This month, the first class of students to enroll in Temple s Fly in 4 program will earn undergraduate degrees. Justin Grothmann is among those students. In fact, he was the first student ever to sign a Fly in 4 agreement in 2014, when Temple introduced the program geared toward helping students graduate on time.

I had no idea I was the first, said Grothmann, who majored in accounting at the Fox School of Business. I heard about Fly in 4 on Temple s website. Then I saw details about it in Temple s financial aid materials, and I even read articles about it. I determined it was a great program for me.

Fly in 4 helps full-time freshmen or transfer students stay on track to graduate in four years and reduce potential student debt. The program has even helped a few students graduate ahead of schedule, some earning their degrees in three years.

Grothmann, of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, sought an in-state university with a top-tier business school in an urban setting. Those criteria, in addition to the Fly in 4 program, made choosing Temple a fairly easy decision for me, he said.

Grothmann maintained Fly in 4 s requirements while participating actively in Temple s chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants. He also offered his time and skills to the Fox School s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, in which students help file tax returns for qualified members of the community at no charge.

This fall, Grothmann will begin Fox s Master of Accountancy program, with a career in tax accounting to follow.

Temple, Fox and Fly in 4 have opened lots of career opportunities for me, Grothmann said. And that s exactly what I was looking for. I m very happy I decided to come to Temple University.

Christopher A. Vito