The largest gift in the history of Temple Athletics will lead to the endowment of the athletic director position, Temple University announced Tuesday, March 5. 

The historic, pathbreaking gift from Debbie and Stanley Lefkowitz, CST ’65, will create the Debbie and Stanley Lefkowitz ’65 Director of Athletics position. This is the second endowed nonfaculty position at Temple University, and thanks to this generous gift, Temple is now the 15th NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) school with an endowed athletic director position. 

“From their unwavering support for students and academic research to their invaluable contributions to athletics and medicine, the Lefkowitz’ impact will be felt across the Temple community for generations to come. Our student-athletes work incredibly hard both in the classroom and in their respective sports, and this unprecedented gift to Temple Athletics will further set them on the path to success,” said Richard Englert, president of Temple University. “We are immensely grateful for the Lefkowitz’ ongoing dedication to our mission and visionary philanthropic leadership, which continues to elevate our university to new heights.” 

The gift comes at an opportune time for both Temple and Temple Athletics as the NCAA and college athletics have experienced a sea change in recent years, with athletes now able to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL) and with the simplification of the transfer process through the transfer portal. Gifts like this play a key role in ensuring that Temple and its student-athletes stay on the path to success. 

“There is no overstating the significance of this gift, and we are incredibly thankful to the Lefkowitz' for their continued faith in both Temple and our athletics program,” added Arthur Johnson, Temple’s vice president and the first Debbie and Stanley Lefkowitz ’65 Director of Athletics. “An endowed athletic director position is very rare within the NCAA, and Temple can now count itself among the schools that carry that unique distinction. This speaks volumes with regard to the transformative nature of this gift.” 

Out of 239 Division I public institutions, Temple is the ninth to endow its athletic director position. Out of 134 FBS schools, Temple is the 15th and only the third within the Group of Five. 

The Lefkowitz' are no strangers when it comes to supporting Temple University and this gift is just the latest example of their longstanding philanthropic support.  

“Debbie and I are pleased to be able to make this gift (to Temple Athletics) that will enhance the experiences of current and future Temple student-athletes. This is a further way of giving back to a university that means so much to us,” said Stanley Lefkowitz. 

Together, Debbie and Stanley Lefkowitz previously established and enhanced two College of Science and Technology (CST) endowed funds. The Debra and Stanley Lefkowitz Undergraduate Student Research Award honors students who are working directly with faculty on advanced research. The couple also established a fellowship for CST graduate students, helping the college compete with other top universities to attract talented young researchers. 

They have also supported CST, the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, and the College of Liberal Arts with the Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Graduate Research Fund, the Stanley ’65 and Debra Lefkowitz Endowed Medical Scholarship, and the Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Distinguished Faculty Fellow currently held by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek.  

The new endowment will allow the Athletic Department to further enhance the student-athlete experience. The support and commitment from the Lefkowitz' will directly impact Temple student-athletes in perpetuity by providing resources that, at the discretion of the vice president and Lefkowitz director of athletics, support the success of Temple’s student-athletes.  

“Stan and Debbie’s love and dedication to Temple and their keen interest in the holistic development of our student-athletes beyond athletics have been evident since the first day I met them,” Johnson said. “This transformative gift is a continuation of their leadership and interest in providing support for students at Temple. I am humbled by and appreciative of their generosity.” 

For more information on how you can support Temple and Temple Athletics, visit Temple’s Giving page.