News Staff Reporter
From Friday, May 19th, to Sunday, May 21st, Choate Rosemary Hall alumni will congregate on campus for Choate’s annual Alumni Weekend.
Events planned for the weekend include such highlights as a commencement dinner Friday night, the alumni prize dinner Saturday morning, and a memorial service honoring Reverend Seymour St. John ’31.
Receiving awards at the alumni prize ceremony will be Nicholas Negroponte ’61, founder of the MIT Digital Media Lab, and the 2006 US Olympic Women’s Hockey Team trio: Angela Ruggiero ’98, Kim Insalaco ’99, and Julie Chu ’01.
Hilary Burrall of Development and Alumni Relations is overseeing the event, along with Mary Verselli of Communications. “The chapel will be very busy this reunion because it wasn’t available last year—it was still under renovation,” said Verselli.
There is no doubt that visitors will find the weekend’s athletic activities worthwhile. “Sports are a popular thing during Alumni Weekend—a lot of people go to watch the games of whatever teams they used to be on at Choate,” explained Verselli.
To kick-off the weekend, two movies will be shown in Getz Auditorium on Friday night: a G-rated film at 7:00 and a PG-rated film at 8:30.
“We try to keep the same basic structure every year for Reunion Weekend. Something unique this year will be the memorial ceremony in the Seymour St. John Chapel,” stated Hilary Burrall of Alumni Relations.
Campus Chaplain Marc Trister and former Choate Chaplain Rev. Robert Bryan will lead the memorial service at 11:00 on Saturday morning.
The dedication of the Ted Ayres ’46 Development and Alumni Center at Brownell will follow the service at 2:00.
“New this year will be the Chapel Organ Re-Dedication in the Seymour St. John Chapel,” said Verselli. At the dedication, alumni organists Sarah E. Allen ’02, Trystan C. Bennett ’03, David J. Chrzanowski ’89, and Stephen T. Main ’81 will be featured as former Choate musicians.
Throughout Saturday night, entertainment for children ages 6-12 will be provided by “Camp Choate” in Macquire Gym, where there will be supervised games and videos.
To conclude the weekend’s festivities, an alumni volleyball game will be held in the Johnson Athletic Center on Sunday morning.
Every year Alumni Relations receives financial support from alumni in order to organize these festive days, although the event is covered by Choate’s annual budget. “We don’t do any fundraising directly linked to reunions other than asking alumni to increase their donations during the year,” clarified Burrall.
In recognition and memory of Choate’s outstanding academic curriculum, outgoing and hospitable students, and gorgeous campus, this year’s Reunion Weekend will exemplify the pride of being part of Choate.
