Dear Students and Colleagues, 

Monday, Sept. 7, marks our nation’s annual Labor Day holiday. Pennsylvania was one of the first eight states to officially recognize the day honoring American workers before it became an official federal holiday in 1894. Here in Philadelphia, Temple University’s role in helping to cultivate the region’s workforce started taking shape 10 years earlier when Russell Conwell founded this institution as a night school, holding classes at Grace Baptist Church in North Philadelphia.   

That legacy of access to education continues today.  

As we mark Labor Day, I want to thank all our faculty and staff for the important work you do to move Temple forward, making a difference in the lives of our students and communities. Our success comes from our students and employees’ dedication to this institution and its mission.

I hope this Labor Day gives you a chance to relax and spend time with family and friends. 

Sincerely, 

John Fry 
President