An AYA Swarm in New Haven

AYA Assembly events included a gala dinner to award the Yale Medal, sessions where Yale officials spoke to alumni delegates, and The 130th Harvard-Yale Game (Yale Twitter photos)

An AYA dinner, reception and session

Yale alumni, by the hundreds and from around the world, convened in New Haven Nov. 21-23 for the annual AYA Assembly. They swept through the campus, attending meetings, conferences, and special luncheons. Alumni delegates represented classes, clubs, cities, countries, and special-interest groups.  The Assembly affords alumni a three-day, in-depth peek of many aspects of Yale--residential colleges, Woodbridge Hall, graduate and professional schools, academic disciplines, Science Hill, West Campus and even favorite after-hours haunts such as Mory's and Yorkside. When they weren't examining the current workings and activities of Yale, Assembly delegates tackled a detailed alumni agenda from strategic planning to regional organizing.

Yale alumni being Yale alumni, they all itch to deliver ample input, ideas and a collective voice from alumni in other regions. 

This year's Assembly, the 73rd, turned its attention on the first day to New Haven, celebrating its 375th birthday.  AYA organized sessions for alumni to learn about current challenges and progress of the city, now under the leadership of new mayor Toni Harp '78 ARC. Some took tours of New Haven neighborhoods and heard more about  the city's latest attractions and developments.

AYA leaders, Mark Dollhopf '77 (Executive Director) and Jimmy Lu '77 (Chair of the AYA board), presided over most sessions, panel discussions and dinners.  Westchester representatives at the assembly included YWAA officers and appointed board members.


On the second day, Alumni groups met to share best practices in leading Yale alumni nationally and internationally.   The Assembly, until recent years, often met twice a year, but now convenes in larger numbers each November.

Former president Richard Levin '74 Ph.d. and his wife Jane Levin '75 Ph.d. were among the six winners of the Yale Medal for Service, awarded by the AYA.