In an attempt to foster student relationships with alumni and honor Dartmouth graduates for their contributions to the College, the Hill Winds Society, in conjunction with the Office of Alumni Relations, is celebrating the second annual Alumni Appreciation Week from April 7-13. Alumni Appreciation Week offers a variety of events for students and alumni to enjoy, including free lunches, a wine tasting and a tailgate party to be held before Saturday's women's lacrosse game.
The week aims to recognize the generosity of Dartmouth's alumni, organizers said. Alumni donations pay for one-third of each student's tuition, they said.
"Spring term is a gift from the alumni," Rex Morey '99, associate director of class activities for the Office of Alumni Relations, said.
Many students may not be aware of the College's reliance on alumni contributions, Morey said, so the week also acts as an "awareness campaign" to inform students about the extent of alumni involvement.
"Alumni are often overlooked so this week is to thank them," Sam McElhinney '11, chair of student alumni relations for Student Assembly, said, echoing Morey's belief in the importance of alumni.
While some attendees joked that the free food was the main attraction, many alumni said they came for the chance to impart their advice to undergraduates.
"I take every opportunity I can to meet undergraduates," Paul Doscher '66, business development manager at the Tuck Business Bridge Program at the Tuck School of Business, said. "I can give career advice -- it's networking. I wish I could spend two hours just meeting students."
Students said the events have allowed them to learn valuable information through conversations with alumni.
Lauren Morrell '11 said she was excited about the opportunity to gain some perspective on the Dartmouth experience from people who had already been through it.
"A conversation I had with a [member of the Class of 2001] about his [Dartmouth] Plan and off terms got me excited about planning my next three years," Morrell said. "There's so much we can do here, and talking to the people who have already gone through the process is a great reminder of that."
Bonnie Lam '10, who helped organize the week's events, described them as a "time for students to meet people they might not ordinarily meet on a on a day-to-day basis, but who contribute to their educational experience all the time."
With Hanover's relative geographic isolation, Doscher said, it is often difficult for students to meet people outside of their groups of friends.
"You're up here in the woods, you might as well be proactive and make yourself known," he said.
