10/28/12
a college alumna - anc class of 1972, ancc class of '74 (associate's degree), a dormie from glenview who's now retired & living in michigan - is talking with a classmate he & his "dragon" spouse had stayed with over charter day. he's calling to say yet another thank you for helping make the visit so special.
he can't seem to stop talking about what fun they'd had, how hard it was to leave.
he loved the football, the banquet, the catching up with high school & college classmates. but what surprised him was how welcomed he felt by the college - that both he & his wife felt they'd had an opportunity to get a glimpse into how truly special bacnc is, that they came away with a sense that the beautiful buildings & campus simply reflect the teachers, the courses, the students who make up the college.
he marvels at what a good time his wife had when the two of them dropped into the brickman center, especially the opportunity to meet some of the college students, some from as close as bryn athyn and philadelphia, some as far away as china and ghana, but all radiating an appreciation of what they were getting from their education. he admits feeling downright ancient talking to the college teachers & awed by how many were phds. and what a blast to participate in an alumni version of "gnashed teeth" - he'd never forget it!
he had a grand time looking at the enlarged photos of teachers from past decades, including some from his own years at ancc. he'd enjoyed writing down some stories about what it was like to attend college in the same building as the high school, share the same lab rooms & dining facility; loved the opportunity to write down appreciations of a favorite teacher, one who helped put him on an unexpected life path, and a never-to-be-forgotten school mate.
he mentions how much his aunt - anc class of 1962 - felt welcomed & a part of the college, even though she never attended. the student ambassadors seemed genuinely interested in hearing about her time in the fledgling peace corps, where she served & what she did, as well as what it was like attending barnard in the '60s. he recalls how at home all of them felt in the brickman center, settled into comfy chairs in that vaulted yet somehow intimate space, talking with new & old friends, aware of but not distracted by the 2012 bacnc graduation playing on the flat-screen monitor at the one corner, the taped stylings of student musicians playing softly at the other end of the room.
and the food! those bryn athyn bounty bakers really outdid themselves!! he could still taste the whoopie pie sliders he'd eaten way too many of - and friends who were there in the morning and afternoon said the muffins & breads, then cookies & brownies, were equally awesome. what a treat to be able to pick out his own coffee selection & have it brewed up on the spot. he wishes he'd put more than $10 as a free-will offering - will send off an extra check to the alumni association for $25, along with a note of appreciation.
he asks his friend if she'd signed up to get copies of "the beacon" and on the special list for copies of student papers on philosophy & history. he'd signed up to keep in contact with a bacnc college student - did she sign up to connect with gc student studying somewhere else?
and he'd meant to ask - who WAS her favorite teacher? most memorable fellow student (other than him, of course)? did she sign up for the alumni association?
he congratulates his friend - her daughter placed the winning bid on a week's stay for up to 12 at a lakeside cabin. (hint! hint!) although he'd missed most - but not all - of the auction cum party, it was clear it was a smash. several friends had contributed homemade appetizers to the nibbling buffet (and it seemed everyone was putting something into the free-will offering jar, a clay vessel thrown by an anc student artist, which was also up for bid).
who came up with the brilliant idea of offering classes an opportunity to bid on "naming rights" for the liquid refreshments? terrific photos lifted from the class of 1987's yearbook seemed to be all over the party space - kept seeing older versions of young folks in the enlarged photos being snapped with the pictures. what a great return on a relatively low investment in wine, beer, sparkling cider & water!
oh, my gosh - time has flown! he just called for a quick hello & an hour has zipped by. next year isn't a reunion year for him, but his wife is already talking about a return visit next year. maybe even earlier, for bacnc graduation - the video of the ceremony seemed unlike anything he could have ever imagined.
it was a good visit, a great 40th reunion & a priceless reminder that he's blessed to be part of a school that gets better with every passing year, of a church with a vision worth inspiring for!
he signs off with - "see you next october!"
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