Major Reunions

APGA

Theme: Roaring Reunions: There’s No Prohibition on Partying

It takes a big tent to hold the APGA’s diverse community of architects, humanists, engineers, scientists and social scientists, headquartered at Cuyler Courtyard. This year’s events include a collection of fun evening gatherings: the second annual APGA Drag Show on Thursday night; La Gran Fiesta on Friday night, co-sponsored with the University’s Latino (ALPA), Black (ABPA), and Asian American (A4P) alumni groups; and a rocking party band, “Silver Arrow Band,” on Saturday night following the fireworks.

Graduate alumni can start out the weekend (Thursday and Friday morning) by performing acts of service in the joint community service project with other Reunions years. Graduate alumni are well represented in the Alumni-Faculty Forums, on a myriad of topics, including the American City and National Security. The APGA will also lead a tour featuring the beautiful architecture on the campus, with a particular focus on the changing landscape and building construction. For additional, “can’t miss” engagement opportunities, the APGA will host a number of daytime #PrincetonStar Forums, including an improv event encouraging alumni to “Move toward Communications Mastery,” a panel on the “Future of Everything,” and “Leading Without a Script,” an event that teaches you to adapt to fluid situations using improv techniques. Come back to campus and reconnect with the APGA!

60^th Reunion: Class of 1963

Theme: “It’s Twistin’ Time”

The Class of 1963 has a lot to celebrate this year. It has set Annual Giving records for every one of their major reunions, and has given back to the University over $50 million, more than any other class to date.

The celebration will feature the Twist, dancing to Chubbie Checkers, but also will recognize their more frequent twist these days – “twistin’ the caps off their pill bottles.”

Their party will have continuous 60’s music in the tent all weekend, and they will also be scrolling pictures from their 60th yearbook on two large TVs. They will have a special lecture on the archaeology of the Southwest on Friday afternoon, followed up by dancing with DJ Fred Campbell that night. Saturday will feature the Class Memorial Service (that will be streamed live for all who could not be in-person). Festivities will continue Saturday night, with dancing to the music of Not Fade Away. The class will wind it all up on with a brunch on Sunday morning, saying goodbye for another five years.

55^th Reunion: Class of 1968

Theme: It’s About Time

The class will be keeping all classmates, who are unable to return for Reunions, engaged in their reunion by Zooming them in for their Service of Remembrance and Class dinners for classmates.

The class is also the only class that has its own class flag and you can’t miss them at the P-rade as they carry placards with all TIME Magazine covers from 1968.

Class dinners will be held every night with live music on Thursday and Friday nights, featuring Billy D Light and the Fabulous Grease Band, respectively, and a DJ on Saturday. Classmates will also be participating as panelists in the Alumni-Faculty Forums throughout the weekend.

50^th Reunion: Class of 1973

Theme: Historic? Yes! History? Not Yet!

The Class of 1973’s  50^th Reunion theme is “Historic? Yes! History? Not Yet!” They say they are not only the Great Class of 1973, but also the Historic Class of 1973. They made history when the first women matriculated at Princeton in the fall of 1969, their freshman year. They were also the first class with substantial numbers of students of color, and increased numbers of students who had graduated from public high schools. The class changed the face of Princeton. And as their theme suggests, they are not done making history yet!

Special events include the “Under the Tent Panel” of classmates speaking on “Living Your Best Life,” a variety show featuring Princeton alumni entertainers, the premiere screening of the class history video documenting their years on campus from 1969 to 1973, and the Class of ’73 Women’s Breakfast.

They plan to participate in a multi-class series of community service projects, both financially, and actively at Reunions, benefitting Womanspace (a shelter for victims of domestic violence) and Homeworks Trenton (a homeless shelter).

They are also working to break the record for attendance for a 50th Reunion. Currently, They currently have 369 classmates registered; only 32 to go to beat the 400 registered for 1969’s 50th. We have a number of classmates who are returning for the first time in 50 years.

While not directly sponsored by their  Class, the class of ’98 and the Association of Black Princeton Alumni are honoring the 12 Black women who were admitted with their class. Several of them have not been back to campus in 50 years. Their experiences, while personally painful for some of them, successfully paved the way for the next generations of Black women at Princeton.

45^th Reunion: Class of 1978

Theme: Tune Every Set

The theme of great Class of 1978’s TUNE EVERY SET 45^th Reunion celebrates the TV shows of our youth! Sporting our new beer jackets and camp shirts, we will walk into our Holder/Hamilton headquarters past our 20-foot-tall inflatable 78 and munch on our special ’78 Kitty Kettle Chips and Tangy Tiger Barbeque Chips!

‘78’s class-oriented activities will include our traditional Thursday-night Talent Show; Friday’s Mindfulness Class, Holder Tower tours, our class survey results, and dinner in our 25^th Reunion blazers at Palmer House, followed by a bonanza barnyard dance and Gotham Entertainment’s Top 45 Countdown. On Saturday, we’ll have our ’78 Foundation breakfast, and we will share our memorial service and class photo, the one and only the P-Rade in our TV-oriented camp shirts, Nassau Hall Sit-in Commemoration, class dinner, and then groove to the tunes of Jump Street. Sunday? Brunch at Commons!

Among the other highlights of our 45^th will be Coming Back, Going Back, a series of community service projects on Thursday and Friday, both on and off campus on Thursday and Friday. Building on the concept of a multi-class community service consortium we started at our 40^th, this year’s effort involves eight major reunion classes and the APGA.

As our other contributions to the greater Princeton community, we are also co-sponsoring Galileo and The Inquisition: Take 2023 on Friday with the great class of 2003, have eight classmates on Alumni Faculty Forums, and are revolutionizing music in the P-Rade with golf cart-synchronization so everyone can enjoy our re-written TV show jingles as we march.

40^th Reunion: Class of 1983

Theme: XLRRRRATING!

The Great Class of 1983 is accelerating into their 40^th reunion. XL, the roman numeral for 40, is the “accel” in accelerating, with the extra R’s to show how Tigers Roar!  Or, looking at it another way, “exhilarating,”  is how they feel about celebrating Reunions with their Class!

On Friday, the Class will induct seven new Honorary members into the Class of 1983 during their Class Dinner. They will relive and archive their Undergraduate Stories on Saturday morning with their Class Historian, Lisa Dunkley.

’83 joins the Class of ’63 as the only classes to have set Annual Giving records in each of their first seven major reunions. The class also has set giving records for 22 of the off-year reunions. 83ers also travel back to campus in droves, setting the attendance record for a 25^th reunion.

The Class will be well represented at the Alumni Forums with five panelists and one moderator.

The Tent will be rocking each evening with the best musical entertainment.

Chris Eisgruber, esteemed President of the University, is a member of the Class of ’83!

More Cowbell!

35^th Reunion: Class of 1988

Theme: “Life’s Great on Route 88: 35 Down, a Lifetime Ahead”

The Class of ’88 will be traveling from far and near to celebrate their 35th reunion this year. All roads lead to their headquarters in New South Courtyard, where their hard-working crew has put in many long hours to plan a weekend of fun and reconnecting for hundreds of returning classmates, friends and family.

Their first official activity is the class Service Project at Learning Ally in Princeton Thursday afternoon, and HQ will be the site of the remainder of their class activities. They take cross-country culinary inspiration all weekend from the Mother Road, Route 66 (most of the class was born in ’66) and will begin Thursday, like the road, in Chicago with a welcome dinner of pizza and Chicago brew. After dinner, their own DJ Keith Blanchard ’88 will be spinning tunes to take them back to Princeton days, and onto the dance floor. Starting Friday morning, plan to join classmates presenting at several Alumni-Faculty Forums around campus, and these continue Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Or just hang out with friends at HQ; they will have lawn games, and back by popular demand the chill lounge for quieter catch-up conversations. For Friday lunch, the class heads to St. Louis for barbecue, and plans to spend Friday around campus at many reunions programs and events (though plan to take the campus shuttles: there is a ton of construction happening around campus). And don’t be late back to HQ: the Santa Fe Margaritas Happy Hour begins promptly at 5 p.m., followed by a Southwest dinner. Friday evening is the entertainment highlight of the weekend: Almost Queen, the world’s best Queen cover band, will be performing what promises to be a very memorable show. After the show, the ’88 Roadhouse will stay open to the wee hours.

Saturday morning there are many events around campus, and after an all-American lunch at HQ don’t be late to grab your shades, don your Reunions camp shirt, and head up to the class photo at Blair Arch. It’s a short walk from there to line up on Cannon Green for their spot in the One and Only P-rade.  Look for the classic (‘like us!’) cars that will join us on the P-rade route. After the P-rade, Saturday’s Happy Hour and Class Dinner reach the Pacific with California food and wine. President Eisgruber will visit, and after dessert, accompanied by the Nassoons, the class will have their Reunions Class Meeting. After the University’s fireworks and outdoor orchestra concert, plan to retun to HQ where DJ Mars will take the stage to get the class moving and shaking on the last night in town.  On Sunday morning, Rabbi Adrienne Rubin ’88 will lead the class Memorial Service, with music by the Katzenjammers, and it will be time for all of ’88 to head back out on the road, with a promise to return in ’28.

30^th Reunion: Class of 1993

Theme: WTGR 93.0 – Your LEGENDARY Home for Good Times and Great Music Since 1993

The mixtapes of yesterday are the playlists of today, and the Class of 2013 can’t wait to welcome their classmates back to campus, bringing together music, memories, friends, family, and fun at WTGR 93.0. So, get your playlists and dancing shoes ready as they gather back at the best damn place of all to celebrate longtime friendships and make new memories together as the first class to celebrate reunions in the New College West/Yeh College Courtyard!

Pre-Reunion Highlights:

• Regional gatherings to kick off their 30th Reunion year in Legendary style
• Talk radio series of Zoom calls that featured classmates in conversation about topics like education and the arts
• “30 Acts of Service” initiative that highlighted ways that classmates are making an impact and will culminate in the multi-class community service project at Reunions
• Digital yearbook and class survey
• Crowd-sourced Playlist of ‘93’s Top Hits which will be featured throughout Reunions weekend, including a montage of the corresponding music videos

Entertainment Highlights:

• Thursday Night: The music on Thursday night will feature Preston W. Dugger III, aka DJ Duggz. DJ Duggz is a Washington, D.C. native who has performed on Broadway and TV as well as serving as Raphael Saddiq’s Tour DJ. He’s sure to have the entire family dancing on our first night under the tent.
• Friday Night: The Legendary entertainment keeps going on Friday with DJ Chris Bachmann, North American Premiere DJ and nightlife icon, who seamlessly blends music from diverse genres to create unparalleled sounds and ambiance.
• Friday and Saturday Nights: For many classmates, they recall FoPo DJs providing the soundtrack for many exciting nights on campus. This group of Princeton grads, including members of the Class of ’93, will ensure that this Reunion party is Legendary whether it’s with the music of the 90’s or today.
• Saturday Jazz Brunch and Evening Entertainment: Kicking off Saturday before the P-Rade will be Princeton’s Jazz Ensemble performing jazz classics while the class enjoys brunch. The Roaring 20s will also perform. After the fireworks, FoPo and Rubik’s Kube will help party the night away! Rubix Kube will take the class back with live performances of their favorite hits of the 80’s and 90’s

Family Fun Highlights:

• Kids Karaoke and Movie Nights
• Face Painting before P-Rade
• Laser Tag on Poe Field
• Cookie decorating party
• Campus Scavenger Hunt and P-Rade Bingo

25^th Reunion: Class of 1998

Theme: Eye of the Tiger

Through its “Eye of the Tiger” theme, the 25th reunion class hopes to convey optimism, inclusivity and achievement. Expect a fun weekend with live entertainment, tasty food and beverages, pickleball games, and children’s activities such as face painting and laser tag.

The class is working on making its 25th Reunion the most sustainable in recent history by piloting a reusable plastic cup program in partnership with the company TURN, the University, and the Greening Reunions Alumni Working Group. They are also gifting their adult registrants with tumblers that they may use as a “Fast-Pass,” to bypass lines at the 25th beer tents.

A panel of class speakers at their sports-themed Friday Night Class Dinner will be held in Jadwin Gymnasium. In celebration of 1998 being the 25th anniversary year of the first class to graduate women with a four-year Princeton education, the class will honor the “Trailblazing Twelve” at their class dinner. In addition, they have designed a commemorative silk scarf for their classmates – with special anniversary tribute features – that they will give to the Trailblazing Twelve in attendance. Additionally, several classmates are participating in Alumni Faculty Forums throughout the weekend.

On the community service front, the class has partnered with the nonprofit organization, Our Kids Read, the brainchild of Jahmal Lake ’98. They will bring 40 fourth-grade, Trenton-based students to campus on Thursday of Reunions for a literacy and mentorship program and campus tour. They partnered with The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, a Princeton-based nonprofit hosting a Drag Queen Story Hour for reunion goers on Friday.

They are thrilled to don their new customized class jackets this May and to serve as the parent class at this year’s Reunions!

20^th Reunion: Class of 2003

Theme: Apres ’03

Aspen, Whistler or Chamonix may have the best downhill, but the hottest post-ski event of the season is set to be “APRÈS ‘03” on campus this Memorial Day.

The class has been training since 2003 to roar back onto campus for their 20^th. Kids, it’s time. “We are different now.” They traded the comfort of Patton and Little for Brooklyn, Austin, Amman, Scarsdale, NorCal, and Cambridge (UK, of course). They are arthroscopic surgeons, ad sales executives, lawyers and beyond. Some have children; and some just kept having them until it was virtually impossible to find a car large enough to fit the whole family. At any time, “one of us is laughing, one is crying, and a third is puzzling how advancing through MAT 474 left her unprepared to explain Singapore Math-style division to a fourth grader.” But come May, they reunite at Poe Field to celebrate the dream of perpetual youth.

Pack your most aggressive orange accessories and prepare to unleash your inner sartorial tiger with entertainment every night — a secret French duo flying in from Europe to spin on Thursday, their own alumni band Pipe Dream opening for Saved by the 90s on Friday, and the notorious DJ Bob on Saturday after the fireworks with a special Hoagie Haven delivery. The class meal will be an après-style Saturday brunch and tailgate before the P-rade (the irony of their après being before the main event is not lost on us) – it will be a 20^th wristband-only affair complete with specialty drinks for those in costume! Other highlights include a winter-themed obstacle course and snow globe, joint community service events with the other majors, several Alumni-Faculty Forums featuring classmates, a touching memorial service Friday afternoon, class photo Saturday morning before brunch, and countless memories.

Ditch the bunny hill and let’s hit the gnar to shred some pow. It’s time for APRÈS ’03!”

15^th Reunion: Class of 2008

Theme: Tropical ’08sis

As the title indicates, the class is taking on a theme with styling evocative of equatorial climates, and a relaxed vibe that might be reminiscent of the restful time between handing in a senior thesis and walking out of FitzRandolph Gate. The class will be the first 15th reunion to be headquartered in Butler College (thanks to the demolition of the College formerly known as Wilson/First).

They will have classmates represented in several AFFs. This also marks the first Reunions where we will be joined by a significant number of children, and in addition to kiddy costumes, will have a variety of activities and events tailored to their children. The class will have a memorial service – they lost three classmates over the past five years – to be followed by a reception.  There will be DJs at their tent each night, and several class meals for dining and bonding.

Finally, they cannot wait for the P-Rade, when they will debut their stunning costumes, designed and produced by Tombolo (an alumni-run clothing company), coordinated by Costume Chair Christine (Miranda) Barnekow. They will take Elm Drive by storm in their linen leisurewear, with custom ’08 detailing and Reunions-inspired graphics.

10^th Reunion: Class of 2013

Theme: BLINK-2013: Welcome to the Orange and Black Parade

The class will kick off Reunions with the “Hello Brooklyn” band on Thursday night. On Friday, reunioners will be treated to paella for their class dinner and dance the night away to covers by “Take Your Shoes Off.” Friday and Saturday lunches will be provided on site, and the Saturday night DJ will be our very own Christina Clark, followed by “My Emo Romance.” Throughout Reunions, four 2013 alumni will be featured on the Alumni-Faculty Forum conversations about the economy, the entertainment industry, sports business, and intergenerational social issues. In addition, this year the class will collaborate with seven other major reunion classes to create and fund ‘bigger and better service projects than ever before.’ They  will be participating in the Rise in Hightstown and the Princeton Kindness Food projects on Thursday, and on Friday, they are preparing hygiene kits and meal packages for Kids Against Hunger, Homeworks Trenton and Womanspace.

5^th Reunion: Class of 2018

Theme:Ocean’s 18: The Best Damn Hei5t of All

The class shares a fun fact about their theme, Ocean’s 18: The Best Damn Hei5t of All: The franchise’s all-female remake came out in 2018, and the cast featured Awkwafina and Rihanna, who interestingly, both performed at Lawnparties. They will be stealing hearts when they march in the P-rade in their Met Gala-inspired sequined blazers accompanied by a fun orange Jeep, their “getaway” car. Their entertainment highlights include Neighbours, Saved by the 90s, DJ Glo, and Faces for Radio.

Three classmates will be participating in Alumni-Faculty Forums:

• Big City Lights…and Frights: Urban Development and Economic Inequality: Natalie Tung ’18
• Constitutional Controversies: The Supreme Court’s Impact on American Society: María Perales Sánchez ’18
• Building a Smarter World: How Artificial Intelligence Is Shaping Our Future: Jeffrey Diament ’18

The class will honor their classmate Anne Li Yiang ’18, who passed away in 2019, during a memorial service on Friday.