Dwight Hall at Yale

From WikiCollegiate

Dwight Hall is the Center for Public Service and Social Justice at Yale. It is an independent, nonprofit umbrella organization that provides support to and fosters communication between over 60 student-run Member Organizations whose primary purposes fall within Dwight Hall’s mission. Dwight Hall itself sponsors a number of Institutional Programs, Projects, and Networks that help Dwight Hall achieve its mission, and Dwight Hall also lends assistance to a variety of Community and Associate Organizations.

How could Dwight Hall serve student and community needs better?

How could Dwight Hall better connect with alumni?

• Find a way to keep us connected with the student groups that we were once part of as students
• Have a bigger prescence at reunions.

Web Resources and News

• Dwight Hall Announces New Executive Director, Alex Knoppin in April 2008 press release.
• dHarmony- Dwight Hall student and volunteer organization matching site modeled after eHarmony but for matching students up with public service.  Use this site to find volunteer interests that match with your interests.

Mission

"to foster to foster civic-minded student leaders and to promote service and activism in New Haven and around the world"

History

Dwight Hall was founded in 1881 as the Young Men’s Christian Association at Yale, and has gradually evolved to become an inclusive place for students of diverse backgrounds and beliefs to connect with the community. While Dwight Hall has changed significantly since its beginnings at the end of the 19th century, the fundamental concerns for public service and social justice, which brought the Hall into existence, continue today.

People

Dwight Hall is governed by the Student Cabinet, which meets on a monthly basis and consists of the coordinators of each Dwight Hall member organization. The ten elected officers of the Student Cabinet – two co-coordinators, one public relations coordinator, one financial coordinator, one provisional member group coordinator, one member group services coordinator, a social justice network liaison, a faculty outreach coordinator, and two members-at-large – constitute the Executive Committee, which meets weekly and facilitates the work of Dwight Hall, determining policy and program priorities. Dwight Hall is also supported by Staff Members, who manage the day-to-day operations of Dwight Hall and provide the institutional memory for Dwight Hall as a nonprofit organization with a student leadership that changes annually. Finally, Dwight Hall is overseen by a Board of Directors, which is ultimately responsible for the fiscal and long-term operation of Dwight Hall, and a Board of Trustees, which is responsible for managing the assets of the Dwight Hall at Yale endowment.

Student Executive Committee

Dwight Hall Co-Coordinators:Amy Rothschild and Eliza Schafler

The Dwight Hall student coordinators lead the Student Cabinet by setting the tone and direction for the year. They manage the major initiatives and day-to-day operations of Dwight Hall, facilitate the Executive Committee and Cabinet meetings, and engage in long-term planning for the Hall. The coordinators are the chief liaisons representing student interests to staff and to the Board of Directors. They are available to any student or community agency seeking information about Dwight Hall and individual member groups.

Public Relations Coordinator: Christopher Lewine
It is the responsibility of the Public Relations Coordinator to communicate the activities, opportunities, and visions of Dwight Hall to the community. Chris proactively manages the placement of information into media outlets using press releases and direct communication to protect, publicize, and enhance the work and workings of the Hall. As there are many students who are unaware of all the resources that Dwight Hall has to offer, he serves as the
contact person to direct people to their specific areas of interest. In addition Chris sends out the weekly Dwight Hall email newsletter, the D-Holla. He also helps plan events.

Financial Coordinator:Bradford Williams

The financial coordinator's primary responsibility is to manage the campus and community budget and to oversee the spending related to it. The financial coordinator chairs the Allocation Committee that decides how to allocate the money from the budget to different Dwight Hall groups that apply for funding. Aside from the day-to-day activities, he helps groups apply for funding outside Dwight Hall and advises on how to manage their budget and use their money efficiently. Bradford also assists with fundraising.

New Membership Coordinator: Anna Smith
This position, along with fulfilling all of the duties of an ExComm officer, coordinates the provisional member group process, the process by which new groups apply to join Dwight Hall. The coordinator assembles and chairs the Membership Committee in evaluating and advising the new groups. The Provisional Member Group Coordinator works closely with the Program Director, Johnny Scafidi, during the process; and not only leads the membership committee in evaluating each of the groups applying for Dwight Hall membership, but also serves to advise the new groups in assuring their sustainability, success, and integration into the Halls community.

Membership Coordinator:Arlene Barochin
The Member Group Services Coordinator will facilitate collaboration and teamwork between different groups within the Hall and serve to promote the quality and efficacy of all of Dwight Halls member groups. The coordinator will implement all of the evaluation initiatives within the Hall from annual inventories to leadership transition workshops within the Hall. Arlene will respond to the emerging needs of the member groups and their volunteers and will design new projects to promote cohesion within the Halls community.

Social Justice Network Liaison:Steven Reneau
As the SJN liaison, Steven works with the Magee Fellow, Tamika Aaron, the SJN coordinators - Caitlin Clements and Madeline Johnson - as well as students in SJN member groups. SJN is a coalition of organizations and individuals working for social justice and social change at Yale, in New Haven, and beyond. SJN is dedicated to building a community of social justice advocates, while helping activists develop skills necessary to achieve change. Steven will be working this semester to increase collaboration between SJN groups and New Haven organizations.

Education Network Liaison:Alisha Butler
The Education Network (Ed Net) liaison works alongside the Ed Net coordinator and the Public School Intern coordinator to improve communication and continuity within Dwight Hall's network of education-related member groups. Alisha represents the interests of these groups to the Executive Committee and to the greater New Haven educational community, working closely with the Public School Interns to develop and strengthen relationships between
member groups and the New Haven Public Schools. The Network provides resources and support for any Yale-affiliated group looking to involve itself in New Haven schools or the community, and also seeks to serve the interests of education-related groups whose work extends beyond the local level.

Student Development Coordinator: Troy Schuler
The Student Development Coordinator aims to promote fundraising for Dwight Hall and to help manage the investment of these funds. This would involve not only coordinating the efforts of current students, member groups, and alumni, but also acting as a liason between students, the Board of Directors, and the Trustees. Troy will further the goals of establishing and raising funds for a new socially responsible investment endowment fund for Dwight
Hall. He will also work with the Board of Directors and Trustees to determine how such an endowment will be managed and monitored. Not only will this position be important to guaranteeing the success of a socially responsible endowment, but establishing this link between students and the Board will help endorse a sense of long-term ownership and commitment to Dwight Hall by students.

Religious and Cultural Diversity Outreach Coordinator: Mattie Johnson

This job entails reaching out to many communities who have not been fully engaged historically in the work of Dwight Hall, but who do similar work. The goal is to build coalitions so bigger projects can be taken on, while also tapping into areas of campus that can draw different types of students toward Dwight Hall and the services it provides. Hopefully this will not simply encourage more collaboration between only religious groups or only cultural houses, but rather to build strong relationships among them and Dwight Hall. Mattie visits student groups connected with the Chaplain's office and the cultural houses to build support and to hear more about the projects they are currently excited about. She provides students contacts and social gatherings to meet each other to form coalitions that are diverse, dynamic and sustainable and sponsors events where students can talk about the intersection of their background (religious, cultural or both) and their dedication to service.

Staff Members

Dwight Hall Staff Members have the responsibility of managing the day-to-day operations of Dwight Hall and providing the institutional memory for Dwight Hall as a non-profit organization with a student leadership that changes annually. Staff members work closely with the student Executive Committee, inspired by the mission of the Hall. They serve as advisors to students in all the various aspects of the work of Dwight Hall, including program development, education and training, program management, Yale and community partnerships, public relations, finances, and fundraising efforts.

Alex Knopp
General Secretary & Executive Director
Alex is responsible for the development of student and board leadership, Yale and New Haven partnerships, and the Campaign for Dwight Hall.

Ray Bendici
Director of Finance & Administration
Ray serves as a financial advisor to student coordinators, allocates funds to member groups, and processes financial contributions to Dwight Hall.

Johnny Scafidi
Program Director
Johnny advises student program managers, interfaces with community leaders, develops evaluation tools, and assists with new program initiatives.

Barbara O'Donnell
Finance Assistant
Barbara assists with the processing of financial records for Dwight Hall.

Maura Kelly
Sr. Administrative Assistant
Maura is in charge of the Main Office of Dwight Hall and handles vehicle and room reservation requests.

Tamika Aaron DIV '08
Rev. John G. Magee Fellow

The Magee Fellowship supports and encourages collaborative efforts between social justice organizations and the wide assortment of religious students at Yale. As liaison between Dwight Hall, Yale Religious Ministries, and the Chaplain's Office, the Magee Fellow promotes reflection, dialogue, and communal action on faith-based responses to injustices and social evils. For all Dwight Hall groups and students, regardless of religious affiliation, the fellowship offers educational and financial resources, as well as publicity, networking, and reflection opportunities.

Claudia Merson
Education Consultant
Claudia serves as a liaison to the New Haven Public Schools as well as an advisor to the Dwight Hall Public School Interns program and the Dwight Hall Education Network. Claudia is the Director of Public School Partnerships for the Yale University Office of New Haven and State Affairs.

Herb Cahoon
Emeritus Consultant
Herb networks with Dwight Hall Alumni and is a reservoir of institutional memory whose involvement with the Hall spans five decades.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for the fiscal and long-term operation of Dwight Hall. The Board's membership consists of Dwight Hall alumni, Yale professors, members of the New Haven community and current Dwight Hall student representatives.

Mr. Hugh Baran '09
Ms. Jessica Bialecki '08
Ms. Jill Campbell ‘88 PhD
Mr. William Curran '49
Ms. Louise Davis '03
Mr. Anthony Dean '67
Mr. David Dodson '77
Mr. Carl Eifler '70
Mr. James Farnam ‘73
Mr. Robert Furniss '77
Mr. Sean Glass '02
Ms. Nina M. Glickson ‘73
Mr. Fred T. Goldberg, Jr. ‘69, '73 LAW
Mr. Brian Goldman '05
Mr. Gilbert Joseph ‘78 Ph.D.
Ms. Sandra Lee '97
Ms. Jane Levy ‘08
Mr. Carl Lindskog '58, Treasurer
Ms. Katherine Linzer ‘08
Mr. David McKinnis '87
Ms. Dana Molina '95
Rev. Stephen Butler Murray ‘98 MDIV
Mr. Millard "Mitty" Owens ‘86
Mr. J. L. Pottenger, Jr. '75 JD
Mr. David Pozen '02
Ms. Anna Ramirez '93 MDIV
Dr. Deborah Rose '72, '89 Ph.D., Chair
Ms. Amy Rothschild '09
Ms. Ariela Rothstein '10
Ms. Constance Royster '72, Vice-Chair
Rev. Samuel Slie ‘52MDIV (emeritus)
Mr. Bryan Twarek '10
Rev. J. Philip Zaeder ’58 (emeritus)
Rabbi Lina Zerbarini

By the Numbers

Over 3,000 Yale undergraduates are involved in Dwight Hall sponsored public service or social justice activities during a given academic year, with over 80% of Yale College students participating in at least one such activity before graduation.

Newsletters

Spring 2007

Wall

Pass It On

This is area for the members of Dwight Hall to pass on knowlege about ways they've done things so that others coming after you don't have to re-invent the wheel.  If you've performanced some activitiy, task or service that others could benefit from you creating a how-to guide for, please do it below.

How to: