Alumni PASS IT ON…AND ON…AND ON

By Kathy Hecht ‘82, ‘84

The theme for the 2023 WAU Alumni Weekend was “Where We Began.” Agreed, this is where we alumni began … but began what? A college career, sure. Our first experience with employment, often. Exploring what we have to offer the world, definitely. Lifelong relationships with others and God, absolutely!

For those able to join us Friday afternoon, we had a look back at our first 100 years through yearbooks, scrapbooks and memorabilia at Weis Library. Then, on to the next 100 years with President Weymouth Spence sharing his vision for moving the campus forward. Tours of the campus were also available on Friday, and open houses of Halcyon and Morrison Hall were held on Sabbath afternoon.

After an alumni reception hosted by Dr. Spence at the Votaw House, those life-long relationships were touchingly evident at the Friday evening Vespers, a retrospective of praise music through the decades. Of course, we were all taken back to the “laughing Sligo’s waters” by Karla Rivera, a 2020 graduate, and Provost Kisunzu as they led us in the school song, Columbia. Alumni had chosen some of their favorite songs for the Vespers program in advance. In previ- ous weeks they had sent in praise song after praise song that had touched their hearts during their time on campus, often accompanied by their testimony of how that tune or that verse had been there when they needed it. The song selections ranged from 1950s hymns to Singspiration days to the present, with the current WAU praise team sharing some of their own favorites. We old-timers — I mean “legacy” alumni — learned some new songs, and the Gen X, Y and Z’s heard something new as well, such as We Are One in the Spirit and Pass it On. But all decades and all generations came together and held hands around the sanctuary for Side by Side, raising joined hands that planned to “meet me in Heaven.”

Music is such a huge part of Washington Adventist University. The Friday evening program also included the WAU Jazz Band and the Sabbath church service and afternoon concert showcased the New England Youth Ensemble and ProMusica. Alumni of the music groups were invited to join the performances.

For the first time, the alumni weekend Sabbath speaker came as a husband and wife ministry team, Jose and Joanne Cortes. Each brought their own special word from the Holy Spirit interwoven on how the Lord expects us to treat the “least of these” among us. The “least of these” being often hidden in plain sight.

Sabbath lunch in the Dining Hall was allyou-can-eat! Who remembers having to weigh their food? The portable Gateway arch was set up (not to be confused with the two-ton one on the Commons) and provided the backdrop for honor class photos and special moments with school days BFFs.

This year the alumni board deviated from the more formal award banquet theme and back to a more relaxed social setting at a local restaurant where we had a large gathering room and balcony reserved for us. Photos of years gone by, many sent in by alums themselves, streamed during the evening. The entertainment for this Saturday evening reunion dinner was just as eclectic as the Friday evening Vespers. There were door prizes, steel pan performances, mixer games, a poetry reading by Mark Tyler, ‘94, and even impressions from our own VP for Finance and alumnus,

Patrick Farley. Alumni board member Benin Lee, ‘91, served as emcee and also interviewed WAU President Weymouth Spence as an opportunity for alumni to get to know the man behind the office just a little bit better.

The Sunday morning business and information session unanimously voted Benin Lee in as the new Alumni Association President, and the annual Family

Fun Fest followed in the afternoon. The WAU Commons was bustling, colorful and musical. A stage with live performers was adjacent to a petting zoo, food trucks, a bounce house, lawn games, information tents and more. The dunk tank is always a big hit, but especially when the target is the security guard who hands out the parking tickets on campus. What a good sport!

Of course, the best part of every alumni weekend is watching alumni who hadn’t seen each other in years huddled together, chatting and laughing like it was just yesterday that they saw each other last. Whether you are an alum of Washington Missionary College, Columbia Union College or Washington Adventist University, the goal is and always has been to “meet me in Heaven.” Pass it on.