Princeton-Affiliated Groups

Book Award Committee
Prize in Race Relations Committee
30-Something Group
Ivy Dinner Group
Orange and Black Club
Project 55
Princeton in Chicago Schools (PICS)
Career Networking
Schools Committee
Women's Network
Young Alumni
Scholarship Committee

Book Award Committee

We are gauging the feasibility of starting a Book Award program here in Chicago. Many Princeton regional associations and clubs sponsor an award program for outstanding area high school students, usually juniors, to raise the visibility of Princeton University in the community and spread awareness of the University among exceptionally-able potential applicants and high school counselors, administrators and faculty. Awards frequently take the form of certificates of recognition and/or books about Princeton, by University faculty members, or by notable alumni. Each association handles its program differently. Some are coordinated by the Alumni Schools Committee chairs, while others are managed by Book Award Chairs independent of the ASC. Some regions present book prizes to a student from every area high school upon the suggestion of high school guidance counselors, while other associations require students to be nominated or apply for the award and do not guarantee a winner for each high school every year.

However a local association runs its Book Award program, the Office of the Alumni Association is pleased to offer the following services in support: Princeton University Book Plates, Book Recommendations, Discounted Books, from the U-Store, Book Signings by University Faculty and Faculty Speakers at Book Award Presentations. If you are interested in being on or especially chairing the Princeton Club of Chicago Book Award Committee, please contact the Club President. Thank you!

Princeton Prize in Race Relations Committee

In order to recognize, support, and encourage the young people of our country who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the cause of relations among the races, Princeton University is sponsoring an awards program for high school students -- the Princeton Prize in Race Relations. Princeton and its alumni recognize that the issue of race relations continues to be one of the most urgent and important challenges facing our country. Princeton has created this program to identify and commend young people who are working to increase understanding and mutual respect among all races. Through the Princeton Prize we hope to encourage others to join in these or similar efforts and to undertake initiatives of their own.

For more information on the Princeton Prize in Race Relations, go to the homepage. To join the Chicago-area committee, please see the "contact us" page. Thank you.

30-Something Group

The 30-Something Group was recently revived, to provide social opportunities for this underserved portion of the club membership. We hope to see you at many events. All are welcome!

Ivy Dinner Group

Ivy group dinners, organized by Rochelle Kopp of the Yale Club, are a great way to meet people from all the Ivy League and Seven Sisters schools. The dinners take place every month at restaurants featuring different ethnic cuisines, and they rotate throughout various neighborhoods. Restaurants have included Wishbone in the West Loop, Satay in Lincoln Park, Stefani's in Lincoln Park, and P.S. Bangkok in Lakeview, to name just a few.

Sometimes, for a change of pace, the Ivy group meets up for a buffet reception at a bar, or in the summer, we go for a picnic dinner at a Grant Park concert. The e-mail list developed for the Ivy group has also been a way for members to organize informal events, such as a party, a house concert for folk music, or club-hopping after the dinners. For the dinners, you need to RSVP a few days in advance. The menu is pre-set (there is always a vegetarian option), and the cost is usually around $35, with drinks on a separate tab. You pay at the door, and please bring cash.

To get on the e-mail list, contact <% printEmailPhone "Mike Larks" %>. The Ivy group events are not limited to dinners, and ideas are welcome for suggested activities, whether culinary, cultural, sports, outdoorsy, literary, or anything else.

Orange and Black Club

In 1975 several area alumni helped launch Chicago's Orange and Black Club. Created to help expand leadership contributions to Annual Giving and to provide another avenue for fellowship with Princetonians in the area through an annual dinner, the Orange and Black Club has been a proud tradition in our regional association for a quarter of a century.

How can you become a member of the O&B? For the past four years we have had a tiered gift structure to qualify for membership. Current levels are as follows:

Alumni in youngest nine reunion classes: $500
Alumni in the 10th-19th reunion classes: $1000
Alumni from the 20th reunion and beyond, graduate alumni, parents, associates: $2500

Project 55

Visit the Project 55 website. View the Project 55 directory.

Princeton Project 55 is a nonprofit organization established by members of the Class of 1955 at Princeton University to mobilize alumni and students, and others who share our concerns, to provide civic leadership and to develop and implement solutions to systemic problems that affect the public interest. PP55 was born of the realization that there is a vast untapped resource, available for the public good, among groups of college alumni.

Please visit the PP55 office at 12 Stockton St. in Princeton, to learn more about the many exciting opportunities!

Princeton in Chicago Schools (PICS)

In 1990, members of the Princeton Club of Chicago resolved to make community service a priority for the club. The next year, they formed a partnership with Theodore Roosevelt High School a public high school in the Albany Park neighborhood. Since then, Princeton alumni and their friends have volunteered their time at Roosevelt working with students in a wide variety of capacities. Their involvement has included tutoring students in English-as-a-second language, teaching college preparation classes, serving as one-on-one mentors, judging school history and science fairs, speaking on career days, inviting students to visit their work places, hiring students for summer jobs, organizing college visits and camping trips, and starting the Chicago Public Schools’ first robotics team.

Find out more about PICS.

Career Networking

The Princeton Alumni Careers Committee and the Princeton Club of Chicago Careers Committee are planning activities to expand networking opportunities in Chicago.

Schools Committee

The Alumni Schools Committee of the Princeton Club of Chicago consists of local alumni who interview high school students in this area who are applying to Princeton. We are constantly looking for alums who are interested in helping out with interviewing. There are many high schools where we have few if any alumni, so your help would definitely be appreciated. Each year, over 400 students from this area apply, and we try to interview as many of these applicants as possible. Although some alumni interview as many as half a dozen students per year or more, many others only interview one or two. Whatever help you can give provides a great service to the University.

The interview can take place at your residence or workplace, at the applicant's home, or anywhere else it is mutually convenient, such as a public library, coffee house, etc. Most interviews take 45-90 minutes although occasionally they may be shorter or longer than that. The purpose of the interview is to provide a local contact for applicants to whom they can address their questions and concerns, as well as for the University to gain an additional input on how the applicant comes across in person. After the interview, there is a form (one two-sided page) which you fill out and return to the University. We receive names of applicants from the University from October through the first week of February.

Interviews for applicants who apply Early Decision must be completed by the end of November, and all other interviews must be completed by the end of February.

Given Princeton's popularity and steadily declining rate of acceptance of applicants, we need to emphasize ambassadorship, in addition to seeking information about the applicants. Key components include identifying and encouraging application by the best-qualified students in a school, providing current and positive information about Princeton to the candidates, sending our evaluations of the student to the admissions staff, and encouraging those admitted to attend. Because Princeton is in such demand these days, it is all the more important to convey the admissions statistics with a sense of reality while not appearing insensitive, arrogant, or elitist. Thank you very much for considering this opportunity. We appreciate your interest and hope that you will be able to help us on the University's behalf.

Women's Network

Princeton Club of Chicago provides opportunities for Tiger women to connect and socialize as a means by which we can stay in touch with one another and nurture our affinity for Princeton.

Young Alumni

The planning committee of the Princeton young alumni group presents a line-up of fun and diverse activities, along with the young alumni of other schools. It is a great opportunity to meet people and try new things in Chicago! Any graduates of the last 10 years or so are considered "young alumni," but the young at heart are welcome too.

See the Young Alumni page for upcoming events.

Scholarship Committee

Founded in 1912, the Princeton Club of Chicago Scholarship Fund was the first Princeton endowment of its kind. It is an important part of Princeton's financial aid effort and continues to set a sterling example in assisting undergraduates with funding the cost of an outstanding education. Scholarships are awarded annually to undergraduates from the Chicago area.