First-Year Dinners 2012

Eighteen Twin Cities alumni opened their homes and kitchens this fall as part of the First Year Dinner program. Organized annually by the Alumni Relations office, this program pairs first-year courses and their professors with a local alumni host for a casual dinner. For many students, this is their first chance for a home-cooked meal since arriving on campus. For alumni, it’s an opportunity to meet the next generation joining the Macalester community.

“It was a very fun evening for us,” remarked one alumni host. “The students are always so interesting–it’s fascinating to hear about their backgrounds, how they chose Macalester and their goals.” Participating professors appreciated the opportunity to chat with their students in a relaxed environment and give them a glimpse of the world after Mac. “It was also very helpful for the students to get some perspective from fairly recent alumni talking about the Macalester experience,” reflected one faculty member.

Over the past ten years 66 local alumni have hosted 164 first-year courses for dinner, feeding and chatting with over 2,000 students along the way. If you live near campus and are interested in hosting a First Year Dinner next fall, please contact Neely Crane-Smith ’06 in Alumni Relations at [email protected] or 651-696-6209.