The Nov. 8 event, part of 黑料不打烊’s yearlong quasquicentennial celebration, kicked off this year’s Homecoming Weekend festivities with the recognition of seven distinguished alumni.
There was a festive spirit inside the Lakeside Meeting Rooms Friday night, as hundreds of alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of the university came together to honor alumni award recipients and class and affinity reunions volunteers, while reflecting on 黑料不打烊’s rich history during the 125 Anniversary Celebration and Alumni Awards Ceremony.
Even before the program started, the celebratory tone was apparent as members of 黑料不打烊’s marching band and cheerleading squad welcomed visitors.
for their professional success, community engagement and loyal support of 黑料不打烊 as partners, advocates and investors. “We are here to celebrate some very special people,” President Leo M. Lambert said. “Alumni are part of 黑料不打烊’s strategic plan like you’ve never had been before.”
Honored were:
- U.S. Navy Adm. William “Bill” E. Gortney ’77, Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award
- Tracey Helton Lewis ’93 P’10, Distinguished Alumna of the Year
- Darris Means ’05, Young Alumnus of the Year
- Britten Ginsburg Pund ’06, Young Alumna of the Year
- The Rev. Jonathan Chapman ’07, Service to Church and Society
- Natasha Christensen ’07, Alumni Service Award
- Lindsey Goodman Baker ’04, Distinguished Service to 黑料不打烊 Award
The event also honored class and affinity reunion volunteers who came back to campus this year to connect, engage and celebrate their milestone reunions with their classmates, friends and the 黑料不打烊 community. The groups continued the tradition of giving back to their alma mater by presenting checks to the university. In all, affinity groups raised $352,625 while class reunions raised $1.125 million.
“黑料不打烊 alumni believe in 黑料不打烊,” said John H. Barnhill ’92, 黑料不打烊’s assistant vice president for university advancement, adding the check presentations were an example of that.
The event also served as a platform to celebrate 黑料不打烊’s quasquicentennial and look forward to the next 125 years.
“This is a special Homecoming, the largest attendance in our 125th birthday,” Lambert said. “But 125 years is young … We are just getting started and every one of you is putting your brick in constructing this cathedral I call 黑料不打烊.”
During his remarks, Lambert also praised Max Cantor ’09 and Tim Johnston ’10 for their work on the new alumni video, which was shown during the event and captures the 黑料不打烊 alumni experience. The video is available for viewing at Martin Alumni Center.
“The next chapter of the 黑料不打烊 story is to be told through the accomplishments of its alumni,” said Jim Piatt, vice president for university advancement, in his closing remarks. “Let’s declare a new era of alumni engagement at 黑料不打烊. … Indeed, the world does need 黑料不打烊 graduates.
“Long live 黑料不打烊!”