Monday: Speaker Session with Rita Lusen of Breastcancer.org
Kicking off Social Impact Week, we hosted Rita Lusen, the Vice President of Partnerships and Development for Breastcancer.org. Rita detailed her career in communications from her time at the Philadelphia Inquirer, WHYY, and now Breastcancer.org and the strategic messaging that differentiates the for-profit and nonprofit worlds (aka “ad sales” v. “underwriting sales”). Rita’s current work leverages an integrated marketing strategy centered around three pillars: connection, education, and shared experience. There is currently a lot of awareness surrounding breast cancer, but not enough action. With 11% of breast cancer cases impacting those ages 18 to 45, Breastcancer.org aims to be a completely comprehensive guide and community that is accessible and resourceful to a global audience at any stage in the fight.
Being an online service, Breastcancer.org relies on multi-channel digital media. Rita outlined the importance of SEO, Organic/Paid Social, Media Relationships, UX, Discussion Forums, and more to achieve its intended audience. Cause Marketing through strategic partnerships and in-person events is crucial to promote fundraising and awareness to reach audiences beyond patients themselves. Across the board, Rita continued to reiterate how “trust” in marketing and communications leads to reliability and growth. Establishing a brand of integrity and genuine impact is important for nonprofit success.
Tuesday: Build-A Bouquet Fundraiser
On Tuesday of Social Impact Week, we brought some Valentine’s Day joy to the Alter Lobby with our Build-a-Bouquet fundraiser supporting our Chairty of Choice, Philly House! Students stopped by our table to create beautiful, personalized flower arrangements for their special someone. With a variety of fresh flower stems available, participants had the chance to mix and match their favorites to design the perfect bouquet. Whether it was for a partner, an AMA friend, or even themselves, it was a fun and thoughtful way to brighten everyone’s day!
For those looking to surprise someone on Valentine’s Day, we also offered pre-ordered bouquets throughout the week. Each personalized bouquet was carefully arranged and handed out at our Valentines Day Social Thursday night, just in time for the holiday. A huge thank you to everyone who participated and supported this initiative, we loved seeing all the smiles these bouquets brought! We were able to raise $60 which will be donated to Philly House in our effort to sponsor a birthday month for their guests
Wednesday: Speaker Session with Carmen Line of Del Carmen Foundation
Wednesday featured a second Social Impact Week Speaker Session with Carmen Line. Carmen is a first-generation entrepreneur and the founder and executive director of the Del Carmen Foundation. Carmen spoke to us about her inspiration for forming an international nonprofit that benefits her home country of Venezuela and her current city, Philadelphia. The heart of the Del Carmen foundation is a personal story of education, persistence, and the desire to give back to your community. In Venezuela, the minimum wage is $3.00 per month, leaving many children unable to attend school and instead begin work in hostile and unsafe conditions. This is why, in 2022, the Del Carmen Foundation was formed offering education scholarships, sports equipment, and other resources to underprivileged youth.
The Del Carmen Foundation hosts year-round collection campaigns and wellness programs for youth. Annual collections of toys, school supplies, and scholarship funds are delivered to Venezuela by Carmen. In Philly, wellness programs such as the afterschool reading program, are connecting young English Language Learners (ELLs) with their cultural identity. Often, these children struggle to learn English at school, while their native language is also untaught. A lack of confidence in their own language causes linguistic and learning gaps in school. The Del Carmen Foundation is leveraging cultural diversity and reading to help ELLs learn their language and excel in their future education. The foundation also offers financial aid to older students enabling them to go to college. In this session, we learned about the importance of authenticity and persistence in building a nonprofit. Storytelling was the resounding theme that helped Carmen to resonate with volunteers, donors, and the communities she serves. In building a nonprofit, having a clear vision that is both comprehensive and collaborative is integral. Leading with professionalism and clarity continues to help expand the Del Carmen Foundation’s projects and the number of people that it impacts.
Thursday: Valentine’s Day Social
TU-AMA members came together for a Valentine’s Day Social hosted at Saxbys in Alter Hall, creating a warm and welcoming space filled with fun, connection, and giving back. The event was a wonderful opportunity for members to unwind, celebrate the holiday, and strengthen their AMA community. Attendees participated in festive Valentine’s Day-themed social games, including our Speed Connections game, where they discussed engaging icebreaker questions to get to know one another better. We talked about what fictional universe we would like to live in, hobbies or activities we’ve always wanted to try, what game or reality show we would like to be on, and more! Everyone had thoughtful answers, and it was great getting to know each other!
In the spirit of giving, we also took time to craft encouragement Valentine’s Day cards for our Charity of Choice, Philly House, to spread kindness and positivity. Each heartfelt message served as a reminder of the power of community and the impact small gestures can have. Thanks to the incredible participation and generosity of our members, we successfully created 58 cards, which were later handed out to guests during one of Philly House’s meal serves. We are so grateful to everyone who joined us to celebrate, connect, and give back—your support made this event truly special!
Friday: Learn About Skype A Scientist!
On Friday, TU-AMA was excited to host Sarah McAnulty, a cell and molecular biologist, entrepreneur, and the founder of Skype A Scientist. Although the event was canceled due to Temple University’s closure for the Eagles Super Bowl parade (Go Birds), Sarah’s work is far too impactful to not highlight. Skype A Scientist is a nonprofit organization that connects real scientists with classrooms, families, and groups worldwide to make science more accessible, engaging, and fun! Over 10,000 classrooms each year have the opportunity to interact with industry professionals, inspiring the next generation of scientists.
Sarah’s passion for science and education helps provide platforms for scientists to share their expertise and makes science relatable and exciting for learners of all ages. From discussing her research on squids (shout out the Squid Mobile) to sharing her journey as an entrepreneur, Sarah’s story is a testament to the power of combining passion with purpose.
While we missed the chance to hear her speak in person, Sarah’s work serves as a reminder to the importance of science and community engagement. Her dedication to making science accessible perfectly aligns with the spirit of our Social Impact Week, and we hope to reschedule her in the future as she has so much more to share.
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