Friday freestyling attracts crowds

If you’ve walked past the Bell Tower on a Friday afternoon recently, you may have seen a noticeably large group of people gathered on one side or the other. Throughout the past few weeks – weather-permitting – this crowd has grown larger and larger.

The attraction? Freestyle Friday.

This end-of-the-week event, which begins around 1 p.m., has created quite a buzz on Main Campus, attracting students as they walk to and from classes.

In the center of the huddle is usually a pair of students sharing ideas and views by hip-hop freestyling.
Michael Stewart, a sophomore mathematics major who goes by Mic Stewart when he’s freestyling, said it all came about through divine intervention.

“One day, I was just standing in the Bell Tower looking up,” he said, “and God appeared to me and said, ‘Mic, if you spit it, they will come.”

In reality, it began one day outside Master Wok, said Matt Berman, a senior liberal arts major, also known as EMC Karma.

Berman, Stewart and junior criminal justice major Max Cuddy were discussing the state of hip-hop in Philadelphia and what a shame it has become.

“Philly has an incredible hip-hop tradition, but here we are, loving and breathing hip-hop all on our own but not sharing it with each other,” Cuddy said. “We decided we needed to do something about that. Originally, it was going to be a few guys that were just meeting up and networking, but one Friday at the Bell Tower, it turned into a cipher, so we just went with it.”

There are a handful of regular participants, including Stewart, Cuddy, EMC Karma, Turbo, Verbatum Jones and Lee G, but Freestyle Fridays are open to all.

“Anyone who wants to come up and spit a few lines or even play a beat or something [is welcome],” said Garry Dorsainvil, a freshman science and technology major better known as Verbatum Jones. “We’ve had guitar, harmonica and drums. It’s definitely not a battle. It’s more about respect than anything.”

The guys agree there is an energy that forms in the circle and with the crowd, which is part of what motivates them to spend their Friday afternoons freestyling on campus.

“Sometimes, I just can’t believe how good the vibes are,” Cuddy said. “It’s something that is completely spontaneous and student-driven.”

“It’s therapeutic and cathartic,” Berman added. “It allows these other people to be a part of it. Someone who’s never tried to freestyle has an opportunity, and we can help people remember hip-hop wasn’t always diamonds and guns.”

“It’s also an opportunity to showcase talent and spread real hip-hop culture,” Stewart said.

Freestyles tend to include common themes such as the economic challenges of being a college student, politics, love, war, religion and generally “how fly” participants are.

Regular participants said their abilities to piggyback off one another is what keeps the vibe going, along with the genuine support and respect they have for each other.

“It’s a collaboration, and everyone brings something different,” Dorsainvil said. “I think one of the coolest things is that the guys who initiated it can leave, go to class and come back, and it’s still going. And they can pick up where they left off. The crowd always promotes our enthusiasm.”

“It is sometimes hard to imagine that anything as raw and informal could be happening,” Cuddy said. “When people think they know what rap is, and they see us, it throws them off. But they really dig it because it is different and fun.”

And their audiences seem to agree – enough to stand around the Bell Tower for an afternoon, even in the rain.

Sophomore university studies major Brian Quindlen is a regular on Fridays.

“They rap about relevant issues, not the same stuff on the radio,” he said. “What’s going on here is more interesting than what you normally hear.”

Erin Maley, a freshman biochemistry major, said she appreciates the enthusiasm as much as the guys in the circle.

“They get really into it, like it’s a sport,” she said. “It’s cool how it just keeps going. Sometimes, they’re hilarious.”

“We’re pretty funny,” Dorsainvil said. “There’s an entertainment appeal.

“One of the coolest things that’s happened was when the evangelist, who sometimes preaches on the other side of the Bell Tower, actually stopped preaching, left all his stuff and came over and joined the crowd for a while, listened to a few freestyles.”

Christina Ciammaichelli can be reached at christina.ciammaichelli@temple.edu.

Spring Fling band lineup

While Spring Fling has been rained out this week and postponed, hopefully next week will bring some nicer weather, more ideal for listening to some live music under the Bell Tower. Once again, Temple’s annual festival will host some notable musical performances.

The stage located in front of the Bell Tower will showcase its first act around 11am on Wednesday with the Temple Singer/Songwriters and Musicians group, followed by Philly’s very own indie/experimental act The Infinien Band.

“We’re excited to be outside rather than some smokey bar or club,” said The Infinien Band’s guitarist Matt Hollenberg.

Other Temple students performing include The Temple Gospel Ministries, The Juggling Club and Latin Ballroom Dancing. Also performing is Mount Holly New Jersey’s horn driven punk outfit Case of the Mondays. If you’re looking to find your classic rock and blues fix, Nazareth, PA’s Wailing Waters will undoubtedly quench your craving for some anti-scene music.

On the verge of releasing their new EP, This is Now, Lancaster’s The Right Coast will close out the Bell Tower stage.

“We’re going to be playing all of the songs from our new record, including a cover of ‘Love Story,’ a Taylor Swift song,” said guitarist Patrick Hatt.

With sounds reminiscent of The All American Rejects and All Time Low, The Right Coast should definitely make your to-do list this Wednesday at Spring Fling.

Here’s the full schedule:

11:00 Sound Check
11:10 Temple Singer/Songwriters and Musicians
11:15 Associacion de Estudiantes Latinos
11:30 The Infinien Band
12:20 Temple Gospel Ministries
12:30 Case of the Mondays
1:20 Mudslingers
1:45 Wailing Waters
2:35 Temple Juggling Club
2:45 Latin Ballroom Dance
3:00 The Right Coast

Phillies’ World Series trophy to appear on campus

As the world-champion Philadelphia Phillies train for their upcoming season, their 2-foot tall trophy will make a stop at Temple.

The World Series trophy, which the Phillies snatched after winning last October’s historic game against the Tampa Bay Rays, will be on display at the Bell Tower March 24.

The event, which will feature other attractions such as appearances from the Phillies Ballgirls and giveaways, is part of annual College Spring Fling Week, when the franchise travels to local colleges to help promote the Phillies’ upcoming season.

Jillian Ashton, a season and group sales representative intern for the Phillies, said the College Spring Fling Week will run from March 23 to 27 and will include visits to six local colleges during the five-day span.

“This year, as an added incentive, we are bringing the World Series trophy along for our Spring Fling Week as part of the World Series Trophy Tour,” said Ashton, who graduated from Temple in August with a degree in sport and recreation management.

Although the promotional event will mostly be centered on the trophy, there will be plenty of other activities in which students can take part. Free photo ops with the Phillies Ballgirls and the trophy will be available for the duration of the event. A prize wheel will be available for students to try their luck as well.

For fanatical Phillies fans, event coordinators will distribute rally towels while supplies last.

In addition to the activities, the 2008 Phillies Video Yearbook, The Perfect Season will be for sale.

“Students are the primary target for this tour because we are trying to get all of the local colleges excited about the upcoming Phillies season,” Ashton said.

The World Series trophy, which the Phillies clinched in a 4-3 win over the Rays in Game 5, has been on a national tour since January.

Craig Solomon, who works in marketing in the Philadelphia Phillies organization and graduated from Temple last year with a degree in sport and recreation management, was designated to be the official trophy keeper. So far, he has made more than 100 appearances and traveled more than 10,000 miles while showcasing the trophy.

He says he does not permit anyone to touch the sterling silver trophy.

“The tour is an intimate time with the trophy. After the tour, the trophy may be found sitting on a podium under glass, meaning people can’t even breathe on it. But during its tour, there is no glass cover and people can get extremely close,” Solomon said.

The event will be held at Bell Tower from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. next Tuesday. In case of inclement weather, it will be relocated in the Student Center Atrium.

The trophy will travel to Saint Joseph’s University and the University of Pennsylvania following its visit.

Sergei Blair can be reached at sergei.blair@temple.edu.

Frat brothers camp out to combat homelessness

The Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity camped out for 30 consecutive hours at the Bell Tower Thursday to collect money and items such as clothing for the Philadelphia Committee to End Homelessness.

This year, the fraternity members collected approximately $530 in dollar bills, a few hundred dollars in change and more than 300 articles of clothing as part of its third-annual Camp-out to End Homelessness. During last year’s camp-out, the fraternity raised $1,539 total.

Participating members set up two tents in the grass outside Beury Hall across from the Bell Tower. They started asking for donations at 7 a.m. Thursday and continued until 1 p.m. Friday. It was more than 24 hours of combined asking for donations and gaining personal insight on what it’s like to experience homelessness in Philadelphia.

“It’s crucial in a time like this when everyday families are struggling [because of the failing economy],” said ATO President Matthew Burris, a senior biochemistry major. He said everyone should do their part to help individuals who may have fallen on hard times. “It’s beneficial for everyone to do their part for those less fortunate,” said Mathew Burris.

Other members said they thought the experience was challenging, but worth it. They said it helped to raise awareness that homelessness is a serious issue.

The most difficult part of the camp-out for the fraternity brothers seemed to be trying to catch some shut-eye.

“I couldn’t sleep for more than thirty minutes at a time,” said James Hesky, a senior public relations major and member of the fraternity.

Others had trouble dealing with cold temperatures and the windy weather.

“It was so cold,” said ATO Vice President John Kerechek, a senior criminal justice major, citing that he only got two or three hours of sleep during the event. “You’d sleep for a little bit, but the wind would blow and you’d realize how cold you were.”

“The worst part was you got so tired and cold,” said Hesky.

Participants tried to stay warm by getting up and walking, drinking hot beverages, going inside places like 7-Eleven for 5-minute breaks and layering their clothing.

Campus Police also checked in with them throughout the night.

There are some members who have camped out for the cause multiple times.

“It was about the third time I did it. I try and understand what homeless people go through on a regular basis,” said senior biochemistry major Kevin Todd. “You definitely don’t get used to being out in the cold that’s for sure.”

Hesky added, “When you get tired you just want the warm bed and mattress you’re used to.”

Some said this experience made them appreciate what homeless people endure, that one night wasn’t the same thing.

“I can’t understand exactly what it’s like,” said Hesky. “But I gained a great appreciation for it.”

Megan McDaniel can be reached at megan.mcdaniel@temple.edu.

Bell Tower gets rink for a night

The Main Campus Program Board is known for planning and executing many special events here at Temple. Still, when the MCPB announced it was holding an ice skating event at the Bell Tower, many students were anxious to see exactly how the organization would pull it off.

“I came out here because I really wanted to see what they would use for the ice and how big it would be,” junior education major Kamille Guinn said.

The free event took place last Thursday in front of the Bell Tower and lasted from 6 p.m. to about 10:30 p.m. Skates were provided for students, but before they could start skating, they had to sign a waiver. Then, it was onto the ice.

Students could choose to have their pictures taken on the rink. Once printed, the photographers placed the pictures inside snow globes that MCPB gave out as free souvenirs.

Though the ice-skating rink wasn’t very big, measuring only 30 feet long and 40 feet wide, that didn’t stop students from enjoying themselves.

“I heard about this earlier, and it seemed like a good idea. I didn’t think it was going to be this small, but it’s cool,” said undeclared sophomore Ian Tarrach, who brought his own skates.

It turns out the “ice” used for the skating wasn’t ice at all. Many students – even experienced skaters like Tarrach, who’s been playing hockey for 12 years – found themselves slipping and falling a couple times.

“The skating was very hard. It was a lot of fun, but it was very difficult to go for more than a couple of seconds since it’s not ice,” senior psychology major Steve Lucas said.

“The ice is actually made out of non-bound, compressed plastic panels and is lubricated with water-based, environmental-friendly, non-toxic lubricant,” said Willie Northen, an employee of Spintacular Entertainment. The Asheville, N.C. company serviced the event.

To put the rink together, Northen and his co-workers had to fit the panels together like a jigsaw puzzle. Some students complained that a few of the panels were rising up and the plastic was not slippery enough. The majority of students who skated had a good time, racing each other and performing tricks to impress the crowd.

Latoya Allen was among the many who didn’t skate but attended the event to enjoy the atmosphere.
The junior journalism major went to support MCPB and said she didn’t skate because she didn’t know how and did not want to embarrass herself.

“It looks like a pretty good event, though. If I knew how to skate, I would definitely be out there,” Allen said.

To keep the crowd from freezing in the 37-degree weather, MCPB provided hot chocolate.

Kyle Mimms, a junior entrepreneurship major and member of MCPB’s on-campus events committee, said planning for the ice-skating event began last semester.

The group’s adviser Jacinta Avery passed the idea onto them, he said.

“We wanted to do something to promote diversity and attract different people than usual,” Mimms said. “We all came together and thought it was something good to bring on campus. It was something unique that no one had ever seen before.”

Christeen Vilbrun can be reached at christeen.vilbrun@temple.edu.

Preachers try to reach ‘sinners’

If you’ve ever walked by the Bell Tower on a Friday afternoon, you’ve probably seen Pat Donlevy.

He’s the guy who stands near Paley Library holding his trusty bible and firing off his interpretations of biblical scriptures at passers-by. But, he’s not as abrasive as he seems.

Donlevy is often accompanied by his friend Chuck Harrison, who holds a sign intended to lure people into conversation. It reads: “Are You Going to Heaven? Free tests.”

Week after week, Donlevy and Harrison try to spread Christianity, but both students and professors say their words are falling on annoyed, deaf ears.

It’s no secret these men have apprehension about coming out and braving the elements and, often times, jeers.

Harrison provided an analogy for how he and Donlevy feel.

“It’s like when you see a good movie or get a really good deal at a restaurant, you just want to tell your friends about it,” he said.

Sophomore secondary education major Ray Dussault said there are better ways to inform students about Christianity. 

“I’ve got nothing against them, it’s even kind of funny,” Dussault said. “Although, I know if I really liked a movie, I’m not going to stand on the corner and yell at people.” 

Some students said they don’t enjoy being told they’re hell-bound sinners on their way to class.
Christine Martin, a sophomore university studies major, said she’s “not going to convert with some guy at the Bell Tower.”

“All he’s doing is annoying people, and it’s pointless because he’s shoving it down our throats,” Martin said. “If I wanted to change religions, then I’d research it myself.”

Despite students’ reactions, Donlevy said some people consider what he and Harrison preach.

“When students come over to us, they know what they are going to get, and most of their minds are wide open,” Harrison said. “Hearts get harder over time. We need a place where young people are because they haven’t become set in their ways yet.”

Dussault, however, disagrees.

“I think by this time in life, most people have decided on their identities,” he said.

Harrison, who has been preaching on college campuses for 10 years, said that’s the reason he carries the “Are You Going to Heaven?” sign.

It comes as no surprise to junior university studies major Emmanuella Jean-Ulysse that some people disagree with Harrison’s and Donlevy’s teachings.

“It really doesn’t bother me,” Jean-Ulysse said. “Even though I’m very religious, I don’t believe in forcing people. They are just too aggressive.” 

Being chosen to spread God’s word has led Harrison to declare Christianity as the “correct” religion. 
Students find some of their views to be too controversial.

“If Christ were to come down today, He would find only 4 to 5 percent Christians,” Harrison said. “Most pastors in churches on Sunday are leading their congregations straight into hell.”

Jean-Ulysse said Harrison’s views are unjustified.

“You just can’t say that,” she said. “It’s way too general.”

Susan Bertolino, a professor of Mosaic I and II Humanities Seminars, agrees with Jean-Ulysse.

“It is counterproductive,” Bertolino said. “It’s just not conducive to student morale to be told they are going to hell on a weekly basis.”

Bertolino compares the men’s open-air preaching with the anti-abortion exhibits that came to campus last year, saying both are “in-your-face.”

She said even if some people agree with the message being sent, others may find it offensive and forceful.

“I find it annoying and feel as though people should believe in their God out of love rather than the fear of punishment,” Bertolino said.

Still, Donlevy and Harrison remain steadfast in their sentiments that they’re making a difference.

“It doesn’t seem like it, but we really are,” Donlevy said. “There is a certain excitement about sharing the word with others. There is nothing irrational about it at all. No matter how bad a day goes out here, I never regret doing it.”

Students might wonder what prompted these two men on a freelance holy quest.

For Donlevy, it was being diagnosed with a form of terminal cancer in his early 20s. 

“I just started thinking about my life, picked up a Bible and started reading,” he said. “That’s when I turned to God and said, ‘You are my master and savior.’”

Donlevy and Harrison believe they are doing the will of God, and they were chosen to preach His word. 
It was a little different for his partner in preaching, who didn’t receive the call until he was 37 at a Bible study group he was invited to. 

“I had a six-figure salary, lived on the Main Line, was a deacon for my church and played tennis daily on real grass tennis courts,” Harrison said, “but something was missing from my life, and I felt like I was living for sin.”

Dussault said the men’s teachings about Christianity promote the university’s religious tolerance.
“Tolerance is one of Temple’s biggest points,” Dussault said. “It’s the whole diversity thing.”

Being constantly ignored by unsupportive students, Donlevy and Harrison are courageous when speaking to passers-by about their beliefs.

“You’ve got to be careful,” Donlevy said. “There might be some strange coconuts out there.”

John A. Dailey can be reached at john.dailey@temple.edu. 

Student Center Operations staff celebrates 2nd birthday

The Student Center, Liacouras Walk and the Bell Tower all had one thing in common yesterday. The three Temple hot spots served as venues to commemorate the Student Center Operations staff’s second birthday.

At all three locations, operations staff members greeted students and encouraged them to engage in festivities.

On Liacouras Walk, Operations Manager Joshua Stern and coworkers promoted the birthday by engaging in conversation with campus members and persuading them to guess the number of gumballs in the jar on the table. The winner received a gift certificate to Jimmy John’s.

The Bell Tower and the Student Center had cake, candy and giveaways such as mouse pads, pens and other promotional items.

The event was held to promote Student Center Operations to the campus community.

“We’re doing this so the campus, particularly the student body, knows that we are here for them as a department,” Operations Manager Erica Campbell said. “We are more than just an affiliation of Student Activities.”

Two years ago, the operations department did not exist, and Student Activities managed the entire Student Center building. After the Student Activities director left two and a half years ago, Jason Levy’s position as Student Operations director was created.

As the Student Center expanded, Student Operations became its own department.

Levy said his department formed out of the need to have more people managing the building.

“The building has grown in size and complexity over the last few years, and [Student Activities] wanted someone to come in and really focus on the facility and all of the pieces of the building, managing all of the game rooms, cinema and all of the operational areas,” Levy said.

Student Operations offers many other services in addition to building and operational management.

Sharon Torres, assistant director of the operations department, mentioned that the department offers an array of services to the Temple community. Aside from the game rooms and cinema, the department also offers a graphics media center and spaces for conferences and receptions. The department is also in charge of The Village.

“It is important for students to know that we house The Village, a community of student organizations. If they want to get in touch with a club they are interested in, they should come to the Student Center,” she said. “The Student Center really is a hub for activity in addition to the food court and the bookstore.”

Besides promoting and marketing the department, the Student Center Operations team really wanted to use the birthday to let students know that the building is not called “the SAC.” This was a unanimous goal among the staff.

In regards to the infamous nickname, Campbell said, “We are not trying to take away from people wanting to call the Student Center the SAC. We do want to inform them and remove them from that terminology because [the Student Center] is more than just Student Activities.”

Stern would not even utter “SAC,” proving that Student Operations is dedicated to avoiding its usage, as suggested by Campbell.

The event also provided students with much more needed information.

Rosina Licciardello was one of many students who did not know Student Operations and Student Activities were two separate departments. Licciardello picked up one of the colorful brochures provided by Stern’s team at Liacouras Walk.

Meagan Prescott, a new Temple student, said she received an e-mail about yesterday’s event, but other than that she did not know much about Student Operations.

She said the department was doing a good job promoting itself, especially in the Student Center.

“I’ve seen people go to several booths across campus, and the Student Center is the best place to advertise because more people go through there than anywhere else on campus,” Prescott said.

Aaron Wyche was one of the only students who knew that Student Activities and Student Operations were different departments.

“I knew that because I’ve had to plan for events for my organizations. I wasn’t too sure what the difference was, but I knew there was a difference between the two departments,” Wyche said.

Levy is confident that his department will gain further recognition.

“As we progress in the development of the department, you’ll see us and our name more and more out on campus.”

Joshua Fernandez can be reached at josh.fernandez@temple.edu.

8 places to find art on campus

One aspect of Temple’s campus that contributes to its beautiful scenery is the rich variety of artwork. From the Bell Tower to the “Red Owl,” there are plenty of different styles of art to observe.

Though students pass by these works of art on a daily basis, few likely know much about the creative pieces that adorn Main Campus. For some, the art may just blend into their surroundings.

But alumnus Chris Purdom is one individual who took notice.

A Philadelphia poet and graphic artist, Purdom has always had an interest in art. He created www.philart.net, a Web site that contains his own pictures and descriptions of nearly all of Philadelphia’s public art. Purdom began the project of cataloguing the city’s art in 1996.

“Originally, I just wanted to take pictures, but I started really getting interested in who the people were in the sculptures, who the artists were, how the people were related to the artists and finding other works by the same artists,” he said. “So over time, it built out to the way it is now.”

His Web site currently contains information on 547 works of art, a number that continues to grow. The site also features a tour of Temple’s Main Campus art. Here are some of the more iconic pieces of artwork from around campus.

Bell Tower

Often considered the center point of campus, the Bell Tower (originally called “The Campanile,” after the Italian word meaning “bell tower”) stands just more than 100 feet high. The concrete tower was built in 1965, designed by architects Nolen Swinburne and Associates. It was constructed through funds from the Paley Foundation as a gift to the university and was dedicated along with the Paley Library on Oct. 20 and 21, 1966.

The tower bells were cast by Van Bergen Bell Foundries in Heiligerlee, Holland, and first rung on Dec. 17, 1965. Although the bells themselves are no longer used, the Bell Tower remains an iconic monument to Temple students and is the site for many campus events and protests.

“Russell Conwell” Head

Located in the Founder’s Garden, this bust of Temple’s founder Russell Conwell is a unique memorial. Sculpted by Boris Blai and placed in the garden in the spring of 1968, the bust marks the founder’s burial place. The bronze statue – supported by a granite base – is 3-feet-6-inches high and 2-feet-3-inches wide.

Two Athletes

Standing 19-feet-6-inches high, Joseph Brown’s Two Athletes statue is a hard piece of artwork to miss on Temple’s campus. The bronze statue was commissioned by the alumni of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and placed in front of McGonigle Hall in the fall of 1969. The statue displays a gymnastically impossible pose: a male figure reaching vertically, supporting a female figure doing a handstand.

The work caused a fair share of controversy when it was put in place, as Brown made the decision to partially clothe the male figure and have the female figure remain nude. Members of the Temple community at the time criticized the statue for being sexually discriminating. Brown insisted he made the decision because he did not wish to see the male figure’s most unmentionable appendage become the victim of vandalism.

Red Owl

Seated in Alumni Circle at the intersection of Berks Mall and Liacouras Walk, the Red Owl has become a familiar sight among the Temple community over the past two decades. Crafted by world-renowned Italian sculptor Beniamino Bufano, the owl was donated to Temple in 1988 by the Bell Atlantic Corporation. Hewed from flecked Italian earth-red marble, the sculpture weighs 3,000 pounds.

Columbia Plaza

In the late ‘60s, members of the student body, community and local government began to propose ideas about how to make the Cecil B. Moore subway stop safer and more attractive. In a joint project, the city remodeled the subway station and Temple built the adjacent Columbia Plaza.

The east side of the plaza incorporated a granite “Stonehenge-esque” structure, which served as a symbolic entranceway to the plaza. Designed by Richard Fleischner, the blocks sit atop a grassy plot, some three feet higher than the rest of the plaza.

Black Rock Mesa

Composed of a number of black metal geometric forms, “Black Rock Mesa” adorns the walkway on the west side of Ritter Hall. The piece was created by New York sculptor Glenn Zweygardt. It was presented to the university by Philip I. Berman, then the chairperson of the board and chief executive of Hess’s Incorporated in 1978.

Hurry

A prominent feature of Beury Beach, Hurry was one of two William King pieces brought to campus in 1981. The abstract piece – which displays two individuals running off together – stands 10 feet tall and extends 30 feet in length. The other King work displayed on campus for a time that year was Story, which depicted a male figure smoking.

The Temple Fine Arts Committee chose Hurry to stay on campus because it felt the piece was more in tune with campus life. The two figures could easily represent two students scrambling to their feet and rushing off to class. The Class of 1980 set aside $28,000 from graduation fees in order to buy the two King pieces for their class gift. Story was purchased for the Health Sciences Center.

Lincoln the Lawyer

In addition to the bust of Russell Conwell, Temple’s campus also boasts a bust of another notable historical figure in Abraham Lincoln. Dr. Emil Seletz, who studied medicine at Temple and became an internationally prominent neurosurgeon, was also a widely recognized sculptor. He donated his bust of the 14th U.S. president to the law school in 1979. Honest Abe still looks on from his pedestal in front of the Beasley School of Law building on Broad Street.

Kevin Brosky can be reached at kevin.brosky@temple.edu.