ALUMNI CONNECTION

photo by Jeff Clarke

Checking in on campus and the kids
A gorgeous Vermont autumn set the stage for Homecoming and Family Weekend 2007, which took place October 4-7 in Burlington.  Nearly four thousand parents, students, alumni, and friends from thirty-three states and Canada—the majority of whom were parents of first-year students—participated in the weekend activities, setting a new attendance record for the event.

In four short days, more than eighty indoor and outdoor activities, including lectures, tours, open houses, concerts, and exhibits, took place with the new Dudley H. Davis Center serving as the hub of activities and wowing parents and alums experiencing the building for the first time. Highlights from the weekend included the Davis Center dedication and Campaign celebration, the annual Homecoming picnic (which was fully compostable and recyclable), sold-out Lake Champlain cruises, the “Careers in Marketing” panel, and the second annual Scholarship Luncheon, which united UVM students with their scholarship sponsors.

Another returning favorite this year was the Soul Food Social, a student-run event sponsored by the Black Student Union. With a high-energy program full of dancing, poetry, and food (of course), the Soul Food Social has proven to be a hit on campus, growing from fifty attendees three years ago to more than three hundred this year.

Emily Burke, director of Homecoming & Parent Programs,  attributes Homecoming’s popularity to a mix of factors. “The weekend strikes a nice balance between providing a program and free time. Plus, it’s a great excuse to come to Vermont in the fall.”

—Caroline Gilley

UVM and the City
New York events are hits

As winter descended on the city, what better time to gather in the verdant warmth of the New York Botanical Garden? A December 1 gathering of alumni, family and friends for a special tour of the garden was the latest in an array of New York City events over the last several months that have drawn capacity crowds. Five outstanding alumnae—Jennifer Pate Gilbert ’90, Lois Ingram ’74, Liz Paley ’88, Kim Wieland ’85, and Cyma Zarghami ’84—formed the panel for “Sharing Success Stories,” a lively, illuminating discussion that attracted more than one-hundred guests. And when Mark Stoler, recently retired from a long career as one of the University’s top professors, delivered a lecture in NYC this fall, the guest list filled up as quickly as his UVM history classes did through the years. Future events include jazz at Lincoln Center with a pre-concert discussion by Professor John Gennari; a talk by Professor Garrison Nelson; and annual spring volunteer projects in Central Park. Watch your mail for details, or check alumni.uvm.edu, where you can add your e-mail to the list to learn of future events.

photo by Sally McCay

Check this out
The next time you’re on campus and visit the new Dudley H. Davis Center, be sure to stop by the interactive multimedia display just outside the elevator doors on the top floor. It’s a touch-screen-driven compendium of fast facts, campus news and events, historical highlights, notable alumni, and more. In addition to providing general University information, the display also serves as a donor recognition wall for the recently completed Campaign for the University of Vermont, with a database of donors searchable by last name, class year, or giving level.

Reunion update
You could learn something

From personal health to personal finances, alumni and families attending Reunion 2008, May 29-June 1, will have opportunities to learn from fellow alums and UVM faculty. As plans take shape for the weekend’s events, here’s a look at what’s in the works.

Alumna Miriam Nelson ’83, Tufts University professor and a national leader in the study of fitness and nutrition, will deliver a talk tentatively titled “Strong People Live Well.” Nelson’s “Strong Women” books have been international bestsellers, and she’s shared her expertise widely through the media. Christine Moriarty ’84, a certified financial planner, will explore the path to financial wellness with thoughts on the role money plays in our lives, wise spending, and intelligent investing.

A panel discussion on “Health and the Environment” will bring together faculty such as Don DeHayes, dean of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, and Jean Harvey-Berino, chair of nutrition and food sciences and creator of the “V-Trim” Web-based weight-loss program.

Keep an eye on alumni.uvm.edu/reunion for the latest details on Reunion 2008.

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