The Women Empowerment Network (WEN) is a Dallas College program dedicated to fostering the personal and professional growth of students by creating opportunities to help them thrive in their academic careers and beyond.
“The purpose is to empower and support students in creating a strong sense of community, academic foundation and networking skills,” said Dr. Erin Lewis, senior manager of the Women Empowerment Network (WEN)
While WEN is open to all students, its primary mission is to support women’s development.
“All students are eligible to join, but it does focus on the development of women,” Lewis said.
The program cultivates a supportive environment where students can build confidence, form meaningful connections and enhance their leadership skills by focusing on key areas of student development, including mental health and wellness, career development, financial literacy, healthy relationships, community engagement, academic success and cultural identity.
“We bring in speakers and work on career development, discuss programs at four-year universities and work on resume development. We do sessions on LinkedIn and really help our students grow,” Lewis said.
These initiatives provide members with essential tools to succeed academically and professionally while fostering networking opportunities with peers and professionals.
WEN operates across all seven Dallas College campuses with program leads supporting students.
“We are in the process of growing our team to serve more students,” Lewis said. “Expanding the program will help increase accessibility and reach a broader audience.”
The success of WEN is evident through its members who have transferred to four-year universities and graduate programs.
“We have students who are now enrolled at SMU or in grad programs at UTD and thriving,” Lewis said.
These success stories highlight the impact of WEN’s mentorship and support. One of the main challenges faced by the program is increasing awareness.
“[We are] continuing to spread the word that our area exists so we can help more students,” Lewis noted.
By expanding outreach and adding additional staff, WEN aims to grow and improve its services. More information about the Women’s Empowerment Network at Dallas College is available at https://www.zzdallascollege.edu/resources/womens-empowerment/pages/default.aspx
