Name: Evan S. Feinstein

Year: Junior

School: School of Tourism and Hospitality Management

Major: Sport and recreation management

Home town: West Chester, Pa.

Why I chose to Temple: "I came to Temple on Experience Temple Day and I just fell in love with it. I didn't want a campus in the middle of nowhere. I wanted something in the middle of the city. Temple has a big campus, and everybody had positive energy. Also, I've always been a big sports fan. I knew I wanted a school with a good Division 1 sports program. Temple football was on the rise and the basketball teams were always in the NCAA tournament. Growing up watching ESPN's 'SportsCenter' on TV, I'd always dreamed of rushing the court after a big win. I'm a junior, and I've experienced that twice already."

Transformative moment: "I joined the Cherry Crusade, Temple's die-hard student fan organization, in my freshman year after sitting in the front row at my first Temple football game. It was right when classes started, wrapping up Welcome Week. The student section was packed. The atmosphere was incredible. There's something about the way that rooting for our school brings students together. I would turn around to high five the people around me — people I didn't even know. Now I'm the head of the student section, leading the chants. I love it.

"I'm the Cherry Crusade's vice president for marketing and Temple Student Government's director of university pride and tradition. We do a lot. We make flyers for games and pass them out around campus. We put together viewing parties and organize student road trips. When we have 'white-out' games, we get to the stadium hours before the game and put white t-shirts on every seat. It's hard work, but it matters. School spirit is about unity. No matter what state or what country we're from, it's a common bond.

"As I started to go to Cherry Crusade meetings and got to know more about the inner workings of the organization — everything from public relations and marketing to event planning and operations — I realized that this is what I wanted to do professionally. I switched my major to sport and recreation management. My goal is get involved with marketing at a big-time, Division I college program, and maybe eventually to be an athletic director. I work a lot with the Alumni Association, Student Affairs and especially the Athletic Department's marketing staff. I really respect them. They work hard, and that work ethic has rubbed off on me. It's real-world experience that has prepared me for the next step — success in our industry."