Alumni Spotlight: Summer Scott Huyette ’73

When Summer Scott Huyette ’73 arrived at I-House in the early 1970s from El Paso, Texas, she was pursuing her PhD in political science at Columbia, specializing in Soviet studies. She quickly discovered that I-House would be more than just a place to live. It would become her community.

Looking back, Summer treasures the camaraderie and cultural exchange that shaped her I-House years. “My real social life was at I-House,” she recalls. “It was the perfect place for me to be.” She befriended residents from Russia, Egypt, and beyond during the height of the Cold War, and those encounters left a lasting impression. Over time, she watched their assumptions about the West give way to the open, cross-cultural dialogue that flourished within the House.

As a United Nations Fellow at I-House, she attended sessions at the UN and reported back to her peers, while also serving on the Residents’ Council and as a resident representative to the Board of Trustees. “To be part of leadership at that level was really special,” she says.

After leaving New York, Summer embarked on a global career with Citibank that took her to Saudi Arabia for more than a decade. While there, she completed her doctoral dissertation on the Saudi government, earning her PhD in 1983. Later, she and her family relocated to England and then Geneva, where she dedicated herself to raising her children and leading women’s organizations, including serving as President of the American International Women’s Club from 2000 to 2003. Though she chose not to return to formal employment, Summer found fulfillment in leadership opportunities, community service, and the pursuits she loved most, including horseback riding.

Her connection to I-House continued well beyond her days as a resident. Summer remained engaged as a member of the World Council of Alumni from 1984 to 2004 and traveled to Prague in 1992 for a WCA meeting. This experience reaffirmed her lifelong ties to I-House and its global mission, a connection she continues to hold with pride.

For today’s residents, she offers simple but profound advice: “Make the most of every minute, every opportunity. You never know who you’re going to meet tomorrow. Be open, flexible, and ready to seize moments. Follow your heart.” As International House steps into its second century, Summer hopes future generations will continue to find the same sense of community as she once did.