Debbie Avery, assistant dean of Undergraduate Programs at Temple University’s Fox School of Business and Management, has been named as one of the 2004 “40 Under 40” award recipients by the
Philadelphia Business Journal for her dedication to inspiring students to succeed academically and professionally, as well as for her charitable endeavors.

“I am overwhelmed and honored that I was even nominated for this prestigious award,” says Avery. “It means a lot to me and even more so because the school’s leadership initiated it.”

The "40 Under 40" Awards Program recognizes 40 individuals under the age of 40 who are proven performers in their respective industries and communities. These dynamic up and comers have shaped our community in ways that have made greater Philadelphia a better place to do business and live.

Avery is responsible for the recruitment and retention of The Fox School’s undergraduate population and for the development and implementation of academic and professional development programs offered to the school’s 4,300 students. She also directs and oversees the activities of the Undergraduate Student Services offices on all three campuses, the Center for Student Professional Development, the Honors Program and the Enrollment Management team, as well as providing guidance to the school’s 21 student professional organizations.

“Debbie serves as the ultimate role model for our students, with her rapid promotions from academic advisor, to enrollment manager, to assistant dean in just 12 short years,” says M. Moshe Porat, PhD, dean of The Fox School. “We are very proud to have her as a member of our leadership team and for her personal and professional accomplishments.”

Professionally, Avery established new standards on the successful recruitment and retention of high quality students, increased the credentials of incoming freshmen and has dramatically increased the size and the quality of the undergraduate program at the Fox School. Her innovative approach to undergraduate recruiting has set new standards for the University as a whole and Avery now serves as a mentor for her counterparts in other universities across the country who are establishing programs such as learning communities, freshman seminars, honors programs, and research scholars programs.

In addition to her daily activities, Avery is the consummate volunteer and has organized student/alumni teams in a Habitat for Humanity project in North Philadelphia, the Gaudenzia-New Image Children’s Shelter, Project Home and Philadelphia Cares. She also served as a volunteer coordinator for the President’s Summit for America’s Future and worked with students during the 2000 Republican and Democratic national conventions. She has energized the School’s 21 student professional organizations (SPOs) to make community service a top priority on their yearly agendas.

For more information about the awards dinner on April 28 at the Philadelphia Marriott, visit the Philadelphia Business Journal.