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BLOCK PARTY: CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 1980
BY HAILEY HENDRIX
The Class of 1980 was geared up and ready to celebrate their 40th reunion this October, but the pandemic made that impossible. Instead, the group had a virtual class meet-up to honor their would-be reunion weekend and moved forward in planning for their rescheduled in-person reunion in 2021.
Nothing can keep this group down as their reunion committee uses the extra year of planning to fundraise for the Class of 1980 reunion class gift and generate excitement around the in-person celebration next year.
As we all know, it doesn’t matter how often you are on campus — once you leave Guilford, you always carry it with you. This is particularly true for Marty Block ’80, who has found many opportunities to broadcast his Guilford background.
Marty says that one of his favorite memories as a Guilford alum was going back to Guilford to watch his daughters play volleyball against Guilford. “One of my daughters played for Randolph-Macon, and one played at Roanoke College, and I sat in the stands with a Guilford shirt on,” he recalls. “I loved the looks I got from my daughters’ coaches and teammates!”
While Marty was showing off his Guilford pride (and undoubtedly embarrassing his children), he was able to catch up with his former advisor, Joyce Clark (pictured). This encounter happened in 2016, just three years before Joyce passed away, and Marty says he felt very fortunate that that volleyball game brought him back to campus and allowed him to see Joyce.
“That’s the thing about Guilford — being such a small school, I really enjoyed the small classes and getting to know some of the professors on a more personal level,” Marty says as he reflected on his time as a student.
Sometimes, the smaller classes and close relationships you build with professors are something you don’t really appreciate until you have left Guilford and gone on to bigger universities for graduate school or other programs. Marty has a unique perspective on this subject since he is a Professor at the University of Virginia and teaches courses that have upwards of 150 to 200 students.
“Students at Guilford College are very lucky to be at a place with small classes and caring professors,” he said. “With my class sizes, it is impossible to get to know many students personally. The small classes and personal relationships with professors are so important.” Forty years later, he says this is still what he values the most about his college experience.
For Guilfordians coming back to campus for Homecoming, this isn't just a time to see former classmates. It’s also a great time to catch up with professors and staff members that made a lasting impression.
Marty was a student-athlete and has used past Homecomings to catch up with his former coaches, too — most notably Coach Stuart Maynard ’43 and Coach Jack Jenson.
And while these interactions are a big part of the Homecoming experience, the Class of 1980 has still found ways to stay connected via virtual activities and by raising awareness and excitement for their postponed reunion.
The Class of 1980 reunion is planned for October 2021.
