Alumni renew their CC experience reunion weekend

Photo: Jon Crispin / CC alumni lounge on the College green.

Meghan Welch ’00 nearly missed out on her first reunion since graduating from Connecticut College. The 10th grade history teacher who lives in Washington, D.C. had tickets to fly from Baltimore to Hartford to reach her alma mater Saturday in time to catch up with her former classmates.

At least that was the plan.

“I was sprinting through the airport,” she said. “I checked in, got to the tunnel and was denied.”

The plane was overbooked.

Rather than waiting for the next flight, Welch opted to fly into Providence and take the train to New London. She made it in time to meet up with her friends and reconnect with the campus community, a place where she always felt at home.

“I like what the school represents and what it seeks to do,” she said. “I think people here are learners and are interested in many things. They want to do something with their lives. The people, from any year, are friendly and form a close group.”

A thousand alumni, family and friends visited Connecticut College for Reunion 2005 June 2-5. Alumni came to catch up with their classmates, visit with professors and reflect on their college days. They traveled to New London from far and wide. Alexia Dorozynski ’95 came from Moscow, Russia and Randy Quan ’95 came from Hawaii.

The weekend celebration opened late Thursday with welcome receptions, including a special 50th reunion dinner for the Class of 1955. Class pride was evident on campus throughout the weekend as members of different classes donned matching scarves or sweaters to show their unity. The alumni parade was a colorful display of CC spirit.

Photo: Jon Crispin / Alumni applaud “Joey” Merion Ferris Ritter ’35 , one of two alumni who came to celebrate their 70th reunion.

The Class of 2000, the youngest group, was well-represented, with 130 turning up for the weekend. The earliest graduates on hand were “Joey” Merion Ferris Ritter and Sabrina B. Sanders, both members of the Class of 1935 who were celebrating their 70th reunion.

Alumni attended a variety of programs throughout the weekend — some educational and some entertaining — and enjoyed plenty to eat and drink. Some activities, like a Wiffle ball game on Freeman Green, a stroll through the Arboretum or a campus run, got alumni outdoors to exercise or bask in the sun.

Alumni also took time to recognize those who volunteer on behalf of the College. At the annual meeting of the CC Alumni Association, College President Norman Fainstein presented Trish May ’75 with the College Medal. Rae Downes Koshetz ’67, president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, presented awards to Mark Warren ’75, Susan Lee ’70, Lois Larkey ’65 and Miriam “Mims” Butterworth ’40 for their contributions to the College.

Jeff Gray ’80 and Peter Robinson ’80 joined a group of their friends from non-reunion class years — Daryl Hawk ’79, Jim Garvey ’79 and Jack Finneran ’81 — for the weekend. The group comes back to celebrate each year one of them is scheduled for a reunion.

“We don’t see each other very often so it’s great to get together,” said Garvey.

Hawk was also happy to reconnect with one of his former teachers, Professor of government William Frasure.

“It’s nice to come back and see how your relationship has changed since you were a student,” Hawk said.

Reunion was also a time to remember faculty, staff and alumni who have died in the past five years. Many alumni paused at Harkness Chapel for a memorial service.

Seven faculty members who were celebrating milestone anniversaries with the College, ranging from five to 35 years, were honored at a reception Friday afternoon.

Photo: A. Vincent Scarano / VOICES performs Broadway show tunes in Evans Hall.

On Friday evening alumni feasted on lobster under white tents planted on the College green and were later treated to a performance by VOICES, a six-member group of professional singers that entertained the crowd with Broadway show tunes. Two members are alumni: Andre Bessette ’90 and Donna Ragusa Bessette ’90.

On Saturday, alumni filled Brown Auditorium in Hale Laboratory to capacity for a mini-class on stem-cell research and cloning taught by Deborah Eastman, assistant professor of biology, and Derek Turner, assistant professor of philosophy.

Alumni at the session were introduced to the “one-minute paper,” an exercise, Eastman told her audience, designed to “give you a sense of being back in the CC classroom.” The activity required alumni to write down their position on stem cells and cloning in a minute or less.

Eastman and Turner took turns reading some of the responses aloud. Some were for it, some against it and some said they didn’t have enough information to develop an opinion. Alumni were eager to discuss the subject, and many lagged behind after to class to talk with Eastman and Turner.

Other panels and discussions led by CC professors and alumni during the weekend tackled the topics of Wall Street and investment, America ’s museums, arts and technology, activism, American foreign policy, democracy in the 21st century and how to balance a career and raising a family.

Margaret “Peggy” Hanrahan ’45 attended several of the panels and discussions throughout the weekend — one of her favorite parts of reunion weekends.

“I come because I enjoy getting back here and I like to keep up to date on the new buildings and programs,” she said, proudly wearing the Class of 1945’s purple and yellow scarf around her neck.

In the 60 years since she graduated from CC, Hanrahan has missed only one reunion. “I’ve enjoyed them all,” she said.