Although Reunion 2020 will not be taking place this June on campus, staff and class volunteers are planning opportunities for you to come together virtually this June and, we hope, in person next year. Throughout this time, we have been consistently grateful for the dedication, commitment, and creativity exhibited by you and all of our campus partners, and we have drawn joy and sustenance from our bonds with each other and the College.
In April, we assembled a Reunion Task Force led by Becky Zrimsek ’89, Assistant Vice President for External Relations, that includes staff from Milestone Reunions, Alumni Relations, Alumni Annual Fund, Facilities, Auxiliary Services, and the President’s Office. This group focused on the logistics, programming, and volunteer aspects of Reunion and each of these subgroups met independently and brought recommendations back to the whole group. Additionally, throughout the past month, we met with the Alumni Council, volunteers from all of the ’0s and ’5s Reunion classes, leadership from the classes of 1971 and 1996, campus partners, the Alumni Annual Fund Board, and the External Relations and Development Committee of the Board of Trustees. Throughout all of these conversations, we kept the following priorities in mind:
- The health and safety of alumni and staff.
- Our mission of Reunion to bring alumni together on campus.
- The timing of decisions in accordance with local, state, and national guidance and in relation to campus decisions about students.
- Considerations of both the ’0s and ’5s and ’1s and ’6s Reunion classes.
On Saturday, June 20, 2020 we will share a program beginning at 10:30 am CDT with a video greeting from President Poskanzer and messages from Derek Fried ’93, president of the Alumni Council; and Karen Schilling ’78, chair of the Alumni Annual Fund Board. Additionally, we will honor the 2020 Alumni Association Award recipients and celebrate the generosity and spirit of the classes of 1995 and 1970. A variety of digital resources will be available to help you connect with campus and your classmates. Finally, we have been working with your class Reunion leadership volunteers to provide opportunities for virtual class connections, in June and in the months ahead.
While these events will provide an opportunity to come together virtually, they are not a replacement for an in-person Reunion. Therefore, we are hoping to welcome the ’0s and ’5s Reunion classes together with the ’1s and ’6s Reunion classes to campus in June 2021. Decisions about the 2020-2021 academic year are still under consideration and no definitive Reunion date will be determined until those plans are solidified. For more information on this topic, please refer to President Poskanzer’s recent email to students, faculty, and staff.
We look forward to connecting with you soon and will share more information as we are able.
Sincerely,
Michael Thompson ’96
Director of Alumni Relations
Will there be any Reunion 2020 content online?
On Saturday, June 20, 2020 we will share a program beginning at 10:30 am CT with a video greeting from President Poskanzer and messages from Derek Fried ’93, president of the Alumni Council; and Karen Schilling ’78, chair of the Alumni Annual Fund Board. Additionally, we will honor the 2020 Alumni Association Award recipients and celebrate the generosity and spirit of the classes of 1995 and 1970. A variety of digital resources will be available to help you connect with campus and your classmates. Finally, we have been working with your class Reunion leadership volunteers to provide opportunities for virtual class connections, in June and in the months ahead.
How will we celebrate recipients of Alumni Association Awards, and inductees into the ‘C’ Club Hall of Fame?
We will honor both the 2020 Alumni Association Award recipients and the 2020 ‘C’ Club Hall of Fame inductees on Saturday, June 20, 2020, online and in the future when we are on campus.
What will happen to the Reunion class fundraising effort?
Reunion class gifts are important to Carleton, and especially so right now. Class volunteers will continue their efforts to encourage classmates to give to the Alumni Annual Fund through June 30. Gifts to 1970’s 50th Reunion Fund will also be directed to Carleton’s most pressing needs through the class internship and a special 50th Reunion class gift to the Alumni Annual Fund.
Now more than ever, the nimbleness and flexibility the AAF provides allows the College to meet the ever-changing needs of our community, such as the immediate financial resources necessary to assist students at the end of winter term, and to support faculty in their shift to online coursework. Carleton is privileged to have a storied reunion giving program which provides more than 30% of the overall AAF totals each year.
How can we welcome the Class of 2020 into the Carleton alumni community?
We are working to determine the best way to celebrate the class of 2020 and will involve members of the senior class in this discussion.
Even if Reunion isn’t held, can I come to campus anyway, and just look around?
As much as we would like to welcome you, please do not come to campus at this time. Campus buildings are accessible by keycard only to students permitted to remain on campus, faculty, and staff. Most faculty and staff are working remotely.
We encourage all alumni and friends to follow the guidelines outlined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH), which recommend distancing and social isolation as the only known way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We ask that you not put essential Carleton community members at risk by visiting campus.
What can I do to help students?
If you are able and want to contribute, please consider making a gift to the Alumni Annual Fund, which provides budget support to the College as we help students deal with these unexpected circumstances. If you are able to help students, particularly graduating seniors, with career-related needs, please review the options on the alumni section of the College’s COVID-19 FAQ.
Where can I find more information about Carleton’s response?
The latest updates, announcements, statements, FAQs and more can be found on the College’s COVID-19 response web site.