Spring 2024 Voices and Stories

!
Voices & S t or i e s
Issue 4
Spring 2024
Dwight
Hall’s
Student
Magazine
!

2 3
Dwight Hall at Yale:
Center for Public Service and Social Justice
ESTABLISHED
1886
MISSION
To nurture and inspire students as leaders
of social change and to advance justice
and service in New Haven and
around the world.
Table of Contents
4-6 Meet the 2024 Dwight Hall Student Executive Committee
CORE VALUES
Commitment to the Common Good
Compassion
Diversity
Growth and Learning
Partnership
Reflection
Students at the Core
7 A Note from the Dwight Hall Co-Coordinators: Emily Zhang ’25 and Rena Liu ’26
8-9 A Note from the Outgoing Senior Co-Coordinator: William An ’24
10-11 Member Group Spotlight: Yale Emergency Medical Services
12-13 Member Group Spotlight: Kesem at Yale
14-15 Member Group Spotlight: Bridges ESL
16-17 Member Group Spotlight: Yale MathCOUNTS Outreach
18-19 Member Group Spotlight: Yale Entrepreneurs Program
20 Dwight Hall Fellowships & Leadership Opportunities
21 Dwight Hall Member Groups
22 A Note from Peter Crumlish M.A.R. ’09, Executive Director and General Secretary
23 Connect with Us!
A Note From the Voices and Stories Co-Creators
Believing in the power of change, Dwight Hall remains committed to fostering a
community where transformative actions take root. In these uncertain times,
the importance of advancing change has never been more pronounced, and
Dwight Hall endeavors to turn this belief into reality. This is why we recognize
that the journey towards social change is propelled by those who are invested in
shaping the world.
For 138 years, Dwight Hall has drawn inspiration from a diverse web of students
and community partners at Yale, New Haven, and beyond. In the 2022-2023
academic year alone, 3,748 student volunteers—including 74 student-led
member groups and 165 term-time and summer fellows—contributed more
than 60,700 hours of direct service and advocacy in New Haven and
communities nationwide.
The fusion of those individual perspectives is Voices and Stories, a magazine
that offers a glimpse into the world of Dwight Hall students through their own
voices and engaged viewpoints. As new challenges arise, this magazine aims to
foster a sense of community through the narrative of students working in service
of their communities.
Barbara Mola ’22 Catalina Mahe ’26
Dwight Hall
Communications and
Alumni Engagement Associate
2024 Dwight Hall Student
Executive Committee
Financial Coordinator
Amadie
Gajanaike ’26
2024 Dwight Hall Student
Executive Committee
Communications Coordinator

4 5
Meet
the 2024 Dwight Hall
Student Executive Committee
Catalina Mahe
2026
Financial Coordinator
Catalina is a sophomore from New Jersey in Silliman
College majoring in Global Affairs. In her new role as Co-
Financial Coordinator, she looks forward to working with
member groups to ensure each has the funding they need to
fulfill their service mission! Outside of schoolwork, she
enjoys participating in Moot Court, working with the Dwight
Hall Socially Responsible Investment Fund (DHSRI), and
going coffee shop-hopping with friends.
Emily Zhang
2025
Senior Co-Coordinator
Emily is a junior from Massachusetts majoring in Ethics,
Politics, and Economics with a certificate in Statistics. She is
Timothy Dwight College’s biggest fan, a public transportation
enthusiast, and lover of stone fruit.
Xin Lu
2026
Financial Coordinator
Xin was born and raised in Queens, NYC and is passionate
about advocacy and organizing for underserved
communities. She is excited to continue this passion as
Financial Coordinator!
Rena Liu
2026
Junior Co-Coordinator
Rena is a sophomore in Branford majoring in Sociology, a
Megan Thee Stallion fan, and an 80%+ dark chocolate
enthusiast. Outside of ExComm, she collaborates with
community members through income tax preparation with
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and works on small
claims with the Yale Association for Small Claims Assistance
(YASCA).
Carrie Lange
2027
Membership Coordinator
Carrie is a first-year in Saybrook and is a Membership
Coordinator on ExComm! She is a prospective Ethics,
Politics, and Economics major and is in the First-Year Class
Council here at Yale.
Avery DeWitt
2026
Institutional Service
Coordinator
Avery is a sophomore in Branford studying the History of
Science, Medicine, and Public Health. They were an
Engagement Coordinator on ExComm during Fall 2023 and
are looking forward to being an Institutional Service
Coordinator for 2024! She loves crocheting and anything
lime-flavored, and can’t wait to work on all sorts of projects
this year.
Ai-Li Hollander
2027
Membership Coordinator
Ai-Li is a first-year from Seattle, Washington and is serving
as a Membership Coordinator. Ai-Li took a gap year with
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a
government public service program, before college, and now
loves playing on Mona (Yale’s Womxn Ultimate Frisbee
team) and attempting to paint when she has time.
Kristen Meola
2026
Alumni Engagement
Coordinator
Kristen is a native New Yorker pursuing an Economics major
and a certificate in Spanish. She is a proud member of the
Yale Hunger and Homelessness Action Project (YHHAP)
Board, the Dwight Hall Board of Directors, Women in
Economics, and Asian-ish. On the off-chance that she isn't in
Bass Library, you might find Kristen taking unusually brisk
walks, improvising on the violin, or teaching herself to play
the guitar.
Vivek Shah
2025
Membership Coordinator
Vivek is a junior from Denver, Colorado pursuing a BA in
Ethics, Politics, and Economics. Prior to joining Dwight Hall
as a Membership Coordinator, Vivek has been involved in a
variety of public service activities, including internships with
his governor and senator and extensive work with a
Colorado-based children’s nonprofit. Currently, Vivek
manages the youth board for that nonprofit and is an avid
member of Dwight Hall’s Camp Kesem! Vivek is also very
fond of his mock trial team and his improv group, The Purple
Crayon of Yale.

6 7
Allie Lopez
2027
Engagement Coordinator
Landon Bishop
2027
Engagement Coordinator
Bintou Leigh
2027
New Membership
Coordinator
Amadie Gajanaike
2026
Communications
Coordinator
Vy Nguyen
2027
Communications
Coordinator
Allie has always sought out active participation in service
spaces. As a first-year student, she is excited to explore
opportunities for further community involvement with
Dwight Hall.
Landon is a first-year from New Orleans, Louisiana in
Benjamin Franklin College. He is thinking of Ethics, Politics,
and Economics as a potential major, but is still exploring.
Outside of class, he is a proud member of the Yale Student
Film Festival Advisory Committee, a Staff Reporter for the
Yale Daily News, and a first-year representative for
Benjamin Franklin College.
Bintou is a social justice writer and environmentalist from
The Gambia. Having lived in seven different countries, she
values the experiences and lessons that come with
interacting with people from various backgrounds. Her
values for forming meaningful connections with people
drives her to contribute to improving the quality of life for
people wherever she can.
Amadie is a sophomore in Ezra Stiles College and an
Electrical Engineering major (Flux et Veritas!). She is a
Council Liaison in Yale’s International Student Organization
(ISO) and Publicity Director for Yale UNICEF. When she’s
not designing for South Asian Society, Amadie is getting
Sunday brunch with her fellow Sri Lankans at Yale.
Vy is a first-year in Pierson College who is looking to major
in English with a Writing Concentration. When she’s not
baking with boxed mix or updating her Letterboxd, Vy can
be found coaching high school debate with the New Haven
Urban Debate League and writing short screenplays that
may (or may not) be based on true events from her life.
Student Executive Committee Mission
Dwight Hall’s actions and priorities are directed by a cabinet comprised of
representatives of each constituent member group. The Student Executive Committee
(ExComm) is elected by Cabinet each fall and is charged with the management of all
Cabinet activities and effective support of Dwight Hall at Yale as a nonprofit institution.
ExComm meets weekly to determine and implement priority projects, provide ongoing
support of student service and advocacy programs, allocate resources, make policy
recommendations, and initiate programs for the Yale and New Haven communities.
A Note from the Dwight Hall Co-Coordinators
Welcome to Dwight Hall! As the 2024 Student Executive Committee for the Center for
Public Service and Social Justice at Yale, we are excited to have you join us as we write
the next chapter in Dwight Hall’s legacy of service and change. This year, our mission is to
not just support over 70 member groups, but also actively cultivate the next generation of
passionate leaders in public service. We want to make engagement irresistible to Yalies
hungry to serve.
To that end, we're strengthening collaborations between member groups, New Haven
partners, and on-campus centers like the Office of Career Strategy to create clear
pathways into impactful service work. We are also hosting a Spring Externship to
showcase these competitive post-grad options.
The more money and energy we can use to serve New Haven, the better. We want to
increase member group funding. We want the Hall to be efficient, with ExComm members
regularly hosting events, quickly responding to member groups, and having a set calendar
for engaging with the Dwight Hall community.
Whether it's tutoring youth, working in health clinics, expanding advocacy campaigns, or
coordinating major events, Dwight Hall member groups drive Yale's community impact.
This year, we strive to make them even more central to campus life and equip them to
empower tomorrow's changemakers.
Join us in continuing to make Dwight Hall a home for social justice on campus.
Yours in Service,
Emily Zhang ’25 and Rena Liu ’26

8
9
A Note from the Outgoing Senior
Co-Coordinator: My Dwight Hall Story
by William An ’24
As I reflect on my time at Dwight Hall, I cannot help but think back to how I
got involved. It was the fall of 2020. I was at home. College was to be
experienced through a computer. I thought back to high school where many
of my most rewarding experiences came from service, so when I received
Dwight Hall’s 2020 welcome email, I was eager to get more involved. As I
engaged in Dwight Hall’s virtual service opportunities and program,
isolation lessened, and I was excited to take on the role of Communications
Coordinator on the Student Executive Committee (ExComm) in the spring of
2021. Being on a team of this kind was an extraordinary experience; we
were all bound together by our love for service, social justice work, and
Dwight Hall’s ethos and values.
I’m grateful for the many new experiences and opportunities that Dwight
Hall has provided, including meaningful engagement with New Haven and
dedicated student leaders across the many member groups, fellowships,
and programs of Dwight Hall. Of special note is Voices and Stories, a
passion project that I conceived of as Communications Coordinator in 2021
that enabled me to learn more about the students of Dwight Hall. It’s so
exciting to see it continue highlighting and sharing student narratives.
Being on a team of this kind was an
extraordinary experience; we were
all bound together by our love for
service, social justice work, and
Dwight Hall’s ethos and values.
In the wake of COVID-19, many service opportunities and projects could not
be carried out as originally intended, among the many other challenges of
the time. Member groups had to adapt or halt their work. Unfortunately,
many groups did end up dissolving, and overall, Dwight Hall experienced a
loss of institutional knowledge. Understanding the impacts of these
challenges, in the spring of 2022, as I stepped into the Co-Coordinator role,
major goals included fostering interconnectedness between member groups
and Dwight Hall students; increasing service opportunities; and engaging
the Yale community with Dwight Hall, New Haven, and service. Although
there have been challenges along the way, I’m proud of the progress the
previous two ExComms have made toward these aims. Upon the 2023
ExComm’s reflection, we agreed that generally more students knew about
Dwight Hall than ever before. From the expansion of FOCUS on New Haven
to increased events and programming, this was an intensely collective
effort, and it’s exciting to think about how future ExComms will build upon
this.
The past two years in this role have been marked by transition and
reimagination. Because, in a way, we started from a blank slate and we
could shape how and what we wanted ExComm to look like: both a
challenging and rewarding task. Engaging in many conversations about
sustainable, meaningful service; reflection and growth; and strategic
planning has been extremely eye-opening and will shape my future
endeavors to come. In many ways, I never expected to be in the position of
taking on a role like Co-Coordinator, but I could not be more grateful for the
experience.
Lastly, I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the many amazing,
dedicated people of Dwight Hall: our member groups, the Student Executive
Committee, the staff members, and the Board of Directors. Interacting and
working with everyone over the past four years has been an incredible honor.

10
Member Group Spotlight: Yale Emergency Medical Services
by Frank Horrigan ’26
Yale Emergency Medical Services (YEMS) strives to create a safer campus by providing
emergency medical services and educational community initiatives. We are a student-run,
state-licensed EMS agency that provides standby coverage for athletic and campus events as
a part of Yale Health. We also provide extensive training and certifications to the Yale
community.
The core of YEMS activities are our medical standbys:
making sure our peers are taken care of in case
anything happens. You might have seen us at all kinds
of campus events, from intramural soccer games to The
Game to Commencement. For our members, it is
cheering on our friends at a game while being there to
make sure they are okay that excites us.
Our shifts start with a crew gathering in Yale Health to
check out our gear and get to know each other.
Sometimes, we are with people we have worked with
before, and other times, we get to meet someone new.
Once we are all set, we head over to our standby and
introduce ourselves to the event officials, coaches, and
players. It is always great to see their comfort and
appreciation in knowing that we are waiting at the
sidelines, ready to help in case anyone gets injured. And
then we wait! When things are going well, we take the
time to train and watch, staying vigilant for anyone who
needs assistance. If we see something or are waved
over, we dash in to assist, treat, and call for transport as
necessary.
We are also committed to providing training and practice opportunities for our members.
During downtime on shift, we always train and practice important skills so that our
members stay prepared for any situation. For members who want exposure to a wider
variety of calls, they can perform clinical ride-alongs in New Haven, exploring and giving
back to our surrounding communities in the process. We also cover operations and skills
lessons during our regular YEMS-wide meetings, where we sometimes have special guests
like Heidi, our campus Public Safety service dog!
Beyond promoting a healthy campus through our medical standbys, we provide extensive
training and certifications across the Yale community. You may have seen us in your
residential colleges or on Cross Campus teaching CPR to spearhead our HEARTSafe
Initiative. So far just this semester, we have also collaborated with other groups to offer a
suture clinic, a Narcan awareness training, and a Stop the Bleed class on top of our
semesterly EMT class. We appreciate all of those who have joined us to learn how to make
our campus a safer place!
There are several ways you can join YEMS on our mission to improve campus health and
safety. If you are already a CT-licensed EMT (or have passed the exams and are waiting for
processing), you can join as a member, where you can work on our medical standbys and in
our committees to plan YEMS community outreach, educational initiatives, mental health
workshops, social events, and more. We also recently started an associate membership
program to enable all motivated Yale students to work in our committees and observe
shifts as space permits. If you are interested, please refer to our website (ems.yale.edu) for
more information, and check out our Instagram (@yale_ems) to keep up with the most
recent events.
11

12
13
Member Group Spotlight: Kesem at Yale
by Victoria Gasca '25, Jonah Heiser '25, Melanie Nguyen '25 and Emily Vitale
Five million children are dealing with a parent's cancer diagnosis. This is why Kesem at Yale is
committed to creating a world where children impacted by a parent's cancer are never alone.
We support our children through and beyond their parent's cancer with free, fun-filled
programming and lasting community, the most notable being an annual, week-long summer
camp in mid-August. Camp Kesem would not be possible without the love and magic from our
committed student leaders and our camper families. Kesem means so many different things to
our members, and here are a few of the reasons why our counselors Kesem:
Melanie “Ocean” Nguyen ’25, Co-Director of Kesem at Yale
Victoria “Broadway” Gasca ’25, Co-Director
of Kesem at Yale
"When I was four, my mom passed away from
breast cancer. Dealing with these complex
emotions as a child was difficult, especially
given that none of my peers understood.
Giving kids a community of people who know
what they are going through is so valuable.
What is especially beautiful is that although
we are all brought together through family
struggles and tragedy, so much of Kesem is
pure joy. As a Blue Unit counselor last year, I
watched my campers have the time of their
lives dancing at the Glow Party, playing gaga
ball, making friendship bracelets, holding an
impromptu cabin fashion show, and more.
Every person I have met through Kesem—
counselor, camper, parent, and supporter—is
among the kindest, most selfless people I
have met, and I am so thankful to be part of
this."
Emily "Mags" Vitale, former Kesem camper
turned counselor
"Kesem has fostered a community where I
feel at home and truly myself. It's a place for
me to feel safe while processing the feelings
I have surrounding the death of my father.
That's something really special to me; it's
something I can't really find anywhere else. I
have really found a home here. It's just a
great place to have fun and just feel what
you're feeling. I have spent a long time
burying my emotions, and going to Camp
Kesem and being surrounded by so much
love, to talk or to not talk, has been such a
rock for me and something I look forward to
every summer. I can't imagine not being a
counselor here because I want to be able to
give the campers the same opportunity I got
from going to Camp Kesem.”
“I often joke with my friends that despite Camp Kesem being only five days long, we can
never run out of things to talk about. I think this is the magic of Kesem—how quickly this
community impacts you despite only seeing each other one week of the entire year. I
Kesem for the campers, because I have seen what sharing stories and finding solidarity
through challenging times can do. I Kesem for the counselors, because I am constantly
feeling thankful for the opportunity to feel the compassion and goodness of my peers and
create lasting friendships along the way. Lastly, I Kesem for myself because I love being
"Ocean,” to be able to contribute and support this community as a counselor, co-director,
hot cocoa/cereal runner, gimp starter, and friend.”
Jonah “Ham” Heiser ’25, Volunteer Coordinator at Kesem at Yale
“I Kesem because I have never seen a community bond as closely and wholeheartedly in
just one week as I saw at Camp Kesem 2022. It truly is magical to see campers of all ages,
counselors, and staff singing the same songs, playing the same games, dancing the same
dances, and uniting through Kesem magic in countless other ways. Also, Kesem is just so
fun! I had an absolute blast last year and cannot wait to share the experience this
upcoming summer with both new faces and old friends.”

14
15
Member Group Spotlight:
by Melina Joseph ’24
Bridges ESL
Bridges ESL is a Dwight Hall student-run organization that offers free English classes to
adult learners in the greater New Haven community. The volunteer group began in 2001
and has continued to serve immigrants and internationals through personalized language
instruction and community building.
I first began volunteering with Bridges ESL at the height of the pandemic. I had always
appreciated the role of language in bridging the gap between different cultures, and I was
drawn to the program because of its commitment to serving the local community. It has
been inspiring to see our tutors and students navigate online language learning and make
the transition back to in-person classes over the past few years.
Student Larissa de Souza, who is originally from Brazil and moved to the United States in
early 2020, said that “it has been an amazing experience learning from Yale students and
being at the campus. I love sharing my experiences and learning more about American
culture.” She mentioned that this semester was her third time in the program, adding,
“Bridges ESL changed my perspective about learning English and made me believe I am
capable of achieving all my educational goals.”
Adapting to a new environment is difficult, and many English learners face unique
challenges in navigating their work and community spaces. With Bridges, English language
education becomes a more accessible and empowering experience. Co-president Derek
Song ’25 says, “One of the greatest benefits of Bridges is that tutors are able to customize
their curricula to match their students’ goals and needs. This allows students to prioritize
the skills and subjects most relevant to their interests, and it also fosters a closer, more
committed relationship between tutor and student. I’ve found it incredibly rewarding to
work with someone over the course of a semester, sometimes even several semesters,
and see them gradually become more confident and comfortable in their interactions.
Many of the relationships formed during Bridges last well beyond our time in New Haven.”
Excerpts from the Bridges ESL student anthology, 2022-23
“As a Brazilian student studying Healthcare Administration in a new country, adapting to a different
culture and language has been a significant challenge for me. However, Bridges ESL has been
instrumental in facilitating my transition and helping me in every aspect of my adaptation.
The Bridges ESL program offers English classes with native English speakers for free. It is a supportive
learning environment for a diverse community of learners, which has been incredibly beneficial for me in
both my academic and professional pursuits. The classes at Bridges ESL have been instrumental in
developing my critical thinking and communication skills. I am grateful to have Mariana as my instructor,
who not only possesses excellent teaching abilities but also creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere
in the class that helps boost students' confidence. Overall, I am confident that the skills and knowledge I
have gained from this program will not only help me succeed academically but also personally in my
daily life.”
Gabriel Barsotti
While Bridges ESL continues to offer virtual options, many community members come to
the Yale cultural centers for their small group tutoring sessions. Saturday mornings at the
Asian American Cultural Center and La Casa Cultural bustle with noise and excitement as
students and tutors arrive and begin their lessons. The energy is contagious and a reminder
of the uniqueness of this shared learning space.
Now in her fourth year of tutoring with Bridges, volunteer Michaela Bauman ’24 spoke
about the connection between language teaching and her journey learning Portuguese at
Yale. She said, “My Brazilian students are often surprised and appreciative to meet an
American learning Portuguese. I love bonding with them over the struggles of learning
another language and hearing about Brazil from their perspectives.”
“Changes are hard. They, however, always bring new opportunities to grow in many aspects of your life
and give you the opportunity to improve personally, professionally, and spiritually. I consider myself to be
a curious, brave, and determined person. That is why, one day, I decided to change my life and start again
in the United States, a country where I hoped to find new and better life opportunities.
This change has been the biggest and one of the most significant in my life, and time flies when you are
doing what you want to do! Actually, last week, I completed my first year here. It has been a year with a
lot of ups and downs, emotions, and challenges. Starting new friendships, speaking English and adapting
myself to the culture are some of the changes that I experience and challenges that I face every day, but
surrounded by new people, places and experiences, has made everything a little bit easier.
Bridges ESL, for example, has become a place where I found a lot of help to improve my English skills, as
much as I can, to be more confident, establish new relationships and adapt better. Right now, I’m not
sure about how long I will be in this country or what could be my next life experience. The only thing I’m
sure of is that I will remember this moment in my life as one of the best.”
Carolina Hernández

16 17
Member Group Spotlight:
by Lizbeth Lozano ’25
Yale MathCounts Outreach
Yale MathCounts Outreach is a student-led volunteer group that provides after-school
math enrichment programs for New Haven middle and elementary school students.
Undergraduate students are paired with schools to teach math curriculum or MATHCOUNTS
competition-style topics once a week. Additionally, we hold many large-scale events for
students throughout the year, such as our annual New Haven-wide math competitions and
Girls’ Math Day.
During my time at Yale, becoming involved with Yale MathCounts Outreach was a pivotal
choice that impacted my academic and personal journey. When I first arrived on campus as
a first-year, I knew I wanted to spend time engaging with the New Haven community. I
spent three hours a week tutoring during my first year through Bridges ESL and the Yale
Education Tutoring Initiative (YETI), two other Dwight Hall member groups. As much as I
loved tutoring my students over Zoom, I really missed my high school experiences of doing
in-person tutoring for middle school students in math. I also grew up competing in math
and science competitions and I wanted to reconnect with a community of people who
shared those experiences.
I joined Yale MathCounts Outreach the fall of my sophomore year. I taught once a week
with another MathCounts coach, Raaghav Malik ’27. Every Wednesday afternoon, we’d
meet up at the bus stop outside of Gheav and take CTTransit to L.W. Beecher, our
partner school. On the bus, we would talk about the lesson plans we had crafted over
text, and once we arrived at the school, our partner teacher, Mrs. Frank, would walk us
over to the eighth grade students we taught during their enrichment time. One of my
favorite lessons we both taught was having students roll markers down different
surfaces of the classroom to teach them about measuring speed. At a time when I was
really uncertain about my career and major decisions, teaching through MathCounts
solidified my dedication to a future in teaching and education studies. I realized how
challenging it was to tailor the weekly math lessons to our students’ needs while
keeping them engaged and motivated. But every week felt like a new adventure, and I
always left L.W. Beecher excited to return with a new math lesson the next week.
The spring of my sophomore year, I was chosen to be the social chair of Yale
MathCounts Outreach, which remains my current role. This group has been one of the
most welcoming communities I’ve encountered at Yale, and I plan events to help
nurture that community. Over the past year, we’ve had boba nights and movie nights to
foster connections among our coaches and show appreciation for all of their hard work.
It’s also exciting to talk about my experience coaching at L.W. Beecher to prospective
coaches at bazaars!
Another important aspect of MathCounts
Outreach is organizing math events
throughout the year for New Haven
students. One of these events is Girls’
Math Day, which we hold every fall to
celebrate the accomplishments of women
in math. We also hold two New Havenwide
math competitions a year, including
the annual MathCounts Chapter February
Competition and our own November
Competition that brings students from all
over New Haven to compete and learn in
a friendly environment. It is always such a
joy to watch students gather with their
classmates and come to cheer each other
on as they complete math problems. Each
of our board members plays a very
important role in each of these events,
especially our Presidents Zhemin Shao
’24 and Stephen Yin ’24, our Vice
President Cece Sheng ’25, and our
Events Chairs David Metrick ’24 and
Rosy Lu ’26. I am always inspired by the
way they lead these events and they are
wonderful representatives of the energy
and joy brought by people who love math.

18 19
Member Group Spotlight:
by Sophia Li ’27
YEP!
The Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP!) is an entirely free after-school program for New
Haven high school and middle school students aimed at empowering the next generation of
changemakers. YEP! is hosted at university campuses across the globe and was
established at Yale in 2021. The program conducts biweekly sessions where students hear
from accomplished guest speakers and develop their own ventures. The culmination of
YEP! is a pitch night, during which students showcase their business ideas to a panel of
Yale University professors, students, and local entrepreneurs. Through their participation in
the program, students gain exposure to the multifaceted world of entrepreneurship and
acquire the essential skills needed to transform their ideas into reality. Ultimately, YEP!
strives to nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs while simultaneously strengthening
the bonds between universities and their local communities.
Some of Drew's fondest memories from the program come from listening to YEP!'s guest
speakers. Among them, she found the presentation by Kyle Jensen, the Associate Dean of the
Yale School of Management, to be particularly insightful. “When I think of a dean, I think about
a person that is serious and in a suit. But, Dean Jensen was very dressed-down, relatable, and
calm. He was surprisingly approachable and very helpful. He taught us about how to create a
pitch deck, which I was excited to then apply to my own business,” Drew explained. The YEP!
speaker series not only seeks to inspire and expose students to various forms of
entrepreneurship but also to humanize these roles and assist students in envisioning
themselves in such positions in the future. The program hopes that Dean Jensen’s
presentation gives Drew more confidence to interact with Yale’s faculty network, an
experience that will help her build connections moving forward.
Drew, a YEP! student ambassador, is an aspiring entrepreneur with dreams of launching
her own fashion label someday. She joined YEP! in the spring of 2023, entering the program
with little prior understanding of what entrepreneurship truly entailed. In her own words, “I
didn’t really know what the process [of being an entrepreneur] was like until YEP!.”
Additionally, as Drew said, “the reason I think
this program is important is because it shows
how welcoming Yale is to the kids in New Haven.
A lot of my classmates grew up all their lives
assuming that Yale was gated and not
accessible. It is nice for Yale to include kids and
give us the resources and opportunities that we
wouldn't have otherwise.” She also notes that
“the main thing [she] learned from YEP! is
teamwork.” Through her involvement in YEP!,
Drew has had the opportunity to work
collaboratively with her peers to address
community issues and cultivate lifelong skills
that are applicable to virtually any field she may
choose to pursue.
YEP!’s Fall Incubator was successful and the program is excited to continue its growth. The
YEP! at Yale team looks forward to inspiring students at both Yale and in New Haven for many
years to come.

20 21
What Does Dwight Hall Offer?
Thousands of Yale volunteers are trained to bring a community-centered
approach to their service. Through 70+ student member groups and 160+
fellowships and experiential learning opportunities, Dwight Hall engages
approximately two-thirds of the student body each year in service and social
justice activities. The Hall promotes community-based learning, innovative
programming, best practices, and collaborative communication.
Programs and Fellowships
Alumni Mentorship and Career
Development
Community Mental Health Fellows
Community Engagement Resource
Development and Trainings
Co-Op After School
Crisis Response Network
The Jane & William E. Curran '49
Distinguished Mentor Program
Dwight Hall Community Commons
Dwight Hall Community Response Fellows
Dwight Hall Institutional (Days of) Service
Dwight Hall Member Group Advisement
Dwight Hall Member Group Fellows
Dwight Hall Public Library Fellows
Dwight Hall Public School Interns
Dwight Hall Service Series
Dwight Hall Socially Responsible
Investment Fund
View current applications and opportunities here:
Dwight Hall Summer Fellows
Dwight Hall Urban Fellows
Dwight Hall Student Executive Committee
and Cabinet
Emerging Project Sponsorship
First-Years in Support of New Haven
FOCUS on New Haven
Graduate and Professional Service Support
Harbor Fellows: A Dwight Hall Program at
Yale
Jones-Zimmermann Academic Mentoring
Program
The Rev. John G. Magee '06 Fellowship
Program
Muslim Leadership Lab
New Haven Civic Allyship Initiative
Workshops and Skills Trainings
Yale Prison Education Initiative
YANA-Dwight Hall Summer Fellows
Dwight Hall Student-Led Member Groups
Alzheimer's Buddies
American Red Cross at Yale
Amnesty International Club
Asian American Students Alliance
Black Solidarity Conference
Black Student Alliance at Yale
Bridges ESL
Camp Kesem
Campus Girl Scouts
Cedarhurst School Yale Group
CityStep
Code Haven
Community Health Educators
DEMOS
Elmseed Enterprise Fund
Engineers Without Borders Yale
University Student Chapter
Environmental Education
Collaborative
FIRST at Yale
First Strokes Ltd.
Funbotics
Girls on the Run
Hear Your Song
Hypertension Awareness &
Prevention Project at Yale
Link New Haven
MathCOUNTS
Matriculate
MEChA de Yale
Migration Alliance at Yale
New Haven REACH
New Haven Urban Debate League
PALS
Partners in Health Engage
Peristalsis Dance Group
Project Access at Yale - A Student
Organization
Public Health Coalition
RISE: Refugee and Immigrant
Student Education
Rotaract Club
SheCode
Special Needs Undergraduate Swim
Lessons
STEM & Health Equity Advocates at
Yale
Students Against Hindutva Ideology
Students for Sensible Drug Policy
Synapse
The Cinemat
The New Haven PAWS Project
(Poverty Alleviation through
Washing Soles)
The Nourish Project
The Urban Philanthropic Fund
The Yale Undergraduate Ethics
Bowl
Ulysses S. Grant Foundation
Urban Improvement Corps
Walden Peer Counseling
Y2Y New Haven
Yale Association for Small Claims
Assistance
Yale Black Muslim Student
Association
Yale Children's Theater
Yale College Chess Club
Yale Dhvani
Yale Education Tutoring Initiative
Yale Effective Altruism
Yale EMS
Yale Hunger and Homelessness
Action Project
Yale Interpretation Network
Yale MedSci
Yale Muslim Students Association
Yale Student Mental Health
Association
Yale Undergraduate Association
for African Peace and
Development
Yale Undergraduate Legal Aid
Association
Yale Undergraduate Prison Project
Yale Undergraduate Science
Olympiad
Yale Undergraduates at
Connecticut Hospice
Yale Votes
Yale’s Black Men’s Union
YaleBleeds
YEP!

22
Connect
23
Peter Crumlish ’09 M.A.R.
Dwight Hall Executive Director and General Secretary
with
us!
Sign up for Hall
Happenings, our
weekly student
newsletter!
Critical reflection has long been an essential practice
complementing the service work we do at the Hall. Action coupled
with reflection is how we grow as critical thinkers and learn more
about ourselves and the opportunities and responsibilities facing us
as members of the living community on this planet.
One of the most important habits to cultivate toward a critically
reflective practice is listening: deep, open-minded, empathetic, and
non-judgmental listening. It is what we depend on from those who
counsel and guide us; it is what we have benefited from in those
who love us and have our best interests at heart. And it is also what
we owe each other.
@DwightHallAtYale
@DwightHallAtYale
@DwightHallYale
Yale, at its best, offers a way of being in community that brings
together people from the most diverse backgrounds. Dwight Hall
provides the values, habits, and practices that enable us to make
the most of this diversity by coming to understand each other and
ourselves as humans worthy of equal love and respect.
In these pages—and the voices and stories they contain—you will
see that eagerness to listen and learn from each other and
recognize the formation of critical thinkers who can imagine a better
world and become better equipped to bring it about together.
Yours in Service,
Peter Crumlish ’09 M.A.R.
peter.crumlish@yale.edu
(203) 432-2428
Dwight Hall
67 High Street, Old Campus
dwighthall.org

Artwork by Hannah Turner ’24