In spring 2025, Dwight Hall’s Alumni Mentorship & Career Development…
On December 5, 2025, Dwight Hall’s Alumni Mentorship and Career Development Task Force (AM&CD) hosted the final event of the semester: a fireside chat with two leaders from the private and public sectors. The Task Force was joined by Tom Freedman, CEO and co-founder of Freedman Consulting, and Preeta Nayak ’93, Partner and Head of Leadership & Community Services at The Bridgespan Group.
The Wednesday lunch gathering in the Dwight Hall Library was attended by current Yale students, Yale alumni, and Dwight Hall staff. Program supporters and friends from across the country also joined the hybrid event via Zoom. Tom and Preeta joined Dwight Hall virtually from the Bay Area.
The speakers shed light on their personal career trajectories and the lessons they learned along the way.
During the December 5th chat, Preeta discussed her experience at Yale and Dwight Hall, where she was involved with Splatter! Magazine and Yale Children’s Theater. She shared how her career path has not been linear and encouraged attendees to pursue their passions. Prior to her work at Bridgespan, she served as a classroom teacher and nonprofit manager, where her work and love for public service deepened. Since then, she has developed Bridgespan’s Leading for Impact program and launched the firm’s Leadership Accelerator initiative.
Tom expressed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of finding one’s voice and passion in public service. He previously served as a Senior Advisor to President Clinton, helped lead strategy for the Clinton–Gore ’96 campaign, and worked for then-Congressman Chuck Schumer. He co-founded the Welfare to Work Partnership and later contributed to both the Obama–Biden transition and President Obama’s 2012 campaign. He has also been published in major outlets, including The New York Times and The Washington Post.
When asked how to make change in the world, both Preeta and Tom encouraged students to join local organizations and engage with their communities to advance social justice and better understand their passions.
The event was organized and promoted by Emily Nguyen ’27 (Alumni Engagement Coordinator on the 2025 Student Executive Committee and outgoing Task Force Chair) and Edward Nguyen ’25 (Dwight Hall Communications and Alumni Engagement Associate).
When asked about her time with the AM&CD Task Force, Emily shared, “I enjoy coordinating AM&CD events because it allows me to learn directly from professionals while helping make those conversations and opportunities available to other undergraduate students who are interested, as well.”
She continued by emphasizing the importance of events hosted by Dwight Hall and the AM&CD Task Force for students, alumni, and community members.
“AM&CD Task Force events, such as panels, workshops, and fireside chats, are valuable because they give students the chance to learn about career paths they might not otherwise be exposed to. These events also benefit alumni by offering an easy way to stay connected to Yale and engage with current students.”
The AM&CD Task Force is part of the Grow pillar of Dwight Hall’s Engage, Grow, and Advance program delivery model, developing students’ intellectual, moral, civic, and creative capacities to the fullest with interactive panels, workshops, and networking opportunities.
Additionally, you are invited to follow Dwight Hall on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay updated on events in spring 2026!
More Groups and Programs
About the Author
