Ambler Campus, Temple University

The average day for a college student is stressful. Time management becomes a major issue between studying, working, commitments to student organizations, being involved in campus

activities, and waking up early for class the morning after a late night. Between juggling all of these responsibilities, how do students find time to get online, check their e-mail, and do a little research?

It is impossible today to attend college without having access to a computer — students use e-mail as a frequent form of communication. The Ambler Campus Technology Center and the Library are great locations for doing research and typing up papers. Students, however, now have a new way to get online between classes quickly thanks to one of their peers.

Aaron Lauchner, an adult transfer student majoring in Finance, conceived of a way to keep students conveniently connected while he was a participant of the Emerging Leaders Seminar series on campus. The Emerging Leaders Seminar series is coordinated by Dr. Wanda Lewis-Campbell, Assistant Dean for Student Life.

Lauchner, who was involved in the Emerging Leaders Seminar in Fall 2008, suggested during the seminar that a computer be installed in each building on the Ambler campus. A new Gateway computer has been set up in Bright Hall Lobby to provide students with quick Internet access to check e-mail accounts, news, and easily attain other necessary information via the Web.

“I want students to be able to relax in Bright Hall, to be able to check their e-mail, without having to wait to log onto their personal accounts,” said Lauchner, a junior at Temple Ambler. “I would eventually like to see computers spread throughout other buildings so that students don’t have to wait in other buildings to check there either.”

There were 18 other students participating in the Emerging Leaders Seminar with Lauchner in the fall. He thought of the idea for new computer access when the Challenge the Process principle was discussed in the seminar. According to Dr. Lewis-Campbell, the seminar teaches five distinct leadership principles for students to incorporate into their daily lives, Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Enable Others to Act, Challenge the Process, and Encourage the Heart.”

“Challenge the Process is a leadership principle that encourages students to think outside the box. The goal for this seminar is to help students hone leadership skills and, for those students who already are leaders, to help them become better,” said Dr. Lewis-Campbell. “It gives students a deliberate agenda for trying to model the way for others. It teaches students to try new options, instead of always doing things the same way. It asks students the question, ‘how can we improve?’”

Lauchner said he wanted to participate in the seminar to potentially help in both his professional career and his own personal development.

“It’s important to know how to be a good leader, even if you are not in a leadership position at any job,” he said.

Lauchner said he felt the seminar was “a nice avenue” to propose the idea for a series of accessible computers and “challenge” the current system at Temple University Ambler. Lauchner said computers were readily available for students in every building at Montgomery County Community College, where he attended prior to transferring to Temple, and wondered if the same accessibility could be provided to students at Ambler.

“The other students liked the idea right away,” said Dr. Lewis-Campbell.

Dr. Lewis-Campbell said she took Lauchner’s suggestion into consideration immediately. Temple Computer Services were able to launch the new desktop in Bright Hall Lobby, outside of the Campus Police and Safety Office, in late February.

“The computer is not for students to use for long periods of time. It is not somewhere to sit and start studying or conduct research,” according to Dr. Lewis-Campbell. “It is just for students to log on and quickly get the information they need. It’s proven extremely successful. Students are using it all of the time!”