Dear Temple Colleagues,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 academic year. Since arriving at Temple this summer, I have had the privilege of meeting many of you, and I look forward to connecting with more members of our community throughout the year.

I arrived in Philadelphia at an exciting time given America’s 250th birthday, the major sporting events of the summer and the arrival of LeBron James, from my home state of Ohio. But what has been most exciting for me is being part of Temple.

As I prepare to start my first academic year as provost, I look forward to a rewarding and productive fall semester with all of you. Temple is poised to meet today’s challenges and remains unwavering in our commitment to our mission.

Temple’s mission, embodied in our commitment to educational excellence and access, is the reason I am here. It is a privilege to be at Temple and to partner with you at such a pivotal moment in its history as we implement our strategic plan, Forward with Purpose. Student success is the keystone of that plan and is at the heart of everything we do.

The first six weeks of the semester are especially important for student success. Faculty and staff are often the first to notice when a student begins to struggle.

The request to you is simple: notice, ask and connect. You do not need to solve every problem or know which Temple office has the answer. Ask the student how they are doing, encourage them to seek help early and help connect them to support. A personal referral or warm handoff can make an important difference in whether a student actually accesses the resources available to them.

Just as important, encourage students to build habits that support their success from the beginning: go to class, complete assignments, communicate with faculty, ask questions, build relationships and seek help before a challenge becomes a crisis. Check out these tips for enhancing student engagement.

We invite you to join colleagues from across campus tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., for our fall 2026 Cherry On Kickoff as we celebrate our Temple pride by wearing cherry and white on Thursdays.

Finally, our annual Fall Wellness Day will be on Friday, Oct. 2. No classes will be held that day to give our students a mid-semester break.

You are essential in helping our Owls feel supported. We want you to feel supported also, so please feel free to reach out to my office at any time with questions or concerns. Temple’s spirit and energy is high, and I am confident this momentum will continue to build as we move forward together.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth A. Wentz
Senior Vice President and Provost