Top 10 photos of 2024

Through once-in-a-lifetime moments and volatile social landscapes, 2024 was certainly distinctive and defining. Captured by the photographers at The Temple News, this year’s notable events have deeply impacted the Temple community and all throughout Philadelphia. The top 10 photos of 2024 at The Temple News are filled with agitation, ambition and an endless search for strength in hardship.

The unexpected closure of the University of the Arts put Temple at the helm to create a new space for displaced students, while the Temple Association of University Professionals demanded better job security. And as the continued Israeli-Palestinian conflict brought civil unrest through Philadelphia’s college campuses, Temple was at the doorstep to the 2024 presidential election as both campaigns hosted rallies at The Liacouras Center. 

But while the world’s shifting tides crashed upon campus, the Temple community held onto its endurance and its persistence. The vigor lied in memorable indications of Temple’s force like the viral Temple Diamond Marching Band and senior basketball star Jamal Masbhurn Jr.

Here are the top 10 photos that made 2024 unforgettable.

1. TAUP holds informational picket for faculty job security

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Around one hundred students and faculty members held a picket between Gladfelter and Mazur Halls on April 9 to support the Temple Association of University Professionals’ demand for Temple to meet their contract negotiation terms. They demanded wage increases and an emphasis on job security. 

At the time, TAUP had 20 negotiating sessions with Temple with no progress. TAUP later voted to ratify an agreement with Temple on Oct. 15. Yet, on Dec. 10, TAUP accused Temple of violating the contract with incorrect pay.

2. Trump’s political hurricane makes landfall on Temple’s campus

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On June 22, now President-elect Donald Trump held a rally at Temple’s Liacouras Center, becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to campaign on Temple’s campus. Trump spoke on crime rates, his dissent for Biden’s immigration policy and the country’s economic issues. 

3. Obama, Springsteen and political leaders rally for Harris at The Liacouras Center

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Former President Barack Obama rallied for the Harris-Walz campaign on Oct. 28 at Temple’s Liacouras Center. He preached to undecided voters of Pennsylvania that Democratic Presidential-candidate Kamala Harris would protect their reproductive freedoms as well as the economics of the middle class, as opposed to Trump. 

Musician Bruce Springsteen opened for Obama as a part of their “When We Vote, We Win” tour,  by performing several of his songs and acknowledging his support for Harris to the crowd.

4. Protestors released with no charges after altercation at engineering career fair protest

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Four Pro-Palestine protestors from the Temple chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine were arrested on Sept. 26 after a physical altercation with police at the Howard Gittis Student Center during a career fair for the College of Engineering.

The following day, the charges were dropped after Vice President for Public Safety Jennifer Griffin told The Temple News they faced multiple charges. SJP demonstrated for 30 minutes at the career fair. When police escorted them from the building, the scene erupted into a clash that led to the arrests. Then-President Richard Englert stated that arrested students may also receive disciplinary action from the university for their participation.

5. Mashburn Jr. brings winning pedigree to Temple

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On Nov. 4, Mashburn scored 26 points against the Sacred Heart Pioneers in Temple Men’s Basketball’s season-opening win. With his smart and intentional passes, his leadership helps bond a strong chemistry with his teammates among a revamped roster. Mashburn later scored his 2,000th career point on Nov. 23 against the UMass Minutemen at the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip Off tournament. 

6. A year on campus after Oct. 7

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On Oct. 7, the one-year anniversary of the initial Hamas attack on Israel, Students for Justice in Palestine groups from Philadelphia schools, including Temple, joined the Philadelphia SJP Alliance. They marched through Drexel and UPenn campus in support of the Palestinian resistance against Israeli forces. In the one year of the conflict, pro-Israel and pro-Palestine groups have demonstrated on Temple’s campus on several occasions.

7. Temple community gathers for solar eclipse

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On April 8, a solar eclipse brought together Temple students and faculty members at the Bell Tower to witness the phenomenon. From 2:08 to 4:35 p.m., the event marked the Philadelphia region’s greatest solar coverage since 1984. Crowds of students gathered to watch through their solar eclipse glasses provided by Temple’s physics department.

8. UArts community shares mixed opinions on possible Temple merger

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The University of the Arts announced that it would forever shut its doors on June 7 due to bankruptcy. University students, professors and alumni protested the closure in outrage of the school’s mishandling. However, many found refuge at Temple who welcomed former UArts students to their programs during the summer and into the Fall semester.

9. Offset, Key Glock rock Owlchella crowd

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Rappers Offset and Key Glock headlined Temple’s annual Owlchella concert on April 18 at The Liacouras Center. They were opened by a lineup of DJs and fellow rapper Lola Brooke. Offset held a high energy throughout his 30-minute set with hits like “Bad and Boujee,” and “Narcos.”

10. Temple Marching Band to perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

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On Aug. 25, members of the Temple Diamond Marching Band were surprised by the announcement that they would be performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2025. They earned their spot after being selected from a highly rigorous application pool. The band was joined by the store manager of Macy’s Center City location, Charlie Bibeault, who awarded the band a $10,000 check. The Diamond Marching Band later went on to become a viral sensation for their Chappell Roan mashup performance.