The Temple Women’s Network takes off

A new alumnae organization is mixing networking with yoga and wine.

The Temple Women’s Network, formed in June 2014, holds both traditional and innovative networking events for female Temple graduates.

On March 24, the organization will host Wine, Body and Soul – a night of yoga, wine-tasting and networking, beginning at 6 p.m.

“One of the goals of [TWN] is to not only be a straight outlet for networking, but also for fun and personal development,” TWN president Jessica Lawlor said. “When you put a bunch of Type-A amazing women in one room, so much can get done.”

The event – which costs $10 and will run from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Temple Performing Arts Center – is open to both alumnae and current Temple students.

The TWN hopes to strengthen Temple’s “diverse alumnae network by giving women an inclusive outlet for networking, education, mentorship and leadership,” according to the organization’s website.

Lawlor, who graduated from Temple in 2010 as a strategic communications major with a focus on public relations, said Temple alumnae of all ages and majors attend TWN’s frequent networking events.

On March 7, the organization held its first-ever Leadership Panel and welcomed almost 100 people to Alter Hall for a sold-out discussion on women and leadership. Among alumnae in attendance were Jamira Burley, Amnesty International’s senior campaigner, Elizabeth Morrison, a global director of Campbell Soup Company and Maria Vickers, a former Chief Deputy Pennsylvania Attorney General.

 Lawlor said women who graduated from Temple in the 1960s attended the event.

“It was a really diverse panel,” Lawlor said. “We wanted to be able to hit a wide variety of people. It was exciting to have so much diversity in the room.”

Lawlor said she considers every female Temple alumna a member of TWN, whether or not they attend the organization’s events. The TWN’s board consists of 15 women, and about 600 women are currently on the organization’s email listserv. Lawlor aims to have 1,000 women on the listserv by Temple’s Alumni Weekend, which will run from April 22-26.

“Temple has such a huge alumnae network,” Lawlor said. “This is a great way to meet new people. The events we hold are both personally and professionally satisfying.”

Jade Barnes, a TWN director at large and a member of the events committee, said all of the organization’s events have had successful turnouts.

“We are really thriving,” Barnes said. “Everyone is a real go getter. Our members are still driven to go to our events, even when they aren’t on [Main Campus].”

On April 11, TWN will be travelling to Washington, D.C. for a chance to network with other alumnae from the nation’s capital. This is the organization’s second regional event – TWN travelled to New York City in February.

“We’re starting small – we’re starting here in Philadelphia, but we want to be able to benefit people who aren’t just living in the Philadelphia area,” Lawlor said.

Lawlor said TWN owes its much of its success to its many board and committee members. The organization currently has five committees – events, community service, regional involvement, professional development and communications and marketing.

“As a Temple female alumna, [TWN has] been incredible,” Lawlor said. “I feel honored and inspired to work with so many amazing women.”

Claire Sasko can be reached claire.sasko@temple.edu.