Madison Wuu

Visiting the Dartmouth Club of New York

Ever since the 1970s, the Dartmouth alumni group has used the Yale Club in Midtown Manhattan as a gathering place for events and networking. One of my mentors in the city once shared a funny piece of club history that stuck with me. According to him, urban legend has it that in the early 1970s, the Dartmouth alumni club had been meeting near Grand Central, but the space apparently "wasn't up to Rockefeller's standards." As the story goes, the club's leadership—run by Rockefeller—decided it would be better to "take over" the Yale Club, a massive private clubhouse built in 1915 that includes restaurants, hotel rooms, meeting spaces, gym facilities, and event venues. Since then, the Dartmouth Club has been "in residence" at the Yale Club.

Stepping into one of New York's classic clubhouses.

During my 10 weeks in New York, I had the chance to go to the Yale Club three times. Let me tell you about them.

1. Working out and using the sauna

The first time I went, my sister's friend—who attended Dartmouth with her and is now a member of the Yale Club—was able to guest-swipe me in. Throughout my time here, I've been going to hot yoga classes at CorePower, which I've really enjoyed. It's great to come together as a group and dedicate an hour to working out together. But this experience was different in that there were only three of us in the class—me, Adri, and one other person—so the instructor could give us much more individual attention. I really liked how personal the class felt with such a small group. It was also my very first spin class! I felt like the instructor's enthusiasm made the class really fun, and it kept me energized the whole time.

Spin mode: activated!

After the class, I got to use some of the gym facilities, which was awesome. The gym has squash courts, all the standard equipment, and even a few tucked-away rooms for different workouts. I personally really enjoyed it and got a good workout in!​

Never played squash, but the courts are convincing me.

Adri making the gym look easy.

Then Adri and I went to the locker room, where she shared her routine with me: shower, sauna, and a rinse-off with cold water. When I tell you I tried it, and it was genuinely one of the most zen experiences ever, I'm not joking. Seriously, the method!​

When the workout glow hits.

Adri and I ended our hangout with dinner at the Tap Room, which had such a great atmosphere. The food was delicious, and I was really grateful to Adri for treating me to such a wonderful meal. Overall, the whole day felt incredibly rejuvenating.

Dinner officially underway.

A cozy dinner to end a perfect day.

2. A Peek into Planning with the Executive Committee

One of my mentors in the city introduced me to Charles Allison, the current president of the Dartmouth Club of New York, who kindly invited me to sit in on an executive committee meeting with the alumni association.

I'm from the LA area, so I had previously been somewhat involved with the Dartmouth Club of Los Angeles and attended several of their reception events, including the Christmas party, the film and entertainment mixer, the Dartmouth '28 welcome party and sendoff event, etc. I've always been grateful to the people who organize these gatherings because they've given me the opportunity to meet many lifelong mentors and friends.

Sitting in on the meeting made me even more appreciative of all the work that goes into these events. The meeting lasted about two hours and covered everything from budgeting to events to marketing—and they do this every month! Hearing the discussions and seeing the planning process firsthand gave me a new perspective on the thoughtfulness, dedication, and effort that go into organizing these events. From the outside, they can seem effortlessly planned and seamless, but I now realize how much time and care go into making them possible. Big thanks again to the alumni and club members who put so much into strengthening the Dartmouth community—your dedication doesn't go unnoticed!

At one point, the committee asked for my input on how to make current students more aware of what the Dartmouth Club of New York has to offer. I shared some ideas, including using different media platforms for wider reach and authentic marketing strategies, like real-time testimonials. I also had the chance to introduce myself to the committee and talk a bit about my admissions blog. They even agreed to take a photo so I could include it!

After the event, we networked at the Yale Club's Main Bar and Lounge, which gave me the chance to connect with many of the people I had met during the meeting. They're a fantastic group, and I'm truly grateful for their friendliness, kindness, and willingness to offer guidance during my time as a student and support me in any way they can.

3. An Official Tour!

Through meeting someone at the committee meeting, I was invited on an official tour of the Yale Club the next day, and I took him up on the offer. We visited the different levels, and I took some photos along the way.

My favorite room. Such a gorgeous space. Loved the intricate ceiling details.

The views from the balcony were amazing! I can picture this being really great in the spring/summertime.

Row after row of books.

In a classic phone booth.

I'm really grateful for the opportunity to explore and tour the Yale Club. It's great to have a space after college to connect with fellow alumni or meet new people from schools like Yale or UVA. If there's one takeaway from my visit, it's that I'd definitely want to become a member if I ever end up in the city. New York, I'll be back!