Cap & Gown 2023
JOIN US TO CELEBRATE OUR GRADUATES ON THURSDAY, April 27, with the reception starting at 6:00 pm PST, and the dinner starts at 7:00 pm PST at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, San Francisco.
Cap & Gown raises critical funds to bridge the education equity gap by sustaining our free 12-year program offering homework help and tutoring, high school and college evaluation and applications, scholarships and internship access, community building and networking, career exploration, and more.
As we celebrate our newest graduates, remember that it is because of you that first-generation students can move from sixth grade through college graduation and into careers that are meaningful to them.
FIRST IN FAMILY HONOREE
Sylvia Donohoe
Sylvia Donohoe is the Head of Programs at Playground Global, a leading early stage venture capital company. Sylvia, a first-generation college graduate, was previously a Program Manager at Google Robotics, where they assisted in growing the organization from 3 full-time employees to 274 full-time employees through the facilitation of 9 acquisitions and organic hiring.Sylvia led the internal hiring process, including candidate interviews, the hiring committee, offer creation, and new-hire onboarding. Sylvia also program-managed the integration efforts to Google corporate infrastructure in partnership with internal IT, Google CorpEng, and M&A integration teams. “I feel blessed with the opportunities I’ve had in my career and the people I’ve met. I often ask myself what I can do to help others. The answer is simple: Pay it forward!”
Master of ceremony
Alex Lazo
Alex is a member of the first ever First Graduate cohort. He received his BA in Latin American and Latino Studies at University of California Santa Cruz and he credits First Graduate with providing the essential support he needed to become the first in his family to graduate from college. Today Alex works at the Bay School of San Francisco as a Teacher and Student Support Specialist. He works with 9th graders in the classroom teaching the 9th Grade Seminar and as a part of the Jump Start team within the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging.Alex also teaches the 9th grade Immersive course Everyone Has a Story. Alex loves teaching because he has the opportunity to bring his interests and values to the classroom. While helping mold the next generation of young people, Alex enjoys the opportunity to pass along the lessons and support he received from the First Graduate community.
THURSDAY, April 27, 6:00PM
See you in
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND CAP & GOWN 2023 AND WOULD LIKE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR OUR GRADUATES AND ALL FUTURE FIRST GRADUATE STUDENTS WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE A DONATION HERE.
THIS YEAR IN NUMBERS
Fund-a-Need
$100
$100 can cover transportation costs for our 9th graders to participate in our annual summer career day. They will visit companies throughout San Francisco and be exposed to various professions.
$250
$250 can purchase 1 student chromebook for high school and college applications.
$500
$500 covers the cost of the family intro dinners to set students and families up for success in First Graduate.
$1,000
$1,000 can fund the All Access Admissions Fair, a First Graduate event that is the only first-generation college fair in the city.
$5,000
$5,000 can fund 20 students applications to independent schools.
$10,000
$10,000 can fund the Annual College Application Retreat, allowing high school seniors to participate in a week-long “application bootcamp” where they will learn about the various components required on college applications and begin their college essays.
$30,000
$30,000 can help fund the SoCal College Knowledge Tour, allowing 35 students to visit colleges and universities throughout California
