Dear Colleagues, 

We are thrilled to share that two distinguished faculty members of Temple University’s Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts—Rea Tajiri, professor of film and media arts, and Professor Emerita of Dance Merián Soto—have been named 2025 Guggenheim Fellows by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Please join us in congratulating them on this remarkable accomplishment. 

Now in its 100th year, the Guggenheim Fellowship honors individuals who demonstrate exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or creative pursuit. For 2025, 198 outstanding artists and scholars across 53 fields were selected from among thousands of applicants through a rigorous peer-review process. Each fellow receives a monetary stipend to support independent work “under the freest possible conditions.” 

At Temple, our faculty are at the heart of who we are as a community. Celebrating their scholarly achievements and creative endeavors shines a light on our mission. This year’s honorees reflect the drive and dedication that define our university. 

Rea Tajiri, an award-winning interdisciplinary artist and educator, will use her fellowship to produce a film titled Non-Alien. The project explores the little-known history of Japanese American resettlement in major U.S. cities following World War II—drawing inspiration from her family history, including her father’s relocation to Chicago as part of the government-sponsored program. 

Merián Soto, an acclaimed dancer, choreographer, video artist and filmmaker, will use her fellowship to support a series of legacy projects that span her five-decade career. These include bringing her meditative Branch Dance to her native Puerto Rico. 

We are proud to see Professors Tajiri and Soto recognized among this year’s Guggenheim Fellows. Their visionary work exemplifies the innovation, insight and impact that Temple faculty bring to the world. Read more about Professors Tajiri and Soto in this Temple Now article. 

Sincerely, 

John Fry 
President 

Gregory Mandel 
Senior Vice President and Provost 

Robert Stroker 
Vice Provost for the Arts 
Dean, Boyer College of Music and Dance and School of Theater, Film and Media Arts