Thursday, November 13, 2025
Five amazing stories.
One unforgettable evening.
Congratulations to our 2025 Alumni Changemaker Semi-finalists!
Congratulations to all our Honorees and All Our Semi-finalists!
Don’t miss this unforgettable evening. Purchase your tickets before they sell out!
With over $410,000 raised, our 2025 Alumni Changemakers Celebration was truly an unforgettable evening of inspiration, giving, and community!
A special thank you to our five Alumni Changemaker Honorees who shared their stories, the challenges they overcame, and the successes they celebrated on their path toward earning their college degree and becoming leaders and changemakers in the world today.
It's not too late to support our students, the Alumni Changemakers of tomorrow!
Voting is now closed. Check back soon to see our Alumni Changemaker Honorees who will share their journey live at the event!
Introducing our Rising Star Honoree
Michael Brown
10,000 Degrees Alum
Staff Accountant, Sonesta International Hotels
San Francisco State University, 2024
B.A. Mathematics, concentration in Mathematics for Advanced Study, Minor in History
“I’m a born and raised San Franciscan from Bayview Hunters Point a neighborhood rich in soul, struggle, and unstoppable spirit. My passport holds stories from 14 countries, including Cuba, Hungary, and Turkey each journey igniting new perspectives and sharpening my revolutionary fire. I don’t just move through the world I move with purpose, urgency, and vision. I’m a disruptor of stagnation, a builder of futures, and a relentless seeker of truth. My work lives at the intersection of self-transformation and collective liberation. From grassroots organizing to global exploration, I’m driven by the belief that bold imagination is a transformative force. I listen deeply, act intentionally, and lead with conviction. I’m not here to fit into broken systems I’m here to help dismantle and rebuild them. Whether I’m speaking truth to power or planting seeds of change, I live to challenge, uplift, and co-create a world that’s freer, fiercer, and more alive.”
New this year, the “Rising Star” category was created to recognize more recent graduates (from the last three years) who are already making a significant impact on their families, careers, or communities. This individual was selected by the Changemaker committee as a Rising Star because—though fresh out of college—they demonstrated that they are already on a fast track to becoming future leaders, creating positive change, and serving as an inspiration to us all.
Experience a night of powerful storytelling from 10,000 Degrees alumni whose lives—and futures—were transformed by education. From overcoming adversity to creating change in their communities, these honorees embody what it means to be a changemaker.
This exclusive celebration at the historic Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco brings together our most generous supporters and visionary leaders for an inspiring night of connection, purpose, and possibility.
November 13, 2025
5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Julia Morgan Ballroom
Merchant Exchange Building, San Francisco
Sponsorships
Thank you to our Amazing 2025 Alumni Changemakers Sponsors!
ONE DEGREE of Change Sponsor
Janie & Weston Richardson
Creating Change Sponsors
Dan & Tracy Drury
Alumni Sponsors
Chris Boyd
Mary & Daniel Gregory
Trish Hayward & Jeff Depew
Vanessa Holton & Lloyd Aubry, Jr.
Sheila & Thomas Larsen
Michael & Julie Whitcomb
Mary & Michael Wolfe
Graduate Sponsors
Eric Bindelglass & Gabrielle Tierney
Sandy Donnell & Justin Faggioli
Ellie & Peter Habicht
Bill Smith & Ann Aylwin
Scholar Sponsors
Jacob Barrera
John Froley
Shelley W. Gottlieb & Mike McKay
Leslie & George Hume
Maureen Kelly
Annette & Paul Venables
Patrick Yarnold