There are many ways alumni can give their time and share their expertise with College Prep and our student community.
Please take a moment to review the list below and let us know how you'd like to get more involved. Contact the Director of Alumni Relations with questions or for more information: 510-420-6186 or alumni@college-prep.org.
Now more than ever, gifts to the College Prep Alumni Annual Fund help to make a meaningful difference in all aspects of school life. We are grateful for the dedicated volunteers who work with the Alumni and Advancement Offices to promote the importance of philanthropy among alumni.
Do you have a knack for fundraising and connection? To learn more about how you can represent your class and help support the incredible people, programs, and place of College Prep, email alumni@college-prep.org.
The Black Alumni and Student Affinity Group came about as a result of a direct ask by current BSU students for more meaningful and longer-term engagement with alumni. Unlike the Common Classroom program where CPS alumni can share their passions and journeys since leaving high school, this affinity space serves to connect students with a broad range of alumni to specifically discuss the challenges and emotions they are experiencing as Black students at College Prep.
Current students are always interested in what our alumni have to say, and alumni speakers are consistently popular Common Classroom guests. Alumni are encouraged to participate to share their passions, expertise, college experiences, and industry advice.
What is Common Classroom? This weekly program features a rotating set of engaging, ungraded learning opportunities. Teachers, students, and alumni may lead or participate in activities, classes, and workshops across a range of ever-changing offerings that include relaxing art projects, political discussions, physical pursuits, and much more.
What would you like to talk about? Some examples of past alumni topics include:
Digital platform design and entrepreneurship
Pathways in the legal industry
Taking a gap year abroad
Journalism in today’s world
Art and contemporary society
Environmental Conservation
If you would like to be a Common Classroom guest speaker, please email alumni@college-prep for more details.
Common Classroom FAQs
What are the guidelines for a successful class?
Because the topics and speaker styles vary so much, there are no formal guidelines. Some alumni have had specific visuals or photos to help them with their talk, and others have just held a simple conversation. TIP: In addition to your chosen topic, students are also always interested in hearing a bit about your path from College Prep until now.
How should I structure my talk?
The class is 50 minutes long on Zoom and you can arrange it however you like. Some alumni have done 30 minutes of presentation with a 20 min Q&A, while others have actively engaged students with discussion questions throughout. The Alumni Office can help provide more guidance if needed.
Who will be in the audience?
Common Classroom sessions are open only to current students and current faculty and staff.
What if I need help organizing my talk?
The Alumni Office is always available to help you organize and think through your talk. Just ask!
Connections, Pride, and Spirit Day is an annual event each January for the entire College Prep community to come together and learn about a common topic centered around equity and inclusion. CPS day is organized by the Student Equity Action Team and the Office of Equity and Inclusion and features speakers from both within and outside our community.
The CPS STEM program is now in its 10th year, and continues to immerse talented Sophomores and Juniors in the many facets that make up the wider world of STEM research. A cornerstone of the program is the summer internship, a four to eight week hands on placement in Labs, academic units, and both for- and non-profit entities across the bay area. We are continually looking for the assistance of College Prep alumni, parents, and their networks to help us find placements for the STEM students, and indeed the many other CPS students who possess a deep interest in STEM research. The students are excited and well prepared to join a research lab or other type of team, having spent a semester learning about research ethics, decoding academic journals, and basic biostatistical coding in addition to their other sciences classes. They have embedded with labs at UC Berkeley, UCSF, and many other institutions where mentors constantly sing their praises. If you can host a student or know someone who can, please contact Dr. Alden Blair at alden@thecollegepreparatoryschool.org.
With nearly 900 members, College Prep’s LinkedIn Alumni Group is a great resource for connecting with classmates, engaging in career-related discussion forums, learning about job opportunities, and joining industry-specific subgroups. All Alumni are encouraged to join.