26. The Dalton Conversation Series

The Dalton Alumni Council launched the Dalton Conversation Series in 2007. The conversations have captured the imagination of thousands of Dalton community members who have come to listen, while raising nearly a half-million dollars for Dalton’s scholarship fund.

Seeking a way to reconnect alumni to Dalton and to hear from alumni who have great stories to share, the Dalton Alumni Council launched the Dalton Conversation Series in 2007. As conceived by Abby Pogrebin ’83, a then-member of the Council, the Conversation Series became Dalton’s own version of the renowned 92nd Street Y civic conversations.

On the Martin Theater stage, the Conversation Series brings together illustrious alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents of alumni, current parents, current grandparents, and even a few (otherwise unaffiliated) friends of Dalton for fascinating, freewheeling discussions on, well, whatever they want to talk about. From Neil Sedaka (father of Marc ’84), playing the piano and singing his biggest hits to Gloria Vanderbilt holding court with her son Anderson Cooper ’85, to Ralph Lauren and Dylan Lauren ’92 sharing retail secrets, to Brooke Adams ’66 and husband Tony Shalhoub offering insights on their successful acting careers, to Pauline Frommer ’83 and her father Arthur Frommer revealing insider travel tips, to Buzzy Bissinger ’72 on stage with Caitlyn Jenner, we’ve hosted some truly remarkable and memorable evenings.

Over the course of a decade, that freedom to discuss whatever has yielded remarkable exchanges on politics, justice, news, comedy, fashion, music, entertainment, activism, and — of course — Dalton memories. The conversations have captured the imaginations of thousands and thousands of members of the Dalton community who have come to listen, while raising nearly a half-million dollars for Dalton’s scholarship fund.
—Charles Simon ’84, Alumni Council Advisor