SEO Life-Long Community

The opportunities that SEO London provides are about more than just individual achievement. SEO provides a lifetime philosophy that emphasises career success, philanthropy and community involvement.

In the words of SEO USA Chairman Walter K. Booker, SEO Alumnus ’81, “SEO is not just about you. It’s about those who came before you and those who will come after you.”

SEO helps young people redefine how they can serve their communities, by providing entry to careers that provide the financial resources and influence to benefit their communities in ways that extend well beyond traditional careers in the human services sector.

The experiences of SEO alumni show that career success in economically vital areas brings with it opportunities to participate in and influence the decision-making process in key areas affecting ethnic minority communities.

During their SEO summer, interns learn first-hand from successful professionals how to contribute to society through community leadership, public-private partnerships, volunteerism and strategic philanthropy.

As importantly, our graduates gain access to a powerful network of more than 5,000 SEO alumni who are already giving back to their communities as board members, financial contributors, mentors and volunteers.

In keeping with SEO’s core value of “giving back”, interns take their first steps as philanthropists by contributing on a voluntary basis to a class gift to benefit not-for-profit organisations serving communities in need in the UK and in the interns’ communities of origin.

All donations are voluntary and in 2007 SEO London interns raised several thousands of pounds for charities including Save the Chidren, Children with Aids, Operation Smile and the SEO Schools Programme.

Once internships are completed, SEO London alumni continue to live the ethic of giving back. Nearly all SEO London Alumni have given back to SEO via interviewing, buddying, mentoring, recruiting, volunteering in the office, supporting interns, organising alumni activities and/or assisting other alumni in their careers.

In addition to giving time and resources back to SEO, nearly half of SEO London Alumni volunteer for, donate to, and/or have started their own charity (other than SEO).

Alumni organise events ranging from volunteering at a soup kitchen, to walking as a team to raise funds for charities, to opening schools in Uganda, to establishing a loan collective to support new businesses in developing countries.

As the SEO London alumni body continues to grow, the potential for significant social impact grows with it.

“SEO taught me to do more than just work hard for money. SEO taught me to work for love of family and community. They gave me a real sense that I am participating in a social mission, which provided me with a deeper motivation than many of my peers and allowed me to work harder than them when required.” -Robert Reffkin, ‘98