The Temple News

THE TEMPLE NEWS

A watchdog for the Temple University community since 1921.

Lawrence Ukenye Editor-in-Chief

Julia Merola Print Managing Editor

Fallon Roth Digital Managing Editor

Megan Phillips Chief Print Copy Editor

Kayla Maguire Chief Digital Copy Editor

Oliver Sabo News Staff Writer

Sarah Frasca Opinion Editor

Molly Fiske Assistant Opinion Editor

Duay Augustine Assistant Features Editor

Sofia Kasbo Assistant Features Editor

Nick Gangewere Sports Editor

Javon Edmonds Assistant Sports Editor

Samuel O’Neal Assistant Sports Editor

Maggie Fitzgerald Director of Audience Engagement

Emily Lewis Public Engagement Coordinator

Taylor Hargraves Audience Engagement Editor

Sara Wexler Audience Engagement Editor

Chris Duong Sports Social Media Manager

Earl Kufen Photo Editor

Robert Joseph Cruz Assistant Photo Editor

Noel Chacko Staff Photographer

Nate Pullano Multimedia Editor

Will Colavito Multimedia Editor

Joelle Pacheco Print Design Editor

Allyson Tharp Graphic Design Editor

Isabella Medina Web Editor

Rachel Townsend Data Editor

Olivia Hall Podcast Editor

Rose Mastrangelo Advertising Manager

Matthew Eaton Advertising Manager

Kurt Nolasco 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, Print Managing Editor, Digital Managing Editor, Chief Copy Editors, and Opinion Editors. The views expressed in editorials only reflect those of the Board, and not of the entire Temple News staff.

CORRECTIONS

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 Lawrence Ukenye at editor@temple-news.com.

ADMINISTRATION

How the university’s opinion of Wingard shifted

Former Temple President Jason Wingard officially resigned on March 31.

BY LAWRENCE UKENYE AND FALLON ROTH

For The Temple News

Former Temple University President Jason Wingard resigned last week, marking the shortest tenure of a president at the university. Wingard’s departure came following the death of a Temple police officer and a 42-day strike with TUGSA members, both of which accelerated the Temple community’s acute, yet longstanding dissatisfaction with two issues that had long plagued the university –safety and public engagement.

Despite the headwinds Wingard faced in the final weeks of his presidency, his arrival generated significant excitement following the exit of former President Richard Englert. He was the university’s first Black president and arrived with extensive experience, leading many to believe that he was more than qualified to assume the role.

“He had every specification, every qualification that we were looking for in the next president,” said Mitchell Morgan, a member of the Board of Trustees, during Wingard’s introductory press conference in June 2021.

Photos alongside celebrities, like Spike Lee and Julius Erving, throughout his tenure also portrayed the former Temple president as an eager newcomer looking to grow the university’s brand — an effort those within his circle claimed was well-intentioned, yet students felt led to his eventual demise.

The Temple News compiled quotes about Jason Wingard from students, faculty, Temple administration and others mentioned in our coverage to tell the story of his presidency through the lens of the university community and external stakeholders.

JASON WINGARD NAMED TEMPLE UNIVERSITY’S 12TH PRESIDENT

Wingard was named president on June 8, 2021, at a press conference at 1801 Liacouras Walk after Englert announced his departure nearly a year prior after serving since 2016.

“His absolute passion for Temple’s mission inspires me. We have so many things in common. Any way I can help him as he assumes this role, I’m going to help him. It’s all about our students, our faculty and our mission, and he gets it.”

— Richard Englert

“He’s a visionary, he’s a great leader and we are really excited about him.” –

Mitchell Morgan

TEMPLE TO REORGANIZE SENIOR ADMINISTRATION

On Aug. 23, 2021, the first day of the Fall 2021 semester, Wingard announced

plans to restructure senior administration to streamline efforts to improve the university’s perception. The Temple News spoke to members of administration to learn more about Wingard’s plans for the personnel changes.

“The first priority for me is to help Dr. Wingard implement his priority brand strategy. He wants to make sure that our reputation is strong.” – Valerie Harrison, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion.

TEMPLE PRESIDENT MEETS GOVERNOR TOM WOLF IN HARRISBURG

In an effort to continue cultivating Temple’s relationship with Harrisburg as a state-related university, Wingard made his first trip to the Pennsylvania State Capitol on Jan. 11, 2022, to meet with former Gov. Tom Wolf. The pair discussed state appropriations, higher edu-

cation, job availability and how Temple could contribute to the workforce.

“The governor enjoyed the discussion with President Wingard and Chairman Morgan. The governor was pleased to learn about Temple’s continued growth in the City of Philadelphia and vision.” — Elizabeth Rementer, Wolf’s press secretary.

TEMPLE PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS UNIVERSITY BRAND THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

During a one-on-one interview with The Temple News on March 23, 2022, Wingard emphasized his desire to use social media platforms and news channels to advance Temple’s message. At the time, Wingard featuring students and celebrities on his social media pages made students feel more connected to the president.

NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS

After struggling to address two long-standing issues, campus safety and public engagement, President Jason Wingard resigned last week.

“That one connection made me feel more connected to Temple as a college. So I feel like whenever President Wingard’s out and people talk to him he’s affecting the culture in a positive way.” — Kyle Adams, a 2022 media studies and production alumnus.

“Look at it like osmosis. If he’s close enough to people you know, like, trust and respect, then he will hopefully generate some of that for himself.” — Dave Anderson, advertising professor.

WINGARD BIKES THROUGH NORTH CENTRAL TO MEET COMMUNITY LEADERS

In April 2022, Wingard biked through the community to speak with local leaders about sanitation and safety issues in their neighborhoods. Most of the community leaders Wingard spoke with had long-standing relationships with Temple and were chosen before the start of the ride.

“I feel that he’s gonna really, really meet our concerns, the Temple students as well, but also the few residents that are still here in the neighborhood.”

— Sandra Fernandez-White, first vice chairperson of Philadelphia’s chapter of the National Congress of Black Women

as of April 2022.

TEMPLE CELEBRATES JASON WINGARD’S INAUGURATION

Nearly more than a year after being tapped as Temple president, the university community celebrated Wingard’s inauguration on Sept. 16, 2022. Leaders expressed their optimism for Wingard’s ability to guide the university forward amid health, economic and social challenges.

“Navigating these challenges will require a collaborative and committed effort. Grounded in compassion and humility, President Wingard, with your guidance and under your leadership we will confront these challenges head-on, building on the innovative research, rigorous scholarship and creative expression of our faculty.” — Provost Gregory Mandel.

TEMPLE NAVIGATES INCREASING PUBLIC SCRUTINY

As the university received growing national media coverage for its handling of TUGSA’s strike and criticism of its safety efforts, some students and faculty believed Wingard and members of senior administration struggled to effec-

tively communicate Temple’s response. Those feelings were heightened following Wingard’s appearance in a Feb. 22 NBC10 Philadelphia interview where he claimed he “did not have the answer” for how the university could keep students safe.

“Photographs aren’t messages. What we need to have is much more of a focus on directly relating to talking with students. And having President Wingard is supposed to represent the student body, where is that voice in understanding the student body?” — Scott Gratson, director of undergraduate studies in the Klein College of Media and Communication.

TAUP TO DISCUSS NOCONFIDENCE ON PRESIDENT WINGARD, OTHER LEADERS

On March 1, The Temple News first reported that the Temple Association of University Professionals planned to introduce a vote of no confidence against Wingard and other university leaders. The move was a major rebuke of Wingard’s presidency and emblematic of faculty members’ growing frustration – many of whom saw firsthand how their teaching and research assistants had been affected by the strike and are preparing to negotiate their own new contract with Temple later this year.

“We’re hearing from folks who are department chairs and other administrators that they have never seen Temple in such a bad moment. People who’ve been here for decades have said they’ve never seen such a lack of leadership.” — Jeffrey Doshna, president of TAUP.

STUDENTS DISAPPROVE OF WINGARD’S PERFORMANCE

Amid increasing backlash on the university’s handling of safety issues and the TUGSA strike, The Temple News

surveyed roughly 1,000 students about their thoughts on Wingard and the direction of the university. Roughly 92 percent expressed disapproval of Wingard’s performance and thought he was not relatable.

“I feel like Wingard is all about appearances and not about actual substance. It feels like he’s running Temple like a company with students and their education being akin to a product he’s trying to sell rather than what it actually is – a place of learning with real human beings.” — an anonymous student who responded to the survey.

“A lot of Temple students and Wingard are from very different paths in life, so we can see that he is more affluent than compared to the Temple community.” — Rohan Khadka, a sophomore secondary education-social studies major and then-TSG presidential candidate.

STUDENTS EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR WINGARD’S DECISION TO STEP DOWN

On March 28, the university announced Wingard’s plans to resign. Many students were supportive of his decision, citing the university’s response to the TUGSA strike as key reasons for why it was time for the former president to move on from his role.

“As someone who lives on the block that [Wingard] was going to move onto, I can definitely attest to the fact that the university has had a really poor response to student concerns about not only Jason’s behavior personally but the safety of everyone on campus.” — Riley Brady, sophomore English major.

editor@temple-news.com

@lawrence_ukenye fallon.roth@temple.edu @fallonroth_

Temple unveils grant to address pedestrian safety

BY OLIVER SABO News Staff Writer

Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue are set to undergo major pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements near Temple’s Main Campus as a result of millions in federal funding, the university announced on March 16.

The grant, announced by United States Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey and funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation will bring $30 million to North Philadelphia with the goal of making streets safer. Work on Cecil B. Moore Avenue will span from about 11th Street to 17th Street, said Kelley Yemen, director of Complete Streets within the city’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability.

“The infrastructure law is not only making our communities safer,” Sen. Casey wrote in a statement to The Temple News. “It’s empowering us to right historical wrongs and fund long-overdue safety projects in underserved communities. I was proud to advocate for this $30 million award to reduce fatal crashes and make a busy traffic corridor safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers in Philadelphia.”

Part of the grant identified a project that will encompass Broad Street from Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Yemen said.

Improvements will include raised crosswalks and medians, new traffic lights and signage to direct vehicles and calm traffic, said James Templeton, Temple’s architect and assistant vice president for the Project Delivery Group. The changes will primarily be focused on pedestrian and bicycle safety, but will also focus on vehicular safety.

“These are ongoing issues that have been happening for years that because of this grant we can actually jump start, which is fantastic,” Templeton said.

Templeton also said that the grant will fund aesthetic improvements like the quality of the paving in the intersection and sidewalk areas.

The project will include planted medians that will make a big impact on the visual experience when driving down Broad Street through Temple’s campus, Templeton added.

The effort is an extension of the university’s landscape master plan that focuses on building a more cohesive campus environment, including more pedestrian open space, according to the Campus Operations website.

Temple is partnering with Vision Zero Philadelphia, an effort overseen by OTIS to improve traffic safety and eliminate traffic deaths on Philadelphia streets by 2030.

The Cecil B. Moore improvements will be carried out by the city and will expand on plans that have been developed during the last year and a half.

“When this grant opportunity came along, it was a good partnership, but

we knew Temple had, you know, kind of safety concerns,” Yemen said. “We shared those concerns and we had plans for both our organizations that were ready to go.”

Other funding in the grant will be allocated toward planning, which the city will use to identify future projects and advance Philadelphia Vision Zero, Yemen said. Some of the grants will also be designated for design work for multiple corridors.

All of the projects in the grant cover areas in Vision Zero’s High Injury Network, which identifies the 12 percent of Philadelphia streets where 80 percent of traffic deaths and serious injuries occur, according to the program’s website. Both Cecil B. Moore and North Broad Street are included in the network.

The university announced that the project is expected to begin in June 2024

and be completed in March 2026, however, both Templeton and Yemen believe that timeline is tentative.

The project is a five-year program that includes both design and construction phases in the funding, Yemen said.

“So it’s a really large, complicated grant, and for any major infrastructure project, we like to estimate three to five years for project delivery in general between design and construction and the bidding process,” Yemen said.

Temple has made recent changes to its traffic control measures, including the addition of a speed bump on Beasley’s Walk near Broad Street after a pedestrian was killed in a vehicle crash there on Nov. 17. oliver.sabo@temple.edu @oliversabo20

CAMPUS

A $30 million grant will fund improvements to Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

CHARLOTTE SAUNDERS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple is partnering with Vision Zero Philadelphia, an effort overseen by OTIS to improve traffic safety and eliminate traffic deaths on Philadelphia streets by 2030.

TSG experiences highest voter turnout in years

TSG Last year TSG had one campaign running uncontested after their opponent dropped out.

BY GRACE RUFALO For The Temple News

On March 30, Temple Student Government announced that Empower Owls were elected to represent the student body for the 2023-24 academic year.

During a two-day voting period between March 28 and 29, a total of 1,773 voters were cast with Empower Owls winning 69 percent of votes, said Susan Daniel, TSG’s elections commissioner.

TSG has previously struggled with low voter turnout and routinely received less than 1,000 votes. Last year, only 183 students voted for Temple United’s campaign, which ran uncontested, 2021 also saw the lowest number of executive votes in 18 years after FireOwlsTU dropped out.

Both Empower Owls and Innovate TU made a conscious effort to encourage voter turnout during this year’s election.

“I think we listened,” said Eryal Szyszko, a junior health professions major and the presidential candidate of Innovate TU. “I think we went out and we listened to them, and with their feedback, we made policies and initiatives that I think encouraged them to vote and thought that they could make a difference.”

Empower Owls utilized social media outreach as a major focus for their campaign, said TSG Vice President-elect Lauren Jacob.

“We followed so many different Temple accounts, we were commenting, we were telling our friends to repost on their stories,” said Jacob, a sophomore public health major. “It was definitely an outreach to try to get people that may not be on campus at the same time as we are and may only, you know, they commute and stuff like that.”

TSG President-elect Rohan Khadka believes Empower Owls’ victory means

that students are interested in what the university is doing and are passionate about the issues on Main Campus that affect them, he said.

Empower Owls’ victory also marks the first time in two years that there has been more than one campaign on the ballot.

“It’s also the first time that many students have actually seen a vote, you know, a contested vote on campus for their time at Temple,” said Chris Carey, the senior associate dean of students and TSG faculty advisor. “So, hopefully we can just build this habit of students waiting for the TSG elections and participating in the TSG elections.”

Moving forward, Khadka hopes to keep the student body engaged with TSG.

“You create our agenda, you cre-

ate our mandates, so we can only know what you need if you tell us so come talk to us,” Khadka said.

Jacob also hopes that visible change on campus will help strengthen the connection between TSG and the student body.

“That will actually make a difference in students’, like, day-to-day lives if they can see, like, ‘Oh student government did that,’” Jacob said.

Empower Owls are advocating for several new policies to help improve campus safety, sustainability and communication between TSG and the student body. Revising FLIGHT is one of Jacob’s top priorities, she said.

“I really want to get that going so there will be more students feel more comfortable using FLIGHT because I know I also don’t feel comfortable right

now and it’s, like, confusing,” Jacob said.

Jacob will also push for a zero-tolerance policy for single-use plastic in dining halls.

Khadka said he will push to revise Owl Connect, Temple’s Student Activities’ website that provides information about student organizations.

He also said he would create issue-based town halls that would help facilitate communication between students and board members.

TSG’s inauguration will take place on May 1 at the Howard Gittis Student Center, and current TSG President Gianni Quattrocchi and Vice President Akshitha Ag will be delegating their roles to Khadka and Jacob to help them prepare for their new positions.

grace.rufalo@temple.edu

THE TEMPLE NEWS / FILE

Empower Owls’ victory marks the first time in two years that there has been more than one campaign on the ballot.

MAIN CAMPUS

Lil Yachty, G Herbo to headline Owlchella concert

Main Campus Program Board has worked since July to secure artists for this year’s concert.

BY OLIVER SABO News Staff Writer

Rappers Lil Yachty and G Herbo will perform at the Liacouras Center on April 21 for Owlchella, Temple University’s annual concert.

The event, presented and organized by Temple University Main Campus Program Board, comes after last year’s performance which featured Jack Harlow and Swae Lee, and marked the concert’s return after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

“I think this will be the first year where we have like, legitimate and like real ‘rapper’ rappers,” said Camillia Benjamin, a junior public relations major and the director of live entertainment for MCPB. “Lil Yachty hasn’t put out a rap album. His last album was alternative. So hopefully that will help bring out a different crowd as well.”

MCPB has worked with an agent representative to reach out to artists for Owlchella 2023 since July. The group tries to hold the event on April 21 yearly, which coincides with Coachella, the famous music and arts festival held in Indio, California.

“So it’s like, you want to try to find someone that’s not going to be at Coachella, because when it comes to a college or Coachella, they’re gonna go to Coachella,” Benjamin said. “So we essentially just kind of went through a list of names, trying to get prices, availability, and it just ended up being Lil Yachty and G Herbo.”

Benjamin said that the two artists matched what MCPB thought students would like the most and fit the available budget.

Macy Galante, a senior psychology major, who was a big fan of Lil Yachty in high school, is looking forward to the environment in the Liacouras Center after hearing good things about Jack Harlow’s 2022 performance.

“I’m not a ginormous Lil Yachty stan, but like, why wouldn’t you want

to go see Lil Yachty for 25 bucks, you know?” Galante said.

The event is paid for with the General Activity Fees fund, which all Temple students contribute towards by paying their semester University Services Fee.

Communication with the artist is not always direct, and most of the negotiation is solidified through various people like the artist’s manager and legal team, Benjamin said.

Once the organization finds an artist with the help of their representative, they send them an official offer. If the artist accepts, contracts are negotiated, MCPB works to confirm the Liacouras Center’s availability and graphics must be approved, Benjamin added.

The flash sale for students launched on March 13 and as of March 31, MCPB has sold 2,000 tickets, with the capacity of the Liacouras Center being between 7,500 and 8,000 people, Benjamin wrote

in an email to The Temple News. Last year, MCPB sold 4,700 tickets during the first two weeks of sales.

Galante and other students thought that the promotions leading up to the announcement, which included a word search with multiple artists’ names, should have been more straightforward.

Iriana Pierre, a sophomore psychology major who attended Owlchella to see Harlow last year, won’t be returning to the Liacouras Center for 2023’s show.

“I was underwhelmed because they had names like Lil Baby on there and things like that,” Pierre said about this year’s announcement. “So yeah, when I found out it wasn’t him, I was not interested.”

Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Baby was on MCPB’s list of potential performers, but he was out of the organization’s budget, Benjamin said. A Boogie wit da Hoodie was also considered,

but he is performing at Coachella and was at the Liacouras Center in March for a concert. Lil Durk, who performed at the venue on Feb. 24, was also considered but ruled out for the same reason, she added.

Lil Yachty, who is coming off the release of his fifth studio album, Let’s Start Here, will be performing with a live band at this year’s concert.

“I just hope everyone will just enjoy it,” Benjamin said. “It’ll be a nice little vibe — rap music, a little bit of alternative with Yachty’s new album, so look out and see how that kind of molds and blends together.”

Students are still able to get tickets for the event through the Liacouras Center’s website.

oliver.sabo@temple.edu

@oliversabo20

NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS

As of March 31, the Main Campus Program Board has sold 2,000 tickets for Owlchella.

Set clear, attainable goals

Last Friday, former Temple University President Jason Wingard resigned after less than two years in his position. His decision to step down followed public scrutiny in response to the university’s handling of safety concerns, including the death of Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald, and a Temple University Graduate Students’ Association strike that lasted 42 days.

Wingard was expected to face a no-confidence vote next week regarding how the university navigated those situations and other campus issues, and they will still hold a vote against Board of Trustees Chairman Mitchell Morgan and Provost Gregory Mandel. Additionally, 92 percent of students said they generally disapprove of Wingard’s performance as president, according to a March 2023 poll by The Temple News.

During Wingard’s inauguration, he discussed his goals for his presidency including five pillars for increasing the value of Temple’s education: boundless access, educational value, thought leadership, community engagement and reputational excellence.

However, some of the goals were too abstract, confusing and lofty to be achieved during Wingard’s presidency. Each of the pillars is vaguely worded without specifically setting realistic goals for Temple to achieve.

The Editorial Board urges the next president to set clear, attainable goals at the start of their presidency to ensure accountability and progress for the future of Temple. The next president should review goals and determine how realistic they are before setting them.

Following the fatal shooting of a Temple student in 2021, Wingard promised a 50 percent increase to Temple’s Campus Safety Ser-

STUDENT LIFE

Stop glamorizing toxicity

vices and a partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department to increase off-campus patrol.

More than a year later, this goal has not been achieved, and Temple is struggling to find officers willing to join the force. As police staffing shortages have been a national trend, officials should have determined the goal’s impracticality.

When given the options of safety, the TUGSA strike and affordability, 75 percent of students surveyed identified safety as the biggest issue at Temple, and 58 percent believed it was the most important concern to them, according to the Wingard approval poll.

Rather than setting more clear and achievable goals to improve safety and student life at Main Campus, Wingard planned to expand campuses in Los Angeles, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. He also traveled abroad to Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan to discuss strengthening academic partnerships, exchange opportunities and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Before expanding globally, Temple officials should focus on strengthening Main Campus in Philadelphia as it faces falling enrollment and rising campus safety issues.

The Editorial Board urges Temple’s next president to prioritize local engagement and clearly outline their goals before expanding beyond Philadelphia. It is important to set such goals as students have clearly expressed their concerns with localized issues, like public safety and quality of education.

BY VALERIA URIBE For The Temple News

The end of the semester can be a stressful time for college students due to a build-up of exams, essays and group projects. As students prioritize school work, they often develop dangerous practices, like sleeping limited hours, not eating balanced meals, cramming for exams and drinking unhealthy amounts of caffeine and alcohol.

TikTok videos may be promoting toxic productivity standards and encouraging students to sacrifice their well-being to get more work done.

It’s dangerous for social media users to present unhealthy behaviors as normal or useful techniques to navigate college. As students experience end-of-semester stress, it’s important to utilize healthy habits instead of following unhealthy routines shared on social media that can have serious side effects on well-being.

For example, Instagram and TikTok content portraying college students’ daily routines is presented in short, appealing videos, making their behaviors seem more glamorous than they are. Overexposure to this media can cause students to believe that unhealthy habits should be included in their daily routines, like staying up late to study or increasing caffeine intake.

Insomnia and sleep deprivation are common among college students and can lead to depression and other mood disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I feel like students have a lot of pressure on them to perform in school, make so many friends, join so many clubs,” said Audrey Hovan, a freshman nursing major. “I feel like sometimes they burn themselves out doing everything.”

Even if it’s unhealthy, some students are willing to push their bodies to the limit during exam season. They may feel validated for endangering themselves and neglecting self-care

to be successful, especially due to the normalization of these behaviors on social media.

“It’s kind of the norm, so if you are adhering to what everyone always says about college, then you are doing well in life,” said Santhi Chandrasekaran, a freshman psychology major.

To unwind during the weekends and recharge, students should choose activities that will prioritize their health, like exercising, getting in touch with nature and resting, according to Very Well Mind, a website that promotes mental health.

However, binge drinking has risen among young adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At the same time, a binge-drinking trend like the “blackout rage gallons,” is viral on TikTok, directly influencing college students to drink large amounts of alcohol from gallon jugs. Viewing content on social media about excess drinking is significantly associated with increased alcohol use and related risks.

Content creators should realize that they hold power over people and posting unhealthy habits can lead to the normalization of harmful practices. Instead of blindly posting, they should be mindful of their posts and emphasize that their posts shouldn’t be replicated in real life.

“An influencer who’s willing to recognize the power that they have would hopefully make better decisions about their content,” said Sherri Hope Culver, a media studies and production professor and director of the Center for Media and Information Literacy.

Bringing awareness to these harmful practices by highlighting healthier alternatives is important. Students don’t realize their habits are self-destructive because they see their peers seemingly succeeding when they engage in the same behaviors.

Instead of using social media to romanticize unhealthy behaviors, platforms could be used as a space to make struggles relatable and offer solutions to them. As stress in students is heightened, especially during exam season, mental and physical health should always come first.

A student urges her peers not to follow social media trends amidst end-of-semester stress.

STUDENT LIFE

Temple, accommodate students during Ramadan

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BY MOLLY FISKE Assistant Opinion Editor

Ramadan, the most sacred month in the Islamic calendar, is a time of spiritual reflection, prayer and abstaining from food and drink from dawn until dusk. From March 22 to April 20, Muslims around the world come together to observe this practice.

Fasting can be challenging when living on campus or relying on meal plans because there are limited on-campus dining options available in time for Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal.

Making accommodations for students during Ramadan isn’t just a matter of meeting student needs, it promotes inclusivity and respect on campus. By offering designated prayer spaces and to-go meals in dining halls, students can practice their religion without sacrificing academic success. Temple University can create an environment that supports academic and religious student needs and fosters a sense of community.

Other local universities already support their students during Ramadan. Drexel University allows students with meal plans to pick up a to-go meal for Suhoor the evening prior. During sunset, dates and water are available in buildings on campus, and Drexel is designating five prayer spaces on campus.

“As a Muslim professor, I try to remind my colleagues that this is the month of Ramadan and that your students might be fasting during this month, so they should be aware of that and kind of observe them a little more carefully, because especially when it gets hotter, when Ramadan is in the hot months, students might not be feeling well,” said Zain Abdullah, a religion professor.

Temple administration is currently working with the Muslim Student Association to offer to-go meals in the Howard Gittis Student Center’s interfaith prayer room, said Kubarah Ghias, a senior psychology and neuroscience major and president of MSA.

However, to further accommodate students, meals must be provided in all dining halls too.

Although Temple’s administration is not familiar with other universities’ programming, they’re interested in knowing what schools are doing and are open to exploring options with Aramark for the future, wrote Chris Carey, the senior associate dean of students and student affairs, in an email to The Temple News.

Johnson and Hardwick and Morgan Dining Hall are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. The sun will rise before 7 a.m. for the remainder of Ramadan, so students will need to eat earlier than dining halls open for Suhoor.

Towards the end of Ramadan, the sun will set closer to 8 p.m., leaving less than 30 minutes for students to eat a meal for Iftar — the evening meal following sunset — at a dining hall before

it closes early on Saturdays.

Muslim students with meal plans should be able to pick up to-go meals from dining halls during operating hours to ensure they can be nourished before and after a day of fasting.

Ramadan is a time of community and celebration and students who observe the tradition often come together to break their fasts with others. However, there is a lack of accessible space on Temple’s campus for gathering.

Although MSA has some planned gatherings for Iftar, the Student Center’s room reservation policy only allows a student organization two room bookings per week, preventing MSA from hosting daily dinners.

In February 2022, the organization was granted a permanent prayer space in the Paley Building, but when construction began for the new College of Public Health building this spring semester, Muslim students were redirected to the

interfaith prayer room.

Holding gatherings for Ramadan isn’t feasible because access to the room isn’t limited to just Muslim students and the celebrations may be disruptive for other students using the space to practice their religions.

“There’s been a big request from our student body to have an accessible building that doesn’t close at 10 or something, where night prayer can be held,” Ghais said. “The goal is to eventually have administration, even if it’s just during Ramadan, to try to be accommodating in that regard.”

Having a dedicated space for prayer can help students feel more comfortable and supported in their religious practices. It’s necessary to create an inclusive and welcoming campus environment by accommodating the diverse needs of students through prayer spaces or to-go meals.

student urges Temple to offer prayer spaces and to-go meals to Muslim students.

ALLYSON THARP / THE TEMPLE NEWS

Philadelphians should be able to breathe clean air

BY CHRIS FRAZIER For The Temple News

I leaned on the wall as I walked through my hallway. I tried to gain control of my breathing with every step; as my wheezes worsened, every exhale sounded like a whistle.

I entered my mom’s room and called out to her. It took a few attempts until she woke up.

“Yes, Chris,” she said with her eyes still closed.

A wheeze followed my plea, “I need the machine.”

That was the quickest way I could say, “I can’t breathe and need the nebulizer,” a machine that turned the liquid albuterol sulfate medication for my asthma into an aerosol I could inhale.

The nebulizer sent the medicine directly to my lungs, clearing mucus that prevented oxygen from entering and leaving while treating inflammation. My mom perfected the routine because of my consistent early morning visits.

My asthma made growing up in Philadelphia a struggle. In minutes, it could turn a great day into a nightmare because I couldn’t breathe. I missed sports games and classes, and my family frequently needed to pick me up from school early because the nurse didn’t have a nebulizer.

Every asthma attack meant the same treatment cycle would be repeated again: filling the mask with albuterol, putting it on and pressing the button. It only took a minute, but doing it eight times per week was a draining commitment. Every time I grabbed that mask, I imagined my life without asthma.

I was able to experience that dream in 2017 when I moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. My family left Philadelphia due to the city’s violence, and I was surprised by my body’s positive reaction.

During the four years I spent in Raleigh, I never suffered a serious asthma attack. I didn’t need to bring my inhaler to school, and I almost forgot about the nebulizer.

It was liberating to play a full game of football without having an attack. Living without asthma treatment was a new normal, but it didn’t last.

Two years ago, I returned to Philadelphia to attend Temple University and fulfill my dream of studying journalism.

I was alarmed at how quickly my symptoms returned.

I began to wheeze, experience chest pain and grow tired just from walking up the steps. Finally, during the holiday season last year, my symptoms exceeded the whistling sound and chest pain I was experiencing: I could barely breathe.

For the first time in five years, I needed the nebulizer. As I watched the aerosol float by my eyes, I wondered if my flare-up was caused by my return to Philadelphia.

I began researching the city’s climate and discovered high pollution heavily influenced my condition. Philadelphia’s air quality is affected by ground-level ozone, a gas pollutant created by vehicle emissions, refineries and power plants, and is known to cause asthma attacks, according to IQAir, an air quality infor-

mation platform.

In Philadelphia, more than 900,000 residents are more likely to be sensitive to ozone and can experience severe coughing and irritation in the lungs and throat. They can also experience chest pains due to the polluted air, all symptoms I encountered upon my return.

The air quality’s impact on my breathing inspires me to advocate for justice for Philadelphians who share my experience. The City of Philadelphia must make policy changes to protect air quality to decrease carbon emissions and the chances of respiratory illness in residents.

Currently, more than half of citywide carbon emissions are from buildings’ energy use, according to Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability. Stepping up the city’s commitment to being carbon-neutral would contribute to cleaner air by replacing harmful carbon emissions with renewable energy.

Philadelphia has a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, but some cities, like Ithaca, New York, plan to decarbonize all buildings and reach carbon

neutrality by 2030, according to the City of Ithaca.

Ithaca already required all new buildings to meet net-zero carbon emissions by 2026 and now plans to implement 100 percent renewable electricity by 2025. Philadelphia’s current plans are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and implement 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030.

Philadelphia’s air quality puts residents’ health at risk. If the city follows Ithaca’s Green New Deal, the city can decrease harmful ozone and improve Philadelphians’ quality of life up to 20 years ahead of their planned target. People should never have to lean on the wall to stay upright because they’re struggling to breathe.

c.frazier@temple.edu

A student with ashtma calls for stronger environmental regulations.

ALLYSON THARP / THE TEMPLE NEWS

THE ESSAYIST

The strings of my life are braided in Syrian cheese

A student reflects on how the ingredients in Syrian string cheese symbolize her growth.

BY SOFIA KASBO Features Staff Writer

As the daughter of a Syrian immigrant, I feel the spirit of my father’s and grandparents’ journeys. The echo of my father’s experience as a 10 year old shot in Aleppo and my grandparents’ immigration journey to America sticks with me. I carry their pride, learning the ins and outs of Syrian culture and cuisine.

I shoved kebab in my mouth as early as my first birthday. Growing up, I’d eat lots of pita bread and lick the sweet and sticky Middle Eastern pastries, kanafeh and baklava off my fingers.

At age 10, I tied my first jibneh mshallaleh, Syrian string cheese of Armenian origin, braiding each thread with precision. Each string represents the strands of who I am as a first-generation Syrian-American woman.

When my Sito, or grandmother, taught me her jibneh mshallaleh recipe in middle school, she passed a cultural torch, helping me discover ingredients with meanings that served in navigating challenges and finding my passion.

My kitchen was prepared with three key ingredients: salt, mahlab and habbat al-barakah. The stove was ready with a pot of boiling water and cheese curd.

I eagerly handed my Sito each ingredient, knowing salt would be added first.

Salt intensifies and balances the bitterness of the cheese. Like how salt balances cooking, I learned to balance my mindset as I faced more challenges, like struggling with math, moving schools and searching for my passions.

I added “salt” when I was diagnosed with dyscalculia, a learning disorder that impairs my ability to understand number-based topics, in middle school.

Through my parents’ mentorship, I addressed my problems with a positive mindset, perseverance and determination. I used these strategies — my “salt” — to overcome mathematical challenges

and continue my writing dreams.

While mixing the salt into the pot, the appearance of the white cheese didn’t change. On the inside, the flavor slowly elevates, similar to how I grow as a person with each challenge I address.

Mahlab, ground cherry pits, is an unexpected ingredient in jibneh mshallaleh, as it’s uncommon in everyday cuisine. I couldn’t imagine something overlooked could deliver a distinctive taste.

As I sprinkled mahlab into the pot, the brown specks peaking through added extra bitterness to balance the saltiness. Including such a rare ingredient gives jibneh mshallaleh its unique identity.

Mahlab is the part of me that looks for the unseen. While it’s easy to understand what’s in front of me, I’ve learned hidden within myself and others are untold stories of powerful messages.

As a journalist, I search for hidden narratives. I’m mindful of topics that must be published and the importance of proper representation and diversity in

the news. Media today features predominantly white males, which motivates me to ensure all voices are heard by uncovering and pitching inclusive stories.

After more stirring, the mahlab displayed its faint light-brown color. The balance from salt and power from mahlab complete me, with one ingredient missing: habbat al-barakah.

Habbat al-barakah is a legendary medicinal black seed — “the seed of blessing.” The black seeds are revealed when I pull apart the strands of cheese.

Habbat al-barakah represents parts of me that learned to embrace failure. Whether it’s struggling to subtract fractions or mathematical concepts, these seeds symbolize challenging parts of my journey. They’re the crucial flecks that make me push harder and dream bigger.

After mixing, adding ingredients and spending time on the stove, the white cheese with black speckles forms a ball, ready for pulling.

With the aroma of the cheese’s salty

ALLYSON THARP / THE TEMPLE NEWS

goodness, I formed a braid showcasing my hard work and new skill.

I watched my grandmother handle hot, fresh out-of-the-pot cheese with ease. She pulled the strands apart, bringing them together in a pattern to form layered strings within the cheese.

I’m the composite of each strand, layered story and unique flavor, adding salt, mahlab and habbat al-barakah into my everyday life.

I carry my first-generation Syrian-American identity with me every day. I embrace my culture by teaching my peers Arabic words, sharing cuisine and encouraging fundraising for Syrian refugees and those impacted by the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey.

The braid of cheese was easy to devour and easy to relate to. These strings and ingredients reminded me of myself, someone with many layers, even unexpected ones. sofia.kasbo@temple.edu

LIVE in Philly

ROBERT JOSEPH CRUZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS

CITY LIFE PHILLY’S EASTER EGG STRAVAGANZA

BY ROBERT JOSEPH CRUZ Assistant Photo Editor

With Easter coming up on Sunday, April 9, City Life Philly, a church located in South Philadelphia on 20th Street near Geary, gathered community members to hold their annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 1.

City Life Philly was founded with one main goal in mind: bringing the community together. Their event last weekend did just that, with countless volunteers, dozens of families and hundreds of children coming out to participate.

“We started our church 11 years ago in Philly, really with the desire to give back to the city,” said Brad Leach, lead pastor of City Life. “To be a positive influence in the city and really reveal to the city how generous the heart of God is.”

The hunt was originally planned to be held outdoors in FDR Park, but with heavy rain and a thunderstorm, the event was relocated into the church’s gym with the help of volunteers, like Trish Vadden, a retired school teacher.

“I’m a retired school teacher, so I’m used to going from plan A to plan B quickly, and that’s exactly what we did,” Vadden said. “We all huddled together, and we wanted this to go off no matter what; we didn’t want to postpone it. We said ‘rain or shine’ and we just opened up the church.”

Throughout the event, children had the opportunity to take pictures with

the Easter Bunny, get their face painted or just eat food and socialize – all options were completely free. The festivities were a great opportunity for children to get out and socialize in person, something parents, like Qatrina Dunlap, have been hoping for as the threat of COVID-19 diminishes.

“A lot of kids had a lot of issues being locked down, and no one in our generation ever experienced anything like this,” said Dunlap, 45, who attended the event with her family. “A lot of the kids [my daughter’s] age, younger, and even older, we don’t really realize what they’ve been dealing with and this is great for them just being able to interact.”

Despite the hurdle brought forth by the inclement weather, the turnout was better than any organizer expected.

“I’m impressed that people came still, that they were able to still find us,”

said Tika Stock, communications and connections director of City Life. “We tried social media and everything to make sure to tell everyone. But, I’m so impressed with the turnout and how many people came.”

Above all else, the real success was the impact that this egg hunt had on the people who came. For Pastor Leach, it was rewarding to make a difference and see the smiles of those in attendance.

“It’s rewarding, it gives you a lot of joy to know that you can make a difference in somebody else’s life,” Pastor Leach said. “That you can take the gifts, the time, the creativity that you’ve been given and repackage it and give it away so that somebody else, you know, put a smile on somebody else’s face.”

robert.cruz@temple.edu

City Life Philly held their annual Easter Egg Hunt in order to bring the community together.

City Life Philly held its annual Easter Egg Hunt, featuring the Easter Bunny and face paintings.

MOVING

CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP

ROBERT JOSEPH CRUZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS

Attendees were all provided free food, including pretzels, candy and frozen snacks.

Hundreds of children of all ages came and participated in the egg hunt.

After a competitive hunt, a girl carries and shows off a basket full of dozens of eggs.

A girl looks in the mirror after having her face painted by one of the church volunteers.

Chilren had the opportunity to sit on the Easter Bunny’s lap and take pictures.

FEATURES

CAMPUS

Bike sale emphasizes sustainable transportation

BY GIANNA VOGES

For The Temple News

For many Temple University students, commuting to campus can be challenging. Slow trains, crowded buses and expensive parking are all issues that come with traveling to Temple and going off campus.

“Students should ride a bike and explore the city, it’s the best way by far,” said Kelley Simon, a 2022 geography and urban studies alumna who works with Temple’s Office of Sustainability.

The office held its first second-hand bicycle sale on Wednesday afternoon at Pearson Hall aimed at giving Temple students access to more affordable and environmentally-conscious transportation. The sale featured 13 bikes that were found abandoned on campus by past students, and were then collected and restored by student workers at the office.

One of the main goals of the event was to give students access to more economical means of transportation, said Bryce Forys, Temple’s sustainability coordinator.

Nikki Ivan, a sophomore environmental studies major, purchased a bike at the sale because of how hard it is to travel throughout the city.

“It’s difficult to get to places that aren’t on the Broad Street or Market-Frankford line,” Ivan said.

The average new road bike costs between $350 and $700, according to Bicycle Universe. However, bikes on sale Wednesday did not exceed $125, Forys said.

“Bikes can be pretty expensive, so we wanted to give them cheaper access to their own sort of transportation,” Fo-

rys said.

The sale was also intended to promote environmental sustainability on campus. Using bikes instead of cars lowers emission rates. Motor vehicles account for up to 60 percent of the total air pollution in Philadelphia, according to the Clean Air Council.

Temple’s climate action plan includes increasing the number of commuters who use sustainable modes of transportation by 75 percent and reducing the number of single occupancy vehicles by 10 percent by 2025.

“It’s a zero emission mode of transportation, so getting more people on bikes rather than cars is really our main

goal,” Simon said.

Ivan purchased a bike because she supports the sale’s goal of helping combat air pollution produced by cars. She hopes other students follow in her lead.

“The sale makes people more aware of the different ways that they can get around the city as opposed to a car, so I think it definitely helps lower emissions overall,” Ivan said.

Typically, buying second-hand products reduces waste, which in turn helps the environment the more people reduce, reuse and recycle, Forys said.

“We’re really about creating a circular economy here in Philadelphia, so having all of these restored bikes pre-

vents them from just going into the trash and allows them to find a new home,” Forys said.

Simon recommends students take the Office of Sustainability’s Urban Riding Basics class to learn how to bike safely throughout the city.

The organization plans to host more events like the sale in the future. Student workers are actively continuing to collect and restore bikes, and the bikes that were left over will be used for a future second-hand sale, Forys said.

“Bikes are just one piece of the puzzle in achieving our climate goal,” Simon said.

gianna.voges@temple.edu

Students purchased used bikes in an effort to promote greener commutes.

NOEL CHACKO / THE TEMPLE NEWS

Kelley Simon, a 2022 geography and urban studies alumna who works with Temple’s Office of Sustainability, pumps a bike tire at Pearson Hall.

CAMPUS

Student performer spreads joy through music

BY DUAY AUGUSTINE Assistant Features Editor

Growing up, Nolan Lortz developed a love for music because it gave him the opportunity to express himself without being hindered by his speech impediment.

“It always felt like music was a good avenue for me to show my skills, show my work ethic, or just being able to just tune out to the rest of the world and just play without having to worry about having to speak at all,” said Lortz, a sophomore psychology major.

Although Lortz did not pursue music as a career, he can be found playing his hand pan on the corner of Liacouras and Polett walks because of its central location. Last week, he was able to perform outside for the first time since November after bad weather, a head injury and a damaged instrument made it difficult for him to play.

Lortz’s return to his outdoor performances made him realize how much he missed being able to play during the winter.

“I think I went on like a Monday or something, and just being able to be like ‘Oh my god I forgot, oh my god this is so much fun,’ and just being like ‘Oh I missed this so much,’ oh my god it was great,” Lortz said.

Lortz began playing the hand pan in April 2021 and immediately fell in love with it because it was a unique instrument for him to learn without much pressure associated with playing.

Although he was nervous to begin performing in public, his fears quickly faded once he started playing.

“I just told myself like ‘Do it for like 15 minutes and it doesn’t go well just walk away and people will forget that it ever happened like two minutes after they see you it’s not that big of a deal,’ so I got up there and I did it,” Lortz said.

He played for three hours straight the first time he performed on campus, and has tried to perform two to three

times a week since then.

Students like Anglin Hebert have noticed Lortz’s presence on campus and look forward to hearing him play.

“We see him a lot walking to class and it always brightens our day when we see him and hear him playing,” said Hebert, a freshman speech, language and hearing science major.

Although Lortz began his performances as a way to practice for himself, knowing his playing resonates with students has helped him become more comfortable with performing.

“The best compliment that I ever get is seeing someone walk by and they have their headphones in and they take out take out their one earbud or whatever just like listen to me play on like, wow, you stopped the song that you’re probably like liking just to listen to me like that alone is like the biggest honor like ever,” Lortz said.

Lortz has recently explored working with organizations on campus, like the Student Organization for Caribbean Awareness at Temple University and Al-

pha Xi Delta, to lead meditations, which he became interested in because of the spiritual aspect of hand pan music. Lortz also plans to do a percussion duet next academic year with his friend and roommate, Elijah Nice.

Nice and Lortz performed together in Mt. Lebanon High School’s percussion section, and the pair looks forward to working together again for this project.

“Nolan’s, a big, like jokester, like he makes jokes all the time, he has a lot of fun, pretty much anything that he’s involved in is probably going to be a lot of fun,” said Nice, a sophomore performance major.

Throughout high school, Lortz was active in his school’s band and often acted as a teaching assistant for the younger students.

“When he walked into the second rehearsal, like 16 freshmen just started shouting his name like he was like a hero to them,” said Jason Miller, the percussion director of Lortz’s high school.

Lortz had an exceptional work ethic

during his time working in high school, Miller said.

“I’ve had plenty of great players, I’ve had plenty of kids that are nice, but he was like a total package, he was just really, really helpful with other students, a really outgoing friendly guy, and really welcoming, no ego to speak of,” Miller said.

The attention Lortz has received from his performances has helped him feel more comfortable about his speech impediment because he realized what he can achieve with his stutter, he said.

Lortz plans to continue his on campus performances and is interested in combining his love of music with his studies in psychology.

“Because I’m pursuing a psychology degree, too, and just being able to like, bring about my personal experiences with having a stutter and how I pretty much overcame that to, with my love for music, with also my career path, I think it’s just like a perfect trifold kind of marriage there,” Lortz said.

duay.augustine@temple.edu

Nolan Lortz is back to his regular performances on the corner of Liacouras and Polett walks.

NATE PULLANO / THE TEMPLE NEWS

Nolan Lortz can often be seen playing the hand pan at the corner of Liacouras and Polett walks.

THE TEMPLE NEWS IS LOOKING FOR ITS 2023-24 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF!

A good candidate would demonstrate leadership ability and proven managerial skills with prior media experience. A candidate’s experience in the business, editorial and design aspects of media management will be a factor in the selection of the editor. All application materials should be sent to Managing Director of Student Media John DiCarlo at john.dicarlo@temple.edu.

Applications are due Wednesday, April 12.

Scan the QR code to learn more.

Organization advocates for youth and mothers

BY DUAY AUGUSTINE Assistant Features Editor

With her passion for the medical field and her love for working with children, joining the Youth Education and Maternal Association was a no-brainer for YEMSA President Akshitha Ag.

“For me specifically, I love working with children, and I know maternal health is something that’s very important to me, and this club was the perfect fit for that,” said Ag, a senior biology major and student body vice president.

Members of YEMSA mentor elementary students through the organization’s collaboration with the Achieve Now program, which partners college students with local students for weekly tutoring. YEMSA was founded in 2019 and encourages youth education and maternal advocacy through programs like their March 15 hygiene drive, which helped them collect 100 products that were donated to Mary’s Shelter, an organization based in Reading, Pennsylvania. The organization has 50 Temple students and educates them on topics like youth education and maternal health.

Many of the organization’s members feel the club is important because it is the only group of its kind at Temple.

“YEMSA is such a niche organization in that we focus on two very specific topics, youth education and maternal health, which are, again, very niche but very important topics in not just like the medical field, but just I think it’s something that society as a whole needs to be aware of,” Ag said.

Maternal support is a prevalent issue among college students. For example, 58 percent of Black student parents drop out of college, according to a March 2021 report by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

Seventy-eight percent of parenting students experience financial difficulties, according to a July 2022 report by the Trellis Company, which can lead to

struggles obtaining necessary resources.

Through YEMSA’s collaboration with Achieve Now, Cleopatra Nehme has built a relationship with an elementary school student and has seen her improve during their weekly reading sessions.

“It’s been really rewarding watching her grow so much and learn so much in such like a short period of time, and like I said, it’s really rewarding and like humbling because it’s literally an hour a week, but it makes such a difference,” said Nehme, vice president of YEMSA and a senior neuroscience major.

The organization also hosts educational panels for club members and the university community where Temple professors discuss topics like maternal health and education.

YEMSA also collaborates with other clubs like PERIOD, a student organization that advocates for menstrual equity. From March 27-31, PERIOD and YEM-

SA hosted a bingo board fundraiser to raise money for earthquake relief funds in Turkey and Syria.

The two organizations closely collaborate because of similarities in their mission statements, Ag said.

These partnerships help YEMSA to get other viewpoints on topics and reach more students with their programming.

“I think like collaborating with PERIOD has been really beneficial, just because I think it gets also like a new perspective whenever we do an event, just because it’s like a different group of people coming to the events and working with us and it’s a great way for like students to interact and like learn more about different clubs,” Nehme said.

Being part of this organization has helped members like Sarah Nice become more aware of the issues that students who are parents face.

“We’re in college, and at the age that we are, we’re focused on getting good

grades and trying to develop ourselves into the next steps after college, and we don’t necessarily always think about the world around us and the people around us,” said Nice, a senior neuroscience major.

Going forward, YEMSA hopes to continue partnering with other organizations like PERIOD and sororities on campus to expand their relationships with both local and Temple organizations.

“I would love to see YEMSA partner with more organizations on campus, I think building community relationships is always very important, especially being in local Philadelphia, I think it’s a great opportunity for Temple University to also collaborate with organizations that are off campus as well,” Ag said.

duay.augustine@temple.edu

YEMSA hosts hygiene drives and panels to grow maternal support and youth education.

YOUTH EDUCATION AND MATERNAL SUPPORT ASSOCIATION / COURTESY

FRUIT WORD SEARCH

SPRING CROSSWORD

Find all the words hidden in the across, down, and diagonally, with backwards.

APPLE ORANGE PEACH MANGO PEAR

STRAWBERRY WATERMELON BANANA GRAPES PINEAPPLE

DOWN:

1. These plants begin to show their colors in the Spring.

3. Many seniors and graduate students look forward to this major event that takes place in Spring.

4. A powdery substance that triggers allergies during the Spring.

6. The animal synonymous with Easter.

ACROSS:

2. A holiday that coincides with the arrival of spring and is celebrated with candy-filled egg hunts.

4. A holiday typically celebrated through food, like Matzah, and family-oriented festivities.

5. The month of the year that is central to the Spring season.

6. A place on campus students relax when the weather gets warm.

7. A fun way to enjoy warmer days outdoors with food, drinks and friends.

8. During the early days of Spring, this four-letter weather pattern is incredibly common.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

March proves Temple still has a future in the AAC

Four new conference rivals had postseason success as the Owls brought in their own new coach.

BY JAVON EDMONDS Assistant Sports Editor

When Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston announced they’d be leaving the American Athletic Conference to join the Big 12 in 2023, Temple fans thought the Owls would soon be out of place.

The conference was losing one of Temple’s long-time rivals in Cincinnati, its best basketball program of the past decade in Houston and a 2019 NCAA Tournament team in UCF.

Temple, historically a basketball school under coaches like Harry Litwack, John Chaney and Fran Dunphy, was seemingly stuck in a conference with one regional rival in East Carolina and a bad basketball future.

Owls fans doubled down in their belief of being out of place – at least basketball-wise – in October 2021 when The American announced the addition of six teams from the weaker Conference USA: Alabama-Birmingham, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice and Texas-San Antonio.

At the time of the announcement, UNT only had four tournament appearances in its program’s history. FAU had one in 2002 before ending its drought this year, and Charlotte made an appearance three years later. UTSA has only gone dancing four times, most recently in 2011, with UAB appearing in 2015. Rice hasn’t qualified since its fourth ever in 1970.

Each of those schools were known for football, which AAC commissioner Mike Aresco acknowledged when introducing them to the league.

Aresco has previously mentioned that the AAC teams were primarily in football hotbeds, but the schools still provided good basketball. However, football is looked to for conference success, Aresco said.

Fast forward to this past March, and

the narrative about The American’s future has completely changed.

Charlotte won the College Basketball Invitational, UNT beat UAB –the 2022 C-USA representative in the NCAA Tournament – in the National Invitational Tournament championship game and FAU made it to the Final Four in the big dance.

Only one player on FAU’s roster is ineligible to return next season. Of the players eligible to return, all but three have two years of eligibility remaining, giving the team a fighting chance to run it back for years to come

However, FAU wasn’t the only team with a connection to Temple in the Final Four. On the other side of the bracket was Miami, making its first-ever Final Four appearance.

In their second season since new Temple head coach Adam Fisher’s departure, the Hurricanes have been led, in part, by two of Fisher’s recruits: Isaiah Wong, 2018 Philadelphia Catholic League champion from Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic

High School Isaiah Wong, and Nisine “Wooga” Poplar, 2020 Philadelphia Public League Champion at Mathematics, Civics, and Sciences Charter School.

During former head coach Aaron McKie’s tenure, Temple struggled to successfully recruit players from the Philadelphia area. However, Fisher didn’t have that problem at either Miami or Penn State.

While at Miami, Fisher helped the Hurricanes build their program with players from the Philadelphia area.

In 2017, former Princeton Day School guard Davon Reed was drafted 32nd overall by the Phoenix Suns. The next year, former Reading High School guard Lonnie Walker IV was selected 18th overall by the San Antonio Spurs.

Considering Temple has only had two players selected in the NBA Draft since 2006, supporters of the program will be pleased to see that type of recruiting success coming to North Philly.

At Penn State, Fisher helped the Nittany Lions recruit its best-ever class for the 2022-23 season — which includ-

ed Jameel Brown, a two-time Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association champion, and Demetrius Lilley, a two-time Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association champion.

The Nittany Lions had another top30 recruiting class for 2023-24 – a first in the program’s history. However, several of their recruits either decommitted or asked out of their letters of intent when former Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry left for Notre Dame on March 22, and Fisher left for Temple.

Now, Temple has two postseason tournament champions, an NIT runner-up and a Final Four team that lost on a buzzer-beater joining its conference, and a head coach that specializes in the program’s biggest weakness taking the reins of its program.

Temple University may have lost its president on Friday, but its basketball team just gained a sense of direction.

javon.edmonds@temple.edu @javonedmonds45

ROBERT JOSEPH CRUZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS

With the incoming AAC basketball teams having postseason success, Temple Men’s Basketball may have a future in the American Athletic Conference.

FOOTBALL

Owls looking to earn professional opportunities

The

BY SAMUEL O’NEAL Assistant Sports Editor

Temple offensive lineman Adam Klein was scrolling through his Twitter feed when he saw a tweet from the USFL account announcing that his teammate and fellow offensive lineman, Isaac Moore, had been selected by the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL draft on Feb. 21.

“I was just scrolling through Twitter and saw Isaac got drafted by the Philadelphia Stars and I was like ‘I wonder if he knows?’” Klein said. “I figured he would have gotten a call earlier in the day but I texted him and was like ‘You know you just got drafted, right?’ and he was like ‘No, I had no idea.’”

Moore and wide receiver Jose Barbon both have a chance to be on a professional roster for training camp this summer. For Moore, the USFL draft selection will not deter him from continuing to pursue his NFL dreams.

If Barbon or Moore are selected in April’s NFL draft, it would be the first time a Temple player has been drafted since 2020, when former players Matt Hennessy, Harrison Hand, Shaun Bradley and Chapelle Russell were chosen.

Putting players back in the NFL regularly would be a significant accomplishment for a program that has struggled to get back to the nationally recognized level it reached under former head coaches Matt Rhule and Geoff Collins between 2015 and 2018.

Barbon, whose agents have told him he could be drafted as high as the fourth round in the NFL Draft, turned heads during Temple’s pro day on March 22. Barbon’s unofficial 40-yard dash time was 4.47 seconds but scouts told him they clocked him at an even more impressive time, he said.

“They had told me I ran a 4.3 on the first one and then on the second one it was a 4.45,” Barbon said.

Barbon did not earn much playing time under former head coach Rod Car-

ey. After recording just 26 catches during his first two seasons, Barbon caught 40 balls for 440 yards in 2021.

With a quarterback upgrade in E.J. Warner and a more pass-heavy offense under Stan Drayton, Barbon enjoyed a breakout senior season, racking up 918 yards and two touchdowns. His 72 receptions were tied for the 28th most in the country.

Getting to the NFL is still Moore’s ultimate goal, but being selected in the USFL draft gave him peace of mind regarding his future in the United States.

Moore, an Örebro, Sweden native, is in the U.S. on a student visa and would be required to leave the country after graduating if he was not drafted by the Stars. The selection allows him to stay in the country on a work visa and continue his football career.

“It means I can legally stay in America and play football,” Moore said. “No matter what happens, I can still stay in

the country legally and then play football so I’m excited.”

When Moore arrived in Philadelphia from Sweden as a freshman in 2018, Moore was still learning how to play the game. He credits Temple offensive line coach Chris Wiesehan for helping turn him into a professional prospect.

It was through Wiesehan’s coaching that Moore developed into a five-time letterwinner and single-digit player for the Owls, Moore said.

“Coming from Sweden I was really raw,” Moore said. “Football is so different from overseas so I’d say you don’t have to bend them into shape but I had to take my lumps so to say. When I came here, I didn’t know the speed, I didn’t know the technical stuff and then [Wiesehan] really taught me the basics and from that I just took it.”

If Barbon and Moore are able to advance to the next level, it could lead to Temple having more leverage during

negotiations with future recruits. The Owls had some of their best recruiting classes in program history when they were regularly putting players in the NFL like Haason Reddick, Matt Ioannidis, Tyler Matakevich and Dion Dawkins under Rhule and Collins.

If they aren’t selected, Moore and Barbon can sign to an NFL team as undrafted free agents following the draft. The move would allow them to attend a team’s training camp with the possibility to play in preseason and give them the opportunity to earn a spot on a squad’s 53-man regular season roster.

“I showed [the scouts] that I’m a hard worker hopefully,” Moore said. “I’m pretty quick in change of direction and I’m really excited to just start working, for real.”

samuel.oneal@temple.edu @samueloneal43

Temple Football players could both be on NFL rosters or USFL training camps.

EARL KUFEN / THE TEMPLE NEWS If Barbon or Moore are selected in April’s NFL draft, it would be the first time a Temple player has been drafted since 2020.

Temple fencer feels she belongs among the best

BY COLIN SCHOFIELD For The Temple News

When sophomore foilist Anna Novoseltseva walked into Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, home of the 2023 NCAA Fencing Championships, she knew that she belonged on the biggest stage, among the best of the best.

The competition was the second appearance for Novoseltseva at the NCAA championships, an impressive feat for a fencer who is only in their sophomore year.

At the 2023 NCAAs, Novoseltseva finished No. 22 after she won six bouts. While it may seem like it was a similar performance to last year, where she won six bouts and finished No. 21, the competition was a success in Novoseltseva’s eyes because of the effort she put in.

“I worked really hard to get there and I’m happy I made it the second year,” Novoseltseva said. “It proves that I do belong instead of last year. I’m thinking, ‘Was it a lucky shot?’ But this year I’m like ‘Yeah, I do belong here.’”

Returning for a second year with a sense of belonging and knowing what to expect helped Novoseltseva’s confidence and made her feel much more comfortable during the bouts.

“Last year I really didn’t know what to expect, but this year I had an idea of how much pressure was going to be put on me,” Novoseltseva said. “I came in more confident and I was happy I went last year so I could know what to expect.”

Temple head coach Jennie Salmon saw Novoseltseva last year at the NCAAs and knew of her when she took the head coaching position, but was still amazed by the attitude and skill that Novoseltseva possessed.

“I knew what a strong athlete she was and she was a very strong athlete for the program,” Salmon said. “It was very impressive what she did, qualifying through the mid-atlantic region is right now the hardest to qualify through and

to see her accomplish that two years in a row is really impressive.”

Novoseltseva’s motivation can be attributed in large part to her older sister, Liza Novoseltseva, who is a junior foilist on Temple Fencing.

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the sisters’ bond strengthened as they competed in club fencing against each other, making each other better fencers every day.

They both began fencing around the same time and Anna eventually committed to Temple because Liza was already there.

Her older sister, who has slightly more experience on the collegiate level, has helped Anna because she has someone to look to for advice.

“When Anna came in her first year, I kind of just let her know what to expect, what to be careful of and just the whole atmosphere of college fencing because it is so different from club,” Liza said.

Anna and Liza already have a very strong bond as sisters that only grows while competing on the same team. Both of them are foilists and Liza is the squad leader for that sword, meaning they spend a lot of practice directly competing and learning from one another.

The sisters are not only each other’s biggest competitors on the strip, they’re also each other’s biggest supporters.

Liza has failed to qualify for the NCAAs for the last two years, but that has not stopped her from being the biggest Anna fan there is. From waking up at 6 a.m. to watch Anna’s bouts, or screaming in the library at her computer screen, Liza is always supporting Anna.

“I felt like she had a really big impact on me the last two years because I could look at my phone and see a nice message and I could take her advice and put it into my next bout,” Anna said. “It was like she was there with me which was really nice.”

With two years left to compete and at least one more with her sister, Novoseltseva has very high expectations for herself and feels positive pressure from her teammates.

“I want to make it back to NCAAs and do better than I did the first two years,” Novoseltseva said. “I feel like I didn’t live up to my own expectations so I hope to do better. I want to keep working towards All-American.”

colin.schofield@temple.edu @colinschofield9

COURTESY / ANDREW KIM

Anna Novoseltseva placed No. 22 in the 2023 NCAA fencing championships.

CREW

From roots of tragedy, professor gives back to Crew

Scott Gratson’s connection with crew fueled him to donate a boat, and advice, to the team.

BY RYAN MACK For The Temple News

When Scott Gratson visited a friend at Durham University in England in 1989, he did not plan to fall in love with crew. But after watching his friend, who was on the school’s team, roll on the river, he quickly became a fan. Despite not being athletic himself, Gratson enjoyed the competition his friend introduced him to.

“I was fascinated by crew,” said Gratson, Temple’s director of communication studies at the Klein College of Media and Communication. “Just thought it was the most intriguing sport.”

Fast forward several years later, his friend tragically died of suicide, pushing Gratson to carry on his memory through their shared passion for the sport.

Sports bring people of different backgrounds together and that’s exact-

CONTINUED FROM 24 TEMPLE ATHLETICS

With Temple Athletics undergoing significant change during the past year following the arrival of Vice President and Director of Athletics Arthur Johnson, Jordan’s role at Temple is as crucial as ever. By performing the duties of a top liaison, he is at the forefront of the relationship between the athletic department and university administration.

Jordan, who is also a sports recreation and management professor at Temple, has even taught some of his current coworkers in his classes.

“Jeremy and I started at Temple around the same time,” said Kristy Bannon, executive senior athletic director for compliance and student affairs. “He was actually my first professor that I had in grad school. We go back a very long time.”

Jordan’s pride in Temple Athletics and sports business research led him to

ly what crew did for Gratson, who has mentored many students who are on the Temple Men’s Crew team.

Gratson frequently attends Temple Men’s Crew regattas and tournaments and speaks one-on-one with many members of the team about their lives. He then took his appreciation for the sport to the next level by donating money for a boat after flooding from Hurricane Ida affected the program in 2021.

Temple Athletics will hold a dedication event for Gratson and the boat on April 29 at the East Park Canoe House. He named the boat, “Gratson (The Professor),” and had it designed as a unicorn, Scotland’s national animal which is also associated with the LGBTQ+ community.

Almost a year and a half ago, the hurricane struck Philadelphia, flooding the city’s major roadways and leaving the team’s boathouse and many of their boats destroyed.

Nothing could have prepared the team for this adversity. Not the 5 a.m. wake-up calls, the rush to get to class

co-found Temple’s Sports Industry Research Center in 2008. The center has united sports and business at the university and connected many students to companies and networking events, like the National Football League and Philadelphia Marathon Weekend.

The main reason he is so active in the NCAA is the students themselves.

“Being Faculty Athletic Rep gives me a reason to continue to engage with students,” Jordan said. “It’s fun to see students grow and develop and see them experience success.”

The American Athletic Conference nominated Jordan for his role on the infractions committee because of his long standing knowledge of college athletics. Yet even on a local scale, Jordan aims to enhance Temple students’ experience by connecting faculty members and students.

A major part of Jordan’s role as faculty athletics representative is to align the educational and athletic departments. As a liaison between the different

after practice or even even the regattas that they race during the spring.

While hardships may have hurt the team’s morale, the members went to the boathouse to clean up the damage instead, making them more grateful for their teammates and coaches while reigniting their determination to rebuild.

“We have to just take the opportunity we have right now,” said junior crew member Brandon Van Vuuren. “Having to see the boathouse in the shape it was in after the hurricane and building it back up and coming back from it, I think it like speaks to the team’s resiliency, you know.”

Gratson attending team races and donating has helped form a bond that extends beyond the sport as many crewmates now stop by his office to talk.

“I think I had a very engaging conversation with him,” said senior crew member Kenneth Raynor. “We actually met up about three weeks after that to continue chatting, so I’ve had very pleasant experiences with him.”

Gratson is known for taking time to

groups, Jordan communicates daily with many of Temple’s key administrators about strategies to improve the student athlete experience between different departments.

Jordan is once again providing the bridge between business, sport and education while fulfilling the liaison role he sought for years with pride, he said.

“Jeremy is just a phenomenal resource for Temple,” said Justin Miller, executive senior athletic director and chief of staff. “He’s passionate about the student athlete experience, he’s passionate about all that Temple has to offer.”

Even though Temple is in a big city and a key state for college athletics, the university’s idea of the student athlete experience serves as a recruiting mechanism for every sport.

Although he will have a lot of reading on his plate for a while, Jordan’s goals for Temple come first, and it all begins with connecting people.

“If a school or college or department or faculty member has an idea or an issue

speak with members of the student body, but through his history and connection with crew, he felt a certain compassion for these student-athletes.

The relationship is the first time a faculty member has formed a close connection or sponsorship with the crew team, a testament to the role that the sport has played in Gratson’s life, Van Vuuren said.

“That connection that Gratson made years ago planted the seeds for the tree that blossomed into an incredible relationship with the crew team that we hope goes on for as long as it can,” Van Vuuren said.

ryan.mack@temple.edu

and it’s helpful to connect with athletics, how can I support that,” Jordan said. “Or if athletics has an idea or an issue, how can I connect them across campus, how can I help student athletes understand opportunities available at Temple.”

nicholas.gangewere@temple.edu @nick_gang16

JORDAN’S DEVOTION FUELS DEVELOPMENT

BY NICK GANGEWERE Sports Editor

As Temple University’s faculty athletics representative, Jeremy Jordan’s daily tasks include lots of reading and communicating with key university stakeholders. However, he soon realized he had hours of rules and regulations analysis in his near future on top of his already-heavy workload.

While he is still adjusting to the concept, Jordan’s devotion to the university and NCAA keeps him motivated.

“It was a surprise to be honest,” Jordan said. “I didn’t think that they would pick me, but I am

happy that they did, and I am excited about the opportunity. I’m a little nervous about the work, but we’ll figure that out.”

His pride for Temple Athletics had blossomed into a role on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, one of college athletics’ most important boards.

Jordan was named to the committee last month and will serve through Aug. 31, 2025, when his term ends. This independent administrative body helps decide infraction cases involving NCAA teams, faculty and athletes. The body also oversees typical problems rel-

ated to athlete eligibility and other conduct breaches.

As Name, Image and Likeness takes college programs by storm, Jordan’s role on the infractions committee helps schools, like Temple, because he has an inside understanding of the NIL regulations for athletes.

Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Jeremy Jordan’s passion for business and sports has led to his role on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.

CARA KISHTER / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple Faculty Athletics Representative Jeremy Jordan will serve on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions through Aug. 31, 2025.

TEMPLE ATHLETICS | 24