Founded in 1918 in Philadelphia, the Fox School of Business at Temple University is the largest, most comprehensive business school in the greater Philadelphia region. The school maintains a global presence and strategic alliances with regional and international business communities, positioning students in growth industries that include financial services, healthcare, pharmaceuticals/ biotechnology, information technology and tourism and hospitality. Since its inception, over 69,000 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students have earned degrees.
The Fox School is thoroughly committed to student-centered education and professional development relevant to today’s digital, global economy and makes a practice of integrating technology into its curriculum, classrooms and facilities. One of the most visible examples is the adoption of display technologies. In 2018, the school installed a 12.5-foot-long, 5-foot-high Planar LED video wall with 1.2mm pixel pitch in a faculty boardroom. The following year, another Planar LED video wall with the same dimensions and pixel pitch, except with touch screen technology, was installed in a collaboration room to support the school’s financial planning program.
The most recent technology addition includes the installation of two nearly 10-foot-long, 6-foot high (5x5) Planar® TVF Series LED video walls with 1.2mm pixel pitches (TVF1.2). Integrated by Trevose, Pa.-based Video Visions, the LED video walls are mounted on either side of a donor wall located on a ground floor, open atrium of Alter Hall- a 217,000-square-foot, technologyfocused learning center and one of the main facilities on the Fox School campus.
High-Impact and Multifunctional
With recruiting and the student experience in mind, the new LED video walls in Alter Hall provide versatile uses for the Fox School. “The intent was to introduce something to the atrium that would have a high impact in the space,” said Debbie Campbell, senior vice dean of the Fox School of Business. “Rather than showing static information, the video walls allow us to really engage students, faculty and visitors, including prospective students and their families. The technology is multifunctional in what we can do.”
Content rotating on the Planar TVF Series video walls, much of it produced by the school’s marketing and communications team, includes welcome videos, event communications and messages from the dean. The school is also considering using the LED video walls for entertainment and supporting different events held in the atrium. And, as a recruiting tool, the LED installations provide a compelling way to highlight the value of an education at the Fox School.
“For example, we're working on a project right now with each of our departments to create a series of videos that describe the different industries that our programs prepare students for,” Campbell said. “This way, visiting prospects can leave with a good understanding of the opportunities available to them. They can find out who are industry partners are and what kind of jobs are possible after they graduate.”
Vik Singh, executive director of information and AV technology at the Fox School of Business, said the pixel pitch for the Planar TVF Series LED video walls was chosen after representatives from Planar and Video Visions visited the atrium site with a demo to show the different resolutions available. “The 1.2mm pitch was a perfect fit with our viewing distances,” he said. “The seamless picture quality and lifetime warranty of the product were two of the main reasons we chose the Planar TVF Series. Many people from across university and the different schools have been coming to look at the displays. They have been a big hit.”
Emphasizing the product design of the Planar TVF Series LED video wall displays, John McDonald, Video Visions director of strategic accounts and the point person on the project, said one of the benefits of the Planar TVF Series is the serviceability of the LED modules. “Shortly after the installation was complete, a small row of pixels somehow got damaged from something that hit one of the video walls,” McDonald explained. That led to a call from Vik Singh. “I told Vik that he had spare modules there and could use a magnet tool that came with them to pull off the damaged one and pop in a new one. After he completed it, he called again to tell me how easy it was. He couldn’t believe it. It took him three minutes.”
The Fox School has been more than satisfied with the LED video walls. “The students love them and the parents who visit are always impressed,” Campbell said. “To be greeted by technology of that quality right in the main part of the atrium where you walk in certainly sends message. As a business school, that is certainly important to us.”
About the Planar TVF Series
The Planar TVF Series is an award-winning family of fine pitch LED video wall displays that provide visual excellence for every application. Featuring a cableless and stackable design, Planar TVF Series video walls are assembled with a single-step process to connect embedded power and signal connectors from cabinet to cabinet, reducing the complexity of installation and vertical alignment. With front serviceability and a slim profile of less than three inches, the Planar TVF Series reduces the overall video wall footprint and servicing space required behind the wall-making it simpler to fit in more spaces compared to other video wall solutions. Planar TVF Series video walls are covered by Planar® EverCare™ Lifetime Limited Warranty, which is designed to deliver total assurance for customers while reducing their lifetime cost of ownership. Planar EverCare is comprehensive and covers the entire product-from controller to sub-pixel and every component in between- as long as the end customer continues to own and use it in a fixed location.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
