Prep for Prep Alumni Prize Celebration Honors Roland Persaud (LA II)

Prep for Prep’s annual Alumni Prize Celebration, held at Sotheby’s and made possible by the company’s CEO and Prep for Prep trustee Charles F. Stewart, honors the legacy of the alumni community. Last year, over 170 alumni volunteers dedicated their time to  Prep for Prep departments, including Leadership Development Opportunities (LDO), Admissions, and Academic Programs. In addition to this generous time commitment, Prep alums helped secure 61% of student internships. With over $1 million dollars in funds both raised and given, our alumni community continues to uphold Prep’s mission to bolster young leaders. In the words of Prep for Prep’s Director of Alumni Affairs, Dayna Joseph: “Alumni demonstrate the importance of what we do at Prep.”

The event was full of celebratory remarks, with the spotlight on 2023 Alumni Prize recipient Roland Persaud (LA II). Prep for Prep CEO Ruth Jurgensen touched on Roland’s “exceptional leadership” and “impactful trajectory” throughout his ongoing service to the organization. Fellow Prep alum and friend of Roland William Huang (XXIV) gave a heartfelt introduction to Roland, with an emphasis on Persaud’s “infectious enthusiasm” and selfless passion for giving back. 

As the recipient of the 2023 Alumni Prize, Roland embodies the dedication and pride of over 4,000 alumni. During his acceptance speech, Roland reflected on his educational journey: “By the time I arrived at high school, I was performing at a higher level academically. It’s really where Prep opened up my aperture on life. I gained rich experiences and access to ideas that most of my peers wouldn’t contend with until college, or until much later in life.” 

Roland’s career in philanthropy has steadily progressed within the Bloomberg Philanthropies since he began in 2015. Currently, he serves as a Senior Program Officer within Bloomberg’s Government Innovation team.  While Roland has already accomplished so much, he continues to dream big with an upcoming venture in climate conservation efforts, which reflects his  ongoing dedication to “make sure that my kids grow up in a world better than I did. I’m ready to have the difficult conversations, to push our institution forward, and to be unapologetic about what we’re aiming to achieve together.”

To learn more about Roland and our alumni community, read our 2023 Alumni Report or visit prepforprep.org/alumni.