First Graduate

Friends,

For many of us the holiday season is a time to reflect on the events of the past year and take stock of the good fortune we’ve enjoyed and the challenges that we’ve overcome.  As I look back on our year at First Graduate, I can safely say that we’re grateful to have enjoyed more than our share of good fortune.  With our first class of students graduating from college, 70 students striving to achieve their dream of a college degree at universities throughout California and beyond, and an additional 160 students working hard to become the best college candidates they can be, 2011 has truly been a year to cherish for First Graduate.

As we look ahead, 2012 marks the tenth anniversary of the first 22 pioneering students who enrolled in our program.  When Ann-Eve Hazen assembled a small group of associates and advisors to found First Graduate a decade ago, I don’t think she could have imagined that her  simple idea of creating a program to “keep kids off the streets” would grow into what we are today.  Time certainly flies when you work with a laser sharp focus on a mission that addresses one of the most critical challenges that we face as a society:  increase the number of low-income, first generation students enrolling in and graduating from college in order to build a productive, educated workforce and foster an engaged and active citizenry.

I have been fortunate enough to have witnessed the evolution of First Graduate through all of its 10 years of programmatic existence.  I have watched excited and energetic middle school students grow into poised and mature young men and women, full of hope and idealism about their future and the future of the society they will eventually lead.  And their newly minted diplomas will help ensure that they are well equipped to pursue their dreams.  Yes, the holiday season is certainly a time to count our blessings, and it is also a time to look toward the future and dream big:  a future in which all families in San Francisco and beyond can establish a college-going tradition.  Our donors, our partners, our volunteers, our staff and supporters--you have been instrumental to all of the successes our students have been able to enjoy.  As the bell sounds to ring in the new year, I hope that your continued engagement in our cause will push us toward an even brighter future.

Sincerely, 

Thomas Ahn, Executive Director