Drexel President John Fry named next president of Temple University

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Drexel University President John Fry has been chosen as the new president of Temple University, officials announced Wednesday. The university’s Board of Trustees voted to confirm him Wednesday morning as the college’s 15th president.

Fry has been Drexel’s president for the last 14 years. He takes the reins from acting Temple President Richard Englert . Englert took the position after acting President JoAnne Epps’ sudden death in September 2023. She had assumed the role from Jason Wingard, who resigned last March after less than two years as president amid concerns over school safety.

John Fry has been Drexel's president for 14 years, but at the age of 64, he says, he wanted something more.

"Before I pack it in, I wanted to have one more opportunity to do something big."

And Fry says he wanted to do it in Philadelphia. He decided to leave Drexel for the challenge of Temple.

"It is a very different big city university. It is public versus private. It has a very large and complex health system."

Prior to Drexel, Fry served in the administration at Penn and was a former president at Franklin & Marshall College. At Temple, Fry says he expects his priorities will be campus safety, growing enrollment, and investing in academics. He also wants to look ahead to a campaign to celebrate Temple's 150th anniversary 10 years from now.

Fry says before developing a vision he wants to get to know Temple and its health system. He also wants to develop online enrollment and make sure Temple is attracting its share of international students.

Fry made headlines earlier this week when reporters unearthed a Wall Street Journal op-ed he wrote eight years ago, when he said he was glad Drexel was not “burdened by the distractions that come with maintaining a football program.”

However, Fry said he would keep Temple football .

"I did write that editorial back in 2016, but in no way would that apply to my perspective of Temple football,” he said.

"That is a very Drexel-specific perspective. When I think about Temple athletics and Temple football in particular — what a great gateway to this university."

Drexel's board is assembling a presidential search committee, and Fry says he will begin at Temple after new leadership is named at Drexel.