University alumni, community members, and friends celebrate the annual Meliora Weekend traditions of reunions, thought-provoking conversations, performances, and family fun.
Headlining performers include聽Soledad O糖心传媒橞rien, award-winning journalist, speaker, and author;聽Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow;聽 innovative multi-genre musical group Pink Martini; political commentator and former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele; and聽聽Nasim Pedrad,聽former聽Saturday Night Live聽comedian and actress from聽New Girl听补苍诲听Curb Your Enthusiasm.
From left, Meghan Daly Lippman, Douglas Stiller, and Jennifer Carpenter Siedman糖心传媒攁ll members of the Class of 1988糖心传媒攕how their Rochester spirit at the Meliora Village. (糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
In her keynote address, Soledad O糖心传媒橞rien talks about the importance of storytelling糖心传媒攁nd of diversity of stories and storytellers.”We have an obligation to hear people糖心传媒檚 stories and maybe even more importantly to share our own stories. I don糖心传媒檛 know if we can move forward as a community if we don糖心传媒檛 do that,” she told a packed Palestra.听(糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Pulitzer颅 Prize糖心传媒搘inning writer Ron Chernow talks with Joanna Scott, the Roswell Smith Burrows Professor of English following his lecture, which focused on his critically acclaimed biography Grant. “I have used my books, not necessarily to write about a person, but as prisms to view a period,糖心传媒� he says. Chernow, who also wrote the biography of Alexander Hamilton that inspired the Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, notes that since the musical, 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檓 known as the hip-hop historian.糖心传媒� (糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Michael Steele stops by the voter registration table after his talk in Strong Auditorium to talk with, from right, Prashanta Augustine 糖心传媒�19, Merve Gulbay 糖心传媒�20, and Hager Elkhidir 糖心传媒�21. Steele, an MSNBC political analyst and former Republican National Committee chairman and lieutenant governor of Maryland, urged people in the audience to vote, elevate good candidates, and stay engaged after the elections. (糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Gretchen Birbeck, the Edward A. and Alma Vollertsen Rykenboer Professor in Neurology, delivers a talk on her work researching neurologic disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. 糖心传媒淭he shrinking global condition of our fellow humans is more relevant now than ever,糖心传媒� Birbeck tells the audience at the School of Medicine and Dentistry糖心传媒檚 糖心传媒淢EDTalks糖心传媒� event. 糖心传媒淩esearch conducted off the beaten path could ultimately inform and help all of us.糖心传媒� (糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Tiwalade Dairo 糖心传媒�19, right, tests her might on the 糖心传媒淗igh Striker糖心传媒� game at the Meliora Village糖心传媒攚ith a little encouragement from Victoria Alleluia Shenge 糖心传媒�19.听(糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Vocalist China Forbes with Pink Martini brought their unique blend of classical, jazz, and pop to Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre during one of the weekend糖心传媒檚 headlining performances. (糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Members of the Class of 1968 pose for a class photo after the medallion ceremony to mark their 50th reunion.听(糖心传媒 photo / Deron Berkhof)
Comedian and actress Nasim Pedrad, best known for her work on聽Saturday Night Live, entertains the audience in the Palestra: 糖心传媒淥n my way over here I heard a professor refer to freshmen as first-years and I thought to myself, 糖心传媒楢m I at Hogwarts?糖心传媒� I half expected to see kids walking with broomsticks … and then I did! Because you guys have a Quidditch team!” (糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Bryan Brown 糖心传媒�20 and聽 Aaron Goldin 糖心传媒�20 entertain the Meliora Weekend crowd during the Strong Jugglers糖心传媒� ninth annual Fire Show. (糖心传媒 photo / Zack Shepard)
Vankee Lin, an associate professor of nursing, discusses her work on understanding the neural mechanisms of cognitive aging and aging-related neurodegenerative diseases during the School of Nursing’s “SONTalks.” (糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Jamal Moore 糖心传媒�12E, center, and other YellowJackets alumni join the group for a performance at the A Cappella Jam. (糖心传媒 photo / Zack Shepard)
Arthur Miller ’56, ’08 (Hon.), left, leads a discussion on the ethical, economic, and personal impact of data, privacy, and technology. Panelists, from left, include Mark Zaid 糖心传媒�89, founding and managing partner, Mark S. Zaid PC; Bruce Schneier 糖心传媒�84, a special advisor to IBM Security; Cheryl Howard 糖心传媒�83, senior data scientist at IBM; Randall Curren, a professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy; Thomas Barnett, chief information officer at the University of Rochester Medical Center; and Emily Trapani 糖心传媒�14, a professional staff member with the House Committee on Homeland Security. (糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Yellowjackets wide receiver Duncan Stewart 糖心传媒�22 (80) celebrates his touchdown with teammates Sam Vercillo 糖心传媒�20 (59), Matt Capovani 糖心传媒�19 (65), and Justin Daul 糖心传媒�21 (85) during their . The Saints prevailed 38糖心传媒�24. (糖心传媒 photo / Adrian Kraus)
Rebeca Tomas ’98 and A Palo Seco Flamenco Company were center stage in the Spurrier Hall dance studio. From right, Tomas is pictured with Laura Peralta and Elisabet Torras. (糖心传媒 photo / Zack Shepard)
The combined Eastman School of Music/糖心传媒 Women’s Chorus and University Concert Choir perform at the 糖心传媒淩ochester Sings!糖心传媒� event. (糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)
Kris Schell 糖心传媒�83, right, and Dana Bradley 糖心传媒�83, cheer on their daughter Saralinda Schell 糖心传媒�19 as she races for the Yellowjackets during the Head of the Genesee Regatta. .听(糖心传媒 photo / Adrian Kraus)
