The Alumni Spotlight highlights Georgetown Prep alumni making impacts all over the globe. Prep's 5,700 Alumni live and work in every field imaginable. The Alumni Spotlight series captures our graduates' stories and Georgetown Prep's impact on their life after their four years as a student. To submit your or a fellow alumni's story, email alumni@gprep.org.

Since graduating from Princeton University in 2017, Bear Altemus '13 has served in several roles at Georgetown Prep including dorm parent, academic support coordinator, registrar, social studies teacher, and lacrosse coach. In addition to his work at Prep, Bear is currently enrolled in the Masters of Education program at the Curry School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia.

What have you done since graduating from Prep?

After leaving Prep, I earned a B.A. in Sociology from Princeton University where I also played lacrosse. As I considered how to begin my career, reflecting on experiences coaching youth lacrosse, working in the university learning center, and studying sociology helped me identify education as my primary interest. I returned to Prep in the fall of 2017 as a member of the Alumni Service Corps to start gaining experience as an educator, and I haven't looked back since!

What impact did Georgetown Prep have on you?

Georgetown Prep shaped me in a way that I was not really able to fully appreciate while I was a student here. In addition to helping me learn to manage my time, Prep pushed me to become a self-aware, critical thinker which has enabled me to grow through challenges both in college and after college.

What advice do you have for current Prep students?

Take ownership of every experience you have as a Georgetown Prep student. Six or seven classes a day, on top of extracurricular activities, can seem like a lot to handle. That is because it is a lot to handle. But the more you lean into those little, everyday challenges—getting your homework done on time, practicing and studying on your own time, and making sure you get enough sleep to be ready for the next day—the more your Prep experience will serve you in the long run. Give your best effort all of the time, and if that doesn't seem to work, ask for help. And if asking for help doesn't seem to work, ask for help again. You will be amazed what you learn about yourself through the process.