This year, Temple University Japan received formal designation as the Japan campus of a foreign university. Before that, since 1982 in Tokyo, TUJ had the status of branch campus of Temple University in Philadelphia. U.S. Ambassador Thomas Schieffer in giving the keynote address at this year's TUJ commencement ceremony said: "We hope other universities will receive similar declarations, but TUJ will always be the first. That will continue to be a source of pride."
As dean of TUJ, Kirk R. Patterson oversees all aspects of the university's planning, academic programs, management and external relations. A professor in the Fox School of Business and Management, he also teaches courses at TUJ. Before he came to TUJ three years ago, Patterson had a varied career, most of it in public relations. To begin with, though, he almost didn't have a career at all.
"My last year in high school was a disaster. No college would have me," he said. "I bought a bicycle, and went around Europe, the Middle East and North Africa for two years. Then I applied again to university and was accepted. That changed my life. Now I really want to give all young people the chance I was given 30 years ago."