From Chile to the United Kingdom, Washington D.C. to South Africa, Molly McGowan has experienced life all over the globe, and working on four different continents has given her a glimpse at women in all sorts of different societies. Now, Molly is back in her hometown of Little Rock and ready to put that knowledge into action as chair of this year’s Power of the Purse luncheon, benefiting the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas (WFA), along with her co-chair Nicky Hamilton.
“WFA is one of a kind,” McGowan says. “It’s the only philanthropic organization in Arkansas whose sole purpose is to fund women’s and girls’ projects.” Power of the Purse is WFA’s biggest event, welcoming professional women, philanthropists, community leaders and women and men from around the state with the purpose of honoring accomplished women, announcing the year’s grant recipients and highlighting the work of WFA’s programs.
“Power of the Purse allows WFA to report all that has been accomplished the previous year with gifts from the public,” says WFA executive director Lynnette Watts. “It’s an opportunity for people who are interested in moving women and girls to positions of economic security to come together for inspiration and encouragement in their efforts.” The luncheon, which has taken place annually since 1999, received its name when WFA founders hoped to show Arkansans how one donor’s small purse can make a big impact for women and girls in Arkansas.
Though this is McGowan’s first year as co-chair, she isn’t new to Power of the Purse. Her mother, state court judge Mary McGowan, was active in WFA all of McGowan’s life, and she grew up attending the luncheon and other WFA events with her mother. “She was a huge influence for me,” McGowan says. “I was an only child and growing up, I was never told I couldn’t do something because I was a girl. As a matter of fact, I was told the opposite — that I could do anything because I was a girl. I think that’s a really unique thing. Even if you have wonderful, supportive parents and good role models, you can’t control society or mean kids on the playground. So many girls today, even in 2014, don’t have that support system, and WFA helps to fill that void.”
McGowan feels lucky to have had a long list of strong female role models growing up. Mary McGowan was one of two women in her law school class in the 1970s, and McGowan’s grandmother taught physical education and coached tennis at the University of Central Arkansas in a time when most women were not working full time, especially as college professors. Growing up in the Little Rock school system, McGowan recalls female principals such as Dr. Marian Lacey of Horace Mann and Lillie Carter at Pulaski Heights Elementary School. “I might not have chosen teaching as a profession, but those women were huge influences to me growing up,” she says.
After graduating from Central High School, McGowan attended Davidson College in North Carolina, where she had the opportunity to study at Universidad Andres Bello in Santiago, Chile, and at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. From there, she moved to Washington D.C. after being offered a position as executive assistant to Senator Blanche Lincoln. “Talk about a perfect female role model,” McGowan laughs. “I’ve admired Senator Lincoln since she was first elected — as the youngest woman ever — to the U.S. Senate in 1998. She had an amazing ability to balance all of her responsibilities, professional and personal. She once said her mother told her, ‘You can have it all. You just can’t have it all at once.’ That’s a lesson I carry with me to this day.”
The number of women in the Senate almost doubled during McGowan’s time in Washington D.C., with Lincoln at the forefront of that momentum. “Women offer a unique perspective — one that I believe is certainly needed in the halls of Congress and in all politics from City Hall to the White House.”
In 2009, McGowan returned to Little Rock and began a concurrent master of public service and juris doctor degree program at the Clinton School of Public Service and UALR Bowen School of Law, where she completed her international project with the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre in Cape Town, South Africa. Since graduating in 2012, McGowan has worked as a law clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe Volpe.
In addition to her day job, McGowan is an active community member, serving on numerous boards and committees and as a member of the Junior League of Little Rock. “I do better when I’m busier,” she says. “I like to have my hands in a lot of things.” Interested in becoming involved with WFA, McGowan met with Watts and the opportunity to take a leadership role in Power of the Purse presented itself. “It was a perfect way to jump in.”
“Molly is very organized and possesses great leadership ability,” Watts says. “She is also creative and energetic and brings that quality to her work as well. She has been a joy to work with. She is well-spoken and adept at public speaking, but most importantly, she is an advocate for women and feels that WFA’s mission aligns with her position. She is the perfect spokesperson and role model for WFA.”
Power of the Purse will take place Friday, October 3 at the Wally Allen Ballroom in the Statehouse Convention Center, and anyone who would like to learn about the work WFA has accomplished this year is welcome to attend. WFA founding member Catherine Hughes will be honored as the 2014 Woman of the Year in Philanthropy, and Sharon Orlopp, Global Chief Diversity Officer and a Senior Vice President of Wal-Mart, will present the keynote address. New to the event this year is the addition of an organizational honor at the luncheon, which will be presented to the Little Rock chapter of Links, Inc., a nonprofit that works to enrich, sustain and ensure the identities, culture and economic survival of African-Americans in the community.
WFA will host its first after-hours event in conjunction with the luncheon this year. “Evening Bag” will take place Thursday, October 2 from 6-8 p.m. at the ESSE Purse Museum. Guests are encouraged to sip cocktails, enjoy hors d’oeuvres and explore the museum, and the $50 tickets will benefit both WFA and ESSE.
“Power of the Purse is a great way for people to learn what WFA does and to understand the work they’re doing,” Molly says. “And frankly, it does such great work that we want to educate as many people as possible about what we’re doing. I truly believe that if women are elevated and educated and encouraged, especially from a young age, we are improving the health of our society and community as a whole.”
Power of the Purse
When: Friday, Oct. 3 | Where: Statehouse Convention Center | Tickets & Info: WomensFoundationArkansas.org