Dwight Hall Newsletter

Spotlight Edition





Each Wednesday, our Summer Fellows come together for conversations over dinner with community members that represent different perspectives and experiences. 

Summer Fellow Spotlight
Since 1968, 0ur Summer Fellowship has provided the unique opportunity for students to dedicate themselves to creating real social change.

This year we expanded to offer summer fellowships outside of New Haven for students who are interested in serving their home communities or exploring placements that are not found locally.

We have also partnered with The Yale Alumni Nonprofit Alliance (YANA) to offer two fellowships outside of New Haven. 

Below are some highlights of our Summer Fellows. Visit our Voices and Stories to check out more from them!

Special thanks to the Yale Club of New Haven and to our Dwight Hall donors for making the Summer Fellowship possible.

" My favorite part of this whole summer experience has been getting to explore the city. My job takes me all over NH to different nature preserves and community gardens, and I feel like I know the city so much better now. There are so many great neighborhoods and hidden gems that I know of now and I think that’s going to completely change my Yale experience for my final two years."


" At IRIS' Summer Learning Program, I work with high school age refugees from Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan, and the Congo on everything from reading and writing to group book projects. Students sharpen their English vocabulary and writing with articles from Newsela, for example an article about sport hijabs helping Muslim girls participate in athletics."


"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I feel that I have learned more this summer than I have the past five years of my life. Seriously. This has been an incredible time not only of direct service to those in need, but also of personal growth and introspection. Though some of this experience has opened my eyes to the workings of the public sector, I feel a renewed sense of hope for the future and the change makers that continue to fight for what is right."

Written by Ed Stannard, 

New Haven Register


The New Haven Register interviewed some of our Summer Fellows, their supervisors, and our Executive Director about the fellowship and how it impacts organizations, students, and the community. 


Donor Spotlight
Dwight Hall is most thankful to Nancy Alexander ‘79, SOM ‘84 and Ricardo Henriquez for their completion of 8 years of service on the Board of Directors, from July 2009 through June 2017.   

Nancy and Ricardo have offered valuable perspectives as residents of the Greater New Haven area, extended knowledge of best practices in the non-profit sector, and have inspired students and staff with their passion for social change.

"Dwight Hall volunteers devote themselves to causes and contribute time and energy to filling real needs in the community; more than that, however, they think about the wider implications and impact of their work and the social problems they are aiming to solve." -Nancy Alexander



Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring Program Spotlight
J-Z AMP is in the news!

We recently wrapped up the twelfth year of the Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring Program, which connects Yale undergraduates to middle school students in a long-term relationship.
   

Program Manager, Mark Fopeano, wrote a piece published in CT Viewpoints that shares the success of the Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring program to highlight the efficacy of after-school programs. 
 
" If we are serious about committing to and investing in our youth, we need to work together to ensure that regardless of state budget cuts, families who want their children to participate have the opportunity to enroll.  From donating to a fund to calling up your local higher education institute’s volunteering and engagement office, we all have a role to play in growing after school programs so that more, not less, parents know where their children are at 3 p.m."
 


CT Afterschool Network published a blog post about how strong partnerships can create a fantastic after school learning experience written by our Program Manager, Mark Fopeano, and our AmeriCorps VISTA, Victoria Bosman.

" Our 8th grade students in the Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring Program (J-Z AMP) just wrapped up their last year with their Yale student mentors that they’ve been with for three years! Twelve years and four cohorts later, we’ve successfully navigated our way through the inevitable growing pains of implementing an afterschool program and have forged strong partnerships with our schools and funder. Sometimes there was chaos behind the scenes, but the lessons we have learned along the road have paid off and allowed our mentors and mentees to have positive experiences and grow."
Dwight Hall at Yale produces a monthly spotlight email newsletter with features on the service and justice activities of our students, alumni, and community partners.  Typically, we will send this newsletter out on the first Thursday of each month.

We will, on occasion, send email between production of newsletters. 

Please look out for a very special announcement from Dwight Hall on Monday, August 21!