Behind the bash
Reunions involve most departments on campus
BY BARBARA FITZGERALD
If you had dropped by the University Alumni Office during the first week in April, you would have found the staff working busily on plans for the annual Reunion Weekend-the one that will take place April 13-15, 2007.
Never mind that the closing event of the 2006 Reunion had just been held on Sunday, April 2. When the last hug has been shared, the last dessert savored and the last note sounded for one year's event, the alumni staff is off and running on the next one.
"Planning for a reunion takes a full year," says Laura Krajewski, '99, assistant director of alumni relations. "And as reunion draws nearer, there are many long days, nights and weekends."
All that work paid off well for the recent 2006 reunion: between 1,400 and 1,500 alumni returned to campus for the weekend. Female attendance was, as usual, higher than that of the males, with alumnae attendance at 60 percent and alumni at 40 percent. The honored classes are always those celebrating either a fifth graduation anniversary or any multiple of five; and the special honorees are classes celebrating their 25th and 50th reunions.
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Members of the Class of 1956 enjoy reunion weekend. Staff members from throughout campus helped make the event a success. |
The recent reunion offered 48 events, 29 of them catered, including a Westhampton College reception, the annual Boatwright Society dinner, an alumni barbecue, an alumni picnic, as well as 14 individual class events. Perhaps the most sentimental event is the one that always begins the celebration for the 50-year reunion class: their induction into the Boatwright Society.
"The energy on campus was palpable during Reunion Weekend. It was gratifying to see so many graduates return to alma mater. Hearty thanks go to the dedicated staff and volunteers who made the events memorable," said President Bill Cooper.
Krajewski loves the traditions and the joy of classmates reunited. "The best thing is just having our alumni return to campus," she says. "On the Saturday evening of this year's reunion, we piled 700 people into a tent on Westhampton Green, and they did not want to leave. I would say that has to be one of the best moments."
The most challenging part? "Well, consider this: three days, 48 events, 12 live music performances, 24 events with University speakers, 24 individual setups-need I go on?" While the alumni office does coordinate all the activities, send out numerous mailings and e-mail notices to alumni and set parameters for the various events, Krajewski is quick to give major credit to the 81 alumni committee members who do so much of the legwork and the hard work, as well as the campus-wide support of staff and faculty.
"The reunion committees, made up of representatives of the various classes, are ultimately responsible for communicating with their classmates. Our office might e-mail Sally from the Class of '76, asking her to return for her reunion, and she may or may not come. But if Sally's suitemate from freshman year calls and tells her she just has to come back, there's a far greater chance we'll see her here. People come to a reunion primarily for a chance to spend time with old friends. A successful reunion is one where they're able to do that."
Krajewski adds that nearly every office on campus played some role in this recent reunion as well. "We worked with our colleagues in the admission office, advancement, arts and sciences, athletics, catering, dining services, the post office, printing services, public relations, the bookstore, the career development center, the chaplaincy, the law school, the Jepson School, Richmond and Westhampton colleges, information services, telecommunications, the library, music department, payroll, police, student activities and various student groups, the president's office, University facilities and University services. I offer a heartfelt thank you to everyone who was involved."
Among those involved-highly involved-were Dee Hardy, director of food and auxiliary services, and her colleagues in catering and dining services. "A good portion of alumni weekend is socialization," says Hardy, "and food is, of course, a huge part of that. I think of the food service team as a social support system for these events."
Hardy says this year was a bit more of a challenge than usual. "Because of the renovations of the dining hall, we had only about 50 percent of our kitchen available to us. We were handling all our normal business with students on campus, plus the added catering activities involved with the reunion, with limited facilities."
Hardy is always impressed, year after year, with the willingness of everyone in dining services to do whatever it takes to makes Reunion Weekend go well. "There are a lot of quick turns and running involved-it requires a lot of coordination. Everyone steps up. Their usual jobs might be in marketing or computers, but they stand ready to go on location and run or work various reunion events. One minute they're at a desk and very shortly they're bartending under a tent. People end up working six- or seven-day stints without a break and without complaint."
University Facilities also feels the increased workload. Steve Glass, horticulturist and landscape manager, says facilities staff members were on hand until after 11 p.m. on Friday and from 6:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, helping out where needed, working picnics and cleaning up after the concert.
"The landscaping, electrical and custodial folks were in demand all weekend," says Glass, ready to accommodate any last-minute needs.
Dave Johnson, vice president for advancement, salutes all those across campus who helped make the 2006 reunion a huge success. "The organization was superb, the weekend's program full and exciting, the food excellent, the weather cooperative, the campus beautiful and the staff was simply outstanding. But most of all, alumni spirits were sky-high and that is the real measure of success of Reunion Weekend."
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