Left to right: Andrew (Bart) Bastian, Dennis Keating, Kevin Michaells and Joe Clabbers plan a ski trip every year to stay connected.

Share Your Drexel Moments

August 2015 wedding of Jason Miller '07 and Emily McMillen
August 2015 wedding of Jason Miller ’07 and Emily McMillen

Last fall was wedding season for a group of Drexel grads who share a close bond and all got married between August and October. At each wedding, Dragons in attendance made sure to show their Drexel pride with a group photo. Congratulations to all of our Drexel couples who tied the knot this year!

 

October 2015 wedding of Kelly-May Barber '10 and Mike Cavalier
October 2015 wedding of Kelly-May Barber ’10 and Mike Cavalier
September 2015 wedding of Dave Kern '07 and Tabitha Reynolds
September 2015 wedding of Dave Kern ’07 and Tabitha Reynolds
September 2015 wedding of Stephen Whitehead '07 and Sarah McGarvey
September 2015 wedding of Stephen Whitehead ’07 and Sarah McGarvey

Hitting the Slopes Together for 30 Years

Left to right: Andrew (Bart) Bastian, Dennis Keating, Kevin Michaells and Joe Clabbers plan a ski trip every year to stay connected.
Left to right: Andrew (Bart) Bastian, Dennis Keating, Kevin Michaells and Joe Clabbers plan a ski trip every year to stay connected.

For more than three decades, 1984 alumni Andrew (Bart) Bastian, Dennis Keating, Kevin Michaelis and Joe Clabbers have taken a break from their busy lives to make an annual ski trip together to Utah. It’s a tradition that keeps strong the bonds they first forged as freshmen in 1979.

“We call it our Groundhog Day trip,” says Keating. “We have it down to a science. It’s a comfortable feeling.”

Despite work, family and busy schedules, the foursome hasn’t missed a trip in 31 years — with the exception of two years when Joe was unable to make it. And as Dennis points out, there’s no end in sight.

“It’s just become part of our lives,” he says.

In recent years, they each began bringing along their sons, a new twist to the tradition that Keating hopes to see continue into the future.

“We’ve been integrating the kids into the trip and they haven’t missed a beat,” he says. “They keep us going!”

Share Your Story

If you’ve recently gotten married, had a “baby Dragon” or if you keep any special traditions with your fellow Dragons, Drexel wants to hear from you. We’re looking for stories about Dragons who gather on a regular basis, take fun trips together, or who have a tradition that’s been maintained year after year.
Send us a high-resolution photo and tell us about it at [email protected].

Dragons are connecting all over the world long after graduating, upholding standing traditions and creating new ones. What memories have you made lately with your Dragon buddies?