We help undergraduate and graduate students make meaningful connections through learning, experience, and reflection in service and civic engagement. Alumni play an important role in helping students envision how they can live lives of meaning and service while at Princeton and beyond. 

Learning to Serve Well

Throughout the year, we offer a range of opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of service and civic engagement, build new skills, and connect with others. Just as campus and community partners have knowledge and expertise to share, so do Princeton alumni. 

Whether it's through annual events like our Lift As You Climb volunteering conference and Community House Youth Leadership Summit, or through workshops and talks with student groups and cohorts, there are a number of ways you can connect with the Pace Center community.

If you are an alum who would like to support the Pace Center and the student experience in service, contact Senior Associate Director Elsie Sheidler at [email protected].

Princeton Internships in Civic Service (PICS)

Alumni involvement has always been, and will continue to be, a hallmark of PICS. We invite alumni to volunteer in several ways:

  • Suggest an Internship
  • Serve as an Alumni Mentor
  • Support PICS

If you are interested in becoming more involved with PICS, please fill out this short form to be connected to Class of 1969 PICS Program Director Emily Sharples.

Suggest an Internship

Do you know of great nonprofits, government agencies, hospitals, or other agencies engaged in civic service who could benefit from a PICS intern? Reach out to PICS Program Director Emily Sharples ([email protected]) to start a conversation. 

Be an Alumni Mentor

Alumni Mentors are one of the most important aspects of the PICS summer internship program. Drawn from Princeton alumni and alumni spouses, Alumni Mentors are friends, listeners, guides, and advocates to PICS interns. For many students, PICS is their first professional work opportunity, and sharing your life and leadership skills positions the student and their community organization for success. The Alumni Mentor also introduces students to the life-long networking benefits of being a Princeton graduate. 

Alumni Mentor Responsibilities:

  • Initiate contact with the intern; a minimum of 3 check-ins is preferred.
  • Be friendly and available to be contacted by the intern during the internship period.
  • Act as liaison, if necessary, to the sponsor organization of the internship.
  • Assist the administrators of the PICS program during the internship.

For a complete guide to the Alumni Mentor experience, explore our PICS Alumni Mentor Guide.

Ready to sign up to become a PICS Alumni Mentor? Contact PICS Program Coordinator Rose Holton ([email protected]) to learn more.

Support PICS 

Benefits of supporting an internship include:

  • See your impact. You’ll hear directly from your intern about how your contribution is helping them develop professional skills while engaging in civic service.
  • Support an organization that matters to you. Make a difference twice! If an organization in your network could benefit from the work of a dedicated Princeton student, you can make a contribution for an internship at that organization, thereby helping both your favorite nonprofit and a young Tiger.
  • A gift to PICS is a gift to Princeton University. Donations to PICS are reflected in your giving history to the University. This includes capital gifts to endowed funds benefiting PICS.

We accept gifts in a variety of forms, with checks and wire transfers being preferred. If you intend to restrict your gift to a specific internship, please include a note about any restrictions with your gift.  

  • Checks, both personal and from any Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) or Individual Retirement Account (IRA), should be made payable to "The Trustees of Princeton University" with “PICS” in the memo and sent to:

Helen Hardy, Alumni and Donor Records
P.O. Box 5357
Princeton, NJ 08543-5357

  • Wire transfers are also accepted; contact PICS Program Director Emily Sharples ([email protected]) to request a wire transfer form.
  • Gifts may be made over the phone by calling 800-258-5421.
  • Gifts of appreciated securities can be made by contacting Alumni and Donor Records ([email protected] or 609.258.0160).
  • Endowment gifts can be made by contacting Devin Dobson ([email protected]).

If you are considering supporting a PICS internship, contact PICS Program Director Emily Sharples ([email protected]) for more information and with any questions.