Dinner with Alumni program fosters lifelong connections

Students at Beckerman dinner

Students at Beckerman dinner“Vibrant. Smart. Compassionate.”  That is how the most recent host for the Dinner with Alumni program described the 10 students she dined with at her D.C. home on April 26, 2012.

Zoe Beckerman, LAW JD ’05, SPHHS CERT ’05, has been opening up her home to students annually for the past several years. Beckerman, a partner at the D.C. law firm Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP, describes her dinner experiences as “completely energizing and fun,” where every student and alumnus can share career aspirations and personal passions.

Created to provide networking opportunities for undergraduate students, the program allows students to make personal connections with alumni in a collegial and relaxed setting. This academic year, 42 dinners were hosted by alumni at restaurants, work offices and homes throughout the D.C. metro region. Over 900 students applied for the approximately 200 dinner slots.

“Overall, I think this is a really amazing program, and [it] provides students with unique exposure into the professional world and from a relatable perspective,” said Jessica Hoffner, SPHHS ’14, an attendee at Beckerman’s dinner.

While the dinners range in their formality, Beckerman chose to host a more casual dinner at her house along with her husband, Peter Loge, an adjunct professor in GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs. Loge also invited two recent alumni, Ashley Starks, GWSB ’11, and Carly Lagrotteria, Columbian College ’11, to talk to the students about finding that first job after graduation.

Beckerman became involved in the Dinner program while a member of GW’s Board of Trustees, where she served from 2006-10. She says the experience has been nothing short of fantastic and encourages alumni to get involved with this program, adding that it is a great “opportunity to re-engage with the university in an easy, fun way and meet vibrant people who will hopefully become lifelong friends.”

For further information on the Dinner with Alumni program, please contact the Coordinator of Student Alumni programs, at 202-994-2610 .

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