Commentary: Liacouras took Temple's mission of service to heart

By Deena Cellini

In the fall of 1986, I attended an open house at Temple University. I remember being greeted by the school's president, Peter Liacouras, who died on May 12 and whose memorial service was Thursday.

The statement he made that struck me then and sticks with me to this day about the place I called home during the next four years was, "If you want to find and meet other people like you, people with similar interests and backgrounds, people who think the way you do ... go to Penn State. If you want to experience something other than what you've experienced so far in your education and in your life, come to Temple."

In 1978, my sister had wanted to go to Temple's dental hygiene program. But my parents absolutely refused to send her there because of the reputation of the city, and, according to them, there was "nothing so special about the university or its program" to warrant putting their daughter "in danger."

Eight years later, the city's reputation hadn't changed significantly (though it would in the years I attended and those immediately following), but the university's certainly did. The biggest difference in those nine years was the new direction and vision set by Liacouras. He took to heart the mission of Temple's founder, Russell Conwell, to serve those who were so often underserved and to make Temple University a place where so many people of so many backgrounds could peacefully coexist and happily call it their home.

It's been 25 years since I was a student on that campus, and while not every day from 1987 to 1991 was made of rainbows and puppy dogs, every day was a day I learned something new about myself, the people I chose to befriend, those I didn't, and the larger world around me.

North Broad will always be a place I think of as "home," and much of that is because of the community Liacouras helped create among "an acre of diamonds."

As an educator, I have the opportunity to frequently discuss college choices with high school students. While I know that a large urban campus is not for every student, I do extol the virtues of a world-class university that opens doors to so many opportunities, no matter the major.

The physical location of Temple's campus, it's interconnectedness with the city around it, and the fact that it requires its students to be their own advocates from the first day they set foot on campus are all of what makes the university so special and its graduates so unique.

In an age of helicopter parents who sometimes follow their children into the job market, a Temple Owl will never feel a need for that kind of overprotectiveness. The legacy left by Liacouras, and the path he opened for his successors, will always be one that pushes the bird out of its nest - knowing it can soar high.

Peter Liacouras, grateful alumni appreciate all that you have done to make our university - our heart, our home - great.

Deena Cellini, an administrator for the Ridley School District, is a 1991 graduate of Temple University. dwass91@gmail.com