TCPW celebrated the 10th Anniversary of our Summer Networking Event series with great events around the country and in China. We would like to sincerely thank all of the TCPW members who worked on these successful events in any way. Read on for an overview of each event.
Bejing
by Loretta Evans
TCPW co-hosted a Beijing Networking event featuring Angelica Cheung, Editor of Vogue China. The event was Co-hosted with MIT’s Beijing Alumni Club in the brand new Penn Wharton China Center, and also featured in an article from The Guardian about a day in the life of Angelica.
Boston
by Karen Quigley
TCPW held its Boston summer networking event on July 22nd at the University Club. Our speaker was Dorothy Puhy, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who was a Penn undergrad and also holds a Wharton MBA – CW73, WG’75. Dorothy spoke to an enthusiastic audience of summer interns and young alumnae (which included her two daughters, also Penn alums) about her career, what she learned in the process, and strategies for both advancing and balancing work and family. We had 90 people register for the event and although actual attendance was lower, there was clearly a lot of interest.
We received many compliments on the program and requests for more chances to network. As part of the planning process, we reached out to the local Penn and Wharton clubs and will be talking with them about co-sponsoring meetings in the future. Many thanks to the entire Boston TCPW cohort – this was a real team effort. Special thanks to Liz Silverman and Leslie Hughes Smith for arranging the venue, Helen Peters for reaching out to the speaker, and Marjorie Patkin for managing the logistics.
Chicago
by Nancy Rothstein
The Sixth Annual TCPW Summer Networking Event in Chicago was held on July 15th. Over 35 Penn alumnae, current students and TCPW members attended. In addition to networking and the valuable insights of our guest speaker, the evening offered a great opportunity to raise awareness about TCPW and its support for women at Penn. Event Co-Chairs and TCPW members Nancy Rothstein and Tonia Arrington expressed to guests that TCPW’s summer networking events held across the country reflect its ongoing support for recent graduates as they acclimate to life and careers after Penn.
Guest speaker Meredith Daw, addressed the attendees with Steps to Success. Meredith is a Penn alumna, having graduated Penn GSE Master’s Program in 2003. She is currently Director of Career Advancement at the University of Chicago and a recognized expert in the field. Her remarks about how to make your career thrive included managing, enriching and developing your career path. Engaging and insightful, Meredith led a series of small group sessions designed to spark thought and dialogue for guests, followed by the full group sharing observations and providing examples, such as how to support your manager and compose an elevator pitch.
Young alum, as well as current students, are enthusiastic about nurturing their Penn relationships as they embark on their careers and navigate the many aspects of their lives. They quickly see TCPW as a resource for events, networking , mentorship…and a welcome link to Penn in Chicago, as well as in other cities where TCPW hosts Summer Networking Events.
Thank you to Liane Jackson, C’93, who provided her Free Range Offices for our event.
New York City
by Lisa Aldisert
Over 250 Penn junior and senior women and recent grads attended TCPW’s 10th annual Career Networking Event in New York City on July 14th. TCPW member and Career Networking co-chair, Lisa Aldisert, interviewed Carly Zakin (C’08) and Danielle Weisberg (Tufts ’08), co-founders of theSkimm.com.
Both women, self-described “news junkies”, worked in the media prior to creating theSkimm on their living room couch three years ago, with the goal of making it easier to be smarter. Since then it has grown into a robust daily e-newsletter targeted to Millennial women.
The interview explored milestones and challenges they faced starting and growing a business, including raising money and growing a staff. Zakin and Weisberg’s contagious optimism and enthusiasm created a great buzz and spirited networking discussions for the rest of the evening.
Philadelphia
by Joanne Soslow
On June 23rd, a torrential rain and lightning storm did not deter over 50 young alumna and rising junior and senior Penn women from gathering at the offices of Morgan Lewis for the Sixth Annual Philadelphia Networking Event.
Farah Jimenez, C’90, L’96, Commissioner of the School Reform Commission of the School District of Philadelphia, spoke to guests about her career and the inflection points that led to career changes along the way. TCPW members, Donna Gerson, Marjorie Shiekman and Joanne Soslow, also attended to network with guests who stayed to talk long after Farah’s presentation.
San Francisco
by Ashley Mohan
On July 17th, TCPW was thrilled to host Padmasree Warrior, the former Chief Technology Officer and Chief Strategy Officer for Cisco at Google headquarters in Mountain View. Our own Stacy Brown-Philpot played the role of moderator and Padmasree held the audience rapt with her insightful and approachable advice for managing your career. The highlights included advice on:
1) Making Great Career Choices
– Use the 70%/30% rule for evaluating a new role – 70% of the role requires skills you already have; 30% challenges you in a new way
– Timing matters – stay long enough to recognize contributions and consider overall market conditions
2) Leading – Create a follower ship
– Speak from a place of credibility
– Present a compelling vision
– Be approachable – power does not = influence
3) Managing People
Think about managing Up, Down, and Sideways – When you manage up, focus on the bigger picture; managing down is all about motivation; Don’t neglect managing sideways – your peers are key to getting promoted.
Approximately 30 Penn students, alumni, Penn Googlers and friends attended. Folks stuck around for over an hour after the event ended and we received a number of emails after the event thanking us and providing very positive feedback on the intimate format and how inspirational and applicable Padmasree was to women at all stages of their career.
Washington DC
by Kathy Sklar
They say everyone leaves DC in the summer, but those who were in town on July 22nd were treated to a fascinating and exhilarating talk by Samantha Tubman. Sam is the Assistant Chief of Protocol for Visits at The United States State Department, and she is the former White House Assistant Social Secretary.
Samantha graduated from Penn with an MBA from the Fels School in 2006, and thought she was headed to a policy job in the Pennsylvania legislature, when she got involved with the burgeoning campaign of Barack Obama. What followed were whirlwind years of constant traveling, mind-boggling logistics, never ending problem solving and some historical celebrations. By the time she landed her job in the White House, we were exhausted from listening to her tale, but her work had only just begun.
Sam spoke honestly of being thrown into unknown situations with strangers who soon became her colleagues and friends. She offered a window into a world of politics and government that few of us get to experience. Sam was generous with her time that evening, and stayed long after the formal program to chat and answer questions.
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