John Bromiley, a soon-to-be graduate of Temple’s Human Resource Management program offered by the Fox School of Business, takes the “human” aspect of his profession very seriously.=
“It’s all about the people, whether you are in the classroom or out of it, whether you’ve started in the field or have been in it for years,” said Bromiley who attentively listened to his mother’s stories about the human resources profession, which led him to his career field of choice. “I’d say one of the accomplishments I’m particularly proud of from my time at Temple is the people I’ve met. I’ve met some great friends and some great people that I’m definitely staying connected with after graduation.”
According to Bromiley, making those essential connections came as a bit of a surprise to him initially.
“I came to Temple after attending Montgomery County Community College. The Ambler Campus was close, and I wanted to stay at home while I went to school — when I came here, I fell in love with the campus and the people here,” he said. “I didn’t really think I was going to meet a lot of people coming from community college. I got involved a little late and I regret that because that is when I started meeting the people who will continue to be important to me as I go out into the world — that’s my advice, get involved in any way you can.”
For anyone who has visited the Red Barn Gym at Temple Ambler in recent years, Bromiley is likely a familiar, welcoming face.
“I’ve worked at the Red Barn Gym for two years now with Kevin Orangers (Deputy Director of Temple University Ambler) and Holly Lynn (Assistant Director of Campus and Student Engagement) who have been excellent bosses,” he said. “I love helping anyone that walks in the door, whether they are looking for a volleyball or just want to shoot some hoops. Anyone is welcome in the Red Barn Gym — I love seeing new people come in.”
Working at one of the central hubs of the campus, where his responsibilities include reception, maintaining the facilities and looking after the equipment — he’s also CPR certified — has given Bromiley “the opportunity to connect with many different people across campus, including professors, students, horticulture staff and alumni,” he said.
“One of my favorite parts of the job was hearing everyone’s unique experiences and perspectives about life at Ambler. I especially enjoyed talking with alumni, who would share stories about what campus was like decades ago, including old campus ghost stories and how different buildings and traditions had changed over time,” he said. “It also allowed me to see professors outside of the classroom environment for the first time. Through daily conversations and interactions, I was able to build genuine relationships with them and learn more about them as people, not just instructors.”
Those connections, Bromiley said, “helped shape my outlook on college, professionalism and personal growth.”
“Looking back, those relationships were some of the most meaningful parts of my time at Temple because they helped me mature and think differently about my future,” he said.
His Red Barn Gym experience, according to Bromiley, also introduced him to many Ambler Campus organizations and events, including OWLventure, “which gave me another opportunity to become more involved with the Temple community.”
The OWLventure program is an overnight orientation experience at Temple Ambler for incoming first-year students. Two sessions of OWLventure will be held at the Ambler Campus this summer from June 30 to July 1 and July 29 to 30. Learn more about the program here.
“During OWLventure, I helped incoming Temple freshmen adjust to campus life by talking with them about my own experiences as a student and answering questions about what life at Temple is really like,” Bromiley said. “A large part of the program focused on helping new students become comfortable with one another, so I participated in group games and activities designed to encourage conversation, teamwork and friendships.”
An aspect of the OWLventure program he appreciated most, Bromiley said, “was watching students grow more confident and connected throughout the week.”
“At the beginning, many students were nervous and unfamiliar with each other, but by the end of the program, everyone had become a close-knit group,” he said. “The overall goal was to make sure each student left feeling like they already knew someone before arriving on Main Campus, and it was rewarding to help create that sense of community and belonging for new students.”
According to Holly Lynn, Bromiley “truly went above and beyond” in ensuring the OWLventure participants had a great experience.
“First, John catalogued each piece of camping equipment the campus owns — tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads — which was a huge job. It was also a difficult, thankless job but he organized everything without complaint,” he said. “In July last year, with clean gear, John brought his happy attitude and expertise to the program. He helped the first-year, incoming student participants build connections, relationships, their college skills and the tallest Giant Jenga tower!”
For his dedication to the campus community, Bromiley received a Golden Owl Award at the recent Temple Ambler Graduation and Student Awards Reception. The Golden Owl is awarded to graduating seniors who have displayed outstanding leadership and dedication through their participation in on-campus activities, organizations and community efforts throughout their educational career.
“I don’t think Temple University is Temple without the Ambler Campus. There is a whole different side to Temple that I think people need to give a shot,” he said. “My classroom experience has been great — I’ve had tons of professors that treat you like a star student. They are great here and the students are also amazing — I love taking classes at the Ambler Learning Center.”
Degree nearly in hand, Bromiley said his initial intention was to move to Harrisburg and begin his career in the human resources management field. He didn’t have to wait long.
“I just accepted a job with the Pennsylvania Court System in Harrisburg! I'll be working as a Human Resources Assistant to help support the judiciary and all of its processes,” he said. “This role will include tasks like onboarding and offboarding judges, updating employee data changes in the HRIS system and delivering operational and technical support for the HR department. I am really excited!”