Alumni make new Grinnell memories during 140th Alumni Reunion
June 5, 2019 — On a sun-splashed Friday afternoon, blankets and lawn chairs emerged on Mac Field as several attendees of Grinnell College’s 140th Alumni Reunion Weekend gathered on their old stomping grounds to commemorate being back.
The relaxed backdrop served as a fitting setting for alumni competing in Relays 2.0. The hula-hoop race, ping-pong shot put, paper airplane throwing competition, dizzy bat race, and (more difficult than it sounded) three-legged long jump brought classes together around a lighthearted competition steeped in tradition.
Reunion attendees ascend their handcrafted paper airplanes during Relays 2.0 at Mac Field.
“A few people mentioned that we didn’t have a flaming toilet,” joked Erin Hennessy Gonnerman ’09 who organized the Relays with classmate Tess Cohen ’09. “We learned that relays have been going along for a long time and everyone has memories of it from their student days. Having Relays 2.0 was a good hang out.”
Reunion is the largest Grinnell alumni gathering of the year. More than 1,000 alumni, family, and friends returned to campus May 30 to June 2 to take part in Reunion 2019. Throughout the weekend, alumni attended presentations, participated in activities, toured the campus and community, and formed bonds over shared experiences at social events and meals.
This year’s featured Reunion classes were the classes of 1959, 1960, 1969, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1994, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2009, though alumni from many other years also attended. Attendees were from 46 states, Washington D.C., and seven foreign nations: Canada, France, Hong Kong, Israel, Peru, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
Jim Rudolph ’69 traveled 15 hours from Peru to reunite with 90 of his classmates who returned to celebrate their 50th Reunion. It was Rudolph’s first Reunion and the first time he’s seen his classmates in person since the 1969 commencement ceremony.
“It’s been groovy to see my old buddies, and hear the variety of what they are doing with their lives and where they ended up living,” he said. “It’s also wonderful to see Grinnell College doing so well.”
Rudolph also saluted the 85 student workers who gave up part of their summer break to staff Reunion. “I’m so glad they are here helping us and supporting Reunion,” he said.
Alumni from 41 different classes attended this year ranging from 1954 to 2017. At age 89, Arthur Dercksen ’54 proudly called himself the granddaddy of Reunion weekend. He said he was the first student to give organ recitals at Grinnell and the only student during the early 1950s to major in the organ. Those experiences set the stage for a life full of teaching and performing music.
Arthur Dercksen ’54, right, shares a story with Jan Ashley Bowen ‘59 during the Golden Luncheon Friday at the Joe Rosenfield ’25 Center.
“I was very shy as a youngster, but I’ve come out of my shell,” Dercksen said. “That’s the thing with Grinnellians. I either already know they are interesting, or I talk to them and find out how interesting they are. You never can tell these days who knows whom and what connections you have with people.”
That’s also true within classes. Several alums noted how they have become closer with classmates decades after graduation through the connections made by planning or attending reunions.
“To me the fun thing is so many years later the silly cliques and the things that people may have been insecure about back then have all been long forgotten, which gives you a chance to connect with people that you weren’t close with when you were a student,” said Beth Sauerhaft ’85.
Another highlight for some alums was getting a taste for how the College has changed – and in some cases stayed the same – over the years. Bert Simpson ’79 hadn’t been back to Grinnell in 40 years, so he spent an afternoon walking around to get to know the place anew.
Rich Whitney, right, assistant vice president for facilities management, explains a feature of the HSSC to Nathan Williams ’03.
He was among the many attendees who made time to visit the new pavilions of the Humanities and Social Studies Center. Eric Blevins ’04 was struck by how modern the HSSC is.
“It’s an awesome addition to the campus,” he said. “The College has made a lot of progress even in the five years since my last reunion.”
During Alumni Assembly, Grinnell College President Raynard Kington acknowledged that some of the places alumni remember fondly have been adapted to meet the needs of current students.
“Yet, even as Grinnell has continued to grow and evolve – physically in the form of new buildings, and academically, with increased focus on creating innovative and creative opportunities – we have purposefully and resolutely remained true to our roots,” he said. “And those roots lie with you, the dedicated and diverse alumni who remain connected with the College and whose commitment continues to shape the Grinnell community.”
Alumni Assembly also included an alumni choir performance, speeches by outgoing Alumni Council President Fritz Schwaller ’69 and incoming President Ryann Haines Cheung ’93, and presentation of Alumni Awards to Bruce Pauley ’59, Bud Roegge ’59, Janice Williams Resseger ’69, The Hon. Henry Wingate ’69, Moses Lee ’79, Jeffrey Greenberg ’80, Susan Henken-Thielen ’80, Paula Nixon ’84, Noel Green ’94, Dorje Gurung ’94, Jason Kimelman-Block ’94, Kent Donald Messer ’94, Maggie Bian ’09, and Latona Giwa ’09.
Preceding Reunion on May 29 and 30, Alumni College held courses on the theme of “Diversity is About All of Us.” Participants were transported back to their own classroom days where they learned from faculty members and each other what it means to celebrate diversity.
“Some of the classes were incredible,” said Emily Earhart ’83 who adhered to a friend’s advice to come early from North Carolina for Alumni College. “The theme of diversity is complicated and multi-layered and two days weren’t even enough to dive into it.”
David Laird ’80 said being back at Alumni College got him thinking about some family moments since many of his family members attended Grinnell.
During a dance at Darby Gym for his 15th Reunion in 1995, Laird and his wife started dancing. Their daughter Nicolette, who was 1 at the time, got up out of her stroller, walked over, and started dancing too.
“Those were her first steps,” Laird said. “She evidently learned to walk at Grinnell College. Just another example of the learning we’ve experienced at Grinnell.”
— by Jeremy Shapiro
Reunion 2019 Slideshow