Alumni

Black Alumni Collective

The BAC

The Black Alumni Collective (BAC) is an advocacy organization formed by five Black alumni of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. During the summer of racial reckoning of 2020 in the United States, the members of the inaugural BAC Leadership Team set out with the desire to impact the institution of education and support the racial justice and equality movement domestically.

The BAC is committed to helping St. Andrew’s work with its Black constituents and beyond to foster and model reconciliation, ensure racial equity and equality, and enrich the experience of Black St. Andrew’s students and alumni through fellowship, advocacy, and mentorship.

Our impact:

  • $12,000 in scholarship/tuition grants
  • $4,000 in seed money
  • Second nationwide High School Hackathon event (HackBAC)

List of 3 items.

  • Vision Statement

    The BAC will drive transformative, institutional change that…

    • Proactively fosters a school environment where Black students and alumni belong and thrive
    • Inspires persons of historically marginalized backgrounds at independent schools to effect change within their own communities
    • Promotes a society free of racism and injustice

  • Tenets of Impact

    Fellowship, Advocacy, Mentorship

  • Values of Engagement to Drive Institutional Change

    Visionary Mindset: We believe in the power of an imaginative mindset that inspires and compels one to act. Do not settle with the status quo - we must put in the work to ensure change happens.
     
    Relationships: We believe in the power of strong, vision-aligned relationships. Behind institutions and systems are the people who make them run. Through the power of relationships, we are able to inspire and change hearts and minds, which ultimately transform institutions. 

    Collaboration: We believe that collaboration is integral to our success. By collaborating with the community & key stakeholders we can accomplish much more than if we try to do it alone. Shared goals and mutual support lead to greater success.

    Transparency: We believe transparency is the cornerstone of diverse opinions and challenging conversations. We as the BAC aim to provide transparency in our actions, decisions, and policies in hopes to foster a sense of trust within the Black community here at St. Andrews. We also hope that all stakeholders are transparent with the actions they take. 

    Belonging: We believe in belonging. To belong is to know that you are safe and secure in your community. A sense of belonging is a human need. Feeling that you belong is most important in seeing value in the work we do every day as a team.

The Mission of the BAC

The mission of the BAC is to enrich the experience of Black students and alumni of St. Andrew’s through fellowship, advocacy, and mentorship.

BAC Leadership Team

BAC Annual Programs & Events

BAC Back-2-School Bash

In collaboration with St. Andrew’s Parents Association (SAPA), Black Student Alliance (BSA), Students of Color Association (SOCA), and the Latinx Club, the Black Alumni Collective (BAC) invites all families of color and faculty and staff of color to come celebrate the start of a new school year. This event takes place annually in September.

HackBAC

HackBAC is a social justice hackathon, at the intersection of DEB and Design Thinking, that inspires and cultivates genius in young leaders of color who aspire to implement transformative social change. Additionally, participants who have an interest in solving the persistent issues, challenges, and problems related to social justice for all people attend a hackathon to learn, build, and share their unique creative solutions over the course of a weekend in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. This event takes place annually in January.

Click here to read more about HackBAC 2022.

BAC FAMily Fundraiser

The BAC FAMily Fundraiser progresses the efforts, initiatives, and programs centered around the Collective’s three tenets of impact: fellowship, advocacy, and mentorship. Through this fundraiser, we are cementing the foundation of the BAC Fund. This restricted fund will continue to assist Black students at St. Andrew's to afford tuition through the BAC Scholars Program and fund innovative ideas and build an entrepreneurial mindset through HackBAC. Overall, our fundraiser has raised over $50,000 to make a direct impact on the community. The BAC FAMily Fundraiser takes place annually in June.

List of 2 items.

  • BAC Internship Program

    This internship provides students and young alumni with an opportunity to play a collaborative role in the day-to-day operations and the future development of the organization. In this 10 week-long program, participants interested in working in a start-up environment focused on social justice, racial equity, and institutional transformation will work closely with the organization's founders to complete several projects in preparation for the upcoming academic year.

  • BAC Scholars Program

    This program awards scholarships to Black St. Andrew’s graduates and provides programming around professional and identity development.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School is a private, coeducational college preparatory day school for students in preschool (Age 2) through grade 12, located in Potomac, Maryland.