THE TEMPLE NEWS
Samuel O’Neal Editor-in-Chief
Sidney Rochnik Managing Editor
Claire Zeffer Managing Editor
Anna Augustine Co-Chief Copy Editor
Valeria Uribe Co-Chief Copy Editor
Evelyn Blower News Editor
Nurbanu Sahin Assistant News Editor
Samantha Morgan Assistant News Editor
McCaillaigh Rouse Opinion Editor
Bradley McEntee Assistant Opinion Editor
Bayleh Alexander Features Editor
Mike Nonnemaker Assistant Features Editor
Jadon George Features Staff Writer
Ryan Mack Sports Editor
Colin Schofeld Assistant Sports Editor
Sienna Conaghan Assistant Sports Editor
Jaison Nieves Sports Social Media Manager
Allison Beck Investigations Editor
Julia Anderson Director of Audience Engagement
Oliver Economidis Public Engagement Coordinator
Isabella Farrow Audience Engagement Editor
Rai Ganesan Audience Engagement Editor
Jack Larson Photo Editor
Jared Tatz Assistant Photo Editor
Noel Chacko Staff Photographer
Kajsa Morse Multimedia Editor
Ava Campbell Assistant Multimedia Editor
Lyndsey Griswold Print Design Editor
Juan Colon Graphic Design Editor
Ava Fitzgerald Data Editor
Pablo Rouco Podcast Editor
Anna Rowland Newsletter Editor
Ashley Gideon Web Editor
Lolade Kola-Adewuyi Advertising Manager
Matthew Eaton Advertising Manager
Daivik Bewtra Business Manager
The Temple News is an editorially independent weekly publication serving the Temple University community.
Unsigned editorial content represents the opinion of The Temple News.
Adjacent commentary is refective of their authors, not The Temple News.
The Editorial Board is made up of The Temple News’ Editor-inChief, Managing Editors, Chief Copy Editor, Deputy Copy Editor, News Editor and Opinion Editors. The views expressed in editorials only refect those of the Board, and not of the entire Temple News staff.
CORRECTIONS
ON THE COVER If Trump wins... your local newspaper will be censored.
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Accuracy is our business, so when a mistake is made, we’ll correct it as soon as possible. Anyone with inquiries about content in this newspaper can contact Editor-in-Chief Samuel O’Neal at editor@temple-news.com.
EDITORIAL
Voting Trump is not an option for Temple students
American democracy is on the line today.
For many students, this may be their frst time voting in a presidential election. America’s political parties are more polarized than ever and this is a time of unsureness, trepidation and fear.
Students are now met with the consequential decision of choosing a president who will best align with the greater values of American citizens. Voting in this election is a necessity. Students who are registered must protect their civil rights and freedoms and stand for the overall justice of this country.
During the past year, the American people have watched tensions grow as Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have unveiled their policy platforms and key campaign concerns.
The Editorial Board urges Temple students to utilize their fundamental right to vote to oppose another Trump administration. American freedoms like reproductive rights, access to healthcare and fair treatment of the working class,
are vulnerable. Trump does not serve in the interests of the Republican Party, he is pushing forth ideologies that alienate and separate the American people.
Trump has repeatedly threatened the integrity of the United States through direct attacks using racist and misogynistic rhetoric, causing the overturn of Roe V. Wade during his 2016 presidency and threatening the freedom of the American press.
Trump has stated on multiple occasions he will push to silence the American press. He threatens jailing reporters and silencing news networks who cover him unfavorably by taking away their broadcasting licenses.
This is a direct infringement of the First Amendment, which defends the democratic standards for freedom of the press. Under Trump’s presidency, journalists will be silenced, and Americans will no longer be able to turn to journalism for advocacy and authentic news.
Following the September presidential debate, in an interview with Fox News, Trump vocalized his disdain for
the fact-checking by ABC moderators. He accused the network of being biased, inaccurate and unworthy of their network license.
During multiple rallies across the country during his candidacy run, Trump has called for a direct attack on the media section. Trump called journalists the “enemy of the people” during an August rally minutes before an attendee stormed the media section.
On Sunday morning in Lititz, Pennsylvania, Trump told a crowd of supporters that he “wouldn’t mind” reporters getting shot at.
Trump’s incendiary language towards the press demonizes and alienates journalists from the American People.
Temple students must vote for a president who defends individual liberties and upholds the democratic standard. If Trump is elected, America’s democratic principles will be in jeopardy. The country will be unrecognizable under Trump and Americans will fnd they have no one to turn to.
Pennsylvania is a key battleground
state and could be the state that decides the next president of the United States. Approximately 83% of Temple students plan on casting their ballot against Trump, according to an August poll conducted by the Temple News.
Temple has approximately 30,000 students who are eligible to vote, around 97% of students are registered and plan to vote on Election Day, according to the same TTN poll. It’s essential that students who are able to vote exercise their right and cast their ballots because their vote can heavily infuence the election.
Considering Trump’s evident prejudice against marginalized communities and free speech, it is paramount for Temple students to use their vote against him. In a swing state like Pennsylvania, withholding votes against Trump’s tyrannical policies will be detrimental.
In this election, and this time of unsureness, voting for Trump is not an option.
NOEL CHACKO THE TEMPLE NEWS
Donald Trump at a rally at The Liacouras Center on June 22.
ADMINISTRATION
What students, faculty want from President Fry
Students and faculty express concerns about safety, athletics and campus improvement.
BY NURBANU SAHIN Assistant News Editor
As Temple ofcially welcomes John Fry as its 15th president, students and faculty most strongly believe his main areas of focus should be toward public safety, increased communication and athletics, according to a poll conducted by The Temple News between Oct. 26 and Nov. 3.
Fry took his place in ofce on Nov. 1 after being unanimously appointed to the position by the Board of Trustees, replacing former President Richard Englert, who sat as interim president after JoAnne Epps passed unexpectedly in September 2023.
In a video released by the Ofce of the President on his frst day, Fry stated his main priorities for Temple lies in fve sections – campus and neighborhood safety, enrollment, academics, innovation and philanthropy.
“This is a university that is built upon access and excellence,” Fry said in the video. “It is built upon the notion that every student regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to pursue the world class education that defnes this university.”
The Temple News’ poll, which surveyed 104 students and faculty members, asked participants what they want to see from Fry’s presidency. The majority, at 48% of respondents, stated that they hope Fry will work toward strengthening community relations.
When it comes to his ability to lead Temple, 40% of respondents are either fairly or very confdent in his leadership, while 35% said they were indiferent.
The other most common concerns from survey participants included public safety, the state of athletic programs and tuition. Many hope to see Fry immersing himself into student experiences on
campus and in the community.
COMMUNITY
Fry has been instrumental in multiple initiatives at Drexel, the most wellknown being his “cradle to career” program. The program was created in 2016 and works with seven schools and other neighborhoods in West Philadelphia to bring expanded education resources to the families in the area, which was named the “Promise Neighborhood” by the United States Department of Education.
“To me, [the “cradle to career” program is] really related to the Good Neighbor Iinitiative that we’ve been working on here at Temple,” said Ray Epstein, president of Temple Student Government. “I’m kind of excited to see how transferable those skills are to such a similar initiative. It seems like an area he’s really passionate about.”
Temple Division of Student Afairs’ Good Neighbor Initiative aims to make students more aware of the community outside of campus. The initiative in-
cludes a set of steps to be a good neighbor to the community, including engaging in conversations with non-Temple residents, immersing themselves in their neighborhoods and cleaning up after themselves.
Fry has led many diferent projects in the University City neighborhood, including a $3.5 billion development into Schuylkill Yards in 2019. A few survey participants expressed concerns about Fry’s presidency, believing the same will happen to Temple. Many responded to the poll stating gentrifcation in the North Philadelphia area should end.
“No Temple expansion [or] building into surrounding neighborhoods,” a survey respondent wrote. “Instead focus on investment and involving Temple students in surrounding areas, for example after-school programs on campus and around. Temple should also provide and support local small businesses around the university.”
PUBLIC SAFETY
About 20% of respondents stated
they believe safety should be Fry’s top priority, which he has already stated as one of his key focuses.
Fry wants to work closely with Temple’s Department of Public Safety by shadowing patrols and learning about the diferent areas of campus, he told The Temple News in July.
“The other thing I would do [after coordinating with public safety] is make sure, either through student government or some other mechanism, that there are regular interactions with students in terms of how they feel about the safety of campus, and in particular, what parts of the campus and neighborhood do they feel least safe,” Fry said.
DPS worked with 21CP Solutions, a group of public safety specialists, last year to create safety initiatives to mitigate the consistent concerns of the Temple community. Safety programs provided by DPS include walking escorts, the FLIGHT nighttime shuttle service and TUAlerts, an emergency notifcation system for immediate threats.
“I think [Fry should focus on] just
TRAE BYRD / THE TEMPLE NEWS
John Fry plans to increase relationships with public safety initiatives around campus.
generally improving campus experience, feeling safe,” said Clare Halvorsen, a senior marketing major. “Taking more initiative in redirecting trafc through campus and encouraging cars to not come through [campus].”
CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS
Survey participants also expressed hopes for improvements in multiple areas of the campus experience like food options, fnancial aid and student athletics.
Survey participants displayed a mixed set of opinions on the state of sports at Temple — especially football. Some surveyed individuals stated that Temple should build its own stadium, while others want the program to be completely shut down.
In 2018, Temple planned to fle a submission to build a stadium of-campus at Broad and Norris streets. Some proponents for Temple’s stadium in TTN’s survey argued this would increase student turnout, while others did not want any more money going into the Athletic Department.
Fry has experience with college sports prior to Temple as the chair for the NCAA Division III Presidents Council, as well as a national organization for squash.
“It is the reality that we face right now and I would want to make sure that, after understanding the state of the program, one of the kinds of things that we can do to bolster the investments where we think we have a chance to compete better,” Fry told The Temple News.
When it comes to how Name, Image and Likeness has impacted college athletics, Fry told The Temple News that it’s “a painful thing to watch,” but acknowledged it’s the nature of modern college sports. He said he plans to make a concerted efort to reach out to alumni and other benefactors to make the case of why Temple Athletics is worthy of their investment.
Fry said he also wants to be connected to the student advisory committee. His focus is to understand the experience of student athletes as well as what investments will help their programs become more competitive.
Participants in TTN’s poll also stressed increasing food options on campus, like re-opening the Morgan Dining Hall, which closed suddenly before the Fall 2023 semester. Temple has one allyou-can-eat option as well as two food courts, one in Morgan Hall that is closed on the weekends.
“I don’t want them to keep raising tuition but obviously, that’s gonna happen still because of infation and what not,” said Fiona Kahn, a sophomore elementary education major. “But other than that, I just want there to be better food options. I’m a vegetarian and sometimes it can be hard to fnd some stuf to eat.”
STUDENT ACTIVISM
Fry enters Temple during a time of many changes. The university’s frst year class enrollment was at its highest this fall since pre-pandemic years — while other universities are still seeing declines. At the same time, Temple University Resident Assistants are waiting to be acknowledged by the university after setting a self-imposed deadline, and Temple’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine are under interim suspension after a career fair protest in Sep-
tember.
Like many other university presidents across the country, Fry has received backlash from students about his handling of a pro-Palestine encampment in April. Some respondents in The Temple News’ poll voiced similar stances. Drexel hosts study-abroad programs to Israel and Fry visited the country in 2011 to meet with their leaders and discuss high education support.
“We also stand in support and solidarity with our friends and colleagues at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, located just 25 miles from the Gaza border, with whom we have a close and thriving partnership,” Fry wrote in an Oct. 2023 statement to the Drexel community.
TURA hopes that with Fry as president, their demands will be heard and understood. The resident assistants fled for recognition from the university Sept. 30, creating a deadline of Oct. 4 for Temple to respond. Temple is still reviewing their request for recognition, a university spokesperson told The Temple News in October.
Drexel’s RAs fled to unionize this past March and in April. They are currently in the fourth month of negotiations for a tentative contract with Drex-
el.
“I thought that it was very interesting that he said that he’s committed to listening to students, faculty, staf, alumni, neighbors,” said Mario Rodriguez Canuto, a senior media studies and production major and organizer at TURA. “I was specifcally thinking the students and staf, given that as a [resident assistant], we are technically a part of the staf that works for Temple. Most importantly, we’re students and we have been waiting to be listened to by Temple for almost a month.”
Fry said that he will foster relationships with students during his time as president and increase student feedback from diferent channels, including TSG.
“I know that after me and Kiyah [Hamilton], the vice president [of TSG], met with Drexel Student Government, they spoke about how accessible John Fry was for them,” Epstein said. “I’m really excited to have somebody we can lean on and provide information about student life to.”
Evelyn Blower contributed reporting. nurbanu@temple.edu @nurbanusahinn
JACK LARSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Students Justice for Palestine organizations across Philadelphia rallied together on Drexel campus on Oct. 7, 2024.
Temple students navigating state grant delays
CAMPUS Students can’t receive fnancial aid and register for classes following issues with PHEAA.
BY SAMANTHA MORGAN Assistant News Editor
After a recent change in both the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid’s systems, some Temple students have been unable to register for classes this year after not receiving state grants through the PHEAA.
FAFSA’s application helps to advise PHEAA on how much aid each student should receive based on a variety of factors like tuition prices, living expenses and disability-related costs.
The FAFSA Simplifcation Act was introduced for the 2024-25 school year. Despite being initiated in 2022, there have been issues with the implementation of application process changes in individual states, including Pennsylvania.
“This year was like no other because of the FAFSA changes,” a university spokesperson told The Temple News. “In addition to those FAFSA changes, PHEAA was also modernizing their systems and implementing a new platform called GrantUs.”
GrantUs is PHEAA’s new portal for accessing Pennsylvania state grant information. The system aims to make application processes more efcient, update award processing and centralize PHEAA systems used for program administration, according to PHEAA’s website.
Although there is not an exact date when students should expect to receive their loans, the university spokesperson said Temple has been told by PHEAA that there will be a signifcant update coming this week.
The university reported that a lack of timely communication from PHEAA has worsened the situation. Further complications arose because schools across Pennsylvania were not informed about the scope of issues with the state
grant delays until August, the spokesperson said.
While the university said it has been in contact with PHEAA regarding this issue, Alysha Delgado reported that she has had minimal contact with PHEAA regarding the state grant that she has not yet received.
Delgado, a senior music education major, said she has only been contacted through Temple regarding the situation but has not received any communication from PHEAA on a statewide basis. She only found out information by reaching out to PHEAA herself.
Delgado was granted a $3,000 scholarship from Temple’s Boyer College of Music and Dance. Without the scholarship, she would not have been able to register for her fnal semester of classes, she said.
“Registration just came out,” Delgado said. “I would not be able to do anything with that because I would have a hold on my account and they can’t take the hold of until you pay the amount that is due.”
Many students, including Delgado, are struggling to pay Temple the money they were promised through PHEAA, she added.
“I’m struggling to try and get food because all of my money has gone to Temple and to Temple loans because I thought I was going to get that PA state grant,” Delgado said.
Approximately 3 in 5 college students experience basic needs insecurity when it comes to food or housing, according to a 2023-24 survey by The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs.
Nadya Belyavsky is a married mother attending her senior year at Temple. She described the “overwhelming” process of fnding funds to pay back the money the state grant was supposed to cover.
“My husband and I, we decided that we should be able to pay the tuition for the semester over several months,” said Belyavsky, a senior fnance major. “That’s why I didn’t take out a loan this time.”
Belyavsky had to open a separate credit card to pay for tuition fees and had
to register late for next semester’s classes due to the hold on her account.
Amid the confusion with the state grant, Delgado believes Temple should be more fexible with allowing students to register for classes while their grant processes.
“I think that Temple could be a lot more lenient on the registration policies, especially because of this,” Delgado said. “The student fnancial services, they are aware this is going on and the only way to get in contact with them is through calling them or going in person.”
Delgado said her main concern is for her fellow students who still cannot register for classes.
“It’s just aggravating because Temple keeps saying, ‘You’re just going to have to wait until your grant comes in to register,’ but at that point we’re not registering for the classes we want,” Delgado said. “We’re registering for the classes we have to.”
samantha.morgan@temple.edu @sammimorgann
JEREMY SHOVER / THE TEMPLE NEWS Delays in state grants have disrupted class registration and budgeting for Temple students this semester.
PUBLIC SAFETY
TUPD installs new interactive training simulator
The Ti trainer, which was grant-funded, helps ofcers react to real world scenarios.
BY EVELYN BLOWER News Editor
After receiving a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the Temple Police Department installed a 180–degree Ti Training simulator earlier this semester to equip ofcers with training for real-life scenarios they may experience while on patrol.
The simulator is set up in a dark room in the halls of the TUPD headquarters at 12th Street near Montgomery Avenue. It includes three projected, movable screens in a fat-U shape, speakers and a desk set-up with prop handguns, long guns and TASERs.
“Put your hands where I can see them,” exclaimed Vice President of Public Safety Jennifer Grifn as she unsheathed the handgun from her holster.
She didn’t pull a real gun – Grifn was demonstrating the Ti Training’s prop materials.
“We’re just starting to use the system, but the goal is that we’re using it every month that the ofcers are coming in on their shift, getting to use the system,” Grifn said. “The instructors are spread through the agency, so it’s not just one person that’s important, because the more instructors you have, the more people that you can run through while they’re working a shift.”
The Ti Trainer operates more than 900 diferent scenarios, with a menu for the instructors to choose from when they run a program with the ofcer training with the program. Last Tuesday, Grifn demonstrated the system to The Temple News, running through scenarios like a dementia patient lost on a construction site and an intruder in a laboratory facility.
Ofcer Chris Derose retired after more than 20 years of service in police to become one of the department’s senior trainers — whether that be on CPR,
TASERs, use of force or the Ti Trainer.
Since the system was created for departments across the nation to use, instructors have ofcers adhere to Pennsylvania and local police guidelines rather than just the Ti Trainer’s set responses. Derose is able to change the scenario depending on the ofcer’s response.
“Sometimes there’s not one way to do things,” Derose said. “If an ofcer is comfortable doing something another way and it follows department policies and state law then it’s fne, especially involving tactics and stuf like that.”
Temple is the frst academic institution in the Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey area to use this technology.
Through meeting with Ti employees, TUPD will also be able to create, record and simulate their own scenarios based on Temple-specifc areas, like different academic buildings, labs or community areas.
“We’re doing roll call training which means that our instructors are going into roll call whenever ofcers are getting ready to go on shift to go over policies or diferent scenarios or any type of incident that the ofcers can handle
long term,” Grifn said. “We’re in an institutional academic environment. Our students go to class every day. Our police ofcers need to continue to train to be capable of handling any type of scenario.”
The simulator is adapted to utilize prop guns, TASERs and other typical police gear that helps the ofcer assimilate into the chosen scenario. If the ofcer decides to use force, the instructor can choose the given path that corresponds with the trainee’s actions.
The Ti Training is also equipped to use just one screen in addition to all three. Examples of a full “180” scenario include a military checkpoint, an “abandoned warehouse suicide” scenario or “drunk husband garage dispute.” The simulator updates their scenarios on a regular basis to include current events, like “blue on blue excessive force” or “aggressive protest.”
“[Ofcers] respond very well,” DeRose said. “Sometimes they feel awkward talking to a blank screen, but once they get used to it and start interacting with it they fnd it’s very helpful, and it makes them more confdent.”
Details underneath each scenario include information about branching pathways for diferent ofcer responses, such as the suspect responding to a fashlight, TASER or frearm, or being asked for ID or drawing their own weapon. If an ofcer uses any force like a TASER, the trainer can respond and simulate the suspect being tased or even shot with the simulator’s prop frearm, a CO2-powered gun.
Even though there are many resources that TUPD ofers students, some feel that they should know more about how TUPD can respond better to incidents around campus.
“I hope [TUPD is] qualifed enough, I just don’t know much about them,” said Mateus Miranda Moraes, a freshman bioengineering major. “I feel like the biggest thing is educating about what [they are] and how it’s diferent from [city] police.”
Nurbanu Sahin contributed reporting.
evelyn.blower@temple.edu @evelyn_blower
NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS
A demonstration of the TI Trainer at the TUPD headquarters at 12th Street and Montgomery Avenue.
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OPINION
POLITICS
I’m American and I’m scared
A student refects on America’s political division and the necessity of voting.
REPRINT
The RePrint is your biweekly roundup of The Temple News stories you need to know.
BY MCCAILLAIGH ROUSE Opinion Editor
This is the frst presidential election I can vote in and it also feels like the most important election in American history.
For almost a decade, I’ve become intentional with my political beliefs and how they infuence my daily life. As I’ve grown, the political landscape has also devolved in a way that scares me. I’m not alone either, as 73% of Americans say they feel anxious about the upcoming presidential election, according to a 2024 poll by the American Psychiatric Association.
THE PLAYBOOK
The Playbook is a rundown of the top stories from your favorite teams in Temple Athletics.
Politics have always been divisive, yet in the past three presidential elections, America has grown further apart as a country. America has become a house divided, and as the political aisle grows, many cannot stand.
I worry about issues that impact my dayto-day life and immediately connect them to this election. I often think about how this election will afect many of the daily rights, like bodily autonomy and freedom of the press, which I and many others take advantage of.
I worry about candidates’ climate change policies when it’s eighty degrees outside in November. When I’m a day late for my period I stress that there will be a day I have no solution if a woman’s right to choose is stripped away. I fear the economic climate will never cool down and persistent infation will force me to have roommates well into my 30s.
My concerns also stem from the social outcry following this election. Following Joe Biden’s win against Donald Trump in 2020, a public uproar ensued among political extremists. Many individuals, including Trump himself, refused to concede and claimed voter fraud which led to chaos and disorder. For
some, this went as far as invading the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress met to ratify the results of the presidential election.
Although the insurrection was fueled by those who live in an echo chamber of misinformation, it still worries me that one of the most secure buildings in our country was taken over by individuals misguided by political leaders.
My fears of the current political climate are rooted in valid beliefs, yet they should not overtake my life. Despite my fear of certain outcomes in this election, I will never lose hope. In the past, America has faced tumultuous periods of civil unrest and dissent from the younger generations.
Even in recent years, students on college campuses have shown they aren’t afraid of disturbing the peace, unions across the country fght for the rights they deserve and there are persistent calls for those in power to be held accountable.
Civil liberties, though they are strongly in the hands of our representatives, will never be lost if American individuals fght for them.
There is a right to be nervous about the potential outcome of this election, but despite the results, life will go on. On election night, I’ll watch America painted red and blue, sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for the results. However, no matter the outcome, I will wake up the next morning, make my cofee and go to class, hopeful.
mccaillaigh.rouse@temple.edu
Religious nationalism and its political endeavors
A student urges her peers to be aware and actively oppose actions of religious nationalism.
BY MCCAILLAIGH ROUSE Opinion Editor
Today is Election Day, and for many Temple students, this is their frst time voting and participating in the political landscape.
In recent years, politics have become more divisive, with candidates curating their platforms around the beliefs of their party’s most radical constituents.
There has been an increase in religious ideologies informing a candidate’s political platform, especially regarding topics like LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights and education. Religion in modern American politics seemingly abandons the constitutional philosophy of separating church and state.
On Election Day, students must be aware of religious nationalism — the ideological concept that America is a nation for and by a singular religion. Students should be informed about how candidates may be using religion to their advantage by appealing to evangelical voters.
In America, half of the Christian nationalist adherents and 40% of sympathizers support the idea of authoritarian leadership to keep Christian values, according to a 2023 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute. It’s dire for students to be aware of the policies a candidate stands for and the risk the integration of religion into politics poses to their civil liberties.
Safya Totesau urges her peers to familiarize themselves with the state of politics in the United States, especially amidst such a divisive election season.
“The election is coming up, so everyone has their views and things they want to say, which they have the right to do, however, I just think it’s important to do your research, especially in certain settings,” said Totesau, a senior media studies and production major.
Elected ofcials’ religious beliefs often bleed into their political stances, but Americans are split on how much
infuence the Bible should have in politics. Forty-nine percent of Americans believe that the Bible should have at least “some” infuence on U.S. laws, according to a 2024 survey by the Pew Research Center.
In the U.S. the Bible is used for a religion 29% of Americans don’t practice, according to a 2023 Gallup poll. It’s unjust and damaging to force a religion upon everyone when a high percentage of the population doesn’t believe in it.
In Louisiana, a law was recently passed requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed clearly in all classrooms for K-12 and publicly funded universities starting in 2025. In Oklahoma, the state’s superintendent directed all public schools to teach the Bible. Both directives blur the lines between church and state and have been met with lawsuits claiming violations of the Constitution’s freedom of religion provision.
The implementation of these mandates are measures taken by Christians and politicians to counteract the Establishment Clause, which prohibits a national religion in the U.S.
Ralph Young says it’s in the best interest of Americans to be aware of the rhetoric some politicians may use, especially as they push religious agendas.
“Perhaps a lot of these religious people should be taken seriously, but these politicians that are using those ideas and arguments are using it for their own personal careers, hoping to get more political capital, more political success, to get reelected,” said Young, a history professor.
A major concern for the rise in religious nationalism is the push for Project 2025, a policy proposal created by the Heritage Foundation and championed by conservatives. In Project 2025, religious ideologies are expressed by stating that the biological reality is men and women and that American society should maintain a biblically and science-reinforced idea of marriage and family.
Although there is no direct connection between Project 2025 and a political candidate, more than half of the leaders of the project were members of Trump’s campaign, transition teams or his ad-
ministration, The New York Times reported.
Project 2025 promotes radical ideologies that threaten Americans’ right to bodily autonomy and constitutional rights. These threats to democracy should concern young Americans, who must vote against obstacles and candidates threatening their civil liberties.
Dominick Harris encourages other students to take action, stating that idleness is not an option in protecting their American rights.
“If young people are challenging the status quo, if they’re petitioning their politicians, if they’re going out to vote in numbers similar to boomers, things will change,” said Harris, a junior political science major. “If you do nothing, if you literally sit at home and just watch it happen, you will watch all your freedoms be taken away, as in a way we kind of already have.”
Voting is an important step to be politically engaged, however, practicing the First Amendment is crucial in securing American rights. Secularization, especially through religious nationalism and favoritism, will continue past Election Day and it’s in students’ power to be active in preserving American freedoms.
mccaillaigh.rouse@temple.edu
TYSHON CROMWELL / THE TEMPLE NEWS
THE ESSAYIST
Overcoming anxiety with cashier conversations
A student refects on how working at a grocery store helped them start talking to people.
BY BRADLEY MCENTEE Assistant Opinion Editor
When I was 17, my mom forced me to apply to work at a grocery store. She wanted me to get a job so I could make some money of my own before starting college, but the thought of working with the general public was stomach-churning. I was apprehensive about interacting and holding meaningless conversations with strangers before I worked in a grocery store. I’ve always struggled with social anxiety, especially when I met new people. At family functions, I’d sit in the corner and refuse to talk to anyone unless my mom or dad was by my side to speak for me.
After I got the job, I spent my frst few shifts training as a cashier. I was navigating the stress of being a new employee in addition to being forced to interact with strangers. I didn’t speak more than I had to. I would greet customers, ask if they wanted to punch in their rewards number and thank them, but nothing beyond the scripted dialogue I was taught to say.
I thought of conversations between customers and retail workers as overly drab and insignifcant. However, the more I talked with customers and sparked friendly interactions, the more I found value in the conversations.
My store is situated next to an elderly apartment complex, many of them without families or sufering from their own form of debilitating grief. It didn’t take long for customers to start spilling their feelings to me like I was a bartender.
One customer interaction from December 2022 sticks out to me. I was standing on the sales foor when two
women talking behind me broke out in tears. They exchanged words of comfort and went about their shopping trips.
One of the women approached me and said she never met the woman she was speaking with. She told me that the other woman’s husband had recently passed and she was seeking advice for her grieving.
The interaction between the two women was impactful because it reminded me of how deeply people crave human connection. It showed me the importance of seeking solace in a stranger for people who may not have someone to talk to at home.
Since then, I’ve opened myself completely to talking with customers for as long as they want regardless of how dull the topic is. Instead of keeping to myself, I make a concerted efort to compliment customers’ outfts and entertain any topic of conversation I choose to bring up.
It took almost a year to fully open myself up, but ever since I did it has been one of the most gratifying changes.
I always dreaded conversations with older people when I started working at the store because my coworkers warned me that they’d be the rudest customers. I’ve since become fond of talking to them because they’re often the ones who need it the most.
I get excited to see the nursing home residents across the street walk around the store. I make sure to ask them about their families and joke when they buy ice cream and cookies, telling me how they need to cut back on the sweets.
Throughout my time at the store, I’ve learned to appreciate conversations with strangers more than I imagined. I was too socially anxious to talk to cus-
tomers when I frst started, but now I look forward to the people I’ll meet.
I’ve heard war stories from Vietnam veterans and musings of grandmothers about how I remind them of their grandchildren. There’s an older man who comes in every day to buy lottery tickets. He’s always in Phillies or Eagles gear, so he’s become a buddy that I can talk sports with.
I started sparking up interactions with customers to give them relief from their potential loneliness, but I realized quite quickly that their company helped me feel less alone too.
When I’m in the throes of my depression, the feeting conversations revive my spirit in ways few other interactions can. Although they’re often meaningless dialogue about my school
work or the cookout the customer is shopping for, being heard is a treasure.
For the longest time, I was too introverted to realize how crucial interacting with a stranger can be. With time, talking with the public became easier and it is the thing I love most about my job.
Having a conversation is so much more than small talk and sharing banal iterations of “How are you?” It is the glue that holds humanity together.
bradley.mcentee@temple.edu
OANH LUONG / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Harris caps campaign in Philly on eve of election
POLITICS
The president is not the only thing on the ballot
A student urges their peers to be informed on the importance of congressional and local races.
BY BRADLEY MCENTEE Assistant Opinion Editor
Since the beginning of the 2024 election cycle, both media and student attention have been fxated on Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s contentious battle for the White House.
Considering current tensions across the national political landscape in the United States focusing on the presidential election is expected. But a noticeable amount of coverage has been taken away from state and local elections.
Although this presidential election is the most crucial in recent history, it should not suppress debates about the races for the Senate, House or other local positions because those elections also have a direct impact on people’s lives.
As students cast their fnal votes today, it’s imperative to have a holistic understanding of all positions on the ballot and their signifcance to the democratic process.
Isa Nuñez, a New Jersey native, noticed frsthand how crucial state-level ofcials are to foster tangible change and protect civil liberties.
“When Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court, the New Jersey governor promised to protect abortion rights,” said Nuñez, a junior history major. “So even though the federal government might make a decision, your local elections matter so much because New Jersey is now a safe space for bodily autonomy.”
The Tenth Amendment states any powers not specifcally delegated to the federal government are returned to each individual state. Reproductive healthcare, crime reduction and capital punishment are just a few examples of these issues.
The legislative positions on the ballot for Pennsylvania include seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives. These ofces are a fundamental part of the law-making process and play a key role in maintaining the Constitu-
tional ideals of checks and balances.
A primary concern in the current presidential election is the possibility that the next president-elect will appoint at least two more Supreme Court justices. One of the most crucial jobs of the Senate is issuing the approval or rejection of those judges as well as any other ofcial appointment by the executive branch.
Bryant Simon, a history professor, understands the focus on the presidential election but speculates that the recent fxation on national politics may be another symptom of current political tensions in the U.S.
“Power operates on a lot of diferent levels, and many of those local offces have a more immediate impact on day-to-day life for people,” Simon said. “Schools, for instance, are completely a local issue. Trash, public transit [are] the kinds of things that we daily deal with that are not national issues.”
Candidates at local levels are often more equipped to address issues of immediate concern to Pennsylvania residents, as they have more authority relating to the allocation of state resources.
An often overlooked position on the ballot for Pennsylvanians is State Treasurer, who manages Pennsylvania’s $150 billion budget through investments in local schooling, infrastructure and manufacturing. Positions like the treasurer determine how taxpayer dollars are used by the state, so students should educate themselves and vote for the candidate who represents how they want their money to be spent.
If Temple students do not support either of the two major parties, local elections are crucial for helping third parties get permanent state recognition. Approximately 37% of young voters identify as independents, according to a 2024 poll by the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics.
Eric Settle is currently running for Attorney General as part of the Forward Party and a primary goal of his campaign is to get the Forward Party permanent recognition in Pennsylvania.
“It’s so difcult to raise enough money to compete with the two major parties because the attorney general’s
race in Pennsylvania is really kind of the pre-Governor race,” Settle told The Temple News in October. “So recognizing that the real mission for me, and why I was willing to take this on, was the achievable goal of getting.”
Politics in the U.S. are currently defned by confict and division, so students should recognize the importance of each of their voting decisions and pay attention to local races. The presidential election is still the most important to preserve American democracy, but it shouldn’t obscure the races that directly impact states and their vulnerable residents.
Temple has approximately 30,000 students who are eligible to vote. Collective action at the polls will make the changes students want to see a reality. Paying attention and participating in local elections is a crucial component of the electoral process.
The United States democracy is de-
signed to champion states’ right to legislative autonomy. It is of utmost importance for students to vote for ofcials that best align with their ideal vision of Pennsylvania.
bradley.mcentee@temple.edu
JUAN COLON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
ADMINISTRATION
Thrice as nice: Englert bids farewell one last time
Richard Englert refected on what was and what’s to come in his fnal interview as president.
BY SAMUEL O’NEAL Editor in Chief
If you ask Richard Englert to tell you the most devastating news he’s ever received, he would be able to give you an answer pretty quickly.
The afternoon of Sept. 19, 2023 began as a typical Tuesday for Englert. It was another day doing what he loved most — teaching a General Education Intellectual Heritage course to undergraduate students at Temple. But once he wrapped up class and his students dispersed, a group of university ofcials came to his classroom to deliver “the worst possible news.”
President JoAnne Epps, who Englert had worked with for decades, had collapsed at an on-campus memorial service for Charles L. Blockson, the curator emeritus of the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple, and was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital shortly after.
“It’s still painful,” Englert told The Temple News in an interview just days before his fnal day as Temple’s president. “Just absolutely devastating, the worst news possible. I went down to the hospital, the police were there and everything and they let me in and provided me an opportunity to be alone with her for a few minutes. That was special.”
Epps’ death came at a time when Temple was still recovering from increased public scrutiny following the tumultuous tenure of former President Jason Wingard. The university leaned on her to right the ship while the Board of Trustees launched a search for the next full-time president.
After Epps died, the Board unanimously made the choice to tap Englert as Temple’s president until a full-time hire was made. In a time where the university desperately needed someone to do the job — and do it right — Englert was the no-brainer choice.
“Dick Englert quite simply has always been a pillar of stability for Temple,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Mitchell Morgan. “The board and I knew that he would be a steady hand when we needed exactly that, to allow us to get through the search process that was underway. He provided precisely the calm and cool leadership we were looking for.”
On Thursday, Englert wrapped up his third tenure as Temple’s president by handing the keys to the newly-hired John Fry. Englert originally served as the university’s president from 2016-21 before retiring and stepping into the role of chancellor. Now, more than a year after Temple counted on him to guide it through one of its worst periods, Englert fnally stepped down as president — for real this time.
“I’ve been so busy that I haven’t really had time to sit back and think about what’s going on,” Englert said. “I love this position, I love Temple, but I’ve done it three times and my wife deserves some of my time and my two-year-old grandson – I have not spent as much time with him as I should. Plus, it’s just time to pass the torch.”
Englert was given the near-impossible task of guiding an already struggling university through a period of mourning following Epps’ passing — a task deemed so daunting that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro hand wrote Englert a letter thanking him for stepping up when the second largest university in the commonwealth needed him.
One thing that became very evident to Englert as soon as he returned as president was the need to do everything in his power to keep the university, its students and faculty together as one as it navigated its most recent hardship. But he credits Epps, posthumously, for keeping everyone level-headed and unifed in the months following her death.
“What happened was, JoAnne was always very good at bringing people together,” Englert said. “And [her death] brought people together. I saw it every-
where. Across the campus, even when you saw units who you didn’t think would get along together, everyone was out showing their sorrow and their support. So one of my priorities was to keep the university together and focus on what JoAnne’s priorities would have been.”
Even after Epps’ death became a bit less fresh, Englert was still tasked with leading a major university at arguably the most challenging time to do so. Political turmoil from the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East, and questionable, often criticized responses, resulted in three Ivy League presidents resigning within the last calendar year.
Englert expected the year ahead to be a challenge when he stepped into the role last September, but he could have never expected the civil unrest that would come to college campuses across the region. He says his key to navigating any hot-button issue as a leader is to take a step back and listen to everyone.
“We have a good-hearted university,” Englert said. “Our students are good hearted and they care, and that is wonderful. I’ve seen that for many years —
people get emotional and that’s a good thing. But I’ve found [our students] very respectful so I think Temple University is a unique university because of our values, because of our mission.”
But for as much as Englert has been characteristic of what Temple has become under his leadership, and for all his guidance during a distressing time, he essentially stumbled into higher education by accident.
Englert started his lifelong journey in education as an elementary school teacher. He came to Temple in 1976 with no experience in higher ed but was quickly hired as an assistant dean for the College of Education. It was former Education Dean Jay Scribner who recruited him following their time working together on a federal project at UCLA.
Across his almost 49 years at Temple, Englert has served in 17 diferent roles, including the head dean of the College of Education, provost, acting athletic director and vice president for administration.
“We’re all deeply grateful for Dick’s unwavering dedication to Temple over the past 50 years,” said Senior Vice Pres-
LONGFORM
ident and Chief Operating Ofcer Ken Kaiser. “Under his leadership, Temple has been transformed into a prestigious R1 national university, with a worldclass health system. On a personal level, I am profoundly thankful for the invaluable lessons I’ve learned from him over the years, but more than that, I treasure the friendship we’ve built.”
Englert knew hardly anything about Temple when he frst arrived, and admitted that he thought about leaving a couple of times throughout his journey. But he never did — and he credits the people and the overall mission of the university as the reason he stuck around all those years, even turning down attractive ofers elsewhere.
“I fgured I would stay just a couple years,” Englert said. “But right away, I fell in love with this place. When you think about Temple University, you think not only of the university but you think about all of our health systems and all the other components of the university. We do just across the board excellent work engaging with our local communities and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I’ve always just been so in awe.”
Englert went on to lead Temple through some of its most transformative years. And during his almost 50 years, he’s watched the campus go from what he called a “commuter campus” to a uni-
versity that ofers the full-fedged “college experience.”
When Temple was expanding its North Philadelphia campus in the early 90s, a talking point began to spread that the university should relocate from Main Campus to its Ambler, Pennsylvania satellite campus to allow itself more room to build.
While he admitted it would be easier to expand in a less dense location, Englert was adamant the move would be a massive mistake simply because “that’s not Temple,” and the idea was quickly put to rest.
“We are a city-based university with a public mission so the investment will always be here,” Englert said. “This place just exudes opportunity, bringing in students and giving them an opportunity. It serves our outreach mission by engaging with the local community and communities around.”
Community members in the North Central neighborhood have noted a complicated relationship in recent years, something Englert has acknowledged. But he also said he is proud of the strides the university has made under his leadership and is optimistic it will become even stronger in the future.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, former Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney reached out to En-
glert to ask if Temple would be willing to allow the city to use The Liacouras Center as an emergency COVID hospital after he was already turned down by two other institutions.
Without hesitation, Englert immediately said yes.
“When Philadelphia needs something, we step in,” Englert said. “We didn’t even ask about a fnancial situation or whatnot or ask what the terms would be. So we set up the COVID center and a number of our doctors came and volunteered at the site. It was just beautifully done.”
No one knows Temple like Englert — and he is convinced that Fry was a “grand slam” hire by the Board of Trustees’ presidential search committee. Englert has spent the last few weeks meeting regularly with Fry to equip him with the tools to succeed and provide a seamless transition.
Strengthening community relations will be one of Fry’s most important tasks. After a challenging couple of years for the university, the Board, more than ever, needed to make the correct hire and fnally secure a committed, longterm president. Englert believes the university found that and then some.
“[Fry] understands Philadelphia,” Englert said. “He’s very well connected, he was once the chairman of the Board
of the Chamber of Commerce. He’s a quick study and he really listens. He wants to learn, he wants to understand and we’ve had many conversations about how Temple works.”
This wasn’t Englert’s frst rodeo stepping down as university president, but this time it just feels right, he said. He feels like the university is in good hands and is optimistic about where it’s headed.
But for now, Englert can’t help but feel anything but gratitude for the university that has given him so much.
“I know from many years of experience, from many diferent positions just how valuable all the diferent aspects of this university are,” Englert said. “For me, it’s teamwork and partnership. So I want to say to everybody, thank you. Thank you for the teamwork. Success is a team sport, without a doubt. And it requires all of us working together.”
Then, Englert closed his fnal interview as Temple’s president with his most infamous line.
“Thank you everyone, for all that you do.”
samuel.oneal@temple.edu @samueloneal43
JACK LARSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Richard Englert in his fnal interview as Temple’s President with the Temple News.
LIVE in Philly
Phillypinos celebrate history and replanted roots
From the Philippines to Philadelphia, immigrant activists share their stories.
BY JACK LARSON Photo Editor
After watching a young group of Filipino dancers and a rondalla of musicians perform a few numbers, 90-year-old Sister Loretto Mapa walked to her own exhibit, where photographs of her life from the Philippines to Philadelphia hung. She was joined by her friend, Sister Gertrude Borres.
“I survived the martial law years, which was really a very difcult time for us in the country because we had the ruler President Marcos,” Borres said. “And how these people experienced it and
how they were able to survive, they are [displayed] here.”
In 1972, dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in the Philippines in order to evade his presidential term limit and remain in power. In Philadelphia, a Filipino community of immigrants who advocated against the dictatorship dug into their roots and bonded about the socio-political landscapes of Philippine society.
In a collaboration with The Free Library, young Filipinos from the community and elders who lived through martial law planned the “Phillypino Oral History Project” in an efort to preserve their stories of resistance. The exhibit debuted on Oct. 30, with an open invitation to the public to showcase the stories of Filipino immigrants, watch musical performances and eat Filipino food.
“The project was really born out of [the] very organic conversations we were just having in the Filipino community with folks,” said Kristine Villanueva, a co-curator of the project. “My mom was very much in the activism space and that really inspired me and a lot of other people who are frst gen or who are Filipinos who are really getting involved in their communities and also doing activism.”
As a part of the project, organizers interviewed four Filipino-American immigrants and detailed their stories from the Philippines, their activism and how the political climate infuences their connection to their culture and their community. Multi-colored fowers frame each casing around the souvenirs from across the Pacifc. Each person’s display held artifacts from the life they
left behind and proof of the culture they preserved in Philadelphia.
Former dictator Marcos’ son, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has brought the family name back into the presidential role, raising fears of a repeat of history and threats to the economy. But the Filipino community of Philadelphia preserves its culture and keeps its strength despite the tension.
“As a Filipina, the culture has always been so revolutionary,” said Calliope Beatty, a visitor of the event. “It’s always been revolt and resistance. It’s always been inherent to the Filipino identity. But to pair that radicalness with soft fabrics and fowers and a ballet leotard and pointe shoes, to see those side by side felt like the perfect representation.”
jack.larson@temple.edu
JACK LARSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS Filipino-American youth perform a dance number at the exhibition.
Guests observing the photographs and artifacts from the Filipino heritage.
Guests view the new exhibition in The Free Library.
A guest gazes at the collage of photos from the project’s interviewees.
Several Filipino articles and objects are on display.
JACK LARSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
From top to bottom:
Filipino immigrants have formed a strong sense of community after moving to Philadelphia.
Sister Gertrude Borres, Maria Guevarra-Legaspi Beatty, and Sister Loretto Mapa stand in front of Mapa’s display.
From top to bottom:
Temple Basketball Word Search
ALL IN GOOD FUN Election Day
Crossword
Hooter
Liacouras
Double Header
Layup
Roster Fisher
Cherry Hoops
Traveling
Richardson
Stella Dribble
ACROSS
1. Pennsylvania Attorney General candidate Dave Sunday has been this county’s District Attorney since 2017.
3. This Green Party activist also ran for presidency in 2012 and 2016.
6. U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick received his bachelor’s from this U.S. military academy.
8. This Democratic candidate served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2007 until 2013.
9. This Republican candidate proposed a 60% tarif on all goods imported from China.
11. U.S. Senate candidate Bob Casey is fghting what he calls ____.
12. He’s vying for Brendan Boyle’s House seat for the second time.
DOWN
2. This State Auditor General candidate is a Temple alum!
4. Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is a retired U.S. Army ____.
5. A Libertarian running for U.S. Senate, John Thomas’ motto is “Peace. Prosperity. ____.”
7. This candidate has a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Howard University.
10. The Democratic candidate running for Pennsylvania Treasurer.
FEATURES
COMMUNITY
What North Central hopes to see from John Fry
Temple’s neighbors hope the new president will treat the community as he does students.
BY BAYLEH ALEXANDER Features Editor
Ruth Birchett frst began worrying about the long-term stability of her neighborhood when she was six years old. When tensions between the North Central community and Temple were high in 1959 due to the university’s plans to expand Main Campus, Birchett looked to her father with fear in her eyes.
“‘Daddy, what’s Temple?’” she recalls asking her father. “And he fung his hand toward Broad Street and he’s like, ‘Them in the city are trying to tear our houses down. They better take that mess ‘cross town on the West side of Broad Street,’ That’s what the elders referred to the east side of Broad Street as, ‘cross town right back then.”
The relationship between Temple and members of the North Central neighborhood has remained complicated in the 65 years since. Residents hope new university president John Fry will encourage Temple to respect and acknowledge them in the same way it does its students.
Fry ofcially began his tenure as Temple’s 15th president on Nov. 1 following a rocky search for a leader to fll the role. Former President Jason Wingard became Temple’s 13th president in 2021 after his predecessor Richard Englert stepped down following fve years in the position. JoAnne Epps was selected as acting president in April 2023 after Wingard resigned amid a graduate worker’s strike and high student disapproval rates, The Temple News reported.
Epps served for just fve months before she died suddenly after collapsing at a university event. Englert temporarily flled in as Temple’s president following Epps’ death while the Board of Trustees’ search committee sought a long-term re-
placement.
Residents hope Fry will bring stability and increased communication after years of uncertainty surrounding the position.
Birchett, like a growing number of local North Central residents, is frustrated with the infux of students in her neighborhood. As an elderly woman, she struggles to fnd parking and is bothered by the rats attracted to trash left behind by students.
Birchett hopes Fry will implement systems to improve the quality of life in the area near Temple.
“I walked on the sidewalk next to a trash can, and [a] rat, hearing my footsteps, jumped out of the trash can,” said Birchett, a long-time block captain in North Philly. “I mean, it’s so traumatizing that now I try to walk down Montgomery instead of Berks.”
William Harris, a registered community organization president for the 47th ward, is also frustrated with the amount of garbage in the area surrounding Main Campus. He believes this, along with loud partying in the neighborhood, creates tension between the community, students and the university.
Harris hopes Fry will ensure safety for both students and locals.
“The students are safe, the neighborhood is safe,” Harris said. “And I know that’s been one of the biggest black eyes for Temple in the past few years, and I heard it has even afected their attendance to a degree.”
Harris’ hunch about enrollment rates was shared by Wingard, who made a statement in 2023 about the link between campus safety and enrollment.
Temple’s enrollment declined 16.5% from 2017 to March 2023, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and a nationwide decline in college students and concerns about safety around Temple’s campus, Wingard wrote in the statement. But this year, Temple’s enrollment is on the rise. The Class of 2028 is 30% larger than its predecessor, according to a statement from the university.
Other community members agree
with Harris’ concern about ensuring safety and urges Temple to increase their patrol for of-campus housing due to nefarious activity in his area. Ronald Brooks, a longtime North Central resident, lives on a corner of of Cecil B. Moore Avenue with frequent police activity.
He enjoys spending time on his front porch and takes pride in his block, but feels the amount of teenagers attracts police activity and interferes with his livelihood. Brooks also shares the sentiment that there needs to be increased communication between the university and North Central.
“[The university and community should] welcome the students, talk to the students and fnd out what the students want, not what [Temple] wants, because [Temple is] all about money,” Brooks said.
Harris calls on Temple’s Ofce of Community Afairs to connect more directly with their neighbors so they can efectively use the resources available to them.
“[Communication] connects itself with where they’re located,” Harris said. “Also to the community. And so this, stretching their arms out, the community tends to lack several social services, as well as opportunities for youth to be able to go to well-equipped facilities to participate in sports, participate in activities, participate in social programming.”
bayleh.alexander@temple.edu
JESSE KOSIEROWSKI / THE TEMPLE NEWS Members of the North Central Community share their thoughts on John Fry.
United States President
THE ISSUES
KAMALA HARRIS
DEMOCRAT
DONALD TRUMP
REPUBLICAN
See guides.vote for online guides with links & source kamalaharris.com donaldjtrump.com
ABORTION
Ban or legal?
CLIMATE CHANGE
Should climate change be a top priority?
Legal. “Every woman should have the right to make decisions about her own body.” “This fght is about freedom.” With Biden, strengthened aborton pill access and aborton patent protectons, overturned Trump Planned Parenthood federal funding ban. Would sign natonal aborton rights bill if Congress passed.
Yes. We’re seeing the climate crisis “every day…in real tme.“ “We must do more.” Cast the deciding vote to commit $369 billion to climate and clean energy, the biggest investment in US history. Supported $1.2 trillion in infrastructure; includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions. No longer would ban hydraulic fracking.
Ban. “Afer 50 years of failure, I was able to kill Roe v. Wade.” Did so by appointng three ant-aborton Supreme Court Justces. It was “a miracle.” States should decide for themselves, potentally monitoring women’s pregnancies and prosecutng women for getng abortons. Aborton is “really not that big of an issue.”
No. Climate change is a “hoax.” The world will “start getng cooler.” Withdrew from the Paris climate pact. Will expand coal and oil producton. “I want to drill, baby, drill.” Asked oil and gas executves to donate $1 billion so he could reverse Biden’s climate initatves.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
How to ensure efectveness and fairness in law enforcement?
ECONOMY
How to improve the economy and make daily life more afordable.
EDUCATION
Limit teaching about racism and gender identty?
ELECTIONS
Police are dedicated public servants. As a prosecutor increased felony convictons by one third. But “public safety requires community trust.” Has supported beter training, banning choke holds, and prosecutng police misconduct.
Expand child tax credit. Give tax credits for afordable housing builders and subsidize frst-tme home buyers. Restrict price gouging on groceries and lower drug costs by negotatng prices. Supported bipartsan infrastructure bill.
No. In Florida “extremists… passed a law, ‘Don’t Say Gay,’ trying to instll fear in our teachers.” Now, “they want to replace history with lies,” teaching “that enslaved people benefted from slavery.” Children should be “taught the truth.”
Did Joe Biden win the 2020 Presidental electon? Yes. “The [electon] results were certfed by state afer state and reafrmed by court afer court.” “On January 6, we all saw what our naton would look like if the forces who seek to dismantle our democracy are successful.”
GUN LAWS
Loosen or tghten gun regulatons?
HEALTHCARE
Repeal or expand the Afordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare?
Tighten. “Every person deserves the freedom to live safe from gun violence.” Supported the bipartsan gun safety bill and required background checks for gun show & online sales.
Expand. “Health care is a right, not a privilege.” Cast a tebreaking Senate vote to expand ACA & lower Medicare drug prices, including a $35 monthly insulin cost. Would link drug costs to costs that comparable wealthy natons pay.
Police are “under siege.” Cut back actve federal oversight of excess force, though supported a database to track it. Admires Chinese approach of quick trials and a death penalty for drug dealers so there will be a “zero drug problem.”
Increase taxes (tarifs) on imported goods. Cut housing demand with mass deportatons. To lower prices, would deregulate businesses, rein in “wasteful federal spending” and unleash American energy. Opposed infrastructure bill.
Yes. Certfy teachers who “embrace patriotc values.” Would “cut federal funding” for any school “pushing critcal race theory, gender ideology.” Restricted diversity training for federal employees and contractors.
No. Called the electon a “Big Lie” and a “Massive Fraud” that would justfy “terminaton” of parts of Consttuton. Called those who stormed U.S. Capitol “unbelievable patriots.” Would pardon them fully.
Loosen. To NRA, “no one will lay a fnger on your frearms.” Plans to roll back Biden gun restrictons. Reversed Obama-era background checks for those with mental illnesses.
Repeal. “Terminate.” “Obamacare is a catastrophe.” As President, promised to replace it with “something terrifc,” but repeal failed in the Senate by one vote. Supported an unsuccessful lawsuit to overturn it.
ISSUES
IMMIGRATION
How to handle immigraton?
Support a path to citzenship for “DACA” partcipants brought to the US as children?
ISRAEL/GAZA
Response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza following October Hamas atack?
LABOR
Make it easier or harder for unions to organize?
LGBTQ RIGHTS
Limit or expand LGBTQ rights?
MARIJUANA
Ban or legal?
MINIMUM WAGE
Raise federal minimum from $7.25 an hour?
SOCIAL SECURITY
Cut Social Security or raise retrement age to stabilize program?
STUDENT FINANCIAL AID
Support lowering interest on student loans and/or forgiving them?
TAXES
Raise or lower taxes on the wealthy and corporatons?
UKRAINE/RUSSIA
Support defending Ukraine against Russian invasion?
VOTING RULES
Make votng harder or easier?
HARRIS (D)
Supports “comprehensive immigraton reform.” Backed the bipartsan Senate border security bill. Rejects mass deportaton of undocumented immigrants. “We are a naton of immigrants…. let us all address [the issue] with the urgency and seriousness it requires.” Supports pathways to citzenship for DACA partcipants and undocumented spouses of citzens.
“We need” a cease-fre & a two-state soluton. “Israel has a right to defend itself.” But “too many innocent Palestnians have been killed… Civilian sufering… [is] devastatng.” Palestnians and Israelis both “are enttled to security.”
Easier. “Unions built” the American middle class. “We are fghtng to protect the sacred right to organize.” Backs prounion laws. Walked UAW picket line. Build “an economy where every person, not just the wealthy,” can thrive.
Expand. In 2004, ofciated some of the naton’s frst samesex marriages. Helped repeal California’s ant-gay marriage initatve. Biden administraton protected LGBTQ medical patents from discriminaton.
Legal. “Nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.” Legalize and regulate. Supports Biden’s easing federal prohibiton.
Yes. Supports Congress raising the natonal minimum wage to $15. Biden administraton raised to $15 for federal contractors.
No. Would protect and stabilize Social Security by making wealthier Americans pay into Social Security at the same rate as everyone else; they’d keep paying in above their current $168,600/year income cap.
Yes. Supported Biden forgiving $144 billion for over 4 million borrowers, afer the Supreme Court blocked the Biden-Harris $430 billion forgiveness plan.
Raise. Voted against Trump tax cuts, which included the largest corporate cut in US history. Supported increasing corporate tax rates. To boost teacher salaries, proposed raising estate taxes on the very wealthy.
Yes. “Regarding Putn’s unprovoked, unjustfed war against Ukraine… we are commited to… defend democratc values and stand up to dictators.”
Easier. Pass bills to protect votng rights and make votng and registraton easier. Biden administraton directed federal agencies to help people register.
TRUMP (R)
Illegal immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.” Will use the Natonal Guard and local police, with possible detenton camps, to deport 15 to 20 million illegal immigrants. Opposed the bipartsan Senate immigraton bill. Tried to end DACA; Supreme Court overruled. Would renew his Muslim ban and end automatc citzenship for everyone born in US.
Has supported Israeli acton, “get the job done.” Says Israel releasing images of bombed Gaza buildings loses “the PR war.” Gaza protesters are “raging lunatcs and Hamas sympathizers.” Would deport student protesters.
Harder. Made it harder for unions to organize. Restricted federal employee collectve bargaining. Praised employers who fre striking workers: “They go on strike…and you say… ‘You’re all gone.’” Striking Auto Workers were “sold down the river by their leadership.”
Limit. Weakened an Obama order protectng LGBTQ federal contractors from discriminaton. Banned transgender military servicemembers and ended ant-discriminaton protectons for transgender patents.
Unclear. It does “signifcant damage.” Reversed Obama rule to not prosecute in states where legal, but ultmately didn’t prosecute.
No. A $15 minimum wage would “eliminate jobs.” Threatened to veto. Questoned need for a federal minimum wage: let the states decide.
Mostly yes. There’s “a lot you can do in… cutng.” Also fags bad management. Proposed $35 billion cuts in Social Security disability programs. But “will never do anything” to “hurt Social Security.”
No. Called student loan forgiveness “unfair” to those not atending college. Vetoed forgiving loans of defrauded students. Proposed cutng support programs for student borrowers.
Lower. His 2017 tax cut included the largest corporate cuts in US history and major tax cuts for the wealthy. Would extend and expand when they expire in 2025. Raising business taxes “will lead to the destructon of your jobs.”
Mostly no. To end the war, will push Ukraine to give up territory to Russia. Russia should “do whatever the hell they want” to NATO countries that don’t pay enough.
Harder. Has long supported stronger voter ID requirements. Sued to bar ballot drop boxes. Encouraged Republicans to vote early but said early ballots “get lost” or are “phony.”
guides.vote is a nonpartsan efort to show where candidates stand. We do not support or oppose any politcal party or candidate. We include candidates polling 15% or more; use the QR code on the right for online versions, including links to credible sources and other candidates. Vote411.org ofers guides to local races and how to vote. For campuses, see Campus Vote Project’s state-specifc guides to student votng rules.
Growing Paynes: 1D fans mourn icon, childhood
MUSIC Temple Directioners are in shock after Liam Payne died unexpectedly on Oct. 16.
BY CLAIRE ZEFFER Managing Editor
On Oct. 16, Natalie Langnas received a text from a long-distance acquaintance she hadn’t spoken to in years. It wasn’t the customary inquiry into how she’s been or if she’d be interested in reconnecting like she might’ve expected, but rather condolences for her loss.
The only caveat – to her knowledge, she hadn’t lost anyone in her life that would prompt sympathies. Then came the article link: One Direction Star Liam Payne Found Dead. For Langnas, a seasoned Directioner to her core, the random sympathies were more than warranted.
“The fact that he told me I think goes to show how much people know that this is part of who I am,” said Langnas, a senior media studies and production major.
For the frst time in years, the implausibility of a reunion for the most illustrious boyband in recent history fnally had an air of permanence. Payne, just 31 years old, died after falling from a third-foor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, prompting a seismic outcry from fangirls and boys that shook Temple’s campus along with the rest of the world.
“It was just so unexpected,” said Mary Gabriele, a senior global studies major. “Literally, all my friends were calling me and checking. It was just because I feel like we don’t really hear about Liam a lot in the news, at least I didn’t. So this is just such a shock.”
While his fellow One Direction bandmates were winning Grammys, selling out arena tours and maintaining dedicated fandoms as solo artists, Payne, afectionately dubbed ‘Daddy Direction’ in the band’s Heyday, seemed to fall out of favor with the fans who once loved him most.
His only solo record, LP1, failed to
make waves, and Payne, at his own admission, struggled on and of with substance use disorder to cope with young stardom. His subsequent erratic behavior was concerning to fans who were used to the bubbly, straight-edged persona he maintained while in the band. In the weeks leading up to his death, Payne also faced criticism following allegations of abuse from his former fancée, Maya Henry.
Despite his personal troubles, countless mourn Payne’s death but even more how the loss permeates their memories. For most, One Direction was a defning facet of adolescence, and the abrupt loss of one of its members serves as an allegory for the end of their childhood.
“I think two things can be true at once, and I 100% acknowledge how I felt about him recently and in recent years,” Langnas said. “But, I can also acknowledge that he was a part of something that meant so much to me as a kid, like, it’s not necessarily Liam himself.”
One Direction spent more than fve years dominating the music sphere, stealing the hearts of young fans and redefning fandom culture and social media.
In that time, a robust online culture blossomed, giving young fans a space to express themselves and establish an unbreakable sense of community.
“I think there was something so special about that era,” Langnas said. “I really don’t feel like there’s anything like it since. And I feel most of all grateful that I had that.”
The modern-day Beatlemania culminated in their fnal performance as a group in December 2015; They then went on a supposed “18-month hiatus” which stretched into nearly a decade without new content from the group.
In that decade, Directioners grew up. Their CDs no longer spun en masse. The posters were peeled of of the wall. Merchandise made its way to the thrift stores or landflls, and the signature perfumes’ once romantic foral top notes dissipated, with expired bottles gradually left to collect dust on the shelf.
“It just kind of felt like the loss of a part of your childhood,” said Nick Disabella, a senior advertising major. “It’s like when you get rid of your favorite stufed animal when you don’t use it anymore. It’s tattered to shreds, and you lose it, but I think nostalgia keeps things alive.”
But Directioners never gave up hope that reconciliation was tenable and that the frst men to make their hearts futter would once again acknowledge their origins and return to the stage together.
Even 10 years after their fnal group appearance, Disabella remained confdent that a One Direction reunion was bound to happen eventually. Payne’s passing, however, means the closest reconciliation between the remaining band members will likely happen at a solemn
and unexpected funeral rather than on a worldwide stage.
“[Payne] was just the person at the end of the day that was part of one of the most transformative things,” Disabella said. “He was so young, and we’re now young. Not to quote One Direction, but it’s crazy how fast the night changes.”
claire.zeffer@temple.edu
MILES SMITH / THE TEMPLE NEWS
A dorm room window at Johnson and Hardwick halls following Liam Payne’s death.
AROUND CAMPUS
“Go Birds”: student shows Philly pride at town hall
Elkan Pleat went viral for saying “Go Birds” at a CNN town hall for Vice President Kamala Harris.
BY MIKE NONNEMAKER Assistant Features Editor
When Elkan Pleat had the opportunity to ask Vice President Kamala Harris a question at a CNN town hall, he didn’t think twice before kicking it of with a spirited “Go Birds” – a customary welcome for many Philadelphians.
The now viral moment captured more than just Philly pride, showing how young people are using every opportunity to make their voices heard.
“It’s a greeting to say, ‘Go Birds,’ but there’s also a community aspect,” said Pleat, a freshman political science major. “Philly sports is not just Philly sports. It’s a lifestyle. It’s every day, all day. I think it’s integral to the city, to the culture and also to the spirit of it all. It brings people together.”
Many young faces took the stage at CNN’s town hall event in Aston, Pennsylvania on Oct. 23. The largely unde-
cided crowd was eager to discuss their thoughts on pressing issues like abortion and immigration with Harris.
Pleat’s enthusiastic greeting resonated with the audience and earned a smile from the Vice President. After the viral interaction, Pleat asked about Harris’ proudest moment as a politician and her time as Attorney General.
Harris’ personalized approach to questions at the event made some young people like Pleat feel empowered to engage more actively in politics.
“After the fact, any question that she didn’t give a clear and good answer on, she went up to every individual person and answered their question one-onone,” Pleat said. “She spent like over half an hour just talking to people and answering their questions. She actually really seemed to care individually about each and every one of us.”
These interactions led to group photos and even selfes with the Vice President and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, making the event feel like more than just a town hall for attendees.
“It was an out-of-body experience,” Pleat said.
I C E S
motivates you to vote?
This determination to prioritize political action speaks to a growing sentiment among his peers as students continue to engage in campaigning leading up to today’s election. Recently, several of Temple’s student organizations have made an active efort to ensure students are registering to vote and making their voices heard.
Among those organizations is Temple Democrats, who have been mobilizing students to get out to the polls. They aim to encourage students to take an active role in the democratic process by hosting discussions with politicians and celebrities about the importance of this election.
Temple Democrats has tabled at multiple locations around campus every day in the two weeks before the election. By setting up stands on campus, their president Lourdes Cardamone is working to ensure students are informed on how to vote.
“We want people to be educated on how they’re going to vote, where they’re going to vote and what’s the easiest way for them to get there,” said Cardamone, a junior political science major.
KAYARA LODGE
Freshman architecture major | She/Her
“ I’m voting because I want to make sure women have their rights. I don’t want men controlling women’s rights, at all. ”
Junior legal studies major | She/Her
“ I’m voting for the sake of future generations in America. ”
Temple Votes, a non-partisan initiative led by a committee of student leaders and faculty, shares this same goal. Their approach involves providing students with comprehensive voter education and engagement.
Both organizations hope to inspire a wave of participation that can infuence local and national outcomes and prove that even small actions can lead to signifcant changes in the larger political landscape, Cardamone said.
Peyton Giordano, vice president of Temple Democrats, also recognizes the pivotal role Pennsylvania, a battleground state with 19 electoral votes, plays in this election. Young voters in the state have the chance to make a serious impact.
“It is so important to vote because your voice matters,” said Giordano, a junior criminal justice major. “We are one of the biggest purple states and it’s really going to come down to these swing states. We all have a chance to get involved here and make our voices heard.”
mike.nonnemaker@temple.edu
HANNAH MCNICHOL
Senior printmaking major | She/They
“ Everything we have to lose is defnitely motivating me to vote. We live in Philly, but also in Pennsylvania. It’s a super-important state in this election. So, it’s exciting, because I know my vote will make a difference. ”
Junior flm major | He/Him
“ This is the frst year I can vote in a presidential election. ”
EMILY CURRIER
MICHAEL ROBLES
PHOTOS BY JARED TATZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS
FEATURES
AROUND CAMPUS
The activists moving Temple students to the polls
On-the-ground organizers are playing an outsize role in the Keystone State’s closest races.
BY JADON GEORGE Features Staff Writer
Tori Kusukawa had a problem. The Utah native’s family wanted to send money to Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for a promotion at the ballot box — a presidential campaign that has already garnered $1 billion in donations. With all that money already fooding in, they weren’t sure where it would be most effective.
So Kusakawa chimed in.
“I was like, ‘Send me to Philly,’” said Kusakawa, who was living in Maine at the time.
Within weeks, he was rooming in a North Philadelphia apartment and volunteering with the Harris campaign anywhere they needed him.
The 2024 presidential election stands to be among the most consequential in history. It has produced in Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump two candidates of a sort never seen before, albeit for totally diferent reasons.
It is the frst since Trump addressed a mob that tried to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021; the frst since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade’s guarantee of abortion access in June 2022; the frst since the U.S. military ignominiously withdrew from Afghanistan; and the frst since wars began anew in Ukraine and Gaza. And opinion polls, for months, have shown the race as simply too close to reliably call.
Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes and evenly split electorate make it American politics’ Armageddon — the battlefeld on which the presidential result will most probably turn. It’s also host to the close-but-likely-not-pivotal Senate campaign pitting Democratic incumbent Bob Casey against Republican Wall Street executive Dave McCormick and 17 more elections that could tip the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
All the political world knows it — and Pennsylvania’s place as president-maker has put Philadelphia, and Temple, in the eye of the storm. Trump rallied in Philadelphia for the frst time at the Liacouras Center in June. Harris frst campaigned alongside her vice-presidential pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in the same building six weeks later. Even former President Barack Obama took Liacouras’s foor in support of Harris on Oct. 28 with musicians John Legend and Bruce Springsteen in tow.
Meteorologists say Philadelphia is in the midst of a monthlong dry spell that could tip into drought territory. But it’s raining politicians.
College students present fertile soil for political organizing, especially for Democrats. More than simply voting for the frst time, students are often freshly on their own — experiencing the world and its oferings anew.
In Fall 2022, a coalition led by political science student Jared Goldberg began petitioning Temple to cancel classes on Election Day. Goldberg’s campaign exploded, drawing thousands of signatures from students, professors, celebrities and local public servants — as well as support from the Temple Votes initiative encouraging students to vote.
A year later, university ofcials published a poll that ofered Temple Election Day of in exchange for a shortened Thanksgiving break — a provision one of Goldberg’s allies, 2024 Beasley School of Law alumnus Arlo Blaisus, denounced as “a poison pill.”
Further opening democracy’s doors to those in school, Blaisus said, could have set them up for a lifetime of service and civic engagement.
“If we teach people the importance of voting and they see, then they go out and vote,” Blaisus said. “And unfortunately, on the fip side, if we discourage students from voting, they don’t. They may never actually develop those habits of being engaged citizens.”
Electeds, guitar heroes or smoothas-gravy soul singers don’t bear the main responsibility for pulling passersby into the political fray. The close-up work falls to organizers like Kusakawa and Temple Feminist Majority’s Jacob Saltzman.
Saltzman, a senior political science major, was closer to the sidelines himself when he ventured to the nation’s capital for a seminar with the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. An instructor there worked with the left-leaning political action committee, or PAC, marshaling support for Harris, Casey and other Democrats across the country. Feminist Majority hadn’t yet built an operation on Temple’s campus. So, the instructor asked whether Saltzman would be interested in taking up the mantle.
Saltzman already had two jobs — as a student worker with the Performing
Arts Center and as a security guard. He wasn’t big on talking to strangers, certainly not about politics. Still, he took the gig, and within months rose from volunteer to organizer to on-campus coordinator.
Much of Feminist Majority’s interaction with students involves handing out pledge cards — not registrations or voting plans, but commitments to vote for the organization’s slate of endorsed candidates. The thought of asking people he didn’t know to make such a decision on the spot was far beyond Saltzman’s comfort zone. But he believed far too much in the work to back of.
“After getting that frst few signatures and going up to a few people, it kind of just becomes easier,” Saltzman said.
The laws governing tax-exempt nonprofts bar many groups — from local churches to the American Civil Liberties Union — from issuing political endorsements, even when their audiences or stated principles align heavily with one candidate or party. And several others, like Temple Student Govern-
SARAH MADDEN / THE TEMPLE NEWS Students learn more about voting at a table on Liacouras Walk.
ment, refrain from active campaigning as a matter of principle.
TSG is a member of the Temple Votes initiative. Its Department of External Afairs is responsible for ushering students to the polls. After its former external afairs chief stepped aside in October, ofcials quickly named a replacement: Temple Democrats president Lourdes Cardamone.
Cardamone, a junior political science and criminal justice double major, has been in the white-hot epicenter of the state’s politics since taking over Temple Dems late in the spring. She often mans the organization’s table in the shadow of the Bell Tower and Charles Library.
When Casey and Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock gathered supporters on Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Cardamone introduced them. And a large part of her role is convincing younger voters to put their reservations about the Democratic establishment to one side.
“This is a person who will protect our rights and things that are important to young people,” said Cardamone, who grew up in the once-competitive state of Colorado, of Vice President Harris.
But TSG president Ray Epstein — in many ways a transplant from the activist world herself — never worried about Cardamone’s ability to carry out duties both partisan and neutral.
Had the dual positions fallen to someone else, TSG might have had cause for concern, Epstein said.
“Lourdes is someone who consistently reaches across party lines to try to increase voter turnout.”
For example, Epstein said, Cardamone called Temple’s Republican chapter and asked them to attend a voter education event with Democratic councilman Isaiah Thomas. The group, which has become somewhat elusive in the campaign’s waning phases, agreed. Did the campus GOP appear? According to Epstein, “something came up at the last minute.” But they accepted.
Kusakawa — the Harris transplant — met with a friend who attends Temple when he frst arrived in Philly. They needed to have a safety talk, she had decided.
“‘Here’s Temple,’” Kusakawa, a graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, recalled being told. “‘Don’t go
FEATURES
north. Don’t go east. Don’t go west.’” The friend even pointed to each spot on a map.
North Philadelphia’s residential neighborhoods might be the least of Kusakawa’s problems.
This is the part of the campaign where unidentifed arsonists torch ballot dropboxes in three states, not unlike the sequence from HBO’s “Succession.” This is the point in American history where at least dozens of ofcials across several battleground states suggest they won’t certify an election they deem suspicious.
Perhaps most importantly, this is the era of Trump’s political career where he suggests the opposition is the “enemy from within,” and that former Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney — the fercest Republican critic of the former president’s actions in the winter of 2020 — ought to have guns “trained on her face” on a foreign battlefeld.
The names of previous elections descending into carnage — “Bleeding Kansas,” “Mississippi Burning” — hearken back to scenes from a seemingly dis-
tant past, one where political organizing against slavery in the territories meant participating in guerilla warfare and registering Black Americans to vote often meant facing torture or death.
That such violence would ever return took on a near-laughability at the end of the 20th century, little more than an undemocratic bad dream for most of the U.S. electorate. But 2020 didn’t just bring the Capitol riot. It brought a food of menacing phone calls and vicious threats to organizers, poll workers and election administrators across the country.
Now, college organizations like Temple Dems and TSG fnd themselves having conversations about what the after-election might bring.
“We’ve been talking about what it might look like after Election Day, or after the ballots are all counted, which probably won’t be until a bit after Election Day,” Epstein said. “We’ve been talking about what the coming weeks might look like and how to handle different situations that may arise.”
The motivation for the election-skeptic movement — the actual incidents, the actual reasoning — foat at too far a distance from facts or empirical reality to be distilled into one here. Yet those who believe in the vote’s power press forward. They say their reasons are clear.
“The responsibility of being a citizen of the United States of America is to pitch in and give your part to the people of the United States,” Blaisus said. “And to try to keep this experiment of democracy and free thought and free expression alive.”
jadon@temple.edu @jgeorgescribe
JARED TATZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple Democrats canvass voters at the TSG Town Hall in the Howard Gittis Student Center.
AROUND CAMPUS
Temple’s record-high Tinder usage wins concert
Gunna and Glorilla will perform at The Liacouras Center as Temple wins “Swipe off Challenge.”
BY BAYLEH ALEXANDER Features Editor
At a college like Temple with more than 20,000 undergraduate students, fnding a compatible partner, whether it be through meet-cutes or dating apps, should seem well within reach.
Kyla Johnson, however, deleted Tinder after swiping through all of the available matches in her proximity, shrinking the anticipated dating pool from thousands to zilch.
“[Tinder] is a hookup app,” said Johnson, a freshman nursing major. “As much as people think that they’re gonna fnd love on it, you’re probably not. And I didn’t, and I don’t think I ever would.”
The popular dating app debuted Tinder U in 2018, a feature that allows students to share details like their graduation year and major on their profle to connect with others from their university. Tinder U also allows registered users to participate in a nationwide university-only dating competition: The Swipe Of Challenge.
The challenge measured the highest Tinder activity for each participating college between Sept. 4 and Oct. 2, with Temple emerging as the victor on Oct. 21. As a reward, the company is hosting a free Gunna and Glorilla concert at The Liacouras Center on Nov. 13. The concert is open to all student ID holders who register for tickets. Artists like Charli XCX, Cardi B, Juice WRLD and Saweetie have performed at previous Swipe Of concerts at universities nationwide.
The challenge calculated the total number of swipes on Tinder in a specific area. A left swipe dismisses a profle, while a right swipe indicates a “like.” If two users both swipe right on each other, they match and can send messages.
Many students fnd satisfaction in connecting with others through Tinder, whether they use it as a playful swiping game or a means to fnd love or friendship.
Jack Matz, a freshman marketing major, hopes to cultivate lasting relationships from Tinder but fnds the platform less than ideal for the long-term connection he seeks. He recently discovered a positive response from women when he messages his favorite pickup line, “Will you marry me?”
However, when he meets with his dates, their e-connection isn’t refected in the in-person meeting.
“[When you’re texting,] it’s like, ‘Oh! This person’s cool,’” Matz said. “And you get there and you just can’t stand talking to them. They just keep talking on and on all about them.”
Tinder allows for romantic access to peers nearby, which some, like freshman global studies major Ruth Bridgers, feel contributes to the rampant hook-up culture at Temple.
Temple’s considerable sexual activity is not a secret: The university is the number one most sexually active campus nationwide, according to a survey by College Stats. Tinder enables students
to create profles and fnd potential partners based on their individual preferences and proximity.
“I’m not looking to hook up with people,” Bridgers said. “I feel like Tinder a lot of the time is used for that, and that’s why I’m not really surprised that Temple would have won that contest because I know we defnitely have that reputation.”
Tinder also creates an opportunity for out-of-state students to cultivate new relationships, whether platonic or romantic. For Miami native Nathan Rodriguez, the potential matches in Philadelphia were vastly diferent from what he is used to.
“[Miami Tinder] is like straight 10’s and it’s wicked,” said Rodriguez, a freshman audio and live entertainment major. “It’s like, you’re like, wow. You just want to get of [Tinder] because you feel like ‘Those girls are too hot for me.’ But here there’s a good balance. You can fnd genuine people, not OnlyFans models.”
For others, Tinder has been success-
ful in boosting their self-esteem. Connecting with potential suitors virtually prior to meeting can mitigate the anxieties of in-person dating and make students feel more comfortable navigating new relationships.
Sarah Omietanski, a graduate accounting student, resorted to Tinder after what she described as a “particularly hard breakup.” In rediscovering her confdence, she found dating apps to be a more risk-free version of dating than the vulnerability of real-life scenarios.
“You don’t have to go out with anyone,” Omietanski said. “But if you end up going out with someone, that’s totally fne. [Tinder] helped me become more confdent in approaching guys or girls and just being able to talk to them and firt with them.”
bayleh.alexander@temple.edu
JARED TATZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple won the annual Tinder “Swipe Off Challenge” and earned a free concert from Gunna and Glorilla.
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
JARED TATZ, ROBERT JOSEPH CRUZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Owls looking for success in Fisher’s second year
Temple comes into the 2024-25 season sixth in the conference preseason poll.
BY JACOB MORENO For The Temple News
By the time February rolled around, Temple’s 2023-24 season looked like a lost cause. The Owls were in the midst of their longest losing streak in 50 years and they entered the American Athletic Conference tournament as one of the worst-seeded teams.
However, the Owls found a miraculous second gear in the tournament and marched their way to an AAC championship appearance where they fell short to UAB.
Head coach Adam Fisher now enters his second season with new expectations. Temple has a revamped roster with sights set on winning its frst AAC championship in program history and getting its frst NCAA Tournament invite since 2019.
“You gotta believe early,” Fisher said. “I think our team last year believed, we went through a tough stretch, but we kept believing and kept believing, and we gotta get that belief a little bit earlier.”
With expectations at the highest in quite some time, here is what you need to know for Temple’s 2024-25 season.
GUARD DEPTH
Temple’s ofense primarily ran through its backcourt last season, with former guard Hysier Miller serving as the team’s main scoring option, something he struggled with as an inconsistent shooter for much of the season. The Owls looked to fx that during the ofseason when Miller and guard Jordan Riley went portaling — and they seemingly upgraded.
Transfer guards Jamal Mashburn Jr. and Lynn Greer III join the backcourt and will likely be the team’s main guard duo, but fans have to wait until midDecember to see the duo in action after Greer was suspended for the frst nine games for an incident that occurred
during his time at St. Joseph’s, The Temple News reported.
However, the Owls have the depth to overcome the loss.
Guards Shane Dezonie, Zion Stanford and Matteo Picarelli return as players who had signifcant roles last season. Picarelli and transfer guard Jameel Brown are expected to provide a three-point spark of the bench.
“I’m a big believer of the more talent you have, the better,” Picarelli said. “We brought in three really talented guys that can really help us win. We have one goal in mind, which is to win a championship and go to the NCAA tournament.”
Dezonie and Stanford were tasked with coming on the court in relief of Riley and former guard Jahlil White last season and they will be relied on even more this year. Dezonie provided a spark for Temple toward the end of conference play last season and Stanford played a pivotal role in the Owls’ AAC tournament wins against UTSA and
SMU in March.
FRONTCOURT SITUATION
Temple’s depth with its big men heading into 2024 isn’t as concrete as the backcourt. Fisher opted to play small ball last season, putting 6-foot, 5-inch Sam Hofman at center while forward Steve Settle III manned the post.
Hofman graduated in May which left the center position wide open for the taking.
Fordham transfer Elijah Gray fts Fisher’s vision and is expected to take the mantle. Tulsa transfer center Mohamed Keita is the tallest player on the team at 7 feet and 1 inch but he only averaged seven and a half minutes per game last season with the Golden Hurricane.
“Small ball is defnitely something you’ll probably see,” Settle said. “Just because traditional centers can’t keep up with someone who’s like myself and [Gray] could play the fve.”
The Owls also struggled to grab
rebounds consistently last season. They gave up the most opponent rebounds and recorded the second-worst rebounding margin in the AAC. No player averaged more than six rebounds per game, something Temple will have to improve on to make a run in March.
Temple is in the midst of a rebuild under Fisher, and while they have improved on paper, there are still some learning curves the Owls must overcome.
Look for Fisher to mix and match the lineup early on in the season and see how his squad fares with diferent rotations. Freshman forward Dillon Battie could carve a role out for himself as the Owls look to utilize its small-ball lineup.
“You got to put together a team like a puzzle,” Fisher said. ”You got to fgure out ‘how do the puzzle pieces all come together?’”
jacob.moreno@temple.edu @jmoreno76ers
JACK LARSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple head coach Adam Fisher is hoping to build on his record-setting debut season.
STAFF PREDICTIONS
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Owls have title goals in Richardson’s third season
After falling two games short of the NCAA Tournament last year, the Owls have lofty expectations.
BY NATE PRENDERGAST Women’s Basketball Beat Reporter
Temple was two seconds away from its frst-ever American Athletic Conference Tournament championship appearance last March. All the Owls had to do was inbound the ball to guard Tiarra East who had an open look for the win.
Instead, disaster struck at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, when guard Aleah Nelson’s inbound pass found Rice forward Malia Fisher’s hands. Temple’s semi-fnal loss to Rice on March 12 marked the end of a magical run highlighted by the Owls’ frst-ever AAC regular season crown.
Nelson and three other starters either graduated or departed Temple in the ofseason, but the Owls still have lofty goals of proving last year’s run wasn’t a fuke despite being picked to fnish eighth in the preseason poll. Temple’s leading scorer Tiarra East is returning alongside a group of new faces added to help make a run at the big dance in March.
“As a coach, [the preseason ranking] doesn’t really bother me,” said head coach Diane Richardson. “I think our players will probably use that a little bit. But last year we were ranked ninth and we ended up winning, so I’m not too concerned about the preseason. It’s the postseason that’s important.”
Here is what to expect from Temple Women’s Basketball during the 2024-25 season.
FILLING THE GAPS
Nelson and former guard Demi Washington, along with former forwards Ines Piper and Rayne Tucker, were important factors last season. With none of them returning this year, Temple is counting on familiar faces to step into bigger roles this season.
Piper and Tucker’s departure leaves holes in the frontcourt. Forward Jaleesa Molina, who was a key reserve in 2023, is
back for another season and hoping to take a sophomore leap. Richardson also used the transfer portal to add forwards Anissa Rivera from Towson and Amaya Oliver from Loyola Marymount to help the team’s rebounding eforts.
“We have more depth,” said assistant coach Myles Jackson. “I think we can play legit nine to 11 players every night and be really good. I think we have more shooters. We have more fours and fves are going to be able to stretch the foor and it’s going to really give a problem for people to guard us.”
East returns as the team’s key veteran following Nelson’s departure, but Richardson still needs someone to take control of playmaking duties. That role will likely go to guard Tristen Taylor, who was coined a “mini Aleah” last season. Taylor impressed during Temple’s two AAC tournament games last season and will look to fll Nelson’s shoes and run the ofense.
“[Tristan] is stepping into that role where she’s taking control on the court and she’s putting people where they need to be,” Richardson said. “The thing I love about her is her basketball IQ. She knows
the foor. She knows the next play before it even happens.”
POINT TO PROVE
After a disappointing end to an otherwise historic season, Temple was picked to fnish eighth in the AAC Preseason Poll this year. The ranking ofers the Owls “bulletin board material” motivation and the chance to prove doubters wrong for a second straight season, East said.
“It gives us a lot of motivation,” East said. “Considering that we were tied for the regular season championship and we made the semi fnals, it just makes it like, ‘Oh, okay, that’s where you want to put us? I’m going to show you that we’re not number eight.’”
Individual expectations are high for East entering the season after leading Temple with 13 points per game last year. The senior was named All-AAC Second-Team and is looking to lead the Owls to its frst AAC tournament title.
SAME FOCUS
Temple enters the 2024-25 season with one goal; a conference champion-
ship.
To prepare for conference play, Richardson scheduled a difcult non-conference slate. Temple plays six teams that were involved in a postseason tournament last year, including No. 16 West Virginia.
“I knew that we needed to be challenged in the non-conference so that we’re ready for our conference play,” Richardson said. “Our conference is very packed. There are teams that are really, really good and so I want to be challenged.”
The team made strides in Richardson’s second season, and she hopes that the trajectory will continue in her third season at Temple.
“My goal is to be the best,” Richardson said. “I want to win it and I want us to be the best. So whether they ranked us 10th, 12th or frst, my goal and my pattern and my practice and my plan is to be the best.”
nathan.prendergast@temple.edu @nate_prendy
ROBERT JOSEPH CRUZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple Women’s Basketball has high expectations for the 2024-25 season.
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Mashburn Jr. brings winning pedigree to Temple
Temple Men’s Basketball guard
BY SIENNA CONAGHAN Assistant Sports Editor
When Jamal Mashburn Jr. was a senior at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, he was a four-star recruit that immediately caught the attention of top-tier schools. But Adam Fisher, an assistant coach at Miami at the time, took special notice.
Fisher attempted to reel the Miami native to his hometown, but Mashburn opted to play at the University of Minnesota instead.
Mashburn spent just one year in Minneapolis before following head coach Richard Pitino to New Mexico where his career took of. He averaged double digits in all three seasons in a Lobo uniform and even got to play in an NCAA Tournament. Looking for a change of pace, he entered the transfer portal for a second time in 2024 where he and Fisher, now the head coach at Temple, connected once again.
Mashburn was hooked on Temple when Fisher showed a genuine interest in him as a person and not just a player. After felding ofers from Arkansas and Kentucky, Mashburn ofcially committed to Temple, a program that hasn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 2013. Now, Fisher is hoping Mashburn can be the key piece to a team he feels is ready to make a run at a championship.
“I’m never a fnished product, there’s always something I can get better on with every part of my game,” Mashburn said. “I love the honesty of just the coaching staf and just putting players in position to thrive and get better at what they need to get better at, but also put them in position to be great at what they’re great at still.”
During his time at New Mexico, Mashburn earned all-conference honors all three seasons while averaging double-fgures each season. His scoring prowess made him a perfect ft for Temple because the team desperately needed a reliable scorer.
The guard brings nearly 2,000 career points to North Broad Street, but he won’t be tasked with having to put 20 points on the scoreboard every night.
The Owls have a deep roster with other capable scorers, enabling Mashburn to impact the game in multiple ways.
Mashburn excels at setting up an offense whenever the ball is in his hands. He will be able to get more players open on the court with his smart and intentional passes. Mashburn’s playmaking abilities will make him and fellow transfer guard Lynn Greer III a threat on the court together. Greer was expected to be the main ball handler but is now suspended for the frst nine games for an incident that occurred when he was at Saint Joseph’s.
“He’s a basketball player,” Fisher said. “He can handle the ball, he can shoot, so we want a mixture of it. I think he can get us in our ofense, but I also think he can be of the ball coming of screens, so his ability to do both is really important. The more versatility you have, the better you’re going to be.”
With a revamped roster, the team needed a leader and Mashburn is expected to step into the role. He understands the importance of the entire team being bought in, so he made it a point to guide everybody, he said.
Mashburn’s playing experience allows him to give his teammates valuable insight that only someone who is on the court with them can see. During practices, he notices what needs to be changed and knows what advice to give to fx it. His guidance has helped the team create a stronger chemistry heading into the season.
“I think [the team’s bond is] right where it needs to be,” Mashburn said. “I think we take steps each and every day just to get one percent better, one per cent more connected, one percent more on the same page. So every day is an op portunity to continue to keep expanding and keep ascending in that direction.”
Mashburn’s overall goal for this season is simple — win. After getting a taste of the NCAA Tournament last sea son, he hopes to lead his new team back to March Madness. His work ethic and commitment make it clear to everyone that he is determined when he steps on the court.
“[He’s] very driven, every day is an opportunity to get better,” Pitino said. “He comes into practice with that mind set, he does not come into practice with
the mindset of trying to get through it. He’s very organized in his plan of attack. Mash really worked at it, just had a plan and everybody knew, he was not afraid to be too cool to work. I’m sure he’s going to be the hardest worker in Temple’s program.”
sienna.conaghan@temple.edu @Sienna_Paige2
Jamal Mashburn Jr. adds a scoring punch to the team.
JARED TATZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Jamal Mashburn Jr., a recent transfer to Temple, going in for a layup against Sacred Heart University at The Liacouras Center on Nov 4.
Rivera ready to bring “dog” mentality to Temple
Temple Women’s Basketball forward Anissa Rivera is ready to make an impact for Temple.
BY COLIN SCHOFIELD Assistant Sports Editor
Anissa Rivera has known Temple head coach Diane Richardson since she was a 14-year old kid growing up in Capitol Heights, Maryland. At the time, Richardson had just left her job as CEO of RCI Financial to coach basketball at nearby Riverdale Baptist School in Upper Marlboro.
The two formed a bond competing against one another in the Maryland high school scene before they went their separate ways — Rivera went to play college basketball at North Carolina Central in 2019 while Richardson became the women’s basketball head coach at Towson University.
After two seasons, Rivera joined her former mentor at Towson where she averaged 10 points and seven rebounds per game during the 2021-22 season. The reunion was short-lived after Richardson left for Temple at the end of that season and Rivera chose not to follow her.
Rivera’s production took a hit without Richardson during the 2022-23 season and she decided to join the transfer portal after taking a year of to pursue her psychology degree. When Richardson initially reached out, Rivera thought she was done playing basketball. But Richardson was persistent and eventually got Rivera to North Broad, where she quickly ft in and is now expected to play a key role for Temple this upcoming season.
“Even though I haven’t seen [Richardson] in a couple of years we clicked again right away,” Rivera said. “Everybody was all cool, so it just felt like family. We had been through a lot together at Towson, so it was like, you might as well fnish with them.”
The skillset Rivera ofers will allow her to make an immediate impact for the Owls. The 6-foot, 1-inch forward has always been a capable scorer and strong rebounder — a hole Temple hopes to fll after former forward Rayne Tucker transferred to UAB in the ofseason.
Rivera has had a successful college career, racking up more than 1,000 points and sits 262 rebounds away from
1,000 career rebounds, a goal she said she plans on reaching.
Rivera is known for her physical abilities and scrappy style of play on the court, and that playstyle is exactly what Richardson wanted to add to her team. Rivera’s 6-foot, 3-inch wingspan only gives her a bigger advantage on the court.
Rivera also brings her rebounding prowess to the forefront and Richardson has high expectations for her. Despite being separated for two years, the pair have known each other for nearly a decade and Richardson knows what Rivera is capable of.
“I expect her to be a dog, period,” Richardson said. “She’s so unselfsh, but my expectation for her is she’s got to be a dog because we need that and we expect that from her.”
Richardson has cultivated an intense playing culture at Temple since she frst took the job in 2021. The Owls’ magical 2023-24 season ended in a shared regular season conference title and was built on the energy the players brought to the court. Rivera might be the fnal piece of the puzzle to complete Richardson’s vision.
Former guard Aleah Nelson was a major factor in enforcing Ricardson’s culture and energy to the court last season. She graduated in May and left the mantle open for someone new to take. Rivera has done just that in her short time on campus.
Rivera has ft in seamlessly since joining the Owls in the ofseason, thanks to the relationship with Richardson and the rest of the staf during her time in Towson. Her previous connections made the transition easy and reuniting with guard Tarriyonna Gary made the process painless. She has become an integral part of the team and her skills didn’t take a hit after missing a season.
“She is not afraid to tell younger players what to do,” Gary said. “She is very vocal when she steps on the court and I think that really helps our team.”
Temple is gearing up to follow up its American Athletic Conference regular season title in 2023 and Rivera will play a signifcant role. Temple was picked to fnish eighth in the AAC preseason poll despite a semifnal appearance last year, and Rivera is ready to play her part to
prove Temple is ready to exceed expectations.
“We’re defnitely using that as motivation because nobody wants to be overlooked,” Rivera said. “We just feel like we’re the underdogs so if people want to think we’re eight we come out being eight and then we are gonna prove them wrong.”
colin.schofeld@temple.edu
@ColinSchofeld
NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS Anissa Rivera reunited with coach Diane Richardson at The Liacouras Center on Nov 4.
SPORTS
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Transfers expected to make a big impact for Owls
Temple Men’s Basketball brought in fve transfers to rebuild its roster for the 2024-25 season.
BY COLIN SCHOFIELD Assistant Sports Editor
Following an improbable run to the American Athletic Conference championship last season, the transfer portal gashed Temple’s roster. Guards Hysier Miller, Jordan Riley and Jahlil White departed to other programs, leaving the Owls with important holes to fll.
Head coach Adam Fisher responded by jumping into the portal himself and completely retooled his roster. Fisher replenished the backcourt with talented guards and beefed up the frontcourt with a pair of big men. He then hit the recruiting trail, reeling in three freshmen to form the highest-rated recruiting class in the AAC.
“I’m really pleased [with the guys we brought in],” Fisher said. “Our staf did a great job of piecing together what we were looking for in our team. Now it’s putting it all together and making sure that it fows well with our team.”
Here’s a look at the new faces Temple brought in as they prepare for year two under Fisher.
JAMAL MASHBURN JR.
Fisher’s biggest catch in the portal is Mashburn Jr., who joined Temple after three seasons with New Mexico. Mashburn averaged 18 points per game in his frst season and 19 in his second with the Lobos before battling injuries last season and averaging 14 points per game.
Mashburn earned all-conference honors in all three seasons with New Mexico and had plenty of suitors after entering the transfer portal. He felded ofers from other high-level programs like Kentucky before choosing Temple, he said.
Bringing in Mashburn gives Fisher the reliable go-to scorer the Owls desperately lacked last season. The expectations for Mashburn are sky-high, with the guard being named preseason frstteam all-AAC.
“I’m just trying to lock in and read the game and be a vocal leader,” Mashburn said. “Rather than just being a leader with my play, leading vocally and being able to communicate the game.”
LYNN GREER III
Greer III, the son of all-time Temple great Lynn Greer, joins Temple after two seasons at Big Five rival Saint Joseph’s. Greer III is expected to form a backcourt tandem with Mashburn Jr. after averaging double fgures in his two seasons at St. Joes.
The Owls will be without Greer III for the frst nine games of the season after he was suspended for an incident that happened while he was at Saint Joseph’s, The Temple News reported.
Greer III is a natural ball handler and facilitator who can run an ofense with ease. He averaged nearly four assists per game last season and is expected to take over the facilitator role that Miller left. The Owls ranked just 13th in the AAC in assists and assists per game last season and Greer III should help improve that number.
JAMEEL BROWN
Brown, the fnal piece of Fisher’s revamped backcourt, joins the Owls after two seasons at Penn State. Brown has been on Temple’s radar for a while,
but Penn State recruited him out of high school and then he fnally joined the Owls after entering the transfer portal at the end of last season. Fisher coached the Philadelphia native during Brown’s freshman year with the Nittany Lions.
Brown is known as a prolifc threepoint shooter but struggled to fnd a role at Penn State. The guard only played 10 minutes per game with the Nittany Lions and shot just 31 percent from three. However, 29 of Brown’s 37 feld goals were from three-point range. Brown will provide a three-point spark of the bench for a team that ranked 12th in the AAC in three-point percentage last season.
“I can make plays but I can also do things of the ball,” Brown said. “I can do a lot of things of the ball, being solid defensively, being in the gaps and passing lanes and getting steals and just being another local leader out there.”
ELIJAH GRAY
The Owls severely lacked frontcourt depth last season. Standing at 6-foot 5-inches, Sam Hofman was their de fac-
to center. He performed admirably, but there was no depth behind him. Looking to improve the frontcourt, Fisher added Gray from Fordham to take Hofman’s spot.
Gray spent two seasons at Fordham and averaged eight points with three rebounds per game last season. Now at Temple, Gray is expected to step into Hofman’s former role as an undersized center who can space the foor and knock down an occasional three.
THE FRESHMEN
Three-star forward Dillon Battie joins the Owls from Lancaster, Texas, where he was the 5A player of the year as a senior. Four-star forward Babatunde Durodola reclassifed to join Temple for this season. The Canada native averaged 14 points per game at DME Academy.
colin.schofeld@temple.edu @ColinSchofeld9
JARED TATZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS Freshman Dillon Battie and transfer Jameel Brown with their teammates.
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
New faces hope to send Temple women dancing
Temple Women’s Basketball revamped its roster ahead of the 2024-2025 season.
BY JAISON NIEVES Sports Social Media Manager
Temple took the American Athletic Conference by storm last season by earning a share of the American Athletic Conference regular season title in head coach Diane Richardson’s second season. But the Owls bowed out of the AAC tournament in heartbreaking fashion to Rice in the semifnals.
To add insult to injury, the Owls also lost four of their fve starters from last season. Richardson and her staf entered the ofseason on the prowl for new faces to fll the roster. The coaches found exactly what they were looking for and added six new players and one familiar face.
“We’re trying to build on last year’s regular season conference title but we want to go further this year,” Richardson said. “We want to outright win the tournament. Not only do we want to win the regular season, but we want to win the tournament to ensure that we can get to the NCAA Tournament.”
Here’s a glimpse at the Owls’ new roster as they chase another regular season AAC title.
Amaya Oliver
Temple had a hole in the frontcourt following the departures of forwards Rayne Tucker and Ines Piper, and the former Loyola Marymount forward can help fll the gap.
The Owls ranked fourth in the AAC in rebounding margin last season, largely due to the tandem of Tucker and Piper. Oliver’s six rebounds per game last season can ensure the trend continues.
Oliver averaged nine points while shooting 52 percent from the feld with the Lions last season. She also notched double fgures 15 times, including three games where she achieved a doubledouble.
Anissa Rivera
Rivera, a transfer guard from Towson, adds depth to a depleted Owls frontcourt and has a past connection with the coaching staf. She played the 2021-22 season with Richardson at Towson and is returning to basketball after taking a gap year last season.
Rivera averaged nine points and six rebounds per game in her two years with the Tigers. She showcased her length and athleticism at Towson, racking up 46 blocks and 52 steals during her tenure.
Rivera gives Temple a reliable twoway player who can attack the rim on the ofensive end and keep defenses on its toes. She can space the foor with an improved three-point shot, shooting 25% from behind the arc at Towson.
“I’m just trying to help my team,” Rivera said. “If I need to rebound this game then I’m going to just rebound this game. I use my length to my full ability, I’m not like the fastest or the quickest, but most of the time I’m probably the longest so I just use my length and go hard.”
Kaylah Turner
The transfer guard from Alabama A&M turned heads during her frst season, earning SWAC Freshman of the Year. Turner averaged 11 points per game for the Bulldogs and proved to be an efcient scorer early in her career, reaching double fgures 18 times last season.
Turner’s scoring can provide the
Owls a boost of the bench, similar to guard Tristen Taylor’s role last season.
“Kaylah Turner is very fast and so we see Tristan Taylor, Aleah Nelson 2.0 in her,” Richardson said. “She’s very, very fast and she can score, so we expect some good things out of her.”
The Freshmen
Guard Savannah Curry is the standout player of the Owls’ freshman class. The Maryland native spent two seasons at Roland Park Country School in Baltimore before she transferred to The Westtown School in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Another addition to North Broad is guard Adena Webster, who came to the United States from the Bahamas in 2021 hoping to play college basketball. She played for Schoolhouse Prep, Archbishop Caroll and the Central Florida Elite AAU squad in Florida. While on the court for Archbishop Caroll, she averaged 34 points per game.
Forward Felicia Jacobs, the only forward of the freshman class, joins the Owls from England and can become a valuable asset on both ends of the court. She was named MVP of the U18 Final at
the City of London Academy Southwark and averaged 12 points and 11 rebounds per game in her fnal season of high school ball.
“Savannah Curry and Felicia [Jacobs] both have been impact players right away,” said assistant coach Myles Jackson. “What we brought them here to do, they’re excelling in those things and they’re also to their game.”
jaison.nieves@temple.edu @JaisonNieves1
NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS Amaya Oliver and Savannah Curry huddled up with their teammates.
SPORTS
Preseason slight fueling Tiarra East in fnal year
The Women’s Basketball guard is looking to send the Owls to the NCAA Tournament.
BY SIENNA CONAGHAN Assistant Sports Editor
Before the tip-of of the 2024-25 women’s basketball season, every team in the American Athletic Conference went to Fort Worth, Texas, for the conference’s annual media day. There, coaches were urged to vote for the preseason All-AAC teams.
Temple guard Tiarra East made the cut, which was not shocking after a 399-point season while leading the Owls to their best season since 2017. But she was taken aback when she saw that instead of being named to the conference’s frst team, she was grouped with the AAC’s second best — something she felt was a slight to her game.
“I knew I was gonna be on the list but I was expecting to be on frst team,” East said. “But that’s what they wanted to do so I’m just gonna prove myself. I defnitely have a chip on my shoulder. I’m not gonna take that very lightly about where they put me at.”
East has high expectations for what she hopes to accomplish entering her fnal season. She spent her ofseason developing her three-point shot and fne-tuning the skills she’s already good at. She feels her skillset will lead her to be in the mix for the conference’s player of the year and serve as the team’s primary scoring threat yet again.
“I put in a lot of work with my trainer,” East said. “We worked on just continuing to get better at the things that I’m already good at and then sharpening up my three point shooting and coming of ball screens.”
East has improved each year since she frst put on a Temple uniform in the 2021-22 season and has become one of Temple’s best players. She stepped up for an undermanned Owls team in 2022 and became their leading scorer last season. Now, head coach Diane Richardson is looking for her to take yet another step forward.
During the ofseason, Richardson tasked East with developing into a player that can score at all three levels of the court. The work she has put in to accomplish that goal has even led to Richard-
son giving her a new nickname.
“You’ll see her just really focused, that’s why I’m calling her LeBron [James,]” Richardson said. “She’s really grown this year in terms of using her voice and she understands that we expect her to be the leader and to be the face of the program. She’s pretty ferce, so she really loves the game and she’s really passionate about the game.”
East became the go-to player in clutch situations last season, remaining calm at times when most might get rattled. She scored the game-winning three against Wichita State on Jan. 31, a week after she made a shot that would have clinched the win against SMU but the ball left her hands just a second late on Jan. 24.
One of East’s biggest goals for this season is to make the NCAA Tournament after Temple came just two games from making it last year. East thinks the Owls are capable of winning through March and is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that happens. Her motivation is something her teammates and coaches have taken notice of.
“She’s a dog,” said assistant coach Myles Jackson. “She calls herself a Silverback, she wants to be the best player. She doesn’t care if she has to play for all 40 minutes. She don’t care if she has to go guard the biggest player or the fastest player. Whatever it takes to win, that’s her demeanor.”
East took of at the end of her freshman season, starting in the last 12 games of the season. Richardson took the head coaching position a month later and East had the choice to leave for greener pas tures or stay with the program after the coaching change, but sticking around was an easy choice.
“I felt like I didn’t really get my feet wet the frst year and I didn’t show ev erything I could,” East said. “So I decided to stick with Coach Rich. She believed in me and I believed in myself that I could do something with her and the team that she brought in.”
Richardson and her staf are heavi ly relying on East to be the team’s leader and guide them to an extended postsea son run.
“She’s our alpha, our best player,”
Jackson said. “We think she has a chance to be a Player of the Year candidate this year. So we’re going to her. The ball’s gonna be in her hand whether she makes the shot or makes the right pass. We just expect her to do good things when it’s time to be clutch.”
sienna.conaghan@temple.edu @Sienna_Paige2
NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS Tiarra East, senior basketball player, driving down the paint.
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