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The Essential Needs Hub

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Mission, Vision, and Values

our mission, vision, and values

OUR MISSION 

The Temple University Essential Needs Hub provides comprehensive, coordinated support to address food insecurity, housing, financial barriers, and other challenges that impact student success. Grounded in equity and student voice, the Hub empowers Owls to build agency, resilience, and belonging while connecting them to Temple and community resources. As an anchor institution, Temple leverages cross-divisional and civic partnerships to deliver holistic wraparound services that promote well-being. Through evidence-based practices, continuous assessment, and innovation, we enable students to persist toward degree completion and thrive regardless of circumstance. 

OUR VISION 

The Temple University Essential Needs Hub serves as the cornerstone of our commitment to student success by ensuring that no student must choose between their essential needs and their education. As champions of student support, we create an accessible, dignified, and empowering environment where all Temple students can thrive academically and personally, grounded in equity, student voice, and belonging. 

Through innovative partnerships and comprehensive services, we help students navigate barriers to persistence while fostering a campus culture where supporting students’ holistic wellbeing is recognized as both a moral imperative and a strategic investment in Temple's future. As an anchor institution, Temple leverages civic and community partnerships to strengthen student and neighborhood well-being. 

The Essential Needs Hub works to create a cohesive ecosystem that enhances institutional effectiveness, strengthens the Temple community, and creates a model for urban universities nationwide through continuous assessment, innovation, and national leadership in student success. 

VALUES

Student-Centered

The Hub places students at the heart of all services, designing supports and spaces that prioritize their dignity, agency, and diverse needs. 

Equity, Inclusivity & Accessibility

The Hub fosters a holistic approach to student support by addressing systemic barriers, centering marginalized voices, and ensuring that all students can access resources without stigma, barriers, or unnecessary complexity. 

Collaboration & Integration

The Hub breaks down silos through strategic partnerships across campus and with community organizations, building a seamless support network that reflects Temple’s role as an anchor institution in Philadelphia. 

Data-Informed Excellence

The Hub grounds decisions in robust research, ongoing assessment, and student feedback, continuously improving services and demonstrating measurable impact. 

Innovation & Leadership

The Hub embraces bold, forward-thinking solutions and positions Temple as a national model for essential needs support in higher education, setting a standard for urban universities nationwide. 

Holistic Well-Being

The Hub recognizes that student success depends on the full spectrum of essential needs. It cultivates a culture of care that integrates academic, personal, financial, and community well-being so every Owl can thrive.