Return of Uni alumni: Reunion Weekend and Alumni Agora

David Sun, Staff Writer|November 20, 2018

Each year, Uni hosts a Reunion Weekend. Alumni who return for this event participate in activities such as catching up with old classmates, attending the Uni Gala, and talking about their experiences to students.

Unfortunately, scheduling is an obstacle, and trying to organize alums is a difficult task says Assistant Director of Advancement Joshua Hall.

“Originally the Alumni Agora Day was going to be an all-day event, and then, because of flight arrangements and travel arrangements, our alums don’t get in until that evening or late afternoon,” says Hall.

The Gala and Reunion Weekend will not be taking place in the spring. Instead, it has been moved back to October 2019, per request of the Alumni Association.

“Moving it to the fall, the schedules will be less hectic with our alums (…) hopefully get more turnout from alums,” says Hall. “Earlier in the year maybe it’ll be less stressful, and maybe we can get more buy-in from the students and faculty.”

Alumni Agora, a “spinoff of the normal Agora Days” says Hall, began in the spring of 2016.

“We’ve heard from our alums that they want to be in front of the students, interact with teachers and administration, and just be inside the school building. So, we kind of developed the Alumni Agora day as a part of the Gala and Reunion Weekend, and it’s going to be on a Friday every year before the Gala,” says Hall.

During the second half of the day, students get to interact with and listen to alumni talk about their passions and careers. “I think they’re able to connect with us a lot more than teachers and parents because they understand how we feel,” says junior Angelynn Huang.

The Uni Gala, another event that takes place during Agora Days weekend, has been around longer than the Alunni Agora Days. At the Gala, things such as student projects, faculty correspondence, and donor recognition are featured. The event is used as a fundraiser and last we raised around $18,000, says Hall.

“I think it’s great how alumni are still involved in the school,” says freshman Sally Ma.