At Summer Search, we’re always looking for ways to help our students strengthen the skills they need to thrive in school and in life. Sometimes those opportunities come from community partners and organizations in our own backyard – not just in the wilderness of Colorado or the Costa Rican jungle.

Last month, about 15 Summer Search Bay Area college students and alumni were invited to a special career development event at the corporate headquarters of transportation network giant Lyft in San Francisco.

As part of Lyft’s Community Week volunteering program, several Lyft employees generously spent a few hours of their day to share career advice with the group of Summer Searchers. The event featured an informative panel discussion, followed by an interactive session where everyone broke out into small groups for more one-on-one conversations and connections.

One of the key employees for this event was Bay Area alumna Ann Borja, who works at Lyft as the Executive Assistant to the CEO, Logan Green. She was excited and appreciated the opportunity to give back and help her fellow Summer Searchers.

Summer Search Bay Area alumna Ann Borja.

“Community Week at Lyft was incredible,” Ann explained. “We had nearly 1,000 San Francisco team members participate in more than 2,500 hours of driver service and local volunteering activities. As busy as we all are in our daily lives, it’s important to take a step back and think about the communities we serve and to give back.”

Ann said she is proud to represent Summer Search in her career, and still relies on the skills she developed during her time in the program.

“Everything we experienced as Summer Search students really never leaves us as adults, especially qualities like resilience, altruism, and our ability to perform and make an impact. In fact, I often find myself drawing upon my Summer Search experiences and applying it in my personal and professional life. Once a Summer Searcher, always a Summer Searcher!”

Thank you to Ann and our incredible partners at Lyft. Together, we are investing in our community, one student at a time.