Dear Friend of Princeton AlumniCorps,

As I look back on this milestone year, I am especially grateful for you. In just twelve months, our community has shown up in remarkable ways, joining us to celebrate Princeton AlumniCorps’ 35th Anniversary, volunteering to support Project 55 Fellows and Emerging Leaders, and making gifts that sustain our work every single day. With each person who connects with us seeking community, civic leadership opportunities, or a meaningful way to give back, our mission grows stronger.

This spring, we launched our 35th Anniversary celebrations in Princeton, honoring the 70th Reunion of the Great Class of 1955, hosting an inspiring panel of program alumni who embodied what it means to lead with purpose, and announced our vision for The Center for Civic Leadership.

The momentum continued throughout the fall as AlumniCorps hit the road to celebrate 35 years in the Bay Area and New York City. Each gathering reaffirmed the core strengths that have defined AlumniCorps for 35 years: convening, community collaboration, and training the next generation of civic leaders.

At the heart of all this work are our leaders. Our 2025–26 Project 55 Fellows and Emerging Leaders cohorts are now halfway through their program year, and I am continually inspired by their brilliance, courage, and commitment to growing as changemakers.

Another highlight of this year was the opportunity to convene local nonprofit leaders for a robust dialogue about the trends and opportunities within the civic leadership landscape in Mercer County. With 20 local nonprofit organizations represented, the conversation underscored both the recognized urgency of the civic engagement work ahead and our shared commitment to building a more connected, collaborative Mercer County. We are deeply grateful to the Boys & Girls Club of Mercer County for hosting us.

As we close out the year, I want to acknowledge that this community-driven work is only possible because of you. Every gift, no matter the size, directly strengthens our mission and expands the resources available to our young leaders. I am thrilled to share that, thanks to a generous, longstanding anonymous donor, all gifts made through December 31 will be matched up to $50,000. Your support will go twice as far in empowering the next generation of civic leaders. Click here to make your gift today.

I would welcome the opportunity to connect with you personally. My door is always open, and I invite you to schedule a time with me to discuss our work and the exciting path ahead. Now, more than ever, our commitment to community, collaboration, and developing civic leaders is essential to building a more just, equitable, and sustainable society.

Wishing you a peaceful holiday season and a hopeful start to the new year.

In Community, 

Kimme Carlos

Executive Director

Stories of Impact 

Fellowship in Action

Through the Project 55 Fellowship, Fellow Dariya Brann '24 has spent the past six months contributing to the mission driven work of BroadFutures, an organization dedicated to empowering neurodivergent young people through professional development training and paid internships.

Since joining BroadFutures, Dariya has played a key role in mentoring interns, strengthening organizational communications, supporting grant writing efforts, and helping bring the organization’s Fall Gala to life. The Gala brought together nearly 200 community members and moved BroadFutures to 96 percent of its fundraising goal, a meaningful milestone that reflects both organizational momentum and Dariya’s hands on leadership.

Dariya’s experience highlights the core impact of the Project 55 Fellowship: matching talented recent graduates with nonprofits where their skills, values, and commitment to service can make an immediate difference. For Dariya, the Fellowship has provided not only professional growth, but also deep alignment with work that feels purposeful and energizing.

Read about her experience on our Linkedin and follow us for more inspiring stories and updates. 

Events and Updates

This year, we have been thrilled to celebrate Princeton AlumniCorps’ 35th Anniversary with our community across the country. In the Bay Area, we gathered for a wonderful evening filled with reflection, connection, and gratitude. Thank you to our host, Board Vice Chair Alison T. Gray ’88, for opening her home and helping us honor this milestone. New York City also showed up in a big way, and we are deeply grateful to Board Treasurer Scott F. Taylor ’75 and his wife Courtney Taylor s’75 for hosting such a meaningful celebration.

These gatherings have reminded us of the enduring impact of our alumni, fellows, and friends, and we can’t wait to continue the celebrations in the year ahead. Keep an eye on our 35th Anniversary webpage for updates on upcoming events in Chicago and Washington, D.C. We’re excited to share that our Chicago area event will take place on May 7, 2026, please save the date and join us as we continue to honor this milestone together. 

Program Updates

Project 55 Fellowship

The 2025-2026 Project 55 Fellowship cohort comprises 13 Fellows across 11 partner organizations. Fellows are leading in San Francisco, CA, Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, Washington, DC, and New York City, NY. If you have not do so, please take a look at our 2025-2026 On The Path directory to view the current Fellows and the organizations they are working with in their placements. 

• In September, Project 55 fellows received StrengthsFinder 2.0 books which allowed them to complete the CliftonStrengths assessment to identify their top five talents. Strengths-based leadership reflection is critical to understanding what leaders bring to the table, and what opportunities they have for growth especially while in a fellowship program. 

• October’s workshop continued to build upon strengths-based leadership by focusing on conversations of self-power and agency. AlumniCorps’ Executive Director, Kimme Carlos, facilitated an empowering conversation on the role identity, agency, and boundary setting contributes toward our ability to show up, personally and professionally, as our most authentic selves. 

• The Project 55 curriculum transitioned themes in November to focus on institutional power in community engagement and civic leadership. Through a moderated conversation with guest speaker and AlumniCorps’ Board Vice Chair, Alison Gray ‘88, fellows explored the role of philanthropy and fundraising in the nonprofit industry, community sustainability, and how it may influence a healthy and stable democracy. 

There are four fellowship workshops for the remainder of the year which continue to create opportunities for discovery on relevant topics such as managing work relationships, communication and networking, and reflections on what it means to be a civic leader within the community and at our respective professional organizations. 

AlumniCorps is excited to announce that applications are now open to host Project 55 Fellows for the 2026-27 program year! By applying to host a Project 55 Fellow, you welcome to your team an exceptional Princeton graduate who brings fresh energy, innovative ideas, and a deep dedication to social impact. Project 55 Fellows are equipped to make meaningful contributions to your mission, while gaining valuable experience that will prepare them for lifelong civic leadership.

Your Mission is Our Passion. Our team at Princeton AlumniCorps is committed to ensuring that the Project 55 fellowship experience is mutually enriching for both your organization and the Fellows who work with you. For 35 years, hundreds of social impact organizations have found value in our partnership through the talent and mission driven-support of our fellows; the shared effort and investment from our staff and volunteers; and a proven legacy that affirms Project 55's position as a premier and trusted fellowship program. 

To host a Project 55 Fellow, simply click here to access the Partner Application Form. Applications are due by January 16th, 2026, and interested organizations can learn more about the program on our website.

Emerging Leaders

The 2025-2026 Emerging Leaders program also successfully launched in September with the first session meeting in New York City at the CUNY School of Professional Studies. Our team is delighted that Hilary Joel, Emerging Leaders Founder, has returned as Lead Facilitator this program year! Hilary’s knowledge of nonprofit organizational management and expertise in curating executive-level leadership development engagement informs adaptations to Emerging Leaders so that participants have relevant, and timely tools to lead through a rapidly changing industry. 

This year's cohort is composed of 14 exceptionally talented civic professionals, representing a remarkable diversity of backgrounds. Above is a photo from the first session, where Hilary and Kimme spoke to Emerging Leaders about their own life lessons from the field and wisdom they have for the rising leaders in the cohort: 

Since the program's launch in September, participants have completed four sessions:

• The first session in September, introduced self-awareness and emotional intelligence through tools like the VIA Character Strengths survey and strengths-based development exercises. Participants gained a foundational understanding of their leadership styles and how to leverage their strengths effectively. 

• In October, Emerging Leaders dived deeper into strengths-based leadership through development feedback tools like the Leadership Effectiveness 360 Assessment; which allowed participants to collect feedback from how their supervisor, peers, and direct reports make meaning of their leadership styles. The program was joined by Emerging Leaders alum, Kandasi Griffiths, who offered perspective and best practices for managing up to leaders and supervisors within nonprofit organizations. 

• In November, the focus shifted to equity and justice in leadership through the lens of race, racism, and perspectives for leading forward. This session included discussions on the historical and systematic role of racism in the context of the US, navigating difficult conversations to create more inclusive workplaces, and understanding self as the starting point for leading through complex systems with equity and justice.

• In December, the program focused on managing relationships, supervising others, and donor cultivation and stewardship strategies. Mikaela Levons '04, Emerging Leaders alumnus and previous AlumniCorps Director of Advancement, joined the session as a guest speaker to share her experiences in leading teams, managing people, and building collective capacity to achieve meaningful outcomes through relationships. 

With four sessions remaining until our closing ceremony in April, Emerging Leaders will continue to explore themes of leadership discovery while diving into the nuts and bolts of nonprofit administration. AlumniCorps looks forward to launching the next recruitment cycle of Emerging Leaders for 2026-2027 in late winter! If you or someone you know might be interested in becoming an Emerging Leader, join our contact list to be the first to find out when the application is open.

In Memoriam

Stephen McNamara '55

7/9/1934 - 11/24/2025

Princeton AlumniCorps mourns the loss of people who have contributed their time, talent, and treasure to the organization over the past thirty years. We share the obituaries of volunteers and supporters to celebrate their dedication to civic engagement. Princeton AlumniCorps supporters can read classmate memorials and timely class news on the class website.

Community Corner

Princeton AlumniCorps Community Corner is a space to highlight the voices and work of our network. Share personal updates, stories, job or opportunity postings, photos, reflections, or other news you would like considered for inclusion in upcoming Shared Efforts newsletters or future communications.

Democracy in Crisis

Clem Dinsmore '65, a friend of Princeton AlumniCorps, invites citizens to explore what it takes to build a humane, functioning civil society. His 10-point framework highlights strengthening government accountability, investing in human capital, improving civics education, addressing climate resilience, and preventing executive overreach. These ideas are meant to spark discussion and community dialogue.

Read more: 10 Steps Toward a Humane, Functioning Civil Society

Have a story, update, or milestone to share? Community Corner is your space to highlight what’s happening in your life, work, or network and connect with the Princeton AlumniCorps community.

Share your updates in the form below.

Board and Program Directories

Princeton AlumniCorps is committed to building a more just, equitable, and sustainable society by developing and engaging leaders and professionals of all ages to advance social change.

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