Temple University President Joanne Epps remembered as colleague, mentor
"This will be a time to reflect, remember and support one another during this time of grieving," the university said.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Temple University Board of Trustees posthumously named Dr. JoAnne Epps as president on Wednesday.
Epps suddenly died after falling ill on stage during an event on Tuesday afternoon.
She was transported to Temple University Hospital where she was pronounced dead around 3:15 p.m., the university said.
She was 72.
There has been no word on what caused her death. A doctor speaking at a news conference said she suffered a "sudden episode."
Members of the Temple community gathered at the university's Bell Tower on Wednesday afternoon for a vigil.
"She always made you feel seen and empowered and appreciated in her presence," said Gregory Mandel, the provost of Temple University.
"I was inspired by her leadership, her warm smile and the vision she espoused for Philadelphia," added Tony Watlington, the superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia.
The 72-year-old's sudden death has sparked campus-wide grief.
"Yesterday when my professor found out, he just stopped class," recalled freshman Sarai Bevington.
A native of Cheltenham and a graduate of Yale Law School, Epps held leadership roles in national organizations like the American Bar Association. She was an assistant U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia and was chair of the city's first-ever Police Oversight Board.
Epps was named acting president in April following the resignation of Jason Wingard, the university's first Black president, who resigned in March after leading the 33,600-student university since July 2021.
The Temple University Board of Trustees voted on Wednesday to posthumously change her title to "president," forever sealing her legacy at the place she loved.
Epps was more than just a fixture at Temple. She was a colleague and a mentor to so many.
Hazim Hardeman is a Temple alum and the university's first Rhodes Scholar. But he says that honor wouldn't have happened without the kindness of Epps.
"She always told me I'm calling to check on you, make sure you're good. She would do that routinely. Even after I graduated, up until last week, she would constantly check on me, and ask me what ways I needed support," said Hardeman.
