Dinners for 12 Strangers (D12) is a beloved 53-year UCLA Alumni Association tradition that connects students and alumni in small gatherings of approximately 12 participants over the course of three evenings. While we weren’t able to gather in person this year, the program pivoted to virtual modality to connect 1,000 Bruins and continue fostering community during COVID-19. Through the development of a new event portal, and creation of a digital cookbook with recipe entries from students, alumni, and campus restaurants, this year’s gatherings were focused on invention and innovation. Also new this year, we expanded engagement to include parents of undergraduate students by holding parent-hosted gatherings. In partnership with External Affairs development officers and various offices on campus, we enhanced the gatherings by curating special offerings focused on specific topics and affinities. With the unique nature of online meet-ups, we were able to connect Bruins in Tokyo and San Francisco in a way we have not been able to prior.
From the Judges
We thought that this was such a creative submission. We were very familiar with the “Dinner for 12” events, but the way that this team took it upon themselves to make it more of a creative experience while being on zoom was just fantastic! We loved the marketing efforts and the idea of the cookbook. Overall a very great idea!
