As the new school year begins, a new alumni wall in the BCIS Middle & High School building catches the eye of passers-by. Across the wall are the faces of alumni who once walked these halls. Today, they are studying at universities, building careers across different industries, and exploring new possibilities around the world. Some have continued their studies, pushing the boundaries of knowledge at leading universities, some are developing expertise in their chosen fields, and some have stepped into entrepreneurship and social innovation, exploring unfamiliar territory and finding their own way in life.
Their journeys are different. But they all began in the same place.
Now, some of them are returning to BCIS in a different role — as mentors to the students who are just beginning their own journeys.
The program connects high school students with alumni whose experiences, interests, and professional journeys may offer a useful perspective on what comes next.
Sometimes, that connection begins with a question about university.
Sometimes, it is about choosing a major, finding an internship, exploring a career, or simply trying to understand what different paths might look like.
The answers do not come from a textbook.
They come from people who have been there.
Through BCIS's online Alumni Portal platform, graduates who are willing to share their experiences can register as mentors and make themselves available to students and fellow alumni; students can explore mentor profiles based on their interests and reach out directly. Alumni relations team can also help connect students with alumni whose academic backgrounds, interests, or career experiences are particularly relevant to their goals.
The conversations can take many forms.
A one-to-one conversation might help a student understand what studying a particular subject is really like.
A workshop might introduce a group of students to an industry they have never considered.
An alumni sharing session might offer a glimpse into university life, internships, career decisions, or the unexpected turns that often shape a professional journey.
For students, these conversations can make the future feel a little less abstract.
They can ask questions that do not always have easy answers.
What is it actually like to study this subject?
How did you choose your career?
What would you do differently?
What happens when the path you planned does not work out?
How did you choose your IBDP HL courses?
And perhaps most importantly:
How do I find my own way?
At the heart of the Alumni Mentorship Program are the diverse journeys of talented BCISers from around the world.
Since 2005, more than 600 BCIS graduates have left our campus to explore their futures in universities and workplaces across the world.
In the United States, more than 300 alumni have studied at leading universities including Harvard University, MIT, Williams College, Pomona College, and Parsons School of Design.
In Europe, more than 100 alumni have studied at universities including the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University College London, Sciences Po, and Leiden University.
Across Asia, more than 60 alumni have attended institutions such as the National University of Singapore, the University of Hong Kong, Keio University, and Seoul National University.
There are also BCIS alumni in Canada, Australia, and many other parts of the world.
Together, these journeys create something larger than a list of university destinations.
They show students that there is rarely only one way forward.
Since the mentorship program began, students have already started to experience the value of these connections.
For alumni, the experience can be just as meaningful.
Today, nearly 70 alumni mentors represent more than 30 fields, including art and design, business and entrepreneurship, finance and economics, education, healthcare and life sciences, law and public policy, engineering and technology, sports, sustainability, and the environment.
They are based across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, China, Japan, Australia, and beyond.
They bring different academic experiences, professional perspectives, and stories of living and working across cultures.
"Passing the Torch" is the theme of the new alumni wall, and a simple way to describe what the mentorship program is all about.
The students who once left BCIS to begin their own journeys are now coming back to help those who are preparing to take their next steps.
The connection crosses years, countries, and generations.
Someone who once received advice can eventually become the person giving it.
A student who once wondered what life beyond BCIS might look like may one day return with a story of their own.
That is how our community continues to grow.
The alumni network itself has been a growing project over the past few years.
2020
As BCIS celebrated its 15th anniversary, the Alumni Office was established, and the first Alumni Homecoming Reunion was held.
2021
The New York Alumni Chapter was established.
2023
The alumni portal was launched, creating a central space for alumni around the world to stay connected.
2025
During BCIS's 20th anniversary year, the Alumni Council was officially established, providing a stronger foundation for the community's continued development.
This September, the next chapter will begin with the launch of the newly upgraded BCIS Alumni Portal.
The new platform will bring together alumni mentor profiles, industry resources, event registration, and opportunities to connect. It will make it far easier for alumni to find one another, for students to discover mentors, and for the wider BCIS community to stay connected.
At BCIS, preparing students for what comes next has always been about more than academic achievement. Students learn through their classes and teachers, but they also learn through relationships, conversations, challenges, and opportunities to explore.
Subject teachers lay the foundation for their academic growth.
University guidance helps them navigate their next steps.
Alumni mentors help them think through their choices.
Counselors support them through the challenges of their teenage years.
And the wider community reminds them that they do not have to figure everything out alone.
The Alumni Mentorship Program extends that support beyond the school gates.
While students are at BCIS, they learn from the people around them.
As they prepare to leave, they can also learn from those who have already taken the next step.
An alumnus studying medicine can share what the first year of university really felt like.
A designer can talk about building a creative career.
An entrepreneur can explain what happened when their first idea didn't succeed.
A graduate working overseas can share what it means to build a life in a new country.
These stories do not tell students exactly what they should do.
They simply give them more possibilities to consider.
And sometimes, that is what a student needs most.
Not a perfect answer.
Just someone a few steps ahead who can say:
I have been there.
Here is what I learned.
And you can find your own way, too.
More alumni will join the mentorship program in the years ahead.
More stories will be shared.
More connections will be made.
That is how the spirit of a community lives on — not only through the memories of where we have been, but through the people who help the next generation find where they are going.
Wherever the path leads, BCIS will always be part of the journey.
