VCNY offers a variety of events, from lowkey Schmoozes, to career discussions with Vassar alum leaders in various industries, to stage performances featuring Vassar alums, to museum visits curated by Vassar alums and more. Make sure you’re on our list to be the first to know!
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Upcoming
Economic Sense or Economic Cents? Unpacking Plaintiffs’ Theories of Harm
June 12th, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Sony Music Entertainment, 25 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
Join VCNY from 6:30–8:30 p.m. ET for another captivating session with Professor Andrew Lemon, who returns to illuminate the pivotal role economists play in the courtroom.
In the high-stakes world of U.S. litigation, where treble damages incentivize bold allegations, Plaintiffs’ attorneys often push the boundaries of economic plausibility with imaginative theories of harm. But do these claims hold water—or just glitter with the promise of financial gain?
Drawing on the foundational concepts he teaches in Vassar’s Introduction to Economics (Econ 102), Professor Lemon will dissect the theories presented in two recent headline-grabbing lawsuits.
With sharp wit and clear analysis, this talk promises to reveal whether these legal arguments make sound economic sense—or if they’re just chasing economic cents. Don’t miss this unique blend of economic insight and legal intrigue!
Feel free to bring your own food.
This event is wheelchair accessible.
Andrew Lemon ’00 is a visiting professor and teaches Law & Economics (Econ238) and Litigation Economics (Econ381), among other courses. Before returning to Vassar, Prof. Lemon was a vice president at Compass Lexecon and a principal at Matrix Economics. His consulting work focuses on the economic analysis of competition issues, including antitrust and consumer deception claims. He has extensive experience in matters of class certification, liability, and damages in such industries as energy, transportation, agriculture, automobiles, single-copy magazines, and packaged goods.
Please register by June 10th.
Past
May Schmooze – Young Alum Summer Kickoff
May 17th, 1pm–4pm
Mary’s NYC, 146 Orchard St, New York, NY
Calling all young alums! Join us for brunch and drinks from 1:00–4:00 p.m. ET at Mary’s on the Lower East Side.
The venue is a cozy spot that serves elevated American bar food, signature cocktails, and premium draft beers.
Unfortunately, Mary’s is not wheelchair-accessible.
103rd Annual Meeting
May 7th, 6:30pm–8:30pm
3 West Club, 3 W 51st St, New York, NY
The Vassar Club of New York cordially invites you to our 103rd Annual Meeting. Our featured keynote speaker will be Robert K. Brigham, Professor of History on the Shirley Ecker Boskey Chair and Faculty Director of the Institute for the Liberal Arts.
Wednesday, May 7th, 6:30pm
3 West Club, 3 W 51st St
$25, includes two drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres
Register at connect.vassar.edu/VCNY_AnnualMeeting2025
Vote for VCNY Board Members
As a member of the VCNY community, please cast your ballot for the Vassar Club of New York, Inc. Board of Directors. Whether you are attending the event or not, please take the time to complete the ballot:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VCNY_Ballot_2025
Please submit your vote no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
Accessibility
3 West is wheelchair accessible. There is one step at the entrance of the building; a temporary ramp is available upon request.
Vassar Serves: Book Drive and Discussion
April 24th, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Location to be emailed to registrants
VCNY invites you to participate in a book drive to help Reach Out and Read provide families with developmentally appropriate books and to join us for an opportunity to learn about the state of New York City Schools.
We are offering two opportunities to get involved: an in-person discussion and an option to donate books outside of the event.
1. Join us in-person
Our event at 6:30 p.m. ET on April 24 will feature Melanie Muskin ’10, adjunct faculty member at Vassar, in conversation with fellow alum and current NYC teacher Kyle DeAngelis ’15. Their fireside chat, A Conversation about NYC Schools with Vassar Alums in Education, will take place from about 7:00–7:45 p.m.
The “ticket price” to this event is 1–2 new or gently used books for children aged 0–5 which will be donated to Reach Out and Read. Reach Out and Read provides children with books during pediatric checkups so that families can read to their children at home.
For a wish list of books from Reach Out and Read, please visit their storefront on Bookshop.
Melanie Muskin ’10 is an adjunct faculty member at Vassar College while completing her PhD in human development and social policy at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy where she studies issues of professional dignity and sustainability for America’s teachers. Melanie’s academic research is informed by a prior career in New York City schools where she spent 11 years as a teacher and school leader. She has a Master’s in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University; a Master’s in Organization and Leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University; and a Bachelor’s in Cognitive Science from Vassar College.
Kyle DeAngelis ’15 is a third-grade teacher at P.S. 368 The William Lynch School in Harlem, having worked as a classroom teacher in New York City for nine years. He is a proud member of the United Federation of Teachers, serving as his school’s union delegate, and is a member of the steering committee of the Movement of Rank and File Educators, the social justice caucus of the UFT. As both an educator and an organizer, Kyle works to cultivate a more just and equitable school system for all children. Kyle holds a Master’s in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College at Columbia University and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Vassar College.
Important Info:
The event starts at 6:30 p.m. ET (address will be shared with those who register)
Bring 1–2 new or gently used books for children ages 0–5 (feel free to bring more!!!)
Come with interesting questions for Professor Muskin and Kyle!
The event will be graciously hosted at the Upper West Side apartment of Jon Friedland ’90
Light refreshments will be served.
2. Donate Books
Even if you cannot attend the in-person event, we welcome book donations for Reach Out and Read.
Please view examples of the books needed by Reach Out and Read, and see your registration confirmation email for details on where to send donated books.
Please register by April 14, 2025
This event is part of Vassar Serves, an opportunity for the global Vassar community to demonstrate our spirit of service by working to maximize educational access and potential.
If you’d like to inspire education at Vassar, please consider donating to teaching and learning at the College.
March Schmooze at the Chelsea Bell
March 27th, 6pm–8pm
The Chelsea Bell, 316 8th avenue, New York, NY
Kick off spring with the Vassar Club of New York! Join us from 6:00–8:00 p.m. ET for Schmoozing in Chelsea at The Chelsea Bell, a newly renovated bar that balances vintage elements with eclectic decor.
The food menu includes classic American bar favorites and drinks include classic beer drafts, wine and an array of cocktails. Try to arrive early to enjoy the happy hour which runs until 7 p.m., with $6 beer bottles, select $7 drafts/hard seltzers, $8 well drinks, and $9 wines!
The bar is located near the 1 / 2 stations at 23rd St, the C / E at 23rd street, the F at 23rd St, and N /R /W at 23rd St.
The Chelsea Bell is wheelchair-accessible.
Book Talk with Manhattan Borough Historian Robert W. Snyder
April 10th, 7pm–9pm
Central Harlem and Zoom
Join the Vassar Club of New York in person or on Zoom at 7:00 p.m. ET, when we will welcome Manhattan Borough Historian Robert W. Snyder and discuss his latest book, When the City Stopped: Stories from New York’s Essential Workers. Jeff Goodman ’82 will moderate the discussion.
We encourage you to read the book in advance to avoid any spoilers.
When the City Stopped: Stories from New York’s Essential Workers is available for purchase with a 30% discount using the code 09BCARD at checkout.
You can attend this hybrid event in-person in Central Harlem, or virtually via Zoom. Address or Zoom link will be emailed to those who register. In person event is wheelchair accessible.
In When the City Stopped, Robert Snyder tells the story of COVID-19 in the words of ordinary New Yorkers, illuminating the fear and uncertainty of life in the early weeks and months, as well as the solidarity that sustained the city. New Yorkers were “alone together,” separated by the protective measures of social distancing and the fundamental inequalities of life and work in New York City. Through their personal accounts, we see that while many worked from home, others knowingly exposed themselves to the dangers of the pandemic as they drove buses, ran subways, answered 911 calls, tended to the sick, and made and delivered meals.
Robert W. Snyder is the Manhattan Borough Historian and professor emeritus of Journalism and American Studies at Rutgers University. In a career devoted to researching the history of New York City and sharing it with the general public, he has written six books on New York and worked with public television, the Smithsonian Institution, National Public Radio, and the Museum of the City of New York. He has taught history at Princeton University, journalism at Columbia University, and American Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea. A podcaster for the New Books Network, his writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Journal of Urban History. He was a Fulbright lecturer and is a member of the New York Academy of History.
Have You Met Jane Goodall and Her Mother?: Performance and Talk Back
March 23rd, 5pm–8pm
Ensemble Studio Theatre, 545 W 52nd St, 2nd floor, New York, NY
Join the Vassar Club of New York at 5:00 p.m. ET at a performance of Have You Met Jane Goodall and Her Mother? directed by Linsay Firman ’96.
The performance will be followed by a private 30-minute Q&A with light refreshments. We will be joined by the theatre’s co-Artistic Director, Estefania Faul ’10. Space is limited for the talkback; register soon, and no later than March 17.
Ticketing:
$20 Early Bird Price available until March 4th at midnight
$24 after March 4th
Tickets must be purchased separately through the theatre after registering with Vassar for the talkback. Registration with Vassar does NOT guarantee you a ticket.
In Have You Met Jane Goodall and Her Mother?, a new comedy by Michael Walek, the Tanzanian government allowed Jane Goodall to study chimpanzees in the wild under one condition—she must bring a chaperone. So, Jane invited her mother.
The play runtime is 2 hours with a 15-minute intermission. While EST’s physical facilities are not ADA compliant, they are committed to providing reasonable accommodations. Learn more at https://ensemblestudiotheatre.org/accessibility.
Linsay Firman ’96 is Director of Play Development at Ensemble Studio Theatre, and Director of the EST/Sloan Project. At EST, she has directed the world premiere of plays by Lucas Hnath and Anna Ziegler, as well as EST Marathon plays by Rachel Bonds, Garrett M. Brown, Darcy Fowler, and Jose Rivera. Other productions at The Hangar Theatre, Ma-Yi Theatre, Chester Theatre, Theatre Row and chashama. Linsay began working in new play development as the Associate Director of Soho Rep, where she was a founder and chair of Soho Rep’s Writer/Director Lab. She is an alumna of the Women’s Project Director’s Lab, the New Dramatists’s Resident Director Program and multiple programs at the Lark. M.F.A. from CalArts.
Estefania Fadul ’10 is a NYC-based Colombian-American director and co-Artistic Director of Ensemble Studio Theatre. Recent projects include the world premieres of Eva Luna by Caridad Svich (Repertorio Español), The Garbologists by Lindsay Joelle (Philadelphia Theater Company), and Carla’s Quince created with The Voting Project to mobilize Latiné voters (Drama League Award nomination). Estefanía has developed new work off-Broadway and regionally at the Public Theater, Playwrights’ Realm, NYTW, INTAR, Chautauqua, Audible, and more. She is a recipient of NYSAF’s Pfaelzer Award, serves on the Drama League’s Board of Directors and the Latinx Theatre Commons advisory committee, is a New Georges affiliated artist, and a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab and SDC.
Volunteer with God’s Love We Deliver
February 23rd, 10am–1pm
God’s Love We Deliver, 166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
Sign up to volunteer with the Vassar Club of New York and God’s Love We Deliver from 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. ET.
The mission of God’s Love We Deliver is to improve the health and well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other serious illnesses by alleviating hunger and malnutrition. We will work as a group in their kitchen on a variety of tasks with the guidance of their on-staff chefs. Tasks may include chopping onions, peeling potatoes, ladling soup, or packaging meals.
Space is limited. Please RSVP by February 12.
To ensure a smooth check in process day of, each volunteer must register with an individual account at least one week before the shift for entry to the building in addition to registering with Vassar: God’s Love We Deliver (volunteerhub.com).
LOCATION: God’s Love We Deliver is located in SoHo at 166 Avenue of the Americas, which you can get to by taking the C or E to Spring or the 1 to Houston. The entrance is on the corner of Spring and 6th Avenue.
DRESS CODE: Clothing must completely cover shoulders, armpits, knees, and toes. Long sleeves must be pushed above your elbows while working with food. All hair must be fully covered in the kitchen. We provide hair nets, however, hats may be worn providing all hair is covered, including ponytails and bangs. No bracelets, watches or dangling earrings may be worn.
AGE: All volunteers must be at least 18 years old.
ARRIVAL: Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the shift for check-in and an orientation.
LOCKERS: There is a volunteer lounge with lockers where volunteers set their own combination and can lock away any personal belongings while volunteering
Discussion with Dr. Jasmine Harris ’05: Black Women & Institutional Racism
February 12th, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Sony Music Entertainment, 25 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
VCNY and AAAVC present:
We Haven’t Come as Far as We Think: Black Women and Institutional Racism in American Education
Join the Vassar Club of New York and the African American Alumnae/i of Vassar College (AAAVC) at 6:30 p.m. ET as Dr. Jasmine Harris ’05 delves into the lived experiences of Black women navigating predominantly white academic spaces, exposing the persistent barriers of institutional racism and sexism. This discussion challenges common narratives of progress in education while spotlighting the resilience and resistance of Black women scholars.
This event is wheelchair accessible
Please feel free to bring food to eat during the discussion.
Dr. Harris’s book, Black Women, Ivory Tower: Revealing the Lies of White Supremacy in American Education, will be available for purchase and she will be happy to to sign them after the event.
Jasmine L. Harris ’05, PhD, is Professor and Department Chair of Africana Studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She completed her PhD at the University of Minnesota in 2013. Her research examines Black life in predominantly white spaces, including Black students at predominately white institutions, Black DI football and men’s basketball players at universities in the Power Five conferences, and Black sociologists producing knowledge in a white-dominated discipline. Dr. Harris has been published in major newspapers nationwide, including Newsweek, The Washington Post, the Houston Chronicle, and the Chicago Tribune. In 2021 she was featured in the Vice News documentary College Sports, Inc. Her first book, Black Women, Ivory Tower: Revealing the Lies of White Supremacy in American Education, was published by Broadleaf Books in 2024.