Why I Give: Janis Moore Campbell, PhD, 
FOX ’99, EDU ’06, ’16

Janis Moore Campbell serves as Senior Director of Graduate Professional Development at the Fox School of Business.

How long have you been at Temple?

As of this past December, 20 years. I can’t believe it has been that long! Time has flown by. I had a very active life in corporate America prior to transitioning to higher ed, and while life in corporate was great, I love working in higher education, because it makes me feel young!

Tell us a little bit about your road to North Broad Street.

I’m from New York, and I started school at Penn but left after three years before I finished my degree. I formed great relationships at Penn, enjoyed working in Philadelphia and worked for several years in hospitality. A friend from Penn recommended me for a role as the employment manager of the Shops at Liberty Place. A few years later I was laid off during management and organizational restructuring, and I had the opportunity to resume my studies. I considered going back to Penn, but something drew me to Temple.

As a slightly older, nontraditional student, professors and administrators at Fox noticed how much I enjoyed working with traditional undergraduate students. I just love being around younger people and the energy that it gives me. At the time, a new initiative was starting up at Fox, the Center for Student Professional Development, and I was given an opportunity to work there. I had offers to return to corporate, but I knew that staying at Temple was the right choice for me, and I’ve never looked back.

What is your greatest pleasure in the work that you do at Temple?

There’s just something about being on campus that I love. Also, I feel that I have something to offer students, based on my personal experience in corporate workplace settings.

There was so much I didn’t know, even as an intelligent person, when I started my professional career. It’s extremely important to me that students don’t feel like an impostor when they enter the business world. When I got to corporate, there was so much nuance in the way people talked and carried themselves. When someone says “Let’s do lunch” they don’t necessarily mean that literally… it could just be another way to say goodbye. Preparing students with an understanding of these “hidden rules” before they set foot in the workplace is vital to their success.

Sometimes I will hear back from a student 10 years after they graduated, telling me how much they still appreciate small pieces of advice that I gave, like what suit to wear to an interview. Things like that may seem insignificant, but I feel that the real reward is knowing that a student succeeded in part because of my help. I like to say, “Make your mistakes with us.”

Why do you feel that giving back to Temple is important?

It’s a personal thing. It has to do in part with my upbringing. We weren’t wealthy, but my parents still contributed what they could. Because of that, my sisters and I saw that giving is possible on any level. It doesn’t have to be a lofty thing. When you see your parents sharing resources, even in humble circumstances, a powerful example is set. We are here to help one another, and it is our obligation to do so when we can.

Additionally, I don’t believe in the dichotomy of “you give” then “you receive.” I see the two as being mutually exclusive. That idea of “balancing things out” can sometimes hold you back. Giving to Temple gives me a sense of belonging, as opposed to being merely accepted. And I do feel accepted at Temple… but I also feel that it is important for me to have a stake in what goes on at the university, and while I may not donate as much as others, my contributions make me feel even more like a member of this community.