Despite heat, humidity, and the threat of thunderstorms, 1,350 alumni and their families gathered on campus to celebrate their reunions during Alumni Weekend 2018, May 31 to June 3. Highlights included the annual Parade of Classes, Alumni Collection featuring the Collection Address “#MeToo, Marches, and Making Noise” by former Editor-in-Chief at Glamour magazine Cindi Leive ’88, and a state of the College update from President Valerie Smith.

During Collection, outgoing President of the Alumni Association Janet Erlick ’88 oversaw the presentation of alumni service awards before passing the gavel to Emily Anne Nolte Jacobstein ’07. This year’s awards, which recognize alumni for their service to the College, their communities, and their fields, were presented to Bob Fetter ’53, winner of the Joseph B. Shane ’25 Alumni Service Award; Monica Pannwitt Bradsher ’63, who received the Arabella Carter Community Service Award; and Kurt Eichenwald ’83, winner of the Eugene Lang ’38, H’81 Impact Award.

Class reunion committees planned activities including lectures, memorials, concerts by alumni bands, and even a synchronized swimming performance organized by the Class of ’83. While the 50th Reunion Class of ’68 had a full schedule of events, the lecture “The History of the Universe, from Swarthmore to Stockholm and Beyond” by their classmate and Nobel Laureate John Mather ’68, H’94 was a draw for the entire community when he spoke about his remarkable career as an astrophysicist and his work for NASA.

Saturday began with opportunities for alumni to learn more about the seven active alumni affinity networks and saw the return of an alumni reading of Mozart’s Requiem in a joint performance with the Chester Children’s Chorus. Despite some rain and the eventual arrival of the forecasted thunderstorms, alumni danced the night away at the All-Alumni Parrish Beach Party, featuring DJ Alan Sama ’97.