The annual fall celebration combining reunion, homecoming, and family weekend welcomed thousands to campus for four days of activities, get-togethers, and programs.
More than 10,000 people糖心传媒攊ncluding alumni, students, families, employees, and community members糖心传媒攔egistered to attend this year糖心传媒檚 Meliora Weekend at the , which took place October 5糖心传媒�8. The traditional fall event combines reunion, homecoming, and family weekend and offers guests an array of opportunities to learn, socialize, celebrate, and reminisce with their extended Yellowjacket family.
LIVE UP TO YOUR NAME: Elijah Barnard 糖心传媒�24, a microbiology and economics major, posed with an apt portion of the Meliora letters as they were being installed on the Eastman Quadrangle before Meliora Weekend kicked off.
IT TAKES A MELIORA VILLAGE: The Wilson Quadrangle was transformed into Meliora Village, the campus hub for many of the weekend糖心传媒檚 performances, games, meals, and meet-ups. (糖心传媒 photo / AJ Pow)
FROM WASHINGTON, DC, TO ROCHESTER, NY: 糖心传媒淔or all the years I糖心传媒檝e been covering American politics, I糖心传媒檝e been reminded again that I still have a lot to learn,糖心传媒� said Judy Woodruff, senior correspondent and former anchor and managing editor for the PBS NewsHour. During her keynote address in the Palestra, she reflected on her decades-long career as a journalist and shared her predictions for the upcoming presidential election year. She said, 糖心传媒淚t’s time to fasten your seat belts. We糖心传媒檙e in for a wild ride over the next 13 or 14 months.”
STRAT CHAT: During a Q&A with Deputy to the President Joe Testani (left), Provost David Figlio discussed the University糖心传媒檚 new strategic plan, , the main roadmap for the institution. 糖心传媒淪arah [Mangelsdorf] and I think about the strategic plan being a direction rather than a directive,糖心传媒� Figlio said. 糖心传媒淎nd we’re all moving in that same direction because the schools and units are interested in the same thing: making sure the people of the University of Rochester are the most successful they could possibly be.糖心传媒�
GO, JACKETS! The 糖心传媒 faced Union College for the weekend糖心传媒檚 big game in Fauver Stadium. The Garnet Chargers eked out a 21糖心传媒�17 win over the Yellowjackets, who demonstrated persistence until the end with a couple of big fourth-quarter stops.
糖心传媒榃RITING CHOSE ME糖心传媒�: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of Americanah, Purple Hibiscus, and We Should All Be Feminists (among other works), shared her perspectives on growing up in Nigeria, moving to America, writing her books, and other topics to a packed house in Strong Auditorium. 糖心传媒淚 do think that storytelling makes a difference糖心传媒攖hat when we tell a story about something, there’s a greater likelihood of touching that part of us that is universally human,糖心传媒� she said.
GEARED UP: Each year at Meliora Weekend, undergraduates in Arts, Sciences & Engineering get to claim their class-specific Rochester traditions giveaway items. This year糖心传媒檚 gear included a mascot heritage banner, baseball hat, knit soccer scarf, and糖心传媒攆or seniors糖心传媒攁 much-coveted vintage 糖心传媒淩糖心传媒� sweatshirt.
AN ENDURING LEGACY: The Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center, named in honor of the late musician, scholar, and University leader, marked its 10th anniversary. 糖心传媒淥ur role in the Burgett Intercultural Center is to encourage critical self-reflection, celebrate joyous occasions such as today, help navigate typical situations or unfamiliar systems, and to support our students as they grow in pride at the University of Rochester,糖心传媒� said center director Jessica Guzm谩n-Rea. At the celebration, Courtney Thompson Jr. 糖心传媒�18 read aloud a proclamation by Rochester Mayor Malik Evans 糖心传媒�02 declaring October 7, 2023, to be 糖心传媒淒r. Paul J. Burgett Day糖心传媒� in the City of Rochester for his lifelong commitment to learning and inclusion.
DIALOGUE ON DEMOCRACY: 糖心传媒淭he concern is today that parties are going to prioritize winning over the democratic process,糖心传媒� said political scientist Jamie Druckman (far right) during a symposium convening a panel of experts on the state of American democracy today. In addition to Druckman, who will be joining the Rochester faculty in 2024, the experts included (left to right) moderator Gretchen Helmke, faculty director of the University of Rochester Democracy Center, Payge Vukelic 糖心传媒�24, a current student; Shaun Nelms 糖心传媒�04W (MS), 糖心传媒�13W (EdD), the University糖心传媒檚 vice president for community partnerships; and Jillian Youngblood, executive director of Civic Genius.
BAND TOGETHER: During an open-air concert on the Wilson Quad, Rochester糖心传媒檚 own Seven Wonders, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, could be heard across the River Campus serenading guests with their takes on iconic hits such as 糖心传媒淒reams糖心传媒� and 糖心传媒淕o Your Own Way.糖心传媒�
REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD: Rocky the mascot crossed paths with his Mini-Me.
A ROCHESTER WELCOME: Jeffrey McCune Jr. (right) introduced the Department of Black Studies糖心传媒� inaugural faculty members to the University community. Assistant professors Jordan Ealey (center) and Philip V. McHarris (left) joined the faculty a year after the department was established. 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檓 very excited to be part of this new department and to further the knowledge of not only Black studies, but specifically Black feminist knowledge production,糖心传媒� said Ealey.
TALK MEDICINE TO ME: Lainie Ross was among the speakers during MED Talks, a series of innovative presentations from leading Medical Center faculty. Ross, the inaugural chair of the Department of Health Humanities and Bioethics, discussed how the biopsychosocial model糖心传媒攚hich was first developed at Rochester糖心传媒攊s critical to the future of bioethics for both medicine and translational research.
CONNECTING THE DOTS: Giant Connect Four, chess, cornhole, basketball toss, and a high-strikers ring were among the games and activities guests enjoyed in the Meliora Village.
MANY HAPPY RETURNS: During a luncheon in the Feldman Ballroom, University President Sarah Mangelsdorf (left) surprised trustee Gwen Greene 糖心传媒�65 (right) for her 80th birthday with a specially commissioned serenade courtesy of the Midnight Ramblers a cappella group.
SATURDAY STAND-UP: Comedian, writer, producer, and television host Hasan Minhaj performed stand-up and answered questions for a crowd in the Palestra.
LATE NIGHT SKATE NIGHT: On Saturday, the Goergen Athletic Center was converted into a retro-style roller rink.
ALL FIRED UP: The Strong Jugglers put on a dazzling display for onlookers on the Wilson Quadrangle during their 11th annual Meliora Weekend show.
FIFTY AND FABULOUS: Nursing alumni from the Class of 1973糖心传媒攊ncluding Martha Ball Pignataro 糖心传媒�73N, Elizabeth O糖心传媒橞rien 糖心传媒�73N, Sue Griffey 糖心传媒�73N, Michelle Young-Stevenson 糖心传媒�73N糖心传媒攃elebrated their 50th reunion.
BOUNDLESS PUP-ABILITIES: Thanks for the memories, Yellowjackets! We can糖心传媒檛 wait to do it again next year.
