Temple University (TU)

Temple University's history begins in 1884, when a young working man asked Russell Conwell if he could tutor him at night. A well-known Philadelphia minister, Conwell quickly said yes. It wasn't long before he was teaching several dozen students—wo before he was teaching several dozen students—working people who could only attend class at night but had a strong desire to make something of themselves. Conwell recruited volunteer faculty to participate in the burgeoning night school, and in 1888 he received a charter of incorporation for “The Temple College.” His founding vision for the school was to provide superior educational opportunities for academically talented and highly motivated students, regardless of their backgrounds or means. The fledgling college continued to grow, adding programs and students throughout the following decades. Today, Temple's more than 35,000 students continue to follow the university's official motto—Perseverantia Vincit, or “Perseverance Conquers”—with their supreme dedication to excellence in academics, research, athletics, the arts and more. Temple University has a rich tradition of awarding honorary degrees to outstanding leaders, artists, scientists, journalists and professionals from all walks of life whose values and achievements exemplify the mission and ideals of the university. Learn more about Honorary Degrees. Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation at the Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia, then called Baptist Temple.[5] Today, Temple is the second-largest university in Pennsylvania by enrollment and awarded 9,128 degrees in the 2023-24 academic year. It has a worldwide alumni base of 378,012, with 352,175 alumni residing in the United States. The university consists of 17 schools and colleges, including five professional schools, offering over 640+ academic programs and over 160 undergraduate majors. As of 2024, about 30,005 undergraduate, graduate and professional students were enrolled at the university. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity,"[6] spending $301,395,000 on research and development in 2022 according to the National Science Foundation.[7] Temple has 18 NCAA Division 1 varsity sports team and competes as a member of the American Athletic Conference, or The American. Temple's varsity teams, known as the Temple Owls, have won three team national championships. ...view more