A whirlwind of activities and warm camaraderie marked the 2004 CUWMC Alumni Association's Reunion Weekend, Oct. 1 and 2. More than 500 participants, including 303 alumni and their guests, attended the two-day celebration, entitled "Nostalgia: Looking Back, Thinking Forward."
The weekend, which also celebrated the centennial of the founding of the Alumni Association, afforded classmates many opportunities to reconnect informally, while enjoying a full schedule of events. Highlights included:
- The presentation of the CUWMC Alumni Association Honorary Fellowship Awards to Jack Barchas, M.D. and Bernice Grafstein, Ph.D., by outgoing president Thomas McGovern, M.D, '74.
- A diversity-awards presentation dinner featuring author and neuropsychiatrist Hugh Butts, M.D., and honoring Patricia Treadwell, M.D., '77, and Lytton Williams, M.D., '74, for their work with underserved communities.
- An address by Dean Antonio Gotto, M.D., D.Phil., on the state of the Medical College.
- Vignettes and reminiscences sponsored by members of the twenty-fifth reunion classes of '78 and '79.
- Keynote talks by Henry Heimlich, M.D., '43, and Jerold Kreisman, M.D., '73.
- A retrospective tribute to Walter Riker Jr., M.D., '43.
- A Cornell trivia quiz show.
- Presentation of Distinguished Achievement Awards by the Center Alumni Council (CAC) to CAC alumnus Joe Leigh Simpson, as well as more than 20 Distinguished Housestaff Awards.
On Saturday evening, guests attended the reunion gala at the Waldorf-Astoria, and enjoyed a delicious dinner, fine wines, and visiting and dancing late into the night.
"While reunions help us reconnect with friends from our youth and with an alma mater that has evolved significantly since our student days, such events also build school spirit and further the crucial goal of involving alumni as leaders in the college's governance," says Kenneth Swan, M.D., '60, incoming president of the CUWMC Alumni Association. "Cornell gave me a great gift, one of immeasurable opportunity. As we prepare for the 2006 Reunion, I plan to build on the enthusiasm expressed at this October's events to bolster our momentum."
Alumni Reunion at a Glance
Photos by Janet Charles.