"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." — John Lennon
Darryl Sanford has been part of the Temple University community for most of his adult life, initially as a student in 1983. He completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and shortly after graduation took a "temporary" job with Temple's Library system.
Fast-forward to 2020 and that temporary position has been a full-fledged career dedicated to supporting Temple students, faculty and staff that has spanned more than 30 years.
"When I began working in the Library, in my...
Ever since she can remember, Temple University Psychology major (offered through the College of Liberal Arts) Breianah Raysor-Moore has had a keen interest "in trying to figure people out.""I try to determine who people truly are and factors that contributed to the way they are. Majoring in psychology has enabled me to learn and dig deeper into how people think, act and react," said Raysor-Moore, who transferred to Temple from Montgomery County Community College and Indian University of PA. "There are a lot of possible factors that can impact someone's mind — genetics,...
If you have visited Temple University Ambler and taken a tour of campus in the last four years, Kinesiology major Amanda Hoff may very well have been one of the first people you met."There's not another campus set up quite like it. We have the same variety of resources, but so much more green space — there are wonderful places to study," said Hoff, a member of Temple's Class of 2020. "I've taken courses at both Temple Ambler and Main Campus — I came to Temple Ambler in my first year and took many of my general education courses and electives. As an experiment for...
For Dr. Jeffrey Featherstone, “sustainability” wasn’t a buzzword. It was an avocation. He welcomed every opportunity to talk about and showcase sustainable concepts to as wide an audience as possible within Temple and within the region.
Featherstone described “sustainability” as “the balance between the natural world and the buildings in which we live and work.” He was the founding Director of Temple University’s Center for Sustainable Communities. Featherstone left a giant hole in the Temple University community when he passed away after a sudden and severe illness in...
For Jeffrey Feathestone, "sustainability" wasn't a buzzword. It was an avocation. He welcomed every opportunity to talk about and showcase sustainable concepts to as wide an audience as possivbe within Temple University and withing the region.
Featherstone described "sustainability" as "the balance between the natural world and the buildings in which we live and work." He was the founding Director of Temple University's Center for Sustainable Communities. Featherstone left a giant hole in the Temple University community when he passed away after a sudden and severe illness...
The plants in the Greenhouse Education and Research Complex, a key component in the Temple Tyler School of Art and Architecture's Landscape Architecture and Horticulture programs, are being diligently cared for at Temple Ambler.
"The fundamental goal is to keep the teaching and research collection alive and thriving for our students, faculty and researchers. Our collection includes many plants that were collected in the wild, as well as rare items that you're not going to easily find and replace," said Benjamin Snyder, Manager of the Greenhouse Education and Research...
A dedicated group of scientists is hard at work seeking viable solutions to water contamination removal and oil spill containment and remediation — vital environmental issues that impact everything from potable drinking water to animal habitats to the fishing industry.
What makes this particular group of scientists stand out is that they were 10th and 11th grade chemistry students at Central High School in Philadelphia.
“Our students were working in small groups conducting chemical/water quality research to gain a better understanding of pollutants in our drinking water...
Elizabeth Hall, a 1924 graduate of the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women (PSHW), which became Temple University Ambler in 1958, went on to become a world-respected librarian for the New York Botanical Garden where she worked for more than 20 years.Her first position after graduating, however, was as a Horticulture Therapist. While prior to this time there was an understanding of the value of gardens in healing settings, this may be the first time someone was hired with the title and specific tasks of working to improve patients health through the act of gardening."...
Temple University is focused on ensuring the health and safety of our community members and campus and Arboretum visitors. The university is taking several measures to keep everyone safe amid the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. On March 12, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced that all Montgomery County schools, including universities, would be closed for two weeks. In accordance, Temple University Ambler closed on Thursday, March 12. The Ambler Arboretum will also be closed to outside guests at this time.Regretfully, Temple University Ambler...
Months of hard work, dedication and teamwork have certainly paid off for students and faculty in the Temple Tyler School of Art and Architecture's Landscape Architecture and Horticulture programs!Their 2020 Flower Show Exhibit, Course of Action: A Radical Tack for Suburban Tracts, has been recognized with top honors. Course of Action was presented with a PHS Gold Medal, awarded to a major exhibit that receives 95 or more points out of 100 in the criteria of design, horticulture, plantsmanship and educational value; the Alfred M. Campbell Memorial Trophy, given to the "...
Flowers and trees understand something that perhaps humans haven't quite caught onto yet. A weather-prognosticating rodent is all well and good, but winter is going to end when winter ends and spring will follow in its own good time.When Philadelphia Flower Show preparation begins at Temple University Ambler each year, that's where Temple Horticulture staff and students come in. Their mission is to "trick" the plants into thinking that late February/early March is a perfect time to put their best blooming face forward for the signature event's 250,000 guests."The process of...
Following World War II, the boom time of the 1950s set suburbia awash with acres of developments comprised of cookie-cutter homes and equally uniform lawns. No one could ever accuse these settings of being ecologically diverse.Fifty years later, as new developments of single-family homes, townhomes and apartments continue to supplant forests, meadows and natural lands, that sea of sameness — well-manicured, chemically controlled lawns and over-managed trees, shrubs and plants — persists.That needs to change. At the 2020 Philadelphia Flower Show, Temple University...
After 30 years with the Environmental Protection Agency, Jeffrey Lapp has developed a true passion and respect for plants."In my early years working for the agency, I spent most of my time in the field, which took me to a wide variety of environments and ecosystems," said Lapp, Wetlands Branch Chief for the EPA Region III office. "I became particularly interested in northeastern bogs and the plants that grew there."Lapp's interest in wetland plants steers decidedly off the beaten path toward plants that have a very specific way to get the nutrients they need to survive —...
Elizabeth Shepard-Rabadam views her eclectic professional background "a bit like sedimentary stone.""You have a foundation and continue to build upon what has come before with something new — this makes the foundation more solid," said Shepard-Rabadam who brings more than 20 years' higher-education management experience at a variety of institutional types and settings to her new role as Associate Director of Temple University Ambler.When she began as a professional, "I really felt public history was a way to apply my interests and skills," said Shepard-Rabadam, who has an...
It's difficult for Vivien Wise to recall a time when she wasn't using her skills with fibers to turn ideas into reality."I've been on this path for a long time. My mom and my grandmothers were quilters — I finished my first quilt when I was eight," said Wise, a Fibers...
Overwatch. League of Legends. DOTA. Rocket League.
You may or may not be familiar with the names, but they are some of the most popular Esports games among competitive players who are constantly striving to improve their skills and connect with others of similar interests.
Esports — competitive, organized video gaming — has become a huge business. According to Fortune and Reuters, industry revenues topped over $1 billion in 2019, an astounding 27 percent increase from the prior year, and shows no sign of slowing down in 2020. Switch on ABC on any given weekend and you'll...
Exiting college to enter the working world, Nicole Westrick didn't envision a career dedicated to continuing education — but she probably should have."My very first job as a work-study student at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown was in the Continuing Education department," said Westrick, Associate Vice Provost for Temple's University College. "I was a teaching assistant in Excel and Lotus 1-2-3 classes; ushered summer camp students between buildings; and worked on some very early distance education classes that taught manufacturing systems to engineers. I've come...
Angela J. Davis believes in giving back to Temple University, a place from which her mother and son also graduated, and an institution where "so many genuinely good things happened to me as a result of being part of the Temple community."Davis' Temple career began when she started working for Temple University Hospital after graduating high school, which allowed her to work her way through her undergraduate studies.It was during this time, according to Davis, that her passion for Temple was kindled, a passion that she has turned into her life's work. She has ignited that same...
Take a walk through the woodlands. Travel the campus trails. Wander through the Ambler Arboretum gardens. Stroll to the center of the Healing Garden labyrinth.Breathe deep. Take a moment for yourself. Recharge. Reenergize."The benefits from getting outside and engaging in outdoor activities for the mind, body and spirit are well-documented and help to create a lasting connection to nature that help promote happiness and good health," said Ambler Arboretum of Temple University Director Kathy Salisbury. "The Ambler Arboretum and the Ambler Campus are an excellent resource to ...
When Temple University alumnus Moe Greene discovered the ProRanger Philadelphia program while completing his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice it was a true bit of serendipity."To be honest I'd say I lucked into it. A professor of mine in the Criminal Justice program had heard about it and referred me to the program. At that time, it had never even occurred to me that I could work for the National Park Service," said Greene, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology in 2012. "I grew up in Philadelphia; my knowledge of the Park...