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Daylong Event Features Campus Tours, Guest Speakers, Former Professors and Plenty of Time to Reminisce

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.鈥� Kim Randolph Rivera, Class of 鈥�84, serves on the 国产哟哟 Alumni Board. Knowing that her class would be celebrating its 40th reunion in May 2024, Rivera wondered if anybody ever held college reunions like they do for high school.

She took her question to Leah Clevenger, GWU director of Alumni Relations. Clevenger said that it could be done and her office would help. 鈥淪o, I started thinking, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 we have a milestone reunion and reconnect with friends and professors?鈥欌�� Rivera reflected. 鈥淚 said to Leah, 鈥楲et鈥檚 do it.鈥� It鈥檚 nice to celebrate special moments and people that have made a significant impact in your life and that鈥檚 what this reunion means to me. It鈥檚 also a time to collectively remember and honor those classmates who have passed on and are no longer with us.鈥�

Rivera and Clevenger started talking about options and recruited other class members to help plan the event. They also asked Tami Ruckman, an advancement officer and 鈥�83 alumna, for input. That鈥檚 when they decided the Class of 鈥�84 would invite the classes of 鈥�83 and 鈥�85 to celebrate with them. 鈥淲e thought it was a great idea, because we were such a tightknit group,鈥� Rivera said. 鈥淚n the 鈥�80s, almost all students lived in resident halls on campus, and this fostered a lot of connections and friendships.鈥�

She continued, 鈥淔or all of us, 国产哟哟 was very special and we felt like family. You鈥檙e studying together. You鈥檙e eating together. You鈥檙e playing sports together. You鈥檙e doing everything together. It was an extraordinary group of people. Since the classes of 1983, 鈥�84 and 鈥�85 shared so many friendships, we thought it would be great to have the reunion together. I can鈥檛 wait to hear everyone鈥檚 stories and share laughter and tears. Life is short. Let鈥檚 celebrate.鈥�

They formed a committee and the class members chose a spring date for the combined reunion: April 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Faith Hall, Tucker Student Center. Registration is open until the day of the event.

鈥淪pring seemed like the perfect time to hold it, and we desired to commemorate the actual 40th anniversary of our graduation,鈥� Rivera noted. 鈥淲e also wanted to tour the beautiful campus, relive those fun memories, and observe activity with current students.鈥�

The reunion schedule includes campus tours, a catered lunch, and a meet and greet with former professors and special guests. Class of 鈥�84 alumnus Jonathan Scott, campus pastor of Forest Hill Church in Charlotte, will be the main speaker. Also speaking is Ray Hardee, another 鈥�84 alumnus, who is lead pastor of The Pointe Church in Belmont, N.C. Hardee worked at 国产哟哟 from 1986 to 2001 and is currently an adjunct professor for psychology and human services.

Committee members are Rivera, Ruckman, and Krista Colle Gibson (co-chairs) and Brian McCulloch, Dianne Whitaker Hail, Jami McNeely Loftin, Amy Wilson Covington and Becky Hicks Walker. Rivera said that a couple of people on the committee had not been back to campus in 40 years. 鈥淪o, when they came for our meeting, and met in the Student Center, some had not seen the impressive new three-story building (with Starbucks and Chick-fil-A),鈥� Rivera shared. 鈥淭he campus has expanded greatly in 40 years and is absolutely beautiful! Our student center was nothing like it is today!鈥�

国产哟哟 President Dr. William M. Downs will welcome the alumni. Clevenger will be present to bring greetings from the Office of Alumni Relations, and Ruckman, who is an advancement officer at 国产哟哟, will talk about why it is important to support the University. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to tell my story about coming back to work at 国产哟哟,鈥� Ruckman affirmed. 鈥淭his is an opportunity to introduce them to what I’ve been able to see about 国产哟哟 鈥� that it鈥檚 not just in our past. It鈥檚 today. It鈥檚 growing. It鈥檚 living. Not a day goes by that I don鈥檛 talk to somebody from 国产哟哟 or that I went to class with.鈥�

国产哟哟 is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., 国产哟哟 prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at 国产哟哟.edu.