Grand Reunion brings alumni together

By Kaveri Gyanendra

Hundreds of Santa Clara alumni seemed all smiles this past weekend as they returned to campus to greet one another at the Grand Reunion Weekend.

Graduating classes of 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010, were all invited back to campus to remember, reconnect and renew friendships with their fellow classmates. Alumni from other classes were welcome back as well.

Over the course of the weekend, the university planned numerous events for the visiting alumni, ranging from the President's Speaker Series with Director of the CIA Leon Panetta, '60, on Friday evening to the Homecoming Picnic and the Coz Cup Rugby game Saturday afternoon.

Throughout the weekend there were multiple information sessions, which were organized to help alumni stay connected with Santa Clara and the changing society Santa Clara grows within.

One such session held in Kennedy Commons was titled "How 'Green' is SCU? Come find out!" which focused on the efforts the university has made toward campus sustainability.

Saturday started off with the annual 5k Bronco Run/Walk, which began outside of the Donohoe Alumni house, inviting alumni and friends of all ages to participate. The homecoming picnic and Gianera Society lunch were held on campus during the afternoon.

For alumni returning for the first time in over ten years, the changes that the campus has gone through left them both shocked and pleased. Ernie O'Banion, '50, was impressed with the campus expansion that he noticed since his time as an undergrad.

"When I was here there were three buildings," he said. "Now every time I come back, there is a new building and each time I turn around a new one is being built."

Members of the Gianera Society gathered around Benson Center, laughing about their fondest memories and discussing the physical changes of the campus. While embracing the evolving campus, the graduates reminisced about the smaller campus and their favorite things about it.

"When I come back, the first place I go is the chapel," said John Kiefer, '55. "It's the only building on campus that hasn't and won't change."

"The Alameda used to run straight through campus," said Dennis Gravert, '88, who was back for his wife's 20-year reunion. "If you were leaving the library and late to classes, you had to wait for the light to change or just run across and dodge the cars."

While alumni gathered outside and around Benson, the Alumni Association set up various booths to keep both the alumni and their children entertained. The petting zoo comprised of snakes, rabbits, ponies and many other animals was located outside of the Heafey Law Library, drawing in kids of all ages while their parents gathered nearby, catching up with classmates and reflecting on their college experiences.

"I'm still friends with a lot of the people that I lived on the same floor with my freshman year," Marita Quint-Bruni of 1995 said. "We were the most eclectic group of people ever and I don't think that if we hadn't lived together then we might not have been friends, but because we were in that situation we became friends and we've been friends for over 15 years now... We still keep in touch, our kids play together...it's great."

The friendships that many of the alumni built during their time at Santa Clara were their strongest memories and favorite part to their overall education at Santa Clara.

"The people and the relationships I built and the sense of community and family that the university always represented to me (was my favorite part)," Joanne McGuire-Giorgi, '90, said. "It was a great education but when you add all of those things to it, it really made it not only a great education but a great place to really feel that you can grow as an individual. Everyone looked out for you. You never felt like you didn't have somebody to depend on."

While the friendships are what many of the alums look back on, the close professor interaction and school atmosphere are what many of the returners reflected on as the foundation for their success. Class of 1975 graduate Andy Gonzalez, who majored in engineering while at Santa Clara and is currently a rocket scientist at NASA attributes his workplace achievements to his time at Santa Clara.

"While I'm at work, people will ask me 'how did learn you do that? How did you know to do that?' and I say, well I'm from Santa Clara," he said. "That's the way Santa Clara teaches you and I think students should take advantage of that."

Quint-Bruni, who double majored in Spanish literature and history, would advise current Santa Clara students to utilize all the opportunities and options given to them throughout their time on campus.

"Take advantage of your professors, because they really want to help you," she said. "I don't think I did that as much as I should have. Take from their experiences, take their advice, go to their office hours and take advantage of the career counseling aspect. If there are internship opportunities, take advantage of those and use them."

As alumni make their return trips to Santa Clara, they are given the chance to reflect on their time as a Bronco and also think about the future of the students here.

"Santa Clara teaches you how to think outside of the box, which really prepares you for life after college," Trelawney Periera, '91, said. "Enjoy the experience while you're a student but also live in the moment-have fun now and don't worry about what you're doing in three years or five years."

Contact Kaveri Gyanendra at kgyanendra@scu.edu or at (408) 551-1918.