Reuniting, the Duke Way
Alumni and friends reconnected during Duke Reunion Weekend, March 28-30, on campus.
“Duke connections have a way of staying very strong despite the years,” said Sorid, who traveled from New York City. “When we do meet up, it transports you right back to when you were on campus. It feels like no time has passed.”
Sorid and Hochstetler were among the 4,701 alumni and friends attending the Duke Reunion Weekend, spending time on campus catching up with each other and the ever-changing campus. Alumni and friends attended class parties and open houses across schools and units, took tours of Duke and Durham, learned at educational events designed to showcase the very best of Duke and more.
In addition, classes committed nearly $19 million to date through a special class gift campaign to mark milestone reunions. The collective gift will benefit 15 annual funds that provide flexible support to schools and units and expand the Duke student experience.
The Class of 1995 raised more than $4 million, and won The Benchmark Challenge, a friendly competition between reunion classes to drive the highest number of classmates who make a class gift and the highest number of class attendees. As the winner, 1995 classmates won a party on Abele Quad, complete with food, party favors, a bench painted Duke Blue and of course, bragging rights.
For classmates Rekha Vij ’00, who traveled from Chicago, and Mahiuddin Ahmed ’00, who arrived from Verona, N.J., attending Reunion Weekend with their families was important.
“We’re thinking about the next generation, now,” said Ahmed, who gave his pre-teen children a tour of Duke. “We want them to know what an excellent college campus looks like, so they can glimpse the possibilities and see the amazing students and faculty.”
For other attendees, the weekend was a time to reflect on what Duke gave to them long before they knew they needed it.
It was community for Becca Gil ’15, who was a member of Sabrosura, Duke’s Latin dance group, and Kimberly Dixon ’10, who was a member of United in Praise, Duke’s Gospel choir.
Gil called Sabrosura her “family” at Duke, while Dixon said the choir members she “tented” with in Krzyzewskiville to attend the Duke-UNC basketball game are still her best friends.
“We didn’t know we were going to be lifelong friends,” Dixon said. “But something about being in 30 degree weather and being frustrated that you’re in 30 degree weather and that you chose to be in 30 degree weather will really bond you and connect you.”
Christina Holder, Adriana DiFranco and Leslie Gray-Baker contributed to this story.
