Upcoming Events: Week 8 - 16

1. Week 9-11: AWARE Women's outdoor challenge - 17 Mar 07

This event is designed to promote women's fitness and outdoor sports. Visit http://www.outdoorchallenge.org/ for more information.

You could choose to
1) Participate
The challenge consists of 2 events- Individual (5km or 8km run) and Team (Combat laser or Ultimate Frisbee)

2) Help in the Event Planning
You could contribute marketing ideas, marketing and distributing flyers on blades, helping on the talk days (24 feb,3rd mar,10 mar), helping out on the run day itself on 17th mar. You can choose which days you want to help out. Email nupur.2003@economics.smu.edu.sg for more information.


2. Week 9: An Evening with Inspiring Women from Marketing/Advertising Comms - Date TBC

This event aims to bring a discussion panel of successful women from the marketing and advertising industries together to share with us their experiences and opportunities in these industries.

You can choose to
1) Participate
Attend the session and meet these women! It'll also be a good opportunity to get involved in SWC and know more about such industries.

2) Be part of the Organizing Team
You could help choose the theme, guests and event format. Email nupur.2003@economics.smu.edu.sg to get started!


3. Week 10: International Women's Day Wellness Workshop - 8 Mar 07

Celebrities May and Choy (TBC) will share some useful tips on how they balance the multiple-roles in their life and also be conscious of their personal wellness. Plus, you get a goodie bag and maybe, strawberries and champagne...definitely something to add to your calendar!

You can choose to
1) Participate
Attend the session and learn more about work-life balance, as well as personal wellness.The workshop is free and you can get a goodie bag!

2) Be part of the Organizing Team
Get valuable event experience and industry contacts by working with brand consultancy BrandStoryInc to organize the event. Commitment required: 4 meetings in Feb and liaising in between. Email sherry.tai.2004@business.smu.edu.sg to get started.


4. Financial Women’s Association Mentorship Programme - Date TBC

This program is designed to pair you and a female mentor for a period of time, so that you can gain some valuable insights from a female's perspective of the career, industry and experiences. Only female SMU students will be invited to join this programme. Definitely a relevant program for women from women!


You can choose to
1) Join the Mentorship Planning Team
Email amy.wan.2004@business.smu.edu.sg to help pioneer this exciting mentorship program and meet firsthand the female captains of the industries!

2) Give your Valuable Input
Email swc@sa.smu.edu.sg and let us know whether you’re interested and what you’d like from such a program so we can incorporate it into our program organization.


Last but not least: Join 85 Broads!

You can do this anytime, but why wait? Take the first step to be part of a powerful global network of women helping one another define success on their own terms.
Go to http://www.85Broads.com , request and fill in an application.

PS: Apply for the upcoming week-long Broad2be Advantage summer internship in various locations around the world.

Past Events

1. Vivace - 25 Aug 06

Our Pre-launch in school definitely created some awareness for our newly formed club. With freebies from Hoyu and many others, how can any girl not notice us?

2. Official Launch - 30 Aug 06

This was a formal introduction to the club’s mission which serves as a platform for women to network and explore opportunities offered by the club. We even invited many successful women such as Euleen Goh and Grace Park!

Group Photo at the Launch

Inspiring Speech by Euleen Goh

3. High Tea with Diana Ser - 16 Sept 06

This time we had the honour of having high tea with Diana Ser and spoke to her about the challenges of working in the media.

4. Sexual Health Talk - 20 Sept 06

In collaboration with the SMU Students' Association, we organised a lunch talk where experts from Schering Singapore and the Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Singapore gave advice on reproductive health and skin care.

5. An Evening with Karen Tan, Director of Exchange Traded Derivatives, UBS - 25 Oct 06

25 undergraduate and graduate students got up close and personal with Karen Tan,Director of Exchange Traded Derivatives, UBS and winner of the Women’s WeeklyGreat Women of Our Time 2006 award in an informal session. Karen talked about howshe overcame her broken marriage, suicide attempts and retrenchment to become anindustry leader while raising two daughters and being actively involved in Club Rainbow, a registered charity committed to helping children suffering from a range of chronic and life-threatening illnesses.

6. UNIFEM Stop Violence Against Women Exhibition at SMU - 22 Nov 06

SMU Women’s Connection partnered UNIFEM to set up an exhibition at SMU to raiseawareness on violence against women.

7. An Evening with Jacqueline Chua, Director of Global Wealth Management UBS - 11 Jan 07

40 students (girls, guys, undergrads, masters students) got up close and personal with Jacqueline Chua, Director of Global Wealth Management at UBS, learning about how she “accidentally” became a banker and copes with being a director, mother and wife all at the same time. Note: It's great that we have guys attending our talks!

8. First Gathering for SWC Members - 2 Feb 07

It was time for all the SWC members to meet up and know one another better! We spoke about future directions for the club (thats how this blog came about) and the possible events we could launch next time. We all had a great time at Fig & Olive and even explored Nupur's Prinsep apartment!

Introduction to SWC

The SMU Women’s Connection is targeted at women across all schools and years in SMU. The club aims to:

1. Provide access to the larger 85 Broads network, and thus opportunities for professional and personal development and support

2. Provide a platform for women in SMU to connect with and support each other

3. Promote holistic development of women in SMU, thereby helping them define success on their own terms

These aims will be achieved through activities such as:

- Talks by successful women in their respective fields
- Networking sessions
- Community service projects

In addition to these activities, the club continuously looks out for other activities that will invigorate and add value to members and SMU.

85 Broads & The Establishment of SMU Women’s Connection

85 Broads - A global women’s network empowering women to define success on their own terms

85 Broads is a global women’s network empowering smart and driven women to define success on their own terms. Started by women from Goldman Sachs in the US, the network has since grown to include women from across industries and walks of life, and also women in leading undergraduate and graduate institutions around the world. As a powerful network with 10,000 members, 85 Broads provides women in SMU with opportunities to network with women from around the world and thus acquire professional and personal support and inspiration, and in turn, contribute to other women in their own ways. Programs for undergraduates have included MBA school conference calls and also an annual week-long internship program in New York. Last year, 2 women from SMU have been selected and sponsored for the program.

How 85 Broads was introduced to SMU

After being introduced to 85 Broads and its new chapter in Singapore (launched in March 2006), an SMU Ambassador, together with a couple of corps members, attended the 85 Broads chapter launch in Singapore. Recognizing the global presence this could provide SMU and the immense opportunities for women in SMU, this group arranged for SMU to be included on 85 Broads’ member list of schools. Over the summer, this group of women together with fellow ambassadors, drove the establishment of a women’s club and 85 Broads chapter in SMU.

More information on 85 Broads is available at www.85broads.com