Alumni entrepreneurs are creating more inclusive workplaces, while faculty members discuss the effect the coronavirus pandemic is having on the economy and people’s habits, and Temple football fans return to Lincoln Financial Field.

Owl entrepreneur puts diversity first
When former Owl Marc Coleman was a senior in high school, he realized the company he was interning at didn’t have any people of color in leadership positions and the few women of color on the staff were treated poorly. The experience pushed him to found The Tactile Group: a design agency whose corporate culture reflects his beliefs in diversity and inclusivity. “I always had an entrepreneurial spirit,” he said.
Technical.ly｜Oct. 22, 2020

Judge Nelson Diaz wins lifetime achievement award
Pennsylvania’s first-ever Latino judge, the Honorable Nelson Diaz, LAW ’72, HON ’90, will receive the Gus Garcia Lifetime Achievement Award from AL DÍA for his career in law, which spans more than 40 years. Diaz was the first Puerto Rican student to graduate from the Beasley School of Law and serves on Temple’s Board of Trustees. “There were no students that had graduated from my background in any of the law schools here. Whether it was the University of Pennsylvania or whether it was Temple … So I felt the responsibility to begin opening doors,” he said.
AL DÍA｜Oct. 21, 2020

Temple study helps predict which COVID-19 patients might develop dangerous inflammation
Some COVID-19 patients also develop a cytokine storm: dangerous, systemic inflammation caused by an overactive immune response. A new Temple study has identified chemical markers, easily uncovered with standard blood tests, that could help doctors predict which patients might experience one. “There is nothing really special about these tests,” said Roberto Caricchio, chief of rheumatology and professor of microbiology and immunology at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. “Any hospital with a lab could actually apply them.”
Philadelphia Inquirer｜Oct. 21, 2020

Owl football families return to Lincoln Financial Field
Temple football fans were in the stands at Lincoln Financial Field for the first time this year, watching the Owls’ 39-37 win over South Florida during Homecoming and Family Weekend. “Honestly, I love it. I love to be back here.” Pat Carroll, a fan, said. “It’s a great feeling.”
CBS3｜Oct. 17, 2020

Silent breakfasts are helping people cope with the pandemic
Eating breakfast in complete silence, a practice with roots in many monastic communities, is helping people manage the anxieties of living through a pandemic. “One of the funny things about starting a mindfulness practice is that when you quiet the external noise, you start to hear more of the internal noise. If you’re not used to this, it can be incredibly unpleasant” said Ravi Kudesia, assistant professor of human resource management at the Fox School of Business. “The key idea here is that it’s better to notice the whispers before they become screams.”
New York Times｜Oct. 17, 2020

Judge Amy Coney Barrett and the future of the U.S. Supreme Court
During the confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Republican Senators praised her conservative values while Democrats wanted to know more about her opinions on the Affordable Care Act, Roe v. Wade and voting rights. Laura Little, the James G. Schmidt Chair of Law and senior advisor to the dean of the Beasley School of Law, feels the sharply different views were to be expected. “The framers anticipated that the confirmation process would be highly politicized. So it’s no surprise that it’s become that way and it’s been that way off and on over history,” she said.
WHYY｜Oct. 16, 2020
 
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, many aspiring business owners are optimistic
The pandemic poses numerous challenges, but many would-be entrepreneurs feel their dreams are within reach. However, convincing lenders to take a chance on them isn’t easy. “When the economy is not good and business is not booming, banks do not risk the limited capital they have right now on startups,” said Maura Shenker, director of the Small Business Development Center at the Fox School of Business.
WHYY｜Oct. 10, 2020

How to vote and encourage other people to
Ahead of the U.S. presidential election, David Nickerson, professor of Political Science at the College of Liberal Arts, and Todd Rogers, a professor at Harvard, suggested ways for people to increase voter turnout, including volunteering with a national campaign, nudging friends and family who live in battleground states and, most importantly, remembering to vote. “Voting early by mail or in-person helps to ensure that nothing prevents you from voting, allows you to correct possible problems with your ballot and will increase your credibility when you encourage other people to vote,” Nickerson and Rogers said.
CNN｜Oct. 10, 2020

An Owl lifts others as she climbs
Entrepreneur Charisse McGill, STM ’03—a graduate of both Temple and St. Joseph’s universities—believes the professors who taught her and the alumni networks she joined helped give her an edge as a Black woman founder. She intentionally hires staff from underserved communities so they can learn alongside her. “Everyone that works for me doesn’t just work for me; it’s a continuous business opportunity,” she said.
Technical.ly｜Oct. 9, 2020

Charles Library takes the spotlight
As Charles Library celebrated its first birthday, the American Society of Civil Engineers praised its open spaces and innovative steel structure, part of a design that departs from traditional expectations of a college library. Charles Library “sets high expectations for what a modern library should be,” engineers Eddy Roberts and Yue Zhao said.
Civil Engineering｜October 2020 

Temple-made CEO builds a lifestyle brand around her brain disorder
At 30, Zakia Balin, EDU ’03, was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation, a brain disorder that meant she could no longer work out as she once did. She began to gain weight and decided to find new ways of staying healthy, a wellness journey that led to her founding FBF Body, a shapewear and lifestyle brand. “I wanted to help people who might have been experiencing the same thing as me. I also wanted to help people be proactive in their health. My brain disorder had nothing to do with my weight, but me being able to get off of medication had everything to do with my diet and exercise,” she said.
Forbes｜Sept. 24, 2020

—Edirin Oputu