We wanted to do something else above and beyond what we were already doing, says John Ewell when asked about he and his wife Lynne's most recent gift to Temple's College of Liberal Arts (CLA). 

John, CLA '87, and Lynne Ewell, ENG '86, have endowed a Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Award, otherwise known as a LAURA. Each of these vital awards grants a student a $2,000 stipend to conduct research alongside a faculty mentor. The program offers students valuable professional research experience without any additional financial stress. The LAURAs help to highlight the role of the Liberal Arts in Temple's research portfolio and prestigious designation as an R1 Research Institution. Additionally, the LAURAs paint a clearer picture for students of what academic research looks like outside of a science lab. 

For John, broadening the perspectives of CLA students is a personal mission. As a political science major, John has spoken to CLA students about how he transferred the tools and skills from his degree to a successful career in business. He is passionate about facilitating hands-on, real-world experiences like those the LAURAs offer and ensuring that CLA students are making the most of their degrees.  

"Having the chance to experience different jobs, different careers, and the networking of it all is crucial. You could meet one person who turns out to be a mentor to them and changes your life forever," says John. "Connections to internships and research, now more than ever, are so important. If you're not in professional spaces that can lead to further opportunity, you're on the outside looking in." 

The Ewells were drawn to the LAURAs not only for their value to the CLA community but also by the generosity of Stan James and his family, who have seeded a matching gift fund, The Jacob Siegel Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Awards Matching Fund, to encourage the further endowment of LAURAs. An inspiring number of Temple faculty and alumni have already stepped up to meet the James family's matching challenge. 

John and Lynne are no strangers to giving back to the university. Though, they would probably be quick to mention everything Temple has meant to them and their family. John and Lynne Ewell met as Temple students in 1985. Three of their four children have earned Temple degrees. Lynne's father, John E. Tarka, was an engineering professor at Temple for over 30 years. Then there are all the siblings, nieces and nephews who have also come to Temple. In short, the Ewells have such deep roots at Temple University, you could say their blood runs Cherry.

Since 2019, John has served on CLA's Board of Visitors. "It's a great group of very accomplished, very generous individuals, and there's a mutual feeling right now of wanting to give back to Temple," he says.
Lynne, herself a member of the College of Engineering's Board of Visitors, quickly agrees: "There's a huge positive energy in CLA of giving. Everyone is stepping up." 

Every gift makes a difference for our students. Interested donors can support the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Awards with any amount.

For more information on taking advantage of the Jacob Siegel Liberal Arts Undergraduate Matching opportunity, contact Jill Manning, Assistant Dean of Development in the College of Liberal Arts, at jill.manning@temple.edu