On June 7th, Lydia Burleson began her first day as…
For 140 years, Dwight Hall at Yale has brought generations of students, alumni, and community partners together in pursuit of a shared commitment to public service and social justice. On October 2nd, that legacy was celebrated on Yale’s Old Campus, where members of the Dwight Hall community gathered to honor the people and partnerships that have sustained its mission since 1886—and to look ahead to the work of future generations.
Envisioned and organized by Dwight Hall’s 2026 Student Executive Committee, the anniversary celebration welcomed alumni from across the decades, students, university leaders, and community members for an evening of community and recognition. Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres prepared by Sanctuary Kitchen, a CitySeed initiative supporting immigrant and refugee chefs in New Haven, and mingled beneath a tent outside Dwight Hall before gathering for a program featuring remarks from student leaders, Yale President Maurie McInnis, and other distinguished members of the community.
Student Executive Committee Co-Coordinators Carrie Lange ’27 and Allie Ruiz ’28 opened the program by reflecting on Dwight Hall’s history of student leadership and its enduring ties to New Haven.
“Yale doesn’t sit apart from New Haven. It sits within it,” Ruiz said. “And Dwight Hall has always recognized that what happens on this campus and what happens in the city around us are deeply connected.”
“Tonight is really about all of you,” Lange added, recognizing “the community partners who welcome students into their work and teach us what meaningful partnership looks like” and “the alumni who returned tonight because this work remained important to them long after graduation.”
Dwight Hall Executive Director and General Secretary Peter Crumlish ’09 M.A.R. then took the stage, commemorating Dwight Hall’s 140-year legacy and applauding the students who have used their opportunities to build coalitions, strengthen communities, and serve the greater good.
“Dwight Hall is a building, a community, a bridge to other communities,” Crumlish said.
“This power comes from its legacy of leaders who chose to dedicate their privilege and opportunities to serve the greater good, the practitioners who built coalitions and designed systems that deliberately changed their communities for the better, and the steady tide of new, talented, and passionate students who came to this place and found a calling to put their labor toward something bigger than their own advancement.”
Echoing Crumlish’s remarks on Dwight Hall’s enduring mission, Yale President Maurie McInnis ’96 Ph.D spoke about the organization’s central role in connecting education and public service.
“I would argue that when we think about Yale, we should also think about Dwight Hall. Because this organization encapsulates something that is so essential about Yale,” McInnis said. “Dwight Hall encapsulates that the pursuit of knowledge can include public service.”
Claudia Merson, longtime director of Public School Partnerships at Yale’s Office of New Haven Affairs, received the Community Award for her work expanding educational opportunities and building partnerships with New Haven Public Schools. Introducing Merson, Superintendent of New Haven Public Schools Dr. Madeline Negrón praised her ability to bring people and institutions together.
“Claudia once noted that before building these pathways, we had a thousand flowers and no garden,” Negrón said. “Claudia, you built that garden, you know how to connect all the dots, how to open doors, create bridges and ensure your students know they belong in every room they walk into.”
Merson received a standing ovation.
Sam Chauncey ’57 received the Lifetime Legacy Award [WD2] honoring his decades of service to Yale, Dwight Hall, and New Haven. As special assistant to Yale President Alfred Whitney Griswold, Chauncey was tasked with rethinking the university’s relationship with its host city at a pivotal moment in its history. His work helped shape a more engaged approach to Yale’s civic responsibilities, laying the groundwork for stronger partnerships with New Haven. His recognition celebrated a lifetime of leadership rooted in the belief that Yale’s future and the well-being of its surrounding community are deeply connected.
The program then recognized students and member groups carrying Dwight Hall’s commitment to service forward. Salima Ibrahim ’28 and Allie Ruiz ’28 received Distinguished Leadership Awards for their contributions to student leadership and advocacy. Ibrahim was recognized for her leadership in the Yale Black Muslim Students Association, including organizing the Nurturing Unity and Resilience Conference and fundraising efforts supporting Sudan. Ruiz was honored for her leadership and longstanding contributions to Dwight Hall, including her role as Co-Coordinator of the Student Executive Committee. Sofia Grimm ’29 received the Rising Leadership Award for her involvement with the Yale Healthcare Consulting Collective and Yale Alzheimer’s Buddies, including projects supporting the American Red Cross and Mental Health Connecticut. The New Haven Urban Debate League received the Distinguished Member Group Award for connecting Yale volunteers with students in New Haven and West Haven, helping young people develop confidence and public speaking skills through debate.
Dwight Hall at Yale Board Chair Sandra Lee ’ 97 concluded the program, reflecting on her undergraduate experience on the Student Executive Committee and extending gratitude to the more than 200 students, alumni, community partners, and university leaders who joined the celebration.
Throughout the evening, slideshows of historical photographs and informational displays highlighting current programs offered attendees a closer look at Dwight Hall’s 140-year history and its work today. The celebration itself grew out of an idea from Dwight Hall’s Student Executive Committee to bring students together across disparate member groups. Rose Buchdahl ’28, Student Executive Committee Events Coordinator, explained that while students often felt closely connected to their individual member groups, the organizers wanted to foster a stronger sense of community across the entirety of Dwight Hall.
“One thing that became beautiful as we turned this original idea into a 140th anniversary celebration was seeing how the work Dwight Hall does today has a long legacy,” Buchdahl noted.
“It was inspiring for students to talk to people who had started the work before them,” Buchdahl continued, emphasizing the importance of the opportunity for students to learn “what work has already been done and what work is left to do.”
The anniversary also marked the beginning of a yearlong effort to bolster support for two of Dwight Hall’s signature fellowship programs, Community Mental Health Fellows and Summer Fellows. Through its programs, member groups, and community partnerships, Dwight Hall continues to create opportunities for students to engage with the world beyond the university and develop commitments to service that endure long after graduation.
The 140th Anniversary Celebration exemplified the Engage pillar of Dwight Hall’s Engage, Grow, and Advance program delivery model, bringing students, alumni, and community partners together to strengthen connections, celebrate a shared commitment to public service, and inspire future involvement.
More Groups and Programs
About the Author
