Class of 1971 Newsletter

8 - Migrations - July 2021

Thanks to everyone who joined our virtual reunion gathering in June.  More than 27% of our class tuned in to at least one event. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

It was the best because the programming organized by our classmates was exceptional.  The programs far exceeded my expectations and were, in some cases, more successful because they were in a zoom format rather than in person.  Go figure.  Special thanks to those who organized and led these excellent and creative programs.  Also congratulations to our Alumni Association Award and ‘C’ Club recipients. If you missed any of these programs or want to watch them again, recordings of them are now available online on our class website.

It was the worst of times because of the frustration it caused, seeing those familiar faces on the screen but not being able to walk across the room and start a conversation.  Or go for a walk together in the Arb. We were able to have some informal chatting but it was only enough to make us want more.  Certainly these zoom connections whet our appetites to be together again on campus in August 2022.

— Peg Sweitzer

Alan Thiel here….It was so much fun to see so many of you on Zoom in June. Every program I attended was fantastic, and here are a few that were recorded and definitely worth watching (or watching again):

• Memorial Poems by Shanta Nurullah and David Steiling. I’ve found myself drawn back to several of the lines, including Shanta’s “We add our voices, our thoughts and goodbyes/As we wonder about your loves and lives” and David’s “In time, the graduation list will be complete, and we will have all moved out of the dorms to make room for the incoming class.”
• Be sure to check out the guided tour of wine aromas by Linda (McEneany) Colvin, (with easy do-it-yourself instructions, watch the recording here)
• Don’t miss this video short featuring Bob Keller’s illustrations paired with classmate poetry, and be sure to view Elsie Myers Martin’s choreography here.
• While the full program is worth watching, these videos produced by recent Carleton grads give a great overview of Kip Lilly’s collection of Inuit art.

Click on the image above to hear from classmates and learn more about our 50th Gift

Many thanks to everyone who gave so generously to Carleton in celebration of our 50th Reunion. Your support makes a real difference for students, faculty, and staff at Carleton, and means a great deal to the hard-working (and fantastic) members of our 50th Reunion gift team!

We set ambitious goals for our 50^th and together we raised more than $20.5 million for Carleton, including $1.8 million for 1971’s Endowed Scholarship for Change, $500,000 to establish our 1971 Agents of Change Fund, and a generous class gift to the Alumni Annual Fund. Fifty-two percent of our class gave during our 50^th Reunion year and 50 are members of the Joseph Lee Heywood Society. You’ll be receiving updates from the College about our Scholarship and Agents of Change Funds in the years ahead, and we will celebrate these gifts again when we gather ON CAMPUS in August 2022.

For now, please join us in recognizing all we’ve come together to do through this Class of 1971 50th Gift Celebration website.

–Faye Knowles

In breaking news, the 5th Reunion classes of 2015 and 2016 have been invited to join us and other 50th and 25th classes for a special milestone celebration August 5-7, 2022. Of all the Reunion cohorts impacted by the pandemic, young alumni anticipating their first reunion experience were perhaps the most disappointed. The Milestone Reunion will now be a truly intergenerational gathering and will give us the opportunity to make connections and pass down traditions like the Parade of Classes and Reunion Convocation to a new generation of Carls.

• Who will be attending? Members of the classes of 1970, 1971, 1995, 1996, 2015 and 2016, their families and guests.
• What should we expect? Experience the same great class programs, campus tours, and social time without as many crowds. Expect between 1200-2000 alumni, family, and friends to attend, divided equally between the 5th, 25th and 50th celebrations.
• Who will be organizing the event? A planning committee from each class will partner with staff in planning this special event.
• Please visit the Milestone Reunions website for more information and updates.