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Alumni Come Home
The contributions to Milken this year from our alumni have been significant and invaluable. From paneling and moderating virtual events to presenting at Open House, Milken graduates have engaged meaningfully in a wide variety of programming and initiatives, a true testament to the power of our community. To welcome back our alumni and to share in their accomplishments and insights, brings us deep joy and pride and continues to be a source of inspiration. Please read on to learn about some of the many ways Milken graduates have shared their voices, talents, and unique perspectives to benefit our entire school community.
Virtual Event
In mid-October, the Alumni Relations department hosted a special community event titled "Anti-Semitism in 2020: A Closer Look." The concept for this program came out of a conversation with Milken's Alumni Board, a group consisting of nine Milken alumni who volunteer to support our school and lead our alumni programming and outreach. Over 80 members of our extended Milken community came together virtually to engage with our amazing group of Milken alumni and an alumni parent. While speaking about and tackling this vital and relevant topic, our panel spoke with grace and conviction. It was enlightening to learn from their expertise and experience and we look forward to continuing programming in this forum on a variety of topics.
2020 Alumni Summer Internship
During summer 2020, 13 alumni from the Class of 2020 interned with Milken’s External Relations department and worked closely with Communications, Admission, Development, and Alumni Relations staff members. This opportunity offered valuable experiences for select graduates to develop their skills and interests and to tackle important projects that enhanced Milken’s external relations initiatives. Through their hard-work, creative input, and valuable perspective, Milken summer interns:
- Developed a stronger LinkedIn presence for Milken
- Helped promote and expand the Milken Alumni Hub
- Conducted alumni outreach and networking
- Assisted with the development of a reimagined student ambassador program
- Developed social media content
- Researched and presented target marketing strategies for Generation Z
- Conducted grant research
- Recorded personalized welcome videos for new students
- Wrote and recorded virtual tours
- Wrote thank you cards
The External Relations Department was thrilled with the success of this program and feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with these graduates from the Class of 2020.
Presentations to Prospective Families
Recently, the Milken Admission department hosted their two main admission events of the season, Open House and the Student Experience. Each event presented a well-rounded and engaging look at what a Milken education looks and feels like. Prospective families heard from leadership and faculty, along with students and alumni. Ami Fields-Meyer '12 and Danielle Kohanzadeh ‘12 presented at Open House and Michael Kadisha ‘13, Alex Schwartz ‘03, and Lindsey Davidson ‘11 presented at the Student Experience event. Each alumnus provided insights into how their experience as a Milken student shaped them and prepared them for their futures.
Alumni Contributions to Current Student Events and Initiatives
When it comes to showcasing school spirit, there’s perhaps nothing more important than cool swag. Milken alum Dylan Shooshani ‘18 contributed his creative vision for several pieces of Milken swag this year, designing and producing several items for Milken students. Dylan’s eye for fashion and streetwear design has given our 2020-2021 swag an added boost of style.
Milken kicked off the year with several socially distant festivities, including a drive-in for our seniors, the Class of 2021. Over the course of the evening, they watched a video prepared for them by their teachers, heard well-wishes from our faculty and celebrities, picked up their senior swag, got a chance to be social(ly distant) with their friends, and even sung a Nigun (Jewish spiritual song, typically sung without words). One of the highlights of the evening was our 'Alumni Address' offered by Class of 2020’s Wolfgang Hutton, Jonathan Nourafshan, Ethan Suman, and Joseph Sarvian. In addition, Kobi Hekmat-Niaz ‘17 DJ'ed the event. Thank you to all of our alumni who participated in this event.
Caroline Lowy ‘15 presented to the senior class as one of four guests from the LA Jewish community, who have chosen diverse life-paths as they’ve woven together their professional lives and their Jewish/spiritual lives. Caroline talked about her work in the art world and how she reconciles that with her Jewish connection.
Michael Kadisha's ‘13 company (Treedom) was announced as Milken's new service learning portal that will unite students to find events, engage in service together, and also fulfill requirements and keep track of hours for organizations like schools and teen groups. Milken students helped advise his team by looking at early editions and current students are on the advisory and event creation team!
Alumni Initiatives
The Milken Alumni Association is made up of over 3,000 graduates around the world who are emerging leaders in the fields of business, tech, medicine, education, public service, the arts, fashion, law and so much more. It is our goal to ensure that our alumni maintain strong connections to one another and to create opportunities for you to meet fellow alumni and expand your professional network. A nine-member alumni board works together to host great events throughout the year, in and out of Los Angeles. The idea for the recent anti-semitism event came from the alumni board as well as the Alumni Challah Bake which was sponsored by an alumni company, Challah Box, run by Davina Makabeh ‘19 and Ariel Zoghi ‘19.
In addition, upwards of 20 Milken alumni are serving on a visioning committee which will helps the school look towards our future in overarching ways. There is alumni representation spanning graduation years from the late 90s through 2014.
The Alumni Relations department is deeply grateful to have the voices and perspectives of our Milken alumni so closely integrated in our community. It is an honor to have so many alumni return to Milken and offer their time and energy. It shows that even well after graduation, being a part of the Milken community is an identity that continues on.
Milken Graduates Working at Milken
This year, the Milken Faculty and Staff is joined by two alumni, Rabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh ‘04 as a Jewish Studies teacher and Zachary Miller ‘13 as a full-time substitute teacher.
Rabbi Tarlan was born and raised in Los Angeles' Jewish Persian community. She earned a B.A. from Boston University, where she studied public policy, education and Hebrew, and she received her M.A. in Jewish education from the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at Hebrew Union College-JIR in L.A.
Zachary, a graduate of the University of Puget Sound where he earned his BA and played on their varsity basketball team, has worked as a coach, fitness instructor, trainer, and teacher for various different programs. Prior to returning to Milken, he instructed Strength & Conditioning classes at Krav Maga Worldwide and coached 6th-8th grade basketball at Heschel Day School.
Even long after graduation, our alumni remain a meaningful component of our Milken community. We are deeply thankful for the many alumni contributions this year and look forward to creating more opportunities for alumni to engage in the future.
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At Milken Community School, we think education is more than what you know. Our School, founded on Jewish values, is about who our children can become and how they can help others become who they might be. Because the world our children will create tomorrow is born in the School we build today, our mission is to educate our children so they can surpass us.
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