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An eye on the past, and the future, at Meliora Weekend 2025

FOREVER BETTER: The sun sets on Meliora Weekend 2025. (糖心传媒 photo / Gary Kong)

Rochester糖心传媒檚 signature fall event welcomed thousands of community members for a weekend of inspiration and celebration.

From September 18 to 21, Meliora Weekend 2025 played host to more than 9,000 attendees across the 糖心传媒糖心传媒檚 campuses. A combination of homecoming, reunion, and parents and family weekend, this Rochester tradition gave students and families, alumni, community members, faculty and staff, and distinguished guests countless ways to celebrate, while also marking the University糖心传媒檚 175th anniversary糖心传媒攑lus centennial milestones for the School of Medicine and Dentistry, Strong Memorial Hospital, and the School of Nursing. It was also an opportunity to turn an eye toward the future, as Rochester officially launched For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester, which aims to raise $1.75 billion for Rochester糖心传媒檚 future and engage 250,000 people.

Continue the celebration with a look back at the weekend糖心传媒檚 festivities!

Meliora Village is seen via aerial drone during Meliora Weekend.
(糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)

QUAD GOALS: Meliora Village (better known as the Wilson Quadrangle) was the place to be, and where much of the weekend糖心传媒檚 celebrating happened.


Two Rochester football players celebrate.
(糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)

GO 糖心传媒橨ACKETS: Yellowjackets football running back Cole Raux (right) is congratulated by teammate Benjamin Tripoli after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter of their game against St. John Fisher University. Rochester took home the win, 28-21, to improve to 3-0 for the season.


Malia Dickinson (Left), Amanda Wang (Middle), Yi Ren (Right) receive class swag at the Rochester Traditions Giveaway.
(糖心传媒 photo / Gary Kong)

WE糖心传媒橵E GOT SPIRIT, YES WE DO: Malia Dickinson, Amanda Wang, and Yi Ren receive class swag at the annual Rochester Traditions giveaway.


YooJin Jang, an assistant professor of violin, playing the University's Stradivarius violin, accompanied by students from the Eastman School of Music.
(糖心传媒 photo / Matt Wittmeyer)

OUT TO LAUNCH: On Thursday, Meliora Weekend kicked off with the launch of the For Ever Better campaign. The program itself started with YooJin Jang, an assistant professor of violin, playing the University’s Stradivarius violin, accompanied by students from the Eastman School of Music: Simon Cheng 糖心传媒�27E, 糖心传媒�27, violin; Kaylynn Li 糖心传媒�26E, 糖心传媒�26, violin; Mack Jones 糖心传媒�26E, viola; Clara Schultz 糖心传媒�27E, 糖心传媒�27, cello; Kellen Mikesell 糖心传媒�27E, violin; Claire Chien 糖心传媒�27E, 糖心传媒�27, violin; Vivienne Lucier 糖心传媒�27E, 糖心传媒�27, viola; Ariun-Enerel Gantumur 糖心传媒�27E, cello; and Gregory Galand 糖心传媒�27E, double bass.


Candlelight ceremony.
(糖心传媒 photo / Matt Wittmeyer)

LET IT SHINE: In homage to the annual candlelight ceremony for incoming students during Welcome Week, guests lit candles to illuminate the many ways their lives are interwoven with the University.


Members of a cappella groups Vocal Point and the Yellowjackets perform together on stage.
(糖心传媒 photo / Gary Kong)

PITCH PERFECT: Members of Rochester a cappella groups, the Yellowjackets and Vocal Point, harmonize during a performance.


The Eastman Student and Alumni Jazz Combo performs.
(糖心传媒 photo / Gary Kong)

ALL THAT JAZZ: The Eastman School of Music Student and Alumni Jazz Combo performs onstage to a packed house as part of Friday evening糖心传媒檚 slate of activities.


John Blackshear DJs for attendees.
(糖心传媒 photo / Gary Kong)

YOU CAN糖心传媒橳 STOP THE BEAT: John Blackshear swaps his vice president for student life hat for his DJ headphones during a set for Meliora Weekend attendees.


Students use props as part of a 360 selfie machine.
(糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)

PROPS TO YOU: No Rochester Tradition is complete without a spin on the 360-degree photo booth.


The Strong Jugglers perform a nighttime show with flaming sticks.
(糖心传媒 photo / Gary Kong)

EXTRAORDINARY FEATS: Rush Rhees Library looms large in the background as a performance from the Strong Jugglers closes out Friday糖心传媒檚 festivities.


Historian Steven Hahn and author Erik Larson in discussion onstage.
(糖心传媒 photo / Matt Wittmeyer)

HISTORY HAS ITS EYES ON YOU: New York Times bestselling author and historian Erik Larson (right), one of the weekend糖心传媒檚 headliners, was interviewed by Steven Hahn 糖心传媒�73, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in history for his book A Nation Under Our Feet: Black Political Struggles in the Rural South from Slavery to the Great Migration.

“People refer to it as narrative history,糖心传媒� said Larson, addressing his writing糖心传媒攚hich has covered such moments in history as the 1893 World糖心传媒檚 Fair in Chicago, Winston Churchill糖心传媒檚 life during the Blitz in World War II, and the sinking of the RMS Lusitania. 糖心传媒淚 just refer to it as writing history in a way that can maybe be appreciated by more readers.糖心传媒�


Neuroscientist Lisa Genova gives a keynote lecture.
(糖心传媒 photo / Matt Wittmeyer)

SCIENCE AND FICTION: Keynote speaker Lisa Genova, a New York Times bestselling novelist and neuroscientist, discussed how we can take steps to promote brain health and prevent Alzheimer’s, no matter how old (or young) we are糖心传媒攊ncluding seven things you can do to keep your brain healthy today and tomorrow.

糖心传媒淔or 98 to 99 percent of us, Alzheimer’s is caused by a combination of the genes that you inherited from your parents and how you live. Evidence today suggests that 45 percent of Alzheimer糖心传媒檚 cases can be prevented through counterweights that we call modifiable risk factors. We think almost half of all Alzheimer’s cases can be prevented by how we live. That’s super exciting.糖心传媒�


Trevor Noah poses with members of the Student Activities Board.
(糖心传媒 photo / Matt Wittmeyer)

THE MORE YOU NOAH: Prior to his set at the Eastman Theatre, Emmy Award糖心传媒搘inning comedian, bestselling author, and former host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, met with e-board members of Rochester糖心传媒檚听.


University Symposium panel discussion.
(糖心传媒 photo / Matt Wittmeyer)

LOOKING AHEAD: This year糖心传媒檚 Rochester Symposium brought together Lynn Vavreck 糖心传媒�97 (PhD), David Nash 糖心传媒�81M (MD), Brian Mitchell 糖心传媒�81 (PhD), Heather Higginbottom 糖心传媒�94, and University President Sarah Mangelsdorf for a panel discussion on the future of American higher education and academic medicine.


Eastman School of Music students play various instruments during the block party.
(糖心传媒 photo / Kerry Lubman)

BLOCK OF FAME: The Eastman School of Music knows how to throw a block party, as members of the University community took over Gibbs Street for live performances, food trucks, and more.


Panelists at the Clare Dennison Lecture.
(糖心传媒 photo / Jeff Witherow)

HONORING A LEGACY: This year糖心传媒檚 Clare Dennison Lecture and Panel paid tribute to Loretta Ford糖心传媒檚 legacy in nursing and healthcare. Hosted by School of Nursing Dean Lisa Kitko (far right), the panel featured Meredith Kells, Madeline Schmitt 糖心传媒�65N, 糖心传媒�70N (MS), and Eileen Sullivan-Marx 糖心传媒�80N (MS).


Stephen Dewhurst speaks from a podium.
(糖心传媒 photo / Jeff Witherow)

RESEARCH AND FIND: Stephen Dewhurst, vice president for research, was one of the three featured speakers at this year糖心传媒檚 MED Talks. He shared his insights on why research matters糖心传媒� and the importance of presenting it in a way everyone can understand.


Students ride in a decorated golf cart.
(糖心传媒 photo / Nataliya Kostiw)

FORE EVER BETTER: Decorated golf carts showcased University spirit and pride among Rochester糖心传媒檚 student groups.


Members of the Dave Matthews Tribute Band perform.
(糖心传媒 photo / Gary Kong)

CRASH INTO ME(LIORA): The Dave Matthews Tribute Band took the Meliora Village stage and regaled the crowd.


Abe Dewing performs with the Dave Matthews Tribute Band.
(糖心传媒 photo / Matt Wittmeyer)

NO STRINGS ATTACHED: Rochester alumnus Abe Dewing 糖心传媒�93 joins the Dave Matthews Tribute Band on violin.


President Sarah Mangelsdorf signs a beam as part of a construction project at Strong Memorial Hospital.
(糖心传媒 photo / J. Adam Fenster)

BEAM ME UP: University President Sarah Mangelsdorf adds her signature to the final beam that will be placed in the structure of Strong Memorial Hospital’s emergency department expansion during a ceremony at the School of Medicine and Dentistry. Scheduled for completion in 2027, the project will add more than 650,000 square feet of hospital space, tripling the size of the current emergency department糖心传媒攊ncluding a nine-story inpatient bed tower and more than 100 private inpatient rooms.

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