Dear Colleagues,

It is with deep appreciation and some sadness that I write to share that after nearly 25 years of dedicated service to Temple University, Vice President for Community Impact and Civic Engagement Valerie Harrison, CLA ’07, ’14, has decided to retire. Her last day will be August 31, 2026.

One of the best things about Temple is its people, and Val is one of the strongest illustrations of that. Since first joining the university in 1999 as associate university counsel, Val has gone on to hold a variety of roles, including senior associate university counsel, senior advisor to the president, vice president for diversity, equity, inclusion and her current role where she spearheaded the launch of the new Office of Community Impact and Civic Engagement. Along the way, she has built relationships with countless individuals across the university; students, faculty, staff and neighbors alike have all benefited from Val’s thoughtful approach and unique ability to make every voice feel heard.

A connector and community builder in every way, one of the strongest demonstrations of Val’s impact is her unwavering commitment to ensuring that the university upholds its responsibility to serve as a good neighbor to the North Philadelphia community. As a native of Philadelphia, Val took this responsibility personally, and we are fortunate she did. Today, Temple’s relationship with the community is as strong as ever, and we owe much of that to the work pursued by Val in recent years.

Programs like Cecil B. Moore Scholars, Temple Future Scholars, Saturday College, the Temple Community Gateway, Owls for Philly, and Temple On Board all bear Val’s fingerprints. As a product of the School District of Philadelphia, Val made it her mission to reinvigorate an academic pipeline program for students in Philadelphia public schools. It is no coincidence that in recent years, Temple has seen significant increases in the percentage of Philadelphia-area students enrolled at the university.

A tireless advocate for equality, Val spearheaded many other initiatives during her time at Temple. In the summer of 2015, she led the effort to centralize and strengthen the university’s efforts to combat sexual misconduct, and in February 2017, Temple and Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR) established a main campus satellite office for a 24/7 safe, confidential reporting option, support and response. In 2022, she co-chaired the university’s Violence Reduction Task Force, which led to the launch of key initiatives like the Temple Community Gateway. In the spring of 2023, under her leadership, IDEAL moved to a new, central location in the Tuttleman Learning Center, making it an easily accessible hub for events, resources and support. She also played a key role in helping launch the university’s Center for Anti-Racism and strengthening the university’s efforts to combat antisemitism.

In recent months, Val has worked diligently to create a proposal to repurpose the historic Burk Mansion as a community engagement center that will host a range of programs and services for the North Philadelphia community. Thanks to Val’s efforts, that proposal has since made its way through the Philadelphia Historical Commission approval process. I know she has long desired a permanent home to help amplify Temple’s work in the community, and it is gratifying to know that the Burk Mansion will soon fill that void.
Working closely with Val has truly been one of the highlights of my time as Temple’s president. While her departure leaves a tremendous void here at Temple, I am grateful for the way in which she has guided her team, and I know they are up to the task. I am also happy to know she will enjoy a well-deserved retirement with family and friends.

I have asked David W. Brown, currently an associate professor and assistant dean for community and communication at the Klein College of Media and Communication, to step in as executive director of community impact and civic engagement where he will report to Vice President for Government and Community Relations Brian Keech. Like Val, David has deep ties to the Philadelphia community and he is transitioning from his appointment as executive director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives – a collection of civic, philanthropic, business and community leaders who work together to reduce gun violence in Philadelphia. He is the ideal leader to help carry forward this important work.

Once more, I want to personally thank Val for her service to Temple University over what has been nearly a quarter-century. In the weeks to come, we will celebrate Val’s career and years of service with a special gathering. In the meantime, please join me in wishing her well as she prepares to begin this new chapter. She will be missed.

Sincerely,

John Fry
President