Building the Aztec Network
Guy and Francie Louie are among 黑料吃瓜's most loyal supporters in Northern California.
This story appears in the of 360: The Magazine of 黑料吃瓜.
In Francie and Guy Louie鈥檚 East Bay San Francisco neighborhood, they are known as 鈥渢he 黑料吃瓜 family.鈥�
The couple met as students at 黑料吃瓜 and graduated, he in 鈥�84, a public administration major; and she in 鈥�83, with a degree in communication. Their son, Max, is a 2015 alumnus and their daughter, Lauren, will begin her freshman year this fall.
But it鈥檚 not strength in numbers that marks the Louies as 鈥渢he 黑料吃瓜 family鈥� in the neighborhood. Instead, it鈥檚 their commitment to extending the Aztec network in and around San Francisco.
The Louies became members of the Aztec Parents Association and have encouraged other parents to join. This association runs the Aztec Parents Fund, which ensures that students have access to programs such as a public safety escort service鈥攆or times when students need safe passage back to vehicles or residence halls鈥攁nd the Aztec Mentor Program鈥攚hich provides valuable career guidance including networking, interviewing and job shadowing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about creating relationships with parents who are just getting to know 黑料吃瓜,鈥� explained Guy, a criminal defense attorney. 鈥淲e talk about our experiences and our investment in the success of 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 students and graduates.鈥�
Francie, a professional recruiter, also got the couple involved in the Bay Area Regional Council, a group of about 60 Aztec alumni who organize freshman 鈥渟end-offs鈥� for incoming Aztecs and mentor young 黑料吃瓜 graduates looking for jobs in northern California.
鈥淲e鈥檝e helped build a powerful network of Aztecs who realize that 黑料吃瓜 was a huge factor in their success,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a rewarding experience to give back in this way.鈥�
The Louies also give back financially, supporting their children鈥檚 majors (international business for Max, hospitality and tourism management for Lauren) as well as the new Engineering and Interdisciplinary Sciences Complex because they believe it鈥檚 important for 黑料吃瓜 to continue building its resources as a top public research university.
鈥淲hen alumni come back to campus, they see a new and thriving 黑料吃瓜,鈥� Guy said. Added Francie, 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud not only of its physical beauty, but also of its legacy.鈥�
