Next month’s Homecoming festivities at Temple University will provide ample opportunity for alumni to reconnect, including those in the LGBT community.
Temple’s LGBTQ Alumni Society is hosting a happy-hour social from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 5, in honor of both Homecoming and the group’s revival.
The organization “fizzled out” about two years ago, according to Maureen Fisher, assistant director of alumni societies in Temple’s Alumni Relations.
When Fisher started with the department earlier this year, she set to work on getting the group back on its feet.
“When I came on board, it was one of our top priorities to get the group revived,” she said. “We are constantly taking about how diverse we are here at Temple, and we want to make sure that’s true with our alumni as well. We want to make sure we’re engaging all of our alumni in different ways, and in ways that matter to them.”
Fisher connected with members of the LGBT alumni group and examined the challenges the organization faced in the past and brainstormed ways to improve its effectiveness.
Throughout the summer a series of informational meetings were held with alumni interested in reviving the group. Last month, nine alumni leaders, who Fisher said represent a range of ages, genders and interests, participated in an organizational planning meeting to determine how to get the organization back up and running.
“We sat and had a really great discussion about what the group should look like and how we can move forward,” Fisher said. “We want to do things right and offer events and activities that people are looking for.”
While the group’s return will be welcomed with the happy hour, Fisher noted that organizers anticipate the group will provide more than social outlets for LGBT and ally alumni.
“We want this to be a group that does a lot of different things, not just happy-hour events,” she said. “We want to have panel discussions on campus with professors and work with the undergraduate groups like the Queer Student Union. We see this group as being leaders in the LGBT community at Temple. We envision this as being able to bring together people who are very passionate and want to be involved and instrumental to work closely with current students and with one another.”
The kickoff event will serve to jumpstart those ideas, Fisher said. Guests can learn more about next steps for the organization, which plans to become more formalized next month with the naming of a board.
The happy hour will be held at 10 Arts Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Broad and Chestnut streets. Cost is $20 and includes beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres.
Fisher noted there’s a cap on registration, so interested guests should register early at www.alumni.temple/edu/homecoming.