Crew has been a defining part of Philadelphia’s rowing tradition since 1966. Built on perseverance, opportunity, and competitive excellence, the program has helped generations of student-athletes grow as competitors, scholars, and leaders.
To ensure long-term stability and elevate the program to new competitive heights, we are launching a $9 million operations endowment campaign to permanently support the program’s core needs.
Temple Crew has thrived for nearly six decades thanks to the dedication of alumni, coaches, and supporters. Yet the program continues to rely heavily on annual fundraising and participation revenue to sustain its operations.
An endowment ensures that the program’s future is not dependent on year-to-year fundraising. Instead, it creates permanent support that allows Temple Crew to plan confidently, recruit aggressively, and compete nationally.
Temple Crew began in 1966 under the leadership of Olympic rower Thomas "Bear" Curran, establishing a culture rooted in discipline, opportunity, and resilience.
From its earliest days training on the Schuylkill River, the program has provided student-athletes with the chance to compete at the highest collegiate levels while representing Temple University and the Philadelphia rowing community.
Over the decades, Temple Crew has become known for its ability to transform novice athletes into competitive rowers through hard work, coaching excellence, and relentless commitment.
Dr. Gavin R. White's Leadership:
Under nearly four decades of leadership, Dr. White achieved distinction both nationally and internationally. His boats won 20 Dad Vail Regatta Varsity 8 titles, including an impressive 13 consecutive titles from 1989–2001. White also led the Owls to seven invitations to Great Britain's premiere regatta, the Royal Henley Regatta (1983–86, 1989, 1990, 1994), qualifying to the grand final once and the quarterfinals four times.
Current Era – Head Coach Brendan Cunningham:
In just his third season at the helm, Cunningham quickly reenergized the men's crew program. Since returning to his alma mater, he has guided Temple to multiple gold medals at the Dad Vail Regatta, consistent Top-20 national rankings, and appearances at elite international competitions including the Henley Royal Regatta. Temple earned recognition as the IRA Comeback Team of the Year while placing several boats among the nation's top crews at the IRA National Championships.
Running a competitive collegiate rowing program requires significant annual resources. For Temple Crew, a $9 million operations endowment would generate approximately $380,000 annually, providing a permanent foundation for the program.
Endowments are the most powerful financial tools in college athletics. When a donor contributes to an endowment:
Annual endowment support will fund:
The strength of Temple Men's Crew has always extended beyond the boathouse. It lives in a deeply connected network of alumni, families, and the broader Philadelphia rowing community. To successfully build a sustainable future through the Crew Endowment, we are taking a disciplined and intentional approach to engagement.
Our alumni are the foundation of this campaign. Through the Decade Captains program, we are activating peer-to-peer leadership to reconnect, engage, and inspire participation across generations.
Decade Stewards is a volunteer program created to engage alumni across generations in support of the Temple Men’s Crew Operating Endowment Campaign. Representing their respective decades, Decade Stewards serve as ambassadors for the program—helping reconnect former teammates, strengthen the Temple Crew alumni network, and encourage peer-to-peer participation.
| Decade Stewards | |
|---|---|
| 1970's | Dave Lagan '70, Joe Morgan '73 |
| 1980's | Tony Stefanski '83, Rob Silk '86 |
| 1990's | Steve Sassaman '90, Mike Moore '93, Lou McCormick '94 |
| 2000's | Peter Gergo '01, Ferdinand Bergen '02, Michael Fitzpatrick '06, James Harding '07 |
| 2010's | Scott Waters '11, Jack Higgins '17, Steve Gennaro '19 |
Former student-athletes represent the most directly impacted members of our program. Their experiences and connections are essential to telling the story of impact and the importance of Temple Men’s Crew across it’s illustrious history
Parents and families understand firsthand the value of the Temple Crew experience. Engaging this group expands our network and strengthens the sense of shared investment in the program's future.
From Boathouse Row to local clubs, foundations, and supporters of the sport, there is a unique and powerful rowing culture in Philadelphia. We aim to actively engage this community, making ourselves visible, collaborative, and aligned with the broader growth of rowing in the region.
Your gift today will ensure the long-term success of our program and the student-athletes who represent Temple University and the Philadelphia rowing community.
Give NowPlease contact us at OwlClub@temple.edu or 215-204-2582 with questions.
You can also fill out the form below and we will follow up with you.