Owls Working Against COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned everyone's world upside down, but for a few of Temple's student-athletes, it did not stop them from trying to make a difference. These individuals have taken on COVID-19 related work and volunteer opportunities, within healthcare facilities and with the general public, risking their own health and safety for the benefit of others.

Temple field hockey sophomore, Megan Phillips, volunteered with the Delaware County Medical Reserve Corps at their testing site at Upper Darby High School.

"Upon returning home in March I found myself with a little extra time on my hands. Later, one of my friends sent me a link to get involved in my community and I ended up registering. I went through a screening process and was excited to become a member," said Phillips.

The main part of Phillips' role was to set up the necessary COVID-19 drive through testing site for the area. She spent one day training and preparing the site and the following day was in the thick of running the testing site. Her specific responsibilities included registration and quality control, where she ensured patient information was correct and directed them to the designated spot to receive a test. She was required to wear protective gear, including gloves and an N-95 mask.

Since returning back to campus for training, Phillips has ceased her volunteering with DelCo MRC. She cited that the athletic department has asked student athletes to limit their contact with outside individuals, so she did not feel that volunteering at a COVID-19 testing site would be the ideal place to be in order to keep student-athletes and staff safe on campus.

Phillips was gracious in her reflection on the experience. "Overall, I'm glad I joined the MRC. It feels good to do something for my surrounding community as so many are affected by this pandemic. I look forward to continuing to be involved with the MRC in the future."

Lexi Walsh, a junior on Temple's women's cross country team, has been working as a dietary aide at Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton, Pa. for the past two years. While she has not been working directly with COVID patients, being in a hospital during a pandemic has required her to take extra precautions to keep herself and others safe.

When asked how her role has changed since the pandemic began, she cited that they are now required to wear masks, take their temperatures upon arrival, and at times wear face shields.

As a dietary aide, Walsh also noted the importance of proper rest and nutrition for student-athletes to stay healthy during these times. "Proper rest and nutrition are important because if you are not getting enough sleep or eating poorly, your chances of getting sick or fighting off infections is worse" said Walsh.

The final student-athlete to highlight for the work she has done with COVID is 2020 AAC Indoor High Jump Champion, Aisha Brown. She is working as a Temperature Screener for Septa.

As part of her role, Brown is responsible for taking the temperatures of Septa employees before they begin working. If their temperature is over 100.4°F, they have to wait five minutes then come back to re-check. If it is over 100.4°F for a second time, they are required to leave work, contact their doctor and take the prescribed safety measures.

Brown has dedicated significant time to this position, starting shifts as early as 5:00am. She notes that this role has made her more conscious of COVID and she is being more diligent in the precautions she should take.

In response to why she chose to take on this position Brown said, "I applied to a lot of internships and all of them were cancelled, so this was an opportunity that was somewhat healthcare related, which is what I am interested in." She hopes to pursue medical school in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in different ways and we are proud of the steps and precautions our student-athletes have taken to keep themselves and others safe. We are looking forward to the day that our Owls can compete once again- but to ensure that happens we all need to do our part. Wash your hands, avoid unnecessary outings, stay six feet apart and don't forget to wear your mask!

Temple University Athletics

Owls Working Against COVID-19

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