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Reunions Renewed

Headliners highlight Northwestern’s expanded Reunion Weekend schedule.

If you haven’t made your reservation yet for the Northwestern Alumni Association’s Reunion Weekend 2005, Sept. 23–25, check out the prereunion postings for each class on the NAA web site, then plan plenty of time to enjoy the entire weekend’s events. In addition to the Saturday night parties for the reunion classes of 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000, the NAA is offering a variety of activities, including discussions with prominent reunion-year alumni, on and near campus to give returning alumni a full sense of the Northwestern experience.

Wildcat football fans, political junkies and career changers have special reason to arrive early for the Reunion Weekend 2005’s Friday activities. At the newly renovated Hotel Orrington in downtown Evanston, President Henry S. Bienen will discuss critical foreign policy issues facing the Bush administration, and later, Wildcat football coach Randy Walker, Athletic Director Mark Murphy and the football team captains headline the Gridiron Network Football Luncheon.

“Giving alumni greater opportunity to interact with President Bienen and those at the highest levels of University athletics is a major highlight of this year’s reunion weekend,” says NAA executive director Cathy Stembridge (GC00). “It was a big factor in our decision to schedule reunion weekend for September rather than during Homecoming weekend in October.”

At the hotel, alumni will also be able to interact with high-profile alumni when Murphy moderates the panel discussion “From Northwestern to the Super Bowl, the Olympics and Beyond” with Los Angeles Times staff writer Alan Abrahamson (J80), USA Today sports columnist and broadcast commentator Christine Brennan (J80, GJ81) and Washington Post sports columnist and ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption host Michael Wilbon (J80).

The Classes Without Quizzes presentations that follow will include “Life and Death Journalism: Covering Battles at the Front, Fighting Wars in the Home Office” by Emmy Award–winning journalist and CBS News Tokyo bureau correspondent Barry Petersen (J70, GJ72). Other topics include Chicago theater and issues in education policy, recycling, music and international relations.

Also on Friday career changers can participate in one-on-one career counseling sessions and a workshop with executive management coach and career consultant Warren Radtke (KSM57) and University Career Services’ senior assistant director Cynthia Graham at the John Evans Alumni Center.

From there, the excitement builds with Meadow Madness: All-Class Reunion Party at Deering Meadow and another new Friday feature — the fireworks display over Lake Michigan accompanied by the NU Marching Band, cheerleaders and Willie the Wildcat.

On Saturday football fans can get psyched for the game against Penn State with pregame Wildcat Alley festivities and family fun at Rocky Miller Park.

On Saturday night alumni will celebrate in Evanston and Chicago at their class parties, and Sunday’s activities will be devoted entirely to Chicago fun. Alumni can choose to attend the gospel brunch at the House of Blues in downtown Chicago or the Chicago River architectural cruise. Reunion-year alumni can also choose to take in a Chicago Cubs game against the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field.

For the latest reunion weekend information, including lists of who’s coming to the class reunion parties, visit www.alumni.northwestern.edu/reunions/fall2005