I Am CA: Dat Le ’06

CA shines a spotlight on this alumnus who volunteers to connect CA through CAYAC

by Nancy Shohet West ’84

“Arriving at Concord Academy in 2002 was a life-changing moment for me,” says Dat Le ’06, co-chair of the Concord Academy Young Alumnae/i Community (CAYAC) Committee. “My family emigrated from Vietnam when I was 3 years old. I grew up in Lowell, Mass., knowing nothing about private schools. A teacher there recommended that I apply. Suddenly my eyes were opened to cultures and backgrounds that were so different from mine. I’d never seen so many smart and motivated students in one place.”

Initially CA felt almost as foreign to him as the U.S. once had. “But I tried many different extracurriculars and formed strong friendships over time,” he recalls. “I became accustomed to the culture and the community and I grew to love the school.”

Le, a graduate of Bowdoin College and Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, works in business operations at a Boston law firm. He chose to join CAYAC as a way to stay in touch with his classmates, and his participation evolved into a leadership role, helping to plan fundraisers and alumnae/i events. “For me it’s natural to stay connected with the school,” he says. “For others, it may not be. But because I loved my experience at CA so much, I want to help foster that connection for everyone.”

Reaching out regularly to his classmates and the other members of the alumnae/i network has been particularly fulfilling during the pandemic, Le says, especially with so many other activities curtailed. One of his passions is international travel, which he normally tries to do at least once or twice a year. “I also love learning about specialty cocktails and how to make them,” he says. “I’m always interested in recommendations and recipes for unique drinks!”

Get Involved

Are you a CA alumna/us looking to reconnect with the CA community or support the school? There are many ways to get involved through CA’s Alumnae/i Association. Learn more here.

Going for Gold

Jul 25, 2023

Skiing has been a lifelong passion for Tory Adams ’23, who first hit the slopes at 5 years old and began ski racing at 13. At Concord Academy, she reached peak performance as part of the varsity Alpine ski team, which has dominated the Central Massachusetts Ski League (CMSL).

Apocalypse Whatever: Students Confront Crisis in Department X Course

Jun 13, 2023

This spring history teacher Topi Dasgupta P’22 ’25 and English teacher Laurence Vanleynseele P’22 co-taught the experimental class Apocalypse, Whatever: Caring in the Age of Post-Truth. Created with support from CA’s endowed Department X initiative, the course helped students turn toward existential crises without the distance of cynicism or the disembodiment of doomscrolling.

Love As a Way Forward: CA Celebrates the Class of 2023 with Centennial Commencement Speaker André Robert Lee

Jun 12, 2023

Concord Academy’s 100th school year culminated in a heartwarming ceremony on May 26, 2023, when the CA community gathered in pride in Academy Garden to honor its newest graduates. Commencement speaker André Robert Lee spoke on the power of love as a way forward in a moving speech, followed by the awarding of the diplomas. Congratulations to the class of 2023!