Hamilton College will welcome back more than 1,100 alumni and their guests when it hosts its annual Reunion Weekend, this year on Thursday-Sunday, June 1-4.
Highlights of this year's reunion will include an alumni college featuring FBI Agent turned writer Christopher Whitcomb'81, on Saturday, June 3 at 3:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Whitcomb was a member of the FBI's elite hostage Rescue Team and is now a full-time author whose books include Cold Zero and Black and White. A Choir Reunion will celebrate Professor of Music G. Roberts Kolb's 25th anniversary as director of Hamilton's choral programs, and a Track and Cross Country Reunion will honor longtime coach Gene Long.
Other Alumni Colleges will provide intellectual stimulation for returning alumni and their guests. Topics will include An Introduction to Sustainable Design, Alexander Hamilton on Free Speech, Hamilton's Civil War Soldiers and Admissions at Hamilton in the 21st Century. Another Alumni College, "The Culture of the Heart: Hamilton Student Volunteerism," on Saturday, June 3 at 9:30 a.m., will recap this past year's effort that included Alternative Spring Break trips to Louisiana to assist Hurricane Katrina victims, support for the Utica refugee center and other local volunteer activities.
The college will honor Milton Kayle '43 and Donald Pollock '51 when they are presented with the Bell Ringer Award at the annual meeting of the Alumni Association on Saturday in the Chapel. The Bell Ringer is presented each year in recognition of contributions made to the College, its alumni and the community.
The Emerson Gallery will feature two exhibits. The Missing Story of Ourselves is an exhibit of 50 color photographs coupled with first-person narratives on what it means to be poor in the United States. Organized by the ACCESS Project at Hamilton, this traveling exhibition aims to counter the dehumanizing stereotypes of underprivileged student parents through self-portraits. ACCESS Director and Professor Vivyan Adair will lead a guided tour of the exhibit on Friday, June 2 at 4 p.m. Sculpture Space Inside/Outsides showcases 10 outdoor works installed on the Hamilton north campus grounds created by Sculpture Space alumni, including founder John von Bergen '63.
Inside the Emerson is an exhibition of preliminary artwork related to each piece.
Also during the weekend, reunion classes will hear a state of the college address from President Joan Stewart, celebrate at class dinners, hold class meetings and participate in a Service of Remembrance for deceased alumni.
