PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Temple University community is mourning the loss of interim President JoAnne Epps. She had a health emergency at an event Tuesday and was taken to the hospital, where she died. She was 72.
The university said she collapsed during a memorial service for Charles L. Blockson. She was transported to Temple University Hospital for treatment, where she died shortly after 3 p.m.
No other details about her death were provided.
Her death came as a gut punch for university leaders, including Chief Operating Officer Ken Kaiser, who addressed reporters at the hospital.
“No one was more beloved at our university than JoAnne was," he said. "She was a personal friend and mentor to so many of us and she pushed each of us to be the best versions of ourselves that we possibly could be.”
Epps became the acting president in April after former President Jason Wingard resigned. She delayed her retirement to steady the ship following Wingard’s tumultuous tenure and give the Board of Trustees sufficient time to look for a new president.
Epps was described as a true Owl — a staple at Temple for nearly 40 years. She taught at Temple for more than three decades and served as the dean of the Beasley School of Law until she was appointed provost in 2016. She even worked at the library as a teenager.
She was also an accomplished attorney. Prior to Temple, Epps served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia and deputy city attorney in Los Angeles.
Just the other night, she attended a board meeting for the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Chief Defender Keisha Hudson recalled her last interaction with Epps.
“She was her usual smart, funny, just committed, attentive self. It’s just how she always is,” she said. “We are just incredibly saddened by this loss.”
The Board of Trustees wasn’t supposed to meet again until October for a regularly scheduled session, but it has scheduled an emergency meeting for Wednesday to discuss the future of leadership at the university.
"There are no words that can describe the gravity and sadness of this loss," Mitchell Morgan, board chair, said in a statement. "President Epps was a devoted servant and friend who represented the best parts of Temple. She spent nearly 40 years of her life serving this university, and it goes without saying her loss will reverberate through the community for years to come."
"Acting President JoAnne Epps dedicated decades of her professional life to the Temple University community — championing women and people of color in the legal profession and inspiring a generation of leaders," added Speaker of the Pennsylvania House Joanna McClinton.
Temple's police association echoed McClinton's statement in a tweet, saying she "served Temple with grace, dignity, and unwavering dedication."
The entire Temple community is invited to attend a vigil for Epps at the Bell Tower at noon on Wednesday. School flags are flying at half-staff.
The university is also planning a memorial at some point in the near future.