Mulik Abdus-Sabar enjoys his first Dean’s De-Stress Day on February 6, 2026.
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What began during the pandemic with 300 cream puffs in February 2021 has grown into one of Temple University, Japan Campus’ (TUJ) most anticipated campus traditions. Fast forward to March 5, 2026, and students were lining up for a much bigger treat, with 1,650 sandwiches.
Welcome to Dean’s De-Stress Day.
Launched by TUJ Dean Matthew Wilson, the event has become a simple but powerful way to bring students, faculty, and staff together. Over shared food and beverages, ranging from sandwiches, pizza, and tacos to desserts and drinks, the TUJ community takes a break, reconnects, and strengthens campus ties.
“My approach has always been to put students first and to find ways to connect with them.” Wilson said when reflecting on why he started Dean’s De-Stress Day. “Events involving food tend to open minds, spark conversations, and bring people together.”
Looking back, Wilson said the impact of the event has exceeded his expectations. “It’s really opened doors to students, not just their stomachs, but their hearts,” he said. “You can see it in their reactions and their smiles.” As the event has grown alongside student enrollment, its presence on campus has become even more meaningful. “When you look at the numbers over the past five years, it’s remarkable,” Wilson added. “The event has become part of the fabric of TUJ, and it also boosts the spirits of staff and faculty.”
From 300 Smiles to Over 3,500
In terms of the cumulative scale, the numbers have grown significantly alongside rising student enrollment at Temple Japan, bringing ever more smiling faces in line with the increasing volume of food served at each event. The event takes place two to three times each semester and has been held a total of 46 times to date. Over the past five years, the event has served an impressive 12,456 sandwiches, 5,700 burritos, 6,887 cups of ice cream, and 5,908 slices of Christmas pie. Cream puffs have been offered several times as well, along with other crowd favorites such as pizza, donuts, salads, and smoothies. The latest offering brings the cumulative total of food and beverage items to over 42,000.
Members of the Dean’s Office take the lead in organizing and preparing the event, which often requires careful planning and coordination. In most cases, local shops deliver food directly to campus, while at other times staff arrive early in the morning to pick up items themselves. Distribution typically begins around 11:30 am and lasts about two hours, with Wilson, members of the senior leadership team, and the Dean’s Office working side by side to hand out food to students.
Wilson notifies faculty and staff ahead of time, while the social media team spreads the word to students through online channels. The highly anticipated event draws long lines from the moment it begins, stretching from the distribution desk in the entrance lobby all the way into the cafeteria. At each De-Stress Day, it has become customary for students to share posts on social media, capturing smiling faces as they enjoy the food of the day with friends.
Selection and Preparation
Food selections are made by the dean, who occasionally seeks suggestions directly from students and also welcomes recommendations from across the campus community. Alongside familiar favorites such as Baskin-Robbins, Subway, and Taco Bell, the Dean’s Office regularly orders from local eateries in the neighboring Sangenjaya area. The team also partners with restaurants owned by Temple alumni or individuals connected to the Temple community, helping maintain relationships with graduates while strengthening ties between current students and the broader TUJ network.
“Students often stop me in the hallway to ask when the next De-Stress Day will be, and they usually have suggestions,” the dean said. “Instead of someone passing the hall, that kind of exchange turns into a real conversation and students get genuinely excited about it.”
This popular tradition has since been extended to TUJ Kyoto, which formally opened in January 2025. Wilson occasionally travels to Kyoto to join staff in serving food and beverages to students, helping foster the same spirit of connection and community that defines the event in Tokyo and further uniting students and staff.
Connections with Neighboring Shops
Dean’s De-Stress Day also serves as an opportunity for cultural exchange and community building. The event reflects TUJ’s identity by creating moments that connect students from different backgrounds, offering familiar experiences to some while introducing new ones to others. For international students, it provides a glimpse into American campus culture, while for students from the U.S., it offers a sense of comfort and familiarity away from home. At the same time, the event encourages curiosity and shared experiences among students from all backgrounds, reinforcing TUJ’s diverse and international character.
“Another important aspect is community outreach,” Wilson said. “We try to work with vendors in the surrounding neighborhood, which allows us to support local businesses.” As the event has grown, he said that collaboration has required more coordination. “Sometimes one shop can’t handle the volume, so we work with multiple vendors. Even so,reaching out to the local community remains an important part of the event.”
Unprecedented Pizza-Delivery Orders
This February’s event marked an unprecedented delivery: 1,400 personal pizzas and fries from Pizza-La, one of Japan’s major chains. According to executive officer Masashi Saito of Four Seeds Corporation, it was the largest delivery order the company had ever handled.
“In the past, we’ve handled large orders of around 100 or 150 pizzas, but 1,400 was simply extraordinary,” he said.
Five nearby Pizza-La locations coordinated production to ensure on-time arrival. “Seeing so many students enjoying our pizza made it very worthwhile,” Saito said.
Put Students First
As always, hundreds of students lined up with smiles. First-year Japanese major Mulik Abdus-Sabar, who had just finished a test, said he appreciated seeing the dean interact directly with students. “I think it’s important for someone in such a high position not to feel like a stranger,” he said.
Cristina Calcara, a first-year communications major, said the event motivates her to come to campus. “We get to talk to the dean, and free food always helps,” she said, adding that the day feels special and brings friends together, even those without classes that day.
Asian Studies Senior Hunter Smith, a transfer student from California, said the pizza reminded him of home. “It shows that the dean cares,” he said. “At my last school, I never met the dean. Here, he’s so approachable. I really appreciate that.”
Asked if the event helped him de-stress, Smith broke into a wide smile and laughed. “I think so,” he said.
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