Alumni enjoy catching up at Alumni Weekend 2025. (Photography by John Zich)
(according to reunion volunteers)
For alumni in reunion years—1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, and 50th—reunion volunteers make the magic happen. They plan the Friday night dinner, cat-wrangle their classmates into coming back to campus, organize the class gift, and, most importantly, foster nostalgia for all things UChicago.
Reunion volunteers also have a blast. Here are the five best things about 2025 Alumni Weekend, according to some of its dedicated volunteers.
Hanging out in person
Words cannot describe how wonderful it was to be together after 10 years (COVID-19 prevented us from being on campus for our 35th), talk nonstop, and share memories that still feel like yesterday.
—Jennifer L. Magnabosco, AB’85, AM’85, 40th Reunion chair
The class dinner went by too quickly! There just wasn’t enough time to talk with everyone. But making memories and connections—whether it was working with the reunion committee, at one of our virtual events, or at the class dinner and other activities—is just so important.
—Susan Friedman, AB’75, AM’76, 50th Reunion chair
My heart was full seeing UChicago classmates at our 25th College Reunion, sharing the campus with my family, and spending time with friends from college. We even got to see our resident head, Grace Chan McKibben [AB’90, AM’90], who was attending her [35th] Reunion.
—Julie Patel Liss, AB’00, 25th Reunion chair
Chan McKibben didn’t only attend her reunion—she served on the committee that helped organize it.—Ed.
Seeing campus, old and new
Touring the Rockefeller Chapel carillon, which I had never done before.
—Marshall J. Schmitt, SB’80, 45th Reunion chair
Having a visceral reaction to the plaid carpet in Harper Library. It’s bold!
—Lauren Riensche, AB’15, 10th Reunion chair
Seeing some of the new buildings on our Campus—Then and Now tour was a treat, even though when we walked by Booth, there was no discussion of Woodward Court being there and its history. Never forget!
—Susan Friedman
Meeting the next generation
Getting to meet my classmates’ kids—KIDS! That was just indicative of how, even though it had been 10 years, it felt like so much time and no time at all had passed simultaneously.
—Lauren Riensche
P. Sean Gupta [AB’00], who I first met over meals at Woodward Court and through SASA [South Asian Students Association], and my friend Reetu Gupta [AB’00] have two beautiful daughters and somehow skirted the “exhausted parent look” so many of us don these days.
—Julie Patel Liss
Revisiting Hyde Park classics
Not wanting the night to end after our reunion party and subsequent Late-Night Breakfast. So we rounded up and headed off to The Promised Land (aka Jimmy’s).
—Lauren Riensche
Planning to do it all again
I enjoyed early brainstorming with committee members about our 50th Reunion, including how best to stay in touch.
—Paul Harris, AB’80, 45th Reunion gift chair