Fifty years have passed since the class of 1969 lined up to receive their degrees, but time has not made them forget the moments they each spent at their alma mater, Waynesburg University.
This year’s Homecoming brings many alumni from all different years, and 65 of them have come back for the 50th reunion of the class of ’69. The amount of returning ‘69 alumni is a much larger number than recent class anniversaries. David Floyd, manager of development and Alumni Relations, believes this is because of an especially strong connection the members of the class of ‘69 still have with each other.
“We always have a good group for our 50th reunion class, but for whatever reason, it seems like this class has stayed really connected,” Floyd said. “There are a lot of connections that have stood the test of time. They want to come back and get together and reminisce.”
Working in Alumni Relations, Floyd said he gets to travel and meet with alumni from all over the country. This class, he said, is coming together from all over the country, some from Texas, some from New Jersey, some from Maryland and even a few from California. Although this is common for Homecoming weekend, Floyd said it does not usually occur at this large of a diverse volume.
“We’ve worked with a few different alumni who have been … reaching out to their classmates to encourage them to come back, and for us, that’s a great thing,” Floyd said. “We are happy to work with them and provide some of the things they are looking for and help them to reach out to their classmates as well.”
The combined class reunion will occur Friday, Oct. 4, from 7-9 p.m. at Lone Pine Country Club in Washington, Pennsylvania. All alumni are invited to the event, although its main purpose is to celebrate all of the reunion classes, which are in five-year increments from 5th year anniversary and back. On Saturday, Oct. 5, a brunch with President Douglas Lee and his wife is reserved for members of the class of ’69, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at their home next to the university.
Some of the class of ‘69 will see friends and acquaintances for the first time in 50 years, and in addition, they will be able to see the vast changes that have occurred at the university since the last time they explored campus.
“Campus looks and feels a lot different than it did 50 years ago,” Floyd said. “Lots of new buildings, lots of renovated buildings and just a bit of a different atmosphere, so I think it’s fun for the alumni to come back and see how it’s changed and remember what used to be in certain places. I think that’s one of the fun parts about Homecoming.”
Some of those changes include the recent renovations done in Stover Campus Center, Stewart Hall and the residents halls, but they also include major structures, such as the addition of Robert’s Chapel and the Goodwin Performing Arts Center. Even many of the resident halls were nonexistent back then, such as Willison and the SWEP halls. Not only has the layout of campus changed, but many programs have been added and expanded upon since then as well.
Included in the schedule of events for the weekend are the President’s Reception Oct. 4, from 3-5 p.m., the 23rd Annual Homecoming 5K Run and Walk, beginning at 8:30 a.m. the morning of Oct. 5 and Jacketfest in Johnson Commons from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 5. The Thiel College Tomcats will visit to take on the Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets at the Homecoming football game Oct. 5, at 1:30 p.m. Halftime will host the Alumni Celebration, according to the Homecoming 2019 pamphlet.
The overall hope, Floyd explained, is that the class reunions and other events will bring alumni together to experience a rare connection with their past friends and classmates during this Homecoming weekend.
For more information on Homecoming, contact David Floyd at 724-852-7725.