it. And, anyway, even the most sensitive texts sent there can be set to vanish into an unreadable mush after a few seconds. Then, a kindhearted expert in computer security would step in to enlighten this reporter, the breezy interlocutor — and the readers.

No one seemed to have much trouble figuring out the problem with Signal, in the eyes of national security experts. It’s a consumer-facing texting app. Anyone can download it at no charge, which means just about anyone can end up in any conversation involving anyone they know — accidentally, as in Golberg’s case, or otherwise.

Sealing communications from watchful eavesdroppers and overbearing marketers is one thing. Playing keep away from a hostile foreign militia with the capacity to wound and kill American troops — quite another. The former is perfectly suited to Signal. The latter, not so much.

“Governments would have to deal with a very different set of threats than everyday people,” said Chiu C. Tan, an associate professor of computer and information science. “That’s why the government has special phones they use, special laptops. Most of us would never bother.”

Militaries and national security officials don’t tend to rely on app-store offerings to protect their conversations. Instead, there’s a rigid set of rules and protocols designed to keep state secrets away from enemy eyes.

“It’s not simple,” said Vinodh Ganesan, the College of Science and Technology’s I.T. director and an instructor in a course that teaches the elements of encryption and cybersecurity. Transfers of classified information happen inside what’s known as a SCIF, he noted — a sensitive compartmented information facility.

“They still use technology behind the scenes, probably within the SCIF,” Ganesan added. “But there are all these things to prevent the leak of information.”

Philosopher Jordan Shapiro now teaches Intellectual Heritage and is in the gender, sexuality and women’s studies program. But he did some work with the military in his younger years, and he’s familiar with the setup Ganesan referred to: It often resembles a boxy metal tent. It shrouds an interior room of a high-level official’s home. And it’s where those officeholders are supposed to go whenever they need to send or receive sensitive information.

Leinhauser believes officials in the first Trump administration knew what they were doing — even if he didn’t agree with them.

This time?

“Now, not only are they making decisions that I disagree with, but it makes me think a lot of them are genuinely just really bad at their job,” Leinhauser said. “I feel like I don’t sound very smart when I say this, but it makes me think some of them are just kind of stupid.”

The post “Kind of stupid”: Temple bewildered by Signalgate first appeared on The Temple News.

The “madness” of sports betting 8 Apr 2:01 AM (last month)

The NCAA Division I basketball tournament, or March Madness, began on March 16, and sports fans and students across the country watched all month long to see which team landed on top. 

Not only are students watching for the love of the game, but a new level of excitement has become popular amongst the sports world: gambling. 

Sports betting among college-age students is common, with nearly 60% having bet on sports, and 4% doing so daily. Additionally, due to increased risk behavior, almost 6% reported losing more than $500 in a single day, according to a May 2023 survey by the NCAA.

Mobile sports betting allows fans to place a monetary wager on the success of a team, player or event during a game, including commercials, in anticipation of a financial gain. Sports betting has shifted sports culture by fueling new forms of entertainment and, at times, financial troubles. Sports are no longer about the love of the game, they’re about hitting a parlay or the bettor’s biggest win.

Sports gambling has become increasingly accessible through the enticing and game-like features of mobile apps. College-aged students should recognize the danger of sports betting and avoid allowing these apps to enter their lives. Sports betting, especially mobile sports betting, can lead to students struggling financially and potentially developing an addiction. 

Sports Betting is legal in the state of Pennsylvania, whether in person or mobile. Apps like DraftKings, FanDuel and ESPN Bet can be downloaded from any mobile device’s app store, making betting very accessible.

Retail sports betting became legal in Pennsylvania in 2017, and online sports betting began in 2019. Since then, the experience of sporting events has changed, and many viewers are joining the new trend of betting on games. 

Sports betting has always been a phenomenon but has gained popularity and accessibility since the 2017 legalization, said George Diemer, a sports economist and professor in the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.

“Before that Supreme Court ruling, it choked off all internet sports wagering,” Diemer said. “There were still some ways of doing it, on the internet and online, but it was very difficult.  Our companies are becoming more legal. They’re moving from underground economies to above-ground economies.”

A cause of students’ affinity for sports betting may be the accessibility of mobile apps and the offer of “free” money or cash rewards. Finances are tight for most college students, rent, tuition and groceries are expensive and easy money can be very useful — betting apps know this. 

Sports betting apps often have advertisements paid for during televised games or as ads on other apps. This creates a newfound sports experience that many are not used to and turns shared enjoyment into an individualized experience. 

Despite the accessibility and enjoyment these apps may have to offer, they can also increase the risks of addiction or even major financial loss. Students should avoid or remain cautious while mobile sports wagering, as it can significantly impact them and their finances.

David Chase occasionally sports wagers for fun, but believes it may negatively impact other college students and their financial situations.
 

“I’ve known people, like 21 or 22 years old, who are putting thousands of dollars on games,” said Chase, a junior communication studies major. “And that’s not an ideal way to try to make money, especially at our age with limited resources and money that we probably all have.” 

Gambling addiction is a recognized mental disorder and can become an issue for younger individuals. The typical age range for college students is ages 18-22, meaning that most students don’t have a fully formed prefrontal cortex — the decision-making part of the brain. This makes taking more significant risks, like betting a large amount of money, more likely. 

Sports wagering may seem harmless because of its gamelike nature, but that makes it so dangerous and appealing. It’s in the best interest of students not to use these addictive and gamified apps. 

Thilo Kunkel, a professor at the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, believes that although sports betting can increase fan bases and activity toward sporting events, it can also have negative effects.

“I think there’s no question that sports betting can be extremely addictive,” Kunkel said. “There’s been numerous instances when people bet the house and lose the house. So particularly for younger consumers, those addictive characteristics of sports betting can be extremely detrimental to their financial future.” 

Sports betting has monetized fan culture and capitalizes on what previously was a shared human experience. It’s time for student fans to consider whether there is a monetary value on every game, play or athlete, or if enjoying sports is simply about the love of the game.

The post The “madness” of sports betting first appeared on The Temple News.

Inquirer dissolves community desk five years after Temple audit recommendation 8 Apr 2:01 AM (last month)

Five years after a Temple audit suggested The Philadelphia Inquirer increase its civic engagement, the paper announced it is dissolving its communities and engagement desk.

The dissolution included the dismissal of ten newsroom staffers, sparking questions about the future of the largest Philadelphia news publisher’s community-based journalism.

Following backlash to a 2020 article from the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Buildings matter, too,” and as part of the Inquirer’s Inq4All initiative, the Inquirer created the desk in 2022 to address lapses in diverse stories that the Inquirer previously had not covered. 

However, the desk’s dissolution was a business decision to save money, wrote Inquirer CEO Lisa Hughes to the paper’s staff.

“There are certain competencies and skills that people can specialize in that focus on engagement work, but it would be valuable to sprinkle those across the news organization to make them more of an essential work component of the news organization,” said Andrea Wenzel, a journalism professor at Temple’s Klein College of Media and Communication. “Just so they can’t be so easily excised from things when the budget gets tight.”

Klein’s 2020 audit dove into the Inquirer’s diversity and inclusion efforts to supplement the paper’s efforts toward committing to both a diverse newsroom and inclusive coverage. 

Wenzel and Bryan Monroe, a former Klein professor who passed in 2021, led the audit. Multiple other Klein professors also contributed to the interview and research process of the report. 

The report found that the Inquirer featured white people in 58% of its coverage, compared to 26.4% of Black individuals, 3.3% of Hispanic people and 1.6% of Asian people. Men accounted for 77.9% of people featured in stories, out of the surveyed stories that included 10,193 people. When Black people were featured in a piece, 53% of the Inquirer’s coverage was about sports and 23% in news — compared to when white people were featured, who were equally represented between news and sports in 31% of the Inquirer’s coverage.

The report also found that out of 225 Inquirer’s employees, 42.7% were white men and 31.6% were white women, meaning 74% of the Inquirer employees were white in August 2020. Black women represented 6.7% of the staff, and Black men at 4.9%. Their sports desk was entirely male at the time, and no people of color were on their 10-person investigations team. 

In 2020, white people made up about 36% of Philadelphia’s population, and Black people made up about 40%. About 52% of Philadelphia are female, with around 48% as male, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The audit recommended creating inclusive sourcing practices, increasing workplace equity and the integration of community engagement. The Inquirer’s community desk was launched about a year after the report’s release. At its launch, four reporters and a coverage editor worked with community leaders and members to continually produce community-based stories and underrepresented community content.

“Journalism represents the people, so if you have those in power in front of you with a pen or microphone or video camera or cell phone, what are the questions they are interested in,” said Christopher Malo, a former Temple professor and an interviewer for the audit. “All journalism should go back to the human element of things.”

Members of the communities and engagement desk published multiple different pieces covering underreported topics affecting communities, neighborhoods and people that had previously received little media attention. 

Lynette Hazelton wrote about the Holmesburg prison experiments and their lasting effect. In the 1950s, a dermatologist began experiments on imprisoned individuals using hallucinogenic drugs or painful procedures — a program that lasted 23 years, ending only after the Tuskegee Study reports came out in 1972 and after Philadelphia banned medical testing two years later. 

Another article was about a group of Black women who sew reusable period pads to send to women in Africa and the Caribbean. The period pad piece, written by Valerie Russ from the communities and engagement desk, boosted the sewing group’s popularity, earning the organization a new sewing machine, fabric and dozens of interested volunteers.

The desk’s articles were not under a paywall, making them free to all non-subscribers. Typically, the Inquirer utilizes a metered paywall, which measures the amount of times a user reads a section of the paper and blocks articles after a certain quota.

Inquirer reporters and editors received an email notifying them 10 jobs would be eliminated and offered buyout packages to the eliminated positions on March 21. Four out of the eight people on the communities desk were journalists of color, the Philadelphia Tribune reported.

Inquirer Editor and Senior Vice President Gabriel Escobar met with members of the National Association of Black Journalists’ Philadelphia chapter and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Keystone Pro chapter on April 2. Attendees of the meeting criticized the decision, claiming the move would undermine trust in the city’s most underserved communities, the Philadelphia Tribune reported. 

Escobar called the desk an “experiment” for the Inquirer at its peak operation. 

“When I look at how the paper is managed, and I know that there are certain fights that I have been fighting with this particular news organization almost my entire career, it feels like no matter who owns it, this is just how it’s going to be,” said Denise Clay-Murray, the president of Society of Professional Journalists Keystone Pro chapter. “That’s not fair to the citizens of Philadelphia and to the folks in the tri-state area, because they expect better from you.”

Clay-Murray, alongside P. Kenneth Burns, the president of the SPJ New Jersey chapter and a NABJ-Philly member, presented a joint letter to Escobar at the April 2 meeting. Escobar confirmed that the end of the desk was not linked to the Trump administration’s recent moves to target diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the public and private sector.

The NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia, a coalition supporting journalists and staff from the Inquirer and other Philadelphia news outlets, also released a statement condemning the desk’s dissolution. 

The Inquirer is owned by the Lenfest Institute, a non-profit that invests in local Philadelphia news. Klein Dean David Boardman served as Lenfest’s chairman when the Inquirer asked Temple to conduct an audit. Malo and Wenzel attribute Temple’s audit to Boardman’s involvement with Lenfest, alongside Temple’s journalism department prioritizing community and diversity-focused learning and reporting in its curriculum.

Wenzel currently teaches ethnic and alternative news at Temple Rome, and Malo was the director of Philadelphia Neighborhoods, the capstone course for journalism majors where students report and write stories serving different communities around Philadelphia that tend to go under-reported. 

“I think after as much pomp and circumstance the Inquirer did when showcasing all their commitments to change and value particular communities, the desk wasn’t even absorbed into anything else,” Malo said. “There’s a significant loss to that.”

Malo, Wenzel and Clay-Murray each chose to not speculate on possible explanations on why the desk was dissolved, but warned of future ramifications to community-based journalism. 

“After Wednesday’s meeting, my question to them became, ‘Do you really want to do this? Do you really want to be as much a part of Philadelphia as you do Cherry Hill or any of these after places,’” Clay-Murray said. “And if you don’t, then take Philadelphia off your title, call yourself the something-else Inquirer, because it’s obvious that you’re not necessarily trying to do the job for Philadelphians.”

The post Inquirer dissolves community desk five years after Temple audit recommendation first appeared on The Temple News.

How the Department of Education’s dissolution may impact Temple 8 Apr 2:01 AM (last month)

Nearly two weeks after the Department of Education filed a 50% worker reduction and reopened Title IX investigations into several universities, many colleges, including Temple, are navigating the new challenges higher education faces.

“The current higher education landscape remains complex and challenging, and I know that impacts all of us in significant ways, personally and professionally,” wrote President John Fry in a letter to the Temple community on March 21. “Recent executive actions threaten to substantially impact universities like Temple across the country. Enforcement actions have been initiated against individual institutions.” 

The Department of Education handles student services like the civil rights and discrimination complaints office, special education funds, school improvement programs, Pell Grant distribution and research. More than 2,000 ED staff lost their jobs after the March 21 directive. 

Eliminating or curtailing the ED will “erode the quality and experience of education for those who are enrolled,” at a time “of high prices, economic instability and deep insecurity across the workforce,” wrote Temple’s Hope Center in a statement March 20. 

Temple, after finalizing an investigation with the ED’s Office of Civil Rights in December with no wrongdoing found, received a letter in March stating that the university was once again under investigation for alleged antisemitic discrimination and harassment, The Temple News reported. 

The Office of Civil Rights is another office most affected by the cuts, with at least 240 of its 568-person staff facing layoffs, NPR reported. The OCR’s Philadelphia outpost, housed in the historic Wanamaker Building in Center City, also closed last month, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The ED’s distribution of funds and grants includes a large number of students at Temple who currently receive Pell Grants. As of Fall 2023, 31% of Temple undergraduate students receive Pell Grants. Thirty-eight percent of the Class of 2027 are Pell Grant recipients. That number jumped to 46% in the Class of 2028. 

At least 320 staff members of the Office of Federal Student Aid in the ED have been laid off, according to FSA. Some of the former staff helped to manage the federal student loan portfolio or maintain FSA’s online servers for applying for loans — an issue some Temple students already faced earlier this school year.

President Donald Trump and his administration threatened and began cuts in research and funding to other universities. Some students had previously voiced concerns about pursuing a future in education, either in joining the workforce or as their experience in the higher education system, The Temple News reported.

“For students right now, on the ground, [the ED is] saying that student loans are not going to be affected or that Pell Grants are going to keep being distributed – I frankly just don’t know what that means, there’s this illusion [in government],” said Anne Lundquist, director of Temple’s Hope Center for Student Basic Needs. “It takes people to do things – but if those people aren’t doing it, they won’t be as responsive [because of the cuts]. You won’t be able to call a number and get a person.”

The Hope Center, which is based at Temple but includes leaders from across the nation, works to conduct and create policy recommendations to help students meet their basic needs. Its 2023-24 survey report of students’ basic needs at 91 institutions found that Pell Grant recipients already experience food and housing insecurity at a higher rate than non-Pell Grant students. 

Mark Huelsman, director of policy and advocacy at the Hope Center, urged the community to both look at each individual executive statement or action on their own terms, but also as part of a collective effort to cut public services and benefits. 

The ED distributes specific programs that meet some of Hope Center’s basic needs’ criteria, like the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program, a grant to institutions whose students are low-income parents and are eligible for Pell Grants. In 2023, 264 universities and colleges received financial support from the ED.

“Eliminating all of that is going to have a huge impact in a very short term way of literally getting people money, but in a long term way as well,” Huelsman said. “[The ED’s programs] make sure that [Temple is] living up to their potential, actually improving people’s existences, and making higher education what it’s meant to do – that’s before you get into all the civil rights stuff. That’s why we put that statement out.

The post How the Department of Education’s dissolution may impact Temple first appeared on The Temple News.

Curing digital depression in a world of technology 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

For years, Remington Vaughan felt an irresistible urge to immediately check her Apple Watch every time it buzzed. Whether it was a text, breaking news or just a random alert, she couldn’t look away.

“I realized literally every single time I would get any kind of ping, I had to look at it,” said Vaughan, a sophomore communication studies and film and media arts double major. “It became like this kind of vice.”

For many young adults, the constant buzz of a phone can be a source of anxiety, self-esteem issues and a pressure to be constantly available. Through never-ending notifications, the curated perfection of social media feeds and the fear of missing out, smartphones have quietly ingrained themselves at the root of many people’s mental health. But even as these challenges grow, students like Vaughan are finding meaningful ways to reclaim their peace of mind.

Smartphones have become a seemingly inescapable part of daily life, an essential tool for communication and entertainment. But connectivity comes at a cost. Studies have shown that excessive screen time, particularly on social media platforms, can lead to increased stress, anxiety and even depression.

​A July 2022 study from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found a significant association between excessive cellphone use and negative effects on physical and mental wellbeing, while a March 2025 study by Talker Research showed 62% of Gen Z and millennial respondents feel in a constant state of worry. These findings suggest that the pressure to stay connected contributes to elevated stress among young adults.

“The internet moves so fast, and I feel like if I log off for even a few days, I miss out on trend cycles and feel out of the loop,” said Meredith Hunter, a senior film and media arts major.

In the age of social media, fear of missing out, or FOMO, has become a defining characteristic of young adulthood. Constant notifications and the relentless stream of content create an environment where people feel the need to stay plugged in 24/7, worried they might miss a trending topic or an important update.

As the pressures of staying connected continue, many individuals have started taking proactive steps to reduce the impact of smartphones on their mental health. For Vaughan, the buzz of their Apple Watch eventually became too much to handle. She decided to give up the watch altogether and scale back on their phone usage after recognizing the toll it was taking.

“I gave up a lot of social media during the pandemic,” Vaughan said. “I gave up Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok – all the apps that I felt I couldn’t pull myself away from.”

Vaughan’s decision to disconnect from some of the most addictive social media platforms reflects a growing trend among young adults who are actively seeking ways to reduce their screen time.

The overwhelming feeling of always being “on” has led some students to reassess their relationship with technology. While it may be difficult to fully disconnect, taking breaks from social media has allowed some individuals to reclaim their mental space and focus on other aspects of life.

“I’ve tried taking up some different hobbies, and I’ve gotten into podcasts and audiobooks as a way to keep in the loop while not scrolling on Instagram or Twitter for hours,” Hunter said.

For others, the key to managing phone use lies in taking intentional breaks from technology. Tyshie Bailey, a security guard at the Howard Gittis Student Center, understands the pressure to stay connected.

Bailey found that periodically disconnecting helps ease some of the stress that comes with constant digital engagement.

“I actually go through a yearly internet detox,” Bailey said. “I do it for a month or at least try to do it for a month to remind myself that I don’t need it.”

Smartphones can have negative impacts, but people are taking action to regain control. Whether through healthy outlets, setting boundaries or internet detoxes, the Temple community is finding ways to navigate the impact technology has on their mental health.

In this digital age, some find that stepping away from technology can be as simple as spending time with loved ones and embracing in-person interactions.

“There’s very much something about being around people, like hanging out with your family and being able to disconnect and fully immerse yourself in conversation with others,” Vaughan said. “I think that’s the best thing anyone can do to get away from their devices.”

The post Curing digital depression in a world of technology first appeared on The Temple News.

Tuttleman Counseling’s need for improvements 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

Updated April 8 at 5:12 p.m. EST.

This semester, Temple has faced multiple challenges and tragedies that have impacted the people who make up the university community. 

On Jan. 28, a student passed away during celebrations at City Hall following the Eagles’ NFC Championship win. And on Feb. 7, another student was fatally shot on Carlisle Street near Oxford.

A recent alumnus was also stabbed in Temple’s off-campus housing in February, and two students were arrested for impersonating United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in January. On April 2, the university announced that a student’s visa was revoked by the Secretary of State, causing further anxiety in the Temple community. 

These incidents, alongside broader global and political issues, disproportionately affect students from marginalized groups and can negatively impact mental health.

As students navigate these difficult times, Temple administration has responded by offering condolences, addressing concerns and reminding students that support services, including Tuttleman Counseling, are available to those in need.  

As Temple keeps referring students to Tuttleman during tumultuous times, the university must ensure that Tuttleman has the resources necessary to care for the entire student body without delays and make students aware of the mental health services available to them. 

Students must juggle usual college responsibilities while navigating unprecedented political turmoil and other extenuating circumstances, so they should feel comfortable contacting Tuttleman Counseling. However, Tuttleman has only 16 full-time clinical staff members, one part-time and 12 current trainees for more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

The number of clinical staff has increased since Temple raised funding for health and wellness by 3.3% in the 2024 budget. This should effectively be conveyed to students so they know that they are receiving proper help, and eliminate the feeling of long wait times or a lack of consistent care due to understaffing.

Quinn Doyle was referred to Tuttleman Counseling during her freshman year. Following a consultation, she was informed she would only be provided with three 30-minute sessions with a staff member, which felt like a limited amount of time to address a traumatic experience, Doyle said. 

“The services that people require in therapy or counseling are always going to be interwoven,” said Doyle, a junior public policy major. “[Patients] are going to bring up issues, old struggles, old traumas that are going to need to be addressed in that room while discussing current traumas, and that was something that they were not able to offer me because of their limited time and capacity.” 

Temple’s funding for health and wellness went up 3.3% from 2023 to 2024, but Temple should prioritize mental health resources for students by continuing to increase funding for Tuttleman, which would allow for an increase in staffing to better accommodate the student population.

Students shouldn’t let their concerns about individualized therapy discourage them from reaching out and accessing the services they need. Tuttleman offers a variety of other services students should be aware of, including individual counseling, psychiatric services and consultation. 

Dr. Andrew Lee, director of Tuttleman Counseling, says that although students may be aware of individual counseling services, they should also seek out the other services available.

“We have groups for things like social anxiety, we have anxiety classes, we have classes to deal with depression, we have interpersonal process groups to understand how you relate to others and how others relate to you,” Lee said. “We have a wide variety of different group offerings to serve different populations that might need them.”

Beyond Tuttleman’s core services, students also have access to group therapy, skill classes, therapeutic yoga and meditation programs designed to help manage stress and improve overall well-being. 

Despite these offerings, many students still remain unaware of the full range of services due to unclear outreach efforts. Temple must provide as much information about the resources available to face the onslaught of university and national events. 

Kayla Roumie says that although she was aware of Tuttleman Counseling, she wasn’t exactly sure of what they offered. 

“I know there are signs in bathrooms about Tuttleman Counseling,” said Roumie, a senior environmental studies and English major, “But it’s a little less specific about the different resources they have. I feel those signs in the restrooms are more so advertising that Tuttleman is there, less so about what they can offer.”

Tuttleman and Temple could increase outreach by putting up posters with QR codes linking to Tuttleman’s list of services and expanding campus events. Further, Tuttleman counseling can work more with student organizations or clubs across campus to create greater public awareness.

Mental health support should be a priority, considering the number of crises students are facing. While Tuttleman Counseling provides crucial resources, more can be done to ensure students know about and can access them.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story inaccurately stated the number of staff members at Tuttleman Counseling Services. It has since been corrected.

The post Tuttleman Counseling’s need for improvements first appeared on The Temple News.

The comforts of consecration: Faith, work and feeling 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

The Comforter, they said, comforted. 

While congregations watched, the Holy Ghost would grip the pews: The formerly enslaved in the twilight of Reconstruction, European factory hands on their only day off. Perhaps they’d shout and stomp or even collapse to a hallowed unconsciousness in the aisles. Or the Spirit just soothed them.

She was the Comforter. It wasn’t always a compliment.

Karl Marx called Europe’s kaleidoscopic Christian traditions “the opiate of the masses”: Soothing, but useless. W.E.B. Du Bois described “the Frenzy” as the third leg of an expressive “slave religion” — a note of curious ambivalence or an ink-stained headshake, depending on the reader.

One interpretation of “The Frenzy” is that Du Bois feared religion’s influence could lead to a world where “people aren’t rising up, they aren’t making revolution, they aren’t fighting,” said Wake Forest historian Guy Emerson Mount, currently the Carter G. Woodson Fellow at the University of Virginia.

There’s another view, according to Vassar College historian Jonathan S. Kahn: “Slave religion’s” power to unite people in a common cause piqued Du Bois’s curiosity, even if he couldn’t fully inhabit its tenets.

Churches with histories of civil rights activism — including Church of the Advocate and Bright Hope Baptist —  stand just steps from Temple’s Main Campus. Du Bois lived long enough for their work to inform his views. But there’s something to be said for the comfort faith communities offer. 

Decades of research have established clear links between religion and mental health, for better or worse: Adherents consistently say they abuse substances, contemplate suicide and face anxiety less than their peers. But religious groups’ policing of behavior can also lead to adverse mental health outcomes like higher rates of anxiety.

A 2008 study by Dr. Joanna Maselko — then a Temple researcher — even showed a link between leaving faith and mental health: Women experienced higher risks of depression and anxiety once they’d quit religion, Maselko found. Men didn’t.

“Women are simply more integrated into the social networks of their religious communities,” Maselko told Temple’s health sciences newsletter at the time. “When they stop attending religious services, they lose access to that network and all its potential benefits.”

Among those benefits are the stabilizing power of routine and community, said Temple Interfaith Council director Ariella Werden-Greenfield.

“That a community can be a resource for anyone is absolutely true,” Werden-Greenfield said. “When faith is a piece of community, I think the capacity for that community experience to amplify well-being is so very heightened.”

Temple’s Catholic Newman Center sits on Main Campus’s northern edge, less than a half-block north of the intersection of Broad and Diamond streets. Catholics at Temple have long visited the Newman Center to worship, study and feast on Spag — campus-speak for a Thursday evening pasta dinner served to hungry students, staffers and community members from the hands of Newman Center volunteers. 

Not every diner at Spag is a devout Catholic, but the food is free. And it’s helped make Newman a community all its own.

A chorus of healthcare administrators and experts, including former United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, point to social isolation as a root of physical and psychological maladies. Murthy even feared the COVID-19 pandemic had accelerated a “loneliness epidemic.” The Newman Center, in serving, could potentially be part of the solution.

“As humans, we like to give back to each other,” said Center coordinator Cameron Mann, a senior biology major. “We like to help each other out.”

Yet faith might not be the perfect solution for everyone. For those whose deepest selves run afoul of their church’s interpretation of Scripture, full participation in the community might simply be impossible. 

Victims of sexual abuse and other religious trauma likely wouldn’t find a return to the fold particularly useful. And while members of Catholic and Protestant clergy alike often point to spiritual forces at work in mental health challenges, there are issues best solved by clinical solutions like therapy and medication, Mann said.

“For things like mental health, where you seriously need medication, treatment — I would say it’s in our best interest to acknowledge that,” Mann said. In those instances, he added, it’s helpful to note, “We’re not, like, doctors or clinicians or anything of that sort.”

And the comforts of consecration, Werden-Greenfield noted, don’t necessarily lull believers away from taking action. 

“Faith can give us the strength to align our life purpose with the greater good,” Werden-Greenfield said.

The post The comforts of consecration: Faith, work and feeling first appeared on The Temple News.

Naese finding his stride on the green 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

Jake Naese’s passion for golf didn’t start on a high school team or with a professional coach — it began in his backyard when he was 12 years old. 

Growing up in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, Naese lived on a hole of the Royal Lakes golf course, where the game was always nearby. It was there, with his dad by his side, where he first picked up a club. What began as simple chipping and putting sessions on the green soon turned into something more.

It wasn’t long before Naese was hooked and the game became a central part of his life. 

“I played lots of other sports growing up, so I’ve always enjoyed being on teams,” Naese said. “But I enjoyed golf the most because even though I’m still part of a team, there is still that individual aspect to it.” 

Though his path to collegiate golf wasn’t straightforward, it has been one of steady growth and improvement. After redshirting his freshman season and seeing limited playing time during his sophomore and junior campaigns, Naese has come into his own as a senior. He’s become one of Temple Golf’s best players this year, showing a new sense of confidence.  

“The last three years, he’s played really well and this whole year, he’s done a great job,” said head coach Brian Quinn. “He’s worked really hard on all aspects of his game. From an athletic standpoint, he’s starting to truly believe how good he actually can be. You can really see that he’s thinking, ‘Hey, I can do this at a high level.’”

Naese has shown improvement in his performances during multiple tournaments this season. He had a performance that left much to be desired at the Wexford Intercollegiate from Feb. 17-18. He posted rounds of 74-80-74, finishing at +12, which put him in a tie for 51st place. 

Naese’s play leveled out at the Dorado Beach Intercollegiate from Feb 23-25. With rounds of 70-73-73, he finished the tournament even par at 216, tied for 35th place. While a move into the top 20 still eluded him, his ability to maintain steady play in all three rounds highlighted his ability to compete at a high level.

Naese’s recent performances are a testament to his resilience. A pivotal moment came at the ECU Intercollegiate from March 17-18, where he delivered his best performance of the season. Despite a tough second round score of 79, he bounced back with a 70 on the final day to finish the tournament tied for 8th place out of 100. 

“I think it’s just trusting your preparations,” Naese said. “That’s been the biggest thing helping me the last couple of tournaments, just knowing that I put in the work and then just trusting in what I’m doing. You’re gonna hit some bad shots, so short-term memory is important.”

Naese’s ability to trust his process has been his biggest game-changer, especially in high-stakes collegiate tournaments. While his overall skillset has evolved throughout his career, it’s his transformation off the tee that stands out most. 

What was once his biggest vulnerability has been turned into a strength. Naese now consistently puts the ball in play and sets himself up for better scoring chances. He’s grown a lot on the course, particularly in these critical areas. 

Naese’s teammate and roommate Ethan Whitney has witnessed this transformation firsthand during the past four years. 

“He found some confidence this year and kept rolling with it,” Whitney said. “He was able to believe in himself more and he started getting better results. I’m very proud of how he’s stepped up this year, he’s playing a big part on the team right now. He’s a great teammate, always positive and always wanting to get better.”

It’s clear that Naese has found his stride as the end of his senior season approaches. His game has come together in ways that few could have predicted at the start of his journey and his confidence is at an all-time high. With his improved driving and consistent play, he’s not just competing — he’s contending. 

With the American Athletic Conference Championships on the horizon, Naese’s blend of experience and newfound skill makes him a serious competitor and his best performances may be ahead. He has firmly established his role on the team during the past three-and-a-half years,  becoming a reliable teammate both on and off the course.

“I want to be remembered as someone who worked hard every day, gave it their all and just was, most importantly, a good teammate,” Naese said.

The post Naese finding his stride on the green first appeared on The Temple News.

Recovery with “The Sound of Metal” 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

The first time I watched “The Sound of Metal” in 2021, I was on a strict diet of avocado toast, salads, eggs and fruit.

I was a dance major throughout high school, so I was unusually masterful at picking apart my visible flaws and comparing myself to others. Being in a dance studio for two to four hours a day meant I was constantly looking at myself in the mirror, analyzing the shape of my body, the arch of my back, the upward pull of my core and the straightness of my knees. 

But I didn’t just see myself when I looked in the mirror. Instead, I saw my body surrounded by and in comparison to everyone else’s taller and narrower figures. 

Throughout quarantine, I had nothing to occupy the space in my brain. I spend a lot of days staring at the wall, letting my thoughts run amok and conjuring up distant anxieties or dwelling on embarrassing interactions that took place years prior that I thought were proper grounds for self-loathing. 

While taking a Zoom dance class one day, years of pent-up insecurities came crashing down and I had dedicated myself to starving within what seemed like minutes. There was no inciting incident; I just broke in an instant, like a hot glass getting cold water poured into it. 

It was ultimately the result of years of insecurities and volatile internal dialogue that finally became too heavy in my chest to ignore. 

My precision with what I ate was surgical. I went to bed with plans established for the next day, masterfully strategizing my exercise and caloric intake. My eating disorder slowly became one with my obsessive-compulsive disorder and was a necessity more than anything else. 

After a few months, it became less about starving to be thin, but more about fears of contamination and food poisoning. I constantly saw videos on social media about the ingredients that would inevitably poison my gut or kill the bacteria in my stomach. I started to avoid more foods until my diet had the same diversity as a picky toddler.

I knew what I was doing was unhealthy and wrong, but I couldn’t seem to stop. Some days were better than others when I would drink a sugary coffee or expand my diet to include food I had never considered before. 

But the incessant buzzing of doubt, shame and insecurity was constantly buzzing around me like a gadfly. 

But one day, I sat down to watch “The Sound of Metal” to distract myself from the obsessions that plagued me. The movie follows a drummer named Ruben who goes deaf, but keeps playing the drums despite the damage it does to his hearing. He eventually joins a deaf community and learns ASL, but despite it all, he nearly decides to abandon all of his progress to get cochlear implants. 

After being met with backlash from his deaf friends who contend that deafness is a culture, not an ailment, he decides against it. The final shot of the movie is the protagonist standing outside, he pulls his hearing aid out of his ear and revels in the silence of the world around him.  

At its core, it’s about deafness, but broadly, it spoke to my frustrations. I had a mental problem that I couldn’t seem to fix, and it decimated my personality. The days when I had glimmers of hope that I was getting over it gave me the illusion of progress, but I would often slip back into my harmful habits the very next morning. 

But from “The Sound of Metal,” I learned to take those negative days for what they are — just another day. I began to revel in those brief moments of silence from my vicious internal monologue. They became the patches of flowers in an otherwise wilted lawn that I was dancing on. 

On the bad days that came, I would meditate on my negative feelings. In dialectical behavioral therapy, there’s an exercise where you view your painful thoughts as a balloon. Instead of trying to grab at the balloon’s string like a child, you’re encouraged to let it fly into the air. Some days, I tried to keep the balloons down on Earth with me, but with practice, I learned to release them. 

When a good day came, I would celebrate it. Slowly but surely, good days became more frequent until the number of good days far outweighed the bad.

I’ve considered myself “recovered” for nearly a year, but I know the eating disorder’s ugly head will peer around the corner soon enough. Bad days are inevitable, but they’re not signs of regression. 

I’ve learned to ride the rough days the same way I did with the rare good ones. It’s a constant ebb and flow that can pull you under like a riptide, but it’s most important to ride the wave and stay upright no matter the direction of the pull.

Like Ruben made peace with deafness, I’ve made peace with my eating disorder, if such a thing is even possible. I still have days where random anxieties creep up on me, but I’ve learned to let them pass and face the silence head-on.

The post Recovery with “The Sound of Metal” first appeared on The Temple News.

“The poison drips through:” Revering the “Succession” Roy siblings 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

My best friend first pitched “Succession” to me as something parallel to a reality competition show. 

“It’s basically just a competition for who can flop the hardest,” she said. 

I put off watching the show for a while. It’s been in my cultural purview since its premiere in 2018, as my friends constantly nudged me to watch it. They incessantly reiterated that it was the best television show and that I would undoubtedly enjoy it. 

I never watch TV shows people recommend to me because they require an attention span I don’t have. But I always knew there was something special about “Succession,” even when I had never seen a full episode.

I finally tuned in during the spring of 2023. The series finale was set to air within the next couple of weeks, so I made it my mission to binge-watch the show to watch the final episode in real time.

From the first episode, I was hooked.

Oftentimes in shows about business moguls, there’s an impenetrability to the characters that makes them feel distant from the human experience. They’re either too calculated, lacking in emotion or exhibit near-demonic levels of greed. 

But from the show’s first introduction to Kendall Roy, drumming away in the back of a black car service to his rap music, I knew something special was on the way. 

The show follows the children of disgruntled billionaire Logan Roy as he grooms them to be the successors of his media company, Waystar Royco. The plot has it all, complete with hijinks, backstabbing and family drama. The relationship between the three main siblings, Roman, Shiv and Kendall, drew me to the show. 

“Succession” is intoxicating. After the first episode, I voraciously consumed the rest, barely looking up from my iPad. I watched with undivided attention as Kendall’s vote of no confidence against his father failed and as he committed vehicular manslaughter at the end of season one. 

I felt the stab in my heart as Shiv was continuously spat out by her father and as Roman fought for even the slightest bit of attention from the patriarch. 

Whereas many characters in the business genre of TV lack human qualities, the Roy siblings bleed humanity in every episode. Even if each of them is hateful and contentious in their way, there’s a tenderness to each of them that appeals to humanity’s deepest insecurities.

When I saw each character on screen, they were the physical embodiment of some of my worst traits: obsessiveness, ego and anxiety. The show offered me something more substantial than the story of moguls or media politics, telling a story of actual people guarded so fiercely behind buttoned vests and tightly bound neck ties. 

Kendall is petulantly obsessive, letting his desire to helm Waystar poison him from the inside out. Shiv is fractured beyond repair: a victim of her family’s misogyny that ultimately drove her to be one of the show’s coldest characters. Roman is a degenerate, constantly acting as the resident clown in search of the next wave of sexual indecency. 

Like Kendall, I often bury myself deep in my work. I become so entrenched in writing and the creative process that sometimes it feels better to turn a cold shoulder to people I love. Like Roman, I find a sick pleasure in the art of egotism because it allows me to completely escape from the shattered person I am under the surface.

But I regularly feel most like Shiv, even though her brothers hold a special place in my heart. She’s unapologetically callous, always on a never-ending course to self-destruction. Quite often, it feels like she and I are on the same journey. Her propensity for anger, yet deep desire for meaningful affection, felt attuned to the constant internal battle I find myself entangled in.

In the end, they all lose. The Waystar dynasty was gifted to Tom Wambsgans, Shiv’s inept and desperate husband. The media empire Kendall tried so hard to obtain fell through his fingers like water, and his narrative arc ends with him sitting on a park bench, staring dejectedly into the distance. Shiv is locked in her tumultuous marriage because she would rather kneel to Tom than give up proximity to power. 

I saw each sibling as a representation of the darkest parts of myself, finally duking it out in the fictional boxing ring of corporate America. It was cathartic to see them all unwind; the ultimate reminder of the danger of indulging in the darkest parts of human emotion. 

The Roy siblings were consumed by despair until it seemed like their redemption was an impossibility. Their anguished relationship with their father poisoned them until there was nothing left. 

I am my own worst critic, and I fear sometimes that my self-loathing will turn me into the real-life incarnation of one of the Roy siblings. 

The show is nearly two years past its finale, but I still find myself thinking about the Roy siblings daily. Like all tragic characters, they reveal a universal truth about humanity that many people refuse to admit: pain can crystallize until you become wretched. 

The Roys’ fatal flaws live inside me, whether I want to admit it or not, but the show’s raw depiction of their humanity makes me feel far less alone. The Roy siblings are reflections of the innate flaws of humanity, the ones that live within us all at one point or another. They live within all of us in varying capacities, and there’s a special relief in that fact.

The post “The poison drips through:” Revering the “Succession” Roy siblings first appeared on The Temple News.

Owls overcome hardships in tough season 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

After enduring a 15-19 season in 2024, Temple entered the 2025 season with high hopes for a bounce-back year. 

Those aspirations were quickly zapped as key performers went down with injuries. With upperclassmen sidelined, underclassmen stepped into the spotlight and had to shake off their nerves.

While the youth provided a spark, the mix of injuries and inexperience resulted in Temple stumbling to a five-meet losing streak to start the season.

“Even though we practiced with our inner squads, it doesn’t really compare to being in the actual competitive environment,” said gymnast Brooke Donabedian. “I feel like if we had practiced that more during practice, just putting ourselves in those way more high-pressure scenarios, we could have had more of an outcome.”

The Owls finished the season with an 11-18 record but are proud of the wins they earned along the way. Despite the rough start, the team didn’t let the losses shake their morale. Temple bounced back with four straight victories after the early slump but finished the season losing four of its last six meets. 

Kyrstin Johnson became one of the top storylines during the season after her viral floor routine to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us.’ The Talladega College transfer credits the team’s supportive environment as one of the best she’s ever experienced, even through the team’s rocky start.

“We knew that we had each other’s back,” Johnson said. “There was actually trust there. We actually made sure that we had fun. We were taking in the moment. And it really showed throughout the season that we were just getting better and better at each meet and we’re just seriously ready for next year.”

Head coach Hilary Steele plays a key role in helping her athletes build confidence — something that initially held the team back, Donabedian said.

Steele pairs upperclassmen with underclassmen in big-sister, little-sister roles to ensure younger gymnasts have strong mentors. The strategy puts the Owls one step ahead of the looming challenge of replacing four seniors and two graduate students graduating, leaving just one senior left and several pairs of big shoes to fill.

The team will be losing a large portion of its beam lineup with the main departure being Donabedian, who helped craft the culture of the program during her five years on North Broad Street. She capped her career off by being named the East Atlantic Gymnastics League Specialist of the Year — the first gymnast in Temple history to claim the honor.

“I’m hoping that we can build that culture where [freshmen can] come in confidently and expect to compete,” Steele said. “So I think it’s important to know that a freshman should come in and expect to compete and not be afraid of that opportunity.”

Nikki Rengifo is one of the underclassmen who is expected to step into a bigger role next year. She joined the team after undergoing shoulder surgery for a gymnastics-related injury. Initially, Steele was nervous to have a freshman on the team who was recovering from surgery and wasn’t sure what she was capable of.

However, Rengifo silenced all doubts when she began competing. She became a staple on the vault, competing in every match and scoring 9.700 or better seven times. Rengifo also contributed to the floor lineup, especially toward the end of the season. She performed on the floor in six of the final seven meets and recorded a career-high 9.850 during the conference championship. 

“[Rengifo] really stepped up on the vault,” Steele said. “And then when we were struggling a little bit on the floor, she ended up being consistent in both of those lineups.”

The experience that underclassmen like Rengifo and Johnson gained from this season gives them an advantage to take the reins in 2026. The team knows they need to enhance their confidence and focus on rigorous training this off-season to see improvement next year. 

The up-and-down season ultimately ended with a three-meet skid, but that didn’t stop the team from enjoying the journey. Steele reflected on the Owls’ final meet against Nebraska — she wasn’t disappointed by the loss, but proud of the energy her team brought to the arena.

“It was completely electric in the arena and it showed in their gymnastics,” Steele said. “It was just a great way for us to end our season, although we were so close to winning and that would have been the cherry on top. I think knowing we got our season high, the most important of the year for us, finished us in a good spot leading into next season.”

The post Owls overcome hardships in tough season first appeared on The Temple News.

Mental health concerns growing for Class of 2029, survey shows 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

A national survey released in February revealed growing concern for mental health and basic needs insecurity among incoming college students — trends Temple’s student services are watching closely as it prepares to support the incoming Class of 2029. 

The survey, conducted by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program, collected responses from 24,367 incoming students across 55 colleges and universities between April 14 and Oct. 10, 2024. Findings pointed to significant increases in emotional distress, alongside a growing number of first-generation students and students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. 

Temple’s support systems, like Tuttleman Counseling Services and the Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, monitor trends through both national surveys and their own research and work to adjust resources in response. Tuttleman is aware of and tracking the latest survey from CIRP.

“I think students are coming to campus with more history of mental health challenges,” said Mark Denys, associate vice provost for health and well-being. “It’s helping us limit the stigma associated with mental health, but at the same time, students may need more services than we can provide as our demand is always increasing.” 

Tuttleman’s Wellness Resource Center conducts biennial surveys with similar data points to CIRP, Denys said. Temple also participates in the JED Campus program, which brings together schools across the country to develop strategic mental health initiatives and practices. 

CIRP data showed that the emotional well-being of students varied significantly based on gender. While 42% of men reported experiencing frequent or occasional depression, the number rose to 59% for women and 91% for nonbinary and genderqueer students.

Eighty-four percent of nonbinary and genderqueer students said they saw some or a very good chance of seeking mental health services in college. Sixty-three percent of women and 48% of men expected the same. 

“Temple responses [to surveys] are fairly more positive than most, but understanding the gaps and where we can fine-tune our services matters,” Denys said. 

To stay attuned to ongoing trends, Temple’s student health and well-being team — including the Wellness Resource Center and Student Health Services — meet bi-monthly to share trends observed on campus and nationwide through resources like the American Council on Education’s newsletters. 

Temple has invested more heavily in student mental health since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with its division of student health and well-being officially launching in January 2023 after a commitment of funds from the Provost’s office. Salaries and staff retention have improved significantly since then, Denys said. 

Tuttleman has also focused on promoting accessibility and working to reduce wait times and barriers to services during the last two years. While it cannot provide long-term therapy for every student, the center helps students build sustainable care plans. 

Temple’s Hope Center for Student Basic Needs also plays a crucial role in supporting students through research and targeted programming. In response to rising demand, the center has scaled up its efforts and continues to see increased utilization of its services, said Annette Ditolvo, basic needs senior program coordinator at the Hope Center. 

“The more that we have un-traditional students coming to our university, even though I don’t love that term, we are really proud to be able to offer an accessible and affordable education,” Ditolvo said. 

CIRP data highlighted the scale of financial insecurity among students. Nearly 19% of respondents were classified as low-income, defined as having a family income of less than $60,000. First-generation students made up 12% of the overall population and 35% of the low-income group. 

Financial pressures disproportionately impacted students of color. While 56% of total respondents expressed some or major concern about paying for college, 81% of Hispanic or Latino students and nearly 70% of Black students reported similar worries. 

The need for additional resources for diverse student populations has grown in the past decade at Temple and other institutions, said Stacy Priniski, senior evaluation associate at the Hope Center. 

To prepare for future trends, the Hope Center uses its own Basic Needs survey, which annually collects a wide range of data points, from internet access to food and clothing, to guide institutional planning.

“One thing I’m hearing from a lot of institutional policy makers right now is that as higher ed becomes more diverse, we need to shift our thinking,” Priniski said. “It’s not just about making students ‘college-ready,’ but about making colleges ‘student-ready.’ We need to think about who we’re recruiting and make changes accordingly.”

The post Mental health concerns growing for Class of 2029, survey shows first appeared on The Temple News.

Beware of the dangers of doomscrolling 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

Rachel McCloskey estimates she spends about eight hours on her phone a day perusing social media and otherwise “doomscrolling” on apps like Instagram and TikTok. The experience often leaves her feeling unfulfilled, wishing she could channel her time and energy into more productive endeavors. 

“I feel like I have so many goals and ambitions that I’m just not doing just because of time and energy and motivation,” said McCloskey, a senior journalism major. “And I just feel like, if I were to remove myself from social media and my phone a little bit more and focus on other things, I would actually get some of those things done.”

High screen time significantly affects students’ mental health and is closely linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression and stress, according to a February 2023 study by the National Center of Biotechnology Information. 

College students are part of the demographic with the highest daily screen time usage — young adults between the ages of 16-24, on average, spend more than seven hours a day using their phones. Although work, school and social lives may often make it unrealistic for students to completely step away from their screens, they should try their best to reduce their time spent on phones and social media to improve their well-being. 

Excessive social media use impacts multiple areas of students’ lives, including their mental health, self-esteem, sleep habits and academic performance, said Dr. Andrew Lee, senior director of Tuttleman Counseling Services. 

“I would argue that it’s really the adolescent, young adult period that is most impacted [by social media] because that’s a time where that social comparison is happening,” Lee said. “You’re forming your views on yourself, you are forming your views on other people, how you fit in the matrix, so in that way I think [social media] has a significant impact at a very formative time.” 

While social media can temporarily boost dopamine levels through likes and interactions, it can also trigger self-esteem issues when they don’t receive the validation they desire or when others on their feed make them feel insecure. 

Social media users are constantly exposed to carefully curated content that showcases unattainable body types and unrealistic lifestyles. This can make users feel unhappy with their bodies and cause them to develop insecurities, according to the University of California, Davis Health. 

“I feel like my phone knows when I’m feeling bad about something because then it will feed me content specifically for that,” McCloskey said. “I feel like my weight is something that I’ve been struggling with because I feel like it’s been changing a lot while I’m in college. I’m not in high school anymore, my body doesn’t look like that anymore. And then I’ll go on TikTok, and it’s just gym babes working out, video after video.” 

Students must remind themselves that social media is often fabricated or only reflects the moments in someone’s life they want to share publicly. Comparison is unhealthy, and moving away from social media is a simple way to mitigate its impact on self-esteem.   

Considerable screen time can also be a significant detriment to students’ sleep schedules and school performance. As individuals struggle to pull themselves away from their phones, they may be sacrificing valuable time that could be spent resting or engaging with academics — two crucial habits students must nurture throughout college. 

Brooke Bales feels conflicted about spending time on social media and how it affects her productivity and focus. 

“I always feel like I’m already struggling with discipline and procrastination,” said Bales, a senior communication studies major. “I want to get away from using [social media] because I know it’s just making the problems I already have so much worse.”

Individuals should reflect on what drives them to spend hours online and consider whether they do it because they want to or because it’s a method of distraction from their feelings or problems, Lee said. 

Students can set healthy boundaries by establishing phone-free times, like before bed or in the morning, and setting goals to supplement screen time with other activities they enjoy, like hanging out with friends, reading or spending time outside. 

Apps like “Forest” or “StayFree-Screen” allow users to set daily time limits on social media platforms, which can help students regulate their screen time.

Another way to reduce screen time is by rearranging the phone’s home screen to make specific applications harder to access. If students have to browse through different tabs and folders to access social media apps, this gives them time to think about why they are going online, Lee said. 

While social media and phone use have their benefits, in excess, they can negatively affect students’ mental well-being and ability to manage their time. With a few simple changes, individuals can mitigate their phone use and reap the benefits of lessened screen time.

The post Beware of the dangers of doomscrolling first appeared on The Temple News.

Philly flowers in pink and white at annual Cherry Blossom Festival 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

The pounding sound of taiko drums echoed throughout the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center Saturday as drummer Yoko Nakahashi sat at the front of the Sakura Main Stage, framed by the weekend’s headliner: Philly’s pink and white cherry blossom trees.

“There is so much meaning behind the cherry blossoms,” said Matthew Wilson, president and dean of Temple Japan Campus and board member of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia. “Part is that it signifies new life, it signifies hope in a world that’s in turmoil. I can’t think of a better way to bring everybody together than to really celebrate the beauty of nature through cherry blossoms.”

Crowds flocked to the annual Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival on April 5 and 6 to celebrate the brief bloom of the park’s cherry blossom trees before their delicate petals fall away.

“You can experience Japan while you are here,” said Kazumi Teune, the executive director of JASGP. “The Cherry Blossom Festival is a true labor of love between myself and my fellow board members and each year, we are overjoyed in bringing a taste of our beautiful culture to Philadelphia.”

In collaboration with Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center, JASGP’s Sakura Festival offered weekend-long events including live music, sushi samurai classes and an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony. Vendors lined the park’s walkways and food trucks served many different Asian cuisines.

“It’s a once-a-year kind of thing,” said Brandon Pun, a Philadelphia resident and festival attendee. “Once we saw the festivities, we decided to come stay, enjoy, see the sights, kinda get a sense of the community in Philadelphia.”

From the smell of egg rolls and the taste of ube-flavored ice cream to the sounds of mahjong and gomoku tables, the festival extends beyond a visual experience. Eastern Asian influences fluttered around the park like the falling cherry blossom petals.

These symbolic cherry blossom trees only come to full fruition for two weeks of the year. The beauty of their fleeting nature serves as a reason to come together in celebration of Japanese culture, promising cultural health and welcoming spring.

“It really means a lot to build bridges and to bring cultures together,” Wilson said. “Mutual respect, excitement, understanding and just this newness and hope. I really truly think that bringing this together in spring as we move forward is just an ideal and perfect timing.”

The post Philly flowers in pink and white at annual Cherry Blossom Festival first appeared on The Temple News.

Mental health management through recreational marijuana 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

Nicole was never part of the stoner crowd in high school, but everything changed during her freshman year of college. What began as a rebellious puff — just an occasional joint to manage her stress — quickly turned into a daily ritual.

“I didn’t even realize by the time I was staying home every day just to get high,” said Nicole, a junior psychology major whose full identity is being shielded. “I was just like, ‘Oh, this is me being in college having a good time.’”

While cannabis remains illegal in Pennsylvania, recreational marijuana has been legalized in 24 states around the country, including neighboring states New Jersey and New York. Some students choose to continue smoking weed regardless of its legalization status as a method to combat stress and mental health struggles.

Chris Goldstein, a marijuana legalization advocate, columnist and former adjunct professor at Temple, prefaces conversations about using marijuana for mental health management beginning with its legal status. Anxiety about the ramifications of marijuana use can outweigh its benefits, he said.

“If [smokers] tried other things for their mental health but they find cannabis as a successful therapy, if they’re using it in an environment where they [can be placed] under arrest or losing their kids or their job, all of a sudden, there’s a huge problem with them accessing this therapy, and it really is an added stress to their mental health,” Goldstein said.

Goldstein taught a marijuana in the media course at Temple with professor Linn Washington in 2017, exploring topics like how cannabis gained certain stereotypes, the language used to describe weed and how the drug is portrayed in the media.

Washington is especially passionate about disproving negative marijuana stereotypes that prevent people from using weed in a beneficial way.

“There’s been a negative mystique that has been put in place,” Washington said. “Propaganda that marijuana use immediately causes hard addiction to hard drugs and that kind of thing, and those have been disproved so many times.”

Goldstein posits that weed does not cause mental health conditions like depression or schizophrenia, as some past research has suggested. Instead, he says it can serve as a helpful tool, similar to antidepressants or ADHD medications.

Goldstein recommends smoking marijuana flower instead of vaping THC oil or consuming edibles to reap the most mental health benefits because the effects are an immediate and natural stress reliever, he said.

“A lot of people who are indoctrinated to be afraid of smoking and vaping are afraid of smoking vaping, and they go to eat cannabis and they do not have the best experience,” Goldstein said. “Whereas they might have a better experience when they come to relieve conditions like anxiety if they use simple inhalation.”

Nicole’s depression reached a point where she was unsure whether it was the weed that caused her depression, or her depression that caused her to smoke weed. 

But two years after using marijuana to the point where it was hurting her mental health more than helping her, Nicole has found a smoking balance that manages her stressors and doesn’t hold her back from attending class or social events.

“I try to be very careful to not let it get to a point where I’m not doing other things to smoke, because I think that’s what tends to cause depression and mental health issues,” Nicole said. 

Through his research, Goldstein found that cannabis itself is not inherently dangerous — unlike alcohol or cigarettes, which are linked to cancer and addiction. Instead, he points to the risks involved in modern processing methods, particularly in products like weed pens that can contain synthetic cannabinoids.

Washington makes sure to emphasize that overuse of any substance can have a negative impact. But when used in moderation, cannabis can be used as a helpful tool to combat mental health disorders.

“You can just have a mouse inhale the equivalent of a pound of marijuana and it’s gonna go crazy,” Washington said. “If you just give them the equivalent of a joint, the mouse will probably go on the corner and chill.”

The post Mental health management through recreational marijuana first appeared on The Temple News.

Temple, better communicate course offerings 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

Priority registration for undergraduate students for the Fall 2025 semester began on March 31, but as students began to select their schedule, many faced a common issue with the availability of courses.

Students select their classes based on their DARS audit, an online platform that assesses students’ progress toward their degree. Students in the university’s Fly in 4 program are required to visit an academic advisor each semester, which can be unreliable due to high demand and lack of availability. 

As students’ academic careers advance, registering for classes may become more stressful. They may face challenges while rushing to register for major requirements, like writing intensives or introductory seminars, which often have limited class sizes or are not offered. 

Temple’s student body deserves greater clarity on course offerings, academic planning and changes to their degree requirements. The Editorial Board urges Temple’s department chairs and academic advisors to better communicate with students about these changes to ease their anxieties during registration. 

Due to limited class selections, students may face scheduling conflicts for other on-campus commitments, jobs or university activities. A third of Temple’s professors are adjunct and only teach on a semester-to-semester basis, BillyPenn reported. This means courses are offered based on the adjunct faculty’s semester availability.

Before semester registration, students often create academic plans to ensure their academic goals are met in an efficient and timely manner. However, due to miscommunication on when courses are offered or certain requirements, students often find themselves in an academic limbo.

Before enrollment begins, department staff should ensure that the courses advertised to students are available. When there are any drastic changes to course availability, advisors should be provided with up-to-date information and plans for student success. 

It’s in the hands of academic advisors to be confident and reliable about the information they are relaying to students. With constantly shifting schedules and unpredictable course offerings, the job of academic advisors has another layer of difficulty. 

Students deserve a smooth and stress-free registration process. It is the responsibility of advisors and university staff to ensure they have adequate resources and transparent communication so they do not feel blindsided come registration time.  

Students already face countless other burdens in their time at college. Temple must ensure that students receive a stress-free and reliable registration process.

The post Temple, better communicate course offerings first appeared on The Temple News.

Relearning to take a step forward 8 Apr 2:00 AM (last month)

I was seven years old when “Monsters University” first hit theaters, and it quickly became my favorite movie. I watched it at my local cinema the summer before third grade to celebrate my friend’s birthday. I already loved its popular predecessor, Monsters Inc., so I was thrilled to see what the prequel story had to offer. 

From that day on, I rewatched it endlessly at home. 

The school pride, the lively campus atmosphere and the idea of making lifelong friends made me dream of my college experience. I even vowed to myself that I would watch it on my first night at college. 

But when that day finally came, I wasn’t in a dorm meeting new people. I was at home, bedridden on crutches, watching the college experience I desired unfold from a distance. 

I tore my ACL playing volleyball just before my freshman year and had to delay my college start for surgery, breaking the promise of new beginnings. Suddenly, my favorite movie became a painful reminder of what could have been.

The aftermath felt like everything had gone wrong, as if I was being punished for something I didn’t understand. I had just finished the most academically challenging semester of my life; I pushed myself harder than ever, only for my life to change two weeks after my high school graduation. 

Recovery was brutal. I couldn’t move and was forced to stay in bed for weeks, feeling like I was rotting away and losing years of my life.

All of my previous hobbies — walking my dogs, exercising or running errands — were suddenly impossible. Even the idle things that once relaxed me, like knitting or reading, felt meaningless and I found no interest in them. For the first time, I wasn’t sure what would come next.

Before my injury, I daydreamed about my first semester: decorating my dorm like a Pinterest board, joining the volleyball club, going to football games. More than anything, I couldn’t wait to figure out who I was in this new chapter.

Instead, I was learning how to walk again. My world shrank to slow, careful movements and physical therapy exercises. Reshifting my focus on the mechanics involved in taking a single step forward.

Watching my friends start college made it even harder. I scrolled through move-in day photos, seeing the life I had planned play out without me. It wasn’t just mourning the memories I missed. It was grieving the version of myself that never got to exist.

And then there was “Monsters University.”

This movie symbolized what college meant to me: a fresh start, an adventure. I pictured myself laughing at the same scenes with a new understanding because I’d finally be living it. But I couldn’t find comfort in it during my worst moments of recovery. It felt like looking into a life that should’ve been mine.

As of last December, I didn’t know how to move forward. The woven strands of collagen fibers that made up my ACL were gone, and the muscles I’d worked so hard to train atrophied. 

But the rest of me was still here, unscathed. My other leg that bore the load for months, my arms and feet that steadied every step. And my brain, which fueled my ambitions and athletic drive, was still mine. I was different, but I wasn’t gone. 

Coming to college this January felt like the fresh start I needed. Most freshmen had already spent a semester settling in and creating memories. I kept thinking about the version of me that would’ve arrived in August, but I wasn’t her. But I was here now, and that had to mean something.

I joined clubs I cared about, built strong friendships and started physical therapy, slowly progressing to more intense workouts at the gym. Bit by bit, I was rebuilding myself and finally experiencing the moments I had missed.

I may have arrived later than planned, but I was finally beginning to feel like I could be myself again.

A few weeks ago, I made myself sweat at the gym for the first time in months. For the first time since my injury, I felt strong again. 

I don’t know if I’ll ever play volleyball again, or when I’ll stop feeling like I missed out on something. But I do know that I’m finding my way back to myself. And I know that one day, I’ll watch “Monsters University” again, not with sadness or as a reminder of what I lost, but as proof of how far I’ve come.

The post Relearning to take a step forward first appeared on The Temple News.