Spotlight Series: 普里西拉·洛佩兹

For nearly a decade, the 帕洛阿尔托学院 Alumni & Friends Association has engaged with former students and friends of the college, promoting a sense of community that extends beyond graduation.  

This year, as 帕洛阿尔托学院 celebrates its 35^th 周年纪念日, the association is expanding its footprint and engaging even more alumni and community members. 帕洛阿尔托学院 alumna, 普里西拉·洛佩兹, recently moved into a new role as Coordinator of Student Success – 社区项目, where she will oversee the alumni association. 

Lopez has served in different roles while working at the 大学, so she understands the importance of an alumni program – especially for students whose only higher education experience is at 帕洛阿尔托学院. This holds particularly true for graduates from the 大学’s Professional and Technical Education (PTE) programs, which provide a pathway for students to enter the workforce after graduating from 帕洛阿尔托学院.

“I always think about those who do the PTE programs,洛佩兹说。. “This is really their only alma mater, and they should have just as much engagement and opportunity with their institution as they would at a university; we’re just trying to provide that to them, making sure that they have the resources [and] that we’re telling their stories.”

Lopez started her career at 帕洛阿尔托学院 10 years ago as a student worker. She has developed deep-rooted connection with the campus and the South Side community during her time working, but that connection began before she ever enrolled at 帕洛阿尔托学院. 

“When I was graduating [high school], I started to embrace 帕洛阿尔托学院 already because my mom was a student here,洛佩兹说。. “By the time I was graduating [from high school], I knew this was where I wanted to come. I couldn’t wait to start.” 

As South Side natives, attending 帕洛阿尔托学院 became a family affair. After her mom returned to school, Lopez and her siblings followed suit.

“She came back and she just started a trend,洛佩兹说。. “The way it ended up working out was that she [my sister] graduated with her associate’s, 然后是我妈妈, 然后我做了. 每隔一年.”

From being a student to being employed, Lopez credits her professional development and career trajectory to her time at 帕洛阿尔托学院. Her story is her source of inspiration to continue giving back to the community.

“I’ve grown up here in all aspects,洛佩兹说。. "They’ve seen me evolve professionally and in my life, so it’s been great to be able to keep those roots here and give back to the community that I came from.”

Although she is new in her role with the alumni association, Lopez is happy as she takes the existing group and finds new ways for continued engagment with members of the 帕洛阿尔托学院 family.

“到目前为止, we’re off to a great start, but we have a lot more to do and there’s a lot more to come,洛佩兹说。. “作为一名校友, 作为工作人员, and as a community member, I look forward to what we’re doing.”