Temple University has named Cheltenham native JoAnne Epps — who has been at the school for close to four decades — as its acting president. Felicia Gans Sobey and Susan Snyder covered the promotion for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Epps is taking over for Jason Wingard, who resigned at the end of March. She will serve in this role until a permanent president is found.

The university’s board of directors expects to finalize its search by the end of the year, but Epps may need to fulfill the role longer.

Epps, who lives in Shamong, N.J., graduated from Cheltenham High School before enrolling at Trinity College, Hartford, Conn. There, she received her bachelor’s degree before moving on to Yale Law School.

After graduating, she worked in Los Angeles as deputy city attorney.

She returned to Philadelphia in 1980 to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She began working at Temple five years later and was named law school dean in 2008.

She was promoted to the provost in 2016, which is the school’s second-highest position.

“I am obviously humbled and excited and really looking forward to being able to make a contribution to the university that I so love,” said Epps.

Read more about JoAnne Epps in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

_____

FOX29 also covered the JoAnne Epps story in video form.