Temple University facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids
Temple University

Former names	The Baptist Temple (1884–1888) The Temple College of Philadelphia (1888–1907)
Motto	Perseverantia Vincit (Latin)
Motto in English	"Perseverance Conquers"
Type	Public state-related research university
Established	May 12, 1888; 137 years ago (May 12, 1888) (official date it was chartered; institution roots began 1884 with church classes)
Founder	Russell Conwell
Accreditation	MSCHE
Academic affiliations	CUMU GCU ORAU USU Space-grant
Endowment	$778 million (2022)
Chancellor	Richard M. Englert (Honorary)
President	Richard M. Englert (acting)
Provost	Gregory Mandel
Academic staff	1,487 part-time; 2,271 full-time (Fall 2020)
Administrative staff	4,471 (Fall 2020)
Students	37,365 (Fall 2020)
Undergraduates	27,307 (Fall 2020)
Postgraduates	10,058 (Fall 2020)
Location	Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States
Campus	Large city, 115 acres (47 ha) (main campus)
Other campuses	Ambler Harrisburg Rome Tokyo
Newspaper	The Temple News
Colors	Cherry and white
Nickname	Owls
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FBS – The American Philadelphia Big 5 City 6
Mascot	Hooter T. Owl Stella (live owl)

Temple University (also known as Temple or TU) is a large public university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was started in 1884 by a minister named Russell Conwell and his church, the Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia. At first, it was called the Baptist Temple. On May 12, 1888, it officially became the Temple College of Philadelphia. By 1907, it had grown and changed its status to become a research university.

As of 2020, about 37,289 students were attending Temple University. This includes students studying for their first degree, as well as those pursuing advanced degrees. Temple is known for offering many professional education programs, training a large number of future professionals in Pennsylvania.

History of Temple University
Temple University Campuses
Academics at Temple University
Student Life at Temple
- Temple University Traditions
- Student Groups
Temple University Athletics
- Football Program
- Men's Basketball Program
Notable Alumni and Faculty
Images for kids
See also

History of Temple University

The original Baptist Temple and its founder, Russell Conwell

President Harry S. Truman visits Temple University.

Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at Temple University in 1965

Temple University began in 1884. It was founded by the Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia and its pastor, Russell Conwell. Conwell was a lawyer and minister who had served in the American Civil War. In 1882, he started teaching working-class people late at night to fit their work schedules. These students were called "night owls." They learned in the basement of Conwell's church, which was called the Baptist Temple. This is how the university got its name and its owl mascot.

The church quickly became very popular. When the first board of trustees met, they named Russell H. Conwell as president of "The Temple College." The church provided classrooms and teachers. It also helped fund the school in its early years. Conwell and the church wanted to offer education to those who couldn't get it through normal ways.

Conwell also used money from his famous "Acres of Diamonds" speech to help fund Temple. He wanted it to be a place where working people in Philadelphia could get a higher education.

In 1888, Philadelphia officially approved "The Temple College of Philadelphia." However, the city did not allow it to give out college degrees yet. By 1888, nearly 600 students were enrolled. In 1907, Temple College changed its status and became a university. Being recognized as a university helped Temple a lot. Its reputation grew, and it added more professional and advanced degree programs. Its student numbers and financial support also increased.

Over time, Temple grew even more. The Grace Baptist Church also started Samaritan Hospital and Garretson Hospitals. A medical school was added, and Temple joined with the Philadelphia Dental College. After these changes, Temple officially became Temple University on December 12, 1907.

In 1954, Temple University bought about 11.5 acres of land from a nearby cemetery. This land was used for sports fields and a parking lot. Many headstones from the cemetery were later used in the construction of the Betsy Ross Bridge.

Since 1965, Temple has been a Pennsylvania state-related university. This means it gets money from the state, but it runs itself independently.

In 2021, a former leader of Temple's business school was found responsible for using false information to make the school look better in rankings.

In January 2023, the graduate student workers at Temple University went on strike. They were trying to get a better work contract. Temple University stopped their health insurance and tuition benefits, which made the strike a national news story. The strike ended in mid-March.

Soon after the strike, the university president, Jason Wingard, stepped down. He had faced criticism for how he handled the strike and for an increase in crime near campus. JoAnne Epps then became the Acting President in April 2023. Sadly, Epps passed away in September 2023 after a sudden medical event.

Temple University Campuses

Mazur Hall

Temple University has six campuses and sites within Pennsylvania. It also has international campuses in Rome, Italy, and Tokyo, Japan.

Campuses in Pennsylvania

Main Campus in Philadelphia

Charles Library

The main campus is located in North Philadelphia. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Center City. This campus covers about 163.58 acres (66.2 hectares).

The campus has several important landmarks. O'Connor Plaza is around the Founder's Garden. A bronze statue of an owl, which is the university's mascot, is in the middle of the main campus.

The Founder's Garden is where Russell Conwell, Temple's founder and first president, is buried. A statue of Conwell marks his grave. The Bell Tower is another well-known landmark. It is 96 feet (29 meters) tall and stands in the center of the Main Campus. The area around it is often called "the Beach."

Another green space on Main Campus is the Johnny Ring Garden. It has a statue of Johnny Ring, who was Conwell's helper during the Civil War.

Other Pennsylvania Campuses

Health Sciences Campus: This campus is also in North Philadelphia and covers about 20 acres. It is home to Temple University Hospital, which is a teaching hospital. It also has the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, the School of Pharmacy, the Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, and the College of Public Health.
Podiatric Medicine Campus: This campus is located at 8th and Race Streets. It includes the Foot and Ankle Institute and the School of Podiatric Medicine.
Center City Campus: This campus is across from Philadelphia City Hall. It offers college and advanced courses, as well as workshops, especially in the evenings for working adults.
Ambler Campus: This campus was originally a junior college. It has 325 teachers and 4,600 students. It offers bachelor's and master's degree programs. The campus is 187 acres (757,000 square meters) and includes an arboretum (a place where many different trees are grown). It is about 13 miles (21 km) from Temple's main campus in Ambler, Pennsylvania.
Temple University Harrisburg (TUH): Located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, this campus offers various advanced degree programs and professional training. Its classes are often held in the evenings and on weekends for adults who work.

International Campuses

Temple University, Japan Campus

Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) is a branch campus in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. It was the oldest and largest campus of any foreign university in Japan for a long time.

TUJ offers undergraduate programs, as well as advanced degrees in law, business, and education. It also has English language programs and courses for adults. Temple University Japan was the first foreign university campus to be recognized in Japan. Its degrees are accepted just like those from Japanese universities.

Temple University Rome

The Temple Rome campus is in the Villa Caproni, just north of Piazza del Popolo. The Villa Caproni has places for students to live, shops, and restaurants. It also has a large library, a computer center, classrooms, art studios, and student lounges.

Campus Safety and Police

The Temple University Police department is the largest university police force in the United States. It has 130 police officers, including supervisors and detectives. All of them are trained and certified law enforcement officers in Pennsylvania.

The campus uses more than 600 security cameras. It also has over a thousand bright lights on campus roofs to make it feel like daylight. Temple has two systems for emergencies, called TUalert and TUsiren, to notify students quickly.

In March 2023, Temple received a grant of nearly $1.8 million to make the campus even safer.

Sustainability Efforts

The Office of Sustainability was created in 2008. It focuses on making the university more environmentally friendly in four main areas: how it operates, what it teaches, its research, and how it connects with the community.

The Ambler campus has a "School of Environmental Design." This school focuses on planning, landscape architecture, and gardening. It is also home to the Center for Sustainable Communities, which does research on sustainability.

Since 2008, Temple has made many changes. These include buying from green companies and saving water and energy. The university offers many courses about the environment and sustainability. It also supports research related to these topics and works to create a green culture both at Temple and beyond.

Campus Development and Libraries

The university adopted a new campus plan in 2014 called Visualize Temple. This plan included big projects like a new library and a central green area. Another project, Verdant Temple, started in 2015 to improve the school's outdoor spaces and landscaping.

New Buildings and Facilities

Science and Education Research Center

The Architecture building opened in January 2012. It has a glass exterior that lets in a lot of natural light. This design helps students work together in their design studios.

The Science and Education Research Center was finished in 2014. This building was designed to be very energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

University Libraries

The former Samuel L. Paley Library, Temple University

The Paley Library opened in 1966. It was designed mainly to store books. Later, a new library was built, and the Paley building was renamed Samuel Paley Hall. It now houses the College of Public Health and the campus bookstore.

On August 25, 2019, Temple opened the Charles Library. This is a four-story study building designed by a well-known architectural firm. As of 2020, the library has 4 million physical items, including 1.5 million books. It also has 1.5 million e-books. The library uses an automated system to find and get books, but it also has shelves where students can browse. The Charles Library is open to the public.

Academics at Temple University

PhiladelphiaSkylineViewedFromTempleUniversity'sMorganHall

Philadelphia skyline, looking south from Temple University's Morgan Hall on Broad Street

Temple University is known for its very high research activity. It offers more than 500 degree programs across 15 schools and colleges. It also has five professional schools for dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, and podiatric medicine.

Schools and Colleges

Boyer College of Music and Dance

Gladfelter Hall at the College of Liberal Arts

This college is part of the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts. It is located near Philadelphia's famous cultural places, like the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The Boyer College is in Presser Hall.

College of Engineering

The College of Engineering has five departments: Bioengineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Center for Engineering, Management & Technology. It offers eight bachelor's degree programs and seven advanced degree programs.

College of Liberal Arts

The College of Liberal Arts has 28 academic departments. It offers 35 main study areas and 36 minor study areas for undergraduate students. This college is located in Mazur and Gladfelter Halls.

Its Criminal Justice department is one of the best in the United States. The college offers 15 master's degrees and 13 doctoral programs.

College of Public Health

Temple University's College of Public Health includes departments like Communication Sciences and Disorders, Nursing, and Social Work. It is one of the largest public health colleges in the United States. It offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

The College of Public Health's main department is in the Bell Building (TECH Center).

College of Science and Technology

This college includes departments like Biology, Chemistry, Computer & Information Sciences, and Mathematics. It is one of the largest science schools in the Philadelphia area, with over 230 teachers and 4,000 undergraduate students.

The college offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in all six of its departments. Its advanced Science Education and Research Center (SERC) opened in 2014. This large center has 52 research labs and 16 teaching rooms.

Fox School of Business

Alter Hall at Fox School of Business

The Fox School offers 15 main study areas for undergraduate students and 19 minor areas. It also has 10 professional master's programs and two PhD programs. The school works with many international partners.

In 2017, it was ranked among the top 30 business schools in the nation. The Fox School of Business is located in Alter Hall.

In 2020, the Department of Veterans Affairs temporarily stopped some benefits for Temple University students. This was due to issues with how the Fox School of Business reported some information. The issue was resolved later that year.

Klein College of Media and Communication

This college is one of the largest schools for media and communication in the country. It has about 3,000 students and over 60 full-time teachers.

The school was renamed the Klein College of Media and Communication in 2017. This was to honor Lew Klein, a pioneer in broadcasting.

Lewis Katz School of Medicine

Lewis Katz School of Medicine

In 2014, scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine were the first to remove HIV from human cells.

In 2015, the medical school was officially named the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. This was in honor of Lewis Katz, a former student and trustee of Temple.

School of Pharmacy

The Temple University School of Pharmacy (TUSP) is on the Health Science Campus. It is one of six pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania that offers the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. It also offers advanced degrees in pharmaceutical sciences.

Tyler School of Art and Architecture

The Tyler School of Art and Architecture was founded in the 1930s. It moved to a new facility at Temple's Main Campus in Philadelphia in 2009. In 2019, the school changed its name to include "Architecture."

Tyler was ranked among the top 15 fine art schools in the United States in 2016.

School of Theater, Film and Media Arts

The School of Theater, Film and Media Arts (TFMA) is part of the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts. It was created in 2012.

TFMA offers many programs in areas like musical theater, filmmaking, screenwriting, and theater design. It also has advanced degree programs.

Beasley School of Law

Barrack Hall at Beasley School of Law

The Beasley School of Law was founded in 1895. It has about 650 students. The school trains students in areas like trial advocacy (how to argue cases in court), international law, and taxation. It offers full-time and part-time programs, including evening classes for students who work. In 2024, it was ranked among the top law schools in the United States.

College of Education and Human Development

The College of Education and Human Development has over 2,140 students. Founded in 1919, it helps teach and prepare future educators for the city of Philadelphia. The college is located in Ritter Hall.

School of Social Work

Temple's School of Social Work is part of the College of Public Health. It offers full-time, part-time, and online programs. It had over 600 students in 2017.

School of Podiatric Medicine

Temple's School of Podiatric Medicine focuses on foot and ankle care. Its Foot and Ankle Institute is the largest facility of its kind, seeing over 40,000 patients each year. Students also train through programs at Temple University Health System.

Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry

The Kornberg School of Dentistry was established in 1863. It is the second oldest dental school in the United States that has been open continuously. The school's clinic offers many dental services, from routine care to children's dentistry and emergency care.

School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management

This school includes the Sport Industry Research Center and the U.S.–Asia Center for Tourism & Hospitality Research. Over 1,100 students were enrolled in its programs in 2017.

Studying Abroad

Temple offers chances to study abroad at its campuses in Rome and Tokyo. It also has semester and summer programs in many other countries, including London, Dublin, Germany, France, China, South Africa, Spain, Ecuador, and Australia. Temple University also has a global internship program, offering internships in various countries and U.S. cities.

Technology Resources

In January 2006, the university opened the TECH Center. This is a large technology facility covering 75,000 square feet (7,000 square meters).

University Rankings

U.S. university rankings

ARWU World	401–500
THES World	351–400
USNWR National University	89
Washington Monthly National University	180
Forbes	376

In U.S. News & World Report's 2024 rankings, Temple is tied for 89th among all national universities. Temple's undergraduate college is also featured in The Princeton Review's "The Best 382 Colleges" (2018). In 2014, Temple's Arts and Humanities, Social Science and Management, and Life Science and Medicine departments were ranked highly in the world by QS World University Rankings.

In 2017, Temple received $268.4 million for research funding. This placed it 85th out of 901 institutions in a national survey.

Student Life at Temple

Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
Race and ethnicity	Total
White	55%	55
Black	14%	14
Asian	13%	13
Hispanic	8%	8
Other	6%	6
Foreign national	4%	4
Economic diversity
Low-income	28%	28
Affluent	72%	72

Liacouras Center

As of 2018, about 11,000 students live on or near Temple's main campus. The university has worked to encourage students and staff to live and work nearby.

Recreational places on campus include the Howard Gittis Student Center. It has a movie theater, a food court, a game room, and spaces for student groups. Exercise facilities include the Independence Blue Cross Student Recreation Center (IBC), which has 59,000 square feet (5,500 square meters) of fitness equipment. There is also the Student Pavilion for sports like volleyball and basketball.

In 2017, the Aramark Student Training and Recreation Complex (STAR) was built. It has a climbing wall, a weight room, classrooms, and a turf field.

Temple University Traditions

Cherry and White

Cherry and White are the official school colors of Temple University. The color cherry is often seen around Temple, from the Cherry Crusade fan club to the Cherry and White Directory. In 2008, Temple made sure its cherry color matched a specific standard (Pantone Matching System 201).

The Temple "T"

The university's symbol, the Temple "T", was created by students in 1983. The "T" stands for strength and positive character. Its open ends show the free exchange of ideas that is important at Temple. The Temple T is mentioned in the school's cheer, T For Temple U.

The Owl Mascot

The owl has been the symbol and mascot for Temple University since it was founded in the 1880s. This makes it the first school in the United States to use an owl as its symbol. The owl is a night hunter, which represented Temple's early mission as a night school for ambitious young people. Russell Conwell told these students, "The owl of the night makes the eagle of the day."

In 1977, Temple introduced "Victor T. Owl," a costumed mascot. This mascot was renamed Hooter in 1984 and is still Temple's mascot at sports games. Stella, Temple's live owl mascot, was born in 2009. She lives at the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown. Stella is one of only two live owl mascots in NCAA Division I athletics.

Student Groups

Temple University has over 300 student organizations. These groups cover many interests, including academic, professional, political, service, religious, cultural, arts, entertainment, and media.

Temple University Graduate Students' Association

The Temple University Graduate Students' Association (TUGSA) is a union for graduate students who work for the university as teaching or research assistants. It was formed in 1997 and helps advocate for these students.

Main Campus Program Board

The Main Campus Program Board is a student-run group that plans major events for Temple students. They organize large events, trips, Homecoming activities (like the annual concert), and host speakers and comedians.

Student Media

The Temple News is the weekly newspaper of Temple University. It prints 5,000 copies every Tuesday and is distributed mainly on the Main Campus. The newspaper has won several awards for its print and online content.

Templar is Temple University's annual yearbook. It was created in 1924 and has also won national awards.

WHIP, which stands for "We Have Infinite Potential," is Temple University's student radio station. It broadcasts to Philadelphia and is one of iHeartRadio's top college radio stations.

Temple also has TUTV, a digital cable station that broadcasts to Philadelphia. TUTV shows programs from the Klein College of Media and Communication and other parts of Temple.

Temple University Athletics

Temple University's sports teams are called the Owls. This name comes from Temple's early days as a night school. All of Temple's sports teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and are part of the American Athletic Conference. The field hockey team is also part of the Big East Conference. The Owls are also part of the Philadelphia Big 5, which is a basketball rivalry among Philadelphia-area schools. Temple University was one of the first schools in the United States to offer sports activities for its students. Both the football and basketball programs started in 1894.

Football Program

Temple's football program began in 1894. The team currently plays in the American Athletic Conference.

On December 17, 2012, Matt Rhule became Temple's head football coach. He had been an assistant coach for the Owls for six seasons before that. In 2015, the team had a great season with 10 wins and 4 losses.

Temple won the 2016 American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game. This was their first conference championship since 1967. On December 13, 2016, Geoff Collins became the new head football coach. He led the Owls to a victory in the 2017 Gasparilla Bowl.

The team is currently coached by Stan Drayton.

Men's Basketball Program

Temple University Liacouras Center

The Temple Men's basketball program is one of the top teams in all-time wins in the NCAA. Only a few other famous teams have more wins.

Temple is known for winning the first-ever National Collegiate basketball championship in 1938. This was under Coach James Usilton. That Owls team won the first National Invitation Tournament. Since the NCAA Tournament started the next year, Temple's win made them the first national college basketball champions. In the 1950s, the Temple basketball team reached the NCAA Final Four twice under Coach Harry Litwack. Litwack later joined the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Head Coach John Chaney, also a Hall of Fame coach, won 724 games in his career. He led Temple to the NCAA tournament 17 times. His 1987–88 Owls team was ranked No. 1 in the country.

On April 10, 2006, Fran Dunphy became the new head coach after Coach Chaney retired. Dunphy led the Owls to win three straight Atlantic-10 tournaments from 2008 to 2010.

The team is currently coached by Adam Fisher.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

More than 320,000 people who attended Temple are now living in 50 states and 143 countries. Temple has many famous alumni, including actors like Bill Cosby and Bob Saget, musicians like Daryl Hall and Diplo, and journalists like Tamron Hall. Temple University has over 3,100 teachers, with about 14 students for every teacher.