The Dwight School Foundation recently hosted a series of alumni events, at which former students generously offered advice on collegiate life, shared powerful insights on today’s job markets, and inspired current Dwight students with their sparks of genius.
Reading and Q&A with NYT Bestselling Author
Coco Mellors ’07, Dwight alumna and a New York Times bestselling author, hosted a reading of her most recent book, Blue Sisters. The event included a Q&A session moderated by Head of Upper School Eric Dale, offering current students and faculty a chance to learn more from Coco.
Coco offered thoughtful advice to aspiring writers in the audience. To battle writer’s block, she suggested “imagination walks” and spoke of the importance of writer’s groups, deadlines, and setting aside specific time to write. The key is “following through with the time you set,” because, as Coco said, “It’s the 27th moment that is genius, but you have to sit through one through 26 of not knowing and feeling like it’s never going to happen.”
During the Q&A session, current student Cass Townsend ’26 asked whether there are recurring topics or ideas Coco finds herself exploring in her writing. Coco said, “If I’m chatting about something with my friends, chances are it’s a good topic to write about. And I think during my MFA, I was trying to impress people more than I was trying to move people. So I was trying to write about what I thought I should write about. But actually, I think it’s better to trust the instinct of real life.”
Cass said that after the conversation, she felt motivated to “continue to apply this advice in the future.” She said, “Coco’s story of success, as well as her desire to come back to Dwight and share it with all of us, was one of the things I found most inspiring.”
For Dwight students whose dream is to write, Coco is an invaluable resource. Her talk ignited a spark in each community member who attended.
Panel Discussion with Women Leaders
Coco Mellors is not the only powerful Dwight alumna to have recently returned to advise our current students and encourage them to actively pursue their passions. In March, The Dwight School Foundation, in partnership with the Alumni Women’s Circle and the student-led Feminist Club, hosted a panel discussion with Female Leaders.
The event featured five accomplished Dwight community members — three alumnae and two Dwight parents, Beth Maldin Morgenthau (P ’30) and Shamim Rashid-Sumar (P ’25 and P ’30), who discussed their careers and how being a woman influenced their choices and experiences. Our alumnae panelists were Sophia Conger ’14 (Film Director, Writer, and Producer), Isabela Garcez ’07 (Associate Attorney at Ropes & Gray LLP), and Sonu Kapoor ’17 (Trader at BBVA).
Current Feminist Club Members Esme Tublin ’25 and Elise Sass ’25, who moderated the panel along with Foundation Director Moira Price, steered a riveting conversation about being a woman in power in a variety of fields, and ways to be bold and brave in the workplace.
These panelists also discussed how Dwight helped further their careers in their respective industries. Sonu said, “Dwight empowered me and encouraged me to speak up.”
Similarly, when asked about her work in the film industry, Sophia mentioned that Dwight’s emphasis on strong language learning enabled her to minor in French at college and study abroad in France. It was through this experience that she ultimately landed a job with a French-American feature film.
Isabela explained that her many leadership positions at Dwight gave her the confidence she required to follow her dreams and become a lawyer. Placing 4th in state championships in Mock Trial, earning the title of Captain of the volleyball team, and becoming both a Peer Leader and Head Girl fueled her passion for advocacy, leading teams, and working with different clients and communities.
Thanks to all our parent and alumni panelists for their time and invaluable insight.
Recent Grads Share College Insight During Two Panels
In January, The Dwight School Foundation hosted two college panels, one for seniors and another for sophomores and juniors in the Quest program. Alumni from the Classes of 2023 and 2024 came to speak about their collegiate life thus far — and discuss how their years at Dwight set them up for success as they embarked on their newest adventures.
Frances Gindi-Chiafullo ’24 (Brandeis University), Oliver Haber ’24 (University of Vermont), Valentina Hoover ’24 (Rice University), Andres Huart ’24 (Howard University), Hayden Lucas ’24 (Rice University), Allegra Masterson ’24 (University of Virginia), Dio Regjaj ’24 (New York University), and Guilherme Sequeira ’24 (Brown University) shared their stories in support of our current seniors.
Our students found the panel both meaningful and timely, leaving them more prepared to make intentional decisions about their college journeys and their remaining time at Dwight.
Alumni of Quest — Dwight’s learning center modeled after Oxford University’s tutorial mentorship approach — spoke of Quest’s lasting impact on their lives. The College Quest Panel was Ollie Bartlett ’23 (Boston College), Olivia Salerno ’23 (Loyola Marymount), and Morgan Elefant ’24 (UT Austin).
These alumni spoke to current Quest students about how Dwight prepared them for college success, and how the Quest program shaped their ability to handle the shift into the collegiate learning environment from Dwight.
Our alumni are always excited to share their post-Dwight stories, and we are so grateful to them for coming in and giving back to our next generation.
Once a Lion, always a Lion!
