Alumnae Affinity Gathering

The inaugural Alumnae Affinity Gathering was held Saturday morning of Alumnae Weekend. Co-hosted by Alumnae Board Members Alicia Henry ’01 and Nicole Rabaudi ’90, the gathering was a special session where alums spanning the Classes of 1963 to 2022 connected based on their shared backgrounds. Westridge Director of Equity Ian Tatum facilitated a conversation with all attendees, who later broke out into groups based on how they identify (this session’s groups included Asian American, Black/African American, and Latinx affinities).

“By providing this inaugural space, Westridge acknowledges the lived and shared experiences of all alumni,” said Henry and Rabaudi. Board Chair Jessica Yang added: “This affinity gathering of accomplished alum sharing stories of lived experiences as racial minorities at Westridge unequivocally demonstrated to me that the forward-thinking inclusivity and compassionate support of the Westridge community continues years beyond our graduation day."

We hope this was the start of an ongoing dialogue and engagement among alumnae for years to come. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Director of Alumnae Engagement Fan Wang at fwang@westridge.org.

As the weekend came to a close, alums gathered in the gym for a final event: the luncheon! There, 2023 Mary Lowther Ranney Distinguished Alumna Thembisa Mshaka ’88 and 2023 Distinguished Young Alumna Sarah Beshir '10 were presented with their awards by Head of School Andrea Kassar. Ilena M. '24, the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper Spyglass, facilitated a Q&A with Thembisa, who spoke about her career and journey from Westridge to now, then Thembisa gave her own remarks. The luncheon culminated with a rousing rendition of Surgere Tentamus, featuring the Glee Club!

In her speech*, Thembisa shared advice, true for current students and alumnae alike. Here’s an excerpt:

“See this glorious, beautiful world. It’s easy to join the chorus of how fast it’s going to hell in a hand basket, but you’ll really understand differences, gratitude, and how to leverage your privilege when you place yourself in the position to experience discomfort, humility and wonder through travel—not as a tourist, but as a human being sharing in and contributing positively to the energy of other human beings and Mother Earth.”

*To read Thembisa's full speech, scan the QR code:

The following classes were honored with awards during the luncheon for their commendable fundraising efforts during the 2021-2022 year.

• The Elizabeth Edmundson Herrick Bowl (awarded to the class with the highest percentage of participation in giving to the Westridge Fund): Class of 1953—for the ninth consecutive year!

On Friday, 2023 Distinguished Young Alumna Sarah Beshir ’10 met with student affinity groups for a lunchtime discussion and later a Q&A for Middle and Upper School students. Another Q&A followed for alumnae on Saturday in the library (now known as the Academic Resource Center or ARC).

• The Nancy H. Owen Trophy (awarded to the class making the largest dollar contribution to the Westridge Fund): Class of 1992

• The Elizabeth J. McGregor Forever Fund Award (recognizing classes whose giving to the Forever Fund endowment for financial aid has reached $100,000): Class of 1963

The Ranney Award is given annually to an alumna whose life embodies the spirit of the Westridge motto, Surgere Tentamus, and who, by her commitment to her chosen path, her dedication to lifelong growth and learning, and her habits of heart, mind, and action is an example and an inspiration to the Westridge community.

Distinguished Alumna

Thembisa is an award-winning, multi-hyphenate creative executive, with experience as an author, producer, filmmaker, voice actor, and activist. She holds a deep love of music and media, palpable in the incredible work she has done over a 30-year career that includes tenures at:

• Sony Music, where she created the award-winning global ad campaign for Lauryn Hill’s solo album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”

• GAVIN magazine, where she was the first Black person and first woman to hold the position of rap editor and helped introduce many of today’s renowned hip-hop and soul artists (including The Roots, Busta Rhymes, and Common)

• BET Networks, where she was appointed the first copy director in creative services and conceived campaigns for multiple top-rated shows and original programs

Her creative work has supported many artists, from Beyoncé to Nas, while her voiceover talent has been tapped for entities such as the WNBA and Ford Motor Company. In 2021, she was part of the inaugural Black Muslim TV Screenwriters cohort from the Hollywood Bureau, Muslim Public Affairs Council, and The Blackhouse Foundation. She recently completed her first feature screenplay and has pilots in development for multiple TV projects; her creative endeavors are now housed at her eponymous Mshaka Media (check out more at www.thembisamshaka.com).

Thembisa holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and ethnic studies from Mills College (where, as an alumna, she was recognized for distinguished achievement in 2013) and is a graduate of the film producing program at New York Film Academy. She sits on the advisory boards of the Universal Hip Hop Museum and the Black diaspora think tank Brilliant Minds Collective.

Established in 2020, the Westridge Distinguished Young Alumna Award is awarded annually to a young alumna who exhibits excellence, leadership, and agency during her educational and career paths, and who continues to serve as a role model and inspiration for Westridge students.

Sarah is a systems engineer at a top-5 aerospace company, where she leads teams creating satellite system architecture models. She has developed command products and software tools and worked for the test and launch of satellites. In 2020, Sarah founded the social & racial justice working group at her company’s campus to drive awareness and solutions for racial justice by improving employee recruitment, retention, education, and communication.

Sarah has a multidisciplinary background with a B.S. in political science and environmental studies from USC, an associate’s in mathematics from Pasadena City College, and a master’s in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University. She also holds a certificate in model-based systems engineering from CalTech and was a Polymathic fellow at USC.

Outside of work, she supports the national nonprofit Eritrean Muslims Council as treasurer and student STEM conferences in various roles.