Alumni Service Recognition Award

Sam Prater is the founder of Los Angeles Room & Board, a nonprofit focused on ending homelessness and hunger for L.A. County’s community college students. The organization creates learning-living communities that provide a safe, secure and supportive environment with extensive services promoting academic persistence, retention and certificate/degree completion.

Sam has dedicated his professional career to supporting students who need wrap-around services in order to succeed. While at CMU, Sam was a resident adviser, he participated in Alternative Spring Breaks, chaired the campuswide voter registration drive, was vice president of the Student Government Association, co-taught a first-year experience course, was the membership officer of the Nonviolence Coalition and a member of the International Association of Business Communicators.

In addition to his bachelor's degree in organizational communications from CMU, Sam earned a master's in communication and media studies from Fordham University and is writing his dissertation for a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from California State University, Northridge.

Sam’s 12 years as a university administrator ignited his compassion for homeless students. As a former high school dropout who went onto community college and now a doctoral degree candidate, Sam believes in the power of higher education to transform lives and to provide boundless opportunity and that education and homelessness are matters of economic and social justice.

The Central Michigan University Alumni Association is honored and proud to announce Sam Prater as the recipient of this year’s Alumni Service Recognition Award.