Impacting lives for 53 years: Alumni speak out

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

“Early on, I got a picture of what professionalism looked like. I had a good work ethic heading into college.”

– Andrea Flores, Enterprise alumni and donor

Andrea Flores gained valuable early work experience with Enterprise that she still remembers to this day, over 30 years later. Through Enterprise, Andrea worked for a real estate company, as a personal assistant for a woman who ran European tours, as a receptionist for an executive coaching firm, and she assisted at a jewelry store.

Andrea’s most cherished and informative work experience with Enterprise was an internship in Nancy Pelosi’s office in 1991. “I sat in on meetings, took constituent calls, christened a new boat on the Bay. It was the first time I had ever seen a woman making such a difference, a woman with poise and dignity.” Inspired by her internship, Andrea decided to major in political science. Now, as a VP of Advancement at a high school in Napa, Andrea focuses on helping BIPOC and first-generation youth like herself gaining access to higher education.

Andrea Flores’ daughter, Olivia, completed her first Enterprise internship this summer at First Republic Bank. Andrea knows the power of our efforts to lift up under-resourced youth. Join her and make a donation to Enterprise for Youth this holiday season.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

“Enterprise gave me a foundation to start building my professional skills. I gained real workplace experience and was trusted to put all my tools to work to reap their benefits.”

– Jada Curry, Enterprise alumni

Jada Curry began her professional journey in 2016 when she joined Enterprise. Through our career readiness program, Jada learned how to dress for interviews, answer and return calls, and communicate with coworkers. This May, she graduated from University of San Francisco (USF) with a B.S. in physics. Jada participated in our training, worked as a Junior Caddy at the Olympic Club, and interned as the Event Planning Assistant at the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture (FMC). Fort Mason was impressed by her, particularly her customer service skills that she learned at Enterprise, and offered further employment in a new position at the Box Office. “Being able to maintain my connection to FMC all the way from high school to now has provided me with a steady opportunity to gain income, while being flexible enough to maintain my educational goals.” 

Currently, Jada is building her skills as “an aspiring astronomer/astrophysicist” by working as Physics and Astronomy Laboratory Technician at USF.  She holds part-time work as an Executive Administrator at New Community Leadership Foundation and at FMC’s Box Office. Jada also has a seat on the Oversight and Advisory Committee for the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and their Families (DCYF). Thanks to Enterprise, she feels confident exploring her options. “Enterprise gave me an all-encompassing confidence to walk into any professional setting and feel like I can collaborate and leave with more opportunities than I came with.” Jada’s connection with Enterprise remains strong even now, as she recently took part in a meeting for our Alumni Action Committee.

Jada has great appreciation for supporting and giving back to the communities she connects with. Join our stargazer Jada and help Enterprise inspire youth to follow their dreams while also providing the framework to accomplish those goals.

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Alumni Action Committee

In 2022, Enterprise for Youth developed the Alumni Action Committee and connected with more alumni than ever before. The Alumni Action Committee expands Enterprise’s alumni connections by building ways to stay engaged by both giving and receiving. Enterprise will provide opportunities for alumni, including networking, professional support, and jobs as part of Enterprise staff. In doing so, we are also reconnecting with a powerful network of believers in our work who support our work through volunteering and becoming donors.

Last week, we celebrated the holidays and the achievements of our program with youth, alumni, families, partners, donors, and staff. Approximately 200 community members attended our Holiday Party at Spark Social SF filled with food, s’mores, bingo, stories, and more. At the event, we were honored to award high school senior Lauren Huang with the David Perlman Memorial Scholarship. Lauren has a bright future in journalistic pursuits.

We are proud to build a robust alumni engagement program and wish to connect with individuals who have been a part of our 53-year history!

If you are an Enterprise alum and are interested in the Alumni Action Committee, please fill out this form to get involved.