Posted March 17, 2016

Alumna empowers women to live without fear

Yasmine Mustafa, FOX ’06, developed her intrepid entrepreneurial spirit as a student at Temple.

Yasmine Mustafa, FOX ’06, has overcome her share of obstacles. A refugee of the Persian Gulf War, she and her family immigrated to the U.S. from Kuwait when she was 8 years old. She was thrust into a new environment and had to learn a new language.

But as any Owl knows, perseverance conquers.

After a period of adjustment, Mustafa began to thrive in the U.S. Her new home proved to be a great fit for a woman who created and sold a startup right out of high school. As she developed her passion for business, she was drawn to the Fox School of Business at Temple. As a student, Mustafa honed her work ethic and bounty of business ideas. She won the 2015 Be Your Own Boss Bowl and holds the university record for the most “Innovative Idea” awards from Temple: three, consecutively.

The profit she made from the sale of her startup allowed her to travel independently to South America. During her trip she observed the impact harassment and sexual assault had on women. The experience was the catalyst for her latest venture, ROAR for Good. The company makes self-defense wearable technology—jewelry that acts as an alarm and safety light, and connects to a smartphone to text family, friends, 911 or campus security in the event of an emergency. Mustafa formed the company determined to enable women to live without restrictions or fear.

In a world without Temple, Mustafa’s spirited solutions might never have materialized.

Learn more about the impact of Temple alumni.