For the third year in a row, Temple University has won the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award. This national recognition, awarded by Insight into Diversity magazine, recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. The comprehensive application covers a variety of areas and is used by Temple to assess best practices.
Temple University's interest in applying for the HEED Diversity Awards stems from its deep and longstanding mission to provide accessible, high-quality education to one of the nation's most diverse student populations.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Temple's founder Russell Conwell established a mission to educate the "acres of diamonds" that reside right in Temple's backyard, an economically challenged and diverse area of Philadelphia. His vision offered a more democratic education widened to serve the less fortunate and to help them realize their potential, as well as to serve the needs of the community. Temple has been guided for more than a century by this mission and continues to commit to educate all students who desire an education both by opening the doors of Temple to a broader student population and by working diligently to ensure that students, once accepted, will have every opportunity to succeed.
The university’s intentional efforts to increase the representation of students of color, first-generation students, and international students, as well as pathways to college programs, the test optional entrance requirements, and Temple Promise have worked together to achieve the desired effects of diversifying our student population and fulfilling Russell Conwell’s mission. We have experienced significant progress to an already impressive record. Among the student body for the 2023-2024 academic year, Temple still does not have an ethnic majority in the incoming first year undergraduate class. Up from 56.5% last year, 62.3% of the incoming first-year undergraduate students identify as a person of color. When we drill down, the numbers tell a very positive story. 29.6% of first-year undergraduate students identify as African American, Hispanic or Latine students represent 12.6% of the incoming first-year class, and Asian students represent 14.9% of the class. We have also achieved greater diversity in our executive leadership. The university recently welcomed four African American members to its Board of Trustees: Dr. Kellyn Hodges, Ken Scott, Tiffany Wilson, and Faye Dunbar. In addition, the late JoAnne A. Epps, who passed away suddenly in the fall of 2023, became the university's first African American female president in the spring of 2023.
Although the university’s many and varied DEI initiatives are intertwined throughout the university, several notable goals were considered in the HEED award review process, including:
- During the Spring 2024 semester, the university launched the Temple University Community Gateway, the university's one-stop shop to help members of the surrounding community connect to the vast network of resources and services offered by Temple and its community and government partners. In less than three months, the Gateway team has reached over 100 clients and has begun to help them map opportunities and make meaningful connections to Temple programs.
- During the Spring 2024 semester, Temple launched Saturday College, a program for Philadelphia middle schoolers that provides academic and social enrichment and support, as wells as a pathway to undergraduate education for diverse populations. These students spend one Saturday morning each month working on fun projects at Temple’s schools and colleges.
Selection for the prestigious HEED Award has affirmed the university's commitment to providing a safe, supporting, and welcoming environment for students, faculty, staff, and our surrounding communities. Our hope is that this affirmation will attract individuals to the transformational power of being a part of the Temple community.