What started off as a program to stay connected with her alma mater has turned into a vital part of Erin Hooper’s life. 

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Fox School of Business in 2006, she was offered a business management position in Los Angeles. She changed coasts, but kept her Temple University ties through the alumni association in California. 

“I always tried to stay in touch with what was going on at the school, because whenever I came back to Philly, I was always amazed at how much it was changing and becoming such an extraordinary place,” says Hooper, who was raised in nearby Delaware County.

During her time on the West Coast, she held management positions at businesses such as Fandango and Cinema Now. She also participated in the Temple partnership program Peer2Peer which partners alumni with international students. 

Through this program, a Temple alumni is assigned one to two international students to mentor in everything from what classes to take and how to ride the SEPTA, to where to get the best cheesesteak–a hotly debated topic any non-Philadelphian would struggle to understand.

Hooper knew that she would enjoy and excel in the program designed to help the region become a student’s second home. But what she didn’t know is how much she would learn and be inspired by her international students.

One of her first international students was a young woman from Taiwan.

“I remember when I first met her,” Hooper says. “She was so timid, but kept asking me: ‘Can you help me speak English?’”

Hooper developed a close relationship with the student and helped her become fluent in English by  inviting her to family events. 

“I decided to bring her to this Thanksgiving dinner with like, 50 people,” Hooper says. “Then I had her come over on Christmas morning and open up gifts with my family. I just remember seeing her grow so much, like finding her voice a little bit.” 

Hooper saw the real impact of how mentoring can change a person’s life and how much it changed her own life.

“I think she learned a lot, but I also learned so much from her. You know, just how much that mentoring can impact someone,” Hooper adds. 

Her connection to Philadelphia remained strong through these 10 years of mentoring several international students, which led her to come back to the home she loved so dearly. 

In 2016, Hooper decided to return to Temple for her MBA and completed the program  in 2018.

“I decided that I wanted to learn more, and I wanted to grow in my career, and I loved my experience at Temple,” she says. “I loved all my professors when I was there in undergrad, which is when I started looking there.”

Hooper completed her MBA and used her professional skills to land a job as a manager of sales at David’s Bridal.

“It really boosted my finance and accounting skills that I was struggling with, and that allowed me to land a role I loved,” Hooper says.  

She now works as the manager of customer experience and sales with a focus on leading a sales team at Minted, a design marketplace connecting clients with the world's best artists to create something one of a kind. 

“I lead a team of amazing people focused on sales and service,” she says. “The goal is not just to encourage our customers to purchase more, but also to provide the best possible service and promote independent artists. 

“This connection to community is something I've had in my DNA since my time at Temple.”

Hooper now lives in South Philly and continues to mentor international students. 

“I still see the Temple flag when I walk out of my house,” she says. “I still meet people from the Temple community all the time; it just just permeates throughout the city.” 

Pictured Above: Erin Hooper celebrates graduating from the Fox School of Business with her MBA in 2016.