For photos from Reunion Weekend, see the Gustavus Flickr stream.
The campus welcomed home nearly 900 alums and their guests for Reunion Weekend last weekend. They came from as far away as Bangalore, India, and as nearby as 7th Street in Saint Peter.
It was the second year in which alums from all anniversary years came and celebrated together on the same weekend, with the campus free of current students (other than the student ambassadors on hand to provide hospitality) and the sole domain of alums—including the dorms.
Dorm stays offered some of the most nostalgic moments of the weekend. Miah Jazdzewski ’03 cheekily tweeted that he and his roommate argued over furniture placement in their room for the weekend. “Of course, neither of us got the loft for our beds,” he joked. Ruthanne Hedstrom Vos ’83 found herself staying in the very room her husband was living in when she met him on a Mystery Date back in 1981—109A in Norelius (Co-Ed). “Obviously I had never seen the inside of it before,” she said with a wink. “Well, I did study with the door open once or twice,” her husband, Jim Vos ’84 reminded her.
Everyone remembered the rooms as being bigger.
Friday brought the first alums to campus to celebrate the induction of the Class of 1968 into the 50 Year Club as well as “Alumni College” (lifelong learning sessions taught by current and emeriti Gustavus profs) and tours of the Linnaeus Arboretum, the tunnels, and campus. As it was the 20th anniversary of the tornado, Professor Glenn Kranking ’98 gave a special tour that detailed both the tornado devastation and the campus recovery. The evening brought all reunion attendees together for a kickoff dinner, followed by class receptions and a classic Dive Dance.
As for the Golden Anniversary Class of ’68, both class president John Moorhead and the buttons the class members wore declared, “We’re still crazy after all these years!” If you needed additional proof, you didn’t have to go any further than a quick painting trip to the rock around 10:30 p.m. Friday night. They’re also crazy for each other, it seems: At 135 alums, they were the largest contingency of a class to assemble for a Gustavus college reunion.
Saturday brought similar activities in the morning. Then, an afternoon downpour of rain. As is characteristic of Gustie grads, it did not stop the party. Alums toured the Mankato Brewery and the Chankaska winery, shopped downtown Saint Peter, shared lunches, and honored those they had lost. Classes also presented the College with class gifts given by 25 percent of Gusties in reunion classes, totaling over $4.2 million dollars in commitments.
Gusties posted their favorite memories on a bulletin board in the Jackson Campus Center. Favorite memories included such fun as late-night heart-to-hearts with besties, making out under the pine trees on the other side of the football field, meeting a husband/wife-to-be, and frost-your-owns (not necessarily in that order).
In the kickball game between the Class of 1993 and 2003, President Rebecca Bergman threw the first pitch and the ’93s dominated the ’03s. In the evening, Gusties of all ages danced late into the night to popular song covers performed by Big Toe and the Jam, featuring several Gustie guest musicians.
On Sunday, the early risers took master classes from Gustavus staff on baking, tennis, golf, and the Bible. Alumni assembled into a choir and rehearsed, then sang at a special alumni worship and remembrance service. Afterward, alums embraced—with some tears—at the closing brunch before leaving their hill home.
“My heart is full. I can’t wait for another celebration in 2023,” said Mike Marcotte ’08, who received one of this year’s first-decade awards. On Instagram, he posted a side-by-side photo comparison of his Gustie crew at the Gustavus sign this weekend and back in 2008.
Almost nothing had changed.
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