I tried ice skating last year, and it was nothing like what I imagined. Before getting on the rink, for some reason I had this idea that I would be a natural. Nothing in my mind suggested I would fall as many times as I did or fail to glide across the ice like someone who had been doing it all their life. Sometimes you imagine how an experience will go, and then it turns out completely different. Not better or worse, just different.
In August 2024, I came to Temple. My business in the U.S. was studying at Temple, and my business at Temple was earning an MBA. It was easy to believe that getting the degree, and figuring out life between and after, was all there was to it but it’s so much more than that.
One thing Temple does for you is open doors you did not even know existed. You come in with one idea of what your journey will look like, and suddenly you’re discovering new paths you never planned for.
– Chidinma Agbara
My experience in Temple has influenced my community, my opportunity and my entrepreneurial ambitions.
Building Community
Perhaps being in the heart of Philadelphia adds to the uniqueness of the relationships you can form here, even though it’s still easy to feel lost when you’re new, especially in a place as large as Temple.
The truth is, finding community is not as straightforward as it sounds. It would have been the simplest thing to stay in my comfort zone, as it is easy to feel lost when you are new, especially in a place as large as Temple. I had to push myself to show up, to talk to people, to try. Luckily, I am part of an amazing MBA class, a vibrant international student community, and a campus full of events that made connecting feel natural.
Outside Temple, I’ve built community at my local church and through volunteering with programs focused on eliminating food insecurity around Philadelphia. It has been a blessing to contribute to a city that has embraced and welcomed me.
Finding Opportunities
Through the MBA program and Temple, I have seen many avenues for growth and development. Most recently, I was selected for the inaugural cohort of Temple On Board, an initiative designed to prepare participants for board and community service. I joined this program with the intention of expanding my involvement in community engagement and exploring ways to further my initiatives related to education and food security.
One thing Temple does for you is open doors you did not even know existed. You come in with one idea of what your journey will look like, and suddenly you’re discovering new paths you never planned for.
Becoming an Entrepreneur
Temple encourages you to step into your own ideas and see what they can become. I started an Independent Study with Professor Alan Kerzer at the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (IEI). One of the first things I did was attend his “Ideas and Impact Challenge.” That experience sparked my idea to create a company centered on Akwete, a beautiful woven material made by weavers in Eastern Nigeria. My goal is to bring Akwete to the world while helping preserve the craft for the next generation of weavers in that community.
Surprises Along the Way
The thing is, at Temple, you may have an idea of how you want your journey to unfold, but you might find that the business you came to do isn’t the business you end up doing. You just must be open to finding, building and becoming.
On actual ice, I couldn’t find the motion I wanted, but at Temple, I’ve been able to glide like I was always meant to be here. And now, in just about two months, I’ll be gliding across the stage graduating.
By Chidinma Adgbara, (Fox MBA ’26)
Header image: Chidima Agbara with her classmates (fourth from the left, back row) and Professor Tommy Fung
Photos Courtesy of Daniel Agbara and Professor Tommy Fung