The impact of BUILD alumni was on full display at our first Bay Area Alumni Panel held at Oakstop in Oakland, where graduates returned to share their journeys with 38 juniors and seniors from Aspire Golden State Preparatory Academy. We celebrated our amazing alumni with breakfast and gifts. For many students in the room, the panelists once sat in the same seats – navigating the same questions about college, careers, and what comes next.
Moderated by Year 3 BUILD teacher Mr. Jepsen, the panel focused on sharing honest post-secondary experiences, normalizing uncertainty, and showing that success rarely follows a straight path. Alumni spoke candidly about college, careers, entrepreneurship, and the pivots that shaped their journeys.
Janet Urias, now a Regional Marketing Specialist at AVEVA and a UCLA graduate, credited BUILD with sparking her interest in combining creativity with business through marketing and graphic design.
"I decided what I wanted to do in my future because of BUILD,” -Edna Ochoa
Other alumni shared diverse paths. Roberto Rico Bernal, a 2013 Lionel Wilson Prep graduate, studied at Rochester Institute of Technology and now works as an electrical engineer for government and military projects while founding the Oakland nonprofit Caring Hearts. Nahla Limbrick, a Golden State Prep graduate and 2021 BUILD SMK Scholarship recipient, pursued trade school before earning her Associate’s in Apparel and Merchandising at College of Alameda and is pursuing a career in fashion. Belize Gonden Cruz, an Oakland Tech graduate, started at a community college before transferring to San Francisco State University and is completing her Master’s in Social Work at Cal State East Bay.
