Alumni Spotlight: UCLA Student Returns to Inspire Future Scholars

Granada Hills Charter (GHC) recently welcomed back alumna Alisha Hassanali ('24), who returned to campus to share her college journey and support current students as they prepare for higher education.

Now attending UCLA, Alisha co-founded the Valley Scholars Network (VSN) alongside five of her peers. The organization was created to help high school students navigate the college application process, providing guidance, mentorship, and resources to make higher education more accessible.

During their visit, Alisha and her fellow VSN members met with students to discuss their college experiences, offer practical advice on applications and admissions, and answer questions about transitioning from high school to college. Their insights provided valuable encouragement and real-world perspectives for students preparing for their next academic steps.

"What started as a simple idea has grown into a movement dedicated to opening doors and proving that the right guidance can completely transform a student's future," Hassanali said.

One student particularly inspired by the presentation was International Baccalaureate (IB) candidate and Umoja participant Tirenimioluwa Akindele. Tirenimioluwa's IB project, "Building Community," focuses on developing an after-school mentoring and tutoring program designed to support students academically while also guiding them through the college application process.

Her long-term vision is to establish a comprehensive academic program at Granada Hills Charter that emphasizes dual enrollment opportunities and higher education pathways, helping students gain college experience and credits while still in high school.

The connection between alumni leaders like Alisha and student changemakers like Tirenimioluwa highlights the power of community, mentorship, and service. By sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for others, both are helping build a stronger culture of college readiness and academic success at Granada Hills Charter.

Beyond individual mentorship, ASN hosts workshops at high schools across the Valley. In addition to their recent event at Granada, VSN hosted its largest event to date at CHAMPS Charter High School for the Arts in Van Nuys, bringing together over 100 students for an interactive conversation on navigating higher education. Through the program, students have earned admission to institutions like Cornell, UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine. Many of these students are the first in their families to go to college.

Valley Scholars Network (VSN) was founded to help high school seniors overwhelmed by the college admissions process. First-generation, English-learner, and immigrant students face unique challenges, yet they often lack the mentorship needed to navigate them. VSN steps in to bridge that gap by providing free, one-on-one mentorship to help students through high school and higher education. From choosing the right classes to crafting compelling personal statements, students can easily book sessions with VSN advisors directly through its website: https://sites.google.com/view/valley-scholars-network