Drexel’s campus will be alive with activity on May 2 and 3 during the annual Alumni Weekend, hosted by the Drexel University Alumni Association. Alumni Weekend will feature some traditional activities and some new events designed to bring alumni together and celebrate their shared Drexel connection.
New this year is the grand finale of the weekend, Drexel After Dark.
“This year we have decided to retire the University Gala and replace it with something new and exciting,” said Cristina Geso, associate vice president of Alumni Relations. Drexel After Dark will have something for everyone, combining food, drinks, games, music and dancing for a fun night out with friends and classmates. The Great Court will have a dance floor and a DJ playing similar music to University galas of the past. The A.J. Drexel Picture Gallery on the third floor will be transformed into a piano bar with lounge and table seating, and space on the fourth floor will resemble a nightclub, complete with house music and video games.
Alumni Weekend is also a time to celebrate milestones. On Friday, May 2, the Class of 1964 will celebrate its 50th reunion and induction into the Golden Dragon Society.
“I’m most looking forward to getting together with my classmates and just finding out what everyone has been up to,” said Rich Weggel ’64, co-chair of the Class of 1964 Reunion Committee.
The Class of 1964 will enjoy a breakfast in the Great Court followed by a pinning ceremony and induction into the Golden Dragon Society. The festivities will continue with a class photograph on the Great Court steps and a luncheon for all Golden Dragons (graduates from the Class of 1964 and prior), followed by a trolley tour of Drexel’s University City and Center City campuses.
“Drexel has grown in so many ways over the years,” added Weggel. “Some things you can see, like the buildings, but other things you’ll learn about when you come back for Alumni Weekend, like academics and research, and how Drexel’s reputation and the value of a Drexel degree con- tinue to improve.”
The Class of 1989, celebrating its 25th reunion this year, will be inducted into the Silver Dragon Society on Saturday, May 3. In addition to the induction and pinning ceremony, classmates will enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before heading over to the Main Building for Drexel After Dark.
Other featured Alumni Weekend events include the popular Wine Pairing Dinner at Drexel’s Academic Bistro. This tasty dinner is a quick sell-out so alumni are encouraged to register now. Also on Friday night, the Sports Fans of the ’50s will hold its biennial rally at the University Club, an event that “will be an amazing gathering of athletes from the 1950s along with athletes from all decades and their families and friends,” said Helen Callas Reiner ’55, ’57, ’66, a member of the Drexel Athletics Hall of Fame.
The fun continues on Saturday morning, when hundreds of alumni, students and members of the community gather for the 22nd annual University City 5K Run which benefits the Nicholas P. Pipino Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Alumni Association will host a scavenger hunt for young alumni, which will take participants on an adventure through campus and parts of West Philadelphia, ending with snacks, drinks and great prizes at St. Declan’s Well Irish American Pub.
Also on Saturday, various colleges and schools will host open houses and special events for alumni. Later on Saturday afternoon, the 2014 Alumni Association award recipients will be honored with a ceremony in the Paul Peck Alumni Center.
For a complete schedule of all of the events and programs taking place during Alumni Weekend and to register, visit drexel.edu/alumni.
“I would say to anyone considering coming back for Alumni Weekend: You’re going to be amazed by what you see. And if it’s been 50 years since you’ve been to campus, I can bet that you won’t even recognize it.”
— Rich Weggel, Class of ’64 Reunion Committee Co-Chair
Alumni Weekend 2014
Friday, May 2 & Saturday, May 3
Friday, May 2
9 a.m.to 4 p.m. — Class of 1964 50-year Reunion, including the Golden Dragon Society Induction and Awards Ceremony, with class photo, luncheon and campus trolley tour.
4 to 7 p.m. — Sports Fans Rally 5 to 7 p.m. — LeBow Faculty and
Alumni Mixer
6:30 to 9 p.m. — Annual Alumni Wine Pairing Dinner
Saturday, May 3
9:30 a.m. — 22nd Annual University City 5K Run
10 to 11:30 a.m. — LeBow “Brunch and Learn” on Elder Law
10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. — College of Engineering Tours and Dean’s Buffet Luncheon
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Westphal Open House
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — College of Computing & Informatics Inaugural Alumni Champagne Brunch
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Alumni Scavenger Hunt
11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Sports Fans of the ’50s Reunion Luncheon
12 to 1 p.m. — Gerri C. LeBow Hall Tours 1:30 to 3 p.m. — Campus Walking Tours
3 to 5 p.m. — Drexel Veterans Alumni Network Gathering
3:30 to 4:30 p.m. — Harriet E. Worrell Society Reception
4:30 to 6:30 p.m. — Class of 1989 Silver Dragon Society Induction and Reception
4:30 to 6:30 p.m. — Delta Kappa Rho/ PHI Sigma Kappa Reunion
5 to 6:30 p.m. — Alumni Association Awards Ceremony
5 to 6:30 p.m. — Books & Beer! LBGTQIA celebrates FUSE!
5 to 6:30 p.m. — Study Abroad Alumni Reunion
6:30 to 10 p.m. — Drexel After Dark