ALUMNI REUNION weekend
june 21–23, 2019
It’s Your Reunion! Dear Tiger, On behalf of the Occidental College Alumni Board of Governors, I am delighted to invite you back to your alma mater for Alumni Reunion Weekend 2019. This joyous event is an opportunity to connect with Oxy friends old and new, relive college memories, and get a firsthand look at what is happening on your campus today. The weekend is a celebration of your Oxy connections and your rich life experiences since you walked across the Hillside Theater stage. Over the course of the weekend you’ll have the opportunity to take tours of campus and the Monika J. Moore Director Occidental College Alumni Association
surrounding neighborhood, attend classes taught by your favorite professors, celebrate your classmates at this year’s Alumni Seal Awards Presentation, hear from your College’s leadership, and more. The pinnacle of your weekend will be your reunion Saturday night where you’ll begin celebrating at the All-Class Reception, before enjoying the great food and special programs at your class dinner, planned by your reunion committee. It’s truly a celebration worthy of all that you’ve accomplished since you graduated.
This joyous event is an opportunity to connect with Oxy friends old and new, relive college memories, and get a firsthand look at what is happening on your campus today.”
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OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
We can’t wait to welcome you and your classmates back home.
Io Triumphe!
JUNE 21-23, 2019
s c h e d u l e o f ac t i v i t i e s
friday, june 21 7 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Breakfast in the Marketplace Johnson Student Center Pay on site. Cash only.
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
11 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Title IX Open House
Lunch in the Marketplace
Drop by at your leisure to chat with Jennifer Broomfield, Title IX coordinator, about how the College addresses sexual misconduct and other forms of sex discrimination on campus. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and connect directly with our Title IX staff.
Johnson Student Center Pay on site. Cash only.
Noon – 2 p.m.
Oxy Arts Center Open House Take a short off-campus stroll to explore the Oxy Arts Center on York Boulevard. This brand-new, state-of-the-art building provides a professional art gallery, office space and a multi-use performance/classroom space. Tour the new venue and enjoy the inaugural exhibition, a collaborative project between Oxy students and notable local artist Debra Scacco. Information will be provided for no-host lunch options within walking distance of Oxy Arts.
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Faculty/Student Research Panel Now in its 20th year, the Undergraduate Research Center fosters research collaborations between Oxy faculty and students. In this panel, faculty mentors and student researchers will talk about their ongoing work, their co-authored publications, and the impact of the mentoring available at Oxy.
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Oxy Faculty Authors
11 a.m. – Noon
Oxy and the Neighborhood Schedule subject to change. Complete list of locations will be provided in final program available at check-in. 4
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
Join 2019 Alumni Seal Award recipient Eric Warren ’69 and Special Collections and College Archives for a brief history of Eagle Rock and Oxy’s place in the community.
O ccidental is proud to boast a world-class faculty whose scholarship has not only earned them renown in their professions, but also invigorates the intellectual rigor of the classroom. In this panel, moderated by Kristi Upson-Saia, professor of religious studies and director of the Center for Research & Scholarship, faculty members who have recently published books will talk about their cutting-edge research. This event is brought to you by the Center for Research & Scholarship.
s c h e d u l e o f ac t i v i t i e s 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Back to Class with Professor Swift
5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Dinner in the Marketplace
7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
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Join us in celebrating Professor John Swift P’08’s retirement as he delivers a special encore lecture, “Last Call: Literature, Memory, and History.” Professor Swift’s tenure at Oxy includes 38 years of teaching and service as associate dean of faculty and faculty president.
Opening Night Kickoff your first night back on campus by connecting with your classmates and other reuniting alumni on the Quad with refreshments and live music. Advanced reservation required.
Johnson Student Center Pay on site. Cash only. 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
alumni.oxy.edu/reunion
2019 Alumni Seal Awards Presentation & Reception Alumni Seal Award recipients will be honored at this intimate gathering. Advanced reservation required. Learn more about the recipients on pages 10-11.
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND 2019
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s c h e d u l e o f ac t i v i t i e s
saturday, june 22
11 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Clancy’s All-Class Lunch Gresham Dining Hall Johnson Student Center Enjoy this tasty tribute to longtime Campus Dining Director Clancy Morrison, including modern takes on some of her famed dishes. Pay on site. Cash only.
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.
The Oxy Campaign For Good 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Breakfast in the Marketplace Johnson Student Center Pay on site. Cash only.
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Provide and Protect: Estate-Planning Basics A thoughtful plan can provide peace of mind in an ever-changing world. Do you have your future plans and legacy in order? Join members of Oxy’s Planned Giving team for coffee and doughnuts as they walk you through the finer points of planned-giving vehicles, ideas, and opportunities. Schedule subject to change. Complete list of locations will be provided in final program available at check-in. 6
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Barack Walk Join Jim Tranquada, director of communications, for a tour of campus highlighting President Barack Obama ’83’s time at Oxy. 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Please join College leaders and volunteers to learn about key College initiatives, including the current priorities of Oxy’s comprehensive fundraising campaign. This interactive experience will provide a chance to converse with other alumni and share how Oxy impacted your lives, connect with what is happening on campus today, and learn how our community is coming together to secure the Oxy experience for future generations.
Spotlight on Economics
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Join us for a conversation between economics alumnus Andrew Heath ’04, co-founder of Bombas Socks and recipient of a 2019 Alumni Seal Award for Professional Achievement, and Robby Moore, Elbridge Amos Stuart Professor of Economics, who will be celebrating his retirement at the end of the academic year. Their discussion will explore Oxy’s impact on Andrew’s life and career, before inviting the audience to weigh in on the growth and future of the economics department—Oxy’s largest major.
Adrian Carpenter ’04, the 2019 Erica J. Murray ’01 Young Alumna Award recipient, currently serves as a member of the state of California’s first Cannabis Control Appeals Panel. Join us as Adrian explains her role in this brand new government agency, and how her prior experience in the Governor’s Office and work in the Sacramento legal community led to her appointment.
An Insider’s View of California’s Cannabis Laws
s c h e d u l e o f ac t i v i t i e s
Your Reunion Night 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.
All-Class Reception & Class Photos
Soiree on the Quad
Reunion classes will begin their celebration on the Quad with a cocktail and time to mingle. Individual class photos will be taken.
Keep the good times rolling on the Quad! Continue to catch up with friends and enjoy music, dancing, fun photo opportunities, casino tables and pub games. Beer, wine, refreshments, and late-night snacks will be served.
Please note: The Class of 1969 will hold its reception and take its class photo at Keck Theater. The Fifty Year Club will hold its reception at Gresham Hall.
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4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
alumni.oxy.edu/reunion
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Reunion Dinners Catch up with classmates and enjoy great food and special programs that highlight your class stories and achievements, all planned by your class reunion committees. Advance reservations required.
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND 2019
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s c h e d u l e o f ac t i v i t i e s
Fifty Year Club Day sunday, june 23 8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Coffee and Continental Breakfast Enjoy a relaxed continental breakfast as you say farewell to your classmates. 9:15 a.m. – 10 a.m.
All-Class Memorial Service Reflect on and celebrate the lives of fellow alumni, faculty, and staff through an interfaith service led by Rev. Susan Young, director of religious and spiritual life. 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Fifty Year Club Meeting and Class of 1969 New Member Induction Honor the Class of 1969 at the Fifty Year Club annual induction event. Steeped in tradition and fun, this is an event you don’t want to miss. This year, we honor Dottie (Reitzell) Burnett ’54 and Jerry Burnett ’53 with the Auld Lang Syne Award and thank Professor Gretchen North for her service to Oxy with the Io Triumphe Award.
Schedule subject to change. Complete list of locations will be provided in final program available at check-in. 8
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Fifty Year Club Luncheon The celebration of our new and returning Fifty Year Club members, and the five year reunion classes, continues at this lovely champagne luncheon. 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Motor Coach Tour of Campus Enjoy a final opportunity to take in campus on this guided motor coach tour led by an Office of Admission student tour guide.
2 0 1 9 f i f t y y e a r c l u b awa r d h o n o r e e s
IO TRIUMPHE AWARD
AULD LANG SYNE AWARD
The Io Triumphe Award is bestowed annually by the Fifty Year Club in recognition of faculty, administrators, or staff who have demonstrated extraordinary loyalty to the College and the principles for which Oxy stands.
The Auld Lang Syne Award was established by the Alumni Association and the Fifty Year Club in 1954. It is given annually to a member of the Fifty Year Club in recognition of his or her unswerving loyalty to the College and the principles for which it stands.
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2019 Fifty Year Club Award Honorees
Dr. North’s research focuses on plant physiological ecology, with an emphasis on the water relations of arid-land plants and plants in the rainforest canopy; she also investigates cellular and subcellular mechanisms of plant water uptake and transport. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution. She received the Loftsgordon Outstanding Teaching Award in 2008, the Graham L. Sterling Memorial Award for distinguished teaching, service, and professional achievement in 2012, and the Linda and Tod White ’59 Teaching Prize in 2015. Dr. North also teaches in the California Environment Semester, co-directs the COSMOS program, and is a member of the Faculty/Institutional Advancement Committee.
Dottie (Reitzell) Burnett ’54 and Jerry Burnett ’53 Dottie has served on the Fifty Year Club Board and two terms on the Alumni Board of Governors. She has co-chaired her Reunion committees and has been president of the Gamma Kappa Theta Sorority Alumnae Board for over twenty years. Jerry has served on multiple Reunion committees and the steering committee for Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s reunion events. They have taken part in College events celebrating graduating seniors, and have remained active on campus since they were students.
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND 2019
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alumni.oxy.edu/reunion
Dr. Gretchen North
2019 Alumni Seal Honorees The 2019 Alumni Seal Awards will be presented on Friday evening of Alumni Reunion Weekend.
ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
Vance Mueller ’86 P’16
Andrew Heath ’04
Lindy West ’04
One of the greatest football players to ever lace up cleats at Oxy, Vance played for six seasons with the Los Angeles Raiders and founded Mueller’s Elite Athletic Training Academy. Last year, Vance led the Football Action Team, a group of alumni that spearheaded the charge to raise over $1 million dollars to save the football program and support Oxy Athletics. Vance met his wife Lissa (Palla) Mueller ’86 P’16 while at Oxy. They have three children, Aislynn, Timery and Shay ’16.
Andrew is co-founder of Bombas Socks, a $47 million social benefit company that donates a pair of socks to homeless shelters for every pair sold. Bombas is one of the most successful businesses to have received an investment on Shark Tank. Andrew has provided internships to Oxy students at the company and has also been a generous supporter of the water polo program and Glee Club, both of which he was active in during his time at Oxy.
Lindy West is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times and the author of the bestselling memoir Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman as well as the upcoming essay collection The Witches Are Coming. In 2018 she adapted Shrill as a half-hour comedy, which is set to air on Hulu later this year. Her work has also appeared in This American Life, The Guardian, Cosmopolitan, GQ, Vulture, Jezebel, The Stranger, and others. She is the founder of I Believe You, It’s Not Your Fault, an advice blog for teens and is an activist for women’s reproductive rights.
In honor of his leadership in securing the future of the football program and Oxy athletics, and his commitment to the College, the Occidental College Board of Governors is honored to name Vance Mueller ’86 P’16 our 2019 Alumnus of the Year.
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OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
In recognition of his entrepreneurship and ethical business model, the Board of Governors is proud to name Andrew Heath ’04 as a 2019 Alumni Seal Award recipient for Professional Achievement.
In recognition of her powerful writing and activism, the Board of Governors is honored to name Lindy West ’04 as a 2019 Alumni Seal Award for Professional Achievement.
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
Jose Silva ’84
Kyle Ballard ’04
Eric Warren ’69
Jose Francisco Silva is among our most cherished alumni whose legacy of service continues to inspire the Oxy community. After receiving degrees in Spanish literature and economics, Jose spent 25 years at Raytheon where he was known for his professional success and more significantly, for his leadership of community service and diversity programs. He started mentoring programs to inspire under-served youth to pursue STEM careers and co-founded Raytheon’s national Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Advancement. He also founded Occidental’s Latino Alumni Association (OCLAA) and served on the Board of Governors. In 2008, Jose was killed in a tragic accident. Following his passing, Oxy’s Latino Scholarship Fund was renamed the Jose Silva ’84 Memorial Scholarship to commemorate his legacy.
When Kyle is not fighting human trafficking in his role as Senior Coordinator at the U.S. Department of State, he has given back to his alma mater with an inspiring level of volunteerism. He has been a Distinguished Oxy Alumni Speaker, an intrepid member of ViSTA (Volunteers in Service of Tiger Admission), and has been actively involved with the Kahane Oxy at the United Nations Program and Diplomacy & World Affairs department programming.
Eric was born and raised in Eagle Rock, attended Eagle Rock High School before Occidental, and still lives here today. After a long career as a set designer for film and theater, Eric has dedicated his retirement years to chronicling and preserving the rich history of the neighborhood. He is currently president of the Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society and has authored two volumes of pictorial history of the area. At Occidental, Eric serves on the Alumni Board of Governors. He has served on his Reunion committees, mentored students and is a member of the Ben Culley Society.
To honor his lifetime of service to the Oxy community and beyond, the Board of Governors is proud to posthumously name Jose F. Silva ’84 as a 2019 Alumni Seal Award recipient for Service to the College.
With appreciation for his commitment and support, the Board of Governors recognizes Kyle Ballard ’04 with the 2019 Alumni Seal Award for Service to the College.
In tribute to his inspiring dedication to Eagle Rock and Occidental, the Board of Governors is honored to name Eric Warren ’69 the 2019 Alumni Seal Award for Service to the Community.
ERICA J. MURRAY ’01 YOUNG ALUMNA AWARD
Adrian Carpenter ’04 In 2018, Adrian was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve on the California Cannabis Control Appeals Panel, where she works on complex legal issues concerning the criminal justice system. Previously, she served as Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary and, prior to serving in the Governor’s administration, Deputy City Attorney for the City of Sacramento. Adrian serves on the Board of Directors for the California ChangeLawyers. She is the Past President of the Wiley W. Manuel Bar Association and is also a California State Assembly Delegate.
alumni.oxy.edu/reunion
SERVICE TO THE COLLEGE
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SERVICE TO THE COLLEGE
In recognition of her distinguished early career and tireless public service, the Board of Governors presents the Erica J. Murray ’01 Young Alumna Award for Early Achievement to Adrian Carpenter ’04.
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND 2019
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Take your throwback weekend to the next level! Stay in a residence hall for Reunion.
Accommodations residence halls Rooms will be available starting Thursday, June 20, after 3 p.m. Each room will be outfitted with single beds, sheets, pillows, blankets and towels. We remind you that these are residence halls — please bring your own toiletries. You may pick up your key only during check-in hours listed below. Reservations and payment for dorm rooms should be made as part of your registration process. Rooms are allocated on a first-come, firstserved basis. We will do our best to put you near your classmates, but cannot guarantee particular locations. If you plan to arrive after registration hours, contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement at (323) 259-2601 or alumni@oxy.edu before June 15. Please note: Persons under the age of 21 are not permitted to stay in the residence halls for Alumni Reunion Weekend.
RESIDENCE HALL CHECK-IN HOURS Thursday, June 20
Friday, June 21
Saturday, June 22
3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
9:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Samuelson Alumni Center
Check-In Canopy
Check-In Canopy
Check-out hours: All rooms must be vacated by 3 p.m. on the day of check-out.
local hotels For those who would prefer off-campus accommodations, special Oxy rates are available at several local hotels. Visit oxy.edu/maps-directions/hotel-information to learn more. Contact hotels directly for further information and reservations. 12
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND 2019
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General Information registration Advance registration is required. Registration deadline: June 7* Register online by visiting alumni.oxy.edu/reunion To register by mail, download the registration form at alumni.oxy.edu/reunion, complete and return to:
alumni.oxy.edu/reunion
Occidental College Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement 1600 Campus Road, M-11 Los Angeles, CA 90041-3314 Please Note: Registrations received after May 28 will incur a late fee of $30.
REUNION CHECK-IN HOURS Friday, June 21
Saturday, June 22
Sunday, June 23
9:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
8:30 a.m. – Noon
* A limited number of tickets may be available on the days of the event, but are not guaranteed. Refund policy: Registration fees can be refunded, minus a $30 non-refundable cancellation fee, until May 28. No refunds will be offered after May 28. ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND 2019
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Reuniting while giving back As you join your classmates to celebrate this special milestone, we hope the warmth and spirit of the weekend will remind you of the impact that Oxy had on your life. While a student, you enjoyed an Oxy experience provided by those who came before you, and now as an alum, we ask you to continue the tradition of giving back. Your gift to the Oxy Fund will support the College’s areas of greatest need, including scholarships, athletics, and professional internships. Another wonderful way to honor your reunion milestone and form a lasting legacy is through the creation of a bequest, annuity, or trust. If you have already included the College in your estate plans, please let us know so that we may welcome you as a member of the Ben Culley Society. Your gift intention will be counted toward your class reunion gift. Invest in our scholars by making your gift today!
oxy.edu/giving | (323) 341-4OXY (4699) 14
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
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JUNE 21-23, 2019
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND 2019
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alumni.oxy.edu/reunion
We look forward to seeing you!
Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement 1600 Campus Road M-11 Los Angeles, CA 90041-3314 Return Service Requested
Join your classmates for a memorable weekend! Alumni Reunion Weekend 2019