Preparations for the university's 125th Commencement began in earnest yesterday, as crews set cherry and white chairs in a Temple "T" pattern in advance of the 10 a.m. Thursday event in the Liacouras Center.

Latoya Stroman, B.A., Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media. In her first semester, Stroman got her start anchoring and reporting with TUTV, Temple’s television station. As a junior, she was accepted to study abroad at the School of Communications and Theater's Study Away program in London.

Gary Cheung, B.S., Biology. Cheung spent his years at Temple volunteering for Squash Smarts, a unique after-school program that mixes athleticism with education. The experience helped him realize that he has a passion for teaching and that he wants to continue to work in a field that helps serve urban youth.

Kia Gregory, B.A., Journalism. After balancing classes with a job at The Philadelphia Inquirer, Gregory was offered a job with The New York Times as the Harlem beat reporter, where she will cover the politics, the schools, the people, the tone and the tenor of the neighborhood.

Diana Fernandez, B.S. Landscape Architecture. Fernandez was able to combine her leadership skills with a love of design and drawing, which led her to discover architecture as a potential career.

Julia McCabe, M.S. Community and Regional Planning. At Temple Ambler, McCabe, 36 from Upper Dublin, Pa., is president of the Temple Planning Student Organization, co-chair of the Ambler Campus Sustainability Council and a research assistant with the Center for Sustainable Communities.

Rachel Furman, B.B.A. Marketing. Furman launched her own cosmetics line, NAKIID, during her senior year.

Kara Forsythe Morse, J.D., Law. After graduation, Morse hopes to pursue public interest law in her hometown of Seattle, Washington.

Akhila Vasthare, M.D., Medicine. In between studying for medical classes, Vasthare focuses on improving the health of the surrounding community.

Elisa Mosley, B.A., Art. One of Mosley's best known undertakings includes the creation of AKA, "the box" structure her erected with two classmates at the entrance to Tyler.

Marissa A. Polachek, B.A., Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media. Polachek had always dreamed about studying abroad in Japan. In Spring 2011, her dream came true and she traveled to Temple University, Japan Campus, in Tokyo. She couldn't have known that she was about to live through one of the worst natural disasters in history.