For this issue’s alumnae spotlight, I am proud to present to you one of the most dedicated and hardworking women I know, who also happens to be an alumnae of Marymount (and my sister): Jennifer Lynn Zehenni. Jennifer Zehenni graduated with the class of 2002 and has accomplished so much in her life since then.

During her time at Marymount, she was a very involved student. Jennifer was a part of a plethora of clubs, but specifically committed to the Sunset Magazine, the Marymount Players as a crew member, the Marymount High School Ambassador Program, and Service Club. For Sunset Magazine, Jennifer started off as one of the staff members, then served as the business editor, and ended her high school career as editor-in-chief. Jennifer was a dedicated athlete, as she spent 3 years on the varsity track and field team. Nominated and winning many awards throughout high school, the most valued and noted was the “Les Anges” award at graduation. This award is extended to one exemplary student based on merit, devotion to studies and leadership, and overall consistently contributing to their school community.

After graduating, Jennifer chose to attend Santa Clara University (SCU). SCU, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, offers a variety of competitive programs grounded in the Jesuit educational tradition. She was driven to SCU because of the outstanding Education department and their great dedication to social justice issues. Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies (an education major), and a minor in Urban Education (a specialization in teaching at inner-city schools that focuses on societal issues such as poverty, crime, and prejudice, and how these issues impact today’s youth and families). She chose these majors because she knew she wanted to be in the field of education since she was 9 years old. Additionally, SCU’s particular Liberal Studies major allowed her to take all types of classes, from economics with the business majors to biology with the premed majors, Jennifer’s undergraduate classes were wonderfully diverse. Jennifer explained, “Another reason I loved SCU is they placed me within classroom teaching from day one so I had the opportunity to experience multiple grade levels, schools, and subjects before I even graduated.”

After earning her undergraduate degree, she stayed at SCU to get her credentials in both K-8 multiple subjects and a single subject credential in high school English.  Following her student teaching, Jennifer joined a Title 1 school in the Sunnyvale school district where she taught different grade levels, specifically 2nd through 5th grade, while she studied and

received her Master’s in education, also from SCU. After six years of being full-time in the classroom in Northern California, Jennifer resigned to move closer to family in Los Angeles. She took an administrative role as a Director of Student Development at a private college preparatory school where she supported high schoolers with academic planning, college counseling, and life skills development. After some time there, she resigned in 2013 to pursue an entirely new adventure, working with family in real estate. Alongside this pursuit, Jennifer started her own companies in 2014, Teach Play Learn (TPL), and Edupreneurs. Jennifer describes TPL as “an educational concierge for the whole family that curates custom learning roadmaps whether families are looking for a DIY plan or ongoing comprehensive support.” They provide a variety of tutoring and educational consulting services from ages pre-school to adult. She also mentioned that Edupreneurs is a professionals group that she created to “build a global community of entrepreneurs using education as a vehicle for change. This includes fellow education company owners, educators, activists, consultants of all kinds, and more. It’s really diverse!” Today, Jennifer is the Vice President at Aladdin Developers Inc., a real estate development company, where she manages properties and oversees business development. TPL continues to grow serving families and collaborating with schools. And, Edupreneurs has a budding community of members all over the world.

Finally, when I interviewed Jennifer, I asked her if she had anything she wanted to share with the Marymount community, and she replied, “I am immensely grateful for the strong educational foundation and lifelong friendships Marymount provided me. The community is truly special, and it extends far beyond the high school years. I’m constantly reconnecting and meeting other alumnae, and no matter how different our path and personalities, there is always a kindred connection.”