FALL 2015 UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
NEWS MAKERS
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH TAMRON HALL, SMC ’92, AND KEVIN NEGANDHI, SMC ’98, HON ’15 From the television studio to the emergency room, Owls show their relentless spirit. In this issue, two broadcast Ryan S. Brandenberg, CLA ’14 journalists make a demanding role look easy; student job seekers shine; community teens learn business-savvy app design; and hospital staff respond heroically to tragedy.
TEMPLE2 Letters 3 From the President 4 Campus Voice 5 News 10 Alumni News 37 Class Notes 52 The Last Word
16 22 32 ALUMNI RESEARCH STUDENTS LEADING THE CONVERSATION RAPID RESPONSE BEHIND THE BILLBOARDS
Get an inside look at the lives and routines It was a typical night at Temple University Meet the resourceful, accomplished students of two Owls who host national morning Hospital’s busy emergency room. Then an featured in a Temple ad campaign. 26 television programs. Amtrak train derailed. COMMUNITY CODE PHILLY 12 IN PURSUIT OF HARMONY: Two alumnae honor a trailblazing choral music professor.
A Temple program gives high school students programming skills and an entrepreneurial outlook. COVER PHOTO: Joseph V. Labolito
FALL 2015 1 LETTERS FROM THE PRESIDENT
It’s always a pleasure to get my VOL. 69 NO. 1 / Fall 2015 @TempleUniv alumni magazine in the mail, IN THIS ISSUE Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Communications Every day, I find a new reason to take pride all the way in #Japan. #TempleMade Karen Clarke
@erikj03 in Temple University. In this issue of Temple, Joseph Labolito V. Kobe, Japan Associate Vice President of Communications you’ll find several examples of why we WHAT DO YOU THINK? Emily Spitale should all be proud of this great institution. Readers share anecdotes, memories, praise and tweets inspired by Director of Content Strategy The cover story is about two Temple OWLS ONLINE Maria Raha alumni who are thriving in the world of the spring issue. media. Each morning, people throughout Art Director Trish Brown the country wake up to Tamron Hall, SMC ’92, and Kevin Negandhi, SMC ’98, HON ’15, stars Designers of NBC’s Today and ESPN’s SportsCenter, SPRING 2015 UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE 1948 FOOTBALL ‘MATCH’ Trish Brown, Robert Frawley, Rhiann Irvine respectively. Both Tamron and Kevin are Correspondence enthusiastic and engaged alumni; in fact, Bell Building, 3rd Floor, 1101 W. Montgomery Ave., both of them spoke at graduation ceremonies Philadelphia, PA 19122 during the past academic year. Email Tamron and Kevin demonstrate how a [email protected] Temple education prepares students for the Website real world. That’s a theme taken up in our temple.edu/templemag Hire an Owl campaign, which is helping Janelle Croissette, a biochemistry major in employers learn about our amazing Temple In 1948, my girlfriend, a fellow Temple the Class of 2017, posted this image to Temple is published by Temple University of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education. students and graduates. If you have hired student, and I attended the Temple vs. Instagram with the caption “']['U PRIDE © Copyright 2015 by Temple University or can hire an Owl for an internship or a full- Boston University football game. I can’t around the world.” care team in the wake of that tragedy have Temple University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all time role, I encourage you to let us know at in every aspect of its operations. The university has pledged not to dis- won praise from local, state and national remember which team won, but my girl- temple.edu/takecharge. criminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, officials, but I was not surprised. That’s the For the Birds friend accepted my proposal for marriage. sexual orientation, marital status or disability. This policy extends to 25 OWLS TO FOLLOW ON Giving young people the skills they need During Christmas semester break, we took all educational, service and employment programs of the university. kind of devotion the Temple community Twitter to excel in their careers is one of our top pri- shows every day. the train to Washington, D.C., and here we orities. You can see that in our Urban Apps + We would love to know what makes you are, happily married 66-plus years later! Maps Studios, where Temple undergradu- John William and Lillian Wohlfarth proud to be a Temple Owl. I invite you to ates and local high school students partner Cloverdale, California share your thoughts at facebook.com/ to develop startups that address urban AN EARLIER ‘BIRD’ TempleU. challenges. The program shows the Temple I laughed when I saw the title of the Temple community is entrepreneurial, dedicated magazine I just got in the mail. “For the EXCELLENCE ALL AROUND and socially conscious. Birds” caused a huge flutter at the Medical Jeremy Kusnir, SMC ’07, Philadelphia, My time at Temple was one of the highlights Few events have made me prouder to be a School in the 1960s. Waldo Nelson, chair of responded on Twitter. KEY TO SCHOOL AND COLLEGE CODES of my life. What an excellent school, cam- part of this community than the way people the Department of Pediatrics and the pre- @TempleUniv It’s not Italy, but Owls are Neil D. Theobald pus, experience and education. Temple con- BYR Boyer College of Music and Dance across the university came together to aid eminent pediatrician in the U.S., and perhaps also on the top of Turtlehead Peak at Red College of Liberal Arts President, Temple University tinues to improve and be a wonderful CLA victims of the Amtrak Train 188 derailment the world, was publishing the next edition of Rock in Las Vegas. CPH College of Public Health attribute to the city and region. It will always in May. The dedication and compassion his pediatric textbook. According to scuttle- CST College of Science and Technology > To learn more about President Theobald, visit hold a special spot in my heart, and I really shown by our first responders and medical butt, he recruited his daughter to help orga- DEN Kornberg School of Dentistry president.temple.edu. look forward to your magazine. It is so pro- College of Education nize the index. In those days, it was all done CORRECTION EDU fessional, relevant and interesting. I love being ENG College of Engineering using 3 x 5 cards (ever heard of those?), and informed about the ways Temple is expand- Tom Heffner,FOX ’74, of Eldersburg, FOX Fox School of Business there were hundreds (1,500-plus?) of entries. ing and advancing. Keep up the great work! Maryland, wrote in to correct an error. In HON Honorary Degree Follow Temple! When the book was published, the index Beasley School of Law Julie Maillie, SMC ’07, ’11 the spring 2015 edition of Temple, we mis- LAW was perfectly alphabetized and organized, MED School of Medicine Newtown, Pennsylvania identified the medal that Richard V. facebook.com/TempleU twitter.com/TempleUniv and there in the “B” section was the entry Washington, FOX ’55, received. It was the PHR School of Pharmacy POD School of Podiatric Medicine “Birds, for the,” written by the only person Congressional Gold Medal, not the SED School of Environmental Design who could have gotten away with that Congressional Medal of Honor. SMC School of Media and Communication “impertinence”—his daughter. It was a FROM THE TWITTERVERSE SSW School of Social Work If a Temple Owl sends a message on Twitter, instagram.com/TempleUniv Temple University Alumni Group priceless comment on her take on her famous TFM Division of Theater, Film and Media Arts father’s work. We laughed for days. And is it called a hoot? To share your opinions with the Temple staff, THM School of Tourism and Hospitality Management decades later, seeing the phrase makes us @PopCultureFreak TYL Tyler School of Art email [email protected] or send a letter laugh again. Philadelphia to Temple magazine, Bell Building, 3rd Floor, Gwen Gentile, MED ’62 youtube.com/TempleUniversity plus.google.com/+TempleUniversity 1101 W. Montgomery Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19122. Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and Brooklyn, New York
2 TEMPLE FALL 2015 3 CAMPUS VOICE
TRUE
TECH Ryan S. Brandenberg, CLA ’14
You could say Abby Sydnes, Class of 2017, has science in her genes. The daughter of two engineers who met while working for IBM, she remembers watching her father build computers. And before she was in middle school, she had become interested in hard- ware development.
During her sophomore year, Sydnes led a team of students who competed in Brown University’s ABBY SYDNES Robotics Olympiad. With DEGREE: BS, electrical and computer engineering, College of Science and Technology, Class of 2017 the help of James Novino HOMETOWN: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and Jake Holohan, both with the lead professor to revo- Class of 2016, Sydnes built What were your responsibilities STEM-related fields, women as a NASA intern? lutionize the class with new tend to support each other. a robotic micromouse My main project involved work- projects and hopefully attract Our president of Temple’s meant to navigate a maze ing to combine integrated radio more women to the field. chapter of the Institute of and optical communication sys- Electrical and Electronics (also see “Smart Design,” tems into a hybrid for use in How do you see the environment Engineers is a female, and my Page 7). Though the robot deep space. for young girls in STEM- division chief at NASA was related fields? didn’t find its way out in female. The dynamic in the What does the fall semester In most of my electrical engi- workforce and the classroom is the allotted time, the team hold in store for you? neering classes, there are about definitely changing. won an award for its design. I am secretary of Temple three women, which is usually > To watch a video of Sydnes’ Robotics, working on the micro- equivalent to about 10 percent robotic mouse in action, visit This past summer, her mouse project in hopes of this of the class. I think because of news.temple.edu/micromouse. talents earned her an time completing the maze in the low numbers like that, young Brown competition, and possibly girls are often scared away internship at a NASA labo- entering other competitions. because they feel that they ratory in Ohio, where she I will still be working as the won’t be accepted by their male counterparts. In my experience, worked with some of the lead teaching assistant for the Introduction to Engineering this isn’t true. Also, because of country’s top scientists. course. I hope to work closely the few number of women in
4 TEMPLE From scientific studies to business ventures, Temple fosters innovation. The university’s increasing research expenditures and its eco-friendly efforts are applauded; students open a one-of-a-kind cooperative café; and researchers make a startling discovery about the 2010 NEWS Deepwater Horizon oil spill. RESEARCH RISING LEADING NUMBERS Temple’s momentum is evident in other recent rankings. No. 1 No. 5 Best Online MBA Top Online MBA Programs Programs U.S. News & World The Princeton Review Report No. 6 No. 1 Highest-Caliber Law Best Online MBA School Graduates Programs for Veterans Super Lawyers and Service Members U.S. News & World No. 13 Report Fine Arts; Best Temple has moved into the top 100 U.S. (CST’s) Science Education and Research Graduate Fine colleges and universities for research expen- Center and the School of Medicine’s Medical No. 1 Arts Schools ditures, according to the latest rankings Education and Research Building. Entrepreneurial U.S. News & World from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The high caliber of the faculty has Mentorship Report Temple ranks 94th of 643 institutions brought accolades on another front. Four The Princeton Review in the NSF’s Higher Education Research and papers from three CST professors were and Entrepreneur Development Survey, with $224 million in included in the list of the world’s most cited magazine No. 22 research expenditures for fiscal year 2013. scientific research papers. John Perdew, Graduation Rate That is up from the previous year’s $138 mil- Department of Physics, had No. 16 and No. 93; No. 2 Performance lion and 125th place. The total includes all Sudhir Kumar, Department of Biology, had U.S. News & World Trial Advocacy; funds spent on research from both internal No. 45; and Dean Michael Klein, Department Report Best Law Schools and external sources, including federal, state of Chemistry, had No. 79. Thomson Reuters U.S. News & World Read more about and local governments; businesses; and foun- compiled the list from its Web of Science Report Temple’s rankings at dations and other nonprofit organizations. database, which includes research that dates temple.edu/ Vice President for Research Administration back more than a century. momentum. Michele Masucci attributes the rise in rank- “Academic scholarship is being more and No. 4 ings to the university’s ongoing commitment more quantified by the number of citations Insurance; to investing in research: recruiting world- to a given publication,” says Klein. “This Best Undergraduate class faculty, emphasizing collaborative achievement is a testament to the quality of Business Schools U.S. News & World research activities across disciplines and recruiting that has taken place recently at Report building state-of-the-art facilities, such as CST.” PRESTON M. MORETZ, SMC ’82 the College of Science and Technology’s
FALL 2015 5 NEWS NEWS
Joseph Labolito V. BEING GREEN Temple has been recognized as one of the 353 most environmentally Ryan S. Brandenberg, CLA ’14 responsible colleges. The Princeton Review’s 2015 Guide to 353 Green Colleges gives Temple a green rating of 94 of a possible 99. It praises the university for signing the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, a pledge by colleges and universities to reduce greenhouse gases and promote research and educational efforts to address global climate disruptions. Some of Temple’s environmentally friendly features include the following:
GREEN BUILDING ACADEMIC STUDIES Temple celebrated the achievements of its Class of 2015 during the 128th Commencement ceremony, held May 8 in the Liacouras Center. The university conferred undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees to more than 9,000 Owls. Temple has adopted the U.S. Green Building Temple is a growing destination for students Council’s Leadership in Energy and interested in understanding and working on Environmental Design (LEED) as a standard environmental issues. Twenty degree pro- for new buildings. The Architecture Building grams and numerous certificates include a was Temple’s first LEED building; its green sustainability focus, and nine Temple schools VERDANT TEMPLE LRSLAstudio roof functions as a surface habitat that cap- and colleges offer 138 undergraduate tures stormwater, increases the diversity of sustainability-related courses. SMART Over the summer, landscape work began on the portion of Liacouras Walk between Polett Walk and Montgomery Avenue to beautify the urban wildlife, reduces heat and extends the area, provide more social space and create a clearer pathway to structure’s life. Mitchell and Hilarie Morgan Wachman Hall. Hall, the Montgomery Parking Garage, and DESIGN the new Science Education and Research The project’s new permeable paving will help soak up rainfall— Three College of Engineering students won Center are pending LEED review. a response to the region’s crucial issue of stormwater management— the Excellence in Design award for their and LED pedestrian lighting will save energy and further improve robotic micromouse at the fourth annual security. A line of trees east of 1800 Liacouras Walk will create Brown University Robotics Olympiad in shade for pedestrians. Work will be substantially completed by April. Electrical and computer engineering the end of September. majors Abby Sydnes, Class of 2017 (also see The project is the first under the university’s landscape master “True Tech,” Page 4), and James Novino, plan, Verdant Temple, which outlines a comprehensive strategy for EASY RECYCLING Class of 2016, along with mechanical engi- Temple’s open spaces, streets, walkways, lighting, signage and other neering major Jake Holohan, Class of 2016, Temple expanded the plastics it collects to components integral to the campus experience. Developed in con- used 3-D modeling to design and build their include numbers 1 through 7. The approach junction with the Visualize Temple campus plan, Verdant Temple micromouse—an autonomous robotic device further reduces landfill waste and is also guides the evolution of Main Campus by establishing standards for about the size of an apple that can quickly better integrated with the city of the design, implementation and management of campuswide land- and deftly map and traverse a maze. The Philadelphia and other municipalities. scape projects. BRANDON LAUSCH, SMC ’06 BIKE SHARE Temple team competed against teams from MICHAEL MASTROIANNI Temple’s Main Campus hosts two universities such as Brown, Harvard, stations as part of Philadelphia’s city-owned > Learn more about Temple’s commitment to the Princeton and Yale, as well as Worcester and environment at sustainability.temple.edu. bicycle-sharing program, Indego, which Rensselaer polytechnic institutes. debuted in April. PRESTON M. MORETZ, SMC ’82
6 TEMPLE FALL 2015 7 Ryan S. Brandenberg, CLA ’14 UNIQUE CAFÉ make sense to eat food that has been been has that food eat to sense make doesn’t it farms, Jersey New and Delaware February. in opened it since food tarian vege budget-friendly organic, local, offering been has Dish campus—Rad auniversity on region the in kind its of one only café—the peas. wasabi and mix spring grown locally of asalad into dig or mus hum house-made on down chow to waiting eagerly Annex, Ritter in up line staff and faculty students, Café, Co-op Dish Rad the At 8 TEMPLE NEWS “As close as we are to Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, to we are as “As close cooperative student-run, A completely - - EDU ’07 EDU FAJGE, B. ERICA 2015. January in Marketing of Journal the in published were self-importance, of sense and perceptions spatial associations, connection betweentemperature-related the examine to kind their of first the findings, These spending. overall in increase an and items for luxury preference consumer scents, warm between connection adefinitive found team, research acollaborative with working Morrin, Maureen Professor Marketing AND SCENTS DOLLARS SMC ’15 SMC REDDING, SIOBHAN committees. outreach and Dish’s design Rad of member 2017, of Class a Wright, Rhiannon says around,” ingredients freshest and quality highest- the eating are they that dence confi with food seasonal tasty and healthy studies. environmental in minoring major entrepreneurship an and Dish at Rad outreach of 2016, co-head of Class Troop, Lauren country,” says the across shipped “We want to encourage people to explore explore to people encourage to “We want
- EDU ’07 EDU FAJGE, B. ERICA universities. Korean other several of presidents the with tionships rela cooperative potential discussed and program degree undergraduate-graduate for adual University Kookmin with nership apart signed he visit, the Temple. During to coming students Korean of number universities. Korean with exchange and for cooperation opportunities expand to plan his about Seoul in event alumni atan spoke he where Korea, visited D. Theobald Neil Temple President June, In OUTREACH KOREAN President Theobald aims to increase the the increase to aims Theobald President - -
Ryan S. Brandenberg, CLA ’14 more than 59,000 students. More than 95 95 than More 59,000 students. than more serve 162locations in schools preparatory of Temple’s community.” quality the improve will skills leadership whose students ambitious and motivated highly several identify us helps ship partner “This management. enrollment of provost vice senior Black, William says backgrounds,” various from students to education aquality providing to dedicated for graduates. rates completion college increase to schools, charter of network a national (KIPP), Program Power Is Knowledge the with apartnership formed Temple has CHARTER ALLIANCE college- open-enrollment, KIPP’s been Temple has founding, its “Since - help them get there.” JAZMYN get BURTON them help to support invaluable provide will nership part this and college, through and to tain - moun the climb to day every hard working are KIPPsters “Our schools. Philadelphia KIPP of CEO Mannella, nity,” Marc says commu our in here right option university strong a students KIPP our Temple offer to annually. students KIPP 10 qualified and eight between enroll and recruit Temple will partnership, this With program. meals price reduced- and free federal for the qualify percent 88 Latino; or American African are schools KIPP in enrolled students of percent ’06 SMC LAUSCH, BRANDON 2001. since tion loca current atits been has and 1973 since signage. exterior new canopy, and steel and glass anew displays, digital with lobby inviting more and awider include Hall, City from across sits which campus, City Center project. renovation a$2.75 of million parts are &Noble, Barnes by managed bookstore, and café new The campus. City Center Temple University the to additions debut to April in ceremony aribbon-cutting hosted Temple leaders LIFE CITY “We are thrilled to be joining forces with with forces joining be to thrilled “We are campus City aCenter had Temple has 130,000-square-foot the to Improvements - - - SMC ’82 SMC MORETZ, M. PRESTON spill. oil an of source atthe surface the beneath applied were dispersants time first the up. it It marked clean to used were oil— the down break to used emulsifiers cal - dispersants—chemi of liters 7million nearly 2010, and in well Horizon Deepwater the from escaped oil crude of liters, million 795 oil. the than concentrations atlower als cor the to toxic is dispersant the that found They well. Horizon Deepwater the from oil and dispersant the of concentrations ious var to gulf the from species coral cold-water three exposed University State Pennsylvania atTemple. conducted astudy to according oil, spilled the than corals cold-water to toxic more is Mexico of Gulf the in spill oil Horizon Deepwater 2010 up the clean to used dispersant The LEGACY OIL Approximately 5 million barrels, or or barrels, 5million Approximately the Temple and from Researchers
FALL 2015 FALL NEWS - 9 - ALUMNI NEWS
MAKE PLANS OCT. 8–11: HOMECOMING 2015, featuring
OCT. 9: ART MARKET AT TYLER
OCT. 10: ALUMNI TAILGATE VILLAGE
OCT. 10: TEMPLE VS. TULANE FOOTBALL GAME ALUMNI NEWS (Lincoln Financial Field) Meet the new vice president of Alumni Relations, stay connected with Temple online and make time OCT. 12–13: TEMPLE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF for the arts during Homecoming 2015! MEDICINE NAMING AND DEDICATION
OCT. 16–18: INAUGURAL PARENTS AND FAMILY WEEKEND
OCT. 31: TEMPLE VS. NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL CARRYING THE MANTLE FOR TEMPLE ALUMNI GAME AND TAILGATE (Lincoln Financial Field) In May, President Neil D. Theobald named Ken Lawrence Jr., CLA ’95, the first vice president of Alumni Relations. Here,Temple shines a NOV. 7: THIRD ANNUAL spotlight on Lawrence and why he loves his alma mater. RECONNECT AND REMINISCE GLOBAL DAY OF SERVICE Joseph Labolito V. MAJOR: BA, political science, College of Liberal Arts Homecoming 2015 takes place Oct. 8–11! MAY 6–8: ALUMNI WEEKEND 2016
LAST STOP: senior vice president of government, community > Visit alumni.temple.edu/homecoming for a complete guide to the weekend. and public affairs at Temple FUN FACTS: STAY CONNECTED • Served as chief of staff of Temple Student Government The Temple University Alumni Group on • Owls basketball season ticket holder since his student days LinkedIn averages new members • Owls football season ticket holder since 2002 50 • Broad Street runner for 16 years and 60 new job postings each week! • Married to Jennifer Kaercher Lawrence, FOX ’94, his high school sweetheart Membership has grown to more than
members, including more “Going to Temple basketball and football 17,500 games as a family is just what we do.” than 4,000 managers, directors and owners. There’s no better place to ON WHY HE IS AN ENGAGED ALUMNUS: “Temple has always been a part of our family traditions even before I worked here. The first song ARTS ABOUND! launch a job search or get career advice. I taught my sons and nieces and nephews was the Temple fight song. Experience Temple’s outstanding visual and performing arts during Homecoming 2015. Going to Temple basketball and football games as a family is just what Several arts-related events are scheduled for Friday, Oct. 9. we do. Even our treehouse has a Temple flag in it.” facebook.com/TempleAlumni > To learn more about Lawrence’s vision for Temple alumni, visit ART MARKET AT TYLER features more than 30 vendors selling their handmade work. news.temple.edu/lawrence. Free, noon–8 p.m., Tyler School of Art. twitter.com/TempleAlumni CRAFTS & DRAFTS HAPPY HOUR is a chance to sip Victory beer and sample hors d’oeuvres at the Art Market. Free, 5–7 p.m., Tyler School of Art. Temple University Alumni Group BOYER MOSAIC CONCERT showcases student soloists and ensembles in fast-paced, back-to-back performances. Free, 7:30 p.m., Temple Performing Arts Center. instagram.com/TempleAlumni
10 TEMPLE FALL 2015 11 Ryan S. Brandenberg, CLA ’14
IN PURSUIT OF HARMONY Temple alumnae honor a professor who used choral music to fight social injustice. STORY BY ERICA B. FAJGE, EDU ’07 Sonya Garfinkle (left) and Janet Yamron look through old photos and reminisce about times spent with their teacher, colleague and friend Elaine Brown.
rofessor Emerita Elaine Brown, established the Elaine Brown Chair in from the Bush Conservatory. She became BYR ’45, once said, “Music is a great Choral Music, the university’s first-ever intrigued by the art form of choral music and glue. It holds us all together.” For endowed chair in the arts. enrolled at Westminster Choir College—now the legendary choral conductor, “Elaine Brown was a great influence on a part of Rider University—in Princeton, New Pthat idea wasn’t only a nice sentiment; it was our lives and on many others’ in the com- Jersey, where she acquired another degree a call to action. By founding a racially inte- munity,” Yamron says. “We felt this was and met her husband. She earned yet grated choir group in 1948, Brown ignored a way to honor her.” another degree from Temple, a master’s, social prejudices and fought for equality and and in 1944, Brown began teaching there. integration in an era when society insisted CAREFULLY COMPOSED As conductor of the university chorus, on barriers. Brown placed as much emphasis on where Standing nearly 6 feet tall with a warm laine Brown was raised on music. students sat as on how they sang. By being smile, the energetic and expressive Brown Born Elaine Isaacson in 1910 in placed next to different people at each captivated those she encountered. In fact, Ridgway, Pennsylvania, her rehearsal, they were able to make strong she inspired so many people over the years mother was a choir director and connections with each other. that two Temple alumnae who were her stu- Eorganist who brought her to rehearsals as “Elaine created a kind of blueprint for a dents and colleagues have worked since her an infant and later taught her piano. Like rehearsal that’s both musical and human,” passing in 1997 to celebrate her memory. other little girls, Brown played make-believe: says one of Brown’s protégés, James Jordan, This year, Janet Yamron, BYR ’54, ’57, profes- She used her comb to conduct imaginary BYR ’77, ’83, who uses her approach in the sor emerita of music and music education at orchestras in front of her bedroom mirror. rehearsals he conducts at Westminster Choir Temple, and Sonya Garfinkle,BYR ’48, ’51, Brown taught music education in College, where he is a professor and senior former music instructor at Temple, Jamestown, New York, after earning a degree conductor. “If a choir is a community of
12 TEMPLE FALL 2015 13 “She worked to bring people together at a time when society wanted to keep them apart.” —TARA WEBB DUEY, BYR ’80, ’83, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, CENTER FOR THE ARTS AT TEMPLE
people, then it follows that, for her, where A DETERMINED DUO people sat had much to do with the synergy of the rehearsal.” amron and Garfinkle—two lifelong Brown channeled her passion for creating musicians, educators, close friends harmony in 1948, when she founded Singing and onetime college roommates— City—a racially integrated, Philadelphia- were introduced by Brown in 1951, based choir group—and discovered her ulti- Ywhen they were students. They first dis- mate calling. cussed the idea of an endowed chair shortly “Racial integration wasn’t common at the after Brown’s death in 1997, but it was not time,” Yamron recalls. “Elaine Brown truly until 2001 that they were given the green changed people’s lives by connecting them light to begin fundraising by former Temple and changing their worldviews.” President Peter J. Liacouras. Brown left Temple in 1956 to devote all The pair worked on raising the funds her time to Singing City, which performed themselves, identifying alumni and others around the world for diverse, integrated affected by Brown. So far, 362 people have audiences—including concerts in Israel and contributed to the fund. Jordan in 1974 and in Israel and Egypt in “Elaine Brown always created oppor- 1982. “Elaine felt that if we sang for Israelis, tunities for others, even when coping with we should perform for Arabs, as well,” says her own personal tragedy,” explains Garfinkle, who served as Singing City’s asso- Garfinkle, referring to Brown’s losses of ciate conductor and its executive director her husband, a victim of crime, and her for more than 40 years. “She saw past race, only child, who succumbed to cancer. “It A year after the book was published, He’ll emphasize programs that expose ethnicity and religion.” was never only about her. That is why we Yamron and Garfinkle reached their fund- students to music from non-Western cul- Just one year after the Supreme Court’s received so much support.” raising goal. This past March, they were tures, foster collaboration between students 1954 ruling to desegregate public schools, Despite those early years spent conduct- honored with the Boyer College of Music and the local community, and teach young the choir toured the American South. Brown ing an imaginary orchestra, Brown’s service and Dance Tribute Award for their dedica- conductors the importance of making musi- arranged for training sessions to help choir to the community often eclipsed her profes- tion to establishing and building the cal and emotional connections with their members better understand the atmosphere sional accomplishments. When asked to look Clockwise from top left: Elaine Brown conducts and leads endowed chair and for their contributions singers. Projects currently in the works they’d be encountering. “She was trailblaz- back on her career for a 1987 Philadelphia a class in two undated photographs; Singing City per- to education and the arts. include partnerships with North forms in Israel in 1974; Brown and two choir members ing and wasn’t one to be constrained by Inquirer article published shortly after she meet with Martin Luther King Jr.; Brown leads the choir Philadelphia youth choirs, guest artist resi- social conventions,” says Tara Webb Duey, announced her retirement, a community in formation in 1964; the choir rehearses in 1962. PASSING THE TORCH dencies, and financial support for students BYR ’80, ’83, director of development for the singing project for children in North and community performances. Center for the Arts at Temple. “She worked Philadelphia that she started in the early Choir formation, choir rehearsal, program cover and CD early 60 years after Elaine Brown “As the Elaine Brown Chair, I plan to help cover courtesy of Special Collections Research Center, to bring people together at a time when soci- 1970s was the first thing she mentioned. told her students to light a candle, current and future generations of choral stu- Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia; other images ety wanted to keep them apart.” In January 2014, Yamron, Garfinkle and courtesy of Singing City. her vision is being shared with dents get to know this remarkable woman Under Brown’s leadership, the choir ranked Jordan published a book about Brown’s the next generation of music stu- and her vision,” Rardin says. “I strive to as one of the top choral groups in the U.S. legacy. They titled it Lighting a Candle Ndents at Temple. honor Elaine Brown’s legacy and match her and performed regularly with the because when students asked Brown in 1956 Associate Professor Paul Rardin has been energy and joy.”■ Philadelphia Orchestra. In December 1972, how they would succeed after she left Temple, named the inaugural Elaine Brown Chair in > To contribute to the Elaine Brown Chair in Brown became the first woman in the U.S. to she replied, “You must light a candle for Choral Music. He aims to provide opportuni- Choral Music, visit giving.temple.edu/ someone else”—meaning it was their turn to conduct the Philadelphia Orchestra in concert. ties for students that, as he puts it, “align ElaineBrownChair. teach others the lessons Brown had instilled with Elaine Brown’s vision for choral music in them. as an ambassador to human understanding.”
14 TEMPLE FALL 2015 13 LEADING THE CONVERSATION EVERY DAY, TEMPLE IS PART OF THE NATIONAL NEWS WHEN TAMRON HALL, SMC ’92, AND KEVIN NEGANDHI, SMC ’98, HON ’15, FACE THE CAMERAS.
STORY BY MARIA RAHA PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN S. BRANDENBERG, CLA ’14
amron Hall, SMC ’92, rises at 4:30 with the executive producer of NewsNation. each morning. By 7:30 a.m., the In addition, she sometimes co-anchors co-host of NBC News’ Today show Today from 7 to 9. and anchor of MSNBC’s NewsNation The atmosphere on the Today set is casual with Tamron Hall has already fielded and jovial. Hall interviews actors Jason two conference calls to prepare for the day’s Schwartzman and Adam Scott and taste broadcasts. After taking care of her own tests picnic fare. As the hour progresses, hair, makeup and wardrobe, Hall begins Hall begins to quietly, intently check her anchoring “Today’s Take,” an hourlong seg- phone during commercials and other seg- ment of Today. ments. She’s preparing for her second daily Every minute of that hour is packed. One show, NewsNation with Tamron Hall, which morning this past summer, for example, airs every weekday at 11. Hall is about to Hall spends commercial breaks patiently report on the aftermath of a tragic and taking and retaking selfies withToday ’s shocking event in Charleston. The previous guide-dog-in-training, Wrangler, for a Q&A night, a young white man had attended a on BuzzFeed. When Wrangler finally gives prayer meeting in the city’s Emanuel African Hall a kiss as she snaps a photo, she races Methodist Episcopal Church and killed nine back to her place in front of the camera African Americans. before the “On Air” light outside the studio When “Today’s Take” wraps at 10, Hall brightens again. And at 9:30 each day, she walks from Studio A through 30 Rockefeller uses news anchor Natalie Morales’ segment Plaza—a crowded labyrinth that resembles a within “Today’s Take” to fit in a meeting
FALL 2015 17 “I’M THE GIRL WHO CAME TO TEMPLE NEVER HAVING SEEN PHILADELPHIA. THIS CITY GAVE ME MY SOUL. THIS UNIVERSITY GAVE ME MY CONFIDENCE.” — TAMRON HALL, SMC ’92, CO-HOST, “TODAY’S TAKE,” AND ANCHOR, NEWSNATION WITH TAMRON HALL SCHOOL OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS, DEC. 18, 2014
complex subway station at rush hour— journalist who anchors NewsNation. She’s viewers to the 9 a.m. telecast of ESPN’s toward the NewsNation studio. responsive, flexible and calm. “We are like SportsCenter. From 10 to 10:50, Hall prepares for her that as human beings, I hope,” she says. “We ESPN’s sprawling campus in Bristol, next broadcast and touches up her hair and can truly be engaged in the substantive Connecticut, is the polar opposite of the bus- makeup. At a different desk, in a different things that affect our lives on a daily basis or tling, iconic 30 Rock. While the latter is a studio, she settles in to host NewsNation. have long-range and long-term impact, and skyscraping monument to art deco, ESPN is “My team at NewsNation sends me scripts we can transition to something like a recipe a gleaming contemporary marvel. Eighteen to approve during commercial breaks or we saw somewhere.” buildings, a fleet of satellites, and a quad when I’m not doing a segment on the We might all have that capacity, but we’re that has served as a mini–football field, a ‘Take,’” she explains. “They are in sync not expected to exhibit such depth of tennis court, a soccer field and more are with my schedule, and they know what we dimension before a live, national audience. nestled in 123 acres in a small and quiet need to do to transition from that show to Additionally, while on the air, Hall has been town. But the difference in atmosphere our show without compromising my report- asked to head to Charleston. Once she signs doesn’t mean Negandhi’s mornings are slow. ing or the information we’re providing off ofNewsNation , she attends a quick post- “I’m here at 6 a.m.,” he says. “We write to the viewers.” production meeting and heads home to get the show from 6 to 8. Around 8:15, I get In the NewsNation studio, the production ready to travel. ready for the newsroom. And then at around staff sits elbow to elbow among a maze of “I keep a bag packed because that’s one of 8:35, I’m in makeup; at 8:45, we may do a desks about 50 feet from where Hall anchors. the rules of the game, and by the time I pretaped segment, and then we’re on the They might not be on camera, but it’s clear made it to the airport, I was stunned to air.” His daily episode is followed by a post- they’re poised to pounce on any unexpected learn the flight was delayed,” she says a mortem meeting, during which the staff turn the show might take. week later. “I ended up waiting at the air- discusses what worked and what didn’t. About halfway through the broadcast, port for five or six hours, and never got out After a quick lunch, Negandhi picks up his the energy in the room intensifies and the for the show. The reporter in me wanted two children from daycare and heads home. phone at the anchor desk begins ringing desperately to be on the ground for that “For most [other ESPN] shows, you have repeatedly. A staff member answers the calls story. I got home around midnight and I was four or five to six hours of prep time,” he in hushed, rushed tones and delivers on the air the next day, but on the ground in says. “But on the 9-A, you’re in and you have updates to Hall during commercials. New York.” to get going, because if you don’t, you’re Charleston shooter Dylann Roof has just going to be behind, writing two-hour shows been caught in Shelby, North Carolina. PREP TIME in two hours.” Through it all, Hall remains squarely in The morning Temple visits ESPN, the the present. She’s no less engaged as a sunny Kevin Negandhi, SMC ’98, HON ’15, thrives on U.S. women’s soccer team is basking in its host on Today than she is as the serious a similar energy. Each weekday while Hall Women’s World Cup victory. holds court on Today, Negandhi welcomes
18 TEMPLE FALL 2015 19 “CHOOSING AND TRANSFERRING TO TEMPLE WAS THE BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE.” — KEVIN NEGANDHI, SMC ’98, HON ’15, ANCHOR, ESPN’S SPORTSCENTER TEMPLE UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS, MAY 8, 2015
Negandhi interviews Abby Wambach BORN READY button. So that was my debut: I was sweat- and Kelley O’Hara, two of the team’s star ing like it was Niagara Falls on my face, and I players, and talks to NASCAR’s Dale Hall, who even as a child watched TV with a did three minutes of ad-libbing. The anchor Earnhardt Jr. critical eye, says she was a broadcast jour- next to me was under the desk, trying to set “Every single day is different,” Negandhi nalist from “day one”: “It’s my career, it’s my everything right. It was my welcome-to-TV enthuses, “from the Women’s World Cup to path, it’s my destiny—it’s what I believe I was moment.” the NBA starting free agency to Wimbledon meant to do,” she says. “I believe I was In 2006, an agent helped him get an audi- matches. It’s never dull for me, and I don’t meant to be a journalist. And I’m just thank- tion for ESPN, where he beat out six candi- think it’s dull for anybody who does this.” ful that I happen to be on one of the greatest dates for a job at ESPNews. The broadcast itself isn’t dull, either. In a morning shows ever, as well as being able to After she earned her degree from Temple, studio that’s likely able to fit threeToday walk into a network that has a storied legacy Hall returned to her home state of Texas and show sets in it, modular elements like desks for breaking news and reporting on the sto- worked as a general assignment reporter at and podiums are wheeled in front of back- ries that impact this country.” KTVT in Dallas. She then moved to WFLD in drops and display screens in different cor- Negandhi had his professional revelation Chicago, where she spent 10 years before ners of the room, transforming the in 1989, when he was 14. “I was watching a joining MSNBC in 2007. A rigorous, daily on- environment for different segments. The college basketball game, and they were pro- air schedule is not new to her: In Chicago, anchors’ desk sits in the middle, and the cast filing a player at the free-throw line,” she hosted a daily three-hour news pro- and guests work around camera cranes that Negandhi recalls. “They said, ‘He wants to gram, Fox News in the Morning. produce the show’s signature swooping be a sports broadcaster.’ I thought, ‘Wait a Hall doesn’t need extra motivation to face effects. Negandhi smoothly, coolly negoti- second, I can get paid to follow sports and such demands. The chance to do her job, ates the space, the timing, the segues and travel with teams?’” she says, is motivation enough. “I don’t take the detail-oriented statistic-soaked nature of While at Temple, Negandhi worked on it lightly when people agree to give me an sports reporting. campus and for local media outlets in both interview or allow me to tell their story,” “I always say that when you work at a print and broadcast journalism. And after Hall notes. “That’s why I got in this business. normal job, if you have a bad day, three to graduation, he began reporting profession- I love hearing about someone else’s journey. maybe 10 people notice,” he says. “If I have ally in Kirksville, Missouri, where his first When I’ve been given the opportunity to a bad day, hundreds of thousands of people day broadcasting live was akin to baptism by report their side of the story, their view of notice. I have to be on and ready. Every time fire. “The studio wasn’t air-conditioned, and the story, it’s why I do this, it’s why I want to I’m on the air, I’m a fan: I have the same it was HOT,” he recalls. “We had to run our do this and it’s why I will do this for the rest spirit, the same emotion, and I can convey own teleprompter with a pedal, and next to of my career.”■ the pedal there was a small button. If you hit that in a professional manner. There’s a To view more images from the studios and the it, the teleprompter ran backward. I pressed standard I like to set that I bring it every cover shoot, visit news.temple.edu/anchors. single day.” the pedal, and my foot was so big it hit the
20 TEMPLE FALL 2015 21 Photo credits: left: © Patrick Semansky/AP/Corbis; right: © Eleanor Bentall/Corbis Eleanor © right: Semansky/AP/Corbis; Patrick © left: credits: Photo RESPONSE
WHEN AN AMTRAK TRAIN DERAILED NEAR TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, THE STAFF GARNERED NATIONAL PRAISE FOR TREATING THE GREATEST NUMBER — AND THE MOST SEVERELY INJURED — OF VICTIMS. HERE’S HOW THEY DID IT.
STORY BY THERESA EVERLINE
t 9:39 p.m. on scooped up patients and brought them here mostly didn’t linger around to tell us what May 12, every bed they were seeing.” in the emergency What the hospital staff would end up doing A in response to a tragedy that injured more department was full. than 200 people and killed eight was treating For Temple University Hospital, which has more victims than any other Philadelphia- the busiest emergency department in the area hospital. Temple University Hospital’s Delaware Valley, that situation isn’t remark- main Health Sciences Center location able. But at 9:40, what had been a typically received 54 people and its Episcopal campus fast-paced workflow transformed into a high- an additional 10 in a matter of only hours— alert surge when a call came in: Amtrak on a night that began with no available beds. Train 188 had derailed in Philadelphia’s Port Years of preparing for crises made Temple Richmond neighborhood. Three miles west, ready to spring into action, and Wes Light, Temple was the closest trauma center to the FOX ’10, ’14, is the person in charge of planning crash site. And at 9:57, the first patient came for the worst. “I’m paid to worry,” Light says. through the hospital’s doors. As the hospital’s manager of emergency “We didn’t have good information from preparedness, he assesses the greatest threats. the site to know how bad it was,” says Six times per year, he presents terrible sce- Herbert Cushing, Temple’s chief medical narios to the administrators and asks, “What officer. “The police and firefighters who would you do?” Those exercises on paper
22 TEMPLE FALL 2015 23 Joseph Labolito V.
Each trauma patient requires an emergency-room physician, a trauma surgeon, several nurses, an anesthesiologist and others. Temple University Hospital staff, including (from left) John Kastanis, president and chief executive officer; Herbert Cushing, chief medical officer; and Robert McNamara, department chair of emergency medicine, go through regular, rigorous training exercises that prepare them for mass-casualty events like the Amtrak derailment. supplement regular mass-casualty training three,” Cushing notes. He had no way of As a crisis develops, its enemy is the looked like chaos to an outsider, but he says the first responders flooded with adrenaline, Next came “the Philadelphia police, the courses and exercises using fake patients. knowing that 54 patients and hundreds unknown. How bad will the injuries be? Are the doctors, nurses and ancillary staff were the members of the media—they would all Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, Sometimes worries about what might of others would be surging into those exact numerous people trapped who will create a all executing their roles exactly as they had need to eat. It was the largest disaster Moleski who showed up with guns, badges, every- go wrong at a site of life-or-death realities areas that night, but he couldn’t shake his second wave of patients? Nurse Sheila Last practiced. “While events such as this are has encountered in his four years on the job, thing,” Light says. They wanted to talk to the come from unexpected places. For example, discomfort. He called off the maintenance. was on the front line most of the night, helping thankfully rare, it is our duty to protect but he and two other workers held down the victims to determine if the crash was terror- Cushing made a decision on the morning of evaluate victims’ injury levels. “Every 20 min- potential future victims by fully preparing fort, brewing pots of coffee and distributing ism-related. “We had to come up with a way the crash that proved prescient. Regular NEEDED REINFORCEMENTS utes, there were four or five police wagons for whenever they might occur. This is what premade sandwiches. “One guy just kept of keeping them out of the medical care area maintenance on the main hospital’s electri- dropping people off,” she recalls. “The first 20 we train for.” making pizzas,” Moleski remembers. but assure them they were going to be able cal substations had been planned for every emple’s medical staff members who or 30 people were not assessed by the fire Danielle Claire Thor, Class of 2016, director The night had its emotional moments for to get to all the patients.” night that week. On Monday, when two were on duty that night were highly department on the scene, so we would open of the student-run Temple University Moleski when he encountered anguished And then there were the 64 patients substations were taken down, “some areas T prepared, but their numbers weren’t the doors and didn’t know what to expect.” Emergency Medical Services, usually family members. Ultimately, he says, “I felt themselves—the reason these many, many didn’t go onto the emergency generator sufficient. Dozens of people were called in to Nonetheless, the staff met the challenges responds to Main Campus incidents. She proud to be a part of it. It was a well-oiled members of the Temple community power,” Cushing says. help, including Dara Delcollo, who, despite with amazing efficiency. Medical student and her team headed north on Broad Street machine.” responded so admirably. Robert McNamara, Though nothing bad occurred, Cushing her 10 years as a nurse at Temple, was still Peter Tomaselli, Class of 2016, helped track once they heard about the catastrophe. department chair of emergency medicine, woke up early on Tuesday, May 12, and amazed when she arrived: “Just looking out the arrivals. Watching the staff skillfully “Based on previous experiences, I thought MANAGING MANY NEEDS wasn’t called in that night, but he partici- fretted over the substations scheduled to and seeing everyone covered in soot, with respond “was both humbling and inspira- we’d be there all night, until 8 or 9 in the pated in the weekly debriefings afterward. go down that evening: They fed the ER, the tags hanging from their arms for their triage tional,” he says. “The trauma surgery team morning,” she says. But she was able to leave es Light tries to imagine every “When we reviewed how things happened, operating rooms and radiology. “The big level—I never saw anything like that before.” was particularly impressive, and they were after only four hours. “One of the best indi- contingency, but no major one of the recurring themes was that the aided by residents and attending physicians cators of how smoothly it went was how W crisis follows a script. Some of patients themselves were great,” McNamara from other surgical departments. It was quickly it got done.” what had to be managed never appears in says. “They were self-sacrificing. Human truly a team effort on a grand scale.” Of course, a hospital doesn’t run on emergency-room TV dramas. beings respond to tragedy in ways that sur- Twenty-three of the patients at Temple nurses and doctors alone. The first people All those beds that were already full? An prise you. Most of the people in the world are that night were classified as “traumas,” the Cushing mentions when he talks about the alternate care site was established, and good.” He pauses, then adds, “You don’t worst injury level. “One of these kinds of event are “the cleaning folks, the security patients who were ready were discharged— always see that when you’re working in an patients is very resource-intensive,” explains folks, the people in the blood bank, the lab “which is kind of difficult in the middle of emergency department.” Light, the emergency-preparedness manager. people. Without the radiology technicians, the night,” Light says with a shrug. In the face of a tragic event like the Amtrak Each trauma patient requires an emergency- we wouldn’t have been able to do all the CAT While extra staff was needed, some who derailment, all anyone can do is try valiantly room physician, a trauma surgeon, several scans really fast.” arrived had to be told to go back home. “In to help. Tomaselli, the med student, was awed nurses, an anesthesiologist and others. “To Joseph Moleski, director of hospitality and an event like this,” Light explains, “you can by experiencing the events of May 12: “I truly have 23 of them in a short amount of time nutrition services, has developed a mindset have a hangover effect, where the next day feel I saw Temple at its best.” ■ takes a lot,” Light observes with remarkable unique in the food-service industry. “I was at you don’t have adequate staff. Then you’re understatement. home starting to doze off when my wife came running a different kind of emergency.” To explore national media coverage of John Kastanis, the hospital’s president and in and turned on the TV,” he says. “I saw it on For the anxious family members and Temple’s handling of the Amtrak disaster, chief executive officer, was in the emergency CNN and said, ‘I have to go to work.’” The friends, a care center was established where visit news.temple.edu/amtrak. department after the crash. It might have hospital staff, the relatives of the victims, they could congregate and receive news.
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