Alumni enjoyed class dinners and dancing to Boston party band, Redline, a boat cruise to Newburyport, a 5K fun run, trolley tours, a Red Sox game, dueling pianos, a Reunion Mass and a fireworks display. A few rain showers on Friday evening did little to dampen the high spirits of those in attendance, and alumni were rewarded with bright, sunny weather on both Saturday and Sunday.
The fiftieth reunion Class of 1962 attracted the most attendees (89), followed closely by the classes of 1992 and 2007. What the Class of 1992 lacked in sheer numbers, they made up for in sheer tenacity; ’92 partied until the wee hours of Sunday morning and “officially” closed down the after party at 1 a.m. Alumni traveled from as far away as California, Arizona and Colorado, with many staying in the dorms on Friday and Saturday night.
A recent article in The New York Times questioned whether Facebook and the advent of social media would detrimentally affect reunion attendance figures. And though there is little research to support this concern, some believe that Facebook and social media channels could actually strengthen bonds that otherwise could have been broken over the years. Today, social media allows alumni to remain close with their group of college friends, and to even broaden their social circle beyond those they see every day. When people feel a connection to their friends or their alma mater, they are more likely to return to their reunion.
Whatever the reason, Merrimack applauds those who attended the 2012 Reunion Weekend and encourages graduates of the classes ending in ‘03s and ‘08s to save June 7-9, 2013 on their calendars. We’ll see you then!
