Talent Dividend : In The News

Temple's new president announces ambitious $50 million plan

Philadelphia Inquirer Tuesday, October 22, 2013

In his inaugural address, new Temple University president Neil D. Theobald announced an ambitious 5-year plan that should improve the city and ease the debt burden on students.

One proposal calls for Temple to become more involved in helping the city solve its problems, such as the Philadelphia School District's funding crisis. Theobald, a professor, researcher, and expert in education finance, will participate in an afternoon symposium on funding. The $50 million for research, which Theobald touted as the largest-ever investment in the university's academic program, will be used to bring in new faculty to explore problems deemed most pressing in the city and state, he said. The research will be carried out across disciplines, he said.

Original source: The Philadelphia Inquirer
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Philadelphia leaders take to Toronto to share and 'steal'

Yonge Street Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Greater Philadelphia Economy League Executive Director Steve Wray talkes to Flying Kite sister publication Yonge Street about his organization's Greater Philadelphia Leadership Exchange, which visits Toronto this week.

One the focuses of the Economy League is what it means to be a world-class region and what it would take for Greater Philadelphia to attain status as a world-class region. As we select places to go, we look for regions that are world class or striving to be world class. Clearly Toronto has attained the status in the global community as a city and region on the rise, as a global financial capital and as an international city. We thought there were a lot of lessons we could bring back to Philadelphia from Toronto that would serve us well.

Original source: Yonge Street

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TechGirlz, StartUp Corps offering entrepreneurship, technology mentorship for youth

Inc. magazine Monday, July 09, 2012

Inc. magazine touches on Philadelphia's TechGirlz and StartUp Corps, both of which are offering summer programs for young people interested in technology and entrepreneurship.

One such camp, TechGirlz, begins Monday in Philadelphia. The camp, which is a collaboration with DreamIt Ventures and StartUp Corps, will give girls in 6th-8th grades a week of hands-on technology experience as well as a chance to develop business ideas under the mentorship of local entrepreneurs and developers. The goal is to get girls more interested in technology and start-ups early on to change the gender statistics in the IT industry.

Original source: Inc.

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Wharton's admissions director: Our alumni are as engaged as ever

Papalguy Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Despite removing alumni from the MBA interview process, Wharton's admissions director Ankur Kumar says alumni are as critical to the marketing effort as ever and also addresses other important changes in an interview with MBA site Papalguy.

The new curriculum change is going to increase that flexibility in three specific ways. Firstly, it’s going to increase flexibility in terms of timing in when students can start their electives. Historically, students have spent their entire first year taking their core curriculum and they start taking electives in the second year. Now, due to a reduced or pared down core curriculum, students can actually start to take electives in their first year and start on their pursuits around different academic subjects and interests.

Original source: Papalguy

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Philly, a tech scene where you'd never think to look

Fast Company Friday, June 15, 2012

Fast Company cites Philadelphia among 15 tech scenes in places you'd never think to look (although it's really not that unlikely, is it?).

What's changing? Resources, such as coworking spaces, incubators, and investment dollars, are dripping into the area. And perhaps for the first time in recent memory, young people are moving to Philadelphia.

Original source: Fast Company

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Science Leadership Academy's Lehmann weighs in on on tech in education

Slate Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Slate's report on the Education Innovation Summit in Arizona includes some time with Science Leadership Academy principal Chris Lehmann.

Lehmann expressed concern that too many in the burgeoning education sector hope to replace teachers with tech. "Before we rush to embrace the idea that the market might do education better than educators," he says, he wants to see a lengthy conversation about the “worst consequences of our best idea."

Original source: Slate

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How the Community College of Philadelphia opens door to four-yeear degrees

The New York Times Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The New York Times spotlights the Community College of Philadelphia's role as a pathway to more selective four-year institutions of higher learning.

Increasingly, the students here are making that jump. Dawn-Stacy Joyner, a former hospital cook, will also attend the University of Pennsylvania. Nine women graduating this spring have been accepted to Bryn Mawr. Larry Thi, who hopes to become a teacher, transferred to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Original source: The New York Times

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