Alumni

Ways to Give Back as Alumni

Virtual Career Fair Presenter

Give Back hosts Virtual Career fairs for its High School students. We need people who are willing to talk about their chosen career/ profession and other related positions in the field. This is a chance for our younger students to get exposed to a wide range of fields that they may never have seen or even thought of.

I'm interested!

Career Consults

VOLUNTEER

Helping others is still a priority with our Give Back program, and we are rapidly expanding our reach across the country. If you would like to serve as a volunteer, we may have a student or event near you that you can help with.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE MEMBER

I'm interested!

Alumni Leadership Group

The Give Back Alumni Leadership Group plays a vital role in fostering a strong and engaged community of former scholars. This dedicated group collaborates to organize various activities, events, and initiatives aimed at supporting the growth and success of their fellow alumni. By providing networking opportunities, mentorship to young scholars, and professional development opportunities, the alumni leadership group helps members stay connected, share valuable experiences, and inspire each other to achieve their goals. Moreover, this group serves as a bridge between the new scholars and alumni, ensuring a lasting connection and fostering a sense of pride and loyalty.

photo of a smiling man in a shirt and tie

Mark Melka

Alumni Coordinator

Mark is currently the Alumni Coordinator at Give Back. He has been working in that role for over six years. Mark received the Give Back award when he was a senior at Lockport Township High School in 2006. He went on to Lewis University to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science in 2010. In addition to working with Give Back, he is an elementary school teacher in Cicero. Mark loves working with current scholars and alumni of the program and is always available to help out or answer any questions you may have.

Mark Melka

a smiling woman in a white shirt with dark hair resting her chin on her hand

Lauren Yates

Alumni Leader

I attended Lockport Township High School and graduated with the Give Back scholarship program in 2004. I graduated with my Bachelor's Degree from Bradley University in 2009 in Music Education. I taught band and general music for four years before going to Grad School at Quincy University, where I graduated in 2015 with my Master’s of Education in School Counseling. Currently, I am high school counselor at Ottawa Township High School in Ottawa, IL.

Lauren Yates

Kelley Swanberg

Alumni Leader

I graduated Lockport Township High School in 2005 and, with the help of the Give Back Scholarship, received my Bachelor of Arts in Neurobiology from Harvard University in 2009. I have since completed an M.Sc. in Korean Medicine as well as an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. I am now building my academic research career in ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy at the Lund University Faculty of Medicine in Lund, Sweden.

Kelley Swanberg

Lameka Hampton

Alumni Leader

• Business Professional and Consultant • Groundworks Management • University of Illinois Alum “11” and Lockport Township/GSBF recipient • Wife, Mother, & Self-Published Author

Lameka Hampton

Claudia Perez

Alumni Leader

I attended Lockport Township High School and graduated with the Give Back scholarship program in 2012. I graduated with a double Bachelor's Degree from Loyola University Chicago in 2016 in History and Secondary Education. I am currently a high school teacher at West High School in Knoxville, TN, and am pursuing my Master's degree in American History at Gettysburg College.

Claudia Perez

Sally Hausken

Alumni Leader

I attended Lockport Township High School and graduated with the Give Back scholarship program in 2013. I received a BA in Linguistics and a BM in Oboe Performance from Northwestern University in 2018, and received my MM in Oboe Performance from Northwestern University in 2021. I am currently the Tour Merchandise Manager and Coordinator for AWR Music Productions in Chicago, IL, which produces orchestra concerts around the world.

Sally Hausken

John Pfeiffer

Alumni Leader

I attended Lockport Township High School and graduated with the Give Back scholarship program in 2013. I graduated with my Bachelor's Degree from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Aerospace Engineer, and later obtained a Master's Degree in Data Analytics from Georgia Tech while working. Currently, I am located in the Chicagoland area working as a sales operations analyst for Carrier Corporation.

John Pfeiffer

Sergio Gonzalez

Alumni Leader

I attended Oak Prairie Junior High in Illinois and graduated with the Give Back Scholarship in 2006. I graduated from Loyola University of Chicago Honors Program and Lewis University Biomedical Sciences Program. I am currently a student doctor pursuing a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. With the formation I received as a Give Back Alumn I have been fortunate to receive recognitions such as the Give Something Back Foundation Mentor 2022, CommunityHealth Health Education Volunteer of the Year, Martin Luther King Jr, Scholarship, Pilar Ortega M.D. Scholarship, MOLA & Michael Reese Scholars Program, Jose Ignacio Choca Scholarship, Biology Honors Society, English Honors Society, and Give Something Back Foundation Scholarship.

Sergio Gonzalez

Megan Corrigan

Alumni Leader

I attended Lockport Township High School and graduated with the Give Something Back scholarship program in 2011. I then attended the University of Illinois in Champaign, and graduated with a degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences. I received my doctorate in Audiology at Rush University in 2019. Currently, I work as an Audiologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago.

Megan Corrigan

Ignacio Rios

Alumni Leader

I attended Joliet Central High School and graduated with the Give Back scholarship program in 2017. I graduated with my Bachelor's Degree in 2021 in Exercise and Movement Science and continued my education to receive a Post Secondary Certificate in Biomedical Studies at Lewis University. I was recently accepted to the Weber State University Physician Assistant Program Class of 2025 and will begin my Master's degree this January in Utah.

Ignacio Rios

photo of a man with a beard in a white shirt and tie standing against a white wall

Adam Bialon

Alumni Leader

I attended Lockport Township high school and was a part of the first group of Give Back scholarship recipients in 2003. I graduated from the University of Illinois in 2007 with a degree in History and Secondary Education. I am the assistant principal at Grand Prairie Elementary School in Plainfield School District 202.

Adam Bialon

We will have Thursday evening Workshops on the 3rd Thursday of every third month. During these 45-minute virtual meetings, alumni will have the opportunity to learn from experts around the country concerning real-life topics that will benefit you and your future! Although this series is geared towards new alumni, all alumni are invited to share their experiences.

For more info and to RSVP, click below!

More info

Did you know that there is a private LinkedIn group just for Give Back alumni? This group is for alumni across the country to share exciting news about their post-education life and connect with other alumni! Join our group to hear about job postings and information from other alumni in the field.

Request to join by clicking below!

Join the LinkedIn group

In order to stay in communication with Give Back, be sure to fill out our Alumni Contact Update Form. Here you can update your contact information and let us know about any changes to your information. You can also let us know if/how you want to stay connected by helping out Give Back.

Go to form