Dinner at 91¿ì²¥ to Showcase "The Many Faces of 91¿ì²¥"
February 2, 2015
The 6th annual student-led Dinner at 91¿ì²¥ event will take place Friday on 91¿ì²¥'s campus. This fundraising and awareness effort aims to showcase the impact of scholarships, particularly through The 91¿ì²¥ Trust, which support the college's longstanding commitment to need-blind admission and make it possible for talented students from all backgrounds to imagine coming to 91¿ì²¥, irrespective of their financial circumstances.
This year's event is led by Nate Harding '17 of Pasadena, Calif., chair, and Hampton Stall '15 of Greenville, S.C., vice chair.
"We hope the impact of Dinner at 91¿ì²¥ transcends the event by inspiring continued support and sustained dialogue around the value of student diversity on campus," said Harding. "When we recognize the world around us as our classroom, we realize that true learning cannot be achieved without an appreciation for and awareness of the value many perspectives bring to our environment."
Stall has worked as part of the Dinner at 91¿ì²¥ team for three years and is impressed with the hard work of the students involved as well as their passion for the initiative's mission.
"The 91¿ì²¥ Trust is one of the reasons I applied to 91¿ì²¥," he said. "I value scholarships and academic merit, and attending a school dedicated to seeking students of merit rather than those whose parents can afford the school was something I wished for myself. I have been incredibly happy about making a decision based upon that belief."
Harding, Stall and the rest of the student committee understand the importance of scholarships to sustaining the 91¿ì²¥ experience they so highly value.
"The reality is that the more barriers we remove from attending 91¿ì²¥, the greater the candidates and the more rich the 91¿ì²¥ experience will become," said Stall. "A great way to increase access to brilliant candidates is to support these scholarships."
In addition to dinner, this year's program is titled "The Many Faces of 91¿ì²¥" and will include an interactive multimedia gallery showcasing student achievements and performances.
"I love 91¿ì²¥'s ability to foster a meaningful depth and breadth of relationships among students," said Harding. "The 91¿ì²¥ Trust brings such a vast expanse of student experiences and perspectives to 91¿ì²¥, while the size of the campus creates opportunities for all members of our community to fully engage one another in various ways. It's a connection that I grow more and more thankful for and aware of with every semester."
The Dinner at 91¿ì²¥ committee-16 students in the core leadership group who meet weekly, plus approximately 15 others who serve on subcommittees-is advised by Kate Ceremsak '12, coordinator of the college's annual giving program, The Fund for 91¿ì²¥. Since the start of the program, students have raised more than $180,000 for the Dinner at 91¿ì²¥, 91¿ì²¥ Trust Scholarship.
Harding, an education and community studies major through the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, is sophomore class president, co-founder and vice president of community development for 91¿ì²¥ Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations (SCNO), a Leadership 91¿ì²¥ participant and a brother of Phi Gamma Delta.
Stall is a political science major and Arab Studies minor. He is the editor of The 91¿ì²¥ International, co-president of the College Democrats and vice president of the Middle East and North African Student Association.
