Celebrating 20 Years of Impact
In 2005, thanks to a visionary $1 million gift from the Hiatt family, Beaver Country Day School launched a bold new initiative: The Hiatt Center for Civic Engagement. At the time, this investment signaled an institutional commitment to leadership development, civic engagement, and social justice. Today—20 years later—we are proud to celebrate the incredible impact of that founding gift and share exciting news about the future of this work.
Over the past two decades, the Hiatt Center has not only shaped the experiences of hundreds of Beaver students—it has helped redefine our entire school culture. What began as an inspired idea has become a dynamic, school-wide movement that touches every corner of our community, from classrooms and clubs to partnerships with external organizations and the world beyond Hammond Street.
The initial vision of the Hiatt family was to help young people become thoughtful, engaged citizens. Through programs like the Hiatt Summer Fellowship, students were empowered to explore their interests and take action in the real world—often for the first time. Those early efforts planted seeds that have grown into a comprehensive, integrated program that is now central to our academic mission and our values as a school.
Erica DeRosa, Director of Philanthropy and Engagement
Today, under the leadership of Director Liz Latour and her talented colleagues, Barbie Garayúa Tudryn and Geeta Jain, the reach and impact of this work have expanded significantly. Supported by our institutional commitment to growing student leadership and social responsibility, Beaver has invested deeply in this team and the unique programming they have developed. Together, they serve as catalysts for meaningful collaboration between and among students, faculty, alumni, and community partners.
This work is now embedded in our academic curriculum, our faculty professional development, and the student experience from Grade 6 through Grade 12. Students turn to the team not just for inspiration, but as thought partners and guides in designing projects, launching initiatives, and amplifying their voices. Faculty, too, regularly collaborate with the team to co-create lessons that engage students in real-world issues with purpose and empathy.
As Beaver marks the 20th anniversary of the Hiatt Center, we recognize that this work has evolved far beyond the boundaries of a single idea. Beaver students and faculty leverage this team and its programs as an incubator for student-centered civic engagement and social justice programming. This work is collaborative, and represents Beaver’s commitment to preparing students to be active, informed, and compassionate changemakers. And it acknowledges that the work we do—together—is vital, shared, and always growing.
The Hiatt Summer Fellowship, Beaver’s flagship program that continues to launch students into immersive summer projects, continues to honor the legacy of Anne Hiatt ’47. Summer 2025 participants recently shared their Fellowship experiences. Although the experiences and topics are very diverse, the feedback is clear: providing students with an opportunity to engage in meaningful and interesting work matters. We are so fortunate to be able to provide Middle and Upper School students with these experiences each summer.
As we look ahead, the values that inspired the Hiatt family’s founding gift—leadership, engagement, empathy, and action—remain at the heart of everything we do. We hope this anniversary not only celebrates all that has been achieved but also inspires our community to continue supporting and investing in this work for the future.
Beaver is currently fundraising to sustain this program through an endowed fund so that more students—now and in the future—can access these transformative leadership opportunities. We welcome conversations with anyone in our community who is inspired by this work and would like to help sustain and grow this high-impact program. A direct gift to the Hiatt Summer Fellowship Endowment is a meaningful way to support student-led learning and leadership development, while honoring the legacy of a program that has shaped so many Beaver journeys.
Please contact Erica DeRosa for more information about how to make an impact.