Penn State Behrend Celebrates 60 Years of Alumni
All alumni invited; Register now for Reunion 2008
As part of its 60th anniversary celebration, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, and the Penn State Behrend Alumni Society are hosting the college’s Alumni Reunion 2008 the weekend of July 25. The three-day reunion is open to Penn State Behrend’s more than 25,000 alumni and their families.
Scheduled activities include a wine tour, a poker tournament, Classes That You Might Have Missed, kids’ activities and many other family-friendly events.
In addition, special reunion receptions are planned for former Lion Ambassadors, Resident Assistants, choir members and tour guides as well as multicultural alumni and Pioneer Alumni—those who attended Penn State Behrend from 1948 to 1958. (Have a Facebook profile? Visit the links to join and see who else is attending.)
Overnight accommodations will be available in Senat Hall, Penn State Behrend’s newest residence facility which opened to its first residents in 2004. Senat provides one-bedroom suites, with two single beds and a semi-private bathroom, and two-bedroom suites, with four single beds and a private bathroom.
Reunion 2008 Activities
On Friday, July 25, alumni and their guests can enjoy an alumni welcome picnic, open swim in the Junker Center pool and midnight bingo—at 10 p.m.
The first annual Christopher Geitner ’97 Memorial Run/Walk kicks off Saturday’s festivities. Throughout the rest of the day, guests can participate in five “Classes That You Might Have Missed,” including abs for alums, golf skills, wine tasting, Harry Potter’s Secrets Class for Kids, and salsa dancing lessons. In addition, there will be car show, a wine tour, walking tours of campus and the Penn State Behrend Arboretum, horse-drawn wagon rides and ice cream—Penn State’s Berkey Creamery ice cream.
Saturday evening will feature two signature events: An alumni dinner with special guest Scott Mitchell ’84, president and CEO of the Erie Zoo, and the 2008 Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner.
Shortly before graduating from Penn State Behrend, Mitchell joined the Erie Zoo as its operations manager. That evolved into a highly visible public relations position as the media-friendly “Zoo Guy,” which in turn led to his appointment as president and CEO last summer. Mitchell holds a B.S. in management.
Seven former Penn State Behrend athletes will be inducted at this year’s dinner.
Following the dinner events, guests can end the evening with family movie night, a Texas Hold ’em poker tournament or an adults’ after-hours event.
The weekend will wrap up with the alumni brunch Sunday morning in Logan House followed by a nondenominational worship service and alumni choir performance in the Smith Chapel.
All are reminded to pick up their Berkey Creamery Ice Cream orders before hittin’ the road for home—and don’t forget the freezer bags or spoons!
To register for Reunion 2008 or for more information, visit behrend.psu.edu/alumni/reunion08 online or call the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 814-898-6159. Registration is $10 per person or $25 per family. Once registered, all events are free of charge unless indicated otherwise.
Since its inception in 1987, the Penn State Behrend Alumni Society has developed a variety of programs and activities for alumni to continue their relationship with the college. The society organizes the annual reunion and networking events, facilitated the creation of an endowed scholarship to provide students with an additional source of financial aid, and serves as a resource for alumni, faculty and staff alike. For more information on how to become a member, visit behrend.psu.edu or contact the Penn State Behrend Alumni office at 814-898-6159.