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The 6th annual student-led Dinner at »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË event will take place Friday on »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË's campus. This fundraising and awareness effort aims to showcase the impact of scholarships, particularly through The »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË 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 »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË, 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 »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË 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 »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË 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 »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË Trust is one of the reasons I applied to »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË," 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 »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË experience they so highly value. 

"The reality is that the more barriers we remove from attending »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË, the greater the candidates and the more rich the »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË 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 »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË" and will include an interactive multimedia gallery showcasing student achievements and performances.

"I love »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË's ability to foster a meaningful depth and breadth of relationships among students," said Harding. "The »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË Trust brings such a vast expanse of student experiences and perspectives to »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË, 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 »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË 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 »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË. Since the start of the program, students have raised more than $180,000 for the Dinner at »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË, »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË 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 »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations (SCNO), a Leadership »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË participant and a brother of Phi Gamma Delta.

Stall is a political science major and Arab Studies minor. He is the editor of The »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË International, co-president of the College Democrats and vice president of the Middle East and North African Student Association.