Temple Unveils the Aramark Student Training and Recreation Complex
WRITTEN BY: EMANI WASHINGTON
Administration, directors, and student leaders gathered on Thursday, September 7th to celebrate and formally dedicate Temple’s new partnership with Aramark and the creation of the Student Training and Recreation Complex.
The purpose of this new facility is to ensure that students, faculty, and staff have a place to maintain wellness and health.
Dr. Laura Siminoff is the dean of the College of Public Health and is responsible for creating the name for the new facility on Temple’s Campus. She shares her connection to the inspiration behind the name and expresses why she feels the importance of the Recreation Complex.
“We were trying to capture the essence of the building, with a nice acronym that stood for something that was meaningful, that everybody could remember,” Siminoff said.” “My life has been personally transformed by physical therapy, otherwise I’d be crippled with back and neck injuries. So for me, even though this isn’t my discipline, I feel very strongly that those disciplines are very very important and becoming increasingly important in our mission as a nation to not just live, but live healthy.”
This new complex has various new features including an academic portion that supports the College of Public Health’s clinical education, specifically in the occupational therapy and physical therapy graduate programs. The indoor recreation area gives students free space and a 70-yard synthetic turf field for intercollegiate athletics. The main lobby also features a climbing wall, lounge area, and a Jamba Juice. In addition, there will be a new outdoor track open to the public community.
Student Body President Tyrell Mann-Barnes shares his excitement for the new facility on campus. He shares how he plans to use the facility as well as his vision for the school in oncoming years.
“My vision for the institution in the next ten years is a place that is very inclusive, very accepting and welcoming to every demographic of students, every demographic of community members both within the Temple community and the surrounding North Philadelphia community,” Mann-Barnes said. “As I mentioned in my remarks, I think our university has so much momentum right now, and we have the potential to go into a very positive direction,”.
Temple University added the Aramark Student Training And Recreation Complex with hopes to continue to provide a safe and healthy environment for the students and community at large.
