Reunion2007

Dear Classmates,

Twenty-five years ago this month we were seniors in Evanston, anticipating the arrival of spring, shedding our heavy winter clothing, and contemplating the arrival of graduation and the start of our lives outside the familiar, friendly confines of Northwestern University.

But it is 2007 now, we are busy planning our 25th reunion for October 12-14 in Evanston, and we hope you’ll be able to join us, reconnect with old friends, and check out all the changes on campus!

We have a lot of fond memories of our four years at NU: arriving on our beautiful lakeshore campus in the fall of 1978, Rush Week, the January 1979 snow storm that cancelled classes for days; “Stop State at 28”, “Hold the Line at 29”, “Down and Dirty for #30”, “We Finally Won on 31”, and setting the record for most losses of any Division 1 Football team; 10pm break at the “libes” when we didn't feel like studying, the Sandwhich Man and his distinctive whistle triggering our Pavlovian response; Shoot Yourself for the Syllabus; ‘Dillo Day with Muddy Waters; torn between studying for finals and hitting the beach for sand and sun Spring Quarter; and suddenly finding ourselves marching in Commencement, receiving our diplomas, and saying goodbye to Evanston, and wondering how those four years zoomed by so fast!

Here’s a quick overview of the festivities we’ve got planned for you:

FRIDAY: Norris University Center is Reunion HQ. You can register here, meet friends at the new Starbucks, check out the bookstore, attend a lecture from any of our undergraduate schools, or join a special session on navigating the college admissions process. President Henry Bienen will get you up to speed on the “State of the University”, followed by a “Reunion Welcome and Cocktail Reception”. In the evening we encourage you to attend the pep rally and Homecoming parade (remember when Paul Lynde was the Grand Marshall?) or meet up with friends!

SATURDAY: Start your day at the family-friendly and festive tailgate tent, complete with Willy the Wildcat, Northwestern cheerleaders, food and drink. Then our Wildcats play football against the Minnesota Golden Gophers! We’ve got a big block of tickets set aside so we’ll all be able to sit together. And while we cannot guarantee a victory, the Wildcats are no longer the “Mildcats” that we remember. In the evening we’ve organized a very fancy reunion party at Guild Hall – nice appetizers, an open bar, and plenty of time for you to catch up with friends while you Shoot Yourself!

SUNDAY: {List of fun stuff to do on Sunday}

LOGISTICS: We’ve arranged for frequent shuttle buses to circulate between the Evanston hotels and all the events on Friday and Saturday, so you don’t have to worry about parking. Visit www.nu1982.org anytime to get updates on the detailed plans as well as view scans of our freshman Facebook and the 1982 Syllabus. If you have any photos or other memorabilia you would like to share with the rest of our class, please send email to ben@slivka.com! And please do visit www.Banderooge.com to revisit all 304 of the original strips!

GIVING BACK: As part of our reunion celebration, we would like to present the University with a gift worthy of the Class of 1982, serving as a tribute to the education we received and the friendships we forged at Northwestern. Gifts made to any area of the University by October 31 will count toward the class gift. This includes gifts earmarked for your school, home department, a scholarship, or any area that was meaningful to you during your time in Evanston. These contributions will have an enormous impact, benefiting both current and future students fortunate enough to enjoy a Northwestern education. As an added bonus, gifts also improve Northwestern’s reputation, as alumni giving plays a significant role in college rankings such as those published annually by U.S. News and World Report. If you have already made your gift, thank you for your support!

Please mark down the dates October 12-14 in your Blackberry, Palm, etc., and look forward to more details soon on!

Go ‘Cats!

Your Class of 1982 Reunion Co-Chairs:

D. Cameron Findlay
Elisa Lewis Kline
Sara Burkoff Owens
Ben Slivka

PS: We would like to encourage reunion weekend gatherings by affinities – sororities, fraternities, athletics, and other activities. If you would like to serve as a point of contact for these gatherings and encourage reunion attendance, please contact Kristen Williams, one of our staff contacts, at (847) 491-5475 or k-williams3@northwestern.edu.