The following is a list of events held all over the world from September
through December. As you can see, we have engaged many, many alumni, parents,
and friends of the College in many different events. To date we have established
formal clubs in 12 cities. We wish to thank all of our volunteers for their
tireless efforts in making these outstanding events possible. We look forward to
planning more interesting gatherings for the Union family in the
future.
Boston
Boston-area young alumni gathered at Tia's on the waterfront in Boston on
Sept. 12. More than 100 alumni enjoyed food, drinks, and a beautiful end of
summer evening.
On a sunny fall day later in
September, WPI hosted Union for its homecoming game. After a pregame tailgate
social, Union alumni and friends gathered to cheer the Dutchmen to a 20-7
win.
Oct. 19-20 brought the country's largest regatta, the Head of the Charles, to
Boston. The Boston Alumni Club provided food, drinks, and Union gear at a
gathering place along the Charles River. Union students and alumni cheered on
the women's eight, then enjoyed appetizers and drinks at The Good Life in
Cambridge.
For their last event of the year, the Boston club gathered to cheer the
Skating Dutchmen vs. Harvard Crimson. Alumni, parents, and current students
enjoyed dinner on the Harvard campus prior to the game.
Chicago
On Oct. 22, Union trustee Mary Ann MacLean and her husband, Barry, welcomed
30 alumni to their home to hear President Hull's presentation, “Union Today and
Union Tomorrow,” in which he discussed The Plan for Union and the exciting
changes that will be instituted in the coming years.
The first meeting for those interested in serving on the board of the
Union College Alumni Club of Chicago also took place in October and plans for
future events were discussed. If you are interested in becoming involved with
the Chicago club, please e-mail Kate Stefanik '01, assistant director of alumni
relations, at stefanik@union.edu.
New Haven, CT
On the evening of Nov. 16, more than 60 alumni and friends from the New
Haven area gathered for dinner before the Skating Dutchmen took the ice against
the Yale Bulldogs.
New York
On Nov. 7, alumni and friends came together for an evening at
Lincoln Center's New York Philharmonic. Prior to the concert, alumni convened at
Avery Fisher Hall's Panevino Lounge, where violist Barry Lehr fielded questions
while hors-d'oeuvres and drinks were served. All had a great time. A
special thanks to Joanna Rudolph '98 for organizing the event.
On Dec. 12, the Union Women Connect affinity group sponsored an event
featuring Kate White '72, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine. At a
breakfast with more than 90 alumnae and students, Kate spoke of her experiences
at Union as well as her journey through life since then. She discussed the top
four qualities she believes women must possess in their working life today, and
offered dozens of humorous anecdotes for each quality. At the end of the
presentation, five signed copies of Kate's recently published mystery novel, If
Looks Could Kill, were raffled. Two gift baskets, compliments of Cosmopolitan,
were also given away. Kate completed the morning by leading a tour through the
offices of Cosmopolitan. It was a wonderful event, and all left inspired.
Philadelphia
The newly-resurrected Alumni Club of Philadelphia held its first
gathering on Sept. 19. The event, a wine tasting at Chaddsford Winery in
Manayunk, drew more than 30 alumni from the classes of 1952 to 2002. They
mingled over wine and hors-d'oeuvres and enjoyed a lecture from an expert at the
winery. Keep an eye on your mailboxes for invitations to more events in the
Philadelphia area!
Princeton, NJ
Banners flew and pom-poms shook as the cheers of more than 50 alumni and
parents filled Princeton's Baker Rink on Nov. 15 when the Skating Dutchmen
defeated the Tigers, 4-1. Prior to the game, alumni, parents, and friends
gathered on Princeton's campus to enjoy dinner and meet fellow alumni.
San Diego
The Alumni Club of San Diego held its first-ever
young alumni event on Nov. 14 at Buster's Beach House and Longboard Bar overlooking the serene
San Diego Bay.
The alumni gathered to meet new faces, catch up with old friends, network,
and discuss current Union news and events. Joining us was Prof. George
Butterstein and his wife, who are on sabbatical at the world-famous San Diego
Zoo.
The San Diego Alumni Club is growing by leaps and bounds. Many of the alums
in attendance were pleasantly surprised at the number of recent graduates in the
San Diego area. A great time was had, and future events are in the planning
stages.
San Francisco
On Oct. 5, more than 30 alumni, friends, and family kicked off San
Francisco's “summer” and embarked on a 30-minute ferry ride to Angel Island for
a day full of great food and drinks, plenty of hiking, gorgeous views, and a
fierce badminton tournament. There's nothing like being in the middle of the San
Francisco Bay with a 360-degree view of beauty all around you! And who better to
share it with than alums from classes as far back as 1965 to classes graduating
just seven years ago? How are we going to top this next summer?
The Northern California Alumni Club celebrated another fine year with a
holiday party on December 11 at Bruno's Supper Club in San Francisco. Cocktails
and delicious hors-d'oeuvres complimented snappy jazz tunes as the club members
mingled and shared in the festive spirit. The club is already looking forward to
its second annual President's Day Gathering in honor of Chester Arthur,
scheduled for February!
Schenectady
On Sept. 19, more than 50 people met at the Mohawk Golf Club for dinner.
Political Science Professor James Underwood, a faculty member since the 1960s,
talked about changes in the administration, the student body culture, and
teaching styles over the decades. It was delightful to share his memories and
have a wonderful dinner.
On Oct. 22, about 45 attended a lovely luncheon at the Mohawk Golf Club.
Roger Benson, president of the New York State Public Employees Federation, spoke
of the work and assistance that PEF members provided on 9/11 and in the days
following.
On Nov. 19, more than 60 people again came to the Mohawk Golf Club, this time
to hear Assistant Men's Ice Hockey Coach J. Andrew Will discuss the hockey
program. A marvelous question and answer session followed. The group enjoyed an
early Thanksgiving dinner menu.
On Dec. 11, the Club gathered at
the beautiful Old Chapel on campus for a holiday luncheon. It has become
a tradition to have the very talented Niskayuna High School Studio Singers,
led by Paula Brinkman, perform popular and holiday favorites. People enjoyed a
great luncheon by the College food service, complete with holiday punch and
eggnog.
As of December, club membership stands at 303.
Stuart, FL
On Sept. 27, William Swanson '38, Charlie Fischer '66, David Pittinos '69,
and Toby Overdorf '91 gathered for a charity golf outing in Stuart. Sporting
Union hats, towels, golf balls, and banner, “we were the best dressed team in
the tournament even if not the most talented.” A highlight had to be the tee
shot that took a 90 degree angle and went through a screen that the homeowners
would always have expected to be safe…nice job, Charlie. Many thanks to David
for getting the foursome together!
Washington, DC
The DC Alumni Club had a busy autumn. On Sept. 26, 50 young alumni from the
area gathered at the Capitol City Brewing Co. In a city known for networking,
the youngest generations of Union alumni held their own. The DC Alumni Club
hopes that more alumni, classes 1992-2002, will attend the next event, a tour of
the Old Dominion Brewing Co. scheduled for late February.
Other recent events included a walking tour of the Arlington National
Cemetery, which included stops at the graves of Union worthies; a Halloween
evening tour of the Phillips Collection to view a special show of Pierre
Bonnard; and the traditional holiday party at John Marshall's former home, the
DACOR Bacon House. The party was co-hosted with the Skidmore and Hamilton Alumni
Clubs.
Alumni can learn about DC club activities by clicking on the Club web page: http://www.union.edu/Alumni/Groups/Clubs/DC/. The web page
also allows alumni to join the Club and pay for events via a secure means.