THE TEMPLE NEWS
THE WAITING GAME
After a statement from President John Fry on Jan. 29, Temple administration has stayed relatively quiet as it ponders its next steps on how recent executive orders will impact the university. Read more on Page 4.
THE TEMPLE NEWS
A watchdog for the Temple University community since 1921.
ON THE COVER
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
Kylie Sokoloff 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 Schofield Assistant Sports Editor
Sienna Conaghan Assistant Sports Editor
Jaison Nieves Sports Social Media Manager
Leah Duffy Investigative Reporter
Kennedy Brown Investigative Reporter
Julia Anderson Director of Audience Engagement
Oliver Economidis Public Engagement Coordinator
Isabella Farrow Audience Engagement Editor
Rai Ganesan Audience Engagement Editor
Jack Larson Co-Photo Editor
Jared Tatz Co-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
Cara Kishter Newsletter Editor
Nadia Bodnari 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 reflective 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 reflect those of the Board, and not of the entire Temple News staff.
CORRECTIONS
President John Fry, Chief Operating Officer Ken Kaiser, Provost Gregory Mandel and VP of International Services Martyn Miller.
STAFF / THE TEMPLE NEWS
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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.
On Jan. 21 a wordsearch on page 11 included the wrong content.
On Jan. 21 a story on page 5 incorrectly stated that the murder of two people on Dec. 19 occurred within TUPD’s patrol zone.
On Jan. 21 a story on page 17 misidentified the president of Students for Justice in Palestine
How Trump’s DEI policies could affect Temple
CAMPUS University experts are evaluating potential changes to diversity policies and programs.
BY NURBANU SAHIN Assistant News Editor
Following a slew of executive orders from President Donald Trump targeting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, Temple experts have begun pondering how the policies could impact the university and its programs.
Trump’s order primarily targets the federal government and aims to influence private sectors. It revoked a number of executive orders from 1992-2016, banned promotion of diversity and terminated all DEI requirements, programs and activities.
Most DEI leaders at Temple have stated it is too early to determine how the university will be impacted, but the orders will have harmful effects on higher education, said Donald Harris, associate dean and DEI liaison at the Beasley School of Law.
“[Getting rid of DEI policies] certainly is going to have a chilling effect on some universities,” Harris said. “Rather than get sued and test their policies, they’ll simply change their policies.”
The order also denotes that it will apply to any institution that receives federal financial aid. Different government agencies will review and revise policies surrounding DEI within 60 days of the order’s introduction.
Temple is a state-related university whose funding is dependent on the state legislature each year. The university has received $158.2 million in state appropriation each of the last five years.
The goal of the anti-DEI initiatives is to eliminate discrimination and restore merit-based opportunities for Americans, according to the White House website.
“I disagree with the President’s assertion that DEI policies are immoral, pernicious and illegal,” said Timothy Welbeck, director of Temple’s Center for
Anti-Racism.
DEI values are what allow people to acknowledge they live in a society with millions of diverse backgrounds, Welbeck said. Through this, universities should offer access to as many people as possible.
“Temple just welcomed its most diverse class ever,” Welbeck said. “That’s in part because we have people here who are firmly invested in doing the work of building relationships and community with people from vastly different experiences and alike to create an atmosphere that’s welcoming to all people on this campus.”
The order from the White House calls on the attorney general and secretary of education to implement necessary measures and comply with the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard case, which ruled affirmative action in college admissions was unconstitutional.
This is not the first time Temple has had to navigate through rapid federal changes. On June 29, 2023, then-acting President JoAnne Epps issued an email to the community after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to reject affirmative action.
“What the Supreme Court said is that you cannot use race in admissions decisions, and so Temple will not use race in admissions decisions,” Harris said. “The court did say that for students, applicants can mention their race in their personal essays, and schools can look at that and take them into account, but it has to be on a personalized, individualized basis.”
Some members of the Temple community fear the elimination of affirmative action and DEI policies will harm minority groups.
“Implementing policies to rid DEI is promoting a more divided America rather than a united one,” wrote Temple Student Government’s DEI Director Vanessa Flores, in a statement to The Temple News. “Many supporters argue that these changes promote ‘merit-based’ systems and prevent preferential treatment. The reality is that systemic barriers to
opportunity still exist. Removing DEl programs doesn’t eliminate unfairness – it just reduces institutional efforts to address them.”
Many universities have already begun changing their policies and stances on DEI. Northeastern University amended its website to move away from any language referencing DEI. The university’s website now calls the office “Belonging at Northeastern.”
Rutgers University canceled a DEI conference after the White House announcement. In an email explanation, a Rutgers spokesperson wrote that the decision was directly influenced by Trump’s actions, Inside Higher Ed reported.
The DEI liaisons from each of Temple’s schools meet once a month and will discuss the best necessary steps, Harris said.
“DEI policies come into place in terms of making people feel comfortable at schools and giving them the opportu-
nity to excel,” Harris said. “If you go to a school and you don’t see anyone like you, you don’t feel as if you’re getting any support. It can be an isolating experience, and no one’s going to perform at their best in such an environment.”
nurbanu@temple.edu @nurbanusahinn
JEREMY SHOVER / THE TEMPLE NEWS Some of Temple’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion groups fear the repercussions of Trump’s end to DEI policy.
ADMINISTRATION
Temple strategizing path following Trump’s EOs
Administrators have denied media requests in the days after a university statement.
BY SAMUEL O’NEAL Editor-in-Chief
As Temple attempts to make sense of President Donald Trump’s recent flurry of executive orders, university administration is remaining relatively silent while figuring out how shifting policies could impact Temple as a whole.
Temple President John Fry released a statement to the university community on Jan. 29 addressing some of Trump’s recent orders, like schools and churches now being susceptible to raids from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But he did not mention orders calling for the roll back of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.
“A team has been tracking these potential developments and identifying how they impact both Temple and higher education in general,” Fry wrote. “We have been actively collaborating with other universities and agencies to better understand the impact of these changes. We will respond as needed, adapt to the changing environment and comply with the law. We will also be sure to keep you apprised of any updates.”
But other Temple leaders have denied The Temple News’ request for comment before and after Fry’s statement. So far, Vice President For Human Resources Sharon Boyle, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Valerie Harrison, Director of International Student Affairs Leah Hetzell and Title IX Coordinator Megan Patrick have all denied TTN’s request for comment.
Temple isn’t the only university in the region to stay relatively silent on Trump’s policies. The University of Pennsylvania has also chosen to primarily stick to a statement from interim President Larry Jameson, released a day before Temple’s on Jan. 28.
“First, we do not know how these developments will play out,” Jameson wrote in an email to the Penn community. “We have convened members of Penn’s administration, the Faculty Sen-
ate, the Council of Deans, and other leaders to review these orders, understand their implications, and ensure that we are taking appropriate action.”
Rutgers, Drexel, Penn State and most other institutions across the area have also remained mum on Trump’s orders.
But Temple was one of the last universities in the Philadelphia region to publicly address Trump’s string of orders at all. In the days leading up to Fry’s official statement, a university spokesperson told The Temple News that Temple would follow the same protocol it has for years if ICE came to campus.
“Since at least 2009, Temple University has received visits by Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Administrative Site Visit and Verification Program, and we have a protocol in place for handling such visits,” the spokesperson wrote. “We expect that we would follow the same or similar protocol if ICE chooses to come to Temple under other programs.”
This statement came the same day as the Temple Association of University Professionals released a social media statement calling on Fry and other lead-
ers to release an action plan on what the university would do if ICE showed up on campus.
On Jan. 29, ICE was spotted at a car wash in the Juniata Park neighborhood of the city, Axios reported. There have been several other rumors of sightings across the city, including a viral social media post that claimed agents were seen at the 7-Eleven on Broad Street — a property owned by Temple. The university’s Department of Public Safety confirmed to The Temple News that the reports were unfounded and Fry repeated the same sentiment a few days later in his statement.
Despite staying silent since Fry’s announcement, the university has still put initiatives in place to serve as resources following recent executive orders. Fry wrote in his Jan. 29 statement that the Office of the Vice President for Research is closely following the impact of any agency pauses to federally funded research projects.
The university established a new federal funding guidance portal where research faculty and staff members can reach out to OVPR with any questions on information they are receiving from
funding agencies. The pause did not impact student federal financial aid awards.
Considering the changing and unknown ramifications to many of Trump’s orders, Temple’s decision to primarily stick to a statement from Fry makes sense, said Scott Gratson, director of Temple’s communication studies program.
Conflicting political views among Temple’s administrators and faculty, and the overwhelming uncertainty of what could happen next under a Trump presidency are reasons for the university to hold tight and wait to see what happens before commenting any further than Fry’s statement, Gratson said.
“In positions of upper administration, it’s very hard for them, being the voice of the university, to say something directly in light of the fact that they have to represent the entire faculty,” Gratson said. “It is an effective strategy because who knows when the next shoe is gonna fall. Who knows what’s gonna happen tomorrow.”
samuel.oneal@temple.edu @SamuelOneal43
OLIVER ECONOMIDIS / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Temple’s Jan. 29 announcement made it one of the last universities in the Philadelphia region to publicly address Trump’s executive orders.
How Temple is responding to ICE in Philadelphia
CAMPUS Temple’s international services department is navigating through community concerns.
BY EVELYN BLOWER News Editor
After President Donald Trump signed an executive order to begin mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, Temple released a statement explaining the university’s compliance with federal agents as faculty and students are preparing for possible detainments across the city.
“The uncertainty of the present moment has also led to an increase in rumors, which can quickly be amplified through social media,” President John Fry wrote in the statement. “Please know that neither Temple’s Department of Public Safety nor the Philadelphia Police Department have any reports of federal ICE agents being on campus.”
Temple’s International Student and Scholar Services department also updated its immigration compliance requirements on its website, noting that some students and faculty are concerned about Temple policies around immigration.
However, ISSS will not address pending legislation, proposed policy changes, social media posts or unverified news reports in order to avoid spreading misinformation, according to its website. The department plans to send updates “when specific changes are announced by the U.S. government that directly impact the community.”
Temple international students were not notified of the updated website message and ISSS also declined The Temple News’ request for comment on recent executive orders.
Social media users have reported ICE agents spotted in and around Philadelphia, including two confirmed raids at a Juniata Park car wash and a Port Richmond Puerto Riacn restaurant the same week, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
A student attending Muhlenberg College in Allentown was reportedly detained and “taken to a location down-
town” by ICE on Jan. 26, the Muhlenberg Weekly reported. After presenting and verifying their identity, they were released.
On Feb. 1, one Temple student and two other individuals were recording themselves impersonating ICE agents and attempting to enter a residence hall and a business at Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, The Temple News reported. The federal penalty for false personation of an officer or employee of the U.S. can be up to three years in prison.
“They’re typecasting people from certain parts of the world and insinuating certain types of behavior, and regrettably, there have been times where this administration, now and previously, has engaged in that type of rhetoric, even on the campaign trail,” said Timothy Welbeck, director for Temple’s Center for Anti-Racism. “As of right now, we’re still watching how these things unfold, but more so, there’s been a concern about the problematic nature of not only the rhetoric but the types of people being targeted.”
The university will comply with federal agents as long as they follow
Temple’s policy around visitors, with identification and warrants required, a Temple spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Temple News.
During winter break, ISSS reminded international students of the upcoming presidential inauguration in an email regarding travel plans for returning back to campus. The department also wrote that additional executive orders may impact travel and visa processing could be implemented on or after that date.
“Given that beforehand warning, plus the sudden ICE raids, is just super unfair,” said Elle Nguyen, a senior data science major and international student from Vietnam. “[It’s] given a lot of pressure on us international students in general to look out for ourselves and also be worried that all the efforts that we have spent to pay for tuition, and be able to catch up with the life we have invested here, and [we’re] suddenly just deported back home for some reason.”
The ISSS recommends students educate themselves of their rights if police or ICE stop them and to utilize the American Civil Liberties Union’s resources.
The ACLU encourages immigrants to remain silent when interacting with ICE and to ask for a lawyer or to speak with their consulate. If ICE or the police visit a home, immigrants can request their identification and a judicial search or arrest warrant. If any agent does not present identification or the required paperwork to conduct a search, the ACLU advises immigrants to not consent to a forced entry or open your door.
The ACLU extends this advice to employers in the event of an ICE visit in a workplace.
“We want to continue to foster a community and environment that continues to do that, and it’s my understanding the university is continuing to do that,” Welbeck said. “As it continues to survey the field and see how the various changes in law impact that, on its face, the university is concerned with honoring its values and so many of those values center on offering opportunities to bright minds across the world, from all types of communities.”
evelyn.blower@temple.edu @evelyn_blower
JUAN COLON, NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Social media reports have pointed toward ICE sightings around Philadelphia, including Juniata Park and a Port Richmond Puerto Rican restaurant.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Ambler TU Police Academy now trains new hires
New Temple police officers will train at the TU Police Academy instead of PPD’s academy.
BY EVELYN BLOWER News Editor
The Temple University Police Academy has begun training new Temple police officers in a six-month course at Temple Ambler after the officers previously trained in a nine-month course at the Philadelphia Police Department Academy.
The new program keeps Temple’s recruits within university facilities while they train and allows Temple’s Department of Public Safety to get to know future officers during training, said Chris Willard, director of tactical and professional development for DPS.
Philadelphia Police Department’s Academy trained cadets in PPD-specific training, like certain paperwork standards, which added an extra three months to the training. Temple’s sixmonth program allows cadets to get all state-required courses without this additional training.
PPD Academy standards have lessened in recent years to increase the number of eligible cadets, including the current and future classes that have a lower standard of entry into the academy, NBC10 reported. State agility requirements are still necessary to be able to graduate.
“All of the agencies are hiring at this time, but we’re the only one hiring new officers and lateral officers, so that delays our hiring,” said Vice President for Public Safety Jennifer Griffin. “We’ll have somebody who goes to the Academy for over six months then off onto [being a field training officer].”
The TU Police Academy is accredited to train cadets for any force in Pennsylvania and also offers two six-month National Park Service training programs each year.
Cadets can pay for the program themselves or police departments around Montgomery and Delaware counties will hire recruits and send them to the TU Police Academy.
“They’re getting the state-specific required training, but they’re there for at least six months,” Willard said. “Because I’m an instructor there, I’m able to have a lot of face time with them, whether I’m actually teaching or just stopping in to see them, so they get to know me a lot sooner. I get to know them before they get here to actually start working.”
DPS officers who were certified through other police academies, or ‘lateral hires,’ don’t need to attend the TU Police Academy.
“Once they’re done with whatever training academy they go to, they come back to Temple where they have in-classroom onboard training with a variety of different instructors that go over Temple specific policies and procedures,” Griffin said.
DPS can hire cadets before they’re certified, Willard said. Five cadets, including one that DPS hired while they were training at TU Police Academy, will join the Temple police force after they graduate on March 28.
“[Director Willard] has been in communication with the cadets here since day one,” said William Patterson, a current cadet at TU Police Academy. “She checks in on us to check on progress, or when we passed our first PT test, she congratulated us and encouraged us to keep working on it. We take different exams for each module, and she’ll reach out to us about our scores and things like that. It definitely motivates us and keeps us focused.”
DPS is especially focused on recruitment and retention because of the nationwide decline in police officers. Since the Temple University Police Association reported a significant loss of patrol officers within the department, the union’s leadership has been pushing
for more officers to better serve the larger student population due to enrollment increases.
Less cadets are applying to police academies across the state, including those in Montgomery and Delaware counties, Willard said. Previously, classes at TU Police Academy would include more than 30 cadets. Now, the typical class size has shrunk in comparison to pre-COVID-19 numbers, correlating with the patrol officer shortage.
With retention and recruitment in mind, DPS is trying to connect with officers as soon as they start training. Willard hopes that even non-Temple officers who go through the program know that TUPD is a career option.
“If they have questions about Temple PD we have a police officer scheduled out there during the Academy [time] to cover the Ambler campus, so they can talk to them to see what they do, ask questions,” Willard said. “Again, since it’s a Temple program, they’ve got the
campus available to them. They have Temple staff available to them for any questions.”
Temple Police officers, including lateral hires, can be certified under the Municipal Police Officer’s Training Act, or ACT 120. Temple police officers, like other full-time Temple employees and professionals, receive full tuition remission. The program extends to employees’ legally dependent children as well.
“I always like how Temple tries to incorporate the Philly community, even people who aren’t students, and also if you’re moving from somewhere outside of town, but you’re going there as a Temple student, you kind of get indoctrinated into that community,” Patterson said. “I also appreciate the education opportunity, I would like to finish my degree so I like the benefit that I can do that as a Temple officer.”
evelyn.blower@temple.edu @evelyn_blower
OPINION
EDITORIAL
Temple’s ICE plan
On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump began his second term in the White House. During his first few days back in power, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border and issued several executive orders aiming to crack down on immigration.
Across the nation, some international college students are fearful of what a second Trump administration may bring and how it will impact them. Many students are questioning whether their ability to travel home will be affected, how immigration policies may change or if mass deportations could be carried out on their college campuses.
Temple President John Fry released a statement on Jan. 29 addressing concerns regarding the recent executive orders. Although the email included important and necessary information and addressed student concern, it didn’t provide students with resources or an action plan in the event of a potential raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Temple has more than 1,900 international students who deserve to feel secure while obtaining higher education. The Editorial Board urges Temple leaders and members of the International Student and Scholar Services office to offer guidance and resources on handling potential situations with border control or ICE.
Temple should promote initiatives like red cards, which provide information on the legal rights guaranteed to all people in the United States, and a multilingual guide on how to handle and speak with ICE officials.
The Editorial Board acknowledges the confusing and unprecedented times that Temple is facing, but the university has
an obligation to keep its students well-informed and make them feel safe on campus, even in uncertain and divisive times.
Drastic changes in federal policy without direct response concerning Temple’s campus can foster ignorance and bigotry. Two students were arrested for impersonating ICE officials and police officers on Feb. 2, The Temple News reported. This incident reflects the vulnerability of international students and emphasizes the need for protections.
During his second campaign for president, Trump threatened to establish a national travel ban – a policy from his first term –“even bigger than before.” The previous ban targeted travel and refugee resettlement for some Middle Eastern countries. If this ban is reenacted, students will have a harder time traveling home.
As a public university that welcomes students from across the globe, it’s Temple’s responsibility to provide the necessary information to protect concerned students.
Although there’s a possible limit on Temple’s outreach as a government-funded university, there are ways to support students through tumultuous times. As more executive orders are signed, Temple leaders should support their community to the fullest extent possible.
POLITICS
Empathy beyond politics
A student urges their peers to treat migrants with humanity in light of federal policy changes.
BY BRADLEY MCENTEE Assistant Opinion Editor
On the first day of his second and already tumultuous tenure, President Donald Trump signed an executive order into law titled “Protect the American People Against Invasion,” causing anxiety to ripple through American immigrant communities.
Section 17 of the order specifically disavows sanctuary cities, like Philadelphia, and threatens to revoke federal funding if these jurisdictions interfere with deportation efforts.
Trump’s rhetoric around immigration throughout his election campaign was charged with venomous xenophobia that his supporters absorbed like a sponge. Every social media post I encountered defending the rights of immigrants was met with trite rebuttals diminishing migrants’ fears or replies that immediately conflated the immigrant population with criminals.
Deportation is not a new phenomenon, as previous presidents also have a track record for expelling immigrants. Before Trump’s 2016 term, former President Barack Obama’s administration was responsible for 3 million deportations, NPR reported.
Regardless of who is overseeing deportation efforts, I have always strongly opposed the practice. However, Trump’s scornful speeches have amalgamated to form a tempest of dehumanization that is unlike anything I’ve seen in recent years.
In times of such palpable political division, it’s imperative to preserve everyone’s dignity, regardless of political opinion. Deportations and harmful rhetoric surrounding undocumented immigrants have always been present, but now violence and inhumane treatment are at the forefront of American thought.
Immediately following the executive order, Fox News hosts paraded camera crews around sanctuary cities as Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers began deportations. Just a week into the ICE raids, Newsmax
host Carl Higbie mockingly ate a plate of tacos on air while gloating about the president’s success.
On Jan. 31, the official White House’s X account attacked singer Selena Gomez for her emotional reaction to the administration’s deportation efforts. Official government bodies and media personalities criticizing private citizens for their political opinions, is the hallmark of the administration’s lack of humane treatment.
The mistreatment of immigrants was further brought to public attention after the Trump administration sent the first flight of deportees to Brazil on Jan. 24. The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, criticized the treatment of the passengers, many of whom were chained in an overcrowded cabin with broken air conditioning units, The New York Times reported.
But the blatant indifference to robbing immigrants of their humanity is something I’ve noticed runs rampant on both sides of the political aisle.
An image has recently gone viral online, circulated by the left-leaning side of the internet, of a man in ICE custody, wearing a shirt with “Latinos for Trump” Photoshopped on the back.
Regardless of the picture’s credibility, the thought of Latine Trump voters getting whisked away in an ICE van seems to bring the American left an abhorrent sense of pride. The incessant barrage of replies saying “You got what you voted for” is exactly what upholds the rampant xenophobia and bigotry that got us all here.
Immigrants who fall victim to the authoritative ICE raids deserve unabashed empathy, regardless of their political affiliations. There should be no excuse for celebrating someone’s life being ripped out from under them, only to be treated as an animal getting led to slaughter, especially by the people who swore to protect them.
The issue of immigration transcends economics and politics. We’re currently facing a massive depletion of human consideration and it is imperative to treat it as such.
bradley.mcentee@temple.edu
STUDENT LIFE
Time to recognize Temple’s unhoused population
A student urges peers to support organizations that help homeless individuals on campus.
BY RACHEL KEALEY For The Temple News
As a college campus in a large city, many Temple students and the surrounding population face housing insecurity that becomes more dire as the winter weather worsens.
Forty-three percent of students at four-year colleges experienced housing insecurity in the United States, and 14% of those students identified as homeless, according to a 2020 survey by The Hope Center for College, Community and Justice.
Students can make a positive difference in their community by supporting the unhoused population in Philadelphia. Getting involved with local organizations, volunteering at shelters and supporting local legislation are ways for students to benefit those in need.
Donna Bullock, CEO of ProjectHOME, a Philadelphia non-profit working to support homeless and low-income populations, thinks traditional estimates of the homeless youth population are underestimated.
“Many students fall into the ‘sheltered’ category of homelessness, meaning they are not sleeping outside, and are often left out of census efforts like the annual Point-In-Time Count,” Bullock said.
Homelessness is a spectrum and it goes beyond living on the streets, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Organization. Individuals are considered homeless when they don’t have a stable and suitable residence to spend the night.
In a city with high rates of homelessness, students must recognize and support the unhoused population. Whether students are aware of it or not, many of their peers are affected by housing insecurity, which is why they should support organizations that aid unhoused people.
Being a full-time student makes it harder for low-income individuals to
both work and attend classes.
“But it surprises me that [homelessness] is that high at the university level, considering the financial liability of tuition and housing,” said Amrea Jansky, a freshman English major.
Despite the housing crisis, Philadelphia has fewer connections to rehousing networks and resources for homeless individuals than other large cities, Metro Philadelphia reported.
By volunteering, students can help those struggling with housing stability. Philly House on 13th Street near Vine Street is an organization where students can volunteer to clean the shelter, make beds and serve meals to guests. Philabundance Community Kitchen has four locations in the city where students can volunteer to prepare meals for those with basic needs insecurity.
Students can also help those experiencing housing insecurity through social and political activism. Legislative initiatives, like the House Bill 729, would assist Philadelphia homeless youth by providing housing priority in universities and redirecting funding for homeless youth at the college levels.
“If passed, HB729 would require institutions of higher learning to provide homeless students priority for on-campus housing, to develop plans for access to housing resources during breaks, to provide tuition waivers and to provide a homeless youth liaison to identify services and resources to support homeless students,” Bullock said.
Advocating for the bill would be a step toward achieving a better rehousing network for students. Students can do this by using a search engine to determine their district legislator and contacting them through phone or mail.
Temple supports students in adverse financial situations by providing food through the Cherry Pantry, in the Howard Gittis Student Center. Students can donate non-perishable food items or hygiene products and work at the pantry to help their peers. Temple also has The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, located on Broad Street near Tioga Street, which serves as a resource for
food or housing-insecure students.
However, living costs for students aren’t the only reason for housing insecurity in Philadelphia. The issues plaguing homeless individuals, particularly college students, aren’t due to individual plights, said Sara Goldrick-Rab, founder of the Believe in Students nonprofit and The Hope Center.
“It is absolutely a systematic issue and we know that because there’s more than a million college students nationwide who deal with this problem every year,” Goldrick-Rab said. “We didn’t used to know that from federal data, but we now do, and that tells us that this can’t just be the problems of a couple of people making bad decisions. This tells us that systems have to be broken.”
Homelessness in Philadelphia, especially on college campuses, can be alleviated through local support and advocacy for systematic change and legislation.
Students can also help by supporting organizations that advocate to improve the housing crisis and aid people experiencing housing insecurity.
rachel.kealey@temple.edu
JUAN COLON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Friends to lovers: my relationship with rom-coms
A student reflects on how watching rom-coms has changed how she views love.
BY MCCAILLAIGH ROUSE Opinion Editor
For me, safety, comfort and happiness are found in the two hours of watching a movie on the couch. I watch about two movies a week, usually gravitating toward a rewatch of a familiar favorite rather than watching something new.
While I genuinely enjoy watching the artistry and passion of small indie films or the deeper, unspoken meanings in cinema, I’m always drawn to one genre in particular: Romantic comedies.
Rom-coms are insatiable experiences spanning countless tropes. One example is the “friends to lovers,” which usually includes two characters intertwined in a lifelong friendship until they learn that they’re in love with each other by the end of the movie.
My love for these movies started when I was young, beginning with Disney Princess classics where the princess falls in love with Prince Charming. The princess is then saved from an encroaching evil and they live happily ever after in marriage.
As I grew up, rom-coms became more than just movies — they were a shared ritualistic experience amongst friends. Watching these movies in high school felt like an act of womanhood. My friends and I would scream at the TV during moments like Darcy’s hand flex in “Pride and Prejudice” or discuss how hopelessly in love we were with Heath Ledger from “10 Things I Hate About You”.
I wouldn’t call myself sentimental. I take things in stride, rationalizing rather than getting swept up in emotion. But that is why I have always enjoyed
that two-tri-letter abbreviation known as rom-coms. They offered an idealized, lustrous and unabashedly feminine world I longed for throughout my youth.
Although many movies’ themes matured as I got older, the ending was typically the same. Despite the obstacles or trouble, love was always the solution. For the longest time, I believed love was the cure-all for the trials and tribulations of reality.
My perspective of romance changed when I recently watched my favorite, “When Harry Met Sally.”
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve watched Harry and Sally argue on a road trip or share an awkward lunch in a classic New York City deli. I could probably recite the movie’s ending, where Harry professes his love to Sally with a classic monologue about being with the person you love for the rest of your life.
But this most recent rewatch felt different. Instead of seeing their story as a quirky over-exaggeration of what it feels like to be in love, I saw the flaws between Harry and Sally. Their lives,
once aspirational, now felt so narrowly focused on romance that other struggles barely existed.
When I was younger, I loved the perfectly tied-together ending — no matter how much time passed or how complicated relationships get, love would triumph in the end. But this time I realized what was missing. Both Harry and Sally’s biggest dilemmas weren’t their careers or even how they could grow personally, it was simply whether they would end up together.
Rewatching made me realize my perspective has shifted from when I initially watched Disney Princesses falling in love. I stopped imagining that my life would be complete with a relationship or seeking out a perfect ending in marriage.
Maybe it’s because I’ve gotten older and have from my own experience of love while dealing with personal hardships, changing plans and balancing all other aspects of life. Either way, I now understand that romance and relationships are not the cure-alls I once believed
true.
In real life, love isn’t about that last moment of grand gesture, it’s about how people navigate change and the maturation of trust over time. Romance is about subtle moments like having the same humor.
And yet, I still love rom-coms. I still find myself on my couch, watching the movies and falling into their perfect world. Not because I see love as the ending, but because I know that love – real love – is about having someone to navigate the chaos of life with.
Rom-coms once taught me to reach for perfection. Now, they’re a reminder of the mistakes and troubles of life and how important love is in those moments of hardship.
Love matters, not as a solution to every problem, but because it’s something worth holding onto.
mccaillaigh.rouse@temple.edu
RILEY IVANITSKI / THE TEMPLE NEWS
THE ESSAYIST
Sashaying away from each of my inner saboteurs
A student reflects on their love for Drag Race and how it helped them gain self-respect.
BY BRADLEY MCENTEE Assistant Opinion Editor
I scrolled through TikTok every day in 2020, desperate for entertainment during the boredom of quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nicki Minaj’s voice boomed through my headphones in nearly every other video saying, “I hate, hate, HATE your hair and makeup today.” The camera then cut to season 12 “RuPaul’s Drag Race” cast member Heidi N Closet’s face, caked in awkward makeup, utterly shocked that Minaj was so critical of her appearance.
That clip started my love for Drag Race. I started the show in season five, watching drag queens like Alaska, Jinkx Monsoon and Detox run amok around a sickeningly pink set, exchanging digs at each other and playing mind games to try and win.
Upon my first watch, I realized Drag Race had a sense of humor unlike any other show. The show wholeheartedly embraced self-deprecation and the belly laughter that came from the absurd. The motto that drove the show then remains the same — “The stupider the better.”
Before the COVID-19 quarantine, I was an undeniably awkward and socially inept teenager. I was overly insecure about nearly every part of myself, like my body, sense of humor and voice. I never spoke to people I didn’t know and certainly would never crack jokes out of fear of people not finding them funny enough to even evoke a pity laugh.
When I started watching Drag Race, I never expected it to speak to my insecurities, as the brand of drag queens has always been the undeniable confidence that often bordered on arrogance. But as
I continued to watch season after season, Drag Race offered a window to the heart of the queens beyond the spectacle of rhinestones and ostrich feathers.
Queens exchanged experiences of homophobia, homelessness and mental illness while maintaining their confidence which I admired deeply.
But as heartfelt as these moments were, they always found an opportunity to turn their trauma into a bonding experience. These heartfelt moments make the show less about drag and more about the invaluable community that comes along with it.
When RuPaul was made aware of a queen’s insecurities or past traumas, something he affectionately calls “the inner saboteur,” he would discourage them from wallowing in their emotions. Instead, he encourages them to laugh at themselves and to turn hardships into humor.
When I got stuck in an emotional rut in my teen years, I would drown myself in the negative things I was feeling. In a bout of self-loathing, I would stand
in front of a mirror and surgically dissect the flaws of my body. I would scold the shelf of fat at my hips or the broadness of my shoulders.
But when I was stuck in this cycle, I would remember the queens who used drag to dance through the pain for the sake of entertainment. Instead of indulging in negativity and yielding to the suffocating grip of insecurity, they used it to their advantage.
They gave new life to their suffering in the form of comedy. In the season 14 premiere, Willow Pill made her talent show number a play on the mind-numbing practice of self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She was sitting at a quaint table and chair set with a flawless face of makeup, voraciously shoving spaghetti and meatballs in her mouth while an Enya song ran through the speakers. She openly invited viewers to immerse themselves in her pain but also to experience joy and laughter in the process.
Queens like Willow Pill hammered the show’s message into my brain harder
than anyone else: laughter is the best anecdote for reveling in self-doubt.
Slowly but surely, I cracked open the shell of insecurities that kept me from being my fully realized self. I started to get into the show because of my love for drag, but I continue to tune in for the endearing messages.
I don’t know who I would be today if it wasn’t for Drag Race. Before I would often revel in negativity because I thought it was the most effective way to get by. Now, the most important thing to me in life is laughter and love, because adversity is always a tad bit more bearable when you smile with those you love.
bradley.mcentee@temple.edu
JUAN COLON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
LIVE in Philly
Rail Park hosts Lunar New Year event for all ages
BY JARED TATZ Co-Photo Editor
On a cold winter day, people from all walks of life came together at the base of Rail Park to watch Tai-Chi and dragon dances while enjoying pork and taro buns.
On Feb. 1, Friends of the Rail Park hosted a Lunar New Year Celebration at the Rail Park in Spring Garden. The Lunar New Year event has grown during the years from a couple neighbors to a
large group of organizations coming together, including the Philadelphia Suns, Ballet SunMi, Crane Center TaiChi Team, Friends Senior Care Center Performance Team, DJ Kevin Kong and Penn Lions.
“It’s great just learning about other cultures and just seeing everybody come together for a great event,” said Daniel Jackson, a photographer for the Rail Park. “And I love it, everything from costumes to the excitement that everybody has for even on a day like today, it’s pretty cold, it’s a really great turnout.”
Rebecca Cordes Chan is the executive director of the Friends of the Rail Park and is a trained historic preservationist planner. Part of her work is to hold events like this to help lobby for the
expansion of the Rail Park. Rail Park intends to convert three miles of historic railway into a park and path. Phase one opened in 2018 as a quarter mile long bridge, which is where the event was held.
“I’m Chinese, I’ve done Lunar New Year festivals my entire life,” Chan said. “So for me it’s very special to be able to share this with a very broad audience, especially in these times, Asian American History and Culture is American History and Culture. And so to me, it’s really important that we’re able to celebrate these things in public space and to invite a broad audience to enjoy it with us.”
Many of the guests come to Philadelphia from all walks of life, some who
did not grow up celebrating the Lunar New Year, like local Lauren Taylor. She enjoyed the performance by the Penn Lions, ate a taro bun and bought a bouquet of flowers. She and her partner, Tom Nagelberg, heard about this event from a flyer in their neighborhood. They encouraged Philadelphia locals to explore the city’s public parks.
“For me, Lunar New Year is something that has a celebration in mind and a sense of diversity and culture that we didn’t get when I was growing up,” Taylor said. “So it’s nice to have just one more way to connect with the city. Any chance we have is awesome.”
jared.tatz@temple.edu
JARED TATZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Crane Center Tai-Chi members were seen performing with traditional swords.
Friends of the Rail Park celebrated Lunar New Year with performances and activities.
From top to bottom:
People gather to watch the Penn Lions performance.
The Lunar New Year Event took place in Spring Garden on the Rail Park.
Children enjoyed the rail park by playing on a seesaw.
From top to bottom:
The Penn Lions perform a dragon dance at the base of the rail park as hundreds gather. Hundreds gathered as the members of the Crane Center Tai-Chi performed on stage.
The flower market by the Philadelphia Asian American Pacific Islander Design Alliance.
JARED TATZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS
TTN PLUS
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Pt. 1 | Know Before You Rent: Hidden struggles
The first of a three part series covers the renting challenges international students face.
BY NICOLE BARBARITO For The Temple News
Pennsylvania has seen an uptick of rental scams in recent years alongside Temple gaining a significant increase in international student enrollments with the Class of 2028 – a population vulnerable to these scams.
Temple hosts a total undergraduate and graduate student population of nearly 2,000 international students from more than 100 countries. The Class of 2028 introduced the largest diverse student enrollment to date, with international student enrollment up by 65% over the last two years, The Temple News reported.
International students can be more susceptible to situations of landlord neglect, precarious living situations and higher rent, making more awareness of these issues necessary.
A CRISIS IN HOUSING
Most Temple students live in zip codes 19122 and 19121, and Philadelphia has some of the oldest housing in the U.S. Half of the city’s housing is more than 90 years old, according to a December 2020 report by Temple University Beasley School of Law and the Tenant Union Representative Network, a tenant rights organization that offers services for those struggling with unethical landlord treatment and unsafe housing conditions located in Center City.
Each year, more than 300 properties in Philadelphia are cited as “unfit for human habitation,” lacking proper plumbing, running water, electricity and heat, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Due to maintenance problems, some international and local students have to live in substandard living conditions. From mold-infested apartments to unchecked pest infestations, some students said that their experiences in off-campus housing conditions have im-
pacted their health and academic ability,
The Temple News reported.
Tsedey Tsegaye, a masters student from Ethiopia, attended a weekend bootcamp course during the Fall 2024 semester. On the second day, the program’s director, Clemencia Rodriguez, provided a lunch with home-cooked food for students and professors – which Tsegaye ultimately missed, having fallen ill during the workshop.
She was later told that her illness was linked to the poor housing conditions in her North Philly apartment by an environmental scientist from Ethiopia. The illness forced her to miss several days of class while in the hospital, increasing her stress as she struggled to catch up and acclimate to the U.S. Her condition improved after she left the apartment, she said.
“They don’t have security, they don’t have someone to do the maintenance,” Tsegaye said. “So every time I face some challenges, I don’t have anyone to talk to. I was all alone in there, and someone tried to break into times in the night.
As an international student who don’t know anything about [the U.S.,] it’s really very hard for me.”
Karina McKenna, a Fox School of Business alumna and domestic student, and Zoë Hagley, her roommate and a Ph.D. candidate student from Grenada, said they faced similar substandard housing problems to Tsegaye.
McKenna remembered returning to the apartment after a hard day, hoping to just eat and sit down.
“I open my bedroom door, and I look on my bed, and it’s covered in bugs, particularly wings,” McKenna said. “Same with the windowsill, same with the floor, covered. Zoë and I put together that they’re termites. She’s seen them in the wild.”
Tsegaye, Hagley and McKenna’s experiences reflect a larger issue faced by students who are trying to navigate renting at Temple, revealing widespread problems with substandard housing, landlord neglect, administrative barriers and financial exploitation, particularly in North Philadelphia.
THE EXPLOITATION OF VULNERABILITY
Individuals who rent out their properties have the ability to exploit students unfamiliar with U.S. housing norms. Many international students need to secure housing before their arrival, so if they don’t want to choose on-campus housing they have to rely on online tours – and can potentially fall victim to social media scams.
On average, U.S. international students paid 20% higher rents than domestic students, according to a February 2024 report published by Amber, an organization that helps international students acclimate to their new cities.
“For international students in particular, reach out to students in your program before arriving and ask for accommodation recommendations,” Hagley said. “Some students may even have extra rooms available. Don’t search blindly, as some landlords prey on the lack of knowledge.”
Not everyone is aware of the risks of substandard housing. Tsegaye assumed
FERNANDO GAXIOLA / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple international can be vulnerable to rental scams in North Phiadelphia.
that housing in the U.S. is suitable like in Ethiopia and that her house would be clean and ready upon her arrival.
“You have to apply for a tour, an online tour,” Tsegaye said. “I didn’t know about reviews, I never rent[ed] an apartment In Ethiopia, we just go there and look at the apartment, the facility, everything. So, we rent a house like that. I didn’t [look at] the reviews.”
All landlords have different approaches toward how to make their property look the best, even if the conditions are not suitable. Online rental scams persist largely on social media platforms. Tsegaye found most Facebook listings suspicious, as they were asking for money beforehand.
In many cases, the individuals attempting to rent out properties aren’t legally permitted to do so, meaning they never obtained a valid rental license. Between January 2016 and May 2017, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News reviewed 507 properties that were labeled “unfit for human habitation” and discovered that 293 properties didn’t have a rental license.
Property owners who rent more than four residential units must provide all tenants with a Certificate of Rent Suitability, issued by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, at least 60 days before move-in.
To be a landlord in Philadelphia, an individual must have a renting license, according to Philadelphia Code Title 9.
Because students are often desperate to secure housing in a small timeline, they may sign leases without verifying
its legality or fully understanding what they are agreeing to.
McKenna was afraid of becoming homeless when she realized she wouldn’t be able to move into her apartment for a month. After asking the landlord to move in early and simply pay more in rent, McKenna was set up in another apartment nearby.
“Two days before I was supposed to move in, across the hall, he said, ‘Oh, we signed a lease,’” McKenna said. “He said, ‘You can’t move in.’ And I’m like, this was two days before I’m supposed to move, what are you talking about? His solution was trying to put me in a different unit that apparently was broken into, vandalized and had flies.”
While desperate and losing time, McKenna and Hagley unknowingly signed a lease that was legally invalid.
“Our lease is also only one page long,” McKenna said. “We found out after we’ve been trying to break it that the lease has no termination clause. The lease is a page and one quarter long, and just like slapped together.”
On top of their landlord not living in Pennsylvania, TURN later found that they also didn’t have a rental license, making communication with them difficult for McKenna and Hagley.
“It was a nightmare to get any repairs done or to get his attention to the many issues in the apartment,” Hagley said. “Eventually, my housemate and I dealt with severe leaking, leading to flooding, mold and mice. I was forced to move up abruptly because of the issues. The landlord refused to accept any responsibility
and withheld my deposit for months until I filed a lawsuit.”
For Hagley and McKenna’s survival and success in getting out of their situation, they looked to advocacy groups like TURN to assist them in learning their rights as tenants.
HOW CAN STUDENTS BE CAUTIOUS?
Renting in North Philadelphia shouldn’t come at the cost of students’ health and dignity, but these students’ hardships can be learned from.
Research: Look into what North Philly is like — demographically and by word of mouth. Policy Map is a great way to start to understand North Philly as a demographic as well as talking to other current students in one’s program before choosing housing. Also, get to know who is renting the property.
Reputable sources: “A major step is simply looking for options on trusted websites such as Zillow and apartments. com,” Hagley said. “Ask around as well –it’s always a good step to seek referrals from trusted members of your social group. Once you’ve identified a suitable option, arrange a viewing and ask the leasing agent/landlord as many questions as possible. Always ask about additional fees such as payment for water.”
It’s very important to avoid falling into potential scams by taking the time to review the landlord’s legal documents.
“If an apartment seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Hagley said. “Don’t pay a deposit without seeing at least a draft lease and ask to see the rental
license before signing.”
TEMPLE RESOURCES:
International Student Association, International Student and Scholar Services and Temple’s Off-Campus Housing are resources for international students to find off-campus housing and other resources. However, some students said these resources didn’t assist them well in securing suitable off-campus housing.
The Office of Research and Graduate Studies reached out to Tsegaye and sent a list of apartments, but none of them worked within her $700 budget.
“The list of apartments she sent was, very expensive – the minimum is $1500,” Tsegaye said.
BEWARE OF RENTAL SCAMS:
On June 8, 2023, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry published a press release warning residents of the prevalence of scammers who are targeting individuals.
Scammer tactics include posting fake advertisements and altering existing, legitimate ads to steal personal information and get rent and security deposit payments. This could be damaging for international students who trust the U.S. rental process and provide personal information to the wrong people during an application process.
Learn how to know the advocacy groups and Know Your Rights in The Temple News’ upcoming Part 2 of the Know Before You Rent series.
nicole.barbarito@temple.edu
Black History Month Word Search
ALL IN GOOD FUN Anti-Valentine’s Day Crossword
Jesse Owens
Marsha P Johnson
Martin Luther King
Angela Davis
James Baldwin
Fannie Lou Hamer
TO BE Looking for something to do? Here are some upcoming local North Philly events.
bell hooks Bayard Rustin
Malcolm X
Kimberlé Crenshaw
Toni Morrison
DOWN
1. When someone is not in a relationship 2. Act of being unfaithful to a significant other
Robert S Abbott
4. Term for when a relationship ends 6. A ____ romantic is someone who holds highly idealistic and often unrealistic views about love
8. Term for creating a fake online identity to deceive someone
Visit the Wagner Museum
TUESDAYS-FRIDAYS | 9:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. 1700 West Montgomery Avenue
Take a self-guided tour through this natural history museum right in our backyard! Check out various collections including fossils, skeletons, and taxidermy animals.
Black Women’s Community
Town Hall
FRIDAY, FEB. 7 | 5:30 - 7 P.M.
1621 Master Street
Attend this town hall to learn more about local programs, initiatives and community projects.
ACROSS
5. When someone ends communication with someone else without prior notice 7. A man is suspected of killing his missing wife in this 2014 film
9. Name of the first day of AntiValentine’s Week
10. The act of killing one’s husband 11. With its “women message first” approach, this app is considered one of the worst dating apps
12. The fear of love
Melanin Pop-Up Markets
SATURDAY, FEB. 8, 15 & 22 | 10 A.M. - 3 P.M.
1433 West Girard Avenue
Support local Black vendors at Sistah Scents Fragrance Bar this Black History Month.
Dope Fest at The Liacouras Center
FRIDAY, FEB. 21
1776 North Broad Street
Rescheduled from Sept. 29, Dope Fest, headlined by Lil Durk, will be taking place at The Liacouras Center Friday night.
AROUND CAMPUS
FEATURES
Temple’s faculty navigates artificial intelligence
University faculty members are examining AI’s potential benefits and challenges in education.
BY MIKE NONNEMAKER Assistant Features Editor
As a philosophy professor, Brian Hutler is no stranger to complex questions. But lately, the most pressing questions in his classroom aren’t about metaphysics or religion — they’re about artificial intelligence.
“We can’t ignore the ways AI is changing how knowledge gets created,” said Hutler, an assistant professor of philosophy. “Some of our teaching strategies should evolve to help students better understand these changes.”
Universities across the country have responded to AI’s rapid progression with policies that offer guidance on using the technology in academia. At Temple, this shift is prompting professors like Hutler to rethink how and what they teach to help students navigate AI’s growing role across various disciplines.
Temple’s administration introduced its first AI policy in August 2023 to guard against its misuse without restricting the possible benefits of the innovation. The policy gives professors the flexibility to determine how they limit or integrate AI in their courses.
Stephanie Fiore, senior director of Temple’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching, played a key role in shaping this policy. She sees it as a necessary response to a rapidly changing technological landscape.
“Whenever you rely too heavily on any tool, you’re letting it co-opt your thinking process too much,” Fiore said. “But at the same time, if we’re using the tool to make those mundane tasks happen faster so we can get to the more interesting problems, then that’s amazing.”
While some faculty members have embraced AI to enhance teaching and research, there is still considerable concern surrounding academic honesty and the potential for AI-generated work to
undermine critical thinking. Fiore and her team have worked to help faculty adapt to this new reality through workshops and resources that incorporate AI into classrooms.
Temple is not alone in this effort. Fiore shared insights from a national study the university is participating in that explores AI’s role in education across 20 institutions. As part of the study, students in certain classes were given assignments that incorporated AI.
Some participating students found the use of AI helpful, others preferred to rely on their own ideas and a few expressed frustration with the tool, Fiore said.
As part of Temple’s efforts to engage students with this new technology, the university is hosting an interactive AI fair at Charles Library on Feb. 25 and 26. Organized by Hutler and other faculty, the event will feature exhibits on AI tools like robots and large language models and a guest speaker from OpenAI, an American AI development and research organization, to discuss ethics.
“This [AI fair] is really geared towards undergrads, and we’re hoping to make it fun and interactive,” said Hutler.
The fair is also designed to give students hands-on experience and promote discussions about AI’s impact on various industries, Hutler said.
Experts like Xueming Luo emphasize that AI must be used responsibly to reach its full potential in education. As a professor in the Fox School of Business, Luo believes AI should be embraced as a tool to enhance learning, rather than a means to bypass the educational process.
“I think the more promising or practical route is to embrace this new technology in the right way,” said Luo, a marketing professor. “Of course, ethics are very important, so make sure the AI is used to help students in their education rather than in a bad way.”
Luo also stressed AI’s potential in the workforce, where it’s already reshaping management practices, streamlining operations and driving creativity in fields like marketing and data analytics. AI has also been used to screen resumes
during a company’s hiring process.
As students prepare to enter a job market increasingly shaped by AI upon graduation, universities must equip them with the skills to work alongside these technologies rather than fear them, Luo said.
Temple’s approach to AI is still evolving, and the university’s faculty and administration continue to adapt as new challenges arise. With ongoing collaboration between institutions and educators, the goal is to harness AI’s potential while mitigating its risks.
“These things take time,” Fiore said. “Give it five years, and we all may understand it better and know how to work with it. Right now, we’re still figuring it out.”
mike.nonnemaker@temple.edu
JUAN COLON / THE TEMPLE NEWS
AROUND CAMPUS
Students share thoughts on immigration policies
Some students are fearful of President Donald Trump’s recent immigration policies.
BY BAYLEH ALEXANDER Features Editor
At 17 years old, a student — who The Temple News is identifying as G. to protect their privacy — embarked on a 12-hour bus ride from Mendoza, Argentina, to Buenos Aires to catch a flight to the United States. Driven by the desire for a better education and a brighter future, they left their home country with only their mother by their side.
Five years later, G. gained U.S. citizenship, enrolled at Temple and secured their own apartment.
Yet, despite all they’ve achieved, a new fear has emerged: their mother still hasn’t received her citizenship, and they’re increasingly concerned about how President Donald Trump’s immigration policies will affect their family.
“I’ve been thinking about all these hypothetical situations,” G. said. “She gets deported, I will have to drop out of school because I obviously have no money to pay for it, and then there is a whole rent that I’ll have to pay for, that I wouldn’t have the money for.”
Since Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, he has declared a national emergency at the southern border and signed a slew of executive orders targeting immigration, including attempts at ending birthright citizenship, revoking Biden administration immigration policies and deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the country. These policies have resulted in mass waves of fear across Temple and the United States, especially in Latino communities.
A recent ICE raid at a North Philadelphia car wash just miles from Main Campus resulted in the arrests of seven undocumented immigrants, six from Mexico and one from the Dominican Republic, CBS reported.
One of Trump’s executive orders removes spaces for undocumented immigrants to evade deportation, meaning ICE can now enter schools, healthcare
facilities and places of worship.
“This week has probably been the worst for my anxiety, I would say, because of how much news has come out about the ICE in Philly and all of that stuff and how close it’s getting to me and my mom,” G. said. “I fear for my mom. I don’t fear for me, I feel fear for my mom.”
Temple President John Fry assured students and faculty ICE has not been on campus in a university-wide statement on Jan. 29. He also dispelled allegations of immigration forces near campus, in lieu of social media posts in the days prior claiming ICE was seen near a 7-Eleven on Cecil B. Moore Avenue.
Temple’s Department of Public Safety also confirmed to The Temple News that the rumors were unfounded prior to Fry’s email.
“The uncertainty of the present moment has also led to an increase in rumors, which can quickly be amplified through social media,” Fry wrote in the email. “Please know that neither Temple’s Department of Public Safety nor the Philadelphia Police Department have any reports of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents being on campus.”
Kareena Ratnesh, president of Temple’s chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America, had a hard time believing Trump would stick to the claims he made during his run for presidency if he were elected. However, recent arrest and deportation reports made her worst fears come true, she said.
Trump enacted multiple policies during his first presidency in 2017 aiming to strengthen the southern border, reduce refugee admissions and heavily vet visa applications. During his 2024 campaign, he reaffirmed his stances and vowed to initiate the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”
“We always knew how Trump felt about immigrants and about those in the Latino community, and about those just immigrating from other countries,” said Ratnesh, a senior entrepreneurship and innovation management major. “And we always knew that he never really ap-
preciated their presence here in the U.S. And I think just seeing all of this just act is really mind-blowing, I think for me, because I never once thought it could really happen.”
Trump’s executive orders have made a number of other Temple students feel unsafe in the U.S., even though most left their home countries in search of security and protection.
G. remembers the warmth and comfort of their family home in Argentina, which they shared with their cousins and grandparents. But they also acknowledge the safety concerns they faced in their home country, often worrying about frequent crime like theft.
“My mom being a single mom, and me being the age and going out and going to different places, it was just very unsafe,” G. said. “So safety was one of the main things that we were kind of looking for here.”
Some students believe Trump’s pol-
icies have gone too far and echo G’s desire for empathy.
“I think [the recent executive orders are] completely inappropriate,” said Josie Carabello, a senior health professions major. “The United States is obviously a country that’s built on the backs of immigrants, and also that’s made up of a really broad range of people.”
bayleh.alexander@temple.edu
OLIVER ECONOMIDIS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Trump has declared a national emergency at the southern border and signed executive orders targeting immigrants since his inauguration on Jan 20.
ACTIVISM
Student activists, State Rep. push anti-abuse bill
The legislation’s backers say it creates new options for sexual misconduct victims on campus.
BY JADON GEORGE Features Staff Writer
In four years at Temple, Ray Epstein has traveled much of Pennsylvania — its metropolises, its historic suburbs, the hollowed-out industrial towns and ranches forming the commonwealth’s rural “T.”
On these journeys, the founding president of Student Activists Against Sexual Assault has told and retold her life story: The abuse she suffered as a teenager. The support group that rejected her. The dormant advocacy org she revived on campus.
After all those trips, she’s noticed something: Pennsylvania has a lot of colleges.
“Like, an insane amount,” said Epstein — who also serves as TSG president and chairs a committee for the Every Voice Coalition.
That memory of institutional failure and a campus-packed commonwealth came together when the EVC’s Pennsylvania chapter began rallying support for a measure offering abuse victims an alternative to the Title IX process. A petition backing the bill drew more than 1,500 signatures in two weeks, according to Epstein.
The late United States Sen. Birch Bayh of Indiana and the late United States Rep. Patsy Mink of Hawaii established and strengthened Title IX of Congress’s 1972 Educational Amendments. Its provisions were designed to ensure equal access to college opportunities for women. As part of that guarantee, Title IX’s architects created a process to investigate campus sexual misconduct.
Epstein described the original Title IX regime as hastily assembled; it’s become more broken over time, she argued. EVC aims to restore gender equality in college to full strength by distancing the handling of campus misconduct from the institutions themselves, she
said.
But many of its provisions could prove controversial in collegiate boardrooms. One section empowers an advisor not tied to a university to walk students through abuse cases. It would commission anonymous “climate surveys” to review schools’ handling of allegations. Parts of the bill even bar officials from using student conduct codes against students who pursue the Title IX process.
Epstein has long believed that many schools pressure students not to report sex abuse — keeping reported accusations low and their reputations high. Independent analysis of campus rape culture might eliminate incentives to maintain the gap between reportage and reality, she said.
“I do think [this bill] will increase the level of accountability to universities across the state,” she said.
Temple Title IX coordinator Megan Patrick acknowledged that reports of sexual abuse likely lag behind reality. Any measure to ease victims’ path to justice could count on her full support, she said.
But university policies alone, Patrick added, can’t bear the brunt of the blame for the disparity. Abuse survivors often decide that intense, drawn-out legal or disciplinary confrontations just aren’t for them. But no college’s reputation influences her work, she added.
“I have a job to do,” Patrick said. “And my job is to take every report that comes in and to look into it if the individual wants to.”
Pennsylvania’s sharply-divided General Assembly presents another challenge for the EVC and its allies. As Every Voice state director and SAASA Vice President Bella Kwok began shopping EVC’s legislation to the commonwealth’s sharply divided government, members warned her: It’s not easy getting anything signed into law these days.
So, when the time comes to introduce what’s known as the EVC bill to lawmakers in Harrisburg, the task will not fall to anyone directly representing Pennsylvania’s many, many college cam-
puses. The bill now runs through State Rep. Amen Brown — a centrist Democrat whose district sits just beyond University City, among the residences and storefronts separating Penn and Drexel from West Philadelphia.
“I knew that being able to gain bipartisan support from both parties was crucial,” Kwok said. “I knew that Representative Brown is a very bipartisan type of legislator.”
Members at EVC say Brown reached out first and displayed a genuine interest in their cause. But he, too, has crisscrossed the keystone — to the sorts of places where ordering a drink with almond milk draws more sideways glances than raw milk.
“I’ve met with farmers,” Brown said. “I’ve met with the most rural family. I met with the Trumpers. I meet with them all.”
Versions of the EVC bill are now law in nearly a dozen states. But the incom-
ing Trump administration sees Title IX a little differently than previous White Houses, deploying it less in sexual assault cases and more against transgender students and athletes. And both Trump terms stiffened requirements for disciplinary action in campus sexual misconduct cases in the name of fairness to the accused.
Still, Epstein remained confident that the EVC’s proposals wouldn’t be seen as drastic — and would prove popular and passable.
“It’s just giving them a better scope: ‘Here are your resources in the city — local and state,’” Epstein said. “‘And here are your options on campus.’”
jadon.george@temple.edu @jgeorgescribe
JACK LARSON, COURTESY / THE TEMPLE NEWS, CREATIVE COMMONS
Bella Kwok and Ray Epstein, Vice President and President of SAASA, advocated for the EVC bill until State Rep. Amen Brown reached out first.
AROUND CAMPUS
Students cope after going 12 hours sans TikTok
TikTok was shut down by the government for less than a day in the United States.
BY BAYLEH ALEXANDER Features Editor
After midnight on Jan. 18, millions of Americans’ nightly TikTok scrolls began to lag. First, the comment sections went blank. Next, videos began to glitch before a bleak message appeared onscreen: a federal law banned the use of the app in the United States.
But included in the message was a glimmer of hope: “We are fortunate that President [Donald] Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.”
A tumultuous 12 hours later, the app was back in full swing, crediting Trump for the save.
Temple students have mixed reactions to TikTok’s temporary shutdown. While some deleted the app of their phone entirely, others anxiously hoped for its return. But some students are not convinced the shutdown and reboot
were without political influence, suspecting it was related to Trump’s return to office on Jan. 20.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that that happened a day before inauguration,” said Lourdes Cardamone, president of Temple Democrats and a junior political science major. “And I mean, there’s proof of that when the app got reloaded and it said, ‘Thank you, President Trump for reloading the app.’ So I think it was a political move that was very intentional.”
The U.S. government has been wary of TikTok since 2019 when concerns were raised that the Chinese government was misusing the app to collect data on American citizens.
In 2020, Trump signed two executive orders in response. The first banned American companies from engaging in transactions with ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. The second required ByteDance to sell off its U.S. operations of TikTok. Now, he’s back in office and says he’s committed to saving the app.
Sumona Sharma, a junior finance and legal studies double major, deleted
O I C E S
Do you trust Groundhog Day’s weather predictions?
TikTok two and a half years ago after she noticed its algorithm tracking her usage of other apps. It reached the point where her content kept her feeling trapped in her phone, feeding her video after video of things she already knew she liked.
Although she ultimately believes the initial ban was a good way to get her peers off their phones and back connected with reality, Sharma couldn’t shake the strange feeling that the entire situation was a political ploy — especially after hearing Trump was personally involved.
“I don’t think that the government should be involved in media production or production,” Sharma said. “Or they should not have any meaningful shares, there should be no incentive for governments to be involved in media spaces.”
Other students agree with Sharma and fear media under government control has the potential to be more censored and fear what that could look like.
Charly Schultz, a junior media studies and production major, notes Trump’s desire for American companies to own American-used media sources and feels
SAMUEL COLLINS
Senior English & Creative Writing major | He/Him
“ I feel like it’s less of a prediction, and it’s on his shoulders what happens. Like he’s the guy who determines whether or not it’s gonna be winter. ”
NAOMI PARTRIDGE
Junior Film major | She/Her
“ No matter what, I feel like spring is gonna come. It’s already, like, what, 50 degrees out right now? ”
concerned about what may be censored if this happens.
“When it comes to journalism, you can’t put laws on certain things, because that doesn’t make it journalism anymore,” Schultz said. “It just becomes a government platform. And social media doesn’t quite have a spot in there yet.”
Before reviving TikTok, Trump said he wanted it to be at least half-owned by U.S. investors, CNBC reported. He granted a 75-day pause on the ban, allowing ByteDance time to either sell the app or strike a deal with Trump. However, this means the app’s permanence in the U.S. remains unsteady.
“The fact that Donald Trump was able to make up his mind completely differently in the span of not even a year says a lot about just the future, and how much a president and his administration can affect our social media and what media we consume,” Cardamone said.
bayleh.alexander@temple.edu
CARLY WHITON
Senior English & Creative Writing major | She/Her
“ It’s February. Yeah, of course it’s gonna be cold for a while. ”
DAVIANNA CRUZ
Senior Film major | She/Her
“ I don’t think the groundhog knows about global warming, yet. So I’m gonna say no, he doesn’t know anything. ”
SPORTS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Smith playing important role in Temple’s success
Associate head coach Wanisha Smith has made a big impact on the sidelines.
BY COLIN SCHOFIELD Assistant Sports Editor
When Wanisha Smith entered her senior year at Duke in 2008, her relationship with basketball began to change.
Smith was a highly successful player, racking up nearly every award in high school and scoring 1,256 points with 496 assists at Duke. However, Smith’s love for her individual performance began to fade as she got older, even after being selected 27th in the WNBA Draft by the New York Liberty. Instead, Smith began to look back at everything her coaches did for her during the years and decided she wanted to give back in a similar way.
“My heart just wasn’t it wasn’t there,” Smith said. “I knew the work that was going to be required to be successful in the league. And I did not want to waste time. I didn’t want to waste anybody’s time.”
She played one game in the WNBA and turned down offers to play overseas to get into coaching. After multiple different stops and 16 years, Smith finds herself on the sidelines at Temple and is helping the Owls become one of the top teams in the American Athletic Conference.
“I wanted to get into this game and I wanted to give back because I had great coaches,” Smith said. “I just wanted to be able to be in a space where I could give that same energy, that same aura that basketball is life and what you learn here, you’re going to be able to carry it with you when you graduate.”
Smith had stints at Longwood and Towson, where she coached alongside current Temple head coach Diane Richardson, to start her coaching career. During the 2019-20 season, she got the opportunity of a lifetime to return to her alma mater as an assistant coach. However, a wrench was thrown into her plans before her first season in Durham
even finished.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020, Smith decided to step away from basketball and temporarily found a new passion in cooking.
Smith decided to organize a dinner date night for a friend and their fiance while vacationing in Miami. That dinner date led to a potential career as a chef; Smith took online classes and eventually began catering for various women’s college basketball teams.
Smith was about ready to pursue a full-time cooking career, but an opportunity to return to basketball came up and she couldn’t turn it down.
Richardson was named the head coach at Temple in 2022 and she called Smith to see if she wanted to rejoin her on Broad Sreet. Smith knew she could not say no to her former high school head coach and dropped the pan to pick up the basketball. In three years with the Owls, Smith has helped Richardson and the team find on-court success while be-
ing a vital part of the culture.
“[Smith] played at the highest level, and I want my players to be able to understand what this game of basketball could do for them,” Richardson said.
“And Wanisha is just the story of what basketball could do for you.”
A significant component in the Owls’ success has been the culture that has been established. Temple is built on playing with energy and a sense of togetherness on the court and in the locker room. Smith has been the backbone of that culture, constantly bringing energy to the team while instilling her wisdom in players to help them overcome adversity.
“I feel like if we didn’t have her energy, we probably wouldn’t be as successful as we are today,” said guard Tarriyonna Gary. “Because no matter what, she’s just always trying to help us whether it’s in little points or ways to think while you’re playing the game or ways to be in practice.”
Smith entered the coaching realm to give back to players after seeing how much her coaches did for her while she was a player. Throughout her career, Smith has worked on taking lessons she learned from past coaches and applying them to her players now. She is helping turn the Owls into a contender in the AAC while rehashing lessons she learned throughout the years.
“It’s always about trying to get our players now to understand that basketball equals life,” Smith said. “The things that you guys are doing right now or not doing will be a reflection of how your life will be. So I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ve taken from [my old coaches], that I’ve been able to apply to our team.”
colin.schofield@temple.edu @Colinschofield9
NILI SCHREIBMAN / THE TEMPLE NEWS Smith coaches from the sidelines as Temple faces Tulane at The Liacouras Center on Jan 25.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Analyzing Temple’s offensive play by the numbers
Temple’s offense boasts four leading scorers, but its production goes deeper.
BY JACOB MORENO Men’s Basketball Beat Reporter
With 12 seconds remaining in regulation of Temple’s 90-89 win against Charlotte on Jan. 29, guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. was sent to the free throw line down by just two points. If Mashburn were to miss just one foul shot, Temple would have been on its way to a third straight loss, this time to one of the worst teams in the conference.
Mashburn settled into his free throw routine and drained both attempts to send the game into overtime, where the Owls needed two extra periods to snap their two-game losing skid. The endof-game sequence reflects the offensive burden Mashburn has carried throughout the season. Head coach Adam Fisher praised the poise Mashburn showed in that critical moment.
Temple’s offense has gotten off to a solid start, leading the team to a 14-8 record — a much better mark than where the team was at this point last year. A look at the stat sheet shows the Owls are led by four primary scorers, but a deeper look reveals different reasons that explain why the Owls have improved this season.
Heading into the season, it wasn’t a secret Temple’s offense was going to be catered toward Mashburn’s scoring talents. He’s showcased the ability to score on all three levels throughout his career, especially in the 2022-23 season at New Mexico. With the Lobos, Mashburn led the Mountain West Conference in scoring with 19.1 points per game.
Temple has seen the effects of Mashburn’s offensive prowess halfway through the season. The Owls rank fourth in the American Athletic Conference in offensive rating, scoring 111.3 points per 100 possessions — 97th in the country.
Mashburn is averaging a career-best 22.1 points per game on 55.2% true shooting, which is a percentage of a player’s two-pointers, three-pointers and free
throws. He’s also dishing two assists per game and shooting a career-high 44.2% from three-point range on 4.7 attempts per game. However, running an offense that’s so reliant on Mashburn also has its faults.
Mashburn has the highest usage percentage in the AAC at 29.7%. The player with the second-highest mark on the team is guard Zion Stanford at 23%. When Mashburn is off the floor, the Owls lack the offensive firepower to replicate his production. As a result, Temple’s offense stagnates as it forces shots and doesn’t adequately move the ball.
While Mashburn is an elite scorer, he also tends to force shots — especially when the Owls aren’t shooting the ball well. Mashburn attempts 17 shots per game, which is the second-highest mark in the AAC. He is shooting nine more shots than Stanford, who is second on the team with eight shots per game.
“Just continuing to play out of concepts,” Mashburn said. “[Fisher] gives us a lot of freedom to have [the offense] be
player-led. We’re working on a lot more concepts, a lot of ball-screen concepts, a lot of handoff situations.”
Temple shoots 36.8% from beyond the arc, which is the fourth-best rate in the AAC. However, the Owls simply don’t attempt enough perimeter shots to properly space the floor. Opposing defenses have frequently exploited that by playing zone defense to disrupt Temple’s offense.
Regardless, Temple still has one of the better offensive units in the AAC.
Aside from Mashburn, Temple has three other players averaging at least 11 points per game — Stanford, guard Quante Berry and forward Steve Settle III.
“[Offensively] we can score, go up and down with anybody,” Stanford said. “Anybody on our team can go off at any point of the game, any game.”
Berry leads the team with 2.1 assists per game, but three of Temple’s four leading scorers rely on putting the ball in the basket. The Owls average just 11 assists per game, second to last in the AAC and 345 out of 364 Division I teams. For
reference, Gonzaga guard Ryan Nembhard leads the NCAA with 229 assists, just 12 fewer than Temple’s entire team.
Despite its shooting struggles and need for playmaking, Temple is establishing itself as a respectable offense in the AAC. The Owls have faced numerous challenges this season and continue to soar into the win column. Temple knows its identity and its trust in each other has been the biggest culprit of the offensive success.
“There’s so many times this group could have folded, but instead they’re resilient,” Fisher said. “They keep coming, they keep fighting, it’s a great credit to the entire locker room.”
jacob.moreno@temple.edu @jmoreno76ers
NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS Mashburn is averaging a career-best 22.1 points per game while leading the Temple offensive unit.
SPORTS
Temple looking to change play style this season
Temple is looking at a clean slate after losing four of its final five games last season.
BY NATE PRENDERGAST
For The Temple News
For the last five years, Temple has leaned on former midfielder Belle Mastropietro to serve as its offensive engine. The unit saw varying levels of success during that time — highlighted by a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2021.
Now the Owls are searching for a new leading source of offense for the first time in half a decade after Mastropietro, who led the team in goals and points last season, graduated last May.
Temple got off to its best start in more than a decade in 2024, winning four straight games to emerge as a potential postseason threat. However, the Owls dropped their next two games and barely squeaked into the postseason with a 9-7 record. Their season ended with a nine-point loss to James Madison in the
CONTINUED FROM 24 GYMNASTICS
After Johnson’s first season, her career took a turn for the worse. Talladega College, where she became a four-time All-American in just one season, was forced to cut its program due to budget cuts.It didn’t take long before Johnson landed at Temple, where she has provided the team with newfound energy and increased media attention.
Temple head coach Hilary Steele noticed Johnson after hearing about the end of Talladega’s program and recruited her to Temple immediately. Steele became enamored with Johnson’s ability to adapt to new situations after what she went through in Alabama. After speaking with Johnson’s old coaches, Steele gave her the encouragement she needed to continue her gymnastics career.
“She kind of just hit the ground running,” Steele said. “She is a ‘go with the
American Athletic Conference playoffs.
Despite the underwhelming finish, it was two more wins than the team had in 2023. Six of the Owls’ losses came against ranked opponents, as they haven’t beaten a ranked team since 2021. Temple now enters the 2025 season with a clean slate and an almost entirely new team.
“We learned from our last year, but this is an entirely different year and that’s how we’ve approached everything,” said head coach Bonnie Rosen. “Everything has been very new to how our approach is this year. We always go after being the best we can be and hope that puts us in the situation to win a lot.”
Rosen’s team is in the midst of a transition period as she enters her 19th season. Temple had 11 players graduate, including four of the top five points leaders. She brought in seven freshmen this year and plans to change her game plan to match the influx of youth on the roster.
Temple’s previous play style hindered its offensive production and re-
sulted in a second-to-last finish in the AAC for goals per game and shooting percentage in 2024. With a much younger team, the Owls can transition to a faster-paced offense that doesn’t depend on specific players.
“Our style of play is shifting a little bit,” Rosen said. “We are trying not to just rely on a few people, but really develop everyone’s full game playing, reading of offense and scoring. I think what will make us stronger is if we are getting production out of a lot of different people.”
Rosen will have to lean on attacker Amelia Wright, who made strides last season. Wright was second on the team in goals with 29 but returns as one of just three seniors. Wright’s veteran presence will be key on the field as she is one of just two starters to return to the team.
“This year I’m looking to be a more well-balanced player,” Wright said. “I want to make it really hard for opposite teams to shut me down. I want to especially work on my feeding and variability and play style.”
Temple enters the 2025 season picked third in the AAC preseason poll and with powerhouse Florida leaving for the Big 12, will have an easier path in conference play. The main goal for the Owls’ young roster is growth in hopes of avoiding the heartbreaks that have haunted the team in recent years.
“We just have to stay locked in and disciplined at practice,” said goalkeeper Taylor Grollman. “It can get hard and we get tired, but we are using what happened last year to motivate us because we do not want a repeat of last year.”
nathan.prendergast@temple.edu @nate_prendy
flow’ kind of girl which is always good for a competitor to be able to make that adjustment quickly.”
It was a seamless transition that allowed Johnson to form a bond with the rest of her teammates. Johnson brought a different energy to the roster — something her fellow gymnasts noticed immediately.
Her attitude provides a spark, which she uses to get the rest of the team in the right mindset. She uses her routines to get the crowd involved and when her teammates catch a glimpse of her, their excitement for the rest of the meet intensifies.
“Her energy in the gym is unmatched,” said gymnast Renee Schugman. “She’s always dancing, smiling, singing, and just bringing in the energy that I think fits in with Temples’ culture and also bringing the overall vibe up in the gym.”
Johnson used her energy on the mat
in Temple’s season opener against West Virginia on Jan. 4. Soon after, her dance to the songs Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar, “Soak City” by 310babii and “TGIF” by GloRilla, made noise on the internet.
Johnson posted her floor routine on her social media accounts and it quickly went viral, landing on ESPN and ESPN Women’s Instagram pages. Johnson’s energy and positive approach to the sport has been exactly what the team was looking for, Schugman said.
“I did not expect that,” Johnson said. “I thought it was going to get some likes, but it has been everywhere. I’m just happy that everyone is enjoying it as much as I am. My parents are proud, and definitely my grandmother. I love seeing a smile on her face, she has been so proud.”
For Johnson, the recognition isn’t something she expected after being thrust into a new situation after leaving Talladega a year ago. While the Owls sit
at just a 4-7 record on the year, Johnson has helped lead the charge on the mat. Despite one chapter of Johnson’s college career being over, she has used it to fuel her as her Temple career takes flight.
“I feel like God always has a plan for you and I think that was definitely mine. I left my mark and that chapter is now closed,” Johnson said. “Now that I’m at Temple, I’m ready to start writing some new chapters, and flipping the pages. It was cool, even though it was short-lived, but it was a nice experience and I’m very grateful.”
austin.boynes@temple.edu
BURST OF ENERGY
Gymnast Krystin Johnson has brought increased media attention and made headlines after just six months at Temple.
BY AUSTIN BOYNES
Gymnastics Beat Reporter
Krystin Johnson wanted to be a gymnast since she started doing cartwheels at two years old. Her cousin was a gymnast but Johnson’s parents were advised to keep her out of the sport because it was too time-consuming and expensive.
Johnson started with ballet and cheerleading but her parents finally gave in and allowed her to do gymnastics by the time she was 10. However, it took her some time to make a name for herself.
Johnson spent her freshman season establishing herself at Talladega College, which had just started its program. She became the first gymnast at an HBCU in Alabama history, snatching a long list of records during her freshman year. Johnson won gold in the USA Gymnastics Nationals in the vault, becoming the first HBCU gymnast to do so.
“I always thought I was going
to be going to a D-1 school, I just didn’t want to be near home,”
Johnson said. “I liked everything that I heard and I knew that I was going to be making history by being the first HBCU gymnast in the state of Alabama which I thought was cool and also being the first commit for that program.”
GYMNASTICS | 23
NILI SCHREIBMAN / THE TEMPLE NEWS
Johnson brings a different energy to the Temple roster that allowed her to quickly bond with her teammates upon her transfer.