Welcome back: Reunion 2008 – Alumni Weekend
By Tammy Griffin-Kumpey M.S.P.C. '06
Photos by Tammy Woodard M.A. '98
More than 1,300 alumni and friends returned to Clark for Reunion 2008—Alumni Weekend, held May 16–18. The weekend was full of fun and interesting events—not to mention some new twists on old traditions—giving many alumni, staff and faculty the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Many took the opportunity to explore the recent changes on campus, particularly Clark 's new "green buildings"—Blackstone Hall and the Cathy '83 and Marc '81 Lasry Center for Bioscience.
Other weekend highlights included:
Passport to Clark
Alumni experienced Clark's diverse cultures at this international-food extravaganza that melded the flavors of local restaurants and reflected various cultures on campus. Delectable bites from Brazil, India, Japan, Mexico, New England, Thailand, Greece, Italy, Germany and England satisfied even the most particular palates.
Local-Pub Night Friday night
Clarkies were happy to revisit some favorite local haunts, such as the Blarney Stone and Moynihan's Pub.
Learn through Inquiry
Alumni enjoyed learning something new from Clark's remarkable faculty at these lectures, which included topics such as "American Orientalism: The United States and the Middle East since 1945," "Family Fun with Science," "How to Help Your Children Find the Right College," "Wines and Wine Tasting," and "Alumni and Faculty Author Panel and Booksigning."
Clarkies showed their class pride while marching in the All-Class Parade, which led to the Dolan Field House for a Family Fun event, where face painting, balloons and moonwalk inflatables kicked off the Spree Day Family Picnic.
Alumni viewed a special screening of "Burning Annie," a film created by Zack Ordynans '98 and Randy Mack '98 based on their Clark experience.
Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise Open House
Alumni gathered to meet inaugural director Jim Gomes and Richard Freeland, Mosakowski Distinguished Professor of Higher Education, for cocktails and hors d 'oeuvres and to learn more about this new institute.
Music on the Green
Music on the Green featured musical performances by folk singer Julie Silver '88, Scott Cobban's '04 a cappella group Overboard and the university group The Clarkbars.
Swing the Night Away and Dancing Under the Stars
The evening featured the Beantown Swing Orchestra. Dancing Under the Stars<—a reunion tradition, and Bring Back the Pub events kept the celebration rolling on Saturday night.
Brunches and Banquets
Several other brunches and banquets took place over the weekend including those for Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Alpha and Kappa Phi, Jonas Clark Fellows, Student Alumni Relations Committee, Hillel and Commencement Brunch. Alumni Class Banquets were popular on Saturday night including the Class of 1983, which had more than 115 in attendance.
Commencement procession
The weekend closed with the Class of 1958 and the 50-Year Association leading this year 's graduates in the commencement procession on Sunday afternoon. Alumni participation in this Clark tradition continues to grow so don 't miss your chance to lead the procession next year at Reunion 2009!
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2008 Alumni Association Awards
Each year the Alumni Association presents the following awards during Reunion weekend to recognize alumni and students for their dedication and service to the University.
Distinguished Service Award Peter Condakes '78 and Debbie Eyges '78 were the recipients of this year's Distinguished Service Awards, the Alumni Association's highest honor. From 1989 to 1991, Condakes served as president of the Alumni Association and chaired the association's Long-Range Planning Committee. A class agent and alumni trustee nominee, he has also been an active member of many alumni committees including the Alumni Fund Advisory Board, Alumni Council nominating committee and past president's committee, as well as several Class of 1978 Reunion committees. Condakes is a long-time Jonas Clark Fellow, has supported all of Clark 's capital-fund drives since his graduation, established an endowed fund in Geography and helped coordinate the creation of the scholarship fund in memory of his cherished friend and fellow alumni council member Patti Love '81. His tremendous service to Clark is respected throughout the alumni community.
As a senior in 1978, Debra Eyges received the Rose M. Sachs Alumni Award, which is given to a senior woman who best exemplifies “the spirit of Clark University” through her accomplishments and activities. As a prominent member of the Alumni Association, she continues to exemplify these same traits for which she was recognized 20 years ago. Over the years Eyges has been involved in several Alumni Association committees, served as Alumni Association President from 1993 to 1994 and served as an alumni-elected Trustee at Clark from 2000 to 2006. In addition, she has been a class agent and is an active participant in the Alumni and Parents Admissions Program —she is proud to represent Clark to potential students. Her own daughter is now a sophomore at Clark, and through her, Eyges hopes her legacy will continue. Eyges ' service to Clark has been invaluable.
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Young Alumni Award This award recognizes alumni for extraordinary achievements in their community and profession. This year 's recipient is Hadley Camilus '03. Along with some of his Clark friends and just one year after he graduated, Camilus was instrumental in establishing the Millennium Leadership Conference—a multipurpose event to bring present, past and future Clarkies and other local college students of African descent together to learn about pressing issues affecting our communities. The conference is held annually on campus during the fall. The son of Haitian immigrants, Camilus currently lives in Worcester, where he works as the senior special programs coordinator/senior admissions counselor and head coach of the men 's basketball team at Quinsigamond Community College. Prior to this, he was a work-experience counselor for Bruce Wells Scholars Upward Bound Program, a subsidiary of the Worcester youth service organization YOU, Inc. He also worked for two years in Clark's Admissions Office.
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Clark recognizes the Late Peter Arthur with the outstanding Secondary Educator Award
The late Peter Arthur was recognized with this year's Outstanding Secondary Educator Award from the Clark University Alumni Association on Sunday, May 18. The award recognizes secondary-school teachers for the critical role they play in preparing students for higher education. It is presented at Honors Convocation, held just prior to Commencement every year. Arthur's mother, Cecilia Arthur, and Peter Anderson, principal of Andover High School, accepted the award on Arthur's behalf.
Arthur died of a heart attack on Feb. 4, 2006. He was 32. He left behind his wife Jennifer and son Jeffrey, who recently turned four. He taught social studies at Andover High School and coached soccer there and baseball at Westford Academy.
Laura E. Berger '08, of Andover, a former student of Arthur's who received her bachelor's degree from Clark on May 18, nominated him for the award.
Berger wrote, "Mr. Arthur was by far one of the greatest teachers I have ever had. He was the kind of teacher you looked forward to seeing and the one you came back to visit once you had gone off to college. Mr. Arthur had a passion for teaching; he really loved what he was doing. I'll never forget his ability to make everything so interesting."
Berger has fond memories of the songs Arthur sang to his World Civilization class filled with freshmen, and his dedication to helping make Andover High School a better place through the Small Schools Committee.
"Mr. Arthur was not only a great teacher, but also a great friend. He cared about each and every one of his students and was always willing to lend an ear," she says.
"He encouraged me to follow my interests and to never give up," says Berger. "I hope that as I continue to study to become a teacher, that I can take all that I learned from him with me, and that one day I can share that wisdom with my own students."
Arthur's widow, Jennifer says she was touched when she learned Peter was selected for the award. "I was honored to hear that his former students remember him for his dedication to them and for his teaching."
"Peter was selected as this year's recipient because his passion for teaching and the positive impact he has had on the lives of others exemplify the best that education has to offer," said Richard E. Caswell '89, immediate past president of the Alumni Association.
This is the 24th year that Clark's Alumni Association has presented the Outstanding Secondary Educator Award. Clark seniors nominate their high-school teachers for the award and then discuss the nominees with a committee of Alumni Association members.
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