The date is Friday, April 4, and the backdrop is the Temple Performing Arts Center. Before a crowd of more than 1,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends, Temple University President John Fry is delivering his investiture address, and as he nears its conclusion, he shares a very significant detail. 

“Once our alumni and other friends discover what Temple is becoming and the impact that it is having on its students, the city and the world, I believe they will rally to support our university with unprecedented amounts of time, talent and treasure,” Fry said. “To prove my point, I am delighted to announce today the largest donation in Temple’s 141-year history: a $27.5 million gift from philanthropists Sidney and Caroline Kimmel to name the new home for the Klein College of Media and Communication and the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts.” 

As Fry shared this news, a handful of audible “oohs and aahs” could be heard from those in attendance. When he started as Temple’s president on Nov. 1, 2024, he spoke about how philanthropy would be one of the university’s biggest opportunities moving forward, and this gift served as a perfect example of that opportunity being realized. 

It also underscores what was a historic year for the university from a fundraising standpoint. During fiscal year 2025, Temple received more than $133 million in gifts, the most ever raised during a single fiscal year. This now marks the sixth straight year the university has received more than $100 million in donor support. 

“Philanthropy is so key for everything that we want to accomplish moving forward,” Fry said. “I believe we can become one of the most consequential urban public research universities in the nation, and fundraising is going to be crucial in helping us reach this goal. I am deeply thankful to all who have supported this great university during this past year and am eager to continue to build on our momentum.” 

President Fry also noted that the Kimmel gift can be seen as a precursor of what is to come. As he shared during his investiture address, the university will soon embark on a new comprehensive campaign, and this historic gift will help kickstart those efforts. 

Fry and other university leaders believe that Temple has all the necessary ingredients—a strong alumni base, an access and research-driven mission and an urban setting with endless opportunities—of an institution that is worthy of earning the philanthropic support of alumni, friends and other stakeholders. 

Specifically, the university’s growing alumni base provides ample opportunity for Temple to further increase its fundraising in the years to come. Overall, Temple boasts over 380,000 living alumni, and Fry has found that they are excited at the prospect of giving back to their alma mater. 

“There is great capacity in our alumni body for our giving to increase. Whenever I talk to an alum, or current or prospective donor, I have confidence when it comes to asking for support. That is because of this special institution,” Fry said. “The focus for us now is to build up momentum, and that is why the Kimmel gift was such an amazing validation of what we can do from a philanthropic standpoint.” 

The Kimmel gift was one of 24 commitments of $1 million or more that Temple received during the year. That number represents the most million-dollar gifts received in any one fiscal year. 

“Our fundraising success reflects the strength of our community and the shared belief in Temple’s mission,” said Al Checcio, recently appointed senior vice president for institutional advancement after serving in an interim capacity since March. “More importantly, it sets the stage for what is still to come. Our goals are even more ambitious, and we intend to build on this momentum and double our impact in the years ahead.” 

Temple’s growing momentum as it relates to philanthropy was seen consistently throughout the year. That could be seen through the large-gift commitments, but it was also reflected through other gifts, as well. 

For instance, more than 1,400 Temple University alumni and friends came together to raise more than $900,000 during the fourth annual Temple Giving Days, held this past spring. That represented a more than $300,000 increase from the previous year. 

Throughout the course of the year, student support also continued to be one of the areas where donors were most inclined to give. Gifts in that area are important to helping ensure that Temple can continue to offer an affordable, high-quality education to its students. 

Some examples of gifts from the past year that support students and the student experience at Temple include a $1.5 million gift from Daniel E. Rosner, FOX ’80, LAW ’83, to support Temple’s highly regarded National Trial Team; a pledge from Andy Bondy and Lori Frost that will support the Andy Bondy and Lori Frost Endowed Scholarship and the Andy Bondy and Lori Frost Experiential Learning Fund; and The Ian McGuire Music Scholarship Fund which will establish an endowed scholarship to provide educational opportunities for aspiring musicians in the Philadelphia area. 

For a full recap of Temple’s successful fundraising year and to learn how you can participate, visit Fiscal Year 2025 Year in Review.