This Bentley Grad Loves Boosting the LA Alumni Community

Whether she’s organizing a yoga-on-the-beach event or chatting with fellow alums at a happy hour for Falcons Forward Giving Day, Zahra Alavi ’14, MSA’15 is a Bentley regional volunteer on a mission.

“I volunteer because I'm very much a community builder and I love bringing people together,” says Alavi, who joined the Falcons of the Last Decade (FOLD) Board in 2023. “Doing this for Bentley is amazing because we are very much a community mindset.”

For the past two years, Alavi has been organizing events and networking with fellow graduates in Los Angeles — home to one of 15 regional Bentley alumni communities. Alavi is part of a planning committee in the Los Angeles area, coordinating with the university’s Office of Alumni and Family Engagement to plan engaging events.

“Building the LA community is vital because it gives us a group here with shared experiences and goals,” Alavi says. “That familiarity makes it easier to connect—people can bounce ideas off each other, learn, and collaborate.”

And for some like Alavi who are not originally from Los Angeles, the alumni group has been instrumental in building friendships.

In addition to a yoga session and a happy hour, the group has recently hosted a service project at the LA Regional Food Bank, a tour at SoFi Stadium followed by a networking event and a holiday party. They also plan to attend a Bentley Admitted Student Reception this spring to connect with future Bentley students and their parents.

Alavi recalls the Los Angeles alumni community as “quiet” in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic when she relocated from the East Coast. But she's watched the group come alive as more local Bentley grads show up to events and enjoy each other's company.

She says consistent outreach is making a difference. For instance, Alavi regularly asks local alumni for event ideas and has garnered suggestions that include a Dodgers game and hiking trips.

“Connecting with new alumni is particularly rewarding,” says Alavi, who was a first-generation student. "I met a recent graduate who is also a first-generation student and he had a great suggestion for a panel discussion for first-generation alums."

“I leaned heavily into my Bentley Alumni network while navigating my career and I am so grateful for it. I am here to pay it forward,” Alavi adds. “If we want the younger generation to succeed, we should pass along our knowledge and provide mentorship.”

Alavi is reaping the rewards as well. As she continues to build her career as a Wellness advisor, and community builder— creating a wellness app, hosting retreats, soon to be a certified personal trainer—Alavi is also an independent financial consultant, receiving business leads and plenty of encouragement from the group.

“Entrepreneurship can be a lonely pursuit, but now I have a group of people to lean on,” she says. “Connecting can lead to coffee meetings, which may eventually result in collaborating with people on projects, or possibly even a referral or a potential job opportunity,” she says.

With more than 400 Bentley graduates living and working in the Greater Los Angeles area, the opportunities for Falcons will likely keep growing. "For Alavi, every handshake and hosted event is more than just a meeting; it’s a deliberate investment in a thriving, West Coast legacy where every Bentley graduate has the support they need to soar."