For young alumni and more seasoned Mustangs alike, reunions offer a forum for rekindling friendships and reconnecting with SMU.
Jennifer Clark Tobin
“The opportunity to catch up with classmates is priceless,” says Jennifer Clark Tobin ’98 of Dallas, who served on her 10-year reunion committee and is also an ’01 graduate of Dedman School of Law. “We spent an important part of our lives together, and you never know how revisiting those relationships may affect your life.”
Bob and Gail Massad of Dallas, who co-chaired the 40-year reunion for the class of 1968, agree that SMU friendships withstand the test of time.
“Most of us met our best friends at SMU; and even though we’re miles apart, when we get together for our reunion, it’s like those friendships were never interrupted,” says Bob, a retired insurance executive who is planning a second career in the nonprofit sector.
Gail and Bob Massad
Reunion weekend coincides with Homecoming each fall. Nine undergraduate classes are welcomed back to SMU to celebrate anniversaries in five-year increments, starting with five and continuing to 45. Graduates whose class years end in 0 and 5 will gather next November. The 50-year reunion occurs each May during Commencement weekend. The class of 1960 will be honored May 14-15, 2010. Golden Mustangs Day, a celebration for alumni who graduated more than 50 years ago, is held every other year in March.
In addition to traditional Homecoming activities – like the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony, parade and football game – there’s a reunion lunch tent on the Boulevard. Approximately 900 alumni and their families enjoy the pre-game meal each year.
Reunion alumni can support the women’s golf program by participating in the Earl Stewart Lady Mustang and Reunion Golf Tournament.
Another high point is the reunion giving celebration. Twenty-four percent of reunion-year alumni gave back to SMU last year.
Jamie McComiskey Moore
“Reunions are an opportune time to revisit SMU and experience the advances made by the University in recent years,” says Jamie McComiskey Moore ’85, who chairs the Alumni Board’s Development Committee.
“Alumni financial support is a critical element in SMU’s growing reputation,” she adds. “Alumni giving allows for the establishment and preservation of scholarships that attract the most sought-after students. Donations also support programming in faculty achievement and student life as well. We can all take pride in ownership of these achievements, whether as a first-time or annual donor.”
The reunion showstoppers are the parties – evenings filled with good food, music and fun. More than 1,300 attended their class reunion parties in 2008.
“Our class party at the Park Cities Club was the highlight of the reunion, with over 100 alumni and guests attending,” Gail Massad says.
Co-chairs for each class search for the newest and most interesting venues in Dallas. Past class party locations have included upscale hotels, including W Dallas-Victory; venues unique to the city, such as Dallas World Aquarium and the Dallas Museum of Art; and favorite old haunts, like the Green Elephant and Trader Vic’s.
“Class reunion party attendance continues to grow,” says Astria Terry, director of reunion programs. “Social network sites help spread the word that reunion weekend is truly a ‘do not miss’ experience.”
For more information, contact Reunion Programs at 214-768-YEAR (9327) or reunionyear@smu.edu. More information also is available at smu.edu/reunion.
Alumni Board
Nominations for the 2010 SMU Alumni Board will be accepted through Dec. 31. Alumni may nominate fellow alumni or themselves. For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 214-768-2586 or email smualum@smu.edu.
CHAIR Ken Malcolmson ’74
PAST CHAIR Connie Blass O’Neill ’77
MEMBERS Brad Adams ’93, Chris Ainsworth ’94, Vincent Battles ’06, John R. Bauer ’66, Shonn Evans Brown ’95, ’98, Robert Cabes Jr. ’91, Stephen A. Corley ’90, Kim Twining Hanrahan ’92, Harriet Hopkins Holleman ’63, Ruth Irwin Kupchynsky ’80, Doug Linneman ’99, Tamara Marinkovic ’91, ’94, Robert Massad ’68, Susie McLamore McCormack ’77, Robert Mills ’57, Jamie McComiskey Moore ’85, Dennis E. Murphree ’69, Laura Staub Pusateri ’01, Mark A. Robertson ’85, Scott Rozzell ’71, Lisa Holm Sabin ’78, Jesusita Santillan ’06, David Schmidt ’79, Deborah Hurst Sirchio ’70, J. Jeffrey Thrall ’71, Jeffrey Ziegler ’84