The George Washington University Alumni Online Community

About the Program
In the fall of 2004, the Office of Alumni Relations and GW Class Council teamed up to invite students from across the University to meet alumni at intimate dinners held in Washington, D.C. The Dinner with Alumni program is one of our flagship student-alumni initiatives and we invite you to host a dinner!

Alumnus Richard A. Popkin (B.A. ’71, M.A. ’72), hosts a dinner with students in his home.
Photo credit: Jeff Baum Photo Video.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the goal of the Dinner with Alumni program?
How are dinners organized?
What are the host's responsibilities?
Who has hosted a dinner in the past?
How do I host a dinner?

What is the goal of the Dinner with Alumni program?
The Dinner with Alumni Program provides an opportunity for 8-12 undergraduate students to meet alumni in a collegial and relaxed setting. These connections may lead to jobs or internships, sound advice, or friendship. Ideally, we hope that students will draw inspiration from the professional, educational, philanthropic, and personal accomplishments of our alumni. We hope that the alumnus hosting the dinner will gain a meaningful connection with the student participants and become more involved in GW campus life.

How are dinners organized?
The Office of Alumni Relations makes reservations at an area restaurant, arranges for student attendance, and helps with planning all the particulars of the dinner. Our staff will work with you to make sure that both you and the students know what to expect and answer any questions that you might have.

Whenever possible Alumni Relations finds students with similar academic, career, or personal interests as the alumnus host. The dinner is publicized and students are selected through random drawings or other appropriate means to encourage broad inclusion in the program.

What are the host’s responsibilities?
Whether you are a recent alumnus just starting on the professional path or an alumnus at the pinnacle of your career, your professional insight and experience are invaluable to our current undergraduates. We are looking for alumni who are willing to share their professional accomplishments with students and who are interested in developing closer ties with the University community. The alumnus host is also asked to provide financial support for the dinner.

The alumnus host, working with staff support from Alumni Relations, determines where the dinner is held. We've had dinners in fancy restaurants, the local pizzeria, and in alumni homes. Generally, we prefer a dinner location that is in the Foggy Bottom area or that is Metro accessible for our students. The total cost of the dinner is considered an "in-kind" contribution to GW and is fully tax-deductible.

Who has hosted dinners in the past?
We are grateful for the generosity and kindness of our past alumni dinner hosts. Our students have benefited greatly from their time and thoughtfulness. Many of our past hosts still keep in touch with students from their dinners.

Some of our past hosts include:
James Blumenthal (B.B.A. ’78), Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of First Washington Realty, Inc.
Scott R. Fagan (B.A. ’99), a terrorism analyst for the Department of State, Office of Terrorism, Narcotics, and Crime
Stephanie Hallett (B.A. ’99), a Foreign Service officer assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Mark V. Hughes (B.S. ’69, M.S. ’77), a member of the GW Board of Trustees and president of the System and Technology Group of Science Applications International Corporation
Kim Kessler (B.S. ’99), an engineer with Turner Construction Company assigned to the Main Terminal People Mover Station Project at Dulles Airport
Sarah Marquis Ladislaw (B.A. ’01, M.A. ’03), an international relations specialist in the Department of Energy’s Office of Policy and International Affairs
Cameron MacKenzie (M.A. ’03), an associate at The Cohen Group, a consulting firm run by the former Defense Secretary William Cohen
Kristy McDonnell (B.S. ’99, M.S. ’01), a senior analyst/energy engineer at Pace Global Energy Services
Mary Miller (M.B.A. ’78), a senior banking advisor at Development Alternatives, Inc. specializing in banking, finance, and small business development in third world countries
Richard A. Popkin (B.A. ’71, M.A. ’72), an international trade lawyer at the firm Swidler Berlin LLP
Nicole Speulda (B.A. ’99), project director at the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press
Barry Strauss (M.B.A. ’85), executive director of Wiley, Rein, & Fielding responsible for all areas of law firm management including finance, operations, general management, marketing, technology and strategic planning
Karin Swenson (B.A. ’96), the former executive director of the Harvard Club of Washington at the National Press Club, responsible for membership, marketing, daily operations and event planning
Breanna Templeton (B.S. ’02), a consultant with Booz Hamilton providing support to the Defense Advances Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Michael Zolandz (B.A. ’98, J.D. ’01), an attorney at Sonnenschein, Nath and Rosenthal LLP and founding member of Sonnenschein’s Public Law & Policy Strategies Group

How do I host a dinner?
If you are an alumnus who would like to volunteer to host a group of students for dinner, please contact Andrew Hill, Assistant Director of Student-Alumni Programs, at dinner@gwu.edu or by phone at 202-994-5878.

Information for Alumni
Information for Students