WDCSA hosts a number of events throughout the membership year in several categories.
Book Clubs
WDCSA has two book clubs for those who enjoys reading and book discussions over food and fellowship. One meets monthly on Sunday nights in the DC suburbs. The other meets every other month on a weekday night in Baltimore.
Cardinal Young Alumni
Welcome to Washington, DC all young alums! Throughout the year, the Cardinal Young Alumni Group hosts events for Cardinal Young Alumni and other alums in the DC area. From happy hours to picnics, from athletic viewing parties to beer tastings, the Washington, DC Cardinal Young Alumni Group offers Cardinal Young Alumni in the area the opportunity to reconnect with fellow alums from the Farm, meet new friends, and explore interesting activities. Our events will be listed on this website as well as on our Facebook page.
Community Service
Beyond the Farm
Each year the WDCSA organizes a DC area service project as part of Beyond the Farm. Service to the community is important to our members, and we encourage you to get involved by organizing your own project, or suggesting ideas for projects, throughout the year. We will help with spreading the word to our members and coordinating online registration.
Cultural Outings
Museum Tours
WDCSA organizes a number of tours each year, for example to the National Museum of the American Indian, the Renwick Gallery, and the White House.
Stanford at the Opera • Stanford at the Theater
For more than fifteen years a group of Stanford alumni and friends have experienced evenings at the Washington National Opera, occasionally including a back stage tour. We also occasionally attend performances at local theaters.
Cardinal Athletics
WDCSA organizes both Stanford Football and Basketball game watches here in Washington at Ventnor Sports Cafe in Adams Morgan. We also organize road trips to see our football team play in this area, and in the past have visited Navy, Army, Wake Forest, and Duke, and to see our men’s basketball team play against Virginia. The club has also seen the Washington Mystics and the Washington Nationals play with post-game meet-and-greets with former Stanford players. We have been to DC United matches, to Bowie Baysox minor league baseball games, and to the Citi Open Tennis Tournament.
Guest Lectures
WDCSA hosts a number of guest lectures each year, attracting some of the nation’s leading speakers to share their insights on a variety of exciting topics. As part of our guest lecture programming, we are proud to host the WDCSA Faculty Speaker Series, which brings distinguished Stanford faculty members to Washington DC to speak with our alumni about a wide variety of engaging topics.
Networking & Socials
Holiday Party
WDCSA hosts an annual holiday party, traditionally held at the DACOR-Bacon house in Washington, DC. The historic, antique-filled mansion is usually decorated for the season and in the past, WDCSA has had singers from the Capitol Hill Chorale regale alumni with holiday favorites. A DACOR docent has described the history of the House (Supreme Court justices including John Marshall and other distinguished Washingtonians lived there) and conducted tours. Holiday drinks and food are provided as well.
Summer Cruise
Since 2009, WDCSA has been hosting a summer Happy Hour cruise down the Potomac. Around 75 Stanford Alumni enjoy a sunset cruise past the monuments while mixing and mingling with fellow alumni. The cruise usually is two hours on an exclusively chartered boat and alumni enjoy happy hour drinks and appetizers included in the ticket price.
New Student Welcome Activities
Freshman Sendoff
Hosted at the homes of local alumni, our annual summer Frosh Sendoff parties provide an opportunity for freshman students and parents from the DC area to meet their new Stanford classmates and answer questions like “What should I bring?” (flip-flops!) or “Which dining hall has the best Sunday brunch?” (you’ll have to try them all).
Parents Connection
Stanford Parents Connection is a group of parents of past, present, and future Stanford University students. We get together several times a year to share ideas and tips, ask questions, and talk with other parents.
Recreational Sports
Play coed basketball in the winter and coed softball in the spring competing with your fellow Cardinal alums against other university alumni groups in the DC metro area.