Patience Lehrman has been named interim executive director of the Temple University College of Education and Human Development Center for Professional Development in Career & Technical Education.
In addition to her duties at the Center, Lehrman will continue to serve as the College of Education and Human Development's special assistant to the dean for strategic partnerships and community affairs where she oversees the Intergenerational Center. In that capacity, she worked with the Center for Professional Development in Career & Technical Education's leadership to offer the highly successful symposium entitled, "(Re)defining College: Leveraging the Full Value of Career & Technical Education Pathways to College and Careers." Lerhman has a long-standing record of success in securing and managing grants. In recent years, she has obtained more than $2.8 million in funding for initiatives including the TUCares Workforce Bridge to Employment program to prepare high school career and technical education students for jobs in the health field, the GEAR UP College Access program, the Caregiver Support Programs, and the Out of School Time Academic Enrichment program in North Philadelphia.
 
Prior to her current role, Lerhman served as the national director of Project SHINE, an immigrant integration initiative headquartered at Temple University with partners in 16 communities across the country. Through Project SHINE, students and retired volunteers were trained to tutor immigrant and refugee seniors in English language, life skills, health literacy, job readiness and civic education to prepare them for life in America.  Under her leadership, Lehrman expanded Project SHINE and earned the prestigious national E Pluribus Unum Award from the Migration Policy Institute for exceptional immigrant integration.

Lerhman's work has received recognition locally, regionally and nationally. In 2013, she was inducted into the Temple University Gallery of Success and received a citation from Philadelphia City Council for exceptional community leadership. In 2014, she was selected to lead the Pennsylvania Reach Higher Consortium for College and Career Readiness. In May 2011, she was honored by the White House as one of four Champions of Change nationwide for her efforts in promoting immigrant integration, and in 2012 she received the Presidential Citizens Medal from former President Barack Obama, the second-highest civilian award in the United States.