9.24 FINAL PRINT

THE TEMPLE NEWS

“UNJUST SICK LEAVE” The Temple News’ Opinion Editor argues Temple should meet TAUP’s demands on an improved sick leave policy even after a tentative contract agreement.

VOL 103 // ISSUE 3 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

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The Temple News

THE TEMPLE NEWS A watchdog for the Temple University community since 1921.

Samuel O’Neal Editor-in-Chief Sidney Rochnik Managing Editor Claire Zeffer Managing Editor Anna Augustine Co-Chief Copy Editor Valeria Uribe Co-Chief Copy Editor Evelyn Blower News Editor Nurbanu Sahin Assistant News Editor Samantha Morgan Assistant News Editor McCaillaigh Rouse Opinion Editor Bradley McEntee Assistant Opinion Editor Bayleh Alexander Features Editor Mike Nonnemaker Assistant Features Editor Jadon George Features Staff Writer Ryan Mack Sports Editor Colin Schofield Assistant Sports Editor Sienna Conaghan Assistant Sports Editor Jaison Nieves Sports Social Media Manager Allison Beck Investigations Editor Julia Anderson Director of Audience Engagement Oliver Economidis Public Engagement Coordinator Isabella Farrow Audience Engagement Editor Rai Ganesan Audience Engagement Editor Jack Larson Photo Editor Jared Tatz Assistant Photo Editor Noel Chacko Staff Photographer Kajsa Morse Multimedia Editor Ava Campbell Assistant Multimedia Editor Lyndsey Griswold Print Design Editor Juan Colon Graphic Design Editor Ava Fitzgerald Data Editor Pablo Rouco Podcast Editor Anna Rowland Newsletter Editor Ashley Gideon Web Editor Lolade Kola-Adewuyi Advertising Manager Matthew Eaton Advertising Manager Daivik Bewtra Business Manager

Follow us @TheTempleNews

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.

FERNANDO GAXIOLA & LYNDSEY GRISWOLD/ THE TEMPLE NEWS

Contacts Visit us online at temple-news.com Email section staff news@temple-news.com letters@temple-news.com features@temple-news.com sports@temple-news.com The Temple News is located at: Student Center, Room 243 1755 N. 13th St. Philadelphia, PA 19122

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 Samuel O’Neal at editor@temple-news.com.

The Temple News

NEWS

PAGE 3

CAMPUS

“10 means 10” campaign becomes TAUP priority Temple and TAUP settled on a tentative agreement that doesn’t include revised sick leave.

BY NURBANU SAHIN Assistant News Editor

T

he Temple Association of University Professionals reached a tentative agreement with the university on Sept. 16 after 33 negotiation sessions that spanned almost a year.

The parties signed the agreement after TAUP negotiators presented Temple with their version of the contract. The tentative agreement did not include a revised sick leave policy, the key sticking point that prolonged negotiations.

TAUP remains committed to improving the policy despite the agreement.

“I’m very happy with where the tentative agreement is,” said Jeffrey Doshna, president of TAUP. “I’m confident that the union’s executive committee will endorse it when it meets [this] week, and that when it’s put to the full dues-paying membership for ratification it will pass.”

The agreement outlines a five-year long contract between the university and TAUP. Union membership and Temple’s Board of Trustees will vote to ratify it this week. The TA will not go into effect until ratified by both sides. From the day the table team signs the agreement to the vote, the ratification process takes approximately 30 days.

Recent tentative agreements between Temple and other unions have failed in the ratification phase. In February 2023, after reaching their first agreement with the university, 92% of the Temple University Graduate Student Association voted to reject their TA. TUGSA ratified their second agreement a month later.

“I think it’s a great agreement for both sides,” said Sharon Boyle, vice president of human resources. “I think every part of [TAUP] got a little something out of it. I think it’s a great agreement for the university too.”

The agreement achieved historic

wins for the union, including increased wages, extended bereavement leave and improvements in job security. Raises across the board have been less than three percent since 1990.

TAUP still hopes to resolve other sections of leave not included in the agreement. The union wants to tackle getting more full-time faculty hired as well as secure days off for faculty on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.

The university does not get days off on federal holidays, so MLK Day is treated as a regular working day, according to the university website. However, other unions at Temple, like Service Employees International Union/Brotherhood of University Employees Local 612, are given a paid holiday on MLK Day and are entitled to take that day off. There is no information listed about Juneteenth.

Sick leave has been one of TAUP’s recurring demands throughout negotiations. The union launched the “10 means 10” campaign to gather members and outside supporters, including political allies, on board to achieve their goal of using all ten sick days.

Temple allows 10 sick days per year, but TAUP claims faculty is disciplined after they use five. The union decided to separate the issue from their demands in job security and wage increases following support from non-bargaining employees, faculty, alumni and students.

The next step is to engage other unions on campus as well as elected officials in city and state government to fix the policy, Doshna said.

Temple administration held their ground that the policy affects not only the union but every single member at the university. Changing the policy means the university would either have to implement two different sick leave policies or rewrite the policy for everyone to be fair, Boyle said.

The current sick leave policy only applies to full-time employees.

“It’s twofold,” Boyle said. “[The sick leave rule] allows the university to manage attendance and also encourage accrual of sick time, so if somebody ever

JARED TATZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple outlined a five-year long contract with TAUP to be ratified this week.

has a long-term illness, they can use their sick time to cover all their pay and benefits during that time, and they also have available things like [Family and Medical Leave Act] and other leaves of absence during that time.”

TAUP is concerned about the discipline processes after someone used five of their 10 sick days. This “verbal and general counseling” includes conversations with the employee, Boyle said.

Current city policy states that sick leave, paid and unpaid, is mandated by law. An employer cannot retaliate against an employee who uses their provided leave. If this occurs, the employee can file a sick leave complaint form to report a violation of the law.

The Temple employee manual states “employees are cautioned to use their sick days sparingly.” The university may also ask for any necessary documentation. No additional information is listed on any Temple platforms regarding the different steps of punishment in sick

leave cases.

“When you’re brought in by your boss and told of a policy about discipline for taking sick days, that has a chilling effect,” Doshna said. “And it means that when you’re sick and you are deciding, ‘Do I come into work? Do I not come into work? Do I take the time to heal?’” nurbanu@temple.edu @nurbanusahinn

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NEWS

The Temple News

EDUCATION

Questions arise as UArts redirects endowment Now-bankrupt UArts originally filed a petition for Temple to receive 44% of their endowment.

BY SAMANTHA MORGAN Assistant News Editor Since the University of the Arts’ abrupt closure in June, questions have emerged regarding the allocation of its remaining funds, and how much money could end up going to Temple.

UArts proposed that 44% of the funds, approximately $27.2 million of the $63 million total, go to Temple in a petition filed in Orphans’ Court. The petition requested for the money to be used as scholarship money for transfer students from UArts and toward the continued education of the arts. UArts has since also filed for bankruptcy.

“Temple wants to get a portion of the endowment because we took roughly 360 of the University of the Arts’ students,” said Ken Kaiser, senior vice president and chief operating officer. “And the endowment’s purpose is to support the arts, to support the students, so it would make sense that we would get a piece of it.”

The petition requested the most money go to Temple, which took in the most transfer students from UArts. The next biggest portions of the endowment would go to Moore College of Art and Design and Drexel University.

Temple has supported UArts students by adding additional majors, like animation, expedited application processes and offered expedited degrees for the transfer students, Kaiser said.

The Hamilton Family Trust, a private family trust which provides funding for a variety of educational programs across Philadelphia, barred Temple from acquiring UArts in August.

Francis J. Mirabello, a trustee of the Hamilton Family Trust, said the family made it clear that they did not approve of their money coming to Temple, The

OLIVER ECONOMIDIS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Concerns emerged in how University of the Arts plans to allocate their funds.

Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The Hamilton Family Trust contributed roughly half of the $63 million endowment to UArts.

Along with this major donor, the UArts faculty and staff union also do not want the endowment coming to Temple.

“While these funds could bring much needed support to institutions of higher education in Philadelphia and beyond, their primary use should be in repairing the damage done to the hundreds of workers and their families who have yet to receive the payments they are owed

by UArts,” wrote a spokesperson for the United Academics of Philadelphia, the labor union representing UArts’ faculty, in a statement to The Temple News.

Kaiser said that if the money comes to Temple, the funds will be used in the manner donors intended — to support transferred UArts students.

Since UArts filed for bankruptcy, UAP wrote that if the UArts Board continues to neglect the needs of their union they will “fight to make UAP members

whole using every legal avenue available.”

The timeline of the endowment remains uncertain alongside UArts’ bankruptcy and the conflicting visions for the money.

“I don’t know the timing of it or ultimately what will happen,” Kaiser said. “I feel confident we will get some portion of the endowment, I just don’t know when or how much.”

Zoe Hollander, a senior musical theater major, transferred to Temple after UArts’ closure. She said UArts has not kept students informed regarding where the funds are going.

“I have not heard anything about finances,” Hollander said. “The only things that we heard from the university were back in June when we were told that all of our scholarships would be matched through the teach-out agreement.”

Hollander said students did not hear about the teach-out agreement, a statement from UArts to its students about what universities were accepting trans-

fers, until after the closure of UArts.

Hollander also said she is still paying the price of UArts tuition despite the fact that Temple’s tuition is less expensive.

Besides the information in the teach-out agreement, Hollander said UArts students have received minimal support.

“At least in my experience, all of the assistance I got came from the teachers and faculty and the humans, not the institution itself,” Hollander said.

Although it had initially seemed students transferring out of UArts would be given the same value of their merit scholarships in their new schools, this has not been the case, she added.

“I think [the money] should go to students that aren’t receiving their scholarships,” Hollander said. “It should go to the teachers that are out of work and it should go to the union if there’s anything leftover.” samantha.morgan@temple.edu @sammimorgann

The Temple News

NEWS

PAGE 5

CAMPUS

Temple recognized for suicide prevention efforts Temple received a state certification to continue prioritizing mental health.

BY AUBREN VILLASENOR For The Temple News As suicide prevention months nears an end, Temple has been designated as a certified suicide prevention institution by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The classification, which the university received in August, comes after a yearslong investment into student well-being on campus, including the formation of the division of health and wellness, which was created to consolidate several on-campus wellness resources into one area. Only six other Pennsylvania universities share the recognition.

In order to receive the designation, an institution must create and submit a suicide prevention plan containing six requirements outlined by the state. These include 24/7 crisis intervention services, outreach plans to provide mental health services to students in need and, in the event that a student were to take their own life, post-intervention plans to handle the aftermath of an event.

Mark Denys, associate provost of health and well being, stressed that students will never be denied access to mental health resources on campus.

“I will say that the wait time for individual counseling — there is no wait time,” Denys said. “Students are seen the same day or the next day and it’s all free.”

Lindsey Hoffman, president of Temple’s chapter of Active Minds, a student organization focused on promoting wellness and discussing mental health topics, said that part of promoting a positive culture around mental health on campus includes talking about suicide itself and other difficult topics.

“Active Minds has its own suicide prevention program which is called

JACK LARSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple lights the Bell Tower blue for suicide awareness.

‘ASK’,” said Hoffman, a public health major. “‘A’ stands for ‘acknowledge’; ‘S’ stands for ‘support’, and ‘K’ stands for ‘keep in touch’. I think it’s a really great way to implement suicide prevention strategies in your day-to-day life.”

Mental health discussions on campus are especially important in reaching students of color. Within many Asian cultures, mental health issues are often stigmatized, which can lead individuals who may be suffering to attempt to ignore the issue, according to the American Psychology Association.

The COVID-19 pandemic exasperated feelings of loneliness and continues to have its effects today. American adults report feelings of anxiety and depression double as much today compared to before the pandemic, according to the House Pulse Survey, a Census Bureau tool.

Andrew Lee, director of Tuttleman Counseling Services, started All Together, an online peer support program

through Tuttleman. All Together is focused on combating feelings of loneliness, and operates similarly to Reddit, where students who are struggling can make anonymous posts about their situation and hopefully connect with other students in similar situations.

All Together is just one part of the university’s multi-pronged strategy at providing wellness services at every hour.

“We do support even after-hours,” Lee said. “If you call our main number after five o’clock or on weekends, you get connected to our after hours support line. [The crisis line exists] if students need that support at one in the morning, two in the morning, three in the morning, because we know that mental health concerns don’t necessarily follow the [standard business day].”

Hoffman believes one of the challenges students face in accessing resources on campus is learning about the resources available to them.

“I think Temple has done a great job so far with the resources they offer,” Hoffman said. “I think the next step, since they already have the resources in their toolbox, is to get the word out to students and staff and people in the Temple community. I know we are always on our phones and on social media, so I think they can utilize that to get the word out.”

Tuttleman counseling services recently hired a social media manager to help with marketing as one part of the strategy to reach students and address this issue.

“We try a lot of things because I know it’s not just one size fits all,” Denys said. “[For example] we got the Bell Tower highlighted in teal to recognize suicide prevention awareness month.

Hopefully, some students ask the question, ‘Why is the Bell Tower in teal?’ and somebody will answer them.” aubren.villasenor@temple.edu @aaubrenv

PAGE 6

NEWS

The Temple News

ADMINISTRATION

Temple joins Pitt, PSU to save on office supplies The three universities formed a contract to lessen pressure on possibly increasing tuition.

BY EVELYN BLOWER News Editor After Temple’s office supplies contracts expired in late June, the university’s procurement department collaborated with Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh on a joint request for proposal to take advantage of their collective spending on office supplies.

The new proposal will save the three universities 7%, or $400,000, from their previous contracts. The universities’ three contracts expired around the same time, so Temple’s purchasing department decided to open the conversation to the two other state-related universities.

“We’ll oftentimes ask each other, ‘Hey, where are you sourcing this’ or ‘Have you any issues with getting this particular supply?’” said Donna Schweibenz, senior director of purchasing services. “When our university contract was coming up for office supplies, looking at our current contract and how our spend had changed from when originally put the previous contract in place, I didn’t feel confident that we could get a very good volume discount because of the decrease in our spend.”

Schweibenz collaborated directly with Pitt and Penn State when the contracts expired. All three universities are state-related and have received flat state funding since the 2019-20 academic year.

The contract is now between ODP Business Solutions, previously Office Depot Business Solutions, and Supra Office Solutions, a tier one, minority-owned supplier. The Philadelphia-located business, who are a direct supplier for ODP, worked with Pitt for their previous contract.

“Given a time when state funding

JACK LARSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple collaborated with the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University to lower office supply costs.

has been flat for six years, and inflation is high, being able to reduce cost is a victory,” said Ken Kaiser, senior vice president and chief operating officer. “It helps us keep tuition increases as low as possible and allows us to not have to look elsewhere to make cuts to areas that folks may be more interested in.”

Temple has received flat allocations from the state since 2019. The university cut their operating budget by $54 million this year to keep tuition costs down, but they also increased tuition by an average of 4.2% for the 2024-25 year. Pennsylvania is the third-most expensive state for in-state tuition and fees, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Temple’s procurement department hopes to expand the collaboration to other state universities. Any kind of “larger spend” category could be on the table in future joint contracts, Schweibenz said.

Facilities items such as janitorial materials, audio visual equipment or other basic needs don’t differentiate vastly be-

tween universities, so future contracts could include those supplies. “[Schweibenz] kept this in the back of her mind for a couple years when she knew the timing would work out where their contracts would be ending around the same time our contracts were,” said Farrah Al-Mansoor, senior director of finance and administration. “It speaks to the fact that we do keep in touch with other schools, even if we’re not always doing something as official as this, we do have contacts that are helpful.”

The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a bill to create performance-based funding for state universities this summer. Some examples of performance metrics include retention, graduation rates, profiles of students and employment rates. More than 30 states use this type of funding, so Pennsylvania could use performance-based funding to improve their affordability.

ODP Business Solutions and Supra both won out the joint contracts after

Temple had previously worked with Staples Business Advantage and Guy Brown, a minority-owned business from Texas. Each of the bigger supply companies, both ODP and Staples, utilize diversity suppliers in their contracts.

The procurement department is currently scheduling times to look for more opportunities and larger contracts to possibly collaborate again on another RFP. Another collaboration would most likely be on large-spending commodities that all the universities have in common. “[This contract] showed that even though we’re in different areas within the state, we could still work together on providing the goods in this instance that would meet the needs for all three of our universities, and how to do that through one avenue,” Schweibenz said. evelyn.blower@temple.edu @evelyn_blower

The Temple News

EDITORIAL

OPINION

PAGE 7

ESSAY

Students, be good neighbors Breaking barriers through education On Sept. 12, Rachel Stark, the interim associate vice president of student affairs, sent an email to the student body reminding them of the Good Neighbor Initiative.

This initiative was created to encourage Temple students to intentionally build relationships with North Philadelphia residents.

Of the roughly 24,000 undergraduate students at Temple, 19% live in university-affiliated housing while 81% live off campus, U.S. News reported. Many students live in the surrounding area of North Philadelphia, a community filled with families, small businesses and local schools.

The Editorial Board urges Temple students to be mindful of how their presence affects long-time community members. Disruptive behavior including loud noises, improper trash disposal and general inconsiderate treatment of North Central does not reflect a relationship of mutual respect.

Students making a concerted effort to be good neighbors would contribute positively to that plan and help build valuable relationships between Temple students and the community.

With the Temple student population being intermixed with long-time city residents, it’s crucial for students to be respectful of their neighbors’

livelihoods. Although it feels A student reflects on her journey of learning English and gaining like common decency, college confidence in the classroom. students are known for disorderly behavior. t the age of Students can implement six, I was the Good Neighbor Initiative unaware through simple steps like that other languages greeting and introducing existed. Growing up in a Pakistani home, Urdu themselves to surrounding was the only language residents. They should take spoken, so I became acmeasures like assisting an customed to my family’s elderly neighbor or shovculture. I was so attuned eling snow off a neighbor’s to my surroundings, BY WANIA IRFAN which brought me a sidewalk. Other actions like For The Temple News strong sense of familparticipating in community iarity. cleanups and engaging with As a child, I had a the block captain can promote routine my parents made me follow every day: healthy relationships between wake up at 10 a.m., have breakfast, practice math or the alphabet and go on with my day. students and community I was unaware that beginning school would members. make me feel so displaced.

Treating Temple’s surMy world expanded when I started kinrounding neighborhood and dergarten. In the classroom, I met my teacher, its residents with respect and a woman with a bright smile who shook my hand to introduce herself. dignity is paramount in emThe only problem was I couldn’t underbodying the Good Neighbor stand the words leaving her mouth. I was alInitiative. Students should be ways taught that giving no reply in a convercognizant of the surroundsation was seen as disrespectful, but when she ing families, children and spoke to me I felt trapped.

I remember clinging to my dad’s leg when permanent residents who he dropped me off on the first day. My nervous will feel the consequences of stomach ache made it hard to stand. their potentially inconsiderate The language barrier created tension and actions. discomfort. Seeing other students make friends The surrounding Temple so easily made me feel lonely because I struggled to do the same. It also made me miss my neighborhoods should be parents because they were the only ones I could treated the same as a stutalk to in my native language. dent’s hometown. Students I was placed in an English as a Second Lanmay only spend four years in guage class. During the first few weeks of ESL, I Philadelphia, but their actions remained quiet and refused to speak to anyone.

The initial encounters felt awkward despite can leave a lasting impact. how easy going our teacher tried to make it. I How students choose to felt like I was just never going to learn. interact with North Central As time passed, the adjustment process will decide if they will have a became easier. My teachers’ consistent efforts negative or positive impact in to make the classroom feel as comfortable as possible worked. I began learning English, and the community.

A

I better understood the school environment.

Eventually, I started to create friendships, and the more people I met, the more confident I became.

After kindergarten, I woke up every day excited to go to school. Elementary, middle and high school were all similar and I was comfortable with the consistency and structure it provided. I had a tight-knit group of friends and grades that I was happy with, and I did what I could to get involved in different clubs and activities.

School was not something I dreaded until my first semester at Temple this fall. The transition to college meant being far from home and navigating my newfound independence, academics, meeting new people and learning how to be a functional adult. It hit me all at once and I felt overwhelmed. All I wanted to do was cling to my dad’s leg again.

When I began college, I was flooded with memories of beginning kindergarten and the unnerving feeling of free-falling into a completely different world.

Although Temple made efforts to welcomenew students with events like Welcome Week, I knew my fears would remain until I experienced everything for myself. The idea of putting myself out there was stressful, but other freshmen being in the same situation brought some comfort.

I understood not taking chances meant missing out, and college was the ideal place to begin exploring opportunities. The anxiety I felt was strong but I knew that going to college is something that most people don’t get the luxury of doing.

I still approach things with so much fright built up inside of me. I have spent so much time trying to keep level-headed but confusion, fear and worry are more difficult to control. I realized in high school that I’m bound to experience new things all the time. A thought that kept me going was that if I’ve been able to overcome past challenges what’s stopping me from doing it now?

As my college journey continues, I find myself settling in. The adjustment process is still ongoing, but striving toward this goal has been both validating and productive. It goes to show that regardless of any situation that might seem problematic and overwhelming at first, in the end, it will always be okay. wania.irfan@temple.edu

PAGE 8

OPINION

The Temple News

STUDENT LIFE

Students, school yourselves on “Abbott Elementary” A student urges their peers to watch ”Abbott Elementary” to Currently, the Philadelphia School learn about public schools.

District is facing classroom overpopulaBY BRADLEY MCENTEE Assistant Opinion Editor The Emmy Award-winning sitcom “Abbott Elementary” humorously follows teachers of an underfunded Philadelphia elementary school, working as a window into the city’s public education system. Through classic satirical exaggerations, “Abbott Elementary” effectively relays Philadelphia schools’ infrastructure issues and the lack of resources for underprivileged students.

Leanne Bradshaw just started her mandatory practicum at a Philadelphia elementary school. She assists classroom teachers once a week, and in her limited exposure to that environment, she finds “Abbott Elementary” is an accurate representation of many aspects of public education.

“I’ve seen a couple of episodes,” said Bradshaw, a junior early childhood education major. “I feel like what I’ve seen it’s accurate. It’s very chaotic, and I feel they do that well.”

“Abbott Elementary,” created by and starring Temple alumna Quinta Brunson, provides crucial insights into the Philadelphia School District like no other television show does. Temple students who are required to attend in-person practicums or student teaching programs should tune into “Abbott Elementary” to understand the most common issues Philadelphia educators face.

The show is also beneficial for students to learn more about Philadelphia public schools and gain a better appreciation for local education.

While it’s important for students to learn from “Abbott Elementary,” a full understanding of teachers’ livelihoods can not be fully grasped by a TV show.

Knowing the truth about Philadelphia public schools comes only with lived experience. But a show like “Abbott Elementary” may offer crucial insight to help students succeed.

tion. Northeast High School has an enrollment of roughly 3,200 students, with a capacity for only 2,100 students, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

In season two, episode three, recurring character and veteran teacher Melissa Schemmenti learns she is now responsible for teaching two grades in one classroom. It’s an exaggeration of the overpopulation crisis, but it effectively relays how overwhelming it can be for teachers to control an overfilled classroom with limited resources.

Adam Thomas, a third-grade teacher in a Northeast Philadelphia elementary school, notices the increase in students and finds it’s beginning to hinder teaching efficiency.

“Managing five or 10 more people in your room than what is maybe typical of a classroom, it just makes everything take longer and it just makes everything more difficult,” Thomas said.

Overcrowding is one of the many broad issues that “Abbott Elementary” covers consistently. Other episodes reference facility issues, like in the episode “Light Bulb,” or the lack of funding for student programs, like in the episode “Gifted Program.”

Episodes like these are important for students to watch regardless of their hyperbolic portrayal of these issues. They relay common struggles both students and faculty in Philadelphia have to endure in a way that’s easy to understand.

Julie Philips, an elementary English for Speakers of Other Languages teacher in Northeast Philadelphia, says that while “Abbott Elementary” is fun to watch, there are other cultural issues that aren’t explored. She specifically points to the influx of ESOL students and the lack of resources schools have to tend to their educational needs.

“We’re up to six full-time [ESOL teachers], like one for each grade,” Phillips said. “I really think even at our school, we need two for each grade.”

JUAN COLON / THE TEMPLE NEWS

Systemic issues like the lack of certified staff for ESOL teachers are beyond the scope of “Abbott Elementary.” However, students who will work in Philadelphia education may be able to garner advice from the show’s characters.

The ability to problem solve is central to being an educator, and students can learn unique solutions to their specific problems from the teachers at Abbott. For example, the episode “Festival” details the teachers’ creative attempts to gather parent signatures to prevent their school from becoming a charter.

Students looking to work in Philadelphia schools can gather invaluable advice and lessons in resilience and communication from the characters and plot lines in “Abbott Elementary.”

“I feel like our diversity and just the amount of different people with differ-

ent experiences that come into these buildings every day,” Thomas said. “And if you have the right mindset and the right lens that you’re looking at that through, it can be our greatest strength.”

Nobody should turn to a television sitcom for complete advice or guidance.

But shows like “Abbott Elementary” can be of great value for students looking to work in public education and those who are currently participating in practicum or student teaching. It showcases the grit of a career in public education, but doesn’t shy away from how someone can turn the frustrations of working in the Philadelphia School District into an experience of growth. bradley.mcentee@temple.edu

The Temple News

OPINION

PAGE 9

ADMINISTRATION

Temple should amend its unjust sick leave policy A student argues that the ple,” Kassoff wrote in a statement to The university should rewrite the Temple News. current sick leave policy.

The previous TAUP contract stated

BY MCCAILLAIGH ROUSE Opinion Editor On Sept. 16, Temple and the Temple Association of University Professionals reached a tentative five-year contract agreement, addressing increased wages, benefits and heightened job security for non-tenured track and adjunct faculty.

During negotiations, neither party could agree on rewriting the current sick leave policy, which affects TAUP’s librarians, academic professionals and other Temple unions. Temple gives individuals within these groups 10 days of sick leave per year, but TAUP members have come forward on social media claiming they are disciplined after taking only five.

After those five days, employees are met with “informal discipline,” The Temple News reported. This includes a conversation between the employee and the employer, which can make workers fearful of potential termination. Temple doesn’t provide further information regarding the varying levels of punishment for sick leave cases.

TAUP has worked for more than a year to establish fair working conditions for union members. They now face the difficult decision of accepting an agreement that doesn’t overturn a stringent policy to meet the immediate need for pay raises and job security. Temple should implement a better sick leave policy and ensure all faculty, including those in unions, aren’t disciplined for taking sick days.

Evan Kassof, the communications director for TAUP during negotiations, said the fight to change the sick leave policy will include political allies and could impact all of Temple’s faculty.

“We are continuing to work with our political allies in the state legislature and in City Council to look at ways to change this policy – not just for those in our unit, but for every worker at Tem-

that APs and librarians upheld the same sick leave policy as all other university employees. The employee manual states an employee “is cautioned to use sick days sparingly” and is subjected to “progressive discipline” if there is a pattern of abuse or violation of sick leave policy which can lead to an individual being fired.

Sharon Boyle, the vice president of human resources, said if Temple administration changed the sick leave policy for TAUP, they would have to adjust it for the rest of the university’s staff.

“Our sick policy applies to everyone at the university, except for faculty,” Boyle said. “It’s not something that we’re just going to break off a small group of people and just treat them differently than we’re treating, you know, the rest of the university. So, there’s also other implications for, you know, different bargaining units within the university as well.”

Neither the University of Pennsylvania nor Drexel University have disciplinary sick leave policies like Temple’s, so employees aren’t penalized for choosing their wellness over work. Temple should observe how other universities in the Philadelphia area handle and treat employee sick leave, heed the city’s law and create a non-threatening work environment.

In April 2021, Temple Librarian Latanya Jenkins passed away of metastatic breast cancer. Before her passing, Jenkins continued working while ill and undergoing chemotherapy, fearing she would lose her health insurance or her job. Jenkins’ co-workers believe she felt pressured to prioritize work due to the restrictive sick leave policy, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

All union members, including TAUP librarians, aren’t protected from discipline under Philadelphia’s paid sick leave law because it only applies to non-bargaining employees who are full-time, regular part-time or temporary. This

JUAN COLON / THE TEMPLE NEWS

creates a vulnerable work environment where employees aren’t guaranteed their allotted sick days, forcing them to work through afflictions or face potential consequences.

The loss of Jenkins is a tragedy and an example of the dangers of the current sick leave policy. Employees shouldn’t fear losing stable employment and benefits when prioritizing their health. If Temple doesn’t plan to increase sick leave days, they should at least ensure workers aren’t penalized for using their annual 10 days.

Elizabeth Allendoerfer believes the current sick leave policy leaves university workers at a disadvantage by creating an unstable workplace.

“I think it keeps, you know, professors, librarians, whoever, on their back foot in terms of job stability,” said Allendoerfer, a senior history major. “I think

it negatively impacts our school community.”

The current employee manual doesn’t support a caring or healthy work environment. No one should ever have to choose between their well-being and their job. Temple administration must rework the sick leave policy so employees can face unexpected turns and illnesses without fear of termination or discipline. An administration that stands divided from its unioned workers will stand alone. mccaillaigh.rouse@temple.edu

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The Temple News

OPINION

PAGE 11

ESSAY

The one dream that became a two-year nightmare A student reflects on a bad I let my brain convince me of something dream and how it caused years so unrealistic. of sleep deprivation.

For years after, I was plagued with For most of my teenage years, I was afraid of dreaming. It petrified me so much that I deliberately stopped myself from falling into a deep sleep.

When I

By BRADLEY MCENTEE was 12 years old, I dreamt I Assistant Opinion was diagnosed Editor with a terminal illness.

When I woke up the next morning, I convinced myself the dream actually happened and that I was now suffering from a lethal condition.

The stress from this dream stuck with me for almost six years, affecting me into my early adulthood. Dreams about health anxiety aren’t uncommon by any means, but this one felt ominously realistic. Regardless of how absurd it was, the intrusive thoughts from my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder made it impossible to convince myself I was healthy.

Until I was 14, I thought the Grim Reaper was waiting for me around every corner. I became detached from reality and the people closest to me because I didn’t see the point in being positive or hopeful when I thought I was going to die.

Every churn of my stomach, sniffle of my nose or bout of muscle soreness reminded me of my imaginary diagnosis and I would spiral all over again.

It took me two years to snap out of the paranoia. I woke up one morning and never thought about having that illness again. As much as thinking I was sick tormented me, I wasn’t relieved when I realized I was fine. I was ashamed

anxiety over my imagination. I wasn’t concerned about being sick anymore, but because a dream caused my yearslong paranoia, I became afraid of sleeping entirely. So I took it upon myself to sleep in small increments to reduce the chances of dreaming.

Almost every night until I was about 18, I would fight exhaustion and sleep for only three hours, pretending it was enough to make me feel rested. In reality, I was irritable, anxious and unfocused.

I was letting anxieties surrounding an obsessive episode from six years ago control me. As I moved into adulthood, I realized the lack of rest was simply not an option and I had to move on from my past emotions.

When I started college, I vowed to start sleeping regularly which took more commitment than I imagined. My body started playing catch-up and the sleep debt made me feel more tired than I ever had been.

It was shameful because oversleeping is associated with laziness and waking up is considered voluntary. This is true for most, but since I deprived myself of rest for so long, my need for sleep was chronic.

I slept through most of my morning classes and was constantly late for morning shifts at work. I would lie about the reasons I was late or absent because the shame prevented me from being honest.

I felt like I should’ve been in full control of my body and mind, but I wasn’t.

There were inklings of guilt too, because my sleep issues were beginning to affect my work and school life.

In August, my need for sleep dissipated as I rested more. It took almost two years to overcome the anxieties that stemmed from one dream, but reflecting on the last eight years of my life wrestling with sleep deprivation forces me to push forward. I refuse to succumb to the anxiety brought on by dreaming now.

I beat myself down for nearly a decade because of my paranoia and I know now

JUAN COLON / THE TEMPLE NEWS

that it’s not worth it.

My relationship with sleep is still troubled and I haven’t fully recovered from the false memory I created. Unsettling dreams can leave me rattled for days at a time, but I’ve started to welcome sleep’s embrace and expose myself to the realm of dreams.

When I look at old pictures and stare at the cross expressions on my face, I remember how lethargic I was then.

I lacked the vibrancy I have now and I love myself enough now to try and preserve it.

It felt like an eternity getting to 20 years old, but now I’m reincarnated and overjoyed to experience the beauty of life. I don’t let my obsessions manifest in the way they did when I was 12 because it affected me so greatly.

I felt my lack of sleep everywhere in my body. At the height of my sleep depri-

vation, my stomach, muscles, bones and mind were degraded. In this new era, I wanted nothing more than rest, love and prosperity.

As the saying goes, “the body keeps the score,” and I’m determined to outscore it in the second half. bradley.mcentee@temple.edu

LIVE in

Philly

OLIVER ECONOMIDIS / THE TEMPLE NEWS We Are the Seeds hosted their fifth annual festival this weekend at the Cherry Street Pier.

A reunion for Philly’s Indigenous communities We Are the Seeds hosted their drummers sat in the heart of the room recognition by Pennsylvania.

Kristin Lynch stood nearby in the fifth annual festival at Cherry as indigenous vendors from all across Blue Turquoise Rose Trading crowd, awestricken as he flawlessly maStreet Pier this weekend. the country set up along both walls. Each Post, run by KeyAhTahBay KoneTah- neuvered five hoops from the floor into

BY OLIVER ECONOMIDIS Staff Photographer

A

s the Delaware River lapped at its edges, vibrant colors lit up the Cherry Street Pier and each feather, bead and bell caught the eye of everyone in attendance. To any passersby, the bang of the drum and voices singing in harmony was an open invitation to We Are the Seeds Philly, a weekend festival dedicated to Indigenous culture.

The event filled the first floor of the 65,000-square-feet repurposed warehouse with those of Shinnecock, Seminole, Blackfoot, Choctaw, Lakota descent and more. The dance floor and

table was decorated with handmade jewelry, art and more.

Tailinh Agoyo, a descendant of the Narragansett tribe, co-founded We Are the Seeds in 2019 to highlight the oftskipped prologue of Philadelphia’s history.

“When I first moved here, I was kind of amazed that there was so little representation,” Agoyo said. “There’s over 14,000 people who identify as native in Philadelphia, and I know they’re here, we know each other.”

Those 14,000 range from many tribes, but the Lenape have historically resided in Philadelphia. They named the areas of Manayunk, Passyunk, Wisahickin and Kinsissingh — forever living alongside us, despite still struggling for

KoneKeAh TonePahHote Chiaparas and her family, travels all around the country to festivals, returning home for ceremonies in July. “[We Are the Seeds] brings awareness to the population in Pennsylvania,” Chiaparas said, “We’re taught that we’re in history books [and] it’s like we’re not prevalent. [It’s] a great organization [for] bringing awareness and bringing our voice back to the table.”

While Chiaparas sold jewelry, clothes and more at Blue Turquoise Rose’s stand, her son performed a sacred hoop dance for the crowd. Hoop dancing is a prayer dance for numerous indigenous groups, done with five hoops or more that represent different aspects of your life.

a globe.

“I thought that was cool, the significance of everything that they’re doing and how meaningful it all is,” Lynch said.

“I had no idea this was even happening in the city, it was really fascinating to learn about other indigenous tribes that are from the Northeast.”

Agoyo feels grateful for the family We Are the Seeds has built.

“I know when I look back at starting, [from] 2016 to now, there’s been a tangible shift in Philadelphia,” Agoyo said, “We’re not doing it to perform for people. [It’s] ours. Please come share and understand the beauty that we have and [what] our ancestors have passed on to us.” oliver.economidis@temple.edu

From top to bottom: As the sun passed through the windows, dancers were illuminated as they honored their ancestors and the earth.

A younger jingle dancer imitates the steps of an older dancer.

The Powwow dance floor sat in the heart of the Cherry Street Pier, giving audience members plenty of space to watch.

The Blue Turquoise Rose Trading Post sold jewelry and other Indigenous art.

Chiaparas’ son performs the Hoop Dance with five hoops.

The Powwow was led by lead dancers Alana Alexander-Helme (Mashpee Wampanoag, left) and Seneca Spears (Narragansett, right).

OLIVER ECONOMIDIS / THE TEMPLE NEWS

ALL IN GOOD FUN

PAGE 14

Soda Brand Word Search

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The Temple News

Fast Food Crossword

DOWN 2. This chain was the first fast-food restaurant chain to offer dining rooms 5. Chicken nuggets weren’t added to their menu until 1982 6. Their logo was originally based on the roof design of its restaurants 7. This chain’s iconic animal-style burgers were prepared in response to customers’ requests 10. Holds the record for longest TV commercial 12. This restaurant is named after the founder’s daughter

ACROSS 1. When the chain opened in 1962, it offered just five items 3. Uses around 100,000 avocados every day 4. Considered to be the traditional Christmas Eve dinner in Japan 8. Their first location is still in business in Quincy, Massachusetts 9. Delivered food to the International Space Station in 2001 as a promotional stunt 11. Once held the World Record for sandwich making

The Temple News

FEATURES

PAGE 15

AROUND CAMPUS

Peabody to open in November after years of delays The Peabody bar and restaurant variety of campus nightlife. With Pub is set to open by Nov. 4 after two Webb and Maxi’s being the only nightyears of delays. life options for more than 7,500 students

BY BAYLEH ALEXANDER Features Editor

W

hen the COVID-19 pandemic halted campus operations in 2020, the Draught Horse Pub and Grill took a financial blow. Temple students and administration were devastated to see the campus pillar, located on Cecil B. Moore Avenue near Broad Street, boarded up after 20 years of serving the community.

Beginning in November, after nearly four years sans Draught Horse, The Peabody will offer an upscale bar and dining experience reminiscent of what came before.

“The Draught Horse was a staple here on campus,” said Jonathan Reiter, associate vice president of business affairs and administration. “People who graduated twenty years ago remember the Draught Horse. So we really wanted to have alumni twenty years from now talk about The Peabody.”

Glu Hospitality, the managing company for The Peabody and Bagels & Co., partnered with Temple to instate The Peabody as a sports bar as memorable as what used to stand in the now-empty lot.

The bar and restaurant was originally scheduled to open in Fall 2022 but has faced two years of delays and multiple missed scheduled opening dates as Glu prioritized the launch of Bagels & Co. next door.

The Peabody will be a 6,000-squarefoot sports bar and restaurant duo, designed to be a haven for students and faculty to grab a quick bite and watch sports games. With 40 bar seats and 150 dining seats available, the Temple community will have a spacious venue to nosh on American cuisine or sip their signature cocktails.

Students have felt the Draught Horse’s absence in the past four years and called on Temple to offer a wider

living on or near campus, many students think having another bar is necessary.

Emma Lipson, a senior sociology and philosophy double major, recently turned 21 and was looking forward to enjoying the campus bars. However, when she went to Maxi’s for the first time, the crowd size turned her off from making a second visit.

“It was crowded,” Lipson said.

“There’s a lot of people on this campus, and I also saw so many people that I know, and I feel like another bar would have helped to dilute and space out the amount of people so it’s not as concentrated in one space.”

Glu originally worked closely with former President Jason Wingard, hoping to create a better nightlife atmosphere near Main Campus.

In addition to The Peabody, Temple is looking to revitalize the intersection of Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, with plans to introduce new businesses and bring activity back to the area. Reiter hopes bringing in new tenants could bring the block back to life after multiple business closures across campus. “[The Barnes and Noble] is just a vacant piece of real estate right now,” Reiter said. “We put the window wrappings on it that pays tribute to North Philadelphia. But longer term, or even shorter term, we want a tenant or multiple tenants in that space to bring activity to that intersection.”

Reiter describes the creative process for The Peabody as an intentional way to serve the Temple community, rather than a chain store that serves bagels and cream cheese in uniformity. Glu and Temple used the additional two years to tailor The Peabody’s atmosphere to the needs of college students, hoping to build a sports bar that would withstand the test of time. “[The ambiance] was important for us — everything from the name The Peabody, which is in recognition of the

JACK LARSON / THE TEMPLE NEWS The Peabody will open in early November to offer an upscale bar and dining experience.

Peabody residence [hall] that we tore down a couple of years ago,” Reiter said.

“And then customizing the menu for college students, really making sure that things are priced correctly and the offerings are there.”

Students echo these goals and feel another bar on campus is not only necessary for crowd control but for safety concerns as well. Grace Toriello, a senior communication studies major, doesn’t always feel safe going into the city for a night out. The convenience of having a bar within walking distance of her apartment is also compelling.

Many students have continuously expressed their hesitance to utilize public transportation near campus due to fears of harassment. By offering nightlife options on campus, students feel more secure when closer to home.

“I’m always in favor of another bar on campus,” Toriello said. “Because then, people don’t actually have to go very far,

and it’s easier to get home after you go out. And I feel that it’s probably safer.” bayleh.alexander@temple.edu

PAGE 16

FEATURES

The Temple News

EVENTS

Sexyy Red brings tour to The Liacouras Center Kodak Black, Hunxho, Loe Shimmy, BlakeIANA and others joined Sexyy Red on Sept. 20.

BY EVELYN BLOWER News Editor Another “presidential campaign” has come to Temple’s campus. This one courtesy of the hip-hop sensation that’s “slim thick,” has caramel skin, is 5 feet, 5 inches, a “10” and has their hair done and bills paid.

The only difference between this “presidential visit” was the concentration of scantily clad women.

“I thought it was a really great concert, there was lots of a–,” said Margaret Morris, a Delaware native who attended the concert. “But I feel like you need a nice dose of a–.”

Sexyy Red continued her “Sexyy Red 4 President” campaign at an almost sold out Liacouras Center on Sept. 20. The St. Louis-born artist gained popularity after her song “Pound Town” featuring Tay Keith blew up on social media in early 2023.

Sexyy’s performance was accompanied by sets from rappers Hunxho, BlakeIANA and Loe Shimmy. Sexyy also brought out Kodak Black, Philadelphia native KUR and JT from rap duo City Girls as special guests throughout her 90-minute set.

“We liked the concert, but we didn’t like how it took three hours for her to come out and everything,” said Macy Coon, a student at Reading Area Community College who made the trip to Temple’s campus. “I liked the surprises though, my favorite was JT.” The 10,200-capacity arena was full nearly all the way to the top of the stands. Attendees wore merch endorsing her “presidency” or bearing her 2023 album title, “Hood Hottest Princess.”

The three-and-a-half hour extravaganza kicked off with BlakeIANA, another St. Louis native rapper. The crowd was still filing in as she opened up the show, but DJ Fresh from Oakland, California, helped to keep the crowd hyped up during the show and

between sets.

Loe Shimmy took the stage around 8 p.m. for a 30-minute set, inviting people from the crowd to come up and dance as he rapped through some of his discography. Once his hit song “For Me” came on, the slowly filling crowd sang along to the lyrics as he pointed the microphone to the audience.

After Loe Shimmy, DJ C Ka’as hyped up the crowd for Hunxho, a rapper from North Carolina. He accrued fame with the song “Let’s Get It,” released in 2021; rapper 21 Savage rocketed it to fame by hopping on a remix.

The now-full crowd was brimming with excitement as DJ Gotti got the crowd ready for Sexyy.

At 9:45 p.m., Sexyy started her Philadelphia presidential campaign, and “Sexyy 24” letters lit up the video walls, circling the stage in reds and blues reminiscent of the other presidential campaigns that have traversed through The Liacouras Center recently — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump both visited within the last four months.

Sexyy performed some of her hit songs, including “Hellcats SRTs”, an anthem about liking guys with fast cars, “U My Everything,” a slow R&B ballad, and “Shake Yo Dreads.”

The favorites from the crowd included “Get It Sexyy,” her most successful single from her “In Sexyy We Trust” album, and her feature on “Rich Baby Daddy,” her first collaboration with Drake. The track peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top 100 after its 2023 release. The music video garnered attention after Sexyy unexpectedly gave birth to her second child during filming. The song also features singer-songwriter SZA. An unexpected break interrupted the show at around 10 p.m., as the lights fell and DJ Fresh came back on while the crowd waited eagerly for a special guest. But after a short wait, he welcomed Pompano Beach, Florida rapper Kodak Black to the stage. The rapper, adorned in a gold shimmering jacket, had the crowd bumping as soon as he started his set.

COURTESY / AMARIS APONTE Sexxy Red brought her tour to Temple’s campus Friday night with special guest Kodak Black.

Kodak, a guest on Sexyy’s entire US tour, garnered a fanbase by featuring on A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s 2017 hit “Drowning”, as well as 2018’s “ZEZE” featuring Travis Scott and Migos rapper Offset, who visited The Liacouras Center for Owlchella 2024 in April.

As Kodak finished his set after walking through the crowd and the front of house section, Sexyy started to encourage members of the crowd to get ready for a “twerk-off.” Around nine people were invited on stage from the pit, split into two crowds and competing for the best twerk. Four women won the $200 prize.

The crowd ignited after Sexyy invited City Girls rapper JT to the stage.

Another Floridian, the rapper looked angelic in her all-white outfit as she sang her hit single “Okay” from her new album, “City Cinderella.”

The concert concluded around 11:30 p.m., with social media hit “SkeeYee”

closing out the concert. As the crowd filed out, Sexyy thanked all the fans for coming to her tour and gave one final “yoom.”

“I really loved the concert, I love Sexyy Red,” said Reading, Pennsylvania native Gabriella Unruh. “It’s my birthday, so this was great. Everything was great.” evelyn.blower@temple.edu

The Temple News

FEATURES

PAGE 17

AROUND CAMPUS

Temple rower wins silver at the 2024 Paralympics Gemma Wollenschlaeger, who from anything.” was born with a clubfoot, came Wollenschlaeger qualified for in second this summer in Paris. the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games

BY BAYLEH ALEXANDER Features Editor Before Gemma Wollenschlaeger was two years old, she had already undergone multiple surgeries to correct her clubfoot. Surgeons sliced into her tendons and reformed her foot to give her as much mobility as possible, but the operations didn’t fully mend her birth defect and left her ankle immobilized.

“I worked really hard to make sure it’s not something that’s gonna hold me back,” said Wollenschlaeger, a member of Temple’s women’s rowing team.

As the only physically disabled person on the rowing team, Wollenschlaeger initially refrained from telling her coaches about her disability because she feared her clubfoot would negatively impact her chances of making the team.

“During the recruiting process, you have so many girls all these times and you’re picking them apart,” Wollenschlaeger said. “And I’m like, ‘Wow, they know I’m going to have some disability. That’s something that could set me apart, right? Maybe they won’t like that.’

So I hid it, and I didn’t tell any coaches about it.”

To accommodate her disability, Wollenschlaeger was measured for orthotic inserts which were slid into the boat to level out the size differences in her legs. The negative feelings she associated with her clubfoot were quickly transformed into dignity and passion for her sport, which was put on even further display when she brought home a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games this summer.

But it wasn’t until after Wollenschlaeger realized she had a stable position on the team that she felt comfortable telling her coaches about her clubfoot.

“I was like, ‘Hey, I came up with a plan,’” Wollenschlaeger said.

“I was like, ‘This is my disability. I can’t run, I can’t jump, but this is what I can do instead. I can bike, I can do this,’ and it doesn’t take away

after earning a silver medal at the World Rowing Championship regatta in 2023. There, she was greeted by a community of other athletes who understood her struggles on a personal level — something she never experienced at Temple.

“Seeing how disabilities got us here and how we can embrace them has made me really highlight and appreciate and love my foot,” Wollenschlaeger said. “And I would never wish it away when every day I used to be like, ‘I don’t want it. I wish I didn’t have it. Can’t I just be normal?’”

Wollenschlaeger’s athletic success hasn’t always come easy. Growing up, the mental and physical pain of her clubfoot impeded her ability to succeed in other sports she tried to play. But joining the rowing team COURTESY / TEMPLE ATHLETICS at Temple allowed her to feel less re- Temple rower Gemma Wollenschlaeger joined the Owls in 2021, and her performance earned her a trip to the 2024 Paris Paralympics. stricted by her disability and to thrive in an athletic environment that supthe PR3 mixed coxed four finals, trail- ger said. “That’s part of it is, ‘How far can ported her to the fullest extent. ing gold-medalist Great Britain by just I push my body?’ And then on top of that, Wollenschlaeger’s close friends and three seconds. A team of three women having a disability it’s like, ‘how far can teammates can attest to her success and and two men, the athletes completed the I push my disability? How many more are motivated by her presence on the two-thousand-meter race in under sev- years do I have in me?’ It’s just another team. Niamh Kiely, a fellow member of en minutes. factor in it, but it makes it even more of the rowing team, said the entire team Wollenschlaeger’s teammates at a challenge.” gravitates toward Wollenschlaeger’s Temple were in her corner each step of constant positivity and hard-working the way, even when she was competing attitude. bayleh.alexander@temple.edu halfway across the globe. “[Her success] made us work, even “We had watch parties for all her if we didn’t realize it, a little bit hardraces this summer and her trials last er,” Kiely said. “Because we’ll be sitwinter,” said Eve Keesecker, coxswain ting there complaining, ‘Oh, today’s of Temple’s women’s rowing team. “We so difficult. And then we think about would get to the boathouse a couple of our teammate who’s going to be on our minutes early and put it on the big screen boats next semester and is literally at and cheer her on, which is really excitthe Paralympics right now.” ing.”

As their award-winning race came Wollenschlaeger plans to train for to a close, Team USA’s coxswain had the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games to turn up her microphone to be heard and continue to row as long as she can. over the thousands of roaring supWhile the sport isn’t easy and she’ll porters cheering on Wollenschlaeger have to push her body even harder for and her team. Her butterflies seemed the next games, Wollenschlaeger knows to fly away after realizing she achieved she’s up for the challenge. a feat that seemed impossible earlier in “I think that’s something that rowers her life — a Paralympic medal. are deemed as kind of insane because we Team USA secured second place in kind of enjoy [the pain],” Wollenschlae-

FEATURES

PAGE 18

The Temple News

AROUND CAMPUS

Student granted Geoffrey M. Curtis scholarship Jaelyn Jennings was awarded the $10,000 scholarship for BIPOC communications majors

BY CHELSEA LUBBE AND SAMUEL KENNEDY For The Temple News When Jaelyn Jennings committed to Temple in 2021, she was taking a leap of faith. She had never toured campus and was coming in undeclared to the Fox School of Business. After one meeting at the Public Relations Students Society of America, Jennings felt confident knowing public relations was her dream career path.

“At that time I had an idea of what I wanted to do, I wanted to be a professional singer,” Jennings said. “I didn’t want to put that completely on the back burner. I was still very interested in music, and ever since the meeting, I just loved PR.” Jennings has thrived in the public relations field ever since. She’s worked on the executive board of several student organizations, including WHIP Radio, PRSSA, PRowl and Dare2Dance.

Her efforts paid off this July when she received the Geoffrey M. Curtis Scholarship, a $10,000 award that recognizes rising juniors or senior Black, Indigenous and People of Color students in PRSSA chapters nationwide. The scholarship is only awarded to three students nationwide each year.

Jennings found out about the scholarship through her involvement in PRSSA. After she considered applying, she realized she had interviewed the first winner of the scholarship just two years before.

She applied on a whim and was surprised when she learned she won six months later.

“It was like winning the lottery,” Jennings said. “I had no luck with getting scholarships and I was getting to the point where I was feeling really defeated.

I applied, thought nothing of it, and then got the acceptance a few months later.”

Receiving the scholarship opened up a new world of opportunity for Jennings. After transitioning from living in a small Pittsburgh suburb to Temple’s urban campus, she secured an internship in New York City at Republic Records

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PHOTOS BY JARED TATZ / THE TEMPLE NEWS

and Universal Music Group.

“I love New York,” Jennings said.

“The actual internship itself, it’s everything that I really imagined. There were speaker sessions so I was able to talk with these VPs of media, the founders of Republic Records, they walked by my desk like every single day– I could go on and on about the PR professors, they are all sweethearts and they all just want us to succeed as PR professionals.”

Jennings’ impact hasn’t just been felt in New York. Her skills are clear to faculty here at Temple as well, who praise her work.

Steve Ryan, a public relations professor who has taught Jennings for two years, couldn’t hide his smile when he found out Jennings was awarded the PRSSA scholarship.

“When I saw that she had received this award, I was not at all surprised,” Ryan said. “My reaction was ‘of course she did’. She’s truly deserving of the recognition.”

Other faculty echo similar sentiments. Gregg Feistman, assistant chair of public relations, also serves as the advisor to PRSSA. After working closely with Jen-

nings, he feels she deserves recognition for her achievements “I’ve known her in two capacities,” Feistman said. “And I can’t say enough good things about her. She’s terrific; she’s really smart, she understands the nature of the work, she understands the need for deadlines, she’s very engaged in classes, which as a professor I look for in students.”

Jennings plans on pursuing her relationships with those she met at her internship over the summer. She hopes to further her work in the music industry after she graduates.

As for the here and now, Jennings wants to make the most of her last two semesters as a college student by engaging with the groups that have made her time at Temple.

“I want to soak up the moments I have with the clubs I am in,” Jennings said. “We get so busy, we are full time students. I’m still having fun. I just want to make sure I am not super worried about the future to the point where I am not indulging in these small moments I have.” chelsea.lubbe@temple.edu samuel.kennedy@temple.edu

LAYLA SMITH

NOAH JONES

Psychology major | She/Her

Accounting major | He/Him

“ Yes, I went to the

“ A little bit, I check the scores. I might go to the next home game, but they gotta start winning more games. ”

NIGEL ANDREWS

WILLA BURNS

Environmental Studies major | He/Him

Undeclared major | She/Her

game last week and then I was checking the score yesterday. ”

“ I went to the first game, but not the one that just happened. I saw they won like 45 to 20 something. I assume they’re doing better or Utah State just sucks. ”

“ A little bit, a little bit.

I went to the first game against Coastal Carolina.

It was a hard watch. And then I didn’t go yesterday, but I heard they won! ”

The Temple News

SPORTS

PAGE 19

FOOTBALL

Owls’ quarterback job is a case-closed situation Evan Simon’s six-touchdown performance Saturday gives the Owls their starting quarterback.

F

BY RYAN MACK Sports Editor

ollowing Evan Simon’s first career start in a Temple uniform last week, head coach Stan Drayton spoke of the “moxie and presence” his backup quarterback had under center. Simon gave the Owls a breath of fresh air against Coastal Carolina on Sept. 14, with 185 yards and two touchdowns through the air and Temple was one drive away from potentially tying the game.

Simon filled in for then-starter Forrest Brock, who injured his wrist in a 38-11 loss to Navy on Sept. 7. While the performance boosted the offense, Drayton remained mum on whether Simon secured the job for good, instead re-opening the battle heading into Temple’s game against Utah State.

Brock suited up for Temple’s (13, 0-1 American Athletic Conference) game against Utah State (1-3, 0-0 Mountain West Conference) as he did against the Chanticleers. Just like the week prior, he didn’t throw during pregame warmups and Simon got the start instead.

This time, Simon might have shut the door on who the starting quarterback is for the rest of the season.

The game became the Evan Simon show, as he finished with 271 yards and five passing touchdowns on 17-27 passing after a slow start, dicing up the Aggies’ defense. His day led Temple to a 4529 victory, their first of the season.

“There is no one that is strongwilled more so than that young man right there,” Drayton said. “You can look at all the measurables and athletic attributes but somebody needs to open that kid’s chest up and look at his heart. It’s as

big as this stadium and he’s as tough as nails.”

It has been Simon’s poise and moxie when the team is behind that has given him the edge against Brock, Drayton said. The win also gave him his first as a starter since he came to Lincoln Financial Field as Rutgers’ starting quarterback on Sept. 17, 2022.

The offense began to hit its stride following a scoreless first quarter where Simon went 1-6 passing and the offense had just 27 yards. The Owls were in a 14-point hole and had three drives begin at their goal line before starting to pillage down the field.

With a minute to go before halftime, Simon dropped back to pass and was immediately pressured. Simon never wavered, instead finding running back Antwain Littleton who strolled into the endzone to tie the game.

“I’m proud of this football team,” Simon said. “We’ve battled a lot of adversity at the beginning of the game and the leadership on this team took over.”

The biggest game changer was in the third quarter when Simon delivered a 91-yard rocket to receiver Dante Wright, who dashed past every Aggie in sight to take the first lead of the game — and season. The floodgates were opened and Simon led scoring drives on the three ensuing drives to put the nail in the coffin.

“They were playing robber cover-

LILLIAN PRIETO / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple Football earned their first season win against Utah State Saturday.

age,” Wright said. “They were gonna just double the two inside guys. So I just flipped those guys and after I get past them I’m there [in the endzone].”

In Simon’s two starts, he has turned an offense that was dead in the water into a unit full of life. Brock led the Owls to just 14 points in two games and never scored a touchdown in the first half. Simon has now scored 65 points in his two games under center and the Owls have been operating in a second gear.

“I love touchdowns,” Drayton said.

I’m not real picky about how we get them. It’s good to be able to be multi-dimensional. Six different people scored [Saturday]. That’s saying a lot about our quarterback, distributing the ball in the right spots for the right cause” While the argument can be made Simon’s performances came against weak-

er defenses, the Owls look completely different when the former Rutgers quarterback is taking charge. Temple looks comfortable taking shots downfield and throwing the ball deep. On two of his passing touchdowns, he was able to put the ball where only his receivers would be able to snatch it out of the air.

Drayton is still non-committal on announcing whether or not Simon earned the starting job but said that Brock “has his work cut out for him”.

The locker room has rallied behind the transfer quarterback, and the starting job should be his to lose until his play says otherwise. “[Simon is] exactly what we need right now,” Drayton said. ryan.mack0001@temple.edu @ryan_mack18

PAGE 20

SPORTS

The Temple News

MEN’S SOCCER

Temple embracing unique two goalkeeper system Temple Men’s Soccer has thrived utilizing the uncommon situation.

BY CHARLES ERB For The Temple News Andrew Kempe and Flannan Riley lived similar paths that led them to Temple. Last season, they both transferred to the Temple Sports Complex as graduate students. Kempe played at Dickinson College and Rhode Island while Riley played for St. Francis Brooklyn and Presbyterian.

Temple head coach Bryan Green arrived at Temple around the same time as the keepers after being hired on Dec. 22, 2022. The three entered their first year on North Broad Street together hoping to bring a winning culture that had been missing in recent seasons. For that to happen, Green went with a peculiar approach with his pair of transfer goalies.

Green decided to have a rotating door in goal during his first two seasons at the helm. Riley started the first five matches and Kempe started the next four games last year. The pair has also played hot potato in eight matches this season, with each taking turns in net. Riley was between the posts during Temple’s season opener against Army on Aug. 22, while Kempe started the next match against Villanova on Aug. 25.

“Rotation is the plan, but it’s just like field players,” Green said. “If somebody all of a sudden comes into great form, then we may make a change. If somebody goes into bad form, we may make a change.”

While that kind of competition for playing time could create tension between competing players, it has barely affected the Owls’ keepers.

“We have a very good relationship,” Riley said. “We respect the heck out of each other and we push each other to be better.”

Green’s approach has only made the Owls better in goal. Temple was winless after eight games and conceded 36 goals last season, but have flipped the script in 2024. The Owls picked up two wins and

NOEL CHACKO/ THE TEMPLE NEWS Flannan Riley and Andrew Kempe divide their time as goalie for the Men’s Soccer team.

the defense has only allowed 12 goals in eight games.

Kempe and Riley have been a major factor in the improved defense. They are both in the midst of their best collegiate seasons and Riley is just two saves away from matching his save tally from last season.

“It’s definitely great to have two good goalkeepers because it pushes you every day in practice,” Kempe said. “It just makes you work harder and stay motivated every day.”

Green’s strategy is uncommon because a team typically has a guaranteed starter who plays every match in the net.

The tactic creates chemistry between the goalie and defense as the season progresses and the defense adapts to the keeper.

The constant changes also makes it hard on opposing offenses, who have to

adjust to each keeper. Kempe uses his 6-foot 6-inch frame to his advantage while Riley plays the game differently being six inches shorter.

“Me and Flannan both have a good relationship with everybody,” Kempe said. “They all have confidence in us and that’s really the most important thing.”

Kempe and Riley’s relationship is not limited to the pitch. Despite competing with each other on the field, they are close friends off of it. The pair bonded as transfers playing the same position while helping each other grow on the field, which has led to success during games.

Temple has won two games this season including its first road win of the season, a 1-0 thriller against Akron on Sept. 14 where Riley recorded a season-high nine saves. The Owls entered the year hoping to carry the momentum

they gained to end last season, regardless of who is in goal.

“It was definitely a massive boost for us and it showed us that we can beat teams that are supposedly a bigger program or have done better in the past few years,” Kempe said. “We all know that we have the ability. We just have to learn how to put it together for 90 minutes.”

At the end of the day, both Kempe and Riley want to be playing. While both desire to be out on the field, they are more focused on what is best for the team — winning.

“It’s like any spot on the team,” Riley said. “The center-back can change, a striker can change, a winger can change, and you just kind of play with the guys around you at the end of the day. If you question it, it’s gonna be a detriment to the team.” charles.erb@temple.edu

The Temple News

SPORTS

PAGE 21

FIELD HOCKEY

Marsha Ariesen next in line to become Owls’ star The Temple Field Hockey attacker comes to Temple after playing in the Netherlands.

BY COLIN SCHOFIELD Assistant Sports Editor Like most girls from the Netherlands, Marsha Ariesen began playing field hockey at a young age. She took to the game with ease, playing at the highest level for her age group from six to 11.

Entering her age 12 season, her young career hit a speed bump.

Ariesen was dropped down a level by her coaches because they thought she wasn’t as far along as her peers, and that immediately lit a fire under her.

From a lower level, she witnessed her friends continue to play at the level she used to be at. The feeling of being lesser than her peers stuck with Ariesen and she put herself to work.

“All my friends went up and I stayed and it’s not a nice feeling to have your friends go up when you know you can do better, and if you train for it, be better than them,” Ariesen said. “Getting put back really sucked and at such a young age I realized I didn’t want that.”

Arieson dedicated her life to field hockey from that point on. Her work ethic paid off and she reached the pinnacle of Dutch field hockey just a few years later. Ariesen spent last year playing for HC Tilburg, a club at the highest level of competition in the Netherlands. Now, she is a key contributor at Temple and a big part of the program’s future.

The Netherlands boasts some of the best field hockey players in the world.

The chance to play at the highest level gave Ariesen an immense amount of experience at a young age. She was tasked with competing with Olympians from the Netherlands and Belgium as a teenager and held her own against the best.

After proving herself in her home country, Ariesen went searching for a new challenge. She was drawn to college

field hockey in the United States and Temple head coach Michelle Vittese had past recruiting ties in Ariesen’s home country. The pair forged a relationship and Vittese was able to reel Ariesen to Temple.

“Everyone was drawn to Marsha in the recruiting process,” Vittese said. “Syracuse, Penn State and UNC all had interest and she decided to come to Temple. It was a cool story for us to be able to get her. Her and I connected and I really liked her. What she wanted we could provide as a staff and the team could provide.”

Ariesen’ suffered another setback when she suffered a concussion just before coming stateside. She recovered, but now has to wear sunglasses since her vision is still affected by the sunlight.

The roadbump did not affect Ariesen’s mindset heading into her new challenge. Once she stepped onto Howarth Field, it was evident she was a special talent and her glasses made her stand out even more.

Ariesen was tabbed a starter in her collegiate debut against Queens and made an immediate impact by scoring a goal. She found the back of the net next game against Lock Haven, getting off to a blistering start. She has cooled down since and hasn’t found the back of the net, but her drive to be the best has not

MILES SMITH / THE TEMPLE NEWS From the highest club level in the Netherlands to Temple’s field hockey team, Marsha Ariesen proves herself to be a special talent.

waned.

“I started really really well and I still think I did well the last few games but it really hurts me I haven’t scored,” Ariesen said. “It sucks because I know I can do it and I just haven’t given that little one percent that I know I can give.”

Ariesen’s transition to college field hockey has been easier than most thanks to her international experience. The skill level in the U.S. is a step down for Ariesen and she was already physically adjusted — something most international recruits struggle with.

“Marsha is a really good asset to this team, especially in the forward drive that she has,” said midfielder Tess Muller.

“We are able to create so many opportunities and I really like playing with her. Of course, as a freshman, there’s a lot of things that are new and need to be learned, but all the freshmen are doing

really well and Marsha’s not excluded from that.”

The first few games of Arieson’s career have showcased what she can bring to the table. Someone will have to fill Muller’s and back Alizé Maes’ shoes once they graduate, and Ariesen believes she can be that player, and maybe even better.

“I definitely hope to fill their shoes one day. Maybe not next year I would definitely like to follow in their shoes,” Ariesen said. “They’re good but I can always be better.”

“I definitely hope to fill their shoes one day. Maybe not next year I would definitely like to follow in their shoes,” Ariesen said. “They’re good but I can always be better.” colin.schofield@temple.edu @ColinSchofield9

PAGE 22

SPORTS

The Temple News

VOLLEYBALL

Freshman hitter duo making immediate impact Outside hitters Sydney Jones and Christiana Greene have made a mark on the Owls.

BY SIENNA CONAGHAN Assistant Sports Editor Sydney Jones was on Linda Hampton-Keith’s radar from the moment Hampton-Keith took the head volleyball coaching job at Temple in 2022. Hampton-Keith wanted to usher in a new era at Temple and she needed a new crop of outside hitters on her roster for that to happen — and Jones was the perfect fit.

Fast forward two years and Hampton-Keith got her wish. Jones has not only joined the team but earned a starting role instantly. However, Hampton-Keith still wanted one other player to fulfill her vision.

During her high school career, outside hitter Christiana Greene joined Jones on the coach’s radar. The pair dazzled the Owls’ staff during the recruiting process and it became a priority to reel them to McGonigle Hall. Now, Jones and Greene are leading a team that has a real chance at making noise in the American Athletic Conference this season.

Jones and Greene decided to graduate high school a semester early, arriving at Temple during the spring semester so they could get a jumpstart before the regular season.

“We learn a lot of techniques and what we’re gonna work on in the fall in the spring anyways,” Greene said. “So it was just easier to come in the spring and work out all the kinks with our setters and working with the tempo.”

Temple begins preparation for the upcoming season in January of every year — immediately following the end of the previous season. Incoming freshmen are usually at a disadvantage because they arrive on campus when the offseason is already in full swing.

The duo took little time to introduce themselves, earning a starting spot and making an immediate impact. Jones and

Greene are second and third on the team in kills with 86 and 79, respectively, only trailing Taylor Davenport who ranks 14th in the entire NCAA. Jones recorded back-toback double-doubles in kills and digs during the Gamecock Invitational on Sept. 7 and 8 and is leading the AAC with 16 aces.

Jones and Greene have also been reliLILLIAN PRIETO / THE TEMPLE NEWS able on defense in addition to their of- Freshman volleyball players Sydney Jones and Christiana Greene earned starting spots after graduatfensive skills. Jones is fifth on the team ing high school a semester early. in digs with 50 and Greene has been They became roommates in the strong at the net, recording 22 blocks, in Colombia, South Carolina, and Davenport was a mentor to Greene back spring and clicked instantly while naviwhich ranks fifth on the team.

“At the end of the day, they both home. When her recruitment ramped gating their new life together. The two were athletes that we knew would ele- up, Green reached out to the coaches to did not only have to figure out how to vate our program from a volleyball skill- see if North Broad Street was the place adjust to the college level of volleyball, but they also had to adapt to the higher wise,” Hampton-Keith said. “Both had for her.

“No team wants to be one dimen- level of academics. the potential to impact us almost immesional,” Hampton-Keith said. “We want The two handled the transition with diately, which they have.”

Jones, who played high school vol- to continue bringing players who are ease and quickly became crucial players leyball just 35 minutes away from Tem- going to contribute in lots of different on the team as freshmen. Despite the inple in Havertown, Pennsylvania, easily ways. It just alleviates that pressure off of sertion into the lineup, the duo doesn’t caught the attention of the recruiters at one or two players and the more players feel any pressure and only works to grow Temple. She interacted with the team’s you can bring in that can contribute, the as athletes and improve the program.

“It feels like there’s nothing we can do social media and sent the coaching staff better your team is overall.”

Hampton-Keith has had athletes but grow,” Jones said. “So I feel like it’ll numerous requests to watch her play.

The attempts to get their attention start their college career a semester early just get better and better throughout the paid off so when Hampton-Keith of- in the past, but this is the first time she season and throughout the four years fered Jones a spot, and she accepted with has had two do it at the same time. The that we’re here.” unique situation gave Jones and Greene zero hesitation. sienna.conaghan@temple.edu Greene also had a Temple connec- someone in a similar experience, helping @Sienna_Paige2 tion through Davenport. Both grew up make the adjustment easier.

The Temple News

SPORTS

PAGE 23

FOOTBALL

Jean becoming the heartbeat of Temple’s defense The defensive tackle has brought a leadership presence after transfering in the offseason.

BY RYAN MACK Sports Editor Latrell Jean traveled to Norman, Oklahoma for Temple Football’s season opener in August eager to make an immediate impact. The former Florida Atlantic defensive tackle transferred to North Broad Street in May and was identified by fans as a potential difference maker early on in training camp.

Temple underwent a complete makeover during the offseason. The team brought in more than 40 new players and Jean was one of the most significant additions. After linebacker Jordan Magee was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL Draft in April, there was hope Jean could help fill the void the Commanders’ linebacker left.

It took 10 minutes for Jean to appear on the stat sheet in Temple’s season opener. Midway through the first quarter, Sooners’ quarterback Jackson Arnold was pummeled by a pursuing Jean.

He made a splash in his first game, finishing with two tackles and a sack.

“I played in games like that before my last spot,” Jean said. “I didn’t look at that game as I was playing Oklahoma. It’s another game, it’s another opponent. So me going in, I was just ready to play.”

Just four games into his Temple career, the recent addition is helping fuel a new look defense while also playing a key role as the leader of an improving unit.

Jean entered the transfer portal late compared to most transfers, he waited until March after five seasons at FAU. The process made him feel like he was a high school recruit again, and he was unsure where he was going to land.

He went into the process open-minded, but the ball started rolling once the Owls came calling. Jean struck up a relationship with Temple defensive tackles

coach Kevon Beckwith and it didn’t take long before it was a done deal.

“During the recruiting process, we were looking for those type of guys that had those leadership intangibles,” Beckwith said. “You never know what you’re going to get out the portal.

We just felt like just the conversations that we had, the numerous conversations every day, we felt like it was real.”

When Jean arrived in Philadelphia, it was defensive tackle Demerick Morris who took him under his wing. Morris, who is in his fifth season at Temple, showed his fellow defensive linemen the lay of the land so Jean could get comfortable in his new home.

It didn’t take long for Jean to make an impression. Whether it was studying the playbook or watching film, he was a helping hand to the younger players.

The coaches took notice of the work that the newly established leader was putting in throughout the offseason.

“He is the example of being a leader when things are not going well,” said head coach Stan Drayton. “Sometimes you got leaders, and then when things are not going well, they’re struggling themselves to kind of fight through it.

He’s a next play mentality.”

After just 99 days at Edberg-Olson Hall, Jean was rewarded with a

LILLIAN PRIETO / THE TEMPLE NEWS Latrell Jean has proven to be a valueable asset to the football team’s defensive unit.

single-digit jersey number, a tradition at Temple given to players who best demonstrates the “Temple TUFF” mantra both on and off the field.

Jean had no previous knowledge of what a single digit was or the importance of the honor. However, he earned it with ease after just three months on campus, taking it with pride after trying to prove himself since stepping foot in North Philadelphia.

“That’s one of the most important things that I care about when it comes to earning respect your from teammates and coaches,” Jean said. “The single-digit just kind of added on to it. I didn’t know about it and I now see how big of a deal it is.”

Jean followed up his Owls debut by recording three tackles in Temple’s 3811 loss to Navy on Sept. 7. While he has been one of the main contributors on

the defensive unit, he has also used his experience as one of the older players on the team to make a positive impact. The squad is coming off its best performance of the season against Utah State and there is room for more improvement.

Jean has been one of the anchors on the team and is vital to making the squad more consistent. The sixth-year player has made his mark on the stat sheet, but has been the example needed to establish Drayton’s culture.

“I attack everything, I’m going to lead by example,” Jean said. “I’m one of those guys that you don’t got to look after or look over to see ‘Is Latrell gonna do what he’s supposed to?’ I’m not that guy. I’m the guy who’s going to do what he needs to do.” ryan.mack0001@temple.edu @ryan_mack18

As the school year begins, I would like to take this special moment to welcome you back to campus.

It feels like yesterday that I was a student at Howard University. I found forever friends, people who shaped me and supported me. I found my beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha sisters. We danced on Friday nights and protested on Saturdays. Like many, college is when I started to become politically engaged.

Together, we learned that progress happens in our country when young people fight for it.

Throughout my travels as Vice President, I love talking to young leaders. I am continually amazed by your grit, your perseverance, your intellect, and your deep passion for making our world better.

It is because of the record turnout among college students in 2020 that I am Vice President today.

And to win this election, I need your support.

This November, so many of our fundamental freedoms are at stake. The freedom to vote. The freedom to live safe from gun violence. The freedom to love who you love, openly and with pride.

The freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water. And the freedom to make decisions about your own body. But we’re not going back.

Later this semester, you will have the opportunity to vote in an election that will decide the future of our country. You will have the power to shape our future. To continue to build a country you want to live in—one where your fundamental rights are protected—by taking to the ballot box and making your voice heard.

Your vote has never mattered more. When young people fight for progress, it changes the course of our nation. I believe in you. I am inspired by you. And I am rooting for your success.

Sincerely,

Vice President Kamala Harris