Why All the Diamonds?

What’s with all this diamond talk? Diamonds can be heard and seen all around Temple University’s campus.

The term is incorporated in many student organizations, teams, and clubs throughout the university. Some organizations and teams include:

• The Diamond Marching Band:  Temple University Band that Performs during the pre-game and half-time shows at the Temple football games
• The Diamond Gems: Temple University dance team that performs at all football, and men’s and women’s basketball games as well as some soccer, field hockey and volleyball contests.
• Red Diamond Battalion: Temple’s ROTC program that helps develop future cadets.
• The Diamond Club: A full service restaurant and bar located on Temple campus.

Temple’s very own currency, Diamond Dollars even follows suit with the trend of diamonds at Temple. Although the term “diamond” is so prominent on university’s campus, it is not common for students to know the significance of the term.

When students are asked if they know why Temple uses “diamond” in the titles in so many things associated with the school, many don’t know the correct reason.

“I don’t know, everything is diamonds? Diamond Gems?” said freshman Emily Perkins.

Juniors Jaysel Shah and Melanie Lodge have a different idea, “Definitely because of Diamonds Street I would say,” said Melanie. “Because we got Diamond Street. I don’t know. What else?” said Jaysel.

The real reason behind diamonds at temple comes from the founder of Temple University, Russell Conwell. He delivered his speech “Acres of Diamonds” over 6,000 times. The speech was about the value of education, family and community service. Conwell believed it was the duty of educated people to serve the less fortunate and thus created Temple College. The speech “Acres of Diamonds” was the inspiration behind the theme of diamonds at Temple as well as the mission statement.

“That term is used because I think it conveys to everybody in one word the essential mission of Temple University,” said Peter Jones, Senior Vice Provost for Undergraduate.

Conwell’s speech states, in part, “Greatness consists not in holding some office; greatness really consists in doing some great deed with little means, in the accomplishment of vast purposes from the private ranks of life, that is true greatness.”