Recap and Giving Update

Georgetown University's Main Campus Reunion 2007 marked the largest number of alumni, family, and friends to make their way back to the Hilltop. The fun-filled weekend, held May 31-June 3, drew 3,500 alumni from as early as 1932 to as recent as 2002.

Kicking off the weekend on May 31, was the Tombs Takeover by the Class of 1982, which earned the Reunion Cup for having the largest percentage - 24 percent - of returning classmates. Other classes receiving recognition during reunion weekend were:

• Class of 1977, which earned the Blue-Gray Cup for raising the largest class gift during the five years since their last reunion - $17,869,216 (which broke the all-time reunion record held by the Class of 1968 for raising $17.6 million);
• Class of 1967, which earned the President's Cup for producing the highest percentage of donors during their 40th reunion year - 32 percent.

Congratulations to these and all our reunion classes. Thank you for your contribution and continued committment to Georgetown.

On Friday, the inaugural Welcome Home Luncheon brought in more than 100 guests and featured four school deans and six faculty members, who greeted and conversed with alumni during the luncheon. Following the meal, Vice President of Advancement Jim Langley moderated a panel on interreligious understanding with President John J. DeGioia, Georgetown College Dean Jane McAuliffe, and Director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs Tom Banchoff.

Classrooms, halls, and other meeting spaces were filled throughout reunion with hundreds of alumni and their guests attending various activities such as "Vatican II: Did Anything Happen?" and "Darfur and AIDS: Death and Hope in Sub-Saharan Africa." Guest lecturers included Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, AOL Vice Chairman Ted Leonsis, and men's basketball coach John Thompson III, who discussed the challenges of losing two talented coaching staff members and a student as well as his personal joy over beating the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in the NCAA tournament.

» Listen to an audiocast of University President John J. DeGioia's conversation with Speaker Pelosi

But reunion wasn't just about basketball or academic seminars. Attendees of all ages enjoyed entertaining tours of campus and new Washington, D.C., memorials, camaraderie during their class parties, kid-friendly workshops, and the annual All-Class Family Picnic, which had its highest attendance ever! A lot of reminiscing took place over the course of the weekend, especially at the "Memories and Hopes: Shared Reflections at a Reunion" event in Riggs Library on Saturday. Former Dean of Students Bill Stott Jr. (C'57, H'85) led his fellow classmates in remembering the antics, legendary Georgetown mentors, and friends of their youth.

Topping off the weekend on Sunday were the All-Class Mass, a farewell breakfast, and a tour at the National Gallery.