Dear Students and Colleagues, 

Earlier this morning, many of you joined me at the opening ceremony for the newly renovated and reimagined Paley Hall, a state-of-the-art facility that is now one of the centerpieces of Temple University’s campus. It was a wonderful celebration, and a historic one at that.

During the ceremony, I shared that Temple alum Christopher M. Barnett, CLA ’10, has committed $55 million to support the College of Public Health (CPH). In recognition of this gift, the largest in Temple’s history, CPH will now be known as the Christopher M. Barnett College of Public Health. 

As I said today, I am deeply moved by Chris’s generosity, as the impact of this gift cannot be overstated. It will create myriad opportunities for students to make their mark as caregivers, researchers and leaders across the health sciences and professions.

Years ago, before Chris was ever even a Temple student, he promised that if he was accepted, he would never forget and would one day give back. He has kept that promise and then some, and no words can truly express our collective gratitude. I invite you to learn more about Chris and this spectacular gift in this Temple Now piece.

In closing, I want to encourage you to join us tomorrow for Temple Football’s Homecoming game against Navy. Free faculty and staff tickets can still be obtained here. It has been a wonderful week for Temple pride and spirit, and I can think of no better way to cap it off than with an Owls victory. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
John Fry 
President