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Report on Philanthropy 2023/24

Connecting with New Graduates Nationwide

Movers and Quakers Sponsor College Dinner Series

Each year, the Sidwell Friends young alumni group Movers and Quakers hosts over a dozen dinners for college-age alumni around the country. These dinners introduce recent graduates to the broader Friends Alumni Network, helping to foster connections beyond the student experience. 

During the 2023-24 academic year, the series included dinners for alumni attending the University of Virginia, William and Mary, Tulane, Dartmouth, Middlebury, the University of Michigan, Northwestern, the University of Chicago, Yale, the Claremont Colleges, and other institutions in the Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, and Washington, DC areas.  

Fostering Alumni Connections with College Dinner Series

The dinners typically took place at a local restaurant, which Sidwell Friends arranged, with alumni and alumni parents serving as hosts. Andrea Newman
P ’04, ’14 who hosted this year’s University of Michigan dinner says, “I enjoy meeting the students, listening to them talk about their experiences at Sidwell and in college. I also enjoy hearing where they are headed for internships, study abroad, and jobs.” For those who might be interested in hosting, she says, “these get-togethers are a great way to stay in touch with Sidwell, the students, and the universities they attend. I find the discussions interesting and fun. I think anyone who hosts will enjoy the experience.”

The College Dinner Series is one of the first in-person touchpoints young alumni have with Sidwell Friends after graduation. The dinners showcase the reach and commitment of the Sidwell Friends community. Young alumni are encouraged to network and rely on the connections they make. At these special evenings, new graduates experience the kind of support they can anticipate throughout their lives from their new Sidwell Friends network.

About Movers and Quakers: Alumni in their first 5 to 20 years since graduation from Sidwell Friends are eligible to join Movers and Quakers, with a one-time or monthly recurring gift to the Fund. If you are an alum or parent of an alum and interested in hosting a College Dinner please contact Clayton Willis, assistant director of young alumni engagement, at willisc@sidwell.edu.